Chapter 989 Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter
Huo Laoban's brow furrowed slightly. Usually, his face was wreathed in smiles, but now there wasn't a trace of one. This alone showed how significant Xia Yu was to him.
Huo Laoban had a total of four capable subordinates: Chun Yang, Xia Yu, Autumn Wind, and Dong Xue.
These four were known as the Four Seasons, and they had followed Huo Laoban for many years, earning his deep trust. Both in intellect and strength, they were remarkably formidable. Thus, Huo Laoban had always groomed them as his confidants, holding them in extremely high regard.
However, now that Xia Yu was dead, the Four Seasons lacked a 'Summer'.
The young man who answered Huo Laoban at this moment was named Chun Yang. He had successfully opened his Heaven Soul much earlier than Xia Yu, but few knew the true extent of his formidable strength.
“Have you investigated and uncovered any useful information about this matter? ”
Huo Laoban turned his gaze to Chun Yang and slowly inquired.
Chun Yang nodded lightly upon hearing this.
Huo Laoban’s furrowed brow did not smooth out because of Chun Yang’s words; on the contrary, his frown deepened.
“Tell me. ”
Chun Yang dared not delay. He quickly organized the investigated information in his mind and relayed it all to Huo Laoban.
“We do not know the exact process of Xia Yu’s mission this time, because from beginning to end she did not contact any of us; she conducted it entirely independently. Since her soul has already undergone Soul Transformation, we still haven’t fully ascertained what she experienced during this mission. However, we can make some inferences based on the information we subsequently investigated. ”
Chun Yang’s words were merely an introduction, not the main point. Huo Laoban understood this, so he did not interrupt Chun Yang, but remained silent, quietly awaiting Chun Yang’s continuation.
Seeing that Huo Laoban had no intention of speaking, Chun Yang continued.
“Through our investigation, Yang Haoran suffered severe injuries some time ago, his life hanging by a thread. His subordinates searched everywhere for a skilled Pharmacist to treat him. This matter caused a great stir in Lecheng at the time, with even rumors circulating that he had died. However, not long after, whispers emerged from Lecheng: deep within the Xinyang Mountain Range in our New Sun City, a powerful Pharmacist was said to be living in seclusion. We cannot ascertain whether Yang Haoran sought out this Pharmacist for treatment at that time, nor can we even confirm if Yang Haoran’s life was truly hanging by a thread as the rumors claimed, but Xia Yu’s incident occurred shortly after that. ”
Upon hearing this, Huo Laoban’s brow furrowed in deep thought. Seeing this, Chun Yang did not interrupt, but quietly waited for Huo Laoban to digest the information. A moment later, Huo Laoban slowly spoke to Chun Yang, asking:
“What do you make of this matter? ”
Huo Laoban’s question was clearly directed only at Chun Yang, not at everyone present.
“In my view, this matter is likely not as simple as it appears on the surface. Perhaps Yang Haoran had already discovered Xia Yu lurking in the shadows. Her presence was undoubtedly revealed because her assassination attempt on Yang Haoran failed, exposing herself. However, even though Yang Haoran knew of Xia Yu’s existence, he couldn’t ascertain her whereabouts. Therefore, he intentionally used his severe injuries as bait, and the search for a Pharmacist to treat him as a lead, deliberately employing this method to draw Xia Yu out from the shadows. ”
Chun Yang vocalized his conjecture. Huo Laoban listened very carefully, but he did not jump to conclusions based solely on Chun Yang’s words; instead, he gestured for Chun Yang to continue.
“Few people knew about the Pharmacist living in seclusion deep within the Xinyang Mountain Range, but Xia Yu was one of them. In my opinion, Xia Yu must have believed that Yang Haoran was severely injured and desperately needed a Pharmacist to treat his wounds. Therefore, she spread this news, intending to lure Yang Haoran to the Xinyang Mountain Range. However, at that time, Xia Yu had no idea that it was all a trap, leading to her not only failing to achieve her objective but also losing her own life. ”
Huo Laoban’s brow remained tightly furrowed, but he still did not speak. Seeing this, Chun Yang immediately added:
“These are merely my conjectures, and I cannot be certain if they reflect the truth. ”
A man standing nearby, upon hearing this, could not help but interject.
