Suotuo City Turmoil (Part 3)

After a couple of minutes or so, a slight change happened to the dark street. Some platinum aura escaped here and there and the scenery changed. The part that differed was the corpse of Ma Hongjun which disappeared in a flash of elusive light and four people suddenly stepped out of the shadow.

The dark veil broke, gathering on the black ring of the person with a mask, standing by the side of the young man in platinum-black battle robes with a hood on.

"That bitch!" - cursed a plump guy in a crimson jacket.

"That slut!" - nodded the boy with a frivolous look. - "But she was kinda hot, don't ya think?" - he asked in a silly voice.

"Oh, really? She was hot before or after cutting off my head, eh, Aaron?" - raged the chicken to no end.

"Oh, come on, bro Jun, don't mule over insignificant details. Her legs are awesome! Long and curvy. And that ass... man..." - Aaron gave him a look of utter pervert.

"Sovereign... are they really worth the trouble?" - asked Sixth in a hushed tone so no one except him and Aiden can hear. The latter sighed in exasperated feelings.

"They are talented. Having even one of them is a good addition to Dragon Fang. But ultimately, it is up to them to decide."

"Hongjun, Aaron. We need to talk. It is great that you think nothing about her trying to kill you. I sincerely commend you on your unrivaled courage." - Aiden said with underlying sarcasm in the voice. - "But let's turn on our heads and be serious for a change, shall we?"

"I... I just wanted to lighten the mood." - Aaron scratched his head of short dark hair and seeing the unimpressed look of both of his senior brothers, closed his mouth.

"Aiden. Can you explain what happened just now?"

"Illusory Order. This is the power of my fifth ring. It can be used on an area or a single target and creates a realistic illusion that influenced the world on the law level. Of course, it is all fake, but it is very hard to see through unless you have very special means."

Aiden unleashed five black rings, making the duo gasp in shock, but then they changed color in two yellow, two purple and one black. The optimal distribution.

"This... okay, I got it, you're the man." - said Aaron giving Aiden thumbs up, receiving a glare from the later and again shutting his mouth up.

He unleashed the rings deliberately to have an edge in further negotiations he is about to make with the duo.

"Hongjun, Aaron, you guys have three choices here." - he said while leaning on the wall with a lazy attitude.

"First, you go back to others now. In that case, Sixth will clean up the woman. Yes, by clean up I mean he will kill her as soon as possible. She is a dangerous individual and a traitor of humanity. And she enjoys her power. Don't look at her beauty, Aaron. The girl is a deadly enemy with no heart whatsoever. So, if you go back, she must die tonight to evade causing problems for others and endangering their lives." - said Aiden looking straight at their eyes.

Hongjun wasn't actually as shocked or opposed to the idea as Aiden expected him to be. Looks like behind the facade of a perverted airhead lies a sufficiently ruthless heart that knows where his stand is. That raised his impression of the young man higher.

Aaron looked the same, but he simply didn't care that much. Lust is lust. Fucking some girls and drinking wine is one thing and serious matters about life and death are another. They have no gender, only the distinction between threat and no threat.

Aiden hummed, knowing that both are the good raw material for battle masters.

"Second, you escape Suotuo City for the time being, until I clean up the ones who wanted to harm us. After that, you will be escorted back and reunite with everyone. Hongjun, I will create a copy of your body and leave it here, so everyone will think you are dead for the time being if you choose this route. If you ask me, it is more convenient that way. I will have more time to prepare a plan."

"And the third?" - asked Aaron. His face was very thoughtful right now. He seems to be mulling over something with serious thought.

"Third choice is leaving Shrek for good." - said Aiden and looked straight at them with a very serious gaze. - "And joining my Dragon Fang as one of the Numbers. Make your choice."

The duo looked at each other for a moment and spoke in unison.

* * *

An hour later. Deep night. Some random street stall. Aiden.

"Sixth, thank you for today. Take this. It will help your spirit and soul to strengthen." - he passed him a bundle of special tea. The one everyone in Shrek drinks on a daily basis.

Sixth received it respectfully and disappeared in the shadow on the street, concluding the event.

Aiden looked at the distant night sky and sighed.

He suddenly had a mood for a drink. He found an unremarkable street stall and occupied a distant corner among the little number of simple tables they have.

"Owner, I have mine." - he threw a gold coin and an old man with a kind smile took it, nodding.

"If you need anything, just ask, young man."

Aiden poured himself wine that he got from Aaron. Unlike Oscar, Aaron was a real fanatic wine brewer and had outstanding wines created. Aiden scanned them through the rings and could enhance them further, but creation took a large variety of herbs, albeit not costly ones, but he only could brew three different kinds out of three dozens recorded. Some of the researched wine turned out thoroughly changed and reached such a lofty rank, that even Titled Douluos will cry at the price even if there is a possibility to buy ingredients through money.

One cup, lingering taste, and loneliness that went away when a girl came up to him.

"Mind sharing with me?" - she said in light but the cold tone, albeit there wasn't anything rude in it, it is just that Zhuqing was that type of woman keeping most thoughts to herself and regarding words as gold.

"Sure, take a seat." - Aiden was glad to have someone to drink with.

They drank a couple of cups and grew tipsy.

"Senior Brother Aiden, why is it so hard for a man to be loyal?" - she suddenly asked. Zhuqing wanted to talk to someone about Mubai. She ran through all people and the one found to be the most suitable was Aiden. Perverted Trio? Not even funny. Tang San? He is a blockhead in relationships. She didn't know others that well, and Aiden seemed to be the most reliable.

