Father and Son Face Off

Murong Wu said, "But I wash all the clothes at home, including the housekeeper's things."

"Uh, doing laundry has nothing to do with independence."

"I've always been the one preparing all three meals at home. When I'm not around, my older brother and the building manager just order takeout."

"In today's fast-paced society, ordering takeout is a habit unique to mature adults, as it saves time that can be devoted to studying and working."

"But my older brother's grades seem to be just average, and the administrator never does any work; he just goes out to play every day and comes home drunk."

"... These are all trivial matters! A real man should have a broad mind and a long-term vision; don't get bogged down in the details!"

Faced with such an awkward situation, Ying Zhou tried his best to recall Si Ming's methods. It seemed that Si Ming would always use some high-sounding reasons to get by in such situations.

"By the way, haven't you been asking me what I lack, why I always seem to lack charisma? Let me tell you, you lack a wolf-like nature. What is a wolf-like nature? In four words: greed, cruelty, wildness, and violence."

Today's era is one of intense competition. Only those who adapt to competition can stand out; otherwise, they will be eliminated by the times. Greed refers to desire; desire is the driving force that drives endless struggle and striving. Cruelty refers to being ruthless towards both enemies and oneself; being too kind to oneself will lead to complacency. Wildness refers to an unyielding ambition. Wolves roam the world eating meat, dogs travel thousands of miles eating excrement; losing ambition will turn you into a puppet controlled by others. As long as you possess the wolf's nature, you can survive, thrive, and remain invincible in the competition.

Murong Wu nodded as if he understood, and said doubtfully, "Brother, you only mentioned greed, cruelty, and wildness, what about the remaining 'violence'?"

Ying Zhou stiffened, but at the crucial moment, he finally had a flash of inspiration. "This is homework for you. Go back and think about it slowly on your own. Come back and answer me when you've figured it out, and I'll give you a grade."

"Oh, but I remember wolves are social animals, so they don't seem to have much to do with independence."

"Stop nagging! I'm talking about Lone Wolf. A real man shouldn't worry about details. Only women nag about the smallest things, going on and on about them endlessly!"

Ying Zhou deeply felt the gap between himself and Si Ming. He had no substance and couldn't even use fallacies to divert attention. Otherwise, he could have recited a poem on the spot and perhaps impressed Si Ming. By the time the other party came to his senses, time was already gone.

Fearing that further questioning would reveal his secret, Ying Zhou quickly fled the house.

"Tch, being too clever isn't always a good thing. No wonder those big shots' subordinates are all burly idiots. It's not that they lack smart people, but rather that smart people overthink things and don't highlight the boss's brilliance. Simple-minded people are easier to fool."

As Ying Zhou muttered to himself, he strolled aimlessly down the street. When he passed through the commercial district, he caused a commotion.

"Look, could that be the legendary...?"

"The unruly hairstyle, the wild eyes, the slender fingers—it has to be him."

"I heard his highest achievement was 800 kills in one day. Did he kill the entire street?"

Passersby frequently glanced at Ying Zhou, their comments filled with admiration.

This was certainly not because Ying Zhou had become a big star, so famous that any passerby could recognize him, but because he once emptied all the claw machines on the commercial street in a single day, earning him the legendary title of "Claw King".

After all, the idea of expanding the claw machine market was conceived by Yu Shuying and Si Ming. Taking advantage of their proximity, Ying Zhou obtained several different types of claw machines from Yu Shuying's team. He then practiced diligently every day and finally mastered the advanced techniques of "one snip and it's gone" and "one grab and it's secure," becoming the most admired figure in the hearts of countless young girls and middle-aged women—these two types of people are the key customers of claw machines.

Listening to everyone's exclamations, although it was somewhat different from what he had hoped for, he had still become a "legend." Ying Zhou couldn't help but feel a little smug. He repeatedly reminded himself to be low-key and not to be arrogant, otherwise his image would collapse.

Since all the local gangs have been wiped out and brought under the control of the Azure Flood Dragon Gang, the security situation has improved significantly. While it's not as bad as people leaving their doors unlocked at night, robberies and sack-like incidents are rare, and people don't feel dangerous walking on the streets late at night.

Of course, these changes have nothing to do with Ying Zhou. Even in the past, he wouldn't mind taking shortcuts through alleys, and now he wouldn't care at all.

