NOVPUB
Chapter 320: The Larson Family’s Worst Situation
The next day, rumors began to circulate that young master Clark had disappeared following the fight between two mysterious king-stage cultivators. Many people wondered if the rumors were true, but the Larson family chose not to address them.
Instead, the public received another piece of news directly from the Larson family. They claimed that all the recent problems related to the devils were the work of an external organization. According to them, the remnants of the Duclan family were the true perpetrators. The Duclan family had returned, seeking revenge against the Larson family, whom they blamed for their downfall.
The reasoning presented by the Larson family was quite logical and seemed reasonable. However, without concrete evidence to prove that the remnants of the Duclan family were responsible for the devil-related incidents, it was difficult to convince the masses.
Many people scoffed at the claim, dismissing it as nothing more than an attempt by the Larson family to shirk their responsibility. Despite this, the Larson family paid no attention to public opinion and continued to push the narrative that the remnants of the Duclan family were to blame.
This continued for several days, with the Larson family presenting "evidence" each day, claiming that members of the Duclan family had actually become devils.
Although doubt lingered in the minds of many, the evidence presented by the Larson family felt like a bitter pill forcefully shoved down their throats. Gradually, the masses began to shift their opinions, wondering, "Could it really be the remnants of the Duclan family behind all of this?"
While the Larson family had not completely escaped their predicament, the growing shift in public opinion was enough to give them some breathing room and the opportunity to move forward.
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At this time, in the Larson family’s meeting room, only three people were present: the grand duke and two of the family’s grand elders. Although the Larson family now had some breathing room, Grand Duke Larson’s expression remained grim. For several days, there had been no sign of his son.
He still suspected that the mysterious group was behind the disappearance, believing they would eventually contact him with demands. But no such contact came. The group remained silent, offering no clues or explanations.
It was a confusing situation, and the uncertainty surrounding his son’s fate was truly infuriating.
"Have you contacted Her Highness yet?" Grand Duke Larson asked one of the grand elders.
"Yes, I’ve already informed her," the grand elder replied. "She said she can’t do anything about it since the emperor himself is monitoring this operation. If she keeps pushing to help us, she risks being discovered."
Grand Duke Larson clenched his fist.
"That woman, not only is she refusing to help us, but it feels like she’s abandoning us entirely. Does she not fear the consequences if her actions become known to her family? It seems we’re on our own in this." he thought angrily.
"What about the imperial family? Is there still no significant movement?" he asked again.
"Still the same as usual," the grand elder replied. "The imperial family, as a whole, hasn’t made any drastic moves for now. However, some of the emperor’s investigation teams have been dispatched to various territories under His Majesty’s orders. They haven’t delved too deeply into our main family and are primarily focusing on other areas where the devils appeared.
As of today, it seems they haven’t uncovered anything that could be endanger us."
Grand Duke Larson sighed, but his frown remained after hearing the report. To him, the imperial family’s actions seemed strange. Their response appeared more "restrained" compared to how they had handled the devil case within the Flamecrest Grand Duchy and Duclan Dukedom. Back then, they had even sent a member of their main family, with Princess Loraine volunteering to lead the investigation herself.
Why would they deploy someone of imperial bloodline just for an investigation?
That was meant to demonstrate the seriousness of the situation. Additionally, a member of the imperial family could deliver an immediate and authoritative verdict. If the family was deemed innocent, their declaration would significantly reduce the burden and accusations against them. However, if the family was found guilty, they would face a fate similar to that of the Duclan family.
However, the situation in the Larson Grand Duchy was significant—arguably even bigger than what had occurred with the Flamecrest family. So why hadn’t they sent someone from the main imperial bloodline? Did they not take the Larson family’s predicament seriously? Even the princess hadn’t received permission from her father to act. This left Grand Duke Larson questioning Emperor Herman’s intentions. What was he waiting for?
