Su Lun shuddered as if he had been struck by lightning.
"Gang Leader Xiong, this isn't something you can joke about. Do you want Golden Tooth and Black Bone to start an all-out war?" He realized that he had lost his composure, so he straightened his neck and said fiercely.
"All-out war?"
When Xiong Wei saw Meng Chao's reaction, he became even more certain of his judgment. He scoffed and said, "Something major has happened in the lair, and the foundation he spent decades building is about to collapse like an avalanche with Leprosy Village at the center. But Saber Jin Wanhao still refuses to come out. What kind of Underground Emperor is he?
"I've been friends with him for decades, but we've also been rivals for decades. We've risked our lives to save each other from the monsters' mouths, but to fight for the right to control the lair, we're also the people each other wants to kill the most.
"In other words, I know him too well. In the current situation, as long as he's still breathing, even if he has to crawl, he will crawl out and take charge of the situation.
"Tell me, how did he die?"
Su Lun's face was pale, and he said in a quivering voice, "Mr. Jin isn't … isn't dead …"
"Su Lun, you've always been smart. Why did you become muddle-headed when you're about to die?"
Xiong Wei smiled coldly. "Do you think that I'm the only one who suspects Saber Jin Wanhao's death? Ever since he made a fool of himself during the birthday party last year, all the gangs in the lair have been keeping a close eye on the Underground Emperor. They're waiting to see when he will 'die'!
"But when his life is on the line, he went into isolated training for some strange reason and only let you send messages and give orders, causing the lair to be without a leader. Do you think that the gangs are idiots and won't suspect him?
"If the hunting squads from the outside world had entered Leprosy Village to capture the abnormal beasts and wanted criminals, you might have been able to deceive them.
"But now, the situation is getting worse. Even if I don't ask, Poison Scorpion and the other middle-sized gangs will ask where Mr. Jin is.
"I'm asking you here because I'm giving you a chance. Once I get the answer, I might be able to think of a way to help you get through this difficult situation. If the other gangs cause trouble in public, they won't be as easy to talk to as I am!"
Red Brows Su Lun thought about it for a long time before he groaned in pain. His spine had gone limp.
His expression was dejected, and he was utterly defeated.
"Jin Wanhao is really dead?" Bear.Might's eyes shone brightly as he questioned.
"No, Lord Jin is really not dead, but …"
Su Lun closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. "He's just unconscious. He's been in a coma for three months!"
"With the hidden injuries he accumulated when he was young, it's normal for him to end up like this."
Xiong Wei asked, "Why not announce it to the public?"
"I can't make it public."
Su Lun said honestly, "Lord Jin didn't collapse all of a sudden. Even after the birthday party last year, he maintained it for several months. His mind was very clear, as if he was in a state of terminal lucidity.
"At that time, he was indeed sitting in the depths of the 'cultivation room' that resembled a super medical cabin, giving out orders and giving commands remotely.
"And Golden Tooth and the entire lair have gradually gotten used to me acting as their mouthpiece.
"However, since this year, Lord Jin's body has been deteriorating day by day. His thoughts are sometimes as clear as a sharp blade, and sometimes muddled and moody.
"He's becoming weaker and more ruthless. He's like a drowning person trying to grab onto the last straw and refuses to let go of all his power. There's no way he would allow me to reveal that he's gravely ill."
Xiong Wei observed Su Lun's expression and tried to find even the slightest hint that he was lying, but he found nothing.
"Did Jin Wanhao not mention anything about a successor? After he dies, who will be in charge of Golden Tooth and … the entire lair?" Xiong Wei asked.
"No. Lord Jin is different from you. He doesn't have a bloodline successor, and there's no other person in Golden Tooth who has Lord Jin's strength and great prestige," Su Lun said with a gloomy expression.
Su Lun frowned and said, "Besides, as I said just now, Lord Jin seems to have realized that he doesn't have long to live, and he's becoming more and more eccentric and violent. He's extremely paranoid, and he constantly suspects that others are trying to seize power while he's weak.
"Aside from me, a weak scholar who can't even truss a chicken, he doesn't trust anyone. No one is allowed to get close to the floor where he's in isolated training.
"Of course, there are people in Golden Tooth who have noticed that Lord Jin's condition is bad, and they have discussed the future of the gang.
"But once Lord Jin learned of these discussions, the people who discussed it … ended up in a bad state.
"So, everyone gradually became fearful and acted as if they were treading on thin ice. Aside from me, who can't get out of it, the other middle and higher management members of Golden Tooth would rather deal with me than face Lord Jin's unpredictable temper."
Xiong Wei nodded with a contemplative expression. "In the end, how did Jin Wanhao fall unconscious?"
"Multiple organ failure," Su Lun said.
"Since he was injured too badly when he was young and he didn't cultivate properly, his cells were drained. The doctor said that even though Lord Jin is only seventy-one years old, his body is as old as a hundred and forty years old, so there's no meaning in treating him.
"Right now, he might be in a coma, but in truth, he's relying on machines to maintain his physiological functions. Lord Jin's condition is even worse than a vegetable. He's actually dead, but I don't dare to remove the dozens of tubes in his body."
