The Seventh Base

Chapter 136: Chapter 39 Cruelty
 

Xu Mo and his group returned to the courtyard to get their gear.

Su Rou handed over the car to them, and they made a beeline for Lin Xi’s home.

But upon arriving at the gates of Lin Xi’s family estate, Xu Mo and the others could not get the car in.

There were many more guards outside the mansion, and quite a few vehicles were parked there as well.

As Xu Mo and his group tried to enter on foot, they were stopped.

The guards were gene-modified humans, who did not permit entry.

“I’m a friend of Lin Xi,” Xu Mo said, looking at the guards.

The gene-person guards were already watching intently.

By now, Lin’s Mansion was under new management.

Friends of Lin Xi, all the more, could not enter.

Seeing the attitude of the guards, Xu Mo could tell something was amiss.

This was the Lin Family’s place, and it was bizarre that mentioning his relationship with Lin Xi didn’t stir them.

Moving aside, Xu Mo took out his communicator and continued to dial Lin Xi’s number.

There was still no response.

He dialed several times in succession, but no one answered.

“Sister Xi, I’m outside,” Xu Mo sent a message.

After sending the message, a car arrived swiftly.

There was someone in the back seat—it was Lin Yuan.

Xu Mo approached and said, “Mr. Lin, we’re looking for Sister Xi.”

Lin Yuan of course recognized Xu Mo and the others; they were Desert Hunters who had previously been employed by the Lin family and later dispatched by Lin Xi, whereabouts unknown to him.

Moreover, he didn’t have much regard for Xu Mo and his group.

At the last banquet, Xu Mo had beaten Ming Yu in front of him.

“Lin Xi isn’t seeing any outsiders recently. Please leave,” Lin Yuan replied, and the vehicle continued into the estate.

Watching Lin Yuan’s car, Xu Mo knew that he wasn’t well-regarded by the other party.

“What should we do?” Ye Qingdie asked worriedly, looking at Xu Mo.

They had all come to regard Lin Xi as a family member.

Without Lin Xi, they would still be Desert Hunters, hunters without any status.

But now, they were studying at the academy, Xu Mo had a bright future ahead, receiving the academy’s attention, and hope for the future.

All this was thanks to Lin Xi.

Lin Xi had been very kind to her, teaching her many things in the past.

Xu Mo was also thinking. Breaking in wasn’t ideal, Steel Dome City had proper laws, and trespassing into another’s home was illegal; the Security Bureau would apprehend them immediately.

If Lin Yuan complained to the Security Bureau, they’d be in trouble.

This place wasn’t the Underworld.

Inside the mansion, Lin Xi lay quietly with her eyes closed in a chair.

The communicator was tossed aside.

These past few days, she’d received many calls and messages, none of which she answered.

She had cut herself off from the world.

“Sister, Ming Hui is a great guy—handsome, talented in cultivation, and moreover, he is the heir to the Ming Group, a prominent figure anywhere you go,” Lin Jian spoke up beside Lin Xi.

Lin Xi kept her eyes shut, ignoring her.

“Sister, Ming Hui is willing to pay such a great price to help us, which shows his sincerity,” Lin Jian continued.

“Are you afraid I’ll change my mind?” Lin Xi suddenly said without opening her eyes.

Her gaze snapped open, fixing on Lin Jian, “Are you afraid I’ll change my mind and the Lin Family will be ruined, and you won’t be able to play your wealthy heiress part?”

Lin Jian’s gaze wavered upon seeing Lin Xi’s eyes.

She was indeed afraid.

She had never imagined the Lin Family would ever fall.

She had lived a luxurious life since childhood and couldn’t conceive of a bankrupt Lin Family.

When news spread of the Lin Family’s impending bankruptcy, it truly frightened her.

Her friends told her that if the Lin Family went broke, it wasn’t just about having no money—it meant enormous debts.

Then, all the Lin Family’s property and vehicles could not be kept; they would all be taken away by creditors.

Even worse, they would still be burdened by debts.

They would plummet to rock bottom and couldn’t climb back up.

The only hope was the Ming Group.

As long as the Ming Group invested in the Lin, the company could be saved.

That way, she wouldn’t fall to the bottom, to the level of those she looked down upon.

Lin Jian dared not imagine herself living a bottom-rung life.

Seeing the evasive look in Lin Jian’s eyes, Lin Xi was filled with disappointment.

Her heart turned cold.

Was this the little sister she had always doted on?

“Sister, what are you saying? I just think you and Ming Hui are well-matched,” Lin Jian denied any ulterior motives.

Lin Xi glanced at her and said nothing more.

Only disappointment filled her heart.

Well-matched?

Regardless of whether they were truly a good match.

Had Lin Jian even considered her feelings?

She had always disliked Ming Hui.

And Lin Xi didn’t believe Ming Hui would actually marry her.

This was a conspiracy.

The Ming Group wanted to swallow the Lin, and only through investment could they do so legitimately.

Lin Xi picked up the communicator beside her and saw Xu Mo’s name.

There were several missed calls and messages.

Lin Xi sighed, opening a message. She couldn’t help but pause, her gaze turning towards the outside.@@novelbin@@

Just then, Lin Yuan happened to walk over.

“Xiao Xi.”

Lin Yuan shouted, “The news has already been announced one after another, this engagement won’t let you suffer.”

“Won’t let me suffer?”

Lin Xi glanced at the busy workers in the mansion and the guards outside, and said with a hint of irony, “Dad, have you ever seen an engagement like this?”

