Kyoto South Expressway.
" Google Maps is navigating for you. There is a sharp turn in one kilometer. Please slow down. Your current speed is 200 kilometers per hour. You are speeding."
Great Tengu rode his Kawasaki H2, speeding along the ground. His brake lights illuminated, sweat beaded on his forehead, and he was slightly out of breath. "Brothers," he said, "I'm confident I can overtake Su Hang on the bend. What do you say to this?"
"Stop him directly using American-style interception." In the chat channel, Zashiki, always eager for chaos, chimed in. "Knock that guy over on the highway. Anyway, the young master said beforehand that if we can't capture Su Hang alive, killing him is fine too."
"Are you trying to kill the Liuli Priestess?"
Great Tengu was ranting in the chat channel, "She wasn't wearing a protective suit, not even a helmet. If the Su Hang crashes, she'll either be crippled and unconscious, or she'll die on the spot."
"His Highness's secret order just now."
A cold voice came through the communication channel, " The Liuli Xue Ji Maiden has completed her wedding ceremony with the Yousu Fox God. Since she cannot commit suicide by poison to go to the God Kingdom, then we, the Night Parade of a Hundred Demons, will escort her there."
"What?"
The Great Tengu's heart skipped a beat.
Yugong Youjing's unspoken message was crystal clear: kill Yugong Liuli!
"Does Lord Youjing want me to be his scapegoat?"
If the Liuli Shrine Maiden dies, he, as the indirect murderer, will inevitably be ruthlessly abandoned by Yugong Youjing, becoming a sacrifice to quell the anger of millions of Yousu Fox God followers.
" Great Tengu, this is your honor," Xue Ji said coldly. "If you don't repay His Highness's life-saving grace now, when will you?"
I hate being a scapegoat.
Great Tengu's face was extremely grim. He was a death row inmate with three lives on his hands. If it weren't for Yugong Youjing's intervention, he would have been executed long ago and wouldn't be alive today.
"What the hell are you still hesitating about?" Zashiki yelled. "Why aren't you overtaking us on the bend?"
"You don't need to remind me."
With a roar, the Great Tengu slammed on the brakes, a sharp, piercing sound erupting as he left behind dark tire tracks. He quickly shifted gears and entered the curve, lowering the car to its limit, his knees almost scraping the corner as he passed.
"We've successfully overtaken them on the curve!" Zashiki exclaimed excitedly. "Quick, ram Su Hang!"
The Great Tengu slammed on the gas, causing the car to veer off course and crash into the Emperor Hero.
Sudden!
Emperor Hero raised his left hand and clenched it into a fist.
Time seemed to stand still.
Why are you thinking about things from the past?
The Great Tengu's vision blurred for a moment, and memories buried for many years surged up uncontrollably. Because his red face and long nose resembled Pinocchio, no one believed what he said and thought he was a liar.
During high school, the homeroom teacher, who was addicted to gambling, embezzled and squandered class funds. However, after the incident was exposed, he was falsely accused of stealing class funds by the high school homeroom teacher and was sent to a juvenile detention center for correctional education by the police.
During his university years, when he was taking the fourth-dan kendo exam, the examiner openly demanded a bribe. He refused firmly, which angered the examiner, who then falsely accused him of bribery. As a result, he was sentenced to six months in prison, suspended.
During his working years, he refused to falsify company accounts and was falsely accused of embezzling public funds by the company president. He was immediately detained and awaited sentencing. Fortunately, his parents paid a huge bail, which allowed him to be released.
"I've always been law-abiding and law-abiding, yet I've been framed and made a scapegoat time and time again. The fault doesn't lie with me, it lies with the world. Since my life is ruined, I'll kill everyone who framed me!"
At that time, the Great Tengu was filled with hatred and completely turned to the dark side. He boarded a train and began his path of revenge. His first stop was a high school campus, where he killed the homeroom teacher who had falsely accused him of stealing class funds in front of the students in the classroom.
The second stop was a university campus, where, in front of many examinees, he killed the examiner who had previously framed him for bribery.
The third stop was his workplace, where, in front of all the employees, he killed the company president who had framed him for embezzling company funds.
Having killed three people in a single day, filled with tension, anticipation, and excitement, his bloodlust was fully awakened. He continued his journey north by train, for there were still many people who had framed him and were waiting for him to kill them.
until--
"Have you been having some worries lately?"
A message popped up from Captain Imperial Emperor's QQ.
"I killed someone."
Great Tengu suppressed his bloodlust, thinking the other party wouldn't believe him, but unexpectedly received a reply from Captain Imperial Emperor: "Let's talk about it in the game."
