No compromise

Tianyang's expression did not change in the slightest after hearing Ling Feng's words. "I have to go, Chief of Staff Ling."

Ling Feng seemed to have expected that answer and showed little reaction. But Cang Du, his hair tied in a ponytail, scowled and leaned forward slightly, as though about to teach this ungrateful brat a lesson.

Han Shu raised a hand beside him and shook his head, stopping the ponytailed young man before he could speak. Cang Du could only swallow his words in frustration.

Ling Feng nudged his glasses up and said slowly, "You know what I do. Let me walk you through how this will unfold. If I let you go, you'll face an ambush by eight Gold Hunters. They're all seasoned veterans who think nothing of murder and robbery. Even if you get past them, you'll still have to face a rank 3 Ascender."

"Rank 3 doesn't necessarily mean someone is all that powerful. At the very least, they aren't unbeatable. But those Gold Hunters will wear you down and may even injure you. Add the gap of two ranks to that, and while your opponent's advantage may not be overwhelming, he'll still pose a tremendous threat to you."

"But the danger doesn't end there. Qin Jie is the director of the Third Security Office. If I were him, I could easily use that authority to call in its personnel. The office has no Ascenders, but its men are well equipped. A squad of more than thirty could easily shoot you dead on the spot once you're exhausted."

After finishing, Ling Feng studied the boy's expression. Finding him still unmoved, he sighed inwardly.

He continued.

"Even if you manage to kill Qin Jie under such harsh conditions, what comes next? You'll have openly attacked and killed a fortress official in the Upper City. Even if Qin Jie provoked you first, you'll still be held accountable under Fortress Law. Of course, the Nightwalkers will protect you no matter what. But do you know what that will cost us? Especially now, when more and more voices in the fortress are turning against us."

Ling Feng paused, then asked gravely, "Knowing all that, do you still intend to go?"

Tianyang lowered his gaze, looking thoughtful. A moment later, he took off his Assaulter Rifle and began removing his armor. "I have to go. But tonight, I'm not a member of the Nightwalkers. I'm just an ordinary fortress citizen from the Lower City."

"This is madness!" Ling Feng knew, of course, that Tianyang wanted to bear the consequences alone rather than drag the Nightwalkers into this. But he had not said all that just to make the boy cut ties with them.

"Tianyang, why do you have to take it this far? Give us another week-no, three days! Just three days, and I guarantee Qin Jie will be in prison. And he'll spend the rest of his life in the Black Mine. To him, that would be worse than death!"

"So you see, he isn't worth doing this for."

Tianyang stopped what he was doing and looked at Ling Feng. "But all I want is for him to die. Besides, Chief of Staff Ling, this isn't a question of whether it's worth it. The point is that I have to do this."

"My mother was an ordinary woman. Do you know how hard life in the Lower City is for an ordinary woman? Especially one with principles?"

"But that woman raised me for seventeen years! Seventeen years! Can you understand how hard her life was?"

"She gave me the best of everything. Her youth, her time, everything she had. But I couldn't even give her one decent meal. Now, this is the only thing I can still do for her."

"So no matter what, I'm going to do it!"

A sudden surge of frustration swept through Ling Feng. He had always trusted his projections, always believed that every action had a corresponding value behind it.

But now, the boy before him was overturning everything he believed.

And he could not find a single way to resolve it!

Behind him, Han Shu and the others were each lost in thought. Tianyang's words had struck a chord with them.

The boy had no grand arguments to offer. Nor did he weigh gains and losses the way Ling Feng did.

He was simply doing something utterly straightforward and sincere. Yet such sincerity had all but been forgotten in this age.

This was an age of transactions. Nothing was beyond calculation or compromise. Given enough profit, even the hatred born of having one's entire clan slaughtered could fade.

Yet the boy before them knew that even if he got what he wanted, going there would exact a terrible price.

Still, he had neither compromised nor backed down.

Perhaps many people would consider his actions reckless, even foolish.

But when had they become people who insisted on being calculating about everything?

Almost all of them, Han Shu included, became caught up in that question, unable to find an answer.

Just then, Ling Feng's communicator rang, and an elderly voice said, "Let him go."

With that single sentence, the connection ended.

Ling Feng's mind went blank for a few seconds before he shook his head. "Take your armor and Stellar Essence Rifle. Otherwise, you won't be going there for revenge. You'll be going there to die!"

Surprised, Tianyang looked at Ling Feng.

Ling Feng had already stepped back and moved aside. "The Ascender Qin Jie hired is called Qu Gao. Hunter Class, a rank 3 Master Sniper. Don't expect him to give you a fair duel. That man has a terrible reputation, and there's nothing he won't do. He'll definitely strike from hiding, either the instant you enter the Qin Residence or while you're fighting the Gold Hunters. If you want revenge, don't let him kill you."

Having put his armor back on and removed his eye patch, Tianyang climbed onto the motorcycle.

He gave Ling Feng a firm nod. "Thank you for the warning, Chief of Staff Ling."

Tianyang restarted the motorcycle and was about to leave when Han Shu, who had remained silent all this time, suddenly stepped forward. "Wait a moment."

Then the rugged man took the excessively long sword from Cang Du's back and tossed it to Tianyang. "Take this. You won't kill anyone with that piece of scrap metal."

He had clearly noticed the blade on Tianyang's back.

"Captain, what are you doing? That's my Spring Water!" Cang Du cried out. He was about to lunge at Tianyang when Han Shu grabbed his ponytail.

Tianyang caught the sword called Spring Water and looked at Han Shu and Cang Du.

Still holding tight to the young man's ponytail, Han Shu waved his other hand. "Get going. Stop fussing."

Cang Du seemed to realize there was no changing things now. He could only shout, "White-haired brat, don't damage my sword! Bring it back in perfect condition!"

Tianyang unfastened the blade Kaidi had given him from his back and tossed it to Cang Du. "Keep this for now. I'll come back to trade."

With Spring Water secured on his back, Tianyang started the motorcycle and rode past them. He switched to autopilot, letting the Electromagnetic Motorcycle carry him toward the Qin Residence.

Holding Tianyang's blade, Cang Du looked thoroughly disgusted. "Who wants your lousy scrap metal?"

P.S. Thanks to Haizi Summer, Xiang Lingyun, Apostle 831203, Reader 58755718 (brother, you could change your nickname), Clouds Rise over the Summit, Qin Yang's Dad, The Evening Breeze Is an Excuse for Dazzled Eyes, Mr. Shi, and all the other brothers who sent tips yesterday. Thank you so much! Yesterday was a real nail-biter, with the book bouncing back and forth between first and second on the new releases chart.

Thanks to all of you, we finally pulled ahead in the numbers. Thank you!