Urban Seduction: Housewives Club Chapter 1895 - 0224: Grandmother’s Past 3

"The movements of these pirates are erratic; even my own uncle is unaware of their location," Zhang Hong admitted with a sense of frustration. Turning his attention to Su Mengqing, he added, "Our search is complete. You are free to depart."

"Ah, what a pity. I was hoping for the chance to explore these grounds alongside such seasoned experts," Su Mengqing replied, her expression clouding with feigned regret.

"In that case, we shall head out."

After offering a traditional warrior’s salute, she guided her companions toward the heart of the thick woods.

As the distance between the two groups grew, the voice of the girl hosting the live stream drifted back through the trees: "Followers, we have successfully reached the island's interior. Look over there—a savage beast! But there is no need for alarm; our aunt is a master at the Tianyuan realm. A creature like that is..."

"Tail them discreetly. Ensure they don't notice you, and report if anything about their conduct seems suspicious."

Zhang Hong issued these orders to his subordinates.

Even though his doubts regarding Wang Yue and the others had mostly dissipated, his innate caution compelled him to take no chances.

However, the brilliant Wang Zhiting had already seen through his intentions. Throughout their trek, she continued to film and narrate without pause, never showing even a flicker of hesitation that might betray them.

While the original plan for Wang Yue’s group was to remain on the island for the day, the presence of the Zhang family made that impossible.

Once they had gathered the required items, they retreated to their yacht and set a course back toward Jinling.

Only after the vessel had vanished into the horizon did Zhang Hong signal his team to deactivate the island's signal jammer. He then pulled out his device to place a call.

"Zhang Hong, give me an update," a youthful voice answered almost instantly.

"Young Master, we crossed paths with members of Jinling’s three prominent families. It appears they have no connection to the missing pirates; they didn't even encounter the group," Zhang Hong stated.

"Incompetent trash!" the Young Master snarled from the other end. "The pirate group is irrelevant to me. My only concern is whether you have them in custody."

"Negative, they have already departed," Zhang Hong admitted.

"What?" the voice erupted into a scream.

"Zhang Hong, how can you be this useless? You are a Gui Zhen realm expert, yet you fail to control a pack of people who haven't even surpassed the Tianyuan realm..."

"Young Master, one of the girls was broadcasting live to an audience. How could I possibly move against them under such scrutiny?" Zhang Hong replied, a bitter smile touching his lips.

"The Hua family has been observing us intently for years. If any proof of our actions reached them, justifying ourselves to the Warriors’ Alliance would be nearly impossible."

"Stop making excuses for your failures!" the Young Master roared. "Get back here immediately!"

Zhang Hong sighed as he ended the call. He wondered if his family truly had a future under such impulsive leadership.

At the very least, the Young Master wasn't entirely devoid of logic; the order to return suggested he wanted to sever any remaining ties to the pirate incident.

Meanwhile, once they were certain the Zhang family’s surveillance had ended, Wang Yue and his party finally relaxed.

Su Mengqing offered her praise: "Zhiting, you truly deserve your reputation for brilliance. We owe you today; things could have turned ugly without your quick thinking."

Wang Zhiting offered a soft smile, remaining neither boastful nor overly modest. She possessed a level of composure that seemed far beyond her actual years.

Wang Qianqian spoke up, "And what about Shanshan?"

Su Mengqing gave a light laugh. "Of course, Shanshan was wonderful as well. Her performance was key to easing Zhang Hong’s suspicions."

Wang Shanshan turned pink, saying timidly, "It was nothing special. I just spoke whatever came to mind. The real credit belongs to my auntie and great-auntie."

The group shared a laugh. This little "green tea" girl had practically turned acting into her natural state of being.

No one held it against her, however. In their circle, calling her "green tea" was a playful term of endearment rather than an insult. She was always loyal to her own, even if she did occasionally tease her sister, Wang Qianqian.

After a bit of conversation, the group drifted apart.

Wang Yue walked to the bow of the yacht, sitting down to stare out at the endless ocean waves.

"Is something bothering you? You look quite somber," Su Mengqing noted, taking a seat beside him.

Wang Yue let out a heavy breath. "I am frustrated by my lack of power. If I were stronger, I wouldn't have had to play submissive before the Zhang family."

Su Mengqing smiled warmly. "You are only fifteen years old and have already attained the sixth level of the Gui Zhen realm. What more could you possibly ask for?"

