Samsara Paradise: Dream Weaver of Connections.

"What are you going to do?" Winnie asked.

"To attend a dance, of course, is to go dancing."

Winnie didn't ask any more questions, she knew Lin Yi already had a plan.

"What do you need me to do?" Winnie asked.

Lin Yi thought for a moment and said, "Please prepare a dress for me. Since it's a dance, I have to dress formally."

"Aren't you worried that this is a trap?" Winnie swallowed the last bite of cake and wiped the corners of her mouth.

"A trap?" Lin Yi chuckled, "Do you really think of yourself as a member of the Zul Empire?"

After being reminded by Lin Yi, Winnie remembered that her real identity was a contractor. If the other party was really ready to attack, the worst that could happen was that she could just kill them.

"But you reminded me of this. I'll have Reinhardt tell Bernard about this as a precaution."

Lin Yi now has a very thorough understanding of this matter. The nobles appear to be powerful and glorious on the surface, but their foundations have long been rotten, like a crumbling tower that will collapse with just a slight push.

These once powerful nobles have long lost their true edge, leaving only bluffing arrogance and empty glory.

They are immersed in the glory of the past, but forget that the wheel of time has never stopped turning.

If they still had some real strength, they would not be squeezed out of the parliament, the center of power, and become marginal characters.

On the night of the ball, the Klein family's manor was brightly lit, and the nobles' carriages drove into the manor gate one after another. The sound of horse hooves was crisp, and the wheels made a dull sound as they rolled over the cobblestone road.

For these conservative aristocrats, they simply look down on those rumbling cars, believing them to be crude modern products. Only carriages branded with their family crests are symbols of identity and status.

Every carriage that passed by was engraved with exquisite coats of arms, highlighting the long history and noble bloodline of the nobles.

Lin Yi drove a black car with Winnie, who was wearing an evening gown, to the Klein family's estate.

The invitation stated that one could bring a companion, so Lin Yi naturally wanted to bring someone who would be more convenient for him to meet with.

"Sir, driving is prohibited here."

When Lin Yi parked the car in front of the Klein family, more than a dozen newly arrived nobles all looked at him.

There was undisguised mockery on their faces, and they wanted to see how Lin Yi would end up.

"No driving allowed?"

Lin Yi rolled down the window and looked at the two guards at the door. Just as Lin Yi was thinking about whether to call for help, the gate of the manor slowly opened and a butler in a neat uniform walked out quickly.

"Sir, please come in."

After the butler finished speaking, he glanced coldly at the two guards beside him.

The two guards felt a chill all over their bodies and quickly stepped back, respectfully making way for Lin Yi.

"If the Klein family doesn't welcome us, they can just say it directly. There's no need to beat around the bush." ​​Winnie's voice sounded from the passenger seat. When the two guards stopped Lin Yi's car just now, Winnie was ready to take action, but was stopped by Lin Yi.

"Sir, this is a mistake on our part. The master didn't mean it that way."

The butler secretly groaned in his heart. The two new guards obviously did not understand the situation and almost caused big trouble.

He glanced at the two guards with a warning look in his eyes.

The two guards also realized the seriousness of the matter at this moment. They turned pale, lowered their heads and dared not speak anymore.

"Forget it, let's go."

Lin Yi didn't want to dwell on these trivial matters. After all, the focus of tonight was not here.

He stepped on the accelerator and the car slowly drove into the Klein family's manor.

The wheels made a slight rustling sound as they rolled over the gravel path.

The lights in the manor illuminate the surrounding scenery as if it were daytime. The water droplets in the fountain sparkled with crystal light under the lights, and melodious music came from the ballroom in the distance.

"It seems that the Klein family still values ​​you very much."

“Respect?” Lin Yi chuckled, and glanced at the nobles outside the window who were still looking at him strangely. “They just want to see what kind of surprises this ‘uninvited guest’ of mine can bring to them.”

