After getting into the car, Li Juntang headed straight to the royal Spanner family.
His mother, Consort Spanner, was a direct
descendant of the Spanner royal line.
The Spanner family’s power in Stonia was by no
means inferior to that of the Prince Montgomery’s household --- perhaps even
stronger by a margin.
The head of the Spanner family, Guodong Spanner,
was his uncle.
Twenty years ago, he was a hero proficient in
both civil and military affairs. Though retired now, Guodong Spanner had two
extremely outstanding children.
His son was the Military God, Adam Spanner, and
his daughter, the War Goddess, Scarlet Spanner.
Both were unparalleled prodigies of their time,
wielding immense military power and with limitless futures ahead.
It was precisely the presence of these two
exceptional talents that allowed the Spanner family to flourish like never
before, even overshadowing the Prince Montgomery’s influence.
With the backing of the Spanner family, Li
Juntang had the confidence to contend for the throne.
Now that a major incident had occurred, it was
only natural to seek his uncle’s help.
Half an hour later.
The car stopped at the gates of the Spanner
residence.
After getting out, Li Juntang entered the Spanner
family’s council hall unimpeded.
Guodong Spanner had already received the news
ahead of time and was waiting in the hall.
He was a tall, broad-shouldered man with a
square-shaped face and rugged but handsome features.
Even in his fifties, he retained a unique
charisma.
“Uncle! Something major happened in Stonia last
night. Did you receive word of it?” Li Juntang asked bluntly as he stepped
inside.
“Juntang, you’re already in your twenties. Why
are you still so impatient? Where’s your composure?” Guodong Spanner gave him a
light glance, his expression calm.
“Uncle, this is a serious matter. My
subordinates are all useless, so I have no choice but to come ask for your
help.” Li Juntang plopped down next to Guodong Spanner.
“I’ve already heard about the incident,” Guodong
Spanner replied with a shake of his head, “but I’m afraid there’s nothing I can
do to help.”
“Nothing you can do?” Li Juntang was slightly
stunned. “Uncle, I’m your nephew --- if you won’t help me, who will?”
“It’s not that I won’t help, it’s that I can’t
help.”
Guodong Spanner’s tone remained flat. “I began
investigating as soon as I got the news this morning, but the results weren’t
promising. I suggest you leave it alone.”
“Uncle! A mysterious force suddenly emerging
like this is a huge threat to us if we don’t get to the bottom of it. I can’t
even sleep well at night.” Li Juntang frowned deeply.
How can one sleep soundly with danger at the
bedside?
Anyone who posed a threat to his claim to the
throne needed to be fully investigated.
At the very least, he needed to identify friend
from foe and take precautions --- that was the only way to find peace of mind.
If anything unexpected were to happen, it would
be too late for regrets.
“Juntang, have you considered this --- if
someone has gone to such great lengths to conceal their identity, that means
they don’t want to be known. Probing too deeply might only bring unnecessary
trouble,” Guodong Spanner said.
“Uncle, I understand your reasoning, but at
this point, I can’t just pretend nothing happened.”
Li Juntang’s expression turned serious. “At
this stage, I have no room for retreat. I must anticipate every threat and
minimize all risks.”
“So you won’t rest until you get answers
today?” Guodong Spanner raised an eyebrow.
“That’s right! Whether you help me or not, I’ll
get to the bottom of this!” Li Juntang declared firmly.
“…Fine. Since you’ve already made up your mind,
I won’t stop you. I can only give you one clue --- if you want to understand
what happened, you might want to ask Princess Anyang.” Guodong Spanner hinted.
“Princess Anyang?” Li Juntang was momentarily
stunned, then quickly remembered. “You mean Margaret?!”
“Look at you --- you don’t even recognize your
own sister’s title. Shows how much you care,” Guodong Spanner said with a sigh.
“Uncle, don’t tease me. What does this have to
do with Margaret?” Li Juntang asked, puzzled.
“The largest intelligence network in Stonia is
in her hands. You tell me --- does it have something to do with her?”
Guodong Spanner said impatiently, “That massive
uproar last night --- do you really think it could have been covered up so
cleanly without her network playing a role?”
“You’re saying Margaret is the mastermind?” Li
Juntang furrowed his brows. “But how is that possible? She’s just a woman. Even
if she controls the intelligence network, she wouldn’t have the strength to, in
a single night, wipe out the forces of the Pantheon hiding in Stonia.”
Zeus was killed, Hera went missing, and the
Pantheon’s hidden factions were destroyed.
Clearly, intelligence alone wouldn’t be enough
--- this operation required overwhelming military force.
“I don’t know exactly how Margaret pulled it
off,” Guodong Spanner replied, “but I’m certain she’s involved. Even if she’s
not the mastermind, she’s at least an accomplice. That’s why I said --- you
need to ask her yourself, do your own digging, see if you can get anything out
of her.”
“I see.”
Li Juntang nodded thoughtfully. “Uncle, I know
what I must do now. Thank you for your guidance. I’ll take my leave.”
Having received the answer he needed, Li
Juntang didn’t linger. After a quick farewell, he left immediately.
“This kid… when will he finally be able to
stand on his own?” Guodong Spanner sighed.
If he couldn’t even handle something this minor
without running for help, how could someone like that ever be fit to inherit
the throne? - Ton
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