Chapter 37: The Funeral

The funeral dragged on, and Lei Bin had lost count of how many times he had kowtowed. Every time a significant political figure entered, Xing Meng would immediately pull up the person's detailed file and analyze it for him.

The database even contained scandalous secrets about these dignitaries, such as how many mistresses they were keeping.

Because he needed to ferret out the traitor within the Federation to regain his freedom, Lei Bin paid close attention to these officials, studying their backgrounds while he kowtowed.

Lei Bin did not need to look up or study them directly; Xing Meng projected a complete, real-time image of the scene directly into his mind.

To everyone else, Lei Bin appeared solemn and respectful, a model of filial piety, but in reality, he was observing their every move in minute detail.

Even Lei Na was slightly surprised by Lei Bin's impeccable behavior today. He had expected Lei Bin to cause a scene and had been prepared to knock him unconscious at the first sign of trouble, claiming it was a fainting spell brought on by extreme grief to avoid damaging the Lei family's reputation. Yet, Lei Bin's performance today was flawless.

"Kowtowing back and forth like this with this cheap sister-in-law of mine, it feels like we're performing a wedding ceremony. People getting married only have to bow a few times, but here we are, bowing endlessly—who knows when this will ever end," Lei Bin muttered to himself. He stole glances at Ding Shuxue, idly fantasizing about whether he could ever get his hands on her.

Ding Shuxue was far more beautiful than Lou Lan, and Lei Bin was naturally quite stirred.

Just then, a burly, stern-faced soldier walked in. The insignia on his shoulders indicated he was a General, just one rank below Marshal Lei Na.

As soon as he entered, the atmosphere in the memorial hall shifted, and many eyes locked onto him.

"That is Wang Hou, the Federation’s Minister of Defense. He holds immense power in both the military and political spheres and is one of the most influential figures in the Federation. One of his arms was severed by your grandfather, Marshal Lei Na, when he was younger, so there has been deep-seated animosity between him and the Lei family for years. He is also one of the few with the capability to force me into exile," Xing Meng explained to Lei Bin at the right moment.

"This old man looks pretty badass. To think he had an arm chopped off by that old freak in our family... it seems our family's old freak was indeed formidable in his day," Lei Bin thought, gaining a deeper appreciation for Lei Na's power. The people of the Lei family were truly an elite breed.

As Wang Hou walked in, others tactfully stepped aside, clearing a path for him to face Lei Na directly.

Wang Hou slowly approached the casket, cast a glance at Lei Na and Lei Xingfeng, and then looked down at the kneeling Lei Bin. His eyes were chillingly cold.

Until now, Lei Bin had kept his head lowered, relying entirely on Xing Meng for visual input. But being stared at with such provocation, a fire ignited within him. He suddenly jerked his head up, lifted his chin, and met Wang Hou's gaze with equal intensity.

"Damn it, I'm not even afraid of the old freak in my own house; what makes you think I'm afraid of you? Why the hell are you looking at me like that? Are we even close?" Lei Bin cursed inwardly.

"Hmm?" Wang Hou, caught off guard by the glare, felt a flicker of indignation. *A wet-behind-the-ears brat like you dares to act so arrogant and challenge my authority?*

As the Minister of Defense, Wang Hou could not tolerate such insolence from a junior.

His eyes flashed with a sharp, electric glare, and he let out a cold huff.

Lei Bin felt a slight buzzing in his head and a wave of dizziness, but because his mental fortitude had been tempered by Xing Meng, the attack caused him no real harm; the vertigo passed in an instant.

"Damn you, you dare glare at me?" Enraged, Lei Bin stood up abruptly, glaring back at Wang Hou with even fiercer intensity, as if he were looking at a mortal enemy.

Wang Hou was shocked and further incensed. He had channeled internal energy into that glare, intending to teach the boy a lesson—nothing that would cause lasting damage, but enough to humble him. He hadn't dared to do more on Lei family grounds, knowing Lei Na would never forgive it. Yet, the boy hadn't just shrugged it off; he had escalated the confrontation.

This was a blow to his prestige. He was the Minister of Defense, a man of immense power, yet he was being openly provoked by a third-generation brat. It was humiliating.

*What gives him the nerve? Did that old bastard Lei Na put him up to this?* Wang Hou's expression became unreadable.

