Chapter 77: Beheading

Chapter 77: Beheading

Upon Yaoguang’s arrival, every representative from the major aristocratic families was standing, waiting outside the entrance of Conference Room 1. Although he appeared even younger than anyone had anticipated, when he reached the doorway, everyone bowed to greet him, from the representatives of the still-mighty Lyu and Jiang families to those of the waning Li and Yue families.

This was an acknowledgment of his status, but more importantly, it was a mark of respect for a powerhouse who possessed such immense personal strength that he could overturn a small nation's regime single-handedly.

Inside the conference room, Yaoguang gestured for everyone to take their seats. Without much small talk, he went straight to the point. "Since you are all here, you clearly are at least planning to cooperate. Therefore, we share a common goal."

The crowd nodded in agreement.

"Over the years, the conflict between the aristocratic families and the royal family has been obvious to anyone with even a slight understanding of Dayu’s national affairs," Jiang Sheng spoke up. "As soon as the era of upheaval ended, the Liao family began working to reclaim the rights and interests that originally belonged to us. Decades ago, they still used the excuse of settling old accounts, but in recent years, their actions have become increasingly unscrupulous. Had we not woken up in time and formed an alliance, they would have picked us off one by one in silence."

On the way there, Yue Xingzhou had already explained the situation to Yaoguang. Among the surviving aristocratic families, the Lyu family appeared to be the most imposing, but the Jiang family was the one that possessed the longest heritage and the deepest foundations.

Jiang Sheng’s words resonated with the other representatives. "The Liao family wants to break tradition and dominate Dayu alone. They intend to drive us to extinction, so they cannot blame us for fighting to the bitter end."

Listening to these representatives, Yaoguang knew in his heart that what they were doing was neither honorable nor sacred. But that did not matter.

His pursuit had only ever been one thing: security. Security included both his physical life and his living environment. Daemons threatened his environment, so he killed daemons. The Liao family sheltered daemons and subsequently directly threatened his life. Therefore, he would start a rebellion, fighting for his survival. What was wrong with that?

After the initial statements, Jiang Sheng’s gaze fell back on Yaoguang. "Lord Yaoguang, we'd like to know what you plan to do."

"The Yue family showed me the data. In terms of conventional strength, your families combined are not inferior to the Liao family, and in some aspects, you even surpass them. There are only two points of disadvantage. First..."

Yaoguang glanced at the representatives of the nine families. "Each of you has personal goals; your hearts are not united."

The representatives exchanged looks, knowing this was the truth. They were even aware that if they truly united, they could potentially split the rule of the country with the Liao family. However, even the closest relatives could become enemies over profit, let alone nine different families, or rather, nine different interest groups.

Because of this lack of unity, the Liao family had been able to avoid an all-out confrontation while continuously wearing them down. In another ten or twenty years, once the families became too weak to cause significant turmoil, it would have been the moment to destroy them once and for all.

"Besides the lack of unity, the second point is that the Liao family possesses a significant advantage in high-end combat power. They have the strength to strike with thunderous force and completely behead the leadership of any single family," Yaoguang continued.

To describe the relationship between the royal family and the nine aristocratic families, it was like a man with a gun facing nine unarmed brutes. If the nine could charge forward without fear of death, they could surely beat the Liao family to death. But the nail that sticks out gets hammered down. With their conflicting interests, it was doubtful they could even charge together, let alone sacrifice themselves. Those who led the charge would surely be the first to die.

"You've hit the nail on the head," Jiang Sheng nodded, acknowledging Yaoguang’s assessment. Since the information came from the Yue family, they naturally understood where the root of the problem lay.

"However, now, the situation has changed." Yaoguang stood up and faced the nine representatives, stating calmly, "I am here."

"You mean..."

"Exactly what you think." Yaoguang looked at Jiang Sheng. "Led by me, we will form an elite squad and behead the Liao family, killing its core members before they can retaliate!"

Jiang Sheng and the others nodded slightly. This was indeed the most effective, rapid, and direct plan they could conceive. Originally, the only problem was that Yaoguang, as a young martial paragon, would have to take a massive risk by venturing deep into the dragon's den. But now, he had proposed it himself.

"My question is this," Yaoguang said. "Once I take care of dozens of core members of the royal family, can you take control of the situation quickly enough to ensure Dayu does not fall into chaos or civil war?"

"We cannot fully guarantee the capital, but we can guarantee the other provinces!" Jiang Sheng stated directly.

"Hmm?" Yaoguang looked at him.

"Actually, the logic is quite simple. We are in the information age," Jiang Sheng smiled. "I cannot win a head-on confrontation with the military forces controlled by the Liao family, but I can block the capital’s communications for at least an hour. I can ensure no information leaves the capital. An hour is enough time for the dust to settle. Afterward, those who recognize the situation will naturally make the right choice."

Lyu Jianfeng followed up. "Perhaps some loyalists to the royal family will act out and cause small-scale unrest, but they won't be able to stir up any major waves."

To the side, Yue Nanxing also nodded. Yaoguang thought of the recent contact between the Su and Yue families and their rapid infiltration of various departments in Tiannan. If the heavily suppressed Yue family could do that, the other aristocratic families surely could do even more.

With that thought, Yaoguang made his decision. "Then it is settled. After this is over, the capital, the three cities surrounding it, and Tiannan will be the private territory of the Su and Yue families. You can distribute the rest of the territory among yourselves!"