Suddenly, a thought struck him. 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙥𝙪𝙗.𝒄𝙤𝙢
"Wait, what if the imperial family has already taken action without our knowledge? That would explain their lack of drastic movements."
But the problem was, even if Grand Duke Larson suspected that the imperial family had already taken action without their knowledge, so what? He still didn’t know what they had done or what their plans were. It was all just speculation, with no solid proof. The princess hadn’t shared any useful information either, leaving him in the dark about what to do next.
Knock knock.
A hurried knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. A cultivator at the Marquess stage quickly entered, bowing his head.
"My lord, bad news!" the cultivator exclaimed. "We have a situation on our hands. The mysterious group has made their move, and this time, they’re even announcing their existence to the world. We finally know who they are, and they’ve shown something that could endanger us."
"What?!"
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In various parts of Larson City, people paused in their activities, stunned by something utterly ridiculous. Suddenly, pamphlets and information crystals were scattered throughout strategic locations, available for anyone to pick up. Those who read the pamphlets or examined the contents of the information crystals couldn’t hide their shock.
The pamphlets detailed the Larson family’s treacherous actions against the Duclan family and how they had slandered them, leading to the Duclan family’s downfall. The information crystals, also spread throughout the city, contained confessions from the young master of the Larson family, revealing their past deeds and their connections to the devils.
It was the members of the fallen Duclan family who had spread all the pamphlets and information crystals. Among the shocking revelations, the information crystal even revealed that the young miss of the Duclan family was still alive. This revelation stunned them, as the imperial family had previously claimed to have executed all the main members of the Duclan family.
When the people finished absorbing the information from the pamphlets and crystals, it sparked an uproar throughout the city.
Some of the people bold enough to oppose the Larson family appeared at their gates, demanding that the family take responsibility for their past sins. As the number of protesting cultivators grew, the Larson family’s guards were forced to call upon their high-ranking cultivators to control the swelling crowd.
However, the cultivations of the masses varied, with some possessing strength equal to that of the Larson family’s cultivators. As a result, the situation did not improve much. Instead, it led to the opposite effect—people began to revolt, and what started as a commotion quickly spiraled into chaos. Fights broke out in various parts of the city, and the unrest spread outward, reaching other areas of the Larson Grand Duchy.
By the afternoon, the revolt had spread across the entire territory of the Grand Duchy. Grand Duke Larson stood on the second floor of his mansion, his expression dark as he watched the unfolding chaos. In his hand were the pamphlet and information crystal that had been distributed by the members of the Duclan family. The contents of both were damning, filled with irrefutable evidence. It was further supported by his son’s apparent voluntary confession, his pleading expression only adding weight to the accusations.
"How could they spread all of this under our noses?" Grand Duke Larson asked one of the elders standing nearby.
"There are witnesses who saw these pamphlets and information crystals suddenly appear on the streets," the elder replied, sweat rolling down his face. "However, due to the large crowd, they couldn’t identify who dropped them. It also happened simultaneously in many parts of our territory."
Their plan to redirect the blame onto the Duclan family had backfired. The people now had a counter-argument to the Larson family’s narrative. Grand Duke Larson gritted his teeth. To think that the Duclan family’s young miss was still alive, and that the mysterious group was actually made up of Duclan family members!
They had initially thought of using the Duclan name to their advantage. After all, the Duclan family had been fallen for years, so using their name seemed harmless. But they never expected the mysterious group to actually be the real Duclan family! Now, the people’s counter-argument was clear: everything the Larson family had said was nothing more than an attempt to cover up their past crimes against the Duclans.
With this development, it seemed over for them. There was no way they could escape this situation without great sacrificing. Grand Duke Larson expected the imperial family to soon pass judgment on them. Even if the princess intervened, it wouldn’t change much—in fact, it would only affect the imperial family as a whole.
Grand Duke Larson covered his face with his palm, his eyes gleaming with cunning. He had finally made up his mind.
"Do you think I’ll take this fall without doing anything? Wrong! I won’t let it end so easily!"
