IWYTBW - Chapter 41

Chapter 41

Destiny is Determined by Heaven, Luck is Determined by Man.

It wasn’t Luo Ruileo’s first visit to the Rong estate.

His first time here was as a newly appointed assistant to Rong Qing, delivering an urgent document. That night, a lavish banquet was in full swing in the magnificent manor. He was astonished by the opulence and extravagance, and at the same time, he noticed a boy in the corner, with eyes like a wolf, a dark, brooding green, always seeming to gaze at everything with a hungry stare.

The second time he came was with a team of lawyers to handle the transfer of duties for Rong Qing’s youngest son. Two years had passed, and the once taciturn youth had displayed astonishing talent in both physique and Mental Power. Instead of finishing university in the capital, he chose to study abroad, traveling across various galaxies. Rong