"Young Master, Young Master, the Master is already throwing a tantrum in the main hall, aren't you going over... Young Master?! Where are you, Young Master?"

In the inner city of Xuanzhu County, a servant from Lanfang Garden hurriedly ran to the studio in the eldest young master's courtyard, only to find that apart from a gleaming black mechanical beast, there was not a soul in sight, panicking so much that he was about to cry.

"Don't make a noise."

With the sound of bearings turning, Lan Jianbo slid out from under the black car. He was wearing a coarse burlap work uniform stained with dirt, holding a wrench and other tools in his hands, lying on a board with small wheels, clearly equipped like a car repairman.

"Young Master, why are you repairing cars in the middle of the night?" The servant was at a loss: "Hurry up and change your clothes to see the Master! Don't you know what's happening outside?"

"Of course I know, I was nearby when the Sea Cape Gate caught fire." Lan Jianbo said nonchalantly while arranging his tools: "That's why I rushed back to finish the final modification."

"Young Master, don't worry about the car right now." The servant was hopping with anxiety: "The Master is waiting to discuss a strategy with you!"

"What's there to discuss." Lan Jianbo sighed, taking off his work clothes to reveal his bronze, muscular body: "When Zhengwei rose to power, I advised him to leave Xuanzhu County immediately, but he kept saying let's wait and see, and now it has dragged on until today... a bunch of people who won't cry until they see the coffin, I have nothing to discuss with them."

"But Young Master, you are now the Patriarch—"

"Bullshit, I would only be the Patriarch if I, like Zhengwei, lost my father. Right now, everyone in the Lan family listens to my father." Lan Jianbo put on a white shirt: "When they call me the 'Lan Family Patriarch,' it's like they're teasing a child, just expecting me to show a humble and shy expression to satisfy their boring desires."

"Y-Young Master?" The young servant was somewhat bewildered.

As Lan Jianbo's trusted servant, in his impression, Lan Jianbo was always a man of few words who mainly soaked in the factory learning from the old masters, being a simple and particularly focused craftsman, only showing a smile when interacting with friends.

Within the Lan family, Young Master Lan Jianbo was the easy-going type, never uttering harsh words, only frowning when angry, hence many maids and servants wished to serve under Lan Jianbo, believing their lives would extend serving such a master.

As for bad-mouthing people, that had never happened, not that Lan Jianbo was particularly well-liked, but when facing relatives with average relationships, he was very silent, like a craftsman not adept at socializing, honest and simple-minded.

However, now, Lan Jianbo's words were filled with disrespect for the old Patriarch and other clansmen, even laced with sarcastic disdain, making the young servant wonder if he was dreaming.

How had the Young Master changed so suddenly?

"You seem very surprised." Lan Jianbo, unconcerned, directly took off his pants, changed into a pair of specially-made sturdy leather pants, sitting down to change his boots while casually taking a sip from a nearby glass of crystal wine, calmly speaking: "Do you think I've changed?"

"Y-Young Master..."

"You also know the history of the Lan family's rise, right?" Lan Jianbo said while tying his laces: "Although the Lan family can trace back a few hundred years, my lineage can only trace back to four generations ago—Lan family's only daughter fell in love with a car-making craftsman, bringing him into the family, just as opportunities came with the development of Skyrim's oil fields and engine improvements, gradually establishing the Lan family's fame of 'Dongyang Citroën' from a small guild."

"But since Great-Grandfather was a straightforward craftsman, he preferred selecting Patriarchs with similar qualities. My grandfather and father became Patriarchs because they had the craftsman's qualities."

"At six years old, I already knew that my father favored hardworking 'honest kids' rather than clever ones because such kids resembled them more."

"Actually, that selection mindset isn't bad; sometimes intelligence isn't necessarily an advantage; knowing one's foolishness is a great quality, and knowing it while willing to work hard is a gem-like 'wisdom.' The Lan family's development over decades has proven this—my grandfather and father entrusted business matters to others while focusing on automotive research, selling cars throughout the Nine Provinces, they are the real businessmen compared to those fishing for profits."