"It is not hard, it depends on a person." - he answered.

"Then Mubai, he didn't care about me?" - Zhuqing emptied another cup and placed it with a loud sound on the table. One could see how depressed she was.

"No, on the contrary actually, it is just that he made a mistake. You see, Zhuqing, some people drink when they feel down," - he lifted his cup with a wry smile. - "Some fight without purpose, kill with no remorse or gamble... and some release all that having a woman... or a man. It is just a way for him to cope with things. Believe me, I bet he didn't even remember the girl and barely felt anything. Perhaps it only made him more depressed."

'Or, perhaps, he is a horny slut of a man, but let's omit this little thought of mine. Ah, all for the bros.'

"But why? Can't he just not do it? And if I do it?" - Zhuqing asked, getting drunk.

"It is hard to explain in words but staying single is harmful to a man's body. Still, it is all trivia in front of a spirit master." - Aiden said with another cup going in. - "But regarding him, it is significantly more complicated."

There was a time when Aiden felt Mubai is an idiot and too irresponsible, but after one occasion when he got drunk and poured his heart out he no longer saw him like that. Actually, he is very hurt by his own family and afraid to make a mistake of making another. He became distrustful and cautious about close people who knew his actual identity.

He was here, in Shrek, mainly to find alternative life and a new family. And when Zhu Zhuqing appeared he sensed a threat to the current lifestyle and became very tense. Maybe he is an idiot... no, he surely is one to cope with things through sex with random whores.

"Aiden, do it with me."

"Are you insane?" - Aiden spilled wine on the table and looked at her incredulously. - "Do you even realize what you are asking me to do?"

"What so great about it?" - she bit her lips and tears went down her cheeks.

'I thought it was just a quarrel they will get over, but Mubai has done it this time. He really hurt her severely to the point she is willing to sleep with other men for revenge. What would have happened if she went to find a random guy? With her looks, no one will let go of such a chance in their lives.'

"Zhuqing, stop it." - Aiden stood up and went to her side, standing on one knee in front of her and looking at her mesmerizing eyes full of tears. - "You shouldn't do it that way. I was serious when I said he loves you. He is just an idiot who does not understand what to do. Alright... there is a way to give him some peace of mind."

Actually it was strange because Aiden remembered that Mubai in the novel stopped seeing women when Zhuqing arrived.

After ten minutes they went together to love the hotel but made sure that some of Shrek noticed it.

The next morning, when Zhuqing and Aiden were leaving the room, they find everyone standing there with flabbergasted looks. He ran through the people in the hall and locked his gaze with Bing'er inadvertently. One thing he was sure of, he never wanted to see her with this kind of expression on her face.

It is strange that her eyes with hurt feelings inside were even bothering him to this extent.

As for Bing'er... she let her emotions get the best of her. But deep inside, she believed that it is not what it seemed to be.

'Just... let him explain... just wait... don't cry...'

Perhaps even Aiden never would have imagined how hard it was for Bing'er not to cry on the spot.

"You better have a good explanation for this." - Mubai was at the front and stared at the duo with an astonished, pained, and pale face. His fists were clenched together and spirit already unleashed because of severe agitation. He felt like his entire world was shattering and heart bleeding so much that it was hard to breathe.

"Explain?" - Aiden said in a mocking tone while smiling. - "Do you want it in all the details?"

"What does it have to do with you?" - Zhuqing butted in and said coldly. - "Go, you have your own women to take care of."

"You... you... treacherous couple... you..." - Mubai felt light on his feet and could barely stand.

"Aiden, what is the meaning of this?" - Tang San supported Mubai and looked at the former inquisitively, only receiving a wink and finally understanding everything, he relaxed a bit. He can't agree more, Mubai really needs a wake-up call.

When Bing'er, who paid close attention to Aiden saw him wink it was like a colossal weight was lifted from her heart and she came to the same conclusion as Tang San. And also, she finally figured out her own genuine feelings for Aiden. Hers, not the memory of another girl inside.

She admitted that even without Na'er she would have fallen in love with him, eventually.

"I WILL KILL YOU!!!!" - suddenly Mubai activated all his skills and dashed at Aiden before anyone could even react.

His dash was stopped with a hand, squeezing fist tightly. Aiden unleashed his spirit as well and with one quick strike to the gut sent Mubai flying through the corridor. With a loud crash, he left a web of cracks on the wall and slid down.

"It hurts, right?" - asked Aiden with a calm voice. - "Then grow up, now you know how she felt every time you go sleep with all those whores you buy with money."

"What's the use now!?" - he screamed.

"Oh, so you are saying she no longer needed after losing virginity? Is your love that cheap? And if she was forced and raped somewhere by, say, Titled Douluo with no way to resist, will you leave her too?" - Aiden really was enraged now. - "Don't piss me off, Mubai, or I really don't mind giving you a beating of your life for real!"

"It is not the same! She did it with you out of all people and voluntarily at that!" - Mubai had tears in his eyes.

"Well, I think you saw it, right?" - Aiden turned to Zhuqing. - "I told you he is an idiot who loves you but does not understand what to do. It is enough, right?"

"Yes." - she said in a small voice.

"Tang San, for insurance, check her pulse please." - the latter nodded.

"She is a virgin." - he said with no surprise. He guessed as much.

"I'm leaving, the rest is in your hands." - Aiden waved and went out, followed by everyone else, hearing Mubai pained voice pleading for forgiveness.

"Oh, where are Aaron and Hongjun?" - voice Tang San a question everyone was interested in.