Chapter 192 Compensation

"You bribed Miray, and at the first moment the assassination was discovered, you brought Black Phantom to the scene, attempting to provoke conflict and bury more clues in the chaos. You also arranged for people to kill Miray in the confusion to silence him…"

Xiao Jin listed many clues. Su Dinghua closed his eyes in pain and muttered to himself, "I knew this day would come. Exposure means death…"

Then, Su Dinghua looked at his assistant and said, "I assassinated the Boss, but I wasn't the mastermind. He was the mastermind. Ruilan gave me many benefits and promised even greater profits, so I worked for them. He was a nail sent by Ruilan to monitor me and control my actions. He proposed this plan!"

The assistant glared. "You're crazy…"

"Do you think you can still live?" Su Dinghua interrupted him. "I only helped you for profit. I can't use the benefits you gave me anymore. If I'm exposed, Ruilan won't have it easy either…"

Suddenly, the assistant's eyes rolled back, his lips turned purple, and he foamed at the mouth, convulsing and dying. When Su Dinghua spoke, he knew he was doomed, bit through the poison sac in his teeth, and committed suicide. The other guards followed suit.

Ruilan people are known for their cold-bloodedness and loyalty. Everyone wasn't surprised at all.

Han Xiao crossed his arms and watched, not intending to stop them. Soon, only Su Dinghua was left alive.

Xiao Hai sneered, "It's too late to remedy anything now."

"I'm not trying to remedy anything. I know I'm going to die." Su Dinghua shook his head.

Xiao Jin interjected, "Su Dinghua, you're also an old-timer in Opherla. The Boss treated you well. How could you do it?"

"Hahahaha—" Su Dinghua suddenly burst out laughing, tears streaming down his face. He said mockingly, "Second Master Xiao, that doesn't sound like something you would say. Your blood is much colder than mine."

Xiao Jin was expressionless, unmoved. Xiao Hai slapped Su Dinghua in the face and shouted, "Looks like you want to die slowly."

People from other factions had already arrived, looking at the scene with suspicion.

After laughing for a while, Su Dinghua suddenly said miserably, "I will apologize to the Boss myself."

Xiao Hai took out a set of torture tools and said coldly, "Then you have plenty of time to phrase it."

"Enough, he already admitted that he did it. Take him back and interrogate him." A Northern faction leader couldn't help but speak. Su Dinghua was a high-level member of the Northern faction, and being tortured in public would make the Northern faction lose face.

Su Dinghua was a traitor and couldn't represent the Northern faction's position, but it still brought shame to the Northern faction.

Xiao Jin looked at Han Xiao, his eyes questioning. Everyone's gaze also turned to him.

Black Phantom was the scapegoat, so his opinion was very important.

"Since the real culprit has been caught, the rest is none of my business." Han Xiao said, turning and leaving.

…

The real culprit who assassinated Derol was found. The whole thing was a Ruilan plan, and Han Xiao's suspicion was cleared.

Su Dinghua died during the interrogation. Before his death, he revealed a lot of information. He was a very important pawn of Ruilan. The assassination was intended to provoke a conflict between Opherla and the Dark Net, but the plan went awry. Han Xiao's strength was beyond imagination. They originally thought they could catch or kill Black Phantom, making it difficult for Opherla and the Dark Net to reconcile, but they didn't expect Han Xiao to turn the tables and take the initiative.

The assassination went so smoothly because of the internal forces Su Dinghua had cultivated over the years. His death was a great loss to Ruilan.

As a hero who caught the real culprit, Xiao Jin's prestige soared, and the main family faction could only grit their teeth and thank him.

With the matter coming to an end, Black Phantom, who had gotten rid of his suspicion, lingered, not knowing what his purpose was. The various factions didn't have time to care about him, and were all busy with the successor selection.

In the room, Han Xiao looked at the [Real Culprit] mission on the panel. Su Dinghua had been caught, but he hadn't chosen to settle it yet.

"This matter isn't over yet…"

A cold light flashed in Han Xiao's eyes. An idea was becoming clearer and clearer in his mind.

…

Three days after Su Dinghua was caught, Xiao Jin brought Xiao Hai to visit.

"What are you looking for me for?"

"Shouldn't we be asking what your purpose is in staying?" Xiao Jin asked in return.

Han Xiao said lightly, "I was framed for no reason, and your people even wanted to kill me. I need compensation."

Xiao Hai was shocked and angry. "The whole thing was Ruilan's plan. You even killed our people. How can you have the face to ask us for compensation?!"

"Ruilan is too far away. I'll ask you for money first."

"This is robbery!" Xiao Hai said angrily.

"Yes." Han Xiao nodded calmly, his eyes playful. "What can you do about it?"

Xiao Jin stopped the exasperated Xiao Hai, wrote a number on the paper, and said, "I'll compensate you personally. Is this number acceptable?"

Han Xiao glanced at it. "Barely."

Xiao Hai looked frustrated, not understanding why Xiao Jin was willing to give money. In his opinion, it wasn't necessary at all.

"You came to me for something else, right?" Han Xiao crossed his legs.

"That's right. I have something to ask of you. Derol is dead, and the Boss's position is vacant. Opherla is a large family and can't be without a leader. The internal successor election will be held in two days. The method is high-level voting. Todd from the main family faction, Seqi from the Chiyu faction, and Angleton from the Northern faction are all strong contenders. While I was thoroughly investigating the cause of Derol's death, they were secretly wooing high-level members to prepare for the election, which puts me at a disadvantage. So I hope to get your help." Xiao Jin said seriously.

"Why should I help you?"

"Please, for the sake of clearing your name, help me this once."

Han Xiao said lightly, "Asking me to take action requires a reward."

"Ingrate, if it weren't for my father, you would still be the prime suspect. Don't push your luck!" Xiao Hai couldn't help but say angrily.

Han Xiao glanced at him and said calmly, "You should be thanking me for not killing you, otherwise you would all be corpses already."

Xiao Hai's expression was angry and twisted. He was so angry at Han Xiao's attitude that he was shaking. He could only look at Xiao Jin, hoping that his father would uphold justice. However, he was destined to be disappointed. Xiao Jin was calm from beginning to end.

"How much reward do you want?"

Han Xiao stroked his chin and tapped the note. "Triple that number."

"Madman…" Xiao Hai was stunned. This request was simply outrageous.

However, Xiao Jin compromised without any hesitation. "No problem."

"Father!" Xiao Hai was stunned, his face incredulous. He didn't understand why Xiao Jin was so obedient to Han Xiao. He quickly said, "Asking him for help is useless. Outsiders can't interfere in internal elections. Even if he's strong, he won't have any say in the internal meeting!"

Xiao Jin said lightly, "I have a way. Mr. Black Phantom, I wonder if you would be willing to join our Xiao faction?"

Join the Xiao faction? What did that mean?

Han Xiao raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "What do you mean?"

"Join my family as an in-law, on the same level as me. My child will be your adopted son."

The atmosphere suddenly became strange.

Xiao Hai staggered and almost fell, his face blank. Xiao Jin hadn't discussed this with him. He inexplicably had an adoptive father?

"Damn, you can play it like this?" The corner of Han Xiao's eye twitched. Xiao Jin's shamelessness exceeded his expectations. He couldn't help but ask, "Is such a naive method useful?"

Xiao Jin said lightly, "Politics is inherently naive."

"As long as you join the Xiao faction, you can participate in internal meetings. Your strength is your voice. As long as you appear, you represent a threat. And at that time, your identity is a member of the Xiao faction. Doing so isn't considered an external threat. Other factions will be wary and automatically give up."

The meaning conveyed by family members displaying force is different from that of outsiders. One is an external threat, which will only cause resentment, but if it becomes family, it means that Xiao Jin's power has greatly increased, and overall, it is to attract a powerful combat force for Opherla, which is meritorious. In addition, with Xiao Jin's accumulated power over the years and his recent prestige in solving the Derol assassination, other factions will wisely give up.

Up to now, Han Xiao had a basic guess about the whole thing and smiled. "Joining the Xiao faction doesn't benefit me. Why should I agree?"

"If you join the Xiao faction, when I become the Boss, Opherla's power will become your aid." Xiao Jin said.

"It seems that you're willing to pay any price for the Boss's position." Han Xiao smiled, his tone mocking. "Okay, I'll join the Xiao faction and reluctantly be your child's godfather."

Xiao Hai was almost driven crazy. He had to give benefits to others before he could qualify to be someone else's godson. He had never been so aggrieved. What was even more infuriating was that Xiao Jin actually agreed. He almost suspected that his father had been brainwashed.

Han Xiao looked at Xiao Hai, a smile playing on his lips. "Come on, call me godfather and let me hear it."

Xiao Hai's face was livid. He was a conceited person, and doing this was worse than killing him. But he saw Xiao Jin's stern gaze, and suppressed the resentment in his heart, forcing the words out from between his teeth.

"Godfather."

Han Xiao picked his ear, pretending to be nonchalant. "I didn't hear you clearly."

"Godfather!" Xiao Hai's cheeks bulged, exerting so much force that his gums bled, filling his mouth with a fishy sweetness.

"Heh, good boy." Han Xiao was amused in his heart. His original body was Xiao Hai's younger brother. He wondered what Xiao Hai would think when he found out the truth. Xiao Jin's shamelessness also amazed him.

Xiao Jin extended his hand. "Then, happy cooperation."

Handshake.

The Xiao family father and son got up and left, silent all the way.

Back at the Xiao faction's mansion, Xiao Hai couldn't help but question, "Father, why did you do this…"

Xiao Jin was expressionless. "Black Phantom is more greedy than I imagined. I thought that helping him clear his name would make him grateful, but I didn't expect that asking him to take action would still require such a high price. But it's worth it. At least we're the only ones who can negotiate with Black Phantom. Other factions can't ask Black Phantom to take action at all. When I sit in the Boss's position, these losses can be easily earned back."

"So that's how it is. As long as you become the Boss, you don't have to care about Black Phantom…" Xiao Hai suddenly understood.

Xiao Jin suddenly turned to look at his son, and said sternly, "You're wrong. After becoming the Boss, you must fulfill the conditions with Black Phantom and provide him with assistance. Crossing the river and demolishing the bridge is simply courting death. This world is a jungle. Black Phantom's strength is already at the top. The deterrent power of individual strength is as terrifying as that of a force. As long as Black Phantom is nominally in the Xiao faction, he can become our backer, and other factions won't dare to act rashly… I know you're uncomfortable, but don't be impulsive and ruin my plan."

Xiao Hai was unwilling, but could only grit his teeth and agree.

"I understand."