Chapter 701: An Zhiyue is Delighted! The Yu Clan is Exterminated!
"Hahaha! Good! Excellent! Just as expected of my, An Youmin's, grandson!"
Within a heavily guarded military stronghold, a booming laugh echoed off the reinforced walls. The man it belonged to had a full head of white hair and a matching beard, yet his physique was still burly and powerful. His voice was like the resonant clang of a great bell, filled with unrestrained pride.
This was An Youmin, Shen Anyu's maternal grandfather. He was a god-like figure in the military and the current helmsman of the Special Department. His life was a ledger of countless meritorious services to Yanxia, a distinguished record of military glory. His body bore the marks of over a hundred battles, large and small, earning him a fearsome reputation that commanded respect both at home and abroad.
"Shen Anyu's performance was truly astonishing," a voice beside him added. The speaker was An Zhiyue, the beautiful and heroic War God of her generation, known for her short, practical haircut. A rare, joyful smile danced in her eyes.
Her trip to the Imperial Capital had one primary purpose: to arrange for Shen Anyu to be appointed as a Special Consultant for the Special Department.
This was no backroom deal; Shen Anyu's accomplishments were more than sufficient to justify the position. The confirmed kills of War God Yan Lingxiao, the Asura Demon King Chu Yun, Tanaka Hikaru, and the Half-Step Celestial Master Yao Qi were solid, obvious achievements. Even if he were to be made a Special Consultant on those grounds alone, no one could voice a single objection. And this was all before the world even learned of his latest feat—the slaying of three Tenin from the Martial God Hall.
The moment An Zhiyue had arrived at the Special Department headquarters and reported the matter to her father, An Youmin had immediately made his stance clear. One should never shy away from recommending a worthy individual simply because they are family. Since his grandson was so outstanding, he rightfully deserved the status of a Special Consultant. An Youmin was not the kind of man who would let his own flesh and blood suffer an injustice just to avoid suspicion or protect his own reputation.
Although "Special Consultant" was an honorary title without a substantive position, its status was far greater than that of a high-ranking regional official. Beyond the annual stipend of ten million, it came with a host of other benefits. This included access to certain confidential intelligence from the Special Department, as well as newly developed weapons, alchemical potions, and more. If a consultant accepted a mission, they would receive additional, substantial remuneration.
, the personal information of a Special Consultant was classified as top secret. Any leak would result in an immediate court-martial. This would provide an even stronger layer of protection for Shen Anyu's identity.
To become a Special Consultant, one had to possess, at minimum, the strength of a Tenin and have a record of achievements that commanded universal respect.
In An Youmin's view, his excellent grandson, the Kirin Shen Anyu, was absolutely qualified.
When An Youmin proposed the appointment, the other high-ranking officials of the Special Department raised no objections, and the motion was swiftly approved.
And just now, another major piece of news had arrived.
At the Yu Clan's banquet, Shen Anyu had killed Qin Haitian with a single, decisive move, stunning everyone present. He had exerted immense pressure on the entire Yu Clan, forcing their so-called Crown Prince, Yu Guanying, to bow his head in utter disgrace.
When this report reached them, An Zhiyue was overjoyed, and a deep sense of satisfaction settled over An Youmin.
"The Yu Clan's Crown Prince? Heh." An Youmin chuckled, his voice laced with disdain. "The Yu Clan has been getting more and more disobedient lately. When I was fighting campaigns across the north and south, forget Yu Guanying—his own father hadn't even been born yet. Now this little whelp dares to posture in front of me? And he even colludes with a Tenin from Sakura Country. Does he really think I haven't noticed?"
His eyes narrowed slightly. "If not for the Yu Clan's past contributions to Yanxia, and the fact that they haven't caused any truly catastrophic trouble yet, I would have stopped being polite with them long ago."
"It's a good thing Anyu was there to suppress their arrogance this time. A very good thing!"
Speaking of his grandson, the stern lines on An Youmin's face softened, and he couldn't stop the smile from spreading across his lips. He was clearly beyond satisfied.
Just a few days ago, Shen Anyu had returned to the Imperial Capital, cured his chronic old injuries, and even imparted the Martial God Art to him. An Youmin didn't know where his grandson had acquired such immense strength and such a deep inheritance, nor did he ask. As long as Shen Anyu was his grandson, that was all that mattered. He would shoulder any burden that came with it.
