Chapter 693: After Battle Emotional Deflation
‘And you’re sure that this is our guy?’
[He’s got the neck wound, he’s got my scent and he’s acting like he lost something important that’s normally around his neck. I’m pretty sure that’s him.]
‘Of course he’s someone who’s just high enough up the totem pole that issues might arise if he’s taken out…’
[So…we can’t just assassinate him and make it look like a suicide?]
‘Not going to address that statement, but there’s a way we can take him out and have it not trace back to any of us. Just need to make use of someone…after I reunite with my family, that is.’
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“Hey guys, did I miss anything?”
“Xiao Liu!”
“There you are!’
“Where have you been? I mean the puppets were useful, but still, having you around in person is preferred.”
“Would you guys believe me if I said I got kidnapped and interrogated by our gangster looking ancestor while sitting in her private hot springs?”
“Anybody else? No. You? Maybe.”
“I…don’t know how to feel about that assessment…”
“Oh, by the way, someone’s looking for you.”
“Huh? Who?”
“Who do you think, you silver tongue devil?”
“Ah…”
After much coordinated effort between the Zhen Clan and the rest of the citizenry, the chaos caused by the Fallen Clan’s attack was about a third of the way cleaned up.
Most of the escaped convicts were captured or slain by this time, either by Zhen Clan warriors, helpful outsiders or some incredibly dangerous aether puppets that were accompanied by an equally dangerous hippopotamus type aether beast . On a side note, a new level of respect was given to the young warriors that had the “fortune” of fighting the controller of these puppets.
Most of the injured had been treated, with a surprisingly lower casualty rate than usual thanks to the medical advisement from a surprisingly hot blooded source. There were doubts, but then the results spoke for themselves after the aforementioned medical advice was used to restart someone’s heart. That being said, the revived did complain about their mouths tasting like molded copper after coming back.
As for the destroyed buildings…that would take time to restore. On the plus side, all of the debris and rubble had been removed and were in the process of being reprocessed into usable materials again…most of the materials anyways.
It was under these cheery conditions though, that the festivities of the Sapling Festival were to be postponed by at least a day to finish repairing and cleaning everything. That and it gave a bit more time to grieve without outright cancelling the whole thing.
Speaking of cancellations, while the Zhen Clan competition had to be cancelled due to incredibly obvious reasons, it didn’t change the fact that the branch clan still managed to get several, if not all, of their scions to reach the final round, just as the main clan’s matriarch ordered them to do.
Since it was fairly obvious that the Zhen Clan Competition had no way of being revived in the current societal climate, Matriarch Zhen Xun Tian informed all the members of the branch clan that while she was going to keep her promise and wipe Zhen Shi’s slate clean. As an added bonus, and because she was impressed with how the branch clan managed to get through this crisis with zero casualties and even rescue several important leaders within the Zhen Clan’s hierarchy, she decreed that the scions would be allowed into the Zhen Clan’s Aether treasure vault and take out one item each.
The matriarch had originally wanted to perform this little awarding ritual today, but was convinced by the recovered High Elders to wait for the next day, so that the branch clan had time to rest and recuperate.
They were even offered usage of the Zhen Clan estate’s facilities to help better facilitate this healing process, but the branch clan refused, saying it would be better use such resources to help their more injured brethren. Besides, the branch clan had their own little place to rest in…
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“I hope you guys like hazelnut, because I mixed some into this batch of coffee I just made. I have no idea whether or not it goes well, but it smells nice.”
“Thank you, Gao Ren.”
“Ain’t no thing, Master Zhen Long. It’s the least I could do after everything y’all went through today. The last time the Fallen made an attack this big, I was still in diapers.”
“Damn…”
After an incredibly eventful day, the branch clan had returned to the Cozy Maple Hotel and, had more or less, collapsed from exhaustion.
Whether it was physical due to all of the fighting, running and helping they had to do today, or emotional exhaustion because of the sheer amount of stress inflicted on them and everyone around them was up for debate, but it wasn’t anything a good meal, a strong drink and someplace to rest one’s head couldn’t fix.
Granted, such thing would probably be more effective if it wasn’t for the presence of an unexpected guest…well, partially unexpected.
“So this is where you and your kin decided to set-up shop,” Princess Jinju Ren commented as she looked around the interior of the Cozy Maple Hotel.
“Well, it is in the name…”
“And here’s your coffee, princess. Sorry about not having anything fancier to offer you…”
“Oh it’s quite alright. This is actually the first time I’ve ever had coffee and it smells quite nice.”
“Thank you kindly, princess.”
For reasons beyond the rest of the branch’s clan understanding, the Imperial Princess had decided to tag along in order to hang out with(bother?) Zhen Liu.
Zhen Liu’s cousins were initially jealous and a little surprised when the Imperial Princess decided to tag along for the sole purpose of bothering the man in what they expected to be an intimate way, but that jealousy soon turned into pity/relief.
Because like a certain sheep girl from not too long ago, the rest of the scions soon came to the realization that they could not handle her on a conversational level. The foundation of many good relationships was compatibility after all, and they could tell that they wouldn’t be compatible with this princess in the slightest.
“So when are we actually going to fight it out for real? Our battle did get interrupted by the Fallen after all.”
“Well…”
“Also, how’d you do that trick with your puppets? Can you reach me how to do that too with my dragons?”
“Okay that’s a trade secret, but…”
“By the way, besides Miss Jin Fang and Miss Rianna, I heard from some of your cousins that you actually have two other fiancees. Are those political marriages, did you charm them too or did you knock them up?”
“Okay, that’s a little personal!”
As this was happening, Zhen Liu’s cousins watched on with growing amounts of pity.
“It’s…it’s astounding how quickly jealousy turns into abject pity.”
“Yeah, just…yeah.”
“It suddenly makes a lot more sense why Jin Fang and Rianna both looked positively drained the moment we came back here…”
Off to the side, one could find Jin Fang and Rianna both sitting in the comfy chairs in the hotel’s lobby, both staring off into the distant as if they had seen everything.
“Should we go and make sure they’re good?,” Zhen Tai asked.
“Nah, nah. That’s Zhen Liu’s duty, since he’s the one dating them,” Zhen Yue answered.
“Not going to lie, this makes an excellent argument against the idea of polyamory,” Zhen Guo added.
“I don’t know, I’m still up for it,” Zhen Feng commented.
“Huh? Gao Feng, what you got there?”
“Oh this? Well, remember that girl you brought in the day before yesterday? I just remembered I hadn’t fed her yet so-”
“Here, let me do it. You’ve already done more than enough in helping the rest of us out. Go and take a breather.”
“But Master Zhen Xing, it’s my-”
“I know it’s your duty, but you can’t do it well if you’re exhausted. Besides, she’s technically my responsibility since I brought her here. Just let me handle it.”
“Oh very well. Thank you, Master Zhen Xing.”
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As carefully as he could, Zhen Xing carried a tray of what smelled like rice porridge seasoned with seaweed, sesame seed and soy sauce, a meal fit for an ill person or someone who was unconscious at least, into a private break room.
Granted, this break room was currently being used as a medical care room at the moment, with the patient being someone who in this pwrt of the globe, wouldn’t even be allowed into even the cheapest of hospices.
“Yeesh. I can’t tell if I pity the man or find it annoying that he’s actually something of a ladies man,” Zhen Xing said to himself as he made his way into the room. “Then again, I guess I could just consider it karma for all those years I-”
“Eep!”
“Huh? Oh! You’re finally awake!”
