Chapter 357: Persuasion
Chapter 357: Chapter 357: Persuasion
"Plenty of things aren’t done by the book. This is only an issue because the plan failed. If it had succeeded, would any of you still think there was a problem with it?" someone said with a cold laugh.
"Since your scheme failed, why don’t we send someone to pay her a formal visit in a few days? Maybe she’ll agree then," someone else urged.
"Then go ahead and try."
"So, let’s discuss who would be the right person to go. Doesn’t Ning Xuan have a decent relationship with Chairman Wang of the Controller Protection Association? Both Di Youlin and Lan Xin were sent over through the Protection Association. Why not have Chairman Wang go and talk to her?"
"And you think Chairman Wang will take orders from you?" Di Jingtian retorted.
Upon hearing this, the others looked distressed all over again.
Over at Tianxiang Restaurant, Ning Xuan had openly left the scene carrying Chen Nan. In reality, she had already sent people to secretly tail Jin Shanshan. She had also hacked into Jin Shanshan’s communication system to see who she had been frequently meeting or running into lately.
Ning Xuan’s cold attitude toward the Bai Family was a source of great embarrassment for them. But since Ning Xuan refused to acknowledge she was part of the Bai Family, there was nothing they could do.
As for the Cao Family, Chen Hao’s father, Wang Mu, had already filed to dissolve Chen Hao’s Contract, citing baseless abuse of a Contractor.
Cao Yulan only possessed C-Class spiritual power, so her ability to soothe the S-Class Chen Hao was extremely limited. Their Contract was essentially a family alliance. Now that the Chen Family had a connection to Ning Xuan, their status was a world apart from what it once was. Naturally, they no longer needed to tolerate the Cao Family.
In the past, the Chen Family wasn’t entirely unaware that Chen Hao had been wronged a great deal by the Cao Family. They had simply considered such things to be minor issues for a Contractor and were unwilling to interfere.
But today was different. Ning Xuan had taken him away, which meant they absolutely had to dissolve this Contract.
No matter how much Cao Yulan objected or refused, under a combination of threats and promises from Wang Mu, she and Chen Hao quickly dissolved their contractual relationship.
Ning Xuan had just returned to her villa on Qingluan Mountain when she received news about the mastermind.
After some clandestine investigation, Ning Xuan’s people discovered that Jin Shanshan had a close relationship with Ji Wuchen. Ning Xuan quickly zeroed in on Ji Wuchen as the mastermind.
"Lord Contract Master, it’s so hot." Chen Nan squirmed relentlessly in Ning Xuan’s arms. He felt as if he were in a sea of fire, his entire body scalding hot. His restless hands tore at his own clothes, revealing a large expanse of pale skin on his chest.
Ever since forming a Contract with Ning Xuan, Chen Nan had never returned to his post in the military. He used to be passionate about going on missions, originally as a way to escape the enthusiastic young noble ladies of Central Star. After he started following Ning Xuan, he only wanted to stay by her side, having long forgotten the taste of fighting and struggling in the outside world.
His once-rough skin had long since been nurtured to a fair and tender state. Tinged by desire, his pale skin was now flushed a faint pink. A wet mist clouded Chen Nan’s slightly dazed eyes, giving him an air of broken vulnerability.
In just a moment, Chen Nan had stripped off his clothes and thrown them aside. He kept lunging at Ning Xuan.
Ning Xuan had already carried Chen Nan back to his own courtyard. Annoyed by his incessant clinging, she simply summoned the Ghost-faced Red Vine and bound his hands and feet to the bed. A slender tendril even gagged his mouth, reducing his noises to fragmented whimpers, like the low cries of a young animal.
Ning Xuan had Yu Mingche take people to wash Chen Nan, then injected him with several high-strength Inhibitors and observed his reaction. At first, the Inhibitors seemed to have some effect, but they soon wore off. With no other choice, Ning Xuan had to handle it herself.
Early the next morning, while Chen Nan was still unconscious, Yu Mingche came to report that Chairman Wang of the Controller Protection Association had arrived.
Chairman Wang had ultimately been persuaded by the Elder Council to come and discuss the matter of a re-matching with Ning Xuan.
The moment she heard this, Ning Xuan instantly understood what Ji Wuchen had been trying to achieve by drugging and setting up Chen Nan the day before.
"Chairman Wang, I’ve never heard of Contractors being re-matched. The Contractors I was matched with initially are all excellent. I am very satisfied, so there is no need for a re-match," Ning Xuan refused flatly.
"Miss Ning, your awakening was too recent, so the matching results were inaccurate. Based on your Level and potential, you should be able to match with higher-Level, higher-potential, and a greater number of Contractors," Chairman Wang explained.
"You see, under normal circumstances, a person awakens between the ages of three and ten and is matched before they turn eighteen. That is the normal timeframe. You were matched right after you awakened. That’s not right; it doesn’t follow procedure," Chairman Wang said, trying her best to persuade her.
"That’s your problem. The decision to have me matched back then was made by your staff. Now you’re telling me it didn’t follow procedure? That staff member has been working there for so long; are you saying he doesn’t know the procedure?" Ning Xuan retorted with a frown.
"That was their mistake, and we will punish the relevant personnel. For the good of the Federation, and so that Miss Ning can acquire even better Contractors, please go to the information center for a re-match," Chairman Wang said.
"So the results of the last match will be nullified?" Ning Xuan asked.
"No, no. Even with a re-match, the Contractors you were matched with last time will definitely still be on the list. It just means Miss Ning might get even more Contractors," Chairman Wang said with an eager, placating smile, thinking she sensed her resolve wavering.
"Chairman Wang, the Contractors I’ve already been matched with are of the highest level. I’ve been matched with an Imperial Marshal and a Seventh-level Governor. What higher-Level Contractors could there possibly be? The ones I have now are more than enough. I don’t think a re-match is necessary," Ning Xuan refused.
"Miss Ning, I only just learned this myself, but your Companion Spirit’s Level is exceptionally high—Legendary Level, they say. This kind of Divine Bloodline is incredibly rare. Look, even an ordinary S-Class Controller with a common-Level Companion Spirit has no fewer than ten Contractors. With your high Level and immense potential, how can you only have a few? The ratio of High-level Controllers to High-level Male Spirit Controllers is nearly one to one hundred. For the stability of the Federation, you really should take on a few more Contractors," Chairman Wang pleaded, reasoning with her like a concerned grandmother.
"Chairman Wang, I’m not even twenty years old yet. I have my own preferences. The Contractors I have now were all forced on me by you people. If I meet someone suitable in the future, I’ll take on more. Can you please stop trying to shove people at me?" Ning Xuan said, looking at Chairman Wang with exasperation.
Chairman Wang gave a somewhat guilty smile. It was true that she had been the one to push Di Youlin and Lan Xin on her.