“Xia Yu was a cautious person; we all know that very well. It was not easy to deceive her, and even harder to make her willingly walk into an enemy’s trap. ”
The one who spoke was Autumn Wind, a handsome young man. The four of them had always shared a good relationship, understanding each other’s personalities well, including Xia Yu’s. Therefore, he did not believe Xia Yu would be foolish enough to willingly jump into an enemy’s snare.
“What Autumn Wind said is precisely the doubt I harbor as well. Given Xia Yu’s cautious nature, she shouldn’t have fallen into an enemy’s trap, logically speaking. It is precisely for this reason that I cannot be certain if my analysis is correct. ”
Standing on Chun Yang’s other side was a woman. She was tall and exceptionally beautiful, a rare sight indeed. However, she was an ice beauty, her face devoid of any warmth, making her seem as cold as her name suggested, like the winter’s chilling snow.
She had heard all of Chun Yang’s analysis and Autumn Wind’s doubts, but she did not speak, nor did she seem to have any intention of doing so.
After listening to Chun Yang’s complete account, Huo Laoban turned his gaze to Dong Xue and then asked:
“Dong Xue, what is your opinion on this matter? ”
Dong Xue had not intended to speak, but with Huo Laoban having given the command, she naturally could not remain silent.
“I find Chun Yang’s analysis to be logical. ”
Dong Xue’s voice was very cold. This coldness was not feigned, nor was it due to her internal emotions; rather, it was a chill emanating from her very bones. Although it gave people the impression of keeping them at a thousand-mile distance, it also felt very natural, devoid of any pretense or artifice.
Dong Xue’s voice was pleasant to the ear, but she was as frugal with words as if they were gold. She seemed unwilling to utter an extra syllable, and even when facing Huo Laoban, her reply was exceedingly concise, merely stating her opinion without offering any explanation.
All three understood Dong Xue’s personality, so none of them felt there was anything amiss with her. Even Huo Laoban did not blame her for this.
“Dong Xue’s view aligns with mine; I also find Chun Yang’s analysis to be logical. Xia Yu was a careful and cautious person, a fact I am aware of. Given her personality, she would absolutely not easily fall into another’s trap. If the news of a Pharmacist living in seclusion deep within the Xinyang Mountain Range was indeed spread by her, then her objective must have been to lure Yang Haoran to the Xinyang Mountain Range. Before undertaking this, I believe she must have confirmed the truth of Yang Haoran’s severe injuries. Since she confirmed it and still decided to proceed, it indicates that, in her view, Yang Haoran truly was on the brink of death. ”
At this point, Huo Laoban paused slightly, then continued:
“The reason we now believe all of this was a trap designed by Yang Haoran is because Yang Haoran is still alive and well, while Xia Yu is dead. But at that time, Xia Yu wouldn’t have known it was all a trap. She could only rely on her own abilities to confirm whether Yang Haoran was truly dying, and then proceed with her plan based on that confirmed result, ultimately falling into Yang Haoran’s snare. If that truly is the case, then Xia Yu falling into Yang Haoran’s trap doesn’t prove her incompetence; it only proves that fellow Yang Haoran is too adept at acting, to the point that even someone as careful and cautious as Xia Yu ultimately fell into his hands. ”
At this, Huo Laoban couldn't help but sigh, his expression revealing a sadness he couldn’t conceal.
“Alas, we now know the outcome, which is why we can analyze the cause and effect so clearly. But to be frank, we are merely being hindsight masters. If any one of you three were in Xia Yu’s position at that time, you would nine times out of ten have jumped into this trap as well. I knew before that Yang Haoran was not an easy character to deal with, so I told Xia Yu to proceed cautiously. If she could eliminate him without revealing herself, that would be best. If it reached a point where she absolutely had to show herself, then she must have one hundred percent certainty of striking down the opponent. It seems I still underestimated Yang Haoran, and my carelessness cost Xia Yu her life. ”
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