"After all, he's an old friend," Xiong Wei said.
Xiong Wei said, "Can I see him one last time?"
"Since you said it, of course you can."
Su Lun seemed to have let go of a burden on his mind, but he also felt a little troubled. "But Lord Jin's isolation room is located under Golden Tooth's headquarters, and it's heavily guarded. I can't sneak in with you to take a look, or else I'll definitely cause a misunderstanding. If I go in openly, what excuse should I use?"
"Oh well, let's talk about this later!"
Xiong Wei originally did not really want to see Jin Wanhao one last time. He just wanted to confirm the truth of Su Lun's words.
When he saw that Su Lun did not try to avoid it, he became a little more convinced.
He thought about it for a while before he continued asking, "Aside from you, who else knows about this?"
"No one," Su Lun said.
"Aside from me, no one knows that Lord Jin is really dead. Perhaps some people are suspicious, but they don't dare to be certain."
"That's true. Our Underground Emperor might have been a great strategist when he was young and suppressed me in everything, but no matter what, he's old. Just like all the great and strategist rulers in history, he became a muddle-headed and perverse tyrant," Xiong Wei said with a cold smile.
"Compared to a tyrant, you, the God of Wealth, are naturally more likable. As long as you can continue earning money, the Underground Emperor's life and death aren't important.
"But why didn't you take the initiative to announce Jin Wanhao's death to Golden Tooth?"
Su Lun opened his mouth, but even after thinking about it for a long time, he still could not say anything.
This was indeed something that was very difficult to explain.
"Because Jin Wanhao's death is really bad for you."
Xiong Wei patted Su Lun's shoulder gently and helped him say the answer. "You're a professional manager that Jin Wanhao hired from the outside despite everyone's objections. Even though you're a vice gang leader and in charge of the daily operations of Golden Tooth, in truth, compared to the other vice gang leaders and the old gang members who have deep roots in Golden Tooth, you don't have a lot of shares, and you don't have any influence. You also lack the necessary fighting power.
"The only thing you rely on is Jin Wanhao himself.
"Yes, Jin Wanhao has a good eye for talent, and you didn't let him down. Over the past few years in Golden Tooth, you managed the gang in an orderly manner, and even the other gangs in the lair benefited from it. Everyone got rich together.
"For example, you and Xiong Ying created the online coliseum and Mutual Gold Coliseum. Black Bone has gotten quite a lot of benefits from them.
"I'll tell you the truth. Over the past few years, I've been willing to give in to Jin Wanhao and not fight head-on against Golden Tooth not only because I don't want both sides to be injured, but also because you're the God of Wealth. I really admire you!"
Su Lun blinked quickly.
He did not seem to expect that the domineering Phantom Bear Xiong Wei would say such a thing.
"But innovation has always been the hardest and most offensive thing," Xiong Wei said.
"While you're reorganizing Golden Tooth and developing a new source of income, you can't help but offend quite a number of seniors in Golden Tooth. They're interest groups that don't want to change.
"Just like Song Jinbo, who has always been in charge of the casinos and coliseums in Golden Tooth. In the past, he was Jin Wanhao's right-hand man, but because of you, he was gradually pushed to the side and given the cold shoulder. He might be smiling on the surface, but it would be strange if he didn't want to skin you alive!
"If Saber Jin Wanhao was still alive, with the Underground Emperor suppressing him, Song Jinbo and the other nobodies wouldn't be able to do anything. If you had a few more years, perhaps you would have been able to stabilize your position as the vice gang leader.
"Unfortunately, Jin Wanhao died too early and at the wrong time.
"No one is a saint. Everyone has their own selfish motives. Even if you don't have any ambition, you have to think carefully about what will happen to you once the news is leaked.
"Golden Tooth's seniors like Song Jinbo didn't get a lot of benefits from the gang's reformation. If they learn of Jin Wanhao's death, they will definitely launch a frenzied counterattack and chase you away.
"At that time, forget about Golden Tooth's power, you might not even be able to keep your life.
"Of course, if you're willing to give up on everything you've worked hard for over the past few years and run away from the lair with your tail between your legs, your life will still be safe.
"But your career and ambition will be over. Everyone knows that you're helping Golden Tooth manage the business. You're already branded as a gang member. The big corporations and corporations outside won't accept a former gang member as their company's higher management.
"Vice Gang Leader Su, on the surface, you look like you're doing well and are doing well. In fact, you can even take Jin Wanhao's place and command the lair in quite a number of occasions, but in truth, you're walking on thin ice. You don't know when you'll fall into the abyss and die a horrible death!"
His words were like arrows piercing Su Lun's heart, and his expression twisted.
"Gang Leader Xiong, what are you trying to say?" Su Lun asked hoarsely.
"It's nothing. I just want to know what your next step is. Jin Wanhao won't be a zombie for long. When are you going to announce his death? Once you announce it, what are you going to do? Are you really going to give up on everything and leave the lair, or …"
Phantom Bear Xiong Wei stared at Red Brows Su Lun, lowered his voice, and enunciated each word clearly. "Or do you want to fight for the position of gang leader?"
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