Chapter Thirty-Two: The Ghost of the Xiao Family

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Chapter Thirty-Two: The Ghost of the Xiao Family

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Previously, he had only briefly mentioned it, but upon hearing Xiao Tianci ask him to elaborate, Chief Steward Lin Jian took a few steps to Xiao Tianci’s side and said, “The mastermind behind this terrorist organization is actually your father’s cousin, which makes him your uncle.”

Lin Jian had mentioned this to Xiao Tianci before, so Xiao Tianci wasn’t particularly surprised. He chuckled, “So, the Xiao family isn’t really down to just me, except he was expelled from the family and doesn’t count as a Xiao anymore, right? Who else was expelled?”

Chief Steward Lin Jian’s expression grew somewhat grave. “The struggle back then was extremely fierce—a fight to the death. This cousin of your father’s had been his closest companion since childhood; his name is Xiao Wenyan. But your father never imagined that the person manipulating things from behind the scenes, fighting against him, was his own cousin. In one battle, Xiao Wenyan and his father were both injured in an explosion—his father died soon after, and Xiao Wenyan lost a hand. In those days, whether friend or foe, anyone considered an enemy was killed without mercy. But in the end, your father couldn’t bring himself to kill the brother he’d grown up with and merely expelled him from the family, forbidding him to use the Xiao name.”

Xiao Tianci understood. “So he was the only one expelled?”

“Yes,” Lin Jian nodded. “He’s a formidable man. At first, the Xiao family’s intelligence network kept tabs on him—he worked in many places, did all sorts of things. Then, two years later, he vanished completely; the Xiao family’s resources couldn’t trace him at all. Five years after that, a group emerged, dedicated solely to opposing the Xiao family. From their methods, it was clear: in business and beyond, anything the Xiao family touched, they sabotaged, using every means imaginable—even killing Xiao family members and senior executives on a large scale. For a time, it threw everyone into panic.”

Xiao Tianci knew that the most troublesome kind of enemy isn’t one seeking profit, but one bent on destruction for its own sake—the ant on the elephant’s back, always the hardest to deal with.

Even a nation as mighty as America has been plagued by terrorists for decades, never able to stamp them out entirely.

Xiao Tianci had an excellent memory; he recalled Lin Jian once saying these terrorists had been quiet for years, thoroughly suppressed.

“They’re certainly a nuisance. How did my father deal with them back then?”

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Lin Jian replied, “Back then, many in the Xiao family perished. We had to call everyone back to headquarters and place senior executives under strict protection. Still, these measures weren’t enough—our business suffered heavy blows, and the situation dragged on for quite some time. But Mei Hua’s strength was difficult to shake, even so. Soon, leveraging the United Nations, your father’s efforts got their organization officially listed as a terrorist group, and he offered a massive bounty, on both sides of the law. Counterterrorism forces from various countries, mercenaries, and ranked assassins were all lured by the reward and got involved.”

Xiao Tianci tapped the table lightly, then shook his head. “That could only contain them temporarily, perhaps strike a blow, but if Xiao Wenyan is that capable, I doubt it did him much harm.”

Lin Jian reminded him, “After being expelled, your uncle stopped using the Xiao name and went by Wenyan. When he became leader of the group, they called him ‘The Ghost.’”

“‘The Ghost’—just the name is enough to send chills down your spine. But focus—how did my father actually deal with him?”

Lin Jian replied, “From the start, your father sensed something unusual, so he planted someone inside their group. This infiltrator worked from the periphery, gradually rising to become one of the Ghost’s two chief lieutenants. Many mercenaries, assassins, counterterrorism agents, and special operatives met their end at his hands. In the end, he coordinated an inside-outside attack and destroyed the organization. His name is Fang Meng—nickname, ‘Titan.’”

Going undercover at that level is no small feat, especially from the ground up and still completing the mission. Xiao Tianci said, “The Ghost escaped in the end, didn’t he?”

Lin Jian nodded. “He was the only one who got away, and Fang Meng let him go.”

Xiao Tianci wasn’t surprised. He calmly analyzed, “That makes sense. It tells me two things: one, my uncle, Xiao Wenyan—the Ghost—must have had great personal charisma and talent; two, Fang Meng is extremely loyal, but also deeply sentimental. Go on.”

Lin Jian listened and nodded inwardly—those were indeed the best summaries. “Afterwards, Fang Meng wanted your father to punish him, but your father just laughed, pulled him up, and told him he would have done the same, so Fang Meng had done nothing wrong. After that, your father began to mentor Fang Meng personally. At the time of the attack, Fang Meng happened to be on an assignment and didn’t attend the gathering with your father. After what happened, there was no evidence and endless speculation, but many believed the Ghost was responsible. Fang Meng blamed himself terribly—he’s been isolating himself on a remote island ever since.”

“Oh, a remote island?”

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Lin Jian nodded. “Yes, the Xiao family owns many islands around the world—large and small. That one was a gift from your father. After every mission, Fang Meng would spend a period alone there, like a private retreat.”

The greater a person’s ability, the heavier the burden—strength doesn’t erase pressure, only changes how one copes with it. Clearly, this was Fang Meng’s way of unwinding.

If he wanted to deal with the Ghost, he’d need to seek out Titan—Fang Meng. With that thought, Xiao Tianci stood and stretched. “Let’s go find Titan—Fang Meng.”

“Yes, sir.” Lin Jian immediately ordered the plane to be prepared.

“First, get me paper and pen—I need to write something. By the way, how old is Fang Meng?”

Lin Jian fetched a pen and paper, handing them to Xiao Tianci. “Fang Meng is twenty-eight this year.”

Xiao Tianci paused, pen in hand, mentally calculating. “Which means, back then, he was only about ten years old.”

“Boss, Fang Meng was eleven when he infiltrated the organization.”

Hearing this, and recalling what Lin Jian had just said, was all the more astonishing. It made Xiao Tianci even more eager to meet this Titan—Fang Meng.