The car stopped in front of the main entrance of the ballroom and Lin Yi opened the door.

Lin Yi was wearing a well-tailored black suit with a silver collar pin at his collar and a faint dark pattern visible on his cuffs.

Winnie got off the car from the other side. Her crimson evening dress outlined her graceful figure. Her original ponytail was undone, turning it into a waterfall of long blue hair, sparkling under the light.

The two walked side by side towards the ballroom, and the waiter at the door respectfully opened the door for them.

Inside the hall, the light from the crystal chandeliers shone into every corner. The nobles gathered in twos and threes, talking in low voices and occasionally letting out a few hypocritical laughs.

Lin Yi's appearance immediately broke the hypocritical calm. The nobles who were originally talking stopped one after another and cast their eyes towards him with scrutiny, curiosity, and even a hint of hostility that was hard to conceal.

"It seems we have become the focus." Winnie said in a low voice with a hint of disdain in her tone.

"You'll get used to it." Lin Yi responded, his eyes sweeping across the hall, finally landing on a young man standing not far away.

When Edmund saw Lin Yi, a smile appeared on his face and he walked over with a glass of wine in hand.

"Welcome to my humble abode. Please feel free to make yourselves at home. I hope you will enjoy the dance tonight."

After saying that, he raised the glass in his hand, turned and left.

Winnie looked at Edmund's back and whispered, "He was the one who invited us, why do we seem to be asking for his help?"

"He is just an heir who is spoiled by his family. There is no need to worry about him. The real trouble is yet to come."

At this moment, the music at the dance party suddenly changed, and the originally melodious melody became passionate.

In the dance floor in the center of the hall, the nobles began to dance and the atmosphere gradually became heated.

"Do you want to dance?" Winnie suddenly asked, looking at the dance floor, with a hint of anticipation in her eyes.

Lin Yi raised his eyebrows slightly and looked at her in surprise: "When did you become interested in dancing?"

"Now that we're here, we have to do something, right?"

Lin Yi chuckled and held out his hand: "Then let's dance. However, I can't guarantee that my dancing skills are up to your expectations."

The two stepped onto the dance floor and danced to the rhythm of the music.

Although Lin Yi's steps were a little stiff, he seemed calm and composed under Winnie's guidance.

Their movements are not ostentatious, but they have a unique aura that is out of tune with the surrounding noise, yet inexplicably harmonious.

"You dance well. I've learned it before." Winnie leaned close to Lin Yi's ear and whispered with a hint of surprise in her tone.

"I haven't learned it, but these dance steps look similar to the movements I practiced before."

As the music reached its climax, applause came from the second floor.

The applause was not enthusiastic and even had a condescending tone, as if they were appreciating a performance rather than cheering for the dancers.

Lin Yi and Winnie looked upwards in the direction of the light, and saw several old men in luxurious formal attire standing at the railing on the second floor, staring at them like hawks.

Although Lin Yi had never seen these old men before, he recognized their identities almost instantly - Bethlehem von Klein, the patriarch of the Klein family, Maurice Caesar, the patriarch of the Caesar family... Each of these people is an important figure in the Zul Empire. The power and resources they hold are enough to shake the foundation of the entire empire.

It can be said that this group of people gathered together represent the largest and most unshakable force in the Zul Empire.

Even Harold had to temporarily back off when facing this group of people joining forces.

"It seems that we have been targeted." She glanced at the group of condescending old men on the second floor, and a hint of disdain flashed in her eyes.

"As expected, the Klein family would not invite an outsider to a ball of this level for no reason. They want to test me, so I will play along with them." Winnie chuckled, "These nobles always like to play such boring tricks. But how are you going to deal with them? They are not as easy to deal with as Edmund."

"Reinhardt has already ambushed outside. If we really can't reach an agreement, the worst that can happen is that we will just overturn the table." After Lin Yi finished speaking, he looked up at the people on the second floor.

At this moment, the leaders of several noble families felt a murderous intent coming towards them.