"But what does it matter? I was still powerless to act," Wang Yue muttered.

"I understand your desire to protect us, but Cultivation requires patience. With your talent and our combined efforts, no force on earth will be able to threaten us within a year. Can you not wait that long?" Su Mengqing comforted him.

"Furthermore, a true man understands when it is time to bend and when it is time to stand tall. Don't you see yourself as a true man?"

"I won't claim to be a 'real man' just yet, but I am certainly your 'awesome husband'," Wang Yue joked. Her words had successfully cleared the gloom from his mind.

"Indeed, you are a charming 'awesome husband'—and since your 'awesome traits' are so flexible, you should be too," Su Mengqing teased. She then turned more serious. "In truth, even if you were stronger than the Zhang family right now, I would have stopped you from killing Zhang Hong."

"Is that because of the Warriors’ Alliance?" Wang Yue inquired.

"That is part of it, but the primary reason is Zhang Hong himself," Su Mengqing explained.

"Zhang Hong is the most capable figure in the Zhang family’s Tianhai branch, reaching the eighth level of the Gui Zhen realm. He is one of the few members with any integrity. If we ever move to dismantle the Zhang family, we would want him alive to manage the aftermath. Eradicating a clan of that magnitude entirely would spark chaos that the Warriors’ Alliance would never permit."

"That is a logical point," Wang Yue agreed, realizing how well his aunt understood his temperament.

He had indeed decided to crush the Tianhai branch of the Zhang family once he gained sufficient power, especially after discovering their ties to pirates and their interest in his people.

His aunt’s reminder was timely: until his strength was absolute, he had to avoid reckless escalation, or he would find himself at odds with the Warriors’ Alliance.

Curious, he asked, "Auntie, you seem remarkably well-informed about the power dynamics in Tianhai."

"I don't know everything, but I've studied specific groups like the Zhang family," Su Mengqing clarified.

"Once I realized the connection between the pirates and the Zhangs, I knew a confrontation was inevitable, so I made inquiries."

"Inquiries? Do you have contacts in Tianhai?" Wang Yue pressed. "Are they rogue cultivators or part of a Sect? How strong are they?"

"Aside from official authorities, do you know which factions dominate Tianhai?" Su Mengqing asked instead.

Wang Yue nodded. "The four great families: Liu, Zhang, Yan, and Hua."

"Exactly. And my information comes from the Hua family," Su Mengqing revealed.

Wang Yue was shocked. "You have ties to the Hua family?"

"Not me personally, but the three families of Jinling—specifically the Chen family," she explained.

"The relationship is somewhat strained, so we rarely communicate. However, since we were dealing with such a formidable opponent this time, I had to reach out."

"How strained?" Wang Yue’s curiosity peaked. The Jinling families were powerful locally, but they were nothing compared to the Hua family of Tianhai. What could make their connection so complicated?

Su Mengqing posed another question: "Do you know who the most powerful person in Jinling is?"

"I suppose that would be me," Wang Yue replied without a hint of modesty.

"I meant before you came along," Su Mengqing said, though she felt a rush of pride. It was true; Wang Yue had quietly become the strongest in Jinling. To her, however, he was still the same boy who used to seek affection in her arms.

Despite her romantic feelings for him, Su Mengqing still viewed him through the lens of the nephew she had raised and adored.

Because of this duality, she felt a unique thrill whenever this man—who was both her nephew and lover—treated her in his "awesome" manner.

Wang Yue considered the question. "Publicly, it’s the expert at the peak of the Tianyuan realm from the local Warriors’ Alliance. But I suspect there are stronger masters hiding in the shadows."

He was certain of this, knowing that Li Yingying’s master was one such hidden power.

"You are correct; there are several," Su Mengqing confirmed. "And from what I know, the most powerful among them is your maternal grandmother."

"Maternal grandmother? You mean Grandma Shen?!" Wang Yue blurted out in astonishment.

He was referring to Chen Xi’s grandmother, Shen Siying. In his mind, she was only at the seventh level of the Tianyuan realm.

Su Mengqing nodded. "Yes. While she appears to be at the seventh level of the Tianyuan realm, she has actually hidden her true strength, which is an entire realm higher."

"So she is at the seventh level of the Gui Zhen realm?" Wang Yue was floored. He hadn't expected Grandma Shen to outrank him in Cultivation.

"That is incredible. But what does that have to do with the Hua family?"