Chapter 12964: I am lucky if I get it, but I will die if I lose it

As Ling Xiao frowned, his deep eyes shuttled through the complex situation, trying hard to think of a way to solve the dilemma in front of him, the whole space seemed to be still because of this solemnity. At this time, Jiang Lianheng slowly turned around, his eyes as sharp as a hawk, and shot directly at Jiang Xiruo who was silent beside him.

There was a hint of disdain and ridicule in his tone, as if he had everything under control: "Jiang Xiruo, at this moment, have you ever been touched in the slightest? If you had obeyed the family's arrangement and married the powerful son of the Ji family, how could you have ended up like this today, with your family torn apart and your loved ones hanging by a thread?"

"Your sister is going to die, your son is going to die, and you will suffer for the rest of your life... Do you regret it now?"

His words were like the cold wind in winter, biting and cold, and every word pierced Jiang Xiruo's heart accurately.

But she did not retreat. Instead, she met Jiang Lianheng's gaze. Her originally gentle eyes now flashed with unprecedented firmness and indomitable spirit.

She took a deep breath, as if to calm her inner turmoil, and then slowly spoke: "Regret? You are wrong. I, Jiang Xiruo, never regret my choices, even if they were wrong. The only thing I regret is that I was too naive and believed in the lies and beautiful dreams you wove. That is why I stepped into the trap you carefully designed step by step, and was used and hurt by you."

At this point, there was a barely perceptible sadness in Jiang Xiruo's tone, but more of it was a resolute farewell to the past and a firm belief in the future.

She continued, "As for now, nothing can be said. I will shoulder all the responsibility for my sister's safety, my son's future, and even my own fate. You don't need to say anything more. Let Ling Xiao and Xi Qing leave. This is my only condition. And I am willing to stay here and face all the consequences caused by me."

Her voice was not loud, but every word was clear, and every word seemed to burst out from the bottom of her heart, with unquestionable power.

"Haha, what a naive statement!" Jiang Lianheng chuckled, but there was no joy in his laughter, but instead it was full of sarcasm and disdain. He shook his head slightly, looking at Jiang Xiruo with a bit of pity in his eyes, as if he was looking at a child who had not yet grown up.

"My dear cousin," he said slowly, with a tone that contained both blame and helplessness, "Time flies, but you seem to still be stuck in the innocence of the past, and have never seen the dangers of this world. If that person from the Ji family really intended to torture you, how could I just stand by and watch?"

"As your elder brother and an ally of the Ji family, I will naturally lend him a helping hand. Therefore, I will personally make your son and your sister lose their lives one by one in front of you. Such a scene and such pain will be a lesson you will never forget, and it is also the best response to your naive thoughts."

Jiang Lianheng's words were like a sharp blade of ice, piercing Jiang Xiruo's heart word by word. Her face turned extremely cold in an instant, and her eyes, which were once full of tenderness, seemed to have condensed into ten thousand years of ice, revealing a kind of determination and firmness.

She bit her lower lip tightly to prevent her emotions from leaking out, but her clenched fists revealed her inner anger and unwillingness. At this moment, she seemed to have made an unshakable determination to prepare for the coming storm.

Jiang Lianheng's eyes gently swept across Jiang Xiruo's complicated expression, as if it had nothing to do with him, and his attention was completely focused on Ling Xiao. A faint smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, and that smile was both confident and threatening, as if everything was under his control.

"Boy," he spoke slowly, his voice low and powerful, every word hitting Ling Xiao's heart like a heavy hammer.

"Hand over the treasure on you obediently, and I will release this innocent little fox. I believe that you are a smart person and should understand that in this world where the strong prey on the weak, sometimes compromise is the best way to protect yourself and others. I don't need to explain the consequences of not handing over the treasure. You naturally know it better than anyone else."

Hearing this, Ling Xiao's eyes became even colder. He looked straight at Jiang Lianheng without any fear or retreat.

He shook his head slightly, his tone was full of sarcasm and determination: "Do you think I'm stupid? Jiang Lianheng, this cheap threat has no effect on me."

"If I give you the treasure, you will turn ruthless and kill people in the blink of an eye. At that time, the little fox's life will be like a candle in the wind and may be extinguished at any time. Do you think I will make such a foolish choice and entrust my life and the future of my companions to the trustworthiness of a traitor?"

Jiang Lianheng smiled even more when he heard this, but behind that smile was a deep chill. "You don't really think that you can stop us from getting the treasure by yourself, do you?"

His words were filled with unquestionable confidence. "Boy, you may have some skills, but in the face of absolute strength, all struggles are in vain. Don't you think that if you don't give it to us, we can't take the treasure from you? In this world, if you want to get something, there are always more ways than difficulties."

His eyes revealed an irresistible majesty, as if declaring that no matter how Ling Xiao resisted, the final outcome would be inevitable.

"You really can't do anything about it." Ling Xiao shook his head gently, a faint smile appearing on the corner of his mouth. That smile showed both confidence in the current situation and composure towards the future.

He continued, "Nowadays, the situation in the East China Sea is unpredictable. In addition to the complicated power of your seven families, the two major forces of the East China Sea Holy Hall and the Empress Palace cannot be underestimated. And I, as the holder of this treasure, naturally became the focus of everyone's attention."

"Both the East Sea Holy Hall and the Empress Palace already know that I hold the treasure. If you really dare to take it by force, I, Ling Xiao, will not sit still and wait for death. At that time, I will not hesitate to offer this treasure to the Empress Palace in order to protect myself. By then, not only will your Jiang family not get the treasure, but it will also cause a feud with the Empress Palace, which is not worth the loss."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Lianheng's face instantly turned gloomy, but the gloominess was fleeting, and then he burst into laughter, revealing an inexplicable open-mindedness and unruly nature.

"Hahahaha, Ling Xiao, ah Ling Xiao, you are indeed a smart person, you know how to use all available resources. However, you seem to have underestimated my Jiang Lianheng's mind and wisdom. Treasures are nothing but external things. If I get them, I am lucky, if I lose them, I will die."

"As long as it is not in your hands, it doesn't matter whether it falls into the hands of the East Sea Holy Hall or the Empress' Palace. After all, my Jiang family has been in decline for a long time, and we know the truth that 'it is a crime to possess a treasure'."