The Black Totem Snake's body gradually shrank, passing by Zhu Meng as if completely ignoring him, and after a while, it coiled back onto Lin Chen's shoulder.
Regardless, Luo Mian was the culprit in this matter. While Zhu Meng had selfish motives, his contributions to Hangzhou were undeniable. However, Zhu Meng could be spared from death, but not from punishment. Lin Chen was determined to annoy him!
Lin Chen sneered, "Now that the truth is out, Zhu Meng, do you understand why I called you an idiot? Before investigating the matter thoroughly, you wanted to eliminate what you perceived as a threat for your own selfish desires. You disregarded the truth and the lives of the people of Hangzhou. If you had ordered an investigation into the truth earlier, perhaps not so many people would have died from the plague. In my opinion, you are not much different from Luo Mian. You are Luo Mian's biggest accomplice! You are even more detestable than him!"
Upon hearing this, Zhu Meng slumped back into his chair, his expression dejected, his eyes hollow.
Tang Zhong shook his head helplessly. Not only did Lin Chen win this game, but he also aimed to crush Zhu Meng's spirit. Good heavens, with such soul-crushing words, would Zhu Meng develop inner demons?
Speaking of which, Zhu Meng was quite unlucky. Everyone has their selfish motives, which is understandable.
But Zhu Meng's selfishness indirectly helped the enemy and, to make matters worse, he provoked Lin Chen. Lin Chen is a vengeful person, and he clearly knew the truth long ago, yet he insisted on resolving the issue in this manner.
He not only left Zhu Meng with no dignity but also repeatedly trampled his face into the ground. The thought of such methods was terrifying.
Through this incident, Tang Zhong had made up his mind: no matter what happened in the future, he must never offend Lin Chen!
This guy is truly wicked!
Lin Chen scanned the people present, then looked at Zhu Meng again and said, "The Black Totem Snake is the guardian of Hangzhou. It would never harm innocent humans. However, the poison that beast Luo Mian used is a favorite of the White Magic Eagle from Xiling. If they attack, you deal with it yourself. Don't come looking for the Black Totem Snake for help. Don't make me look down on you!"
Lin Chen gave Zhu Meng a cold look, then took the Black Totem Snake and walked out of the house. Now that the culprit of this matter had been subdued, it was time for him to withdraw after accomplishing his goal.
As for Zhu Meng, Lin Chen naturally couldn't do anything to him. After all, he was a senator, and Lin Chen certainly wouldn't go against China.
As Lin Chen left, everyone in the conference hall finally breathed a sigh of relief. The pressure the Black Totem Snake had put on them was immense. After relaxing, everyone looked at Zhu Meng, seeing him still in that dazed state. For a moment, they exchanged glances, not knowing whether to leave or stay, completely at a loss.
"Zhu Meng, what's done is done. Dwelling on it further is meaningless. We must look forward!" Tang Zhong's voice broke the silence.
Tang Zhong's words also brought Zhu Meng back to reality. Zhu Meng looked at Tang Zhong awkwardly. Earlier, he had forced Tang Zhong to deal with the Black Totem Snake, which had caused some unpleasantness between them.
Now that the truth was out, it was Tang Zhong who put aside his prejudices and came to comfort him instead.
Just then, a man in uniform walked in. The man saluted Zhu Meng and said, "Report! Urgent military intelligence from the fortress! The White Magic Eagle from Xiling has suddenly launched a massive attack! Even a monarch-level demon from Xiling has moved, causing the military's Sky Hawks to mutiny..."
Upon hearing the report, Zhu Meng frowned. He wished he could kill himself. If he had handled this matter without any selfish motives, just as Lin Chen said, and investigated the source of the plague first, perhaps the situation wouldn't be as severe as it was now.
Zhu Meng looked at Tang Zhong and spoke with difficulty, "Can... can't... the Black Totem Snake..."
After a while, the words in Zhu Meng's mouth ultimately remained unfinished. Lin Chen's words before leaving still echoed in his mind.
But Zhu Meng no longer cared about his dignity. Whether Hangzhou could be defended was his utmost concern.
Although Zhu Meng's words were incomplete, Tang Zhong clearly understood his meaning. Tang Zhong sighed softly and said, "Lin Chen has already taken the lead in this matter. I have no confidence either. From what I know of him, Lin Chen is a person with very strong subjective will. If he doesn't want to do something, even holding a knife to his throat won't work! Besides, I don't have the power to force him!"
Tang Zhong's words were true. He had dealt with Lin Chen before, and it seemed Lin Chen was very much against Chinese organizations like the Judgment Association. And Lin Chen's strength made him feel unfathomable. Tang Yue's rapid promotion to Super Mage made it even more unbelievable. Clearly, the two of them were hiding a big secret!
When faced with such a situation, even though Tang Zhong was Tang Yue's paternal uncle, he didn't try to get to the bottom of it. He knew in his heart that this was a matter of boundaries. As long as they didn't speak first, Tang Zhong would never ask proactively.
Zhu Meng looked disappointed upon hearing this. Just as he was at his wit's end, Tang Zhong's voice rang out again.
"Perhaps there's someone who can persuade him!" Tang Zhong said.
Zhu Meng was stunned and immediately said excitedly, "Who? Tell me quickly! Hangzhou is at a critical moment of life and death now, don't keep me in suspense!"
Tang Zhong chuckled and said, "Tang Yue!"
"Tang Yue? Yes, yes, Tang Yue! Why didn't I think of her!" Zhu Meng said excitedly. The relationship between Tang Yue and Lin Chen was no secret. Not to mention that Tang Yue was originally a member of the Judgment Association, her sudden leave of absence to have a child naturally couldn't be hidden from those in high positions.
"Tang Zhong, quickly ask Tang Yue to talk to Lin Chen! As long as they can resolve Hangzhou's crisis, I, Zhu Meng, guarantee that from now on, I will never trouble the Black Totem Snake again!" Zhu Meng said solemnly.
At this moment, Zhu Meng no longer cared about dignity. No matter how important dignity was, it was not as important as Hangzhou's safety!
Tang Zhong's mouth twitched. Listen, was Zhu Meng speaking like a human? This matter had nothing to do with the Black Totem Snake to begin with, yet he made it sound as if the Black Totem Snake had committed some error and was being given a chance to atone for it.
Facing Zhu Meng's thick skin, Tang Zhong chuckled and didn't intend to argue with him much. Zhu Meng had indeed made many contributions to Hangzhou, so he said, "I'll give it a try!"
...
By West Lake, there was an ancient mansion. In front of the mansion, Lin Chen was lying on a bamboo chair, legs crossed, eyes closed in contemplation.
The sky was clear and cloudless. The autumn sun brought a hint of warmth, casting a long, slender shadow on the ground.
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