Chapter 6 - Unresolved doubt

"This is mine, but it was stolen!" Yan Meixiu quickly vouched for her side to not let the distrust grow any further.

"Really? Such an important thing went missing. Why didn't you report it?" Feng Liuxie retorted sarcastically.

"If I did...," she was stumped, whether to continue lying or admit the truth. "the emperor would surely condemn me. It was for the sake of our family!"

"Then, at least, you should have told father the truth. He could have done a secret search. Why didn't you?"

"The other maids and servants will find out."

"Finding out now and later what's the difference? It's just informing later is the same as inviting suspicion." She had no way to argue with that. "Well, saying that it's true, what about these guards that you gave commands over?" The last two witnesses dragged over was her secret guards. It was not known to the outside world, therefore, Yan Meixiu was confident at least this wouldn't get out.

"Why did you bring an unfamiliar face over? I don't even know them." She feigned ignorance.

How shameless. "Madam, you should know this more than anyone. I found them in the same morning this maid was found. Aren't I lucky? They were heading to a pharmacy to get some poisonous leaves. They were forced to obey you for you were the one who threatened them with their family. Now that their jobs are done, are you throwing them aside?" He wanted to see her guilt.

Feng Wuying joined the conversation, crushing the letter he reread countless times. "Holding their family hostages just because they refused your orders." He couldn't believe that such acts were being carried out just under his nose. The audience gaped in horror, with various reactions to this statement. Knowing that tide wasn't turning in her favor, she tried to defend herself.

"I can recognize your handwriting from miles away. Besides, I am a leader of a clan. For what reasons, does getting rid of you benefit me? It is too much of a risk to take." She collapsed, to her knees. Everything was ruined. Her plan to put her son in the highest position, her plan to kill the current heir and destroying her son's future.

Due to Feng Wuying's kindness at times, she forgot the fact that he was on the side of justice, not hers only. It was the end of her in this clan. "Take her away to prison. I will now banish her from the clan."

The disciples under Feng clan realized his intentions. If the Yan family won't stay still and mobilize forces, they will be dispatched.

[This is bad.]

It was quite rare for the system to not ask any questions. Maybe the creators weren't as scatterbrained as he originally thought. A system that can't assess the situation, only ask questions, provide benefits, is ideal for a human's greed to know no bounds. Why on earth...? His head ached from thinking too much.

Feng clan has several hundred thousand disciples, most are commoners while a select few are nobles with significant titles. The Feng clan has an official rule and a secret rule the patriarch himself sets when judging participants into children of corrupted nobles and the neutral nobles.

When giving off 'Wind' symbol badges to determine who is in which class, the colors determine the side: red is corrupt while blue is upright. Sure, since most of the prideful nobles had a red rank, the lower titles - bo, zi, nan - thought they were being discriminated against.

A few rare with significant titles had blue badges possibly thought the same: third imperial prince, Ren Liying; marquis's eldest daughter, Que Xirou; first general's fifth son, Tang Zhong; prime minister's youngest fourth daughter, Si Runie. He could name a few more.

[Seems like the knowledge was of help to you.]

Oh, it was plenty of use. When he played the Immortal in the Abyss game, these knowledge was useful because the protagonist killed anyone associated with the evil side. By the time, he slayed all, he himself had become a devil in the public's eyes.

The game's ending were all brutal, terrific, bad, not bad. What's hilarious is the fact that not bad ending was getting your head chopped off from your neck so cleanly. During those arduous days of continuous gaming, he actually wondered whether the game maker was a fled criminal whose blood thirst was more than the world can contain.

They went off topic. To get back on track, those powerful blue ones will definitely request their parents to put pressure on Yan's family. This wouldn't completely stop their blades, but it provides a momentary shield.

[Why did you make use of them now? Won't they be useless if they are weakened by the red faction?]

Idiot. The 'Yan' family is not famous for their military might nor do they have any benefits to bribe them. Do you really think they will take a risk to go up against the head clan who is currently at his strongest? It's the truth that they will lose more than they can get a bite of. They are aware of this, that's why they aren't making a move yet. Besides, helping the Yan family to topple a mere Feng clan is not worth it.

Though the Feng clan might be powerful in might, it has never participated in any of the noble's power struggles. Unless there were someone crazy enough to ignore this, and gamble on them, it would turn the tide immediately. Speaking of the devil, it reminded him of the rank SS villain that was inputted into the game just before he completed the ending. Just thinking of Gu Mingsheng infuriates him.

Seeing Yan Meixiu silent, led his mind to peace. The guards stopped before the head clan to take his permission to take her away. In front of him, she made a plea to Feng Wuying for the last time. "Please just my son. I implore you to not kill him."

"You are asking the wrong person."

She turned to Feng Liuxie. "Can you please spare him?"

"In the first place, I wasn't planning to drag eldest brother into this. You were the one who mentioned it." He hugged her, while he hissed spiteful words into her ears. "But, if my brother makes a move on me behind my back, I won't have a choice either. I won't be standing still, even if a weak guy attacks me with a dagger. I might send your son together with you there. Wait there."

Feng Wuying glared at him. "Your cynicism has grown."

"Thanks for the compliment."

"Gather at the martial arts training ground two days later. I have an important announcement."

"Yes, father." He replied in a neutral tone.

As Feng Wuying walked away, the madam's hired scapegoats, who didn't get the chance to intervene, broke away from the guards and thanked Feng Liuxie. They felt something being handed over to them, while they were shaking his hands. They understood his intent, therefore, they bowed in gratitude and left.