“It’s just a formality, it’s not important. There will be a formal wedding later,” Lin Yuan responded. “I promise, it will be grand.”

“I don’t need it,” Lin Xi sighed inwardly. “Dad, Ming Yu has no sincerity. He proposed the engagement just to get a stake in the Lin’s and to devour the company.”

“I will carefully review the shareholding contract, and we have hired the most professional experts,” Lin Yuan said. “If Ming Hui lacks sincerity, then we can always dissolve the engagement later. Right now, the most important thing is to get through the current crisis.”

“Xiao Xi, I know you have been wronged. Your father will surely make it up to you in the future.”

Lin Xi looked at her father and felt a sense of unfamiliarity.

Does Lin Yuan really not understand?

Lin Xi thought that he understood everything but was just pretending not to.

Perhaps, was it to grasp at the last straw of salvation?

But did that justify sacrificing her?

All along, she had perhaps overestimated her position in her father’s heart.

And she had overestimated her place in Lin Jian’s heart as well.

Family ties.

Turned out, they too must give way before interests.

At this moment, Lin Xi felt exceptionally lonely, all alone.

“Go back to your own room, and don’t bother your sister,” Lin Yuan gave Lin Jian a stern look, his attitude completely different from how he treated Lin Xi.

“Oh.” Lin Jian replied with a sound and turned to leave.

She was used to it.

“Xiao Xi, have a good rest and relax,” Lin Yuan told Lin Xi and then went back to his room as well.

Lin Xi held the communicator in her hand, looked outside, and then stood up and walked towards the outside.

Outside the door.

Xu Mo and the others were anxiously looking for a solution.

At this time, Lin Xi walked out.

“Sister Xi,” Ye Qingdie called out.

“Sister Xi,” Xu Mo also exclaimed when he saw Lin Xi approaching.

“Why are you all here?” Lin Xi asked with a smile, but her smile was forced, unnatural, as if squeezed out.

“How could we not come when such a big thing has happened?” Xu Mo looked at Lin Xi and said, “Sister Xi, is it because the Lin’s are in trouble?”

“Yes.” Lin Xi nodded lightly and forced a smile, “Xu Mo, go back to the academy and study hard. Don’t worry about Sister Xi’s affairs. But, I won’t invite you to the engagement ceremony.”

Lin Xi was isolated from the outside world and didn’t know about the recent events at the academy.

She still thought Xu Mo was an A-class talent. As long as he studied well in the academy, he would have a very bright future.

If a few more years passed, maybe Xu Mo could help her.

But it was still too early for that.

He had just started his studies at the academy.

Lin Xi did not want to hold Xu Mo back, to let him wade into these muddy waters.

“Sister Xi, since we’re here, won’t you invite us in to sit?” Xu Mo responded.

“Stop it, go back to the academy,” Lin Xi said.

“If you won’t let me in, I’ll just stand guard outside,” Xu Mo said.

Lin Xi looked into his eyes, sighed, and turned to say, “Come in then.”

The gene-enhanced guards looked coldly at Xu Mo, but they stepped aside as Lin Xi led the way.

“You’re done for,” Xiao Qi said toward the gene-enhanced guards.

Xu Mo had been living leisurely and comfortably at the academy recently.

It’s been a long time since he last had sharpened his knife!

Approaching the mansion, Xu Mo asked Lin Xi, “Sister Xi, are these people from the Lin’s or the Ming’s?”

“Both,” Lin Xi answered, feeling the absurdity of it all.

“Are they monitoring you?” Xu Mo frowned.

“Probably afraid I’ll run away,” Lin Xi said with some sadness.

People from both sides were worried about her escaping.

“What happened?” Xu Mo asked.

“Lin’s is facing a bankruptcy crisis, with huge debts. Without an injection of funds, Lin’s will collapse in an instant, and furthermore, everything in the family will be used to pay off debts, and even my dad might face prison,” Lin Xi said. “The Ming Group suggested that Ming Hui and I get engaged and sign a shareholding contract on the engagement day, with the Ming Group injecting funds into the Lin’s.”

“Ming Hui wouldn’t be that kindhearted,” Xu Mo said.

“Of course not. I’ve always thought this is a conspiracy. Ming’s might be aiming to swallow up the Lin Family,” Lin Xi said.

“They won’t even spare people,” Xu Mo thought to himself.

They want all of the Lin family.

“Why would Mr. Lin agree?” Xu Mo asked.

“I don’t know,” Lin Xi said with a wry smile. “Maybe he’s grasping at the last straw, thinking he still has a chance to turn things around.”

“Could it be to avoid prison?” Xu Mo pondered inwardly, though he chose not to voice this thought.

Lin Xi’s mood was already very bad, and he didn’t want to upset her further.

So with this matter, both the Lin family and the Ming family agreed, sacrificing just Lin Xi?

This made Xu Mo feel a wave of sadness.

And of course, anger.

The group arrived near the pool, and Lin Yuan, who stood before the floor-to-ceiling window upstairs, saw Xu Mo and the others, and a flash of coldness flickered in his eyes.

He did not want anyone to disturb Lin Xi now, influencing her decision.

Lin Jian also saw Xu Mo and his group.

With her mind far from rest, she watched Xu Mo with an indifferent gaze, considering the Desert Hunters a persistent nuisance.

Her stance aligned with that of Lin Yuan’s; she did not want anyone to affect Lin Xi at this time.

This engagement had to go smoothly.

Otherwise, she would be ruined.

Lin Jian picked up the communicator and sent a message.

“Ming Hui, those Desert Hunters from before have come to find my sister.”