Dug's New World

Dug's expression was complicated, as though he was disappointed, yet also relieved. He laughed at himself, lowered the sword from his neck, gripped its hilt, and cupped his fists to Qiu Yuanlang. "Many thanks, Gang Leader."

"Good, good. Come inside with me and tell me everything about the Heavenly Demon," said Qiu Yuanlang.

"As you command, Gang Leader." Dug sighed, then turned back to Feng Shiyi and played out the final act to perfection. "Second Master, from this day onward, Feng Qi and the Feng Family are quits. Second Master, please return!"

"I..." Feng Shiyi looked at Feng Qi, rose to his feet in a daze, and cupped his fists at Dug. "Seventh Master is truly righteous. The Feng Family has wronged you."

At that moment, his heart felt hollow, as though he had lost the most important thing in the world.

Why? Why had things turned out this way? Had he been wrong?

He had not been wrong. He had always considered the Feng Family's future with all his heart; had Feng Qi been wrong? He had not. Everything he did had been to safeguard the Feng Family's interests. He had even been willing to preserve the Feng Family at the cost of his own life. He had fulfilled the promise he had sworn to uphold...

But how had it come to this? Feng Zhong!

It was Feng Zhong! It was all his fault. If he had not stirred up trouble in the middle of things, Dug would still belong to the Feng Family, and the Feng Family's future would still be bright...

Having found the cause, Feng Shiyi's eyes instantly reddened. Unforgivable! Once he returned, he would mobilize the entire Feng Family and have Feng Zhong torn to pieces. Unless he killed him, he could never vent the hatred in his heart—Qiu Yuanlang quietly watched Dug bid Feng Shiyi farewell. Once Dug turned his back to him, a flicker of coldness flashed through his eyes.

Dug's Third Eye accurately caught that look. He sighed inwardly. As expected, someone capable of commanding a gang—and sending men to Xingyu Tower to kill based on a single piece of intelligence—was not so easy to deal with. Once he entered the Iron Palm Gang, he would likely have to endure another round of questioning.

That endless, tiresome questioning...

Keyword's method of growth was too passive. He needed to find a way to break the deadlock.

By the time Dug turned back around, his face had already relaxed. He sheathed his sword. "Gang Leader Qiu, I no longer have any ties to the Feng Family. From now on, I shall devote myself wholeheartedly to safeguarding Gang Leader Qiu and the Iron Palm Gang."

"Excellent." Qiu Yuanlang nodded, stepped aside, and extended a hand. "Seventh Master, please."

"Gang Leader first." Dug shifted slightly to the side and said earnestly, "My attribute is safeguarding. Naturally, I must safeguard the Gang Leader's dignity. I dare not overstep."

Qiu Yuanlang froze for a moment, then gave a hearty laugh and turned around first. "Good. Follow me."

The instant he turned, Dug activated Backstab without hesitation, clinging to Qiu Yuanlang's back like a ghost.

Pfft! Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!

The Flying Dagger that had been concealed in his palm stabbed Qiu Yuanlang several times in the lower back.

"Ah!" A scream rang out.

Qiu Yuanlang cultivated Iron Palm, not Iron Shirt.

He had never expected Dug to launch a surprise attack at this moment, much less for it to be so fast. By the time he reacted, he had already taken several stabs in the back. His eyes split with rage as he lunged forward, trying to throw off Dug, who was stuck behind him.

But Dug gave him no chance. As Qiu Yuanlang lunged forward, he stretched out his arms and wrapped them around Qiu Yuanlang's neck from behind, hanging from him like a koala.

A Flying Dagger was not as lethal as a longsword. Apart from the first two strikes, which had sunk in rather deeply, Qiu Yuanlang had already circulated his Internal Energy and tensed his muscles by the later strikes. Though the blade had entered his body, it had not gone deep.

But the first two wounds had already dealt him serious damage. Unable to shake Dug off with clever force, he roared and grabbed at the arm around his neck. With a crisp crack, he forcibly broke Dug's forearm, leaving the arm a bloody mess of torn flesh.

Dug endured the pain and continued gripping his neck. The Flying Dagger in his left hand danced into a blur at the left side of Qiu Yuanlang's lower back. In the blink of an eye, it punched a row of holes through his back, blood gushing from them in torrents.

