Starforce Warriors-Chapter 535: The Number One Pretty Face In History? (2)

Li Xiaofei escorted Tsukiha Yaiba into Kanzaki Palace. Although he was her personal bodyguard, the palace’s inner sanctum was reserved exclusively for the heads of major conglomerates. He had no choice but to wait outside.

Standing atop the sixty-six stone steps of Kanzaki Palace, Li Xiaofei gazed down at the sprawling plaza below. From here, he could monitor every movement in the outer plaza.

Media reporters from all corners of Jiepeng had gone through strict security checks before being allowed to settle in their designated zones around the massive execution platform. Beyond the security checkpoint, a crowd of at least 100,000 Jiepeng citizens had gathered.

They were jubilantly awaiting the execution of the Great Xia officials. Dragon Scale and Electron Spark were already in the crowd. The Dragon Group operatives had already infiltrated the crowd, positioning themselves strategically around the execution platform.

Time: 7:38 a.m.

Dragon Scale peered into the distance. There was no sign of the prison convoy transporting Tan Zhenwei and Zhou Rulong.

What’s going on?

A subtle feeling of unease stirred in his heart.

With less than twenty minutes left until the scheduled execution, the convoy should have arrived by now. Has something gone wrong on the way?

This delay was unexpected and worrisome. At this point, the situation was already at a critical juncture, and there was no turning back. Dragon Scale could only wait patiently, despite the growing tension.

In the crowd directly in front of the execution platform, the portly San Zang was munching on a roasted leg of lamb, savoring every bite with great enthusiasm. Whenever a man jostled him, he would immediately shout a string of fluent Jiepeng profanities.

But if a woman, especially one with decent looks, happened to bump into him, he would retaliate in a completely different manner. He would smear grease on her as if it were all part of his antics. The fat man seemed utterly engrossed in his performance, blending seamlessly into the scene.

Time slipped by. But there was still no sign of the prison convoy by 7:50 a.m. Now, even the Jiepeng media and the gathered citizens began to sense that something was off.

The tension was almost unbearable for the Dragon Group members.

Could the two prisoners have already been executed in secret? If so, it would be disastrous.

Standing outside Kanzaki Palace, Li Xiaofei’s brows furrowed. The reason he hadn’t stormed into the Temple earlier to rescue Old Tan was because he didn’t know where the prisoners were being held.

A rash attack without precise intelligence could squander his opportunity to enact a successful rescue. That was why he had chosen to wait until the final moments before the execution to make his move. But now, with no sign of the convoy, his plan was on the verge of collapsing.

Unexpectedly... Have I been too confident?

A wave of tension surged through Li Xiaofei’s heart.

Please, let nothing happen to Old Tan.

As this thought weighed heavily on him, a commotion suddenly rippled through the crowd in the plaza below.

Moments later, a piece of news spread rapidly among the onlookers. The originally scheduled execution had been canceled due to unspecified ‘special reasons’.

The Jiepeng royal family announced a change in the program for the consortium’s annual conference. The public execution would now take place a full fifteen days later, after the conclusion of all meetings and events.

When the news reached Li Xiaofei, he let out a quiet sigh of relief. At least this meant that Old Tan was still alive for now. However, the postponement served as a wake-up call for Li Xiaofei. He couldn’t just wait any longer. It was time to take action.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Twelve ceremonial cannon shots echoed through the air, marking the official opening of the Annual Consortium Meeting. The outer plaza was now dominated by twenty massive projection screens, each broadcasting live footage from the event.

Key figures and prominent personalities were highlighted, their images displayed for the public to see. The most popular individual, unsurprisingly, was Emperor Akihito of Jiepeng.

On screen, Emperor Akihito made for a striking figure. His features were strong and handsome, while his tall and broad-shouldered figure was rare among Jiepeng citizens. A trim black beard framed his jawline, and his bright, sharp eyes exuded confidence.

His face bore a gentle smile, radiating an approachable and trustworthy demeanor that inspired admiration and respect. He was accompanied by the leaders of the ten major conglomerates, as well as hundreds of other influential figures, including representatives from sects, factions, corporations, and renowned martial artists. In short, the gathering was a who’s who of Jiepeng’s elite.

Standing outside Kanzaki Palace, Li Xiaofei’s gaze lingered on the projection screen. A sudden impulse surged through his heart. This might be the perfect moment.