"Lei Bin, how can you be so rude to your elder?" Lei Na stepped forward slowly, his voice calm. While it sounded like a reprimand, there was no real bite to it—only a hint of indulgence and protection.

Lei Na’s step forward was a clear warning: if Wang Hou dared to lay a hand on Lei Bin, he would intervene. He had allowed the initial exchange to pass, but this was the Lei family's funeral; any further aggression from Wang Hou would be a direct insult to the entire clan.

*Hmph, so it was that old man's doing,* Wang Hou thought, even more convinced that Lei Na was pulling the strings. But he had to swallow his pride. If he caused a scene now, he would be declaring open war on the Lei family. With the Leis currently hunting for the perpetrators of the attack, he was a prime suspect; playing the fool and fighting Lei Na would only let the true culprit profit.

After a cold huff, Wang Hou turned to the casket and bowed three times. As Minister of Defense, he had to pay his respects to those who had died for the country, or risk a public relations disaster in the media-sensitive Federation.

Seeing Wang Hou bow, Lei Bin knelt back down and performed his own three kowtows in return. However, as he did so, he sneakily extended his middle finger toward Wang Hou.

*Damn you, think you're hot stuff because you're the Minister of Defense? Try and hit me then. I was going to be well-behaved today, but you just had to provoke me. My rule is: don't mess with me, and I won't mess with you. But if you cross me, I'll hound you to the grave. Even if I can't beat you, I'll annoy you to death. Besides, the old freak is backing me up, so what do I have to fear? I might as well stir up some trouble for him—it's not like he didn't deserve it for hitting me all those times.*

Lei Bin's provocation was partly out of spite and partly to create a headache for Lei Na.

Though the gesture was subtle, Wang Hou, with his level of cultivation, saw it clearly. He was so furious his knuckles cracked, and his face turned a deathly shade of blue. Never in his life had anyone dared to insult him that way.

Lei Na took another step forward, and Wang Hou, unable to act in front of the crowd, simply shot a murderous look at the boy. "Fine. A true Lei family descendant. Very good."

He spun around and stormed out, ignoring the designated path and knocking into several mourners in his wake.

"What happened? Why was the Minister so angry? They didn't seem to say a word to each other," one guest whispered.

"Perhaps the Lei boy gave him a dirty look. The Leis are likely suspecting the Minister of being the traitor, and the boy just couldn't hold his temper," another speculated.

The guests whispered amongst themselves, unaware of the true exchange.

As Wang Hou left in a fury, the corner of Lei Na's mouth twitched into a faint, hidden smile. Lei Bin's actions today had brought him immense satisfaction.

Due to his position, Lei Na had to be careful with every word and action. He had long suspected Wang Hou and detested him, yet he had to maintain diplomatic decorum. Lei Bin’s brazen defiance—and that blatant insult—was something Lei Na had wanted to do himself but couldn't. Even if the incident leaked, it would just be dismissed as the reckless, youthful impulsiveness of a third-generation descendant.

*Wang Hou has never suffered a loss like this, has he? Once we identify the culprits, if you’re involved, I will personally tear your head off,* Lei Na thought coldly.

The funeral continued. Though many other officials were also enemies of the Lei family, none dared to be as overt as Wang Hou. They wore masks of performative grief, offering condolences and showering Lei Bin with hollow praise.

For these hypocritical, gloating politicians, Lei Bin responded with a strange, eerie smile before snapping back to a solemn expression to kowtow.

The guests were left unsettled by his smile, unsure of its meaning. Was this, too, at Lei Na's direction?

Lei Na observed it all and felt a sense of relief. Lei Bin’s mockery was a stinging rebuke to these hypocrites who pretended to mourn while secretly celebrating the Lei family's tragedy. It was a subtle, brilliant way to retaliate without violating funeral etiquette.

*This boy... how many secrets is he hiding?* Lei Na felt he could no longer read his grandson. But for now, Lei Bin’s performance was far better than expected. He knew when to be serious, when to be humble, and when to strike back without fear.

In reality, Lei Bin was just acting out of pure, childish spite, intending to irritate Lei Na. He had no idea he had accidentally done exactly what the old Marshal needed done, providing him with a much-needed release.