Chapter Seventy-Three: The Outbreak of the Public Opinion War

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“Did you all see it too? Who the hell is so ruthless, killed them all—was it fugitives or hardened criminals? Could it be some enemy of Zhang Baole, or perhaps one of those heretical outlaws the military said they’d purge recently...” Brother Chao saw the news and rushed over immediately.

Unlike Lin Kunshan, Zhang Xueyi, and their family, who knew the real circumstances, Brother Chao and his group only had the news to go by, unsure what was happening.

Lin Qingyun had been tallying newly acquired medicinal herbs, not paying attention, but after Brother Chao burst in, he glanced at Chao’s communicator, then turned on his own to browse online news.

Since the first person to report had released the story publicly, even if Lin Kunshan and others tried to suppress it, it couldn’t be contained. The spread was too rapid; media outlets large and small broadcasted the event, and rumors circulated in private as well.

Zhang Baole was brutally decapitated, dismembered in a single stroke. The other bodyguards seemed to have died in fierce combat, while the rest perished with a single blow. The police only saw the news after the fact, issuing a brief announcement that the case was under investigation and a formal statement would follow.

“This guy deserved to die; I just wonder if it’ll affect our plans.” Brother Chao glanced at Lin Qingyun, then at Chu Qing, who looked anxious and lost.

“Dead is dead; he was just a pawn we played when the opportunity arose,” Lin Qingyun looked up at Chao and Chu Qing, offering a brief reassurance before zooming in on the journalist’s video and photos, scrutinizing every detail.

“A superior-grade magic weapon—a long blade, knife wounds. The attacker wasn’t stronger than the four bodyguards, but weapons, tactics, and mindset were all beyond what those bodyguards could handle. The wounds on the bodyguards are familiar...” Lin Qingyun, having fought to the death with Xie Zhiqiang, sensed something recognizable in the injuries.

In his mind, Lin Qingyun had already thought of one person: Xie Zhiqiang.

He knew better than most that Xie Zhiqiang was brought in by Zhang Baole to deal with him; their paths had crossed.

At that moment, the story was rocketing to the top of trending news, overshadowing headlines about the New Student Combat Trial, Lin Pharmaceuticals Group, and more.

Recently, Lin Qingyun and Lin Pharmaceuticals Group had been under intense scrutiny, and Zhang Baole—being someone interested in Lin Qingyun and the group—was a focus for many. Now, with his sudden murder and the slaughter of all seventeen people on the island, leaving none alive, it was no surprise the news exploded.

Lin Qingyun immediately suspected Xie Zhiqiang. The police were efficient; Zhang Baole had abducted Xie Zhiqiang’s sister, and Xie had gone to the island—there were clear traces.

If nobody investigated, it might have slipped by, but with such a major incident, the facts were uncovered quickly.

Especially with blood samples collected from the scene, confirming Xie Zhiqiang was wounded there, he was promptly listed as the prime suspect, with a warrant issued.

But all this had happened days ago; a renewed investigation found Xie Zhiqiang had left Haicheng for another border region the same day, vanishing afterward.

Evidence from all sides was piling up, making it almost certain Xie Zhiqiang was responsible, and the wanted notice was already out.

However, since the incident occurred several days prior, Xie Zhiqiang had ample time to escape with his sister.

The whole story was soon pieced together: aristocratic rivalries, Zhang Baole hiring Xie Zhiqiang to kill Lin Qingyun during the Combat Trial, only to lose an arm to Lin Qingyun.

Xie Zhiqiang rose against the odds, using the earth qilin’s flesh to score high in the trial.

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Zhang Baole tried to continue exploiting Xie Zhiqiang, abducting his sister to threaten him, but Xie Zhiqiang responded by killing Zhang Baole and everyone on the island.

Although Lin Kunshan had worked hard to suppress the news through various channels, such matters were impossible to truly bury.

Having been riding high, Lin Kunshan was pushed back into the spotlight again. At this time, Zhang Xueyi, distressed by her brother’s death and agitated by media interviews, lost control.

Her brother murdered, and the media kept speaking ill of him—provoked, Zhang Xueyi lashed out at Lin Qingyun, accusing him of heartlessness, of extorting and betraying his own family.

In her anger, she also privately raised the reward by twenty million, offering it to anyone who could kill or capture Xie Zhiqiang alive.

The media went wild. Even Lin Qingyun had to block all external contacts, as countless people tried to reach him.

Lin Qingyun had been indifferent, not caring much about Zhang Baole’s death, chatting casually with Brother Chao and Chu Qing as they waited for Qian Shanming to finish his retreat for tonight’s cooperation talks. But within a few hours, news had fermented, and Zhang Xueyi’s out-of-control remarks thrust him into the storm.