If he rushed in now and killed everyone, wouldn’t the Jiepeng Empire crumble completely? He still had one of the life-saving green hairs, and time was on his side. But the thought of rescuing Old Tan made Li Xiaofei suppress such impulsive notions.

As time passed, the crowd in the outer plaza began to disperse. Li Xiaofei noticed Royal Iron Guards patrolling through the thinning crowd, conducting searches and arrests.

Are they targeting my people?

The question lingered in his mind, but he chose not to intervene. By noon, the plaza had largely cleared out. Tsukiha Yaiba exited the conference hall and met up with Li Xiaofei and the others. Together, they made their way to a nearby restaurant for lunch.

The royal banquet hosted by the Jiepeng family was scheduled for the evening. After the meal, Tsukiha Yaiba wasted no time resting. She immediately called the Tsukiha family’s investment advisors, industrial managers, and various department heads together for intensive discussions and strategy sessions.

The morning's general assembly had been little more than ceremonial pomp. The true heart of the Consortium Annual Meeting lay in the coming weeks. The real work would happen over the next fifteen days. Professional managers and investment advisors from each family would engage in relentless negotiations with each other.

They would bargain, sign cooperation agreements, divide resources and mineral rights, and delineate industrial territories—all with the goal of fostering mutual benefits while avoiding destructive internal competition. The stakes were enormous, and the competition fierce. This was where fortunes were made or lost.

Li Xiaofei stood quietly to the side, his senses keenly attuned to the surging energy within Tsukiha Yaiba. Her bloodline energy was like the rising sun, unstoppable and growing stronger with every passing moment.

He couldn’t help but feel a burning curiosity.

What truly happened when a bloodline bearer achieved atavism by reaching 100 percent purity?

While bloodline bearers existed in Great Xia, the study and documentation of such phenomena were woefully underdeveloped.

The meeting resumed in the afternoon. As per protocol, Li Xiaofei was granted access to Kanzaki Palace as Tsukiha Yaiba’s personal bodyguard. However, he was required to wait in a designated area outside the conference room.

The heads of the ten major conglomerates had gathered inside Conference Room One. Each was a pivotal figure who wielded immense influence over the Jiepeng Empire’s political, economic, and military landscapes.

The Sanshang Group and the Old Traditional Group specialized in star beast cores and power armor manufacturing, while the Sanling Group focused on aircraft manufacturing and wilderness operations. The Genjing Group was renowned for its advancements in power weapons and mech production. The Gede Group stood as leaders in beastification technology, pharmaceuticals, genetics, and bloodline research.

The Songshang Group dominated the industries of light core maintenance and virtual worlds, whereas the Lingmu Group controlled 85 percent of mineral extraction and refining in Jiepeng. The Sande Group, despite presenting itself as an entertainment conglomerate, secretly operated an international slave trading network.

The Benneng Group was the empire’s primary supplier for military needs, wielding immense influence within the armed forces. Lastly, the Leike Group specialized in foreign trade with nations such as Yiggs, Europe, and Bayer, while controlling 80 percent of the empire’s Cave Beast tunnels, a critical resource for trade and power.

Each of these conglomerates played a pivotal role in shaping Jiepeng’s economy, politics, and military strength. As such, each conglomerate head was a towering figure in the empire, a master of their domain.

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Their personal bodyguards were no less extraordinary. They were renowned martial artists, whose reputations echoed across the empire. At minimum, they were at high-stage Divine Realm, with some rumored to have almost reached the Saint Realm.

Li Xiaofei leaned against a pillar in the waiting area, his sharp eyes occasionally flickering toward the conference room doors.

So many giants in one room, each with their own powerhouse protectors... How many would walk out alive if this were to explode into chaos?

The thought crossed his mind briefly, but he shook it off, reminding himself of his own mission. Still, he couldn’t ignore the subtle excitement building within him. Perhaps this wasn’t a bad opportunity to measure the strength of Jiepeng’s so-called elites.

The ten conglomerates, each represented by a god-level bodyguard, had assembled their elite protectors. Li Xiaofei was the youngest among them and undoubtedly the most unique. He was also widely regarded as the weakest.

The other nine god-level bodyguards, seasoned veterans of unparalleled strength, cast curious glances in his direction as they silently assessed him. But Li Xiaofei remained completely indifferent. He lazily smoked a cigarette, his expression as calm as ever.

