Chapter 284 The Situation Changes

The Overmaira structure changed, with Xiao Jin becoming the head of the family. All factions sent their congratulations, and various important decision-making powers were transferred from the main family faction to the Xiao faction.

In the evening, Xiao Jin invited Han Xiao to his mansion. All the high-level members of the Xiao faction gathered together, as well as Xiao Hai and his children. When they saw Han Xiao, they all bowed and spontaneously called him godfather. No matter what these younger generations of the Xiao family thought, they could only maintain respect on the surface.

The butler led Han Xiao to the study, closed the door, leaving only Xiao Jin and Han Xiao.

Xiao Jin became the head of the family as he wished. Although he was still expressionless, one could see his high spirits from his energy.

He didn't forget that this was a benefit Han Xiao had brought him. Because Han Xiao told him that he would be leaving tomorrow, Xiao Jin didn't rush to deal with affairs on his first day as the head of the family. Instead, he invited Han Xiao to express his gratitude.

"I am very grateful for your assistance," Xiao Jin said sincerely.

Han Xiao didn't sit down. Standing in front of the bookcase, he casually played with the small objects in the cabinet and said casually, "Get to the point."

Xiao Jin took out a bottle of wine, poured it into two glasses, stood up, came to Han Xiao's side, and handed him a glass.

"Our deal remains the same. If there is anything you need my help with, I will provide it," Xiao Jin said with a smile, and he was more confident.

The amber wine had a rich aroma, and the alcohol was soft and not pungent, indicating its high quality. This was Xiao Jin's collection, which he only opened when facing distinguished guests. It had been stored for many years, and only today was it useful.

Han Xiao took the wine glass but didn't drink it. He just swayed the glass and said lightly, "These days, I have thought about it carefully and discovered an interesting explanation. In fact, you knew long ago that Su Dinghua would assassinate Deluo, but you didn't tell anyone. Instead, you allowed this to happen. Only with Deluo's death could you have the opportunity to become the head of the family. Then, when everyone suspected me, you were the only one who firmly spoke up for me because you knew who the murderer was. You took the opportunity to gain my favor. Then, after other factions offended me, you found a suitable opportunity, threw out the clue of Su Dinghua, and became the person who solved the real culprit, greatly increasing your prestige. At the same time, you got on my good side. Then, it was a natural step to use this as a reason to ask me to help you win the successor election, using my deterrent force to overwhelm all factions. You are not the real culprit, just a cuckoo who fanned the flames and seized the opportunity."

Han Xiao turned his head, his eyes meaningful. "What do you think of this explanation?"

Xiao Jin shook his head with a smile, took a sip of wine, and tsked. "Interesting idea, but that's not how it is."

"But I think that's how it is," Han Xiao said with a non-smile.

Xiao Jin's expression changed slightly. "This is just your conjecture..."

Han Xiao took a step towards Xiao Jin, his upper body leaning forward, full of pressure, forcing Xiao Jin to retreat, hitting the edge of the table.

The two were very close, and Xiao Jin's eyes had nowhere to dodge. He could only brace himself and meet Han Xiao's gaze. From Han Xiao's eyes, he saw a grim killing intent, and cold sweat broke out immediately.

"I don't need evidence. If I think you are, then you are," Han Xiao sneered.

Xiao Jin tightened his face to avoid losing his composure, and his heart gradually sank to the bottom.

"Remember, what you borrowed from me, I can take it back at any time."

Han Xiao tapped Xiao Jin's chest twice with his fingers, a gesture full of provocation.

Xiao Jin used the deterrence of Black Star to rise to power. Han Xiao could use the same method to deal with him at any time. Xiao Jin had no doubt that other factions would spend a lot of money to win over Black Star. Moreover, Black Star's martial power could replicate the assassination incident. If he fell out with him, it would be impossible for him to guard against a legendary assassin day and night.

Xiao Jin understood what Han Xiao meant: threat, intimidation, extortion!

Black Star was more ruthless than he had imagined. This cooperation with Black Star was like seeking skin from a tiger.

The atmosphere became more and more tense. When Xiao Jin could hardly breathe, Han Xiao took a few steps back, easing the atmosphere. He played with the wine glass and said lightly, "What are you going to do with Ruilan?"

Xiao Jin sighed. He knew it was his turn to express his position. "I will make them pay the price, hunt down their intelligence personnel, attack the forces they support, and destroy their strongholds in the wilderness."

Originally, Xiao Jin had just taken office and was not suitable for large-scale warfare. His original intention was to spend half a year stabilizing the internal situation. However, Han Xiao's coercion made him understand that he had no choice but to follow Han Xiao's wishes and immediately retaliate against Ruilan, giving them a thunderous blow. The damage to Overmaira itself was no longer within the scope of his consideration. No matter how distressed he was, he had to follow Han Xiao's wishes.