“Has she lost her mind? She dares to say such things. If she’s so bold, why doesn’t she explain to the reporters how they destroyed the island to refine Cold Flame Elixir? Now she’s trying to shift the blame...” Brother Chao, furious, turned to Lin Qingyun. “We now have our own media force. Should I mobilize people to get the truth out?”

Chu Qing nodded in agreement. “Now is the time to let everyone know the real story. Otherwise, with her statement, people will say you took your cousin’s elixir and extorted them at ten times the price. If we don’t clarify now, even when the facts emerge, rumors will persist. Strike while the iron is hot; act while the topic is hottest.”

Chu Qing was more proactive than usual today. She had shown the same initiative when discussing follow-up projects with Haicheng University earlier, and now, with Zhang Xueyi’s outburst, she was even more eager to strategize.

Zhang Baole’s death gave Chu Qing a sense of crisis.

“Exactly, and we need to use a matrix-style approach, guiding the public discussion. Why would they pay ten times the price for the elixir? What kind of pill is it? People love this kind of topic...” Brother Chao, now media-savvy, added professional terms from time to time.

“Right, you know the situation. Handle it as you see fit.” Lin Qingyun was fearless when he had the facts on his side. He had no patience for Zhang Xueyi’s public insults; if she dared to attack him in front of the media, he wouldn’t let it slide.

“Let’s go. She’s asking for it, so let’s hit back.” Brother Chao immediately switched his communicator to work mode.

“I’ll contact people right away and dig from different angles. After all, Zhang Baole was involved in matters concerning Li Daoze, Nangong Lingyue, and others. With Zhang Baole’s involvement, there’s always her shadow. Now she’s put herself in the spotlight, speaking out—she’s asking for trouble.” Chu Qing’s mind was open, her efforts enthusiastic.

Seeing Lin Qingyun nod, she got busy at once.

Under Brother Chao and Chu Qing’s guidance, the situation escalated quickly. They first sparked public discussion, then gradually released information.

Including previously known events.

Then, further revelations were made. Zhang Xueyi’s outburst, originally just an extension of her frustration over the pill exchange, was intensified by Zhang Baole’s murder. When pressed about it, she exploded.

Her outburst was impulsive and simple, but she hadn’t considered the consequences.

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“Buzz...”

Within less than an hour, Lin Qingyun’s communicator received a call request from his second uncle, Lin Kunshan.

“Let the fire burn bigger.”

Lin Qingyun ignored it, instructing Brother Chao and Chu Qing to continue.

“Qingyun, let’s talk. Your aunt lost her brother and spoke rashly out of grief. I apologize on her behalf, but family matters shouldn’t be so public—it’s embarrassing.”

After repeated attempts to reach Lin Qingyun, a message soon arrived.

“Second Uncle, I’ve never seen someone so eager to expose their own wounds. I didn’t bring it up; now that they have, do you expect me to stay silent when I’m wronged? No need to talk now. Honestly, Lin Pharmaceuticals Group isn’t a publicly traded company, so these issues won’t hurt us much. If you don’t care about reputation, there’s no real impact. Perhaps you and Aunt should sleep on it; things will look better after some rest.”

As a polite child of the new era, Lin Qingyun wouldn’t lose control and curse like Zhang Xueyi, but replied earnestly to Lin Kunshan’s message.

“Buzz...”

Just as Lin Qingyun sent his reply, his second uncle called again.

This time, Lin Qingyun answered.

The call connected; there was a brief pause, followed by a helpless sigh.

“Ah!”

“Qingyun, I truly didn’t know Zhang Baole had done so much. This is his retribution. Your aunt is overwhelmed with grief; I’ve spoken to her and suspended her from work for reflection.”

“Family may quarrel, but we shouldn’t make fools of ourselves in front of outsiders. If you could ease up or help calm public opinion, we’d quickly suppress this matter. Qingyun, you chose Li Xiaobo, who’s recently made big profits for our group. Thanks to this, many plans that needed time can now be implemented.”

“Especially lately, I have a major development plan that could make Lin Pharmaceuticals a truly global company, potentially doubling our assets. At a time like this, internal unity is crucial—it’s a once-in-a-century opportunity. I’ll only be in charge for a few more years. When this is done, you’ll graduate university and gradually take over the company.”

“I hope the Lin family you inherit will be far stronger than what your father and I built, a Lin family that can endure for a hundred, even a thousand years. The specifics can’t be discussed yet, but it’s of utmost importance.”

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