The Smiles of Two Madmen!

Huo Yuanhong beamed as though he had seen an old friend he had not met in years. He was delighted—so delighted that he seemed a little deranged.

He did not merely want to kill Wu Yankun. He wanted to personally destroy everything Wu Yankun cared about—his reputation, the Wu Family, and the Aristocratic Family Alliance's eternal legacy...

Just as Wu Yankun had destroyed his dream.

In the reception room sat two madmen...

One was mad enough to make an enemy of a glorious aristocratic family like the Wu Family; the other was mad enough to lay hands on Li Shuxing's people...

They looked at each other, both wearing broad smiles, as if they were close friends and comrades bound by life and death.

They stared silently at one another for more than a dozen breaths.

Finally...

"Pfft!"

Wu Yankun was the first to break the silence. As though he had heard something hilarious, he could not stop himself from laughing.

He laughed so hard tears nearly fell. Pointing at Huo Yuanhong, he gasped for breath between laughs, clutching his stomach as he doubled over.

"Kill me, kill me... Hahahaha, hahahahahahaha..."

Never in his life had he heard anything so amusing. A Heart-Mind Unity—moreover, a Heart-Mind Unity born among the Commoners—actually wanted to kill him, a Dark Force Martial Master and the Wu Family's first-in-line heir.

What kind of existence was the Wu Family? Its legacy stretched back more than a thousand years. It had prospered from the dynasty before last until today. Dynasties flowed on like water, while aristocratic families stood firm as iron. Its foundations were terrifyingly deep, with Peak Experts emerging generation after generation.

And as the publicly acknowledged first-in-line heir, he was much like a crown prince, representing the Wu Family's dignity.

Even a Peak Expert would have to consider whether killing him was worth it.

And now, a mere Heart-Mind Unity... wanted to kill him?

Never in his life had Wu Yankun encountered anything so entertaining.

From beginning to end, Li Shuxing was the only one in his eyes.

As for Li Shuxing's disciple, he had seen him as nothing more than a chess piece. He had never regarded him as a threat, nor had he ever considered what thoughts or intentions this Commoner might have.

Would a chess player care what the pieces in his hand were thinking?

But now, a chess piece that had been expected to obey was actually trying to kill him, the player?

"Interesting. Far too interesting..."

Wu Yankun could not help laughing, but as he laughed...

When he saw Huo Yuanhong's abyss-dark eyes, even someone as mad as him felt an inexplicable chill run through his heart.

A nameless coldness welled up within him.

It was as if King Yama—or some other dreadful thing—had fixed its gaze upon him.

He was...

A little unable to laugh anymore.

Wu Yankun rose expressionlessly. Looking at Huo Yuanhong, he said indifferently, "I'll wait for you."

His lifelong obsession was to leave his name in history and become a great contributor to the aristocratic families' eternal legacy.

He had to—and could only—die at Li Shuxing's hands. He was to be the fuse that ignited the powder keg; he could not possibly die at anyone else's hands.

Otherwise, if Li Shuxing's disciple killed him—if the one who toyed with snakes was instead bitten to death by one, dying at the hands of a junior...

Not only would he fail to ignite the conflict between the aristocratic families and Li Shuxing, he would instead become the joke and cautionary tale of chess players for generations upon generations, slain in return by a mere chess piece!

That was something he could not tolerate.

And something that could never happen.

After all...

Setting aside his identity and status, he himself was a genuine Dark Force Martial Master, a great expert whose fists were faster than bullets!

If not for that old fossil at death's door watching from nearby, he could kill this mad Commoner right now!

Casting Huo Yuanhong an indifferent glance, Wu Yankun picked up his suit jacket and strode out of the reception room.

Almost at the same time, Fang Yu went to find the Carriage Shop Owner.

"Mr. Yu."

"Miss Fang!"

The plump Carriage Shop Owner hurriedly got to his feet to welcome her, pouring tea and water for her.

"It's fine. No need to go to so much trouble. I'll only sit for a while before leaving."

Fang Yu waved a hand.

"Alright! Alright!"

The Carriage Shop Owner hurriedly agreed.

He knew full well that the remaining orphans and widows of the Chauffeur's Association could stay peacefully at the Martial Arts Hall partly because Huo Yuanhong was the Hall Master's personal disciple, and partly because Fang Yu had stepped forward to coordinate matters.

The daily meals for so many people were all delivered at Fang Yu's instruction.

That was why his attitude was exceedingly courteous, afraid of offending her in any way.

"There's something I need to tell you..."

