The Frail Guide Who Devoured an Entire Pollution Zone

These people could pretend nothing had happened, but as the creator of the laboratory, he couldn’t. Their behavior only stoked the flames of his anger. However, his lifelong upbringing forbade him from losing his temper. He could only maintain a polite smile while his gaze searched the room.

It wasn’t until he caught sight of Xu Qingsui that a genuine smile finally touched his lips. Yet, the moment he noticed Lu Jingyu standing beside her, that fleeting warmth vanished. He couldn’t let Lu Jingyu and Xu Qingsui be alone together.

An idea sparked in Shen Yan’s mind. Glancing at the sycophants surrounding him, the corners of his mouth curled upward.

“Everyone, I truly cannot accept all your praise. Furthermore, I believe you are all aware of the recent incident at the laboratory…”

The uproar had been so massive that it was impossible to ignore. However, given Shen Yan’s status, these people had simply feigned ignorance to stay in his good graces. For him to bring it up on his own accord caught them completely off guard.

A sudden hush fell over the crowd as they struggled to find an appropriate response. If they misread his intentions and misspoke, all their previous flattery would be rendered utterly useless.

But Shen Yan didn’t leave them guessing for long. “The recent incident caused devastating losses for both the laboratory and the Survival Team. The only reason we weren’t completely wiped out is thanks to the timely intervention of one person.

“Furthermore, we have now reached an agreement. Moving forward, the Survival Team of our 27th District will be entirely under his command. I have the utmost faith in his capabilities; he will undoubtedly create a safer living environment for us all.”

Although the Heiyu Alliance had already taken over the 27th District’s Survival Team, they had primarily been handling the handover process and had yet to make an official public announcement. Shen Yan’s mention of it now served as the first formal public declaration.

Hearing this news instantly ignited the curiosity of everyone present. Just who had taken over the Survival Team? The Survival Team was responsible for the security of the entire 27th District, wielding an immense amount of power. Moreover, based on Shen Yan’s phrasing, this was a complete transfer of authority—a stark contrast to how things operated when Chu Tian was around.

In the past, Chu Tian still had to answer to Shen Yan, but the current situation seemed entirely different. They definitely needed to get acquainted with someone who was highly likely to be on equal footing with Shen Yan himself.

Seeing the calculative gleam in their eyes, Shen Yan’s smile grew even more radiant. However, he still needed to add some fuel to the fire to ensure these people would effectively entangle Lu Jingyu for him.

“There is one more thing. Although this person hasn’t admitted it himself, based on my understanding, it’s highly likely that he has deep-rooted connections to a certain prominent family in the Imperial City.”

The crowd’s eyes widened in sheer astonishment. If Shen Yan was telling the truth, the backing of such a background would mean this prominent figure’s status far exceeded Shen Yan’s own. With a big shot like that in the picture, what did Shen Yan even matter anymore?

Unable to hold back any longer, several people eagerly asked, “Boss Shen, what is the name of this prominent figure you mentioned? Is he attending the banquet today?”

As they spoke, many began to subtly posture and scan the room. They felt certain that a VIP of such caliber would possess an extraordinary aura, one that distinctly set him apart from the rest of the crowd.

“The man I was just speaking of is the captain of the Heiyu Alliance—Lu Jingyu.”

Shen Yan deliberately enunciated the surname “Lu” with heavy emphasis, and it didn’t take long for someone to catch his drift.

“Is he from the Imperial City Lu Family?”

“That’s one of the top families out there!”

“If he really is from the Lu Family, wouldn’t that mean we have the backing of the Imperial City Lu Family from now on?”

The crowd broke into fervent murmurs. Shen Yan simply watched with a smile, opting not to chime in. He had already sent people to investigate Lu Jingyu’s background, but unfortunately, they hadn’t been able to unearth any classified information. However, this very lack of information only fueled the suspicion that his true identity was being deliberately concealed.

Although Shen Yan himself couldn’t confirm whether Lu Jingyu was genuinely connected to the Imperial City Lu Family, he needed this glamorous facade to ensure these people would swarm the man. To the crowd, Shen Yan’s refusal to deny the rumors was as good as a confirmation. Instantly, their excitement reached a fever pitch.

“Boss Shen, is Captain Lu here today?”

Shen Yan smiled and nodded. “Naturally. I’ll introduce him to everyone shortly. However, regarding Captain Lu’s background, this is solely based on my own intelligence. Captain Lu has never publicly confirmed it. Therefore, I ask that you all refrain from mentioning it when you meet him. If I happen to be mistaken, we wouldn’t want to stir up any unnecessary trouble.”

At this point, Shen Yan’s cautionary words took on an entirely different meaning in the ears of his audience. They simply assumed that Lu Jingyu wanted to keep a low profile. Since they fully intended to curry favor with him, they naturally wouldn’t do anything to step on his toes.

Seeing that he had laid enough groundwork, Shen Yan immediately navigated through the crowd and made his way toward Lu Jingyu, who was standing in the corner. A sizable group had already been hovering around Shen Yan. Now, seeing so many people following him toward the corner, even more curious onlookers inevitably joined the procession.

Lu Jingyu sensed the massive, approaching crowd long before they reached him. Xu Qingsui noticed them too, her brows knitting into an immediate frown. She loathed dealing with strangers more than anything. To use a modern term, she had social anxiety.

Lu Jingyu caught her expression, just as he spotted Shen Yan leading the pack. He knew exactly what Shen Yan was trying to do and had no intention of letting the man succeed, but Xu Qingsui’s comfort was his utmost priority.

Left with no other choice, he turned to Xu Qingsui just before the crowd swarmed them. “It seems Boss Shen has been doing some self-appointed PR work for me. I don’t want this chaotic crowd bothering you, so I’ll step forward to entertain them for a moment. Just wait for me right here.”

Xu Qingsui cast him a faintly grateful look as she watched him step forward to intercept the mob.

Shen Yan’s objective had been achieved. A triumphant gleam flashed in his eyes.

“Captain Lu, these gentlemen are all prominent business owners and family heads here in the 27th District. They heard that you recently resolved the crisis at the laboratory and have now officially taken command of the Survival Team, so they’re eager to make your acquaintance.

“I’ve taken the humble liberty of acting as a mediator to introduce them so they can pay their respects.”

As he spoke, Shen Yan’s gaze drifted past Lu Jingyu, locking onto Xu Qingsui where she still stood in the corner. Now that Lu Jingyu was dealt with, this mob of people would keep him thoroughly occupied. All he had to do next was find an opening to slip away unnoticed, and then he could finally have Xu Qingsui all to himself.

But just as Shen Yan was reveling in his perfect plan, Lu Jingyu sidestepped, completely blocking his line of sight.

“Boss Shen, since you’ve so graciously volunteered to act as the mediator, I must trouble you to properly introduce each and every one of us!”

He wanted to distract him to create a chance to be alone with Xu Qingsui? Fat chance!