Chapter 856 - 621: Bastard Thing!

Western Alliance.

A fire burned down the grain warehouse and also burned the Qian Family along with it.

In the distance, neither the Zhou Family nor the Liu Family came out to investigate, remaining indifferent.

Seeing the Qian Family’s downfall, they all felt relieved.

Wayne was not blamed by Gan Xiong.

They had already recouped their losses from the Liu and Zhou Families, plus a substantial interest.

If they could seize the grain from the Qian Family, it would naturally be good, but Gan Xiong understood that it was difficult.

He certainly would not let the Qian Family go, and the Qian Family understood this too, which is why they hesitated to surrender; surrendering held no meaning.

Unless they handed over their grain, once they did, they would have nothing left to leverage and would still be settled with in the end.

There’s no good outcome either way.

The downfall of the Qian Family was inevitable.

From the moment they attempted to steal from the Gan Family’s granary while the Western Alliance was under siege by the Zombie Tide, intending to flee once the city fell, they were already locked in a deadly conflict with the Gan Family.

After a night of burning, the next day, Old Zhuang came to sweep out the burned rice ashes.

Although these ashes were stained with gasoline, they were nonetheless burned with grain and were edible, as long as eating it wouldn’t be fatal. In the Doomsday, starving people could eat anything.

Moreover, these rice ashes could be used to make rice cakes.

Gao Ru hadn’t found the opportunity to talk to his father-in-law.

These past two days, no one paid attention to him, and he didn’t know what to do all day.

Fortunately, at least someone delivered food to him; otherwise, they would have nothing to eat in the Western Alliance.

That morning, Gao Ru received a message that his father-in-law wanted to see him.

Gao Ru excitedly looked at Zhuang Shaohua and asked, "Really? What was his expression? How’s his mood? Last night I heard gunshots, and Uncle Zhuang said there was a problem with the Qian Family."

Zhuang Shaohua looked at him and said blandly, "The Qian Family no longer exists."

Gao Ru looked at Zhuang Shaohua in shock.

Zhuang Shaohua said, "Director Gao, let’s go, don’t keep the boss waiting. He might be in a good mood now, but who knows if we’re late."

Upon hearing this, Gao Ru adjusted his clothes and said, "Then let’s go."

Zhuang Shaohua nodded and led Gao Ru towards the central building, with Gao Ru following behind.

Five minutes later.

Zhuang Shaohua glanced at Gao Ru behind him and knocked on the door.

Upon hearing Gan Xiong’s voice from inside, Zhuang Shaohua felt somewhat nervous; he didn’t know why, but he felt especially tense every time he saw Gan Xiong.

He wasn’t the only one with a nervous heart; Gao Ru behind him was even more anxious.

Gao Ru followed Xiao Zhuang inside.

Gan Xiong was running on the treadmill.

Upon seeing the two enter, he slowly reduced the speed and wiped his sweat with a towel around his neck.

The treadmill came to a stop.

He stepped off the treadmill, saw the two of them, and took a sip of water from a glass on the nearby table.

He said to Gao Ru, "Have a seat. I’ve been busy these days and haven’t had time to entertain you. Tell me about the situation on Gan Shang’s side."

"The last natural disaster caused heavy losses at headquarters, and with the Qian Family causing trouble recently, we’ve lost a lot of grain."

Gan Xiong first explained the damage at headquarters, setting the tone for the conversation.

Gao Ru coughed once, not taking a seat as Gan Xiong suggested.

His father-in-law didn’t sit, so it felt odd for him to take a seat.

With a sorrowful expression, he said, "Over at Juzi Island, the losses are also heavy. We lost four-fifths of our direct members, now only sixty or so remain, but Min’er and Brother Shang are fine."

Hearing this, Gan Xiong, though the losses exceeded his expectations, could understand.

With so many people at headquarters, and higher walls, the losses were still so severe, let alone at the riverside of Juzi Island.

However, he quickly sensed something was amiss from Gao Ru’s words, so he asked, "And Xiaojie?"

Here it comes, Gao Ru thought to himself.

He had long anticipated that his father-in-law would ask this question.

Hesitant, his eyes reddened appropriately, he told Gan Xiong, "Before the high-temperature natural disaster, Xiaojie went out once and never returned. It must have been Xiao Jun and his doing!"

Hearing this, Gan Xiong flew into a rage.