Now, seeing Shen Anyu grow into a figure capable of supporting the future of both the Shen and An families, An Youmin couldn't be happier.
Of course, there was a small, lingering frustration. 'If only his name were An Shenyu,'he thought,'how much better would that be?' As it stood, that old man from the Shen family was reaping all the benefits.
"It must be my good genes," An Youmin muttered under his breath. "How could the Shen family possibly produce a Tenin in his twenties on their own?"
An Zhiyue, standing beside him, couldn't hold back a light, musical laugh.
"Shen Anyu is indeed excellent." Thinking of him, the sharp, phoenix-like eyes of the War God softened. The little nephew she used to dote on and protect had now grown into a towering tree, one that was already beginning to shelter her in return.
Ding-a-ling!
Just then, the encrypted satellite phone in An Youmin's office began to ring with sharp urgency.
"Chief, I shall take my leave," An Zhiyue said, preparing to withdraw.
When on duty, one must address superiors by their title. In official matters, she would never call An Youmin 'father,' but rather 'Chief'—the Chief of the Special Department. An encrypted call in the dead of night undoubtedly signified an urgent matter, and it was not her place to listen in.
But just as An Zhiyue stepped out of the room, a startled exclamation erupted from behind her.
"What? The Yu Clan has been annihilated?!"
The Yu Clan… annihilated?
The professional mask on An Zhiyue's face shattered. All color drained from her cheeks as she whipped her head around, her eyes wide with disbelief.
An Youmin quickly regained his composure, but his expression was grim. "Something major has happened. Yanxia's Yu Clan… has been wiped out."
Even for a man like him, whose composure was like a mountain that wouldn't tremble before a collapse, the news of the Yu Clan's annihilation was an absolute shock.
That was Yanxia's Yu Clan!
They were one of the few top aristocratic families in Yanxia named after the country itself, a behemoth that had stood strong for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. They had produced countless high-ranking officials and provincial governors. Such a colossal family was like a centipede that doesn't die even when its head is severed; even dynastic changes had failed to shake their foundation. And now, they had actually been annihilated?
The fallout from the destruction of such a extraordinary, great aristocratic family would be terrifying.
"Who on earth could have annihilated Yanxia's Yu Clan?" An Zhiyue's face was now a mask of solemnity.
Although the Yu Clan did not build its foundation on martial prowess, its strength was still formidable. They had numerous Grandmasters and Masters in their employ, a private guard of over a thousand men that functioned like a small army, and they certainly possessed a variety of firearms. That was just their standard, visible strength. If they were to fully mobilize their hidden reserves, they could sweep across several provinces. They were like the Yuan family in the late Han Dynasty, capable of instantly dominating several prefectures.
, this had happened within Yanxia's borders. Who could possibly annihilate the Yu Clan? Who would dare to?
An Youmin and An Zhiyue exchanged a look, both finding the news utterly incredible. Even though the alliance of the Shen and An families had been hostile to the Yu Clan for years, they had only ever managed to gain the upper hand. Uprooting the clan entirely was another matter. The hidden reserves of such a top-tier family were simply too terrifying, their network of disciples and old acquaintances too vast.
As for direct annihilation… such an act would surely incite public outrage and make the perpetrator a target for all.
Who possessed such audacity? Who would dare to do this?
"Investigate! Find out the details immediately!" An Youmin ordered at once. This matter was of the utmost importance; it could not go unexamined.
…
At that very moment, Yanxia's Yu Clan estate was submerged in a sea of corpses and blood.
The once magnificent and extravagant manor was now being consumed by crimson flames. Bodies were scattered everywhere, strewn across courtyards and corridors like discarded dolls.
Each and every member of the Yu Clan, figures who were once considered lofty and untouchable, now lay like dead dogs by the roadside.
The head of the Yu Clan, one of Yanxia's most prominent figures, also lay on the ground. His eyes were wide open in death, frozen in an expression of pure shock and bewilderment. Someone had actually dared to annihilate Yanxia's Yu Clan?
"Young Sect Leader… you… you…" Zhou Yunhu stood dumbfounded, his mind reeling.
He never could have imagined this. After taking a private plane to the south, the moment they landed, Young Sect Leader Zhang Zhiyun had made his way directly to the Yu Clan estate and, without a single word, began a wholesale massacre.
This was the Yu Clan. What had just happened was truly devastating.
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