Their faces changed slightly, and a hint of solemnity appeared in their originally calm expressions.

The reason why Lin Yi is still willing to play this kind of house game with this group of nobles is purely because the identity of the sanatorium is too convenient to use.

But if this group of people really pushed him into a corner, he wouldn't mind letting them see what it means to really overturn the table.

The music gradually came to an end, and the nobles on the dance floor were immersed in the joyful atmosphere, unaware of the undercurrent of crisis.

The conversation between Lin Yi and Winnie was drowned out by the noisy music, and only the two of them could hear each other's words.

Just then, Edmund walked down from the second floor and walked straight towards Lin Yi and Winnie.

"You two dance very well." Edmund stopped in front of them. "Grandpa invites you to the second floor for a chat. I wonder if you two would do me the honor."

Lin Yi stopped dancing and looked at Edmund calmly: "Of course, since I'm here, I have to say hello to the master."

Edmund smiled slightly, turned sideways and made a "please" gesture, with a hint of impermissibility in his tone: "This way, please."

Lin Yi and Winnie followed Edmund up to the second floor. The nobles around them made way for them, their eyes filled with curiosity and fear, as if they were guessing the identities of the two.

The corridor on the second floor was covered with thick carpets. When you stepped on them, it was as if you were sinking into soft clouds. The sound of your footsteps was completely absorbed, leaving only a depressing silence.

Edmund led the two through the corridor and into a luxuriously decorated reception room.

Inside the room, Bethli von Klein and several other clan leaders were already seated.

"President Lin, welcome." Bethley von Klein stood up with a kind smile on her face, like a kind elder.

He raised his hand slightly, motioning Lin Yi and Winnie to take a seat, "Please take a seat."

After sitting down, Lin Yi's eyes swept over everyone present, and finally stopped at Bethley: "Chief Klein, I wonder if you have any advice for me after inviting me here?"

Bethley smiled, picked up the teacup on the table and took a sip: "It's not really a guide, I'm just a little curious about you, sir."

"Patriarch Klein, you are too kind. I am just a nobody and not worth mentioning."

"A small figure?" Morris Caesar sneered, "You are not a small figure at all, as you were able to turn Wish Street upside down in a short period of time."

Lin Yi glanced at Morris and said calmly: "If Patriarch Caesar is interested, you can give it a try. However, I suggest you consider the consequences first."

Morris's face darkened, a hint of anger flashed in his eyes, and his fists clenched unconsciously.

The main industry of the Caesar family is the underground smuggling business, and 90% of the smuggling in Zul City is taken out through Wish Street.

Lin Yi’s closure of the Black Crow Chamber of Commerce last time was a fatal blow to the Caesar family.

Morris always kept this account in mind.

"Mr. Lin, let's get straight to the point." Bethley put down the teacup, and the bottom of the cup made a slight collision sound when it touched the table. "We want to know, what are you going to do next?"

Lin Yi leaned on the sofa, crossed his hands on his knees, and said calmly: "It depends on what you want to do?"

As Lin Yi finished speaking, the atmosphere in the room suddenly became tense.

Lin Yi sensed that there were more than a dozen dangerous auras hidden behind the wall. It was obvious that the other party had ill intentions.

At this tense moment, Winnie suddenly moved.

She quickly pulled out a bomb from her personal space and slammed it heavily on the table.

The sound of the bomb hitting the table was particularly harsh in the silent room, instantly attracting everyone's attention.

"This is the latest high-energy explosive bomb developed by the sanatorium," Winnie said lightly, as if introducing an ordinary daily item, but every word hit the hearts of everyone present like a hammer, "As long as it explodes, the area within a kilometer will go up to the sky. I believe you also know what happened in the final battle between the Execution Bureau and the Ghost Ring Organization of the Phantom some time ago. Guess where the bomb in its hand came from?"

Winnie had already taken out a nail clipper from her personal space and gently began to trim the nails on her right hand.