A short while later, he stood up and casually asked for the location of the restroom. Without waiting for a reply, he strolled off toward it. But then, he disappeared for three hours.

Eventually, a concerned royal attendant stationed outside the restroom gently knocked on the door, his tone polite yet hesitant.

"Mr. Shinzu, is everything all right? Do you need assistance?"

"No problem," Li Xiaofei replied as he opened the door, adjusting his trousers. "I just had a bit of constipation."

How it happened, no one knew, but the news spread like wildfire throughout Kanzaki Palace. Soon, nearly everyone inside and outside the palace was aware of the story. Tsukiha Yaiba’s chief bodyguard, the young man she trusted and valued above all others, suffered from constipation, an ailment utterly unthinkable for someone of his cultivation level.

This sparked a wave of gossip.

"At his level, how could he even get constipated?"

"Do you think he was too nervous to stay in the same space as the other nine god-level bodyguards and just used that as an excuse?"

"Maybe he’s not as capable as everyone thought?"

The murmurs only grew louder. But Li Xiaofei remained oblivious, or more likely, completely unconcerned. But a new nickname began circulating, the Constipated Bodyguard.

By the end of the first day of meetings, the moniker had spread far and wide, turning into a public joke. It was evident that someone had deliberately spread the story. The real target, however, might not have been Li Xiaofei at all. This seemed aimed at Tsukiha Yaiba. They were ridiculing her bodyguard to diminish the brilliance of her dazzling reputation.

In the eyes of many, the Constipated Bodyguard was an insignificant figure. His only purpose was to serve as a tool for belittling Tsukiha Yaiba, dimming her layers of radiant titles and accolades. No matter where Li Xiaofei went, he could feel the subtle stares, the whispers, and the veiled chuckles aimed at him. But he couldn’t care less.

His priority was clear, to make the most of the Secret Time Pavilion for cultivation and to continue increasing his strength.

After the afternoon meeting of the ten conglomerate leaders concluded, the group began their return. Tsukiha Yaiba, well aware of the gossip surrounding her bodyguard, took steps to placate him.

Once they were back in the car, she decided to personally help him practice his spear techniques. Li Xiaofei quickly discovered that since Tsukiha Yaiba’s bloodline had reached 100 percent purity, their dual cultivation sessions now provided an even greater boost to his strength than before.

“Damn,” he muttered to himself, equal parts amused and exasperated. “Am I really destined to become the first Saint in history to achieve enlightenment on a woman’s stomach?”

He sighed, shaking his head at the absurdity of it all.

Everything continued as before the next day. The mocking and pointing fingers followed Li Xiaofei everywhere, while he remained unfazed. He continued his routine of frequent bathroom breaks, which were actually sessions in the Secret Time Pavilion for cultivation. With the 1:10 time flow ratio, his cultivation rose to new heights with every session.

This went on for four days straight. By the fifth day, even some members within the Tsukiha had begun to complain. They grumbled that their family head was placing too much trust in a useless bodyguard. He was likened to a decorative flower vase that brought nothing but shame.

The ridicule directed at Li Xiaofei had affected their negotiations with other families, as many key agreements had stalled or failed to materialize. At the same time, top-tier media outlets and websites were flooded with derogatory articles about Shinzu Genshi. In just a few days, the name Shinzu Genshi had become synonymous with a good-for-nothing pretty boy and was a laughingstock across Jiepeng.

Worse still, even Tsukiha Yaiba’s perfect image as the Flower of Jiepeng had begun to show cracks in the eyes of the public. But Tsukiha Yaiba remained uncompromising through it all. She ignored the negativity as she stood firmly by her bodyguard. As for Li Xiaofei, he continued doing as he pleased, unaffected by the gossip swirling around him.

When Li Xiaofei arrived at the designated rest area for god-level bodyguards, someone blocked his path before he could enter.

“Get lost.” The man spat, his tone dripping with disdain and mockery. "You’re just a stray dog. You don’t deserve to be in the same space as us. Go back to the bathroom and pretend to be constipated, you ignorant little bastard!”

Li Xiaofei’s eyes narrowed. Finally, the moment he had been waiting for had arrived. This was the perfect opportunity to play the underdog before flipping the tables and smacking everyone in the face.