The Concerns of Feng Shiyi

Wang San went with Feng Zhong to change clothes, while Zhang Han accompanied him and kept an eye on him.

Du Ge and the Feng uncle and nephew headed to a private dining room.

During the meal.

Feng Yunjie, whose worldview had taken a tremendous hit, hesitated for a while before finally asking, "Seventh Master, are you really going to keep Wang San?"

"What's wrong?" Du Ge was still thinking about Wang San's Yandere behavior. It had been a little hard to watch when he acted it out as a waiter, but he had to admit Wang San had taken to being a lunatic remarkably quickly.

If all the contestants in the Simulation Field were like this, Du Ge had to wonder for the first time whether he could even put together a Peacekeeping Vanguard.

Then again, people were complicated. If a person's personality was defined by only one Keyword, and that Keyword was tied to their growth, it was hard for them not to go crazy.

Even someone as upright as him, equipped with a Keyword as positive as "upholding," had been thinking of going all out, and his thoughts had gradually grown twisted. As for the others, they had all received professional training.

So they still had to accept people. The more people he met, the more information about reality he could gather.

After all, he still had to get through the real world. Failing the Simulation Field would at worst get him eliminated, but if someone discovered he had taken over a body in reality, who knew what might happen?

If things got out of hand, he could always kill them in advance. He ought to have that confidence as the top-ranked contestant in the Simulation Field...

"I... I just feel like his Keyword is a little sinister." Feng Yunjie stammered for a long time before continuing, "When he talks to me, I can't help feeling a chill inside. I get this urge to run away..."

Run away?

Had he awakened an Advanced Skill?

He'd ask what his Advanced Skill was later.

Du Ge smiled. "Third Young Master, you're in the wrong here. We'll meet all sorts of Heavenly Demons from now on, and every one of them will be different. If you pick and choose like this, how is the Feng Family ever going to rise? Think of it like a family: it needs to recruit all kinds of talent. It needs disciples like Zhang Han, a sparring partner like me, servants and attendants, and someone like Feng Zhong who knows how to run a business. That's how a family can truly function..."

"That's true, but I feel like letting him join us, with the way he talks, is bound to cause trouble. Aren't we supposed to uphold peace in the martial world? His Keyword doesn't look like that of an upright gentleman at all. It'll affect how people see us..." Perhaps Feng Yunjie really was being affected by a skill. He quickly found another excuse to try to push Wang San out.

"Third Young Master, that's because you don't understand Yandere," Du Ge said. "Most of the time, a Yandere seems like a normal person. They only act like that when they have an episode. Usually, a trait like Yandere develops gradually. He acted that way just now because he wanted me to see his value and give him a chance to survive..."

"But..." Feng Yunjie tried to say more, but Du Ge cut him off before he could start.

"Third Young Master, Yandere isn't as frightening as you imagine. Wang San may have acted strangely during his episode, but he also has a protective streak. Once he decides you're someone worth protecting, he'll do everything he can to keep you safe," Du Ge said. "You have to learn to adapt and be strong. Besides, you've still got me. My Keyword is upholding. Do you think I'd just stand by and let you get hurt?"

"Protective?" Feng Yunjie froze.

"But his protection is different from mine. He only protects the people he's chosen," Du Ge said.

"All right!" Feng Yunjie picked up his wine and took a sip to steady himself. He'd already experienced the benefits of upholding. Since Yandere also came with a protective streak, he put aside the idea of driving Wang San away—for now.

With Du Ge and Wang San, if Wang San wanted to hurt him, Du Ge would protect him; if Du Ge wanted to hurt him, Wang San would protect him. Double protection had to be safer, right? Feng Yunjie tried to convince himself.

He'd introduced Feng Yunjie to a Yandere.

He upheld Wang San and backstabbed Feng Yunjie, happily enjoying the pleasure of his attributes increasing twice over. In that moment, his confidence returned. Yandere was hard to act out—it was too revealing, too obvious. His own combination of upholding and Backstab was invincible: subtle, and impossible to get wrong no matter what he did.