He then added, "I have only one requirement: there must be a free flow of people and information between the provinces. No actions may be taken to interfere with or block this."

Lyu Jianfeng, Jiang Sheng, and the others understood Yaoguang’s meaning. This essentially amounted to dismembering Dayu into ten medium-to-small countries, similar to Lihuo. Such a move would be disadvantageous in the current global climate of resisting the hegemony of the Crimson Star and Snowdragon Empires.

Their original intent had been to return to the old days when the aristocratic families and the royal family ruled the country together. They would remain nominally subordinate to the royal family and even pay a certain "tax" as an offering, provided the royal family did not interfere with their dominance over the provinces and helped shield them from the pressure of the Crimson Star Empire.

However, it was too early to discuss these details. The Liao family had not yet been destroyed. Moreover, they needed to observe Yaoguang during this operation to determine their final stance based on his performance.

"That's acceptable."

"We shall proceed according to Lord Yaoguang’s words." Lyu Jianfeng and Jiang Sheng both stated their agreement. As the two of them spoke, the other aristocratic families naturally chimed in with their support.

"Then it is settled. Each family will provide one grandmaster to move with me. Additionally, I am giving you twelve hours to make your arrangements. At midnight tonight, I will directly launch the strike meant to behead the Liao family," Yaoguang said bluntly.

"Twelve hours?" Li Cunyu was startled and could not help but ask, "Is that not too fast? There is simply no time to make all the preparations."

"Speed is the essence of war!" Yaoguang glanced at him. "Just as we are not fully prepared, their response will be equally incomplete."

Li Cunyu wanted to argue further, but Jiang Sheng already spoke up. "Then midnight it is!"

𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

He then said in a heavy tone, "There is no such thing as a foolproof plan for what we are about to do. A certain level of confidence is enough."

"When we showed up here, did we not already anticipate this scenario?" Lyu Jianfeng said with a smile.

Among the representatives in the room, seven were grandmasters. The remaining two families also had grandmasters following them. This in itself was significant; they had already prepared various contingency plans. One such plan included the possibility that Yaoguang would decide to form an elite squad, moving immediately to strike the royal family.

"I have established a channel. Every grandmaster’s logistics team should join it to facilitate coordination during the operation," Yue Xingzhou said as he stepped forward.

The others nodded. Lyu Jianfeng turned his gaze toward Yaoguang. "My father has lent me his team. If Lord Yaoguang needs them, I will arrange for them to be on standby in the capital immediately."

"That will not be necessary," Yaoguang replied.

The logistics team would provide support in terms of intelligence, equipment, supplies, and long-range firepower. Compared to the Lyu family’s martial paragon, he still trusted Yue Xingzhou, who shared the same front line, much more.

Lyu Jianfeng did not push the matter. Soon, everyone was pulled into a single channel. To ensure safety, each family also dispatched a liaison squad to stay by Yaoguang’s side and follow his orders at any time.

Yaoguang returned to the villa and quickly packed his equipment. He brought along his battle suit, weapons, firearms, and medicinal pills. As he was packing, Lei Yun suddenly came over. "Young Master, Martial Paragon Zong Yan sent over a set of files."

"Mhmm?" Yaoguang took the files and looked through them.

They recorded the powerhouses and armed forces of the Liao family. The Liao family had two publicly known martial paragons: Liao Zhenguo and Kong Fang. However, in reality, Commander Zhang Jian of the military also served the royal family. Furthermore, they kept a hidden martial paragon named Bian Liancheng. In other words, the Liao family could actually mobilize as many as four martial paragons. As for the number of grandmasters, it exceeded twenty.

The royal family's strength was formidable. It was no wonder that while these aristocratic families knew the Liao family was carving them up with a blunt knife, not a single one had dared to be the first to stand up and resist. Whoever stood up first would be the first to die.

Aside from the Liao family, the file also mentioned the Lyu and Jiang families. The Lyu family wasn't a surprise, as their martial paragon, Lyu Tianhe, had always operated in the open; the Jiang family, on the other hand, unexpectedly harbored a martial paragon as well. Additionally, the Xu family was suspected to have a martial paragon, though even the intelligence department of the World-Saving Society had not been able to confirm it.

After reading the report, Yaoguang remained silent for a moment before finally letting out a slow breath.

"So weak," Yaoguang said. A country with a population of three hundred million and a military strength ranked in the top twenty globally only had seven martial paragons. It was far too weak.

A moment later, he thought about the significance of a martial paragon. Fully equipped and launching a sudden raid, one could crush a heavy combined arms brigade. The key was that they were elusive and could not be detected by conventional means. There was once a glorious record of a single martial paragon defeating thirteen heavy combined arms brigades within a year. In front of a martial paragon supported by a complete logistics team, every soldier was a lamb to the slaughter.

Everyone could be the nation's enemy; this was the peak of that concept. Therefore, while seven martial paragons were few, to underestimate this power would be to seek one's own death. There was only one reason Yaoguang considered such a lineup to be weak.

"I am too strong," Yaoguang said.

***

He put down the files and finished packing. Six hours later, he arrived at a secret stronghold of the Lyu family in the capital. Lyu Jianfeng, Jiang Sheng, and the other grandmasters had already led their teams there and had been waiting for a long time.

Yaoguang could clearly see dozens of people in various rooms, all of them busy working in front of monitors. After a brief greeting to understand each other’s strengths and specialties, the group began to adjust their states and check their gear.

Time flew by. Midnight had arrived.