He shouted angrily at Gao Ru, "Why didn’t you make this clear when you came last time; why say it now? Xiao Jun, as far as I know, is Ju Tianrui’s subordinate, right?"

Facing his father-in-law’s wrath, Gao Ru trembled slightly.

He began to explain, "Xiao Jun left with Xiaojie.

We also tried to interrogate Ju Tianrui, but he wouldn’t talk.

Ju Tianrui’s side is strong, and we couldn’t confront them directly.

We had to cut off their grain supply, but unexpectedly, after we did so, they simply left. We sent people to track them, hoping to follow Xiao Jun and his group."

Gan Xiong suppressed his anger and asked, "Did you track them? Don’t give me half a story, can you tell me the result directly?"

After speaking, he tossed the cup in his hand.

Crash—

The glass cup shattered instantly.

Gao Ru struggled for two seconds, deciding to take the plunge.

Telling lies would require more lies to cover them later, he figured it was better to tell the truth.

So he said, "We didn’t track them down. They kept heading north, with no way to refuel on the road, and eventually, our people had to return. Plus, with the natural disaster, we couldn’t go out to search, it’s been so long, Xiaojie may already be..."

After listening to him, Gan Xiong remained silent.

The atmosphere seemed to freeze.

Gan Gaojie was his youngest grandson and his favorite.

His expression was somewhat terrifying, with ferocious wrinkles.

"You’re all failures!" Gan Xiong cursed.

He took a deep breath, then slowly walked up to Gao Ru and asked, "You’re honestly useless! Why do I have descendants like you?"

"Didn’t I tell you to grow your food? You didn’t plant anything either? Didn’t I say last time it was the last time I’d supply food to you? What are you here for now?"

Faced with Gan Xiong’s soul-searching questions,

Gao Ru bravely replied, "All those refugees are dead, victims of the natural disaster, and crops, affected by the disaster, yielded nothing. Now we’re out of food and ammunition."

"Ha! Initially, sending you to Juzi Island was to expand the Gan Family’s influence, but you relied on headquarters. Then what was the point of sending you out? Tell me, what use are you?"

Gao Ru wiped his face, covered in spittle from Gan Xiong’s tirade.

But he dared not complain.

He was aware of the situation at Juzi Island, and he had given suggestions to Gan Shang before, but to no avail.

So Gao Ru quietly bowed his head, enduring Gan Xiong’s wrath.

After scolding him,

Gan Xiong looked at him with extreme disdain and waved his hand, "Xiao Zhuang, divide half of the rice ashes from the burnt Qian Family and give it to them."

Upon hearing this, Gao Ru raised his head to ask, "Rice ashes? Can that stuff be eaten?"

Hearing his words, Gan Xiong’s previously subsiding anger flared up again, and he said, "There’s no grain. If you don’t want the rice ashes, then you won’t get them."

Gao Ru quickly said, "No, no, no, I was just asking. I want them."

Anything was better than nothing. It was worth checking if it could be consumed.

Gan Xiong continued to ask, "Do you know where Xiaojie and Xiao Jun went? Do you know this?"

Gao Ru awkwardly shook his head and said, "They should be in the East, but the specific location is unknown. But Ju Tianrui and his side went North, so..."

Hearing this, Gan Xiong’s intention to search was quickly doused.

This was the Doomsday; with the vast East and North, how could they be found?

It was meaningless.

A wave of grief overcame him as he thought of his grandson’s face, putting him in a foul mood.

"Take the rice ashes and get out. When you’re back, pack up and don’t stay at Juzi Island anymore," Gan Xiong said.

Gao Ru, astonished, asked, "Huh? Then where do we go?"

Gan Xiong said helplessly, "You’re irrelevant there now, come back."

Though foolish, they were his sons and sons-in-law.

Considering the last natural disaster that caused severe losses, bringing them back would replenish manpower.

Hearing this, Gao Ru was overjoyed.

He had long wanted to leave Juzi Island. Returning to the Western Alliance headquarters ensured safety and food supplies.

He nodded vigorously and said, "Then we don’t need too much rice ash, right? Since we’re coming back anyway."

Gan Xiong waved his hand and said, "Do as you see fit. Anyway, I won’t provide you with any other grains this time, I am very unhappy with what you’ve done."

Gao Ru wanted to say more but had to accept it.

.......