Die, Die, Die

At that moment, Wen Wen spoke up, stopping Tong Hua from pouring any more cold water on the situation. "The Wild Gathering is a total mess right now. Everyone is busy trying to tear each other's throats out. In the short term, a harmless guy like him isn't even on Lei Yaoxing's radar. He's nowhere near priority." He, of all people, was the least likely to wipe him out right now. Chen Xingzhou was on the verge of death. Chen Yubo could die. He could die at any time, and anyone could kill him—except him. Otherwise, everything that happened tonight would practically be carved in stone. The label of someone who broke the rules would be slapped onto his head for good, and he'd never be able to shake it off for the rest of his life. Underworld rules were sometimes completely useless, yet at other times, they were heavier than a mountain. When you wanted people to still believe your promises, you had better act somewhat like a human being. Unfortunately, tonight's events had already stripped Lei Yaoxing of half his humanity. Right now, if he still harbored any ambitions of becoming the arbiter whose word was law, he had to protect the other half at all costs. "Since the big shots at the top have their hands full, all you have to deal with is a bunch of small fries and the flies buzzing around smelling the stench." Wen Wen said slowly, "As long as Chen Xingzhou is lying in that hospital, you won't make it onto the threat list. And the moment Chen Xingzhou draws his last breath, you can jump ship completely. "Looking at it that way, the situation is actually working in your favor." "..." In the brief silence, Ji Jue instinctively glanced at Lao Zhang. Lao Zhang pretended not to notice and kept sipping his tea, so Ji Jue wisely kept his mouth shut. Xiao An still hadn't figured out what was going on, blinking in confusion as he watched the silent exchange between the two. Only the pigheaded Tong Hua managed to touch on the awkward sore spot, remarking in shock and awe: "Sister Wen, you know so much!" "..." Wen Wen glared at her crossly, muttering vaguely, "Before I joined the Security Bureau, didn't I... have to earn some extra cash on the side?" "I get it, I totally get it." Ji Jue nodded solemnly, feeling an unexpected burst of resonance. These days, surviving wasn't easy. Who didn't have a side hustle, a part-time gig, or a little hobby, right? For some reason, seeing his look of *'So you're one of us'*, Wen Wen suddenly felt a wave of irritation. Her fists tightened, but since outsiders were present, she had to maintain her image and couldn't cave his head in. She could only grit her teeth and continue: "Don't get ahead of yourself. Even if the raging storm doesn't hit you directly, you still have to survive the aftershocks during this period. When giants clash, they don't give a damn about how many ants are under their feet." She asked abruptly, "Among Chen Xingzhou's remaining confidants, there must be a few you can trust, right?" "Uncle Lin!" Chen Yubo replied without hesitation. "Uncle Lin is absolutely trustworthy." As Chen Xingzhou's confidant, assistant, and top bodyguard, if Uncle Lin couldn't be trusted, Chen Xingzhou would have died a hundred times over by now. What was more, long before his brother made his fortune, Uncle Lin had already been looking out for him, both in the open and from the shadows. "All right, contact him then." Wen Wen made the final call. Picking up the coarse tea Ji Jue served, she furrowed her brows and chugged it down. Once the lingering alcohol in her system faded, she couldn't help but sigh. "That guy, Chen Xingzhou..." She said, "When I first came to Yacheng to take up my post, he was the first to hand over the business ledger for Beishan District to me. If not for his backing, I would've been an officer with no troops, unable to even hold onto this seat. "Whether personally or professionally, I owe him a debt of gratitude. "Tianyuan can't interfere in this matter, but the White Stag can." She looked up at the young man blinking innocently over his teacup beside them. Xiao An. In all of Beishan District, Xiao An was the only one who didn't have to worry about where he stood. Because he was already a walking bag of complications. As a member of the House of An among the White Stag Hunters, his mere presence in the Security Bureau had already made countless jaws drop. Even if he dove headfirst into an internal bloodbath now, it could easily be written off as personal business. Besides, he was only walking the line. "This kid Ji Jue's safety is in your hands," she said, patting Xiao An on the head. After a split-second of bewilderment, Xiao An smiled without the slightest resistance. "Okay." For a moment, Ji Jue caught Lao Zhang looking as if he wanted to say something out of the corner of his eye, but in the end, the old man said nothing, merely lowering his head to sip tea. He looked like he was holding back a laugh. Chen Yubo, meanwhile, was completely dumbfounded. Looking at Wen Wen's arrangements, if it weren't for his awkward position, he would have blurted out: *What about me? What about me?! Don't I even deserve a mention?