Fang Yu hesitated before finally speaking. "Through my Second Uncle Fang Pingsheng's utmost efforts, the Fang Family is willing to take in Junior Brother. As long as Junior Brother marries a woman of the Fang Family and cuts all ties with the Commoner Faction and ordinary commoners, he can become a member of the Fang Family. He will be able to practice martial arts in peace and enjoy the secret medicine resources of an aristocratic family..."

"With Junior Brother's talent, he will certainly reach Transformation Strength in the future. There may even be the faintest sliver of hope that he can become a Peak Expert. He shouldn't get entangled in your affairs and have his future delayed."

Fang Yu spoke softly.

She did not want Junior Brother to keep involving himself in the chauffeurs' affairs.

Especially not in tomorrow's wager duel with the Red Robe Society. Based on the traces discovered so far, an outsider at the peak of Intent-Qi Unity—someone with little time left and wanting to go mad one last time—might be lying in ambush.

No matter how capable Junior Brother was, he could not possibly cross an entire major realm to fight someone at the peak of Intent-Qi Unity. His life would be in danger!

She had to find a way to hold Junior Brother back and keep him from getting involved!

Hearing this, the Carriage Shop Owner froze. His lips moved as he looked outside at the gaunt youths, who were still diligently holding their stances to strengthen their bodies despite having no medicinal herbs to nourish themselves.

He was silent for a long while before finally saying with difficulty:

"I understand."

He did not ask what would become of the orphans and widows after Ah Hong cut ties with them.

Even knowing that they had been abandoned, he harbored no resentment toward Ah Hong.

Helping them was loyalty; not helping them was only human nature. There was no one to blame.

"Here, take this money. It will be enough for them to live on for several years."

Fang Yu sighed and pushed over the thick stack of hundred-dollar Silver Dollar Vouchers in her hand, then took out two gold bars.

"This is all the money I can use. Take it all. If it isn't enough, come find me again and I'll think of a way. I only hope that you will avoid contacting Junior Brother as much as possible, lest those clan elders misunderstand and think his heart still lies with the Commoner Faction."

"Thank you."

The Carriage Shop Owner accepted the Silver Dollar Vouchers and gold bars, carefully putting them away.

"Could you let them stay one more day? Once I settle matters outside, I'll have them move out."

"Yes."

Fang Yu nodded.

After seeing Fang Yu off, the Carriage Shop Owner sat down. Looking through the window at the youths who were drenched in sweat from exhaustion yet still diligently holding their stances, he revealed a gratified smile.

"With these children, and with Ah Hong, the Chauffeur's Association will surely rise again. It's time for me to leave as well..."

"I'm a wanted criminal. If I stay any longer, I'll only drag Ah Hong down. Ah Hong has a great future ahead of him; he can't tarnish his name by sheltering a wanted criminal like me..."

The Carriage Shop Owner took out his last cigarette—the one he had never been willing to smoke—lit it, and slowly puffed on it.

Old Six was dead. He no longer had any brothers. If he had not been unable to let go of these children, he would have lost the will to live long ago.

The seven brothers had come to Jin Gate together to make their way in the world. Yet now, only he remained.

The Chauffeur's Association, which his brothers had poured their lives' worth of effort into, was also down to only a scattered few, nearly wiped out completely.

"Ah Hong values loyalty and bonds. Even if he enters an aristocratic family, once he gains a firm foothold in a few years, he won't forget the surviving children. If he gives them a little help in secret, they'll be able to live good lives..."

"Ten or twenty years from now, as long as even one of the surviving children reaches Dark Force, the Chauffeur's Association can be rebuilt—a Chauffeur's Association recognized by the authorities, one that can stand openly in the light..."

After finishing his last cigarette, the Carriage Shop Owner called over a young man of about twenty-five or twenty-six. He was the last remaining Manifest Strength practitioner in the carriage shop, as well as the only son of the Carriage Shop Owner's second brother.

"Tomorrow morning, give this to Ah Hong. Tell him to live well and not to think about old fellows like us."

The Carriage Shop Owner retrieved the half-stalk of Tiger Blood Grass from a hidden compartment and handed it to the young man.

Then he took out a long-hoarded forbidden medicine, Boiling Blood Powder, slipped it into his pocket, waved his hand, and walked out the door.

"I'm off."

He had never told Ah Hong that tomorrow's wager duel with the Red Robe Society had actually been moved from the afternoon to the morning!

The wager duel was too dangerous. Ah Hong had a great future ahead of him. After becoming a member of the Fang Family, he could slowly find ways to obtain Great Medicine. He could not take such a risk with him—not even the slightest risk!

Before this old bag of bones, which should have died long ago, left this world, he could still do one last thing for Ah Hong: gamble it all to seize that half-stalk of Great Medicine...

It was worth it!