It was a 1v1 solo match. The Imperial Emperor was using Dharma, while he was using the test hero [ Iori Yagami ] from the test server.
At that time, I had only known Imperial Emperor for a short time. Although I had made a name for myself in the Imperial Crown Team with my outstanding gaming skills, I had not yet become a core member of Imperial Crown, so I did not have much interaction with Imperial Emperor.
Imperial Emperor ( Dharma ): "Tell me about the motive, the process, the psychology behind the murder... I'm quite interested."
Driven by a desire to show off, Great Tengu confessed everything, "I killed the person who framed me with a knife. It feels so good to have avenged myself!"
"Murder is wrong."
Upon seeing the Imperial Emperor's reply, the Great Tengu's anger surged, but it vanished in an instant.
"But if I were you, I would do the same."
"But is it worth spending the rest of your life on such awful people?"
The Great Tengu's rage reignited. He manipulated Iori Yagami to launch a frenzied attack on Imperial Emperor Dharma, venting his fury. "What do you know? I killed three people, that's a capital offense. I have no future."
Imperial Emperor Dharma easily dodged, "Although I don't know where you're from or how old you are, I've read in criminal law that if someone surrenders themselves to the police, and the victim is also at fault, the judge will consider giving a lighter sentence!"
"At least you won't be sentenced to death; you'll most likely get life imprisonment. If you behave well in prison and get a reduced sentence, you'll actually only serve twenty or thirty years."
"How could there be no second half of life?"
With bloodshot eyes, Great Tengu controlled Iori Yagami to relentlessly attack Imperial Emperor Dharma. "I suffered in prison, while those who framed me enjoyed themselves outside! I'm not reconciled!"
"Then leave it to me." Imperial Emperor Dharma turned his head away. "Later, you'll draw up a list of people who framed you, and I'll hire a private investigator to secretly investigate and gather evidence."
"Ten years, I'll personally send them to prison and make sure they're severely punished by law. How about that?"
The Great Tengu, controlling Iori Yagami, paused, "Why... why are you helping me?"
"I need a dog, a dog that will be loyal to me. I've been secretly observing you for a long time, and I feel you're a good fit in every way."
Imperial Emperor Dharma began spinning in place. "If you agree, from today onwards, you will be a core member of our Imperial Crown Xu Dog. If anyone falsely accuses you, tell me, and I will help you get revenge. How about it?"
The bloodlust within him gradually subsided. Great Tengu, controlling Iori Yagami, stood before Imperial Emperor Dharma, saying, "Fine, you avenge me. For the rest of my life, I'll be your scapegoat."
"Then it's settled, Xu Dog!" Imperial Emperor Dharma flashed forward, punching the Great Tengu Iori Yagami against the wall. "For the rest of your life, you can only be a scapegoat for one person, and that is me— the Imperial Emperor!"
He later turned himself in to the police, and was later rescued by Yugong Youjing. Iori Yagami from the test server was never released on the official server, and was forgotten by players over time, as if this hero had never existed.
But only Great Tengu knew that Iori Yagami had once existed, only to be killed by Imperial Emperor Dharma in the test server with a single punch.
"For the rest of my life, I can only be a scapegoat for one person, and that is the one I am loyal to— Captain of the Imperial Crown of the Imperial Emperor!"
Emperor Hero's massive fist came hurtling down, shattering the Great Tengu's helmet and striking his right cheek. The powerful force of the punch caused the Great Tengu's Kawasaki H2 motorcycle to sway violently.
"Holy crap? I have to get out of here!"
The Great Tengu suddenly pressed the emergency escape device and was instantly thrown out. The Kawasaki H2 crashed uncontrollably into the highway guardrail and exploded.
The Great Tengu rolled quite a distance before stopping. Fortunately, he was wearing a racing suit and wasn't injured, only spitting out a bloody back tooth. "Damn! That punch really hit me hard, it knocked my head off."
The Zashiki, Xue Ji, and Night Parade of a Hundred Demons sped past.
"Reporting to the Great Tengu."
The command center's voice came through the communication channel.
"The plan to ram the Su Hang has failed." Great Tengu, enduring the sharp pain in his cheek, pressed his earpiece to report, "The vehicle has exploded, and the driver sustained minor injuries. He is unable to continue the pursuit and we request medical assistance."
"Medical support is on its way. Please stay put and wait patiently."
"Receive."
The Great Tengu staggered to his feet, gazing into the distance. "If it weren't for Su Hang's punch, I would have definitely been the scapegoat. To be honest, that punch felt strangely familiar, like I'd been hit by it years ago."