Chapter 1971 — Face Change

"When the time comes, we'll bring along an expert at the late-stage pinnacle of the Xuan Rank!" Han Xiaochun said with a sneer. "He'll be scared out of his wits! Even if we offer him nothing at all, he'll come help us meekly!"

"Coercion and enticement are both acceptable — the carrot and the stick. Since Xiaochun is so confident, we'll leave this matter to him," Old Master Han said mildly.

Han Xiaopo opened his mouth, then ultimately thought the better of it. No matter how he looked at it, that man was clearly not someone simple. Since Han Xiaochun was confident he had a way, let him go make a fuss of it — he himself would simply stay out of things.

"Yes, Grandfather! Rest assured, I'll get it done!" Han Xiaochun then turned to Ninth Uncle Han and asked, "Ninth Uncle, have you found out that man's exact name yet?"

"No news just yet. Some collateral-branch youths of our family are studying at Donghai Engineering University, and I've already asked them to look into the owner of that Grand Cherokee," Ninth Uncle Han said. "There should be news soon."

Just as he was saying this, Ninth Uncle Han's phone rang. He answered it and said a few words, then his face suddenly changed — turning utterly bizarre!

After a long while, Ninth Uncle Han said, "All right, I understand. Keep investigating."

"Old Ninth, how is it? Any news?" Seeing Ninth Uncle Han's strange expression, Old Master Han couldn't help asking.

"Yes, Family Head, there is news..." Ninth Uncle Han nodded and said, "That student is named Wei Zhao. He's a freshman majoring in pharmacy at Donghai Engineering University..."

"Oh, Wei Zhao — a freshman, I see." Han Xiaochun nodded and said, "I'll go find him in a little while."

"Young Master Chun — this man is called Wei Zhao!" Ninth Uncle Han repeated the name with heavy emphasis.

"Wei Zhao, Wei Zhao... Ah! Could it be that Wei Zhao?" Han Xiaochun's heart gave a sudden jolt. He had thought of a presence that was practically taboo among all the Hidden Families! The Hidden Yu Family, the Hidden You Family, and the Hidden Zhao Family had all tried to make trouble for him, yet every one of them had returned with its wings clipped. Not only had they failed to do this Wei Zhao the slightest harm, their own best experts had been killed off to the very last! Could this Wei Zhao truly be that same Wei Zhao?

At that thought, Han Xiaochun's face changed at once, and he began silently crying out his misfortunes. Just moments ago he had sworn confidently that he would use both carrot and stick, bringing an expert at the late-stage pinnacle of the Xuan Rank to threaten the man — what an absolutely colossal joke!

He knew perfectly well that, let alone an expert at the late-stage pinnacle of the Xuan Rank, even a late-stage Earth Rank expert had been killed in an instant by this Wei Zhao! Taking a late-stage pinnacle Xuan Rank expert along to pick a quarrel with him was simply marching to one's death!

"Young Master Chun, I have yet to determine whether these two Wei Zhaos are the same man — the Yu, You, and Zhao families have all alike kept silent, revealing very little about Wei Zhao — so for now I still dare not say for certain..." Ninth Uncle Han said with an even expression. Inwardly, however, he was sneering: weren't you the one who loved to steal the limelight? What's with the dumbstruck look now?

"Th-this... uh..." At the mere thought of Wei Zhao's thunderous methods of killing, Han Xiaochun felt a chill run down his spine. In the eyes of the younger generation of these Hidden Families, Wei Zhao was already practically a Great Demon King — utterly terrifying! If he himself went to negotiate terms with Wei Zhao, he might not even finish speaking before being killed on the spot. And a death like that would be death in vain, for no one in the Hidden Han Family would dare step forward on his behalf!

Even the Hidden Yu Family, the Hidden Zhao Family, and the Hidden You Family had been forced to swallow mute, bitter losses — so what chance could the Hidden Han Family possibly stand?

"Second Brother, now that you know all about this man, when are you going to see him?" Han Xiaopo was thoroughly amused. Where was all that arrogance from a moment ago? The instant you heard his name, you went blank!

"Th-this... Big Brother, your younger brother's abilities are limited. Best that you go instead. After all, this man was discovered by you, so it's more fitting for you to handle it..." How would Han Xiaochun still dare to go? Unless he had tired of living — going to discuss terms with that violent madman Wei Zhao, wasn't that simply courting death?

Old Master Han's face, too, turned red and white by turns. This was a downright slap in the face! And yet he did not feel the slightest urge to lose his temper. If this Wei Zhao truly was that Wei Zhao, then sending Han Xiaochun to him in ignorance was as good as sending the Hidden Han Family to its own destruction!

Among the Hidden Families, there was the Hidden Families Arbitration Association to mediate disputes and set rules. But with Wei Zhao of the mundane world, none of that carried much weight. If Wei Zhao wanted to wipe out the Hidden Han Family, it would be no great feat at all — and when that day came...

At this thought, Old Master Han broke into a cold sweat all over. "It's Xiaopo who has the foresight," he said to Han Xiaopo. "We didn't act on impulse. Had we truly followed Xiaochun's suggestion, the consequences would have been beyond imagining! Xiaochun is still too immature!"

Han Xiaochun was thoroughly aggrieved. Just a moment ago, the Old Master himself had approved his idea and even sent him off to use the carrot and the stick — and now, all of a sudden, he was the immature one! It was enough to make him burst with frustration! And yet he dared not talk back, for wouldn't talking back be as good as making Grandfather lose face? With no way out, he could only swallow his grievance.

"Yes, Grandfather is right..." Han Xiaochun said dejectedly.

"Xiaopo, the task of contacting Wei Zhao will be yours. Whatever method you use, even if he asks for more, we must win him over. As long as he becomes a friend of our Hidden Han Family, heh-heh, any other Hidden Family meaning to move against us will first have to weigh its own strength..." Old Master Han, however, was looking much further ahead. Snobbish as he was, he was also extremely cunning. If the Hidden Han Family, so far in decline, had still managed to stand unshaken for so many years, it was because Old Master Han truly had his wiles!

Had he not, from the very start, kept the family's younger members low-key — neither allowing them to go out provoking trouble nor allowing them to go out amassing wealth — those Hidden Families would probably have found their excuse to deal with the Hidden Han Family long ago. But Old Master Han would rather sit idle and let the family's reserves dwindle than hand anyone a handle to seize. Precisely there lay his brilliance.

What Old Master Han could see so clearly, the other members of the Han family could naturally see just as clearly. At that, they all nodded in succession. The Old Master had spoken truly: with Wei Zhao's support, the Han family would at least face no danger in the short term. Moreover, at the Hidden Families' summit, Wei Zhao might yet win victories in other contests — and then the Han family would have even more face!

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