However, today, as he stepped into an alley, he suddenly felt a chill that was etched into his very bones—a fear deeply ingrained in his soul. His body trembled uncontrollably.

Ying Zhou stiffly looked up and found that a refined man in a black trench coat had appeared in front of him at some point, standing in the middle of the road and blocking his way. Even though he was alone, he seemed to cover the sky above the entire alley, bringing boundless darkness.

The man possessed a handsome face that could make anyone swoon. Even now, with his brow furrowed and a look of disappointment on his face, he was still the melancholy prince in the hearts of countless young women.

He sighed and said, "From a wolf to a dog, my son, you have disappointed your father."

Chapter 476 Father and Son Clash

Before the age of seven, Ying Zhou was no different from other children. He had loving parents and enjoyed a happy childhood. Although his family was not wealthy, they were not poor either. Like most of the people of Su State, he enjoyed the benefits brought by the country's rise.

The turning point in his life came on his seventh birthday. His parents, who were supposed to go to get the birthday cake together, returned alone. His father was covered in blood, and his face showed panic and helplessness, like a wild beast driven to the brink of despair.

Ying Zhou was so frightened that he hid under the table, trembling. When he mustered up his courage and crawled out of the table, he whispered "Father!" He saw his father slowly turn his head, and his empty eyes suddenly regained their vitality, like a person who had fallen off a cliff grabbing a handful of wild grass, bursting out with a madness that would never let go, even in death.

Then, Ying Zhou was locked in the basement.

"My child, sooner or later you will be caught, locked in a Wutian cell, and subjected to all kinds of interrogations and torture. As your father, all I can do is teach you how to deal with all of this."

Then Ying Zhou's father interrogated him using various methods. The questions included which toy he liked best at a certain time, why he bought a certain toy but didn't play with it, who his favorite classmate was, who his least favorite classmate was, and the reasons for his liking and disliking.

Children's memories are not very complete, and they often act based on feelings rather than reason. Ying Zhou naturally could not answer them, and sometimes he couldn't help but lie.

However, his father, like the most skilled detective, meticulously pieced together his fragmented and contradictory testimonies, deducing several logically consistent "truths," and then made Ying Zhou choose. Which option he chose was not important; what mattered was the ensuing questions and answers.

Ying Zhou's father would provide a lot of evidence that he couldn't refute, forcing him to admit the truth. If he admitted it, or couldn't refute it within a limited time, he would be beaten severely. If he survived, he would be able to eat a hot meal.

After three months of interrogation and training, Ying Zhou's father released him from the basement and taught him the techniques of killing and how to devise murder plans. If there was even the slightest mistake in the plan, he would be thrown back into the basement and starved for a whole day.

After teaching him in this way for half a year, Ying Zhou's father locked him back in the basement. At the same time, he would throw an animal in and tell him that he was not allowed to come out until he killed the animal. At first, it was an animal that would not cry out in pain, such as an insect, a frog, or a fish. Then it was a common pet such as a rabbit, a cat, or a dog. Next, it was a wild beast with aggression, such as a snake, a wolf, or a wild boar.

Ying Zhou considered suicide, but after his father choked him, making him experience the agony of suffocation, he abandoned the idea.

"Suicide is the lament of the incompetent, revenge is the cry of the coward. You must become someone like me, standing outside the cage, freely manipulating the fates of others. Only then can you be considered a strong person."

The man spoke these words, constantly instilling this idea into Ying Zhou.

Six months later, Ying Zhou found an opportunity to escape the house. Before his father could catch him, he luckily ran into a Mohist Knight Guard. His father was then imprisoned for crimes including child abuse and intentional homicide—his mother's dismembered body was found at the bottom of a lake.

Ying Zhou thought this would rid him of the demon, until that day in court, when the demon smiled and said to him, "I deliberately let you escape. Hurry up and become stronger. Before I come out, become a true powerhouse, otherwise..."

He didn't get to say his last words because the Mohist Knight Guard, slapped him so hard his mouth was full of blood. But he still smiled, a smile full of anticipation, like a sculptor seeing his masterpiece about to be completed.

That smile became a frequent visitor in Ying Zhou's nightmares, haunting him like a demonic threat, and he still hasn't been able to completely shake it off to this day.

That day, upon returning to his empty home from the courthouse, Ying Zhou was overwhelmed by an indescribable sense of fear, as if he were about to be swallowed by darkness, until he saw a cat in the yard.