Her movements were leisurely, and she didn't care at all about other people looking at her as if she were a lunatic.

She was so calm, as if what was in front of her was not a bomb that could destroy everything, but an insignificant little gadget.

However, the major families did not dare to have any doubt about Winnie's threat.

Because according to the intelligence collected previously, the "Apollo" used by Su Xiao did blow up an entire street, and everyone saw the destructive power.

These nobles did not dare to gamble. They could not be sure whether the bomb in Winnie's hand was really as terrible as she said. They had not yet enjoyed this luxurious life enough, so how could they be willing to die in such an unclear way?

"Mr. Lin, you're worrying too much. This time we came here just to cooperate with Mr. Lin. We have no other intentions." Bethley smiled slightly, with a bit of comfort and temptation in her tone.

He glanced sideways at Morris, his eyes containing a warning, signaling him to stop talking so as not to escalate the situation.

"Cooperation?" Lin Yi chuckled, "Chief Klein, do you think there is a possibility of cooperation between us?"

Lin Yi knew in his heart that Bethley was just joking.

Once the news of the sanatorium's cooperation with several nobles tonight gets out, the sanatorium will definitely be suppressed by Harold.

Harold is not a fool. How could he sit idly by and watch his violent organization join forces with several nobles?

This situation will undoubtedly disrupt the existing balance of power in Zul City and may even trigger an uncontrollable turmoil.

Bethley von Klein's expression changed slightly, but he quickly regained his composure: "Mr. Lin, there are no eternal enemies in this world, only eternal interests. Harold is indeed powerful, but he is not invincible. As long as we join forces, we may be able to break the existing situation."

Lin Yi did not respond immediately, his eyes swept over everyone in the room.

He could sense that although these so-called nobles appeared calm on the surface, some of them had already begun to quietly retreat, trying to stay away from the table where the bomb lay.

“Benefits?” Lin Yi sneered, “Patriarch Klein, the interests you mentioned are nothing more than a tool for you nobles to maintain your rule. I have no interest in your power games.”

Beth's eyes sank slightly, but he quickly regained his calm demeanor: "Mr. Lin, do you really think that you alone can fight against the entire power system of the Zul Empire? We are your only choice."

As Bethley finished speaking, a dozen awakened people appeared silently in various corners of the room.

It is obvious that if Lin Yi does not agree, the other party will not mind keeping Lin Yi.

Lin Yi stood up and simply replied, "Cooperation? Wait until you survive tonight before we talk about it."

After saying that, Winnie threw the bomb out of the window. This bomb was just an ordinary bomb, but it was also a signal.

As the explosion sounded, there were intensive gunshots and explosions outside the manor. The faces of all the nobles in the room changed suddenly. Bethlehem von Klein stood up suddenly with a trace of panic in his eyes.

"What's going on?!" Maurice Caesar rushed to the window, pushed it open, and tried to see what was happening outside.

The scene outside the window made him freeze in place instantly - the manor's guards were engaged in a fierce firefight with a group of fully armed soldiers. Fire and smoke filled the sky above the entire manor, as if a war was breaking out here.

"Chief Klein, haven't you always wanted to know what I was going to do next? Now, you've seen it."

"You...you actually dared to attack the Klein family's manor!" Bethley's voice trembled, and she was obviously unable to accept the facts before her.

"Attack?" Lin Yi chuckled, "No, it's just a cleanup job, clearing out some long-rotten garbage."

Originally, Lin Yi came here just to negotiate a suitable price with this group of nobles, so that he could turn a blind eye to their shady deeds.

But he didn't expect that the other party would dare to threaten him and even try to force him to submit by force. Naturally, Lin Yi would not tolerate them.

When he just arrived at the manor, Lin Yi had already arranged everything.

Outside the manor, it had already been surrounded by 30,000 troops transferred from the border, waiting for Lin Yi's order.

And now, the cleanup operation officially begins. (End of this chapter)