The MC to announce the final winner was damaged by the poison. He was already in the state of unconsciousness, treated carefully in one of the spacious rest rooms. Feng Liuxie gave out a short speech for the winner. "The winner is Yun Xialuo! Although I never submitted the conditions, let's cheer for the victory of our youngest!" The audience went along with the flow, enlivening the hall with roars and squeals. All of them were thinking the same as elder Deng was taken away.

He wanted to leave quick to his mansion. It was too much of a hassle to interact with people afterwards. Even in his previous life, he rarely interacted with anyone. Yet, he has talked with the protagonist more than his own parents. It was humorous yet pathetic - his previous self, who only knows to play games, complain about life and still powerless to change anything.

His moping was over by the time he arrived in his room. The servants serving him left for their individual duties. Making sure no one was nearby, he clicked the screen to receive the system's reward -15,000 coins - now the total amount of money he has is 142,000 coins. He slumped into his soft bed, slowly falling into deep sleep.

[Title 'Ruthless Snake' provides a buff ignoring the pain and in turn go beyond your body's limits for 15 minutes. The side effects are dizziness. Will you accept?]

He clicked 'Yes'.

System reverted from the rigid way of talking to exuding friendliness.

[So how much of it went along your plan?]

Almost all of it. You were watching what I was doing by my side the whole time, weren't you?

[I actually can't. The gods maintain a check on me once a week for 2 hours.]

Tell me next time, so that I ain't surprised you aren't coming to my rescue.

[Sure. I will tell you when I am away.]

By now, Feng Wuying must suspect his son as well, thus, I must use his suspicions well or else it will turn on me. Though that's a very low possibility.

[The eldest brother... would he be evil?]

Of course, unless he didn't inherit his mother's blood. I am very thankful to that this body and the abhorrent one aren't the same blood. We are destined to fight eventually. I have already seen my elder brother beside elder Deng. It seemed his mother ordered him to keep an eye on them.

[She is truly pitiful.]

What? Then she was right to abuse the servants whenever she's displeased, she gets to treat them as objects? If I don't prevent her now, her son will take over and destroy the sect. Despite not being his son, I still don't want to see something someone built painstaking destroyed so easily.

[Are you going to keep being an obstacle in their plans?]

Of course, I need to. Only then will they focus on dealing with me, not my father. He's not enough of a threat to them. I need him to trust me, at the same time, become stronger than a total of them combined right under their noses.

[That sounds like an obvious plan, however, what about the protagonist?]

I will never bring him into this family matter. No matter the protagonist or a common bystander, he's still a little kid. I am here to help him, not put him in danger. The shock of such gruesome affairs may even accelerate his retrieval of past memories by awakening his bloodthirsty nature. I want him to at least remember only after I had run far away from his grasps!

[Overcautious.]

You are just not careful enough. I am betting my second life here. I can't find even any entertainment before I complete missions for money to support myself.

[Gold digger...]

I am not. For the second present, I have decided, give me 1032 identity disguises. Feng Liuxie changed the subject, since he wanted to rest.

[Why that much? I know I told you it's free, but ...]

He ignored his plea, shutting him up with order. Get the identities from dead children I can imitate, ones that people can't recognize. No nobles. Maybe some foul lords, hopefully I can extort some money from their subjects. Rip off from them and then leave like a phantom. Leave the disguises in the wardrobe with labels. I need to know which is which so I can act the part.

[I will be busy searching for your present, so don't call me unless it is urgent.]

He noticed the system sounded annoyed, he snicked to the delight of that thought. A snap outside the room, possibly someone stepping on a twig, interrupted his thoughts to sleep. Despite the ruckus today, he was unsure if they sent any of those vexing vermin to harm him. Vermin didn't usually make such an amateur mistake. Just in case, he armed himself with a kitchen knife on his right, hidden behind the door. It was his dear junior who showed up.

He got rid of the kitchen knife into the system's inventory. "What's wrong to seek me so late? Can't you do it in the morning?" During the two months of training before the bout, he got himself familiar with the system. There was inventory, wardrobe, training room, store, and special events for more coins like the daily luck draw. It ranged from 500 coins to 4500 coins.

There was an awkward atmosphere between the two. They hadn't talked much before the bout mainly because Yun Xialuo was obviously nervous. He maintained a distance so that the protagonist could have some time to himself.

"Why didn't you talk to me?"

"Huh..?" Taken aback, it took a while to reply to him. "You mean before the match? You looked so nervous."

"You comforting me would have cured it." He pouted his lips, to obviously show his discontent. He sneaked back a glance at his senior, wondering whether it was actually showing. He was on his usual behavior, sulking or complaining at times, but in the end, he always manages to complete his goal.

"Come in. It's too cold outside, especially your clothes." He casually glimpsed at Yun Xialuo, blinded by his protagonist aura. His dark silhouette became more distinct, his face deep in thought would equally appeal to both men and women.

His long black hair shone dark purple, gliding along the wind. He wore a robe as raven black, embroidered with a crane at the bottom, on top of a white shirt underneath. Feng Liuxie wanted to complain it was unfair to be born with everything - talent, good looks, and physique. Even so, when comparing their lives, he wouldn't be able to bear 1/10th of burden the protagonist has carried.

The equivalent rule applies on every action a person takes. A general takes responsibility for every soldier that dies in his command, in return, he get to stay safely inside the camp. Talent attracts not only smooth survival but also envy, hatred, jealousy. People say grass is greener on the other side, but they should feel grateful to live a well and pleasant life without obstacles.