"Very good." Han Xiao chuckled, turned around and left, leaving behind a sentence: "I wish you a pleasant time in the position of head of the family."

The wine glass was placed on the table. From beginning to end, Han Xiao didn't drink any wine.

Xiao Jin listened to the voices of his family members outside the door calling out to their godfather, gradually fading away until they disappeared. Only then did he slump down. Han Xiao's threat diluted the joy of becoming the head of the family.

"He has grasped my weakness..." Xiao Jin smiled bitterly and called Xiao Hai in.

"Father, Black Star is gone." Xiao Hai couldn't hide the joy on his face. He was happy that the head of the family finally belonged to the Xiao faction.

"Pass down my order and let the foreign branch launch a full-scale attack on Ruilan's wild forces!" Xiao Jin resumed his expressionless face.

Xiao Hai's smile froze, and stormy waves surged in his heart. He said incredulously, "Father, you have only just become the head of the family, and the situation is not yet stable. At this time, if we start a war, the family's power will be greatly damaged, and our position will become even more unstable. The most urgent task is to stabilize the internal situation! Even if Ruilan calculated us this time, we don't need to retaliate immediately. There will be plenty of time in the future. What you are doing is a lose-lose situation!"

"Enough, do as I say," Xiao Jin said lightly.

Xiao Hai froze.

...

[You have opened the Overmaira Faction, current relationship: Respect (3000/6000) - {Xiao Faction Partner}]

"The initial favorability is respect, it seems Xiao Jin has compromised," Han Xiao said with satisfaction.

Threatening Xiao Jin was not a whim. The previous guess was another deduction based on Han Xiao's combined clues. First of all, Xiao Jin's actions were very purposeful, always linked together, and all of them produced benefits, which made him suspicious. Second, the [Real Culprit] was a puzzle-solving mission, but Su Dinghua was directly picked out by Xiao Jin. The mission was completed too directly and simply, making him feel that Xiao Jin knew who the real culprit was from the beginning.

If Xiao Jin knew from the beginning that Su Dinghua would assassinate, and did not stop it, allowing things to happen, then Xiao Jin's role in the whole incident was neither the real culprit nor the mastermind, but a cuckoo who seized the opportunity, pretending to be confused, a mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. He took the opportunity to plot for the position of head of the family.

In fact, when Xiao Jin came to him for help, Han Xiao already had such a guess. However, he agreed to help and had this plan at that time.

Similarly, he pretended to be confused, allowing Xiao Jin to use him to rise to power. But at the same time, Xiao Jin's position came from him, creating a dependence on him. So Han Xiao turned around and threatened Xiao Jin. As long as Xiao Jin didn't want to let go of the position of head of the family, then Xiao Jin would follow his wishes, almost becoming a puppet.

According to Xiao Jin's performance, he was an ambitious person who knew how to assess the situation. The probability of compromise was greater than 80%. He would never be willing to give up the position of head of the family that he had finally obtained.

And Ruilan was the real culprit who framed him. Han Xiao would not let them get away with it. So he instructed Overmaira to fight them head-on, regardless of the damage. Ruilan's people would never have imagined that Overmaira's counterattack would be so fierce, completely deviating from their original intention of calculating and becoming self-defeating.

In this way, Han Xiao retaliated against Ruilan without lifting a finger, without even having to take action himself.

Facing a large force, using a force to deal with it was more convenient than him alone.

Throughout the Overmaira turmoil, Han Xiao had been watching from the sidelines as a detached outsider. Only at the last moment did he reveal his fangs.

The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind, when the snipe and clam grapple, the fisherman benefits!

Of course, it was also possible that his guess was wrong, and Xiao Jin was not an informed person who seized the opportunity.

However, this was completely unimportant, just like Han Xiao said:

--I don't need evidence. If I think you are, then you are!

A fabricated charge!

Xiao Jin had no other choice. He didn't dare to admit it, so he could only endure it.

"Settle the mission," Han Xiao called out the panel.

[Please select the identity of the real culprit]

"Su Dinghua, Ruilan..." Han Xiao described it again. The target of the mission was the mastermind who framed him, and the result was naturally Ruilan.

[[Real Culprit] has been settled, checking...]

[Target matches, mission completed]

[You have obtained a chance to randomly acquire a skill or talent. Please choose talent or skill?]

Han Xiao pondered. He thought it would be better to choose talent. Maybe he would have the opportunity to randomly acquire a rare talent or even a template talent.

"Talent,"

[Randomizing... Randomization complete. Please choose one of the following three talents]

[Replicated Chanting: There is a 2%-8% chance to perform dual casting in a single chant. The trigger chance depends on your Luck stat]

[Wild Call: The initial affinity of beast-type monsters increases, and there is a chance to communicate. The Charm stat adds to the chance]

[Frost Resistance: Ice Resistance +35%, less susceptible to slow and frostbite effects]