Volume 4: Hidden Struggles, Chapter 132: The Wonders of Realm Perception

When Chu Tianyu returned to the room, he found an oppressive atmosphere there. His grandfather sat there, his face pale, silent. Chu Tianyu glanced around; the others also appeared puzzled, clearly unaware of what had been discussed on the phone. It seemed his grandfather had already weighed everything carefully before looking up at everyone and saying in a grave voice, “The Dragon Soul headquarters has been wiped out!”
“What? What on earth was Zhan Yupeng doing? Usually, Dragon Soul’s people are extremely vigilant—how could their base be taken over so easily?” Qi Lao exclaimed in shock.
His grandfather closed his eyes and said with pain and helplessness, “The enemy was extremely powerful and attacked suddenly, giving those left no chance to fight back. Moreover, due to consecutive shifts, many key members had just gone back to rest. Only clerks and ordinary members remained…”
Listening to this, Chu Tianyu felt immense regret. He had intended to deal a greater blow to Tianxing Group by provoking conflict with Dragon Soul, but never expected it to bring such catastrophic consequences!
What puzzled Chu Tianyu was that there must be many martial arts disciples watching Tianxing Group and Zhou Tianxing. With such a large-scale operation, how could nothing be detected? He hadn’t heard any reports from those disciples either. Could there be a third party involved?
Chu Tianyu was full of doubts, and his grandfather also looked at him with suspicion, guessing that his grandson was somehow involved in this massacre. He asked, “Tianyu, do you have any clues or ideas?”
After thinking for a while, Chu Tianyu replied, “Not yet!”
His grandfather fell silent, tapping his fingers on the table. Qi Lao and Xu Zhanfeng exchanged a glance, realizing this wasn’t their concern. They politely got up to bid farewell to his grandfather.
His grandfather didn’t keep them long. As he saw them off, he gave Chu Tianfeng a subtle signal, who quickly understood and left with the two generals, claiming to take them home and report matters…
Back in the study, only Chu Tianyu, his grandfather, his great-grandfather, and his mother remained. Instead of immediately saying he had to leave urgently, Chu Tianyu sat quietly, knowing he would receive a satisfactory explanation.
“Tianyu, do you feel a bit surprised by today’s events?” His grandfather didn’t continue talking about Dragon Soul but suddenly asked this instead.

Chu Tianyu remained calm, showing no reaction as he turned his gaze toward his grandfather.
Grandfather Chu Fangshan also spoke calmly, “Let’s hear what your grandfather says!”
Grandfather seemed to fall into deep thought for a long time before finally lifting his head and saying, “Tianyu, if not for your behavior at that banquet that night, and after your uncles told me what happened, I really wouldn’t have been able to piece things together! Especially that incident in Hong Kong—many things were incomprehensible. It was a very dangerous situation, yet it seemed as though some mysterious force resolved it without a trace, which is baffling! Once I suspected you, many problems seemed to solve themselves. And after obtaining certain evidence, I dared to form a new understanding of you. Eventually, it was your father-in-law who confirmed my suspicions!”
Chu Tianyu felt a stir in his heart and casually asked a question that had been on his mind. “By the way, Grandfather, I have a question about the incident that swept through the capital. How did you know about it? Things were urgent at the time, and it was extremely dangerous. To avoid worrying your grandfather and mother, I didn’t tell them anything. How did you find out?”
Grandfather replied calmly, his expression unchanged, “It’s simple. I guessed it! Then I just asked around…”
“That simple?” Chu Tianyu felt a bit confused.
“That’s exactly how simple it is! If I really had to come up with a reason, it’s probably because once I learned about your abilities, I figured only you could have done such a thing!” Grandfather said honestly.
“Grandfather, I’m out of words. Go on!” Chu Tianyu said helplessly.
“It’s a long story. I’ll keep it brief. In fact, the financial crisis at Tianxing Group not only affected the entire economic chain but also reached the highest levels of politics! I won’t go into the power struggles and factions involved. The bottom line is, the situation with Tianxing Group was like a huge stone that exposed everything that had been hidden beneath the surface!”
“There are even more conspiracies and tricks involved! As for me, although I remain neutral, your elder brother’s little schemes, along with your decisive actions, have made this neutrality quite delicate! To be honest, these past few years, I’ve found it extremely difficult to stay neutral. In fact, not only am I stressed—how anyone in this position could sleep soundly?”
As he spoke, Grandfather seemed to grow very tired and sighed.

At that moment, Grandpa took over the conversation and said, “Tianyu, although I’ve mentioned before that our Chu family has never relied on your grandfather’s position to advance, nor have we engaged in any kind of power-for-money deals, that doesn’t mean your grandfather’s influence doesn’t provide protection and leverage for the entire Chu family! What’s meant by ‘leverage’ here is quite subtle—it’s something intangible and hard to pin down. To put it more concretely, for example, when negotiating a city development project fairly and normally with a mayor, your grandfather’s presence means he looks up to us; otherwise, no matter how much money the Chu family has, it’s we who have to look up to him! When this subtle dynamic is incorporated into the complex web of relationships, it becomes an indescribable state of affairs…”

“And your Chu family’s vast business empire, in turn, gives your grandfather leverage, allowing him to stay informed about economic trends firsthand and project an image of strength, making anyone who wants to take action think twice. This is also a crucial factor in why he has remained in his position all these years!” Grandfather added.

But suddenly, Grandfather sighed and said, “But I’m getting old, and my age limits my capabilities. I can’t go any further! As for your uncles, they entered this circle too early and have lost their edge—they’re good at maintaining the status quo but lack the drive to advance. So I plan to use the remaining years to find a successor!”

Chu Tianyu was struck by this. He suddenly said, “My second brother?”

“That’s right! What did you feel when you saw him this time?” Grandfather asked.

“He’s become stronger, and this strength seems to have a kind of ferocity to it, different from the energy and true power we cultivate through training. It really puzzles me. Before I could even talk to him, he went off to see guests again! I’ll have to talk to him properly when he returns!” Chu Tianyu said.

“There’s no need to wait. He won’t be back tonight. He must be talking with Mr. Qi and the others all night long!”

Then Grandfather changed the subject and explained his second brother’s situation. The dangers involved and the courage shown by his second brother were something even Grandpa and Mom had heard about for the second time, and they couldn’t help but feel a surge of emotion.

It turned out that my second brother’s last mission was to take part in the final promotion exam for the Iron Blood unit, followed by a month-long hellish training. With his body completely exhausted, he was given the latest energy injections and muscle enhancement programs, turning him into a super warrior. However, the success rate of these experiments was terrifyingly low. Out of 350 participants, only 19 succeeded. In subsequent tests, 13 more were eliminated due to mental and intellectual issues. In short, only six people succeeded in the end…

So these six people were directly granted the rank of lieutenant colonel, with my second brother achieving the best results. He thus became the acting commander of the Iron Blood unit. Once the World Military Competition ended, he could rightfully be promoted to colonel and become the official commander of the Iron Blood unit!

After explaining my second brother’s situation, my grandfather finally sighed in relief. Looking at Chu Tianyu, he said, “Actually, given your abilities, you should be the best successor for me. But I also understand—your family has said that you don’t belong to our ‘circle.’ Even though we hold power and high positions, we’re just competing among ordinary people. For someone like you, if something like ‘breaking through space’ happens, where would we find a leader? Hehe. So, after discussing it with your grandfather, we decided that your second brother is the candidate! I didn’t expect him to make such a bold choice either. He took a risky step, but it was a good start. Moreover, after years of military training, he’s not only brave and resolute but also full of passion and determination! His potential is immeasurable. All we need to do is give him a boost from behind!”

Chu Tianyu was shocked. He didn’t expect his grandfather to think so far ahead—not just about succession but even further…

“I understand, Grandpa. This time, Tianyu’s role is to help my second brother win a championship for China in the World Military Competition, giving him a solid foundation for an even better start!” Chu Tianyu said after understanding.

“Mm. Once you master Iron Blood, you master the soul of the military! But helping your second brother this time is just one aspect. More importantly, it has far-reaching implications for the country’s future diplomacy and international status! Do you know why we need to send our best elites to the United Nations?” his grandfather asked.

Chu Tianyu shook his head. His grandfather continued, “Do you know why the United States used to be so eager to send troops overseas, under the guise of peacekeeping and counterterrorism, to meddle in various affairs? It was a display of strength, a privilege, an advantage! As long as such mobile forces exist, they can interfere in matters anywhere in the world. Although there are many restrictions, how to use them effectively depends on the individual! For example, against a major country I can’t move against, I can definitely cause trouble for your trading partners and related smaller countries to serve as a deterrent. Now, China already has the capability to support such a force. Without a strong military force, there’s not much room to utilize these ‘iron-blooded’ peacekeeping forces. All these elements complement each other; one change can affect the whole. In practice, it’s not as complicated as it sounds! In short, a weak country has no diplomacy—whose fist is the strongest, that’s who rules!”

After speaking openly, his grandfather went on, “Tianyu, actually, whether between countries or between individuals, there exists this invisible and intangible subtle power dynamic. Revealing your strengths to people like Old Qi is simply a process of leveraging that power. To establish oneself in the military, factions are essential. Although Old Qi and I are close friends, everyone has weaknesses. With your deterrent and terrifying strength, it adds another important safeguard for your second brother’s development, besides me! In other words, with your superhuman strength, even the title of deputy brigade commander can give them great confidence and encourage them to support your second brother more fully and without restraint…”

“Hehe, but Tianyu, I won’t ask for too much. According to your grandfather, you’re a transcendent being who can do whatever you want. Even if I wanted to intervene, I couldn’t!” his grandfather joked at the end.

Though many things weren’t fully explained, it was enough for Chu Tianyu! Facing such complex relationships and networks, using his grandfather and grandfather’s words, it was a beauty beyond words!

……

After wasting some time, Chu Tianyu arrived at Peking University. With Qin Nianran’s consent and under Ouyang Ziyi’s arrangement, he took advantage of the dark and windy night to leap up from the ground and enter through a window.

“Hehe, Classmate Qin, be careful! A flower thief is coming!” Ouyang Ziyi said with a smile, covering her mouth as she watched Chu Tianyu.

Damn it, Chu Tianyu! Fortunately, Qin Nianran remained calm, which prevented Chu Tianyu from feeling too embarrassed. But before he could breathe a sigh of relief, Qin Nianran’s voice rang out, “How about I step aside first so he can collect it first, and then we can talk?”
“Why add the word ‘first’?” Ouyang Ziyi asked with a sly smile.
“So that we can discuss serious matters after that!” Qin Nianran replied calmly.
“Uh, serious matters, then you go first, Qin!” Ouyang Ziyi said meaningfully.
“You’re welcome, Ouyang…” Qin Nianran said as she handed a few sheets of paper to Chu Tianyu.
Listening to their back-and-forth conversation, Chu Tianyu couldn’t help but marvel at the complexity and depth of the Chinese language. He couldn’t help but say to them, “I’m impressed!”
While thinking this, Chu Tianyu kept busy—opening those sheets of paper and smiling in amazement.
They all contained the same threats: if they didn’t supply the raw materials to certain people, something terrible would happen to their sons; if they didn’t take in the goods, their mistresses’ addresses would be exposed…
In short, it was all standard intimidation.