An elderly man with graying hair, meticulously groomed and dressed in formal attire, was smiling warmly at Qin Jun.
"Welcome home, Young Master."
His voice was steady as he stepped forward to greet him.
"Uncle Qiu."
Qin Jun's face softened into a genuine smile, a stark contrast to the cold and insincere expression he had worn earlier.
This old man was Uncle Qiu, the Qin family's butler.
Having served the Qin family for forty years, Uncle Qiu was more than just a butler; he was considered family by the Qins.
Uncle Qiu nodded to Xie Han. "Xie Han, you've worked hard."
Xie Han bowed respectfully. For the Qin family's subordinates, Uncle Qiu held great authority.
Seeing this, Su Ya's eyes flickered with a strange light.
Only now did she truly understand what the name "Qin family" represented.
It turned out that the scenes from novels and movies were real—such grandeur really did exist in powerful families!
This was the kind of life she had always dreamed of!
"Young Master, the situation is still unstable. Please, return home for now," Uncle Qiu said, opening the car door for Qin Jun, his voice calm and measured.
It was as if, in his eyes, the apocalyptic chaos was merely a minor instability...
Though Uncle Qiu was just a butler, his composure and elegance far surpassed many so-called aristocrats.
Qin Jun nodded and stepped into the car, surrounded by his entourage.
The convoy slowly began to move, escorted by military vehicles, leaving the airport and heading towards the city center.
Through the car window, Qin Jun observed that the situation in Dongdu remained calm.
However, at every intersection, the military had set up defenses, with machine guns and sandbags in place, and there were few pedestrians in sight.
"Young Master, Dongdu has also experienced a zombie virus outbreak over the past few days, though it's not as severe as in Jiangjing.
Three districts were infected at first, and the Master immediately ordered those areas to be sealed off, prohibiting anyone from entering or leaving.
Yesterday, the situation began to spiral out of control as the number of infected in those districts soared.
The Master acted decisively, ordering the military to carry out indiscriminate bombings on those three districts.
Although a few managed to slip through, and some zombies appeared in the safe zones, most of the infected have been eradicated."
Before Qin Jun could even ask, Uncle Qiu had already begun explaining the situation to him.
Bombing three entire districts!
Su Ya's expression changed slightly as she glanced at Qin Jun. This was what the Qin family was like...
When Qin Jun was in Jiangjing, he had also ordered the bombing of the Jiangbei Bridge...
This wasn't just decisiveness; it was ruthless and merciless.
It seemed that the Qin family's patriarch, like Qin Jun, cared little for the lives of ordinary people.
As long as the situation could be controlled, the sacrifice of hundreds of thousands of citizens was of no concern...
Su Ya couldn't help but ask in a low voice, "Do the officials in Dongdu not object to this?"
As soon as she said this, Qin Jun, Uncle Qiu, and Xie Han all shared a subtle smile.
Uncle Qiu smiled gently at Su Ya and then raised his head slightly, his demeanor somewhat proud.
"Miss Su, you might not be aware of one fact.
This city belongs to the Qin family."
...
Su Ya was indeed an ambitious, resourceful, and ruthless woman.
But because of her humble background, she, like many commoners, underestimated the gravity of the situation.
Many people believed that it was impossible for a city like Dongdu, an international metropolis, to be owned by the Qin family.
After all, the governor of Dongdu was replaced every ten years, appointed directly by the presidential office in the imperial capital.
It's true that none of Dongdu's past governors were from the Qin family.
Even the heads of various departments, such as the Chief of Police and the Director of Finance, were promoted through the normal channels.
Most of them were even transferred from other regions.
However, very few people noticed that the Deputy Governor of Dongdu had the surname Qin, as did the Secretary-General of the Municipal Government.
The Deputy Chief of Police, the heads of various departments, including the Financial Bureau and the State-Owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, were also all surnamed Qin.
This had been the case for decades, without any change.
It could be said that the Qin family controlled the city in all aspects.
And that wasn't all.
All the major shopping malls in Dongdu were built and operated by the Qin Group, and many companies in Dongdu were either wholly or partially owned by the Qin Group.
The manufacturing plants, logistics companies, and various other industries all had ties to the Qin family.
In other words, in Dongdu, any money spent by anyone in any context would eventually find its way back into the Qin family's pockets...
In fact, the Qin family wielded this kind of influence nationwide.
In the Huaihai provinces, the Qin family's influence was even greater.
And Dongdu was the Qin family's stronghold and base of operations!
The millions of residents in Dongdu were, in essence, employees of the Qin family, spending their entire lives generating wealth for the Qins.
They just didn't realize it.
....
The convoy passed through heavily guarded checkpoints and finally arrived at the city center.
After some time, the convoy slowly came to a stop in front of a luxurious, ancient-style mansion.
Although it was called a mansion, it covered a vast area, spanning hundreds of acres with over a hundred rooms.
Calling it a palace would not be an exaggeration.
This was Qin Jun's home, the place where he had grown up.
At the entrance, armed guards stood watch, their expressions stern.
Even tanks were stationed on the surrounding streets, and the entire district had been cordoned off, making it impossible for ordinary people to get close!
When the guards saw Qin Jun, their faces immediately showed respect, and they bowed in salute.
As Su Ya followed Qin Jun and Uncle Qiu into the mansion, her face revealed a look of awe. This place was practically a palace.
Moreover, it exuded a sense of deep heritage...
Uncle Qiu smiled at Su Ya and said, "Miss Su, your room has been prepared. Your family has also arrived in Dongdu and is currently undergoing medical examinations at the hospital.
They should be out of quarantine by tonight."
Su Ya's face lit up with gratitude.
"Thank you."
Uncle Qiu then turned to Qin Jun and said, "Young Master, the Master is waiting for you in the study."
Qin Jun nodded and headed straight for the study.
As he walked, the servants along the way bowed deeply. Most of them had been working for the Qin family for decades, some for generations.
They respected Qin Jun, the future head of the family, from the bottom of their hearts.
Qin Jun walked on until he reached a particular door.
He knocked.
Soon, a commanding and steady voice came from inside.
"Enter."
Qin Jun opened the door and saw a middle-aged man sitting behind a desk, reviewing documents.
In front of him stood several military officers who were reporting the situation.
Judging by the insignias on their shoulders, they were all high-ranking officers—major generals and lieutenant generals!
The middle-aged man had a stern appearance, with a faint resemblance to Qin Jun. He was Qin Yuan, the head of the Qin family!
Qin Yuan was the Chairman of the State Council, second only to the President, and the leader of the seven-member Cardinal Committee, wielding immense power and authority.
He was one of the top leaders of the nation.
But to Qin Jun, he was simply a loving father, nothing more.
When the generals saw Qin Jun enter, they tactfully took their leave, nodding politely to him as they exited.
These generals were all commanders of the Dongdu Garrison and were also part of the Qin family.
This meant that the 200,000 troops in the Dongdu Garrison were firmly under the Qin family's control.
Qin Yuan looked at his son and said calmly, "You didn't come back yesterday. That was a risky decision.
But I trust you had your reasons."
Qin Jun smiled and said softly, "Indeed, the rewards outweighed the risks."
Qin Yuan nodded, not probing further into what Qin Jun had gained.
He trusted his son—Qin Jun was the extension of his life, his most perfect creation.
He understood the balance of profit and loss and would always prioritize benefits over emotions.
This was the way Qin Yuan had always taught Qin Jun, shaping him into the self-reliant man he was today.
"Have you awakened your abilities?"
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(A/N)- please don't forget to give power stones and reviews so I know if i should continue this novel or not.