Ying Chen ignored Xiang Bo's flattery and directly said, "I've erased their memories of me. It's just that the spiritual energy is so depleted in this era, I couldn't achieve perfection even with my abilities."
"Perhaps one day they will remember this, or perhaps someone will be left with lingering effects. Regardless of the outcome, you will be responsible for cleaning up any mess. Understand?"
Xiang Bo quickly replied, "Understood!"
So, Ying Chen had gathered everyone for the purpose of making the Wind Evasion Bureau personnel forget about him.
Indeed, Ying Chen's identity could not be exposed.
Furthermore, what Ying Chen had done today absolutely could not be known by others.
Otherwise, setting aside the matter of Ying Chen stealing S-class files, the mere act of killing Lin Zhiping would be enough to enrage the headquarters of the Wind Evasion Bureau and have them set a trap to hunt Ying Chen down.
While Ying Chen was not afraid, his peaceful life would be shattered.
Most crucially, Ying Chen now knew that Earth would undergo significant transformations in the next twenty years. These twenty years were a period for biding time, accumulating strength. During this period, the last thing that should happen was direct conflict with the Dragon Country's official powers.
Otherwise, not only would they be unable to reclaim their past strength, but it would be counterproductive and make progress impossible.
Ying Chen had experienced the power of a unified national machine over two thousand years ago.
Naturally, he would not choose to butt heads with it.
"As for Lin Zhiping's death..." Ying Chen mused.
Before he could finish, Xiang Bo interjected, "Old Ancestor, rest assured. I've been in the Wind Evasion Bureau for decades. I may not have learned much else, but I'm certainly adept at handling such matters!"
"I've long disliked that scoundrel Lin Zhiping. Even if Old Ancestor hadn't killed him, he would have met his end eventually. Most importantly, almost everyone in the Wind Evasion Bureau knows that Lin Zhiping was prone to taking credit and acted aggressively and ruthlessly. So, we can just pin his death on Chi Liao!"
"We can say that Lin Zhiping, coveting Chi Liao's Dharma Aspect technique, summoned Chi Liao privately. In the process, he was accidentally killed by Chi Liao."
"As for Chi Liao... after he went berserk and killed several prisoners, he attempted to escape the Wind Evasion Bureau. The personnel there tried to stop him, but he knocked them unconscious. Just as he was about to deliver the killing blow, I stepped forward and killed him with 'Thousand-Armed Guanyin,' putting an end to the farce."
In the blink of an eye, Xiang Bo had devised a solution!
Most importantly, the plan sounded plausible and reasonable.
Even if there were minor flaws, Xiang Bo could cover them up with a little effort.
This also involved a core issue: Xiang Bo would no longer hide his strength, revealing himself to the Wind Evasion Bureau's higher-ups as a Martial Dao seventh-tier expert!
The higher-ups would be overjoyed to gain such an expert; why would they nitpick and search for loopholes in Xiang Bo's words?
"That can be done," Ying Chen nodded, agreeing to Xiang Bo's plan.
Then, Ying Chen glanced at Xiang Bo with a hint of amusement, a smirk playing on his lips. "I thought you were truly fearless, but it turns out you're afraid too!"
Xiang Bo's proposed solution actually hid a small calculation!
This plan, if implemented, required one prerequisite: Xiang Bo must stay alive!
A dead Xiang Bo couldn't serve as a scapegoat!
This way, Ying Chen wouldn't be able to hold Xiang Bo accountable for disobeying orders and would have to spare his life.
"Even ants cling to life, let alone humans? Furthermore, I had many misunderstandings about Old Ancestor in the past, thinking you were a wicked and evil person, which is why I resisted you so much. But now that I know Old Ancestor is a good person, I no longer resist you and wish to serve you to the best of my ability."
"Additionally, if my prediction is correct, the headquarters will very likely have me temporarily serve as the director of the Eastern Region branch due to my strength. For Old Ancestor, a potential director is more valuable than a dead man, wouldn't you agree?"
Xiang Bo prostrated himself on the ground, lowering his head as he replied.
Ying Chen, however, let out a scoff. "It seems you still haven't understood the real reason you're alive!"
"The real reason you're alive isn't your strength, nor is it because you might become a director. It's because of the character you displayed at the brink of life and death!"
"I will let those seeds that only have value grow to bear fruit, and then I will pull them out. But seeds that possess both value and character, I will allow them to flourish and endure for eternity. Do you understand?"
Xiang Bo's expression stiffened.
He quickly kowtowed heavily and said, "Thank you for your guidance, Old Ancestor. Wen Tian will bear it in mind!"
"Get up!" Ying Chen waved his hand.
"When I need you in the future, I will summon you. Apart from that, you are not to visit me uninvited."
"Do not say I did not warn you!"
With that, Ying Chen's figure flickered and vanished outside the Wind Evasion Bureau.
Xiang Bo remained, watching Ying Chen's receding figure, feeling as if the day had been a dream, unreal.
However, he knew for certain that this had truly happened, and from this day forward, his life would be completely changed!
Most importantly, he had previously thought that at nearly seventy years old, he was already half-dead.
But now, seeing that Ying Chen, who lived over two thousand years ago, was still alive in the world, his mind filled with countless possibilities for the future!
He was still young!
He still had a great future ahead of him!
...
Shouyang Mountain Villa.
Ying Chen pushed open the villa door and immediately sensed something was wrong.
The villa was in disarray, as if it had been ransacked.
The flowers and plants in the yard lay toppled on the ground. The living room door was wide open, and several common antique ornaments were missing.
Min Ziqiong and Nannan were nowhere to be found, and his calls went unanswered!
Swish!
A gust of wind suddenly blew, dislodging a note stuck to the door.
Ying Chen picked it up and read the message.
"If you want those two ungrateful brats, come to the Min family to find me! Although I don't know who you are, I know you are the mastermind behind kidnapping my son! I used to be afraid of you, but now I have backing and am no longer afraid of you!"
"I'll give you one day. If I don't see you in a day, you can wait to collect the corpses of those two ungrateful brats!" m..oΓg
Although the note had no signature, the mention of "Min family" and the tone of the writing made it clear: this was written by Min Ziqiong's mother!
Min Ziqiong's mother, however, had always believed the villa did not belong to Ying Chen but to someone else.
This note was also written to that owner.
"They say even a tiger doesn't eat its cubs. You've certainly challenged my understanding of that saying! To harm your own daughter and granddaughter!"
Ying Chen's eyes turned cold as he spoke.
He then rubbed his palms together, grinding the note into dust.
He stomped on the ground several times, like a humanoid mecha, emitting a deafening roar as he disappeared into the night.