"Seventh Master, with so many Heavenly Demons in the group, can you really keep them in check by yourself?" Wang San had targeted Feng Yunjie, and apart from finding the whole thing hard to watch, Feng Shiyi had felt nothing unusual. He had other concerns.

In less than two days, the Feng Family had encountered three Heavenly Demons. Their numbers seemed to be growing too quickly, and the Heavenly Demons were also a little too unconventional.

He could hardly imagine what would become of the Feng Family if it recruited a group like this. Would everyone turn against them?

"Second Master, you've seen how hard it is for other Heavenly Demons to align with their attributes. I'm growing the fastest, so keeping them in check won't be a problem," Du Ge said.

"Will the Peacekeeping Vanguard consist entirely of Heavenly Demons?" Feng Shiyi asked again.

"How could it? There are only a few Heavenly Demons. We'll also recruit ordinary martial heroes to balance them out." Du Ge saw through Feng Shiyi's concerns and smiled. "Second Master, you're worried that the Feng Family won't be able to keep us in check in the future and will lose the initiative, aren't you?"

"That's right. I am worried about that." Since Du Ge had seen through him, Feng Shiyi didn't bother beating around the bush. "Seventh Master, I'm concerned not only about the Heavenly Demons, but also about the other martial heroes you recruit. Your martial arts are inferior even to mine. If a true expert joins the Peacekeeping Vanguard, will you really be able to hold on to control of it?"

Feng Yunjie had been distracted ever since Wang San's episode, and had been eating by himself. Only when he heard Feng Shiyi's words did he look up at Du Ge.

"You're worrying too much, Second Master. The sort of things our group can handle are all small fry. Great heroes wouldn't be interested. A hero wouldn't join street thugs to extort protection money, would he?" Du Ge smiled and shook his head. "Once we make a big enough splash, that's when we'll attract experts. By then, my strength will have risen naturally, and I won't have to fear them."

"Of course you don't have to fear them, Seventh Master. But what about the Feng Family? The Feng Family has no experts..." Feng Shiyi said.

Du Ge paused in surprise, then smiled. "So Second Master never considered me one of your own in the first place!"

"Seventh Master, that's not what I meant," Feng Shiyi said.

"Second Master, there's no need to explain. I haven't made any real contributions yet, so it's only natural you don't trust me. But time will tell. I'll prove myself through my actions and earn the Feng Family's genuine acceptance." Du Ge's expression turned serious. "As for your concern, I've already told you how to solve it. Perhaps you've forgotten."

"Did you?" Feng Shiyi asked.

"Steal secret manuals and miraculous pills," Du Ge said with a smile. "Don't tell me there are no miraculous pills in the martial world that can increase one's power? Like I said, uphold the Feng Family today, uphold it for life. I can only grow stronger if the Feng Family grows stronger. I won't abandon the Feng Family's interests."

He still hadn't given up on stealing other people's secret manuals?

Feng Yunjie couldn't help asking, "Seventh Master, stealing secret manuals conflicts with upholding peace and justice, doesn't it? If people found out the Peacekeeping Vanguard was doing that behind their backs..."

"Third Young Master, upholding peace in the martial world doesn't conflict with upholding the Feng Family's interests." Du Ge glanced at him and smiled. "Who says dark forces don't have heavenly treasures? Don't worry. You can't make someone fat in one bite. We'll take it one step at a time, and in the end, we'll have everything."

"Are we still going to the Iron Palm Sect?" Feng Shiyi asked.

"Of course. But first, let's wait and see if there are any other opportunities in Luyang City," Du Ge said. "We also need time to get used to working with Wang San."

At the mention of Wang San, Feng Yunjie shuddered on reflex. His wine glass wobbled, spilling wine all over the table.

Feng Shiyi looked at his family's young tiger and frowned, displeased. "Yunjie, Wang San only said a few strange things. He can't even beat Feng Zhong. What are you afraid of? If you're like this, how will you lead the Peacekeeping Vanguard in the future?"

Feng Yunjie knew something was wrong with him. He looked at Feng Shiyi, wanting to explain but not knowing where to begin. In the end, he could only force himself to sound confident. "Second Uncle, it won't happen again."