"But their vision." Lan Jianbo opened the car door, placing several bags of gold and silver treasures inside: "Is only so much."

"Y-Young Master?" The servant said in a daze: "What on earth are you talking about?"

"Xuanzhu County is no longer suitable for me." Lan Jianbo sat in the driver's seat, fastened his seatbelt: "The Lan family doesn't treat workers well, I'm not close with Zhengwei either, when he and White Night rise to power, I'll be lucky to keep my whole body."

"W-White Night!? President Zhengwei is connected to White Night?"

"He wants to win over workers, it's necessary to associate with White Night." Lan Jianbo tuned the vehicle: "Actually, he's not wrong; as the 'Youth Daily' says, any class representing productivity will inevitably seek its place, and now it's clear workers are becoming the rising productive class..."

"Young Master, what are you talking about? I don't understand, please, let's go see the Master!"

"My father won't understand either." Lan Jianbo started the engine, the black car vibrated with a hum: "I told him long ago we should improve workers' conditions, enhance the Lan family's grassroots reputation, but besides grandfather's craftsman qualities, he inherited the Lan family's petty mercantile spirit, never considering my suggestions."

Lan Jianbo patted the steering wheel, sighed: "I could have taken Zhengwei's place..."

"Young Master..." The young servant gulped, looking at Lan Jianbo's stance: "Are you leaving?"

"Yes." Lan Jianbo nodded: "Tonight is also an opportunity for me, and if I don't run now, by tomorrow, I might not be able to run even if I want to."

"What about the Master..."

"I advised him before, he wouldn't run, now he definitely won't, otherwise he'd have asked you to help pack my things, not call me for a discussion." Lan Jianbo sneered coldly: "Discussing when it's life or death?"

"It can't be that serious, Governor Wang Hai and the Governor surely can suppress the chaos outside..."

"Those sitting in the main hall probably share your thoughts, Wen Yan." Lan Jianbo chuckled: "Until they see Governor Wang Hai and Governor Yun fall under the rebels' hoes, then they'll understand their stupidity."

"Now, Xuanzhu County is a massive machine, the fuel's been added, the fire's lit, everything is irreversibly set in motion, no one can stop this machine... until the fuel runs out!"

"I have no interest in wasting my breath trying to convince those old diehards, compared to this 'little crisis,' they care more about the Lan family's estate, they're unlikely to abandon a century's legacy to flee."

"They're just like other Silver Bloods—they think they're masters of their own fate, but in reality, they're slaves to it."

The young servant stared at Lan Jianbo: "Young Master, you're acting strange..."

"I've just grown tired of pretending, laid my cards on the table." Lan Jianbo let out a long breath: "Pretending to be an 'honest kid' for so many years, I'm exhausted."

"By the way, Wen Yan, would you like to join me? I still need a servant on the road, I'll give you ten seconds to decide."

Huh?

The young servant froze, the ten seconds passed quickly, Lan Jianbo shrugged: "I understand, it's difficult to leave one's comfort zone, even if it's as a servant."

"But, having been your Young Master for so many years, I'll give you one last piece of advice."

"When the fire reaches the Lan family, grab some of the Lan family's belongings and run, don't take the gold and silver, grab the less valuable stuff instead. They're not just your windfall, but also your lifesaver tonight."

"Also, tell my father one thing."

"When I was six, I tried reasoning with you, you said I had grown wings, dared me to leave the family."

"Now."

"I have truly spread my wings."

Lan Jianbo floored the accelerator, the black car roared alive, crashing into the courtyard's wall with speed, the young servant shouted in alarm: "Young Master, turn the wheel—"

Bang!

Amidst several loud crashes, the wall crumbled directly under the black car's force, then the black car landed on the main road outside Lanfang Garden, leaving a trail of black smoke, vanishing elegantly under the streetlights of the night.

The young servant looked at the breach in the courtyard wall, feeling not much panic, but a slight sorrow instead.

He never told the Young Master.

He gets car sick.