As he stabbed, he shouted, "The Iron Palm Gang controls the river transport routes, raids homes and robs travelers, murders for loot, extorts toll money, and has harmed countless lives. How could I, Feng Qi, a fine and noble man, safeguard such a filthy gang? Today, I would rather sacrifice my life to rid the people of this evil, uphold the righteousness of the martial world, and protect the common folk..."

After spinning a whole theory about the Heavenly Demon in the Feng Family, he had indeed gained gratifying growth. Yet at the same time, his attributes had become constrained by the Feng Family. Even after Feng Shiyi publicly declared that he was cutting ties with him, his attributes weakened accordingly. That was likely related to Feng Shiyi's status, as well as the Feng Family's current circumstances...

Dug did not know what the Simulation Arena's criteria for judgment were, but if his fate could be so casually affected by someone else's decision, then the path he was taking was wrong.

The Feng Family was like that, and so was the Iron Palm Gang.

Even if he truly managed to bind himself to Qiu Yuanlang through eloquence and profit, so what?

In the future, if a change like Feng Zhong's arose, Qiu Yuanlang would surely abandon him without hesitation, just as Feng Shiyi had...

Dug had no intention of making the same mistake twice.

Since safeguarding a group would render his fate uncontrollable, then he would seize his fate in his own hands. He would no longer safeguard any particular family or gang, but instead safeguard a broader ideal—or belief.

This path might be harder to walk, but once he succeeded, no one would ever be able to control his fate again.

When Dug righteously shouted those words, the arm whose bones Qiu Yuanlang had crushed with his Iron Palm healed at incredible speed. His personal attributes surged in leaps and bounds as well. After all, he was using his actions to uphold martial righteousness—and had successfully backstabbed Qiu Yuanlang, who had just taken him in.

Double the growth, double the joy.

Holy shit!

What was going on? Wang San was stunned once again. Hadn't they agreed to take the opportunity to join the Iron Palm Gang? What the hell was this now? You weren't happy unless you drove yourself into a dead end, were you?!

Feng Shiyi had already been leaving, but at the sight of this scene, he froze on the spot. Looking at the blood-soaked Qiu Yuanlang and Feng Qi, who clung tightly to his back while being continuously pounded by him, Feng Shiyi began trembling uncontrollably.

He was serious.

Feng Qi was serious.

His plan was not a joke. He really could successfully assassinate Qiu Yuanlang...

He had clearly joined the more powerful Iron Palm Gang, yet the moment Qiu Yuanlang let his guard down, he had still chosen to assassinate him. Clearly, he knew that even if he joined the Iron Palm Gang, Qiu Yuanlang would certainly retaliate against the Feng Family afterward. Only by killing him could the Feng Family truly be safe.

Feng Qi had not betrayed the Feng Family. Even before assassinating Qiu Yuanlang, he had tried his utmost to sever all ties between himself and the Feng Family, defining his assassination of Qiu Yuanlang as an act to uphold martial righteousness.

He had shouldered every bit of blame himself!

Heavens!

But look at what he had done! When Dug had resolved to sacrifice himself to assassinate Qiu Yuanlang, Feng Shiyi had sold him out first. At that time, Feng Qi's heart must have been shattered! Feng Shiyi had not shed tears since becoming an adult, but at this moment, tears flowed from his eyes uncontrollably. He wished he could slap himself twice, hard enough to atone for his sins...

He was too foolish—he was a sinner of the family! Guard it for one day, guard it for life!

After Feng Qi had been betrayed by him, the words Sacrifice for Righteousness had said came flooding back into Feng Shiyi's mind. He clenched his fists and instinctively stepped forward, intending to help Dug, but halted the instant he took that step.

Before assassinating Qiu Yuanlang, he had said that his debts and grudges with the Feng Family were settled, and told him to return to the Feng Family! Return? That had been a hint for him!

Knowing he was bound to die, he had been telling him not to make a pointless sacrifice, but to preserve the Feng Family's remaining strength as best he could! How righteous!

Having filled in every cause and consequence in his mind, Feng Shiyi could not be bothered with the two direct disciples of rotten character in the woods. With unwavering resolve, he charged into the night, tears scattering as he ran. "Feng Qi, wait for me! If you survive today, the entire Feng Family will repay you with grass rings and jade in our beaks, and honor you above all!"