* Why were they assigning a bodyguard to a bodyguard? What kind of Russian nesting doll was this? But on second thought, if Xiao An protected Ji Jue, and Ji Jue protected him, then if you rounded it up, didn't that mean the Security Bureau was protecting him? His sense of security instantly surged. Before taking their leave, Lao Zhang patted Xiao An's head and gave a final reminder: "Protect him well, understand?" "Need you even ask!" Ji Jue whistled, slung an arm around Xiao An's shoulder, and flashed a confident thumbs-up. "Xiao An and I—guaranteed solid!" It was back! It was all back! Didn't his sense of security just shoot straight through the roof?! Lao Zhang chuckled and said nothing. Wen Wen, however, looked Ji Jue up and down one last time before suddenly beckoning. "Come here. I'll give you a buff." "Huh?" Before Ji Jue could process the words, he felt his body involuntarily bend forward. What followed was an unprecedented shock and agony. A merciless punch! *Bam!* Ji Jue's vision went black, and he nearly yelped like a dog. By the time he came to his senses, he realized foreign spiritus had taken root inside him. Pulling up his shirt, he saw an intricate, dazzling insignia etched onto his abdomen. A blessing from Minerva. Wen Wen's spiritus was embedded into his body like a crystal. He could sense a terrifying power within it, like a flash flood ready to burst or a volcano about to erupt, yet right now it remained as tranquil as stone. Even the spiritus circulating nearby slowed its shifts considerably, as though on the verge of freezing. Extreme motion and stillness appeared simultaneously within one person's spiritus, shifting at will; the eruption and stabilization of matter hung entirely upon a single thought. Having undergone countless qualitative shifts and interventions from blessings, a change at such an exalted level left Ji Jue in sheer awe. It was just that the placement and the design were... a bit... Didn't this look kind of wrong? Oh crap, was he about to be turned into the Security Bureau's little plaything? "Couldn't you put it somewhere else?!" "Where else? On your hands?" Wen Wen snorted with amusement. "That would work, and usually that's how it's done. But do you still want your matrix?" If it were purely for convenience of use, the palms or backs of the hands would naturally be the best choices. Unfortunately, those spots were already completely occupied by Non-Offensive, without an inch of room left over. The entry and solidification of foreign spiritus would only interfere with the matrix's operation, potentially triggering tremors and damage. That was why she had been 'forced' to punch Ji Jue in the gut. Then again, his forehead seemed like a viable spot too. Should she give him another one to balance it out? Noticing the eager gleam in Wen Wen's eyes, Ji Jue instinctively took two steps back behind Chen Yubo, shielding his friend in front of him. Wen Wen clicked her tongue in annoyance, though in the end, she didn't shatter Chen Yubo's skull with a punch. "All right, the Sword of Minerva is yours." Wen Wen waved in farewell. "Fight if you can win; run if you can't. With Xiao An around, you'll survive no matter what. As for the rest, that depends on your luck. "This is all I can do." For the sake of Chen Xingzhou's past favor, she had offered advice; for Ji Jue's sake, she had assigned manpower and bestowed Minerva's blessing and power. She had done everything within her capability. Her duty had been fulfilled to the utmost. If Ji Jue was truly stubborn enough to use this trump card and still fail to resolve the crisis, yet still refused to run, then he had only his own death wish to blame. Seeing that Ji Jue wanted to say more, she cracked her knuckles, the sharp pop of her joints cutting him off. "If you really want to thank me, work hard for me in the future. Once you make some money, treat me to a few rounds of drinks. "All right, your ride is here. Time to go." Outside Ji Jue's house, an unremarkable black sedan rolled to a smooth stop. Uncle Lin stepped out of the car. Seeing Chen Yubo, he finally let out a breath of relief. Glancing at Ji Jue and the Beishan group, he seemed to understand everything. Offering a grateful smile, he bowed respectfully. Neither side made contact, nor did they exchange a single word. They passed each other by, driving off in different directions. Drifting apart into the night. Yet inside the Security Bureau's car... after dropping Tong Hua off at home, Wen Wen could no longer hold it in. She doubled over, coughing violently. It was gut-wrenching. A hollow, tearing echo rasped from deep within her lungs. Blood seeped from between her fingers, but before it could touch the floor, it rapidly crystallized into translucent, glistening beads. *Crack!* The steering wheel splintered beneath her tightening grip. In the passenger seat, Lao Zhang seemed entirely unperturbed, having long grown accustomed to the sight. Getting out to push the car to the roadside, he popped the trunk, retrieved a metal box, and pulled out a pneumatic syringe pre-loaded at the factory. Aiming it at her neck, he pumped the medication straight in, buying her a fleeting moment of respite. Only then did Lao Zhang reach out and press a hand against her shoulder. The pure vitality of the Vortex manifested, radiating a faint, lustrous white glow as it circulated, mending the old wounds across her body. Regrettably, the repair was in vain; he could not dislodge the shadow of spiritus pinned firmly to her heart like a dagger. That was a wound inflicted by a Celestial-Human. Only after her condition stabilized slightly did Lao Zhang release his grip, casually crushing the syringe into scrap and tossing it aside. "Your body is already injured. Don't go casually invoking Minerva's Exaltation blessing. Are you really that eager to die?" "I couldn't just leave them to chance." Leaning back against the seat, blood still smeared across her pale face, Wen Wen offered a self-mocking smile. "Besides, it's not the first time I've courted death." "To still be clinging to life after the anathema of a Celestial-Human is already a stroke of extraordinary luck. You'd better take your condition more seriously." Lao Zhang withdrew his hand. At some point, a laceration had appeared across his fingers, hissing as his spiritus surged over it. Merely touching that shadow had triggered an infection and backlash. He gave his hand a shake, and in an instant, a layer of skin sloughed off, followed by another, and then another. After shedding four layers of skin, the wound vanished without a trace. "A wound left behind by a Celestial-Human can only be restored by a Celestial-Human. If you keep idling like this, your condition will only deteriorate." A rare solemnity crossed the old man's face. "Though the path of the Dragon differs from the Sages and leans slightly cruel and tyrannical, it is nonetheless an orthodox lineage of Sovereign Virtue. Why resist it so stubbornly?" "Forget it." Wen Wen sighed wearily. "I didn't become a Celestial Chosen to destroy things, nor do I want to unleash another calamity just to keep myself alive. "When I die, everything ends. The wicked legacy running in the Wen family's blood ends with me." Lao Zhang shook his head with a quiet sigh. "If Wen Zheng knew his own daughter looked down on him so much, he'd probably wake up fuming even in his sleep, wouldn't he?" "That piece of shit can go to hell!" Without hesitation, Wen Wen raised her hand toward the night sky outside the window and gave it the middle finger. The night sky remained silent, swallowing the insult without a sound. Only a solitary streak of starlight flickered in indignant grief. *** "Fuck! Fuck!" Beneath that same night sky, inside another office thick with cigar smoke, the veins on the attendees' foreheads were bulging, their fury impossible to contain. "Yucheng is dead, and Xiao Zhou is lying in the hospital with no legs—he won't ever walk again for the rest of his life! Those sons of bitches! I'm going to kill them! I'll butcher every single one of them!" The Celestial Chosen covered in tattoos could barely suppress his savagery, his eyes bloodshot. "It's all because of that dog Chen Xingzhou! Of all places to die, he had to die right on our doorstep! He's putting on an act to frame us! He's setting you up, Brother Xing, you can't let him play you!" "Enough, shut up!" Across the table, another gaunt man looked up, his eyes a stark, pale white that burst with searing light. "Brother Xing hasn't even spoken yet. Who gave you permission to fart around here?!" The auras of several White Stag Celestial Chosen intertwined, turning the entire office into a demonic realm terrifying enough to make an ordinary person faint. Yet at the very center, everything was dead quiet. Not a wisp of aura dared approach within three feet. Just as frantic beasts dared not trespass upon the majesty of a monster. Lei Yaoxing lowered his gaze. A hair-raising, razor-sharp aura manifested on his person for a fleeting instant before slowly dissipating. "What happened tonight might well be tied to Chen Xingzhou, but it wasn't an act." Everything had happened right under his nose. Catching him completely off guard. Yet from start to finish, Chen Xingzhou could never have deceived his senses. That bullet had crossed thousands of meters to pierce his heart from behind, yet right up until the moment it struck, even Lei Yaoxing had detected nothing. In other words, if that bullet had been aimed at him, he would never have dodged it either. And Chen Xingzhou wasn't even a Celestial Chosen. Aside from a few alchemical items that were better than nothing, he had no defense whatsoever. In a single instant, the bullet had shattered his heart. The venom had spread, dissolving organs, corroding nerves, and even possessing the power to taint the soul. Right before his eyes, Chen Xingzhou had collapsed into a pool of blood, swiftly losing all signs of life. Even with a Vortex-lineage Celestial Chosen administering emergency aid on the spot, it had been futile. He still hadn't come out of the emergency room. In fact, at that moment, had Lei Yaoxing wished to, he could have snuffed out Chen Xingzhou's last spark of life without anyone ever knowing at such close range. The only reason he hadn't made a move was to see if the man could survive—or at least keep his brain and memories intact so a Heart Pivot Celestial Chosen could search and read them. The Baitiao Gang, who handled Chen Xingzhou's dirty work, had been obliterated. The remaining subordinates had begun infighting the moment Chen Xingzhou was wheeled into the operating room. His former top enforcer had defected overnight and was currently kneeling obediently downstairs, waiting for an audience with Lei Yaoxing. All that remained were a few confidants, and they too were in complete disarray. Everything he had built had crumbled to dust alongside his critical wound. Collapsing without a fight. "Send men to keep watch over Mercy Hospital," Lei Yaoxing instructed expressionlessly. "If he dies, that's the end of it. If he survives... clean it up thoroughly. And keep an eye on his brother. Station people there, but don't act rashly." "Young Master Xing." The elderly man looked grave. "If we wipe them out completely right now, the elders and uncles might..." "Even if I don't wipe them out, are they going to back me?!" Lei Yaoxing flew into a rage, cracks spiderwebbing across the table before him. "Get this straight: there's no room for negotiation anymore! It's either their lives or ours! Do we have any other choice?!" "What about Seventh Young Master...?" someone asked tentatively. Seventh Brother, who had originally shared the same boat with Lei Yaoxing, had secretly begun reaching out to the elders as well, calling to set things right and settle scores... Lei Yaoxing laughed coldly. "Heh, what a wonderful little brother of mine." It wasn't just Seventh Brother. There were Ninth Brother and Little Eleven too. Not to mention the other bosses who had once been fiercely loyal to Lei Wuye: Spitting Kun, who trafficked illicit drugs; Gold-Tooth Leopard, who secretly ran every casino and betting shop in Yacheng; and the Chuancheng Kid, who thought he had washed his hands clean and stepped ashore... "Then let's fight! Let them come!" Lei Yaoxing waved his hand, issuing the command that drove the beasts into a frenzy. "Fight until they lose, fight until they yield, fight until they're dead! After all the talk, who else gets to be the arbiter if not the hardest and the strongest?! "The leader of the Wild Gathering? I want them on their knees, begging me to take it!" Those who refused to kneel could just die! *** "Fuck me, he was living that large?" Beneath that same night sky, Ji Jue looked at what lay before him, and the burning enthusiasm that had made him ready to take a bullet for a friend instantly turned stone-cold. He instinctively clasped his hands toward Chen Yubo and turned to leave: "I gave it some careful thought. He who commits many injustices is bound to bring about his own doom, and what goes around comes around in the underworld. "Since death is knocking on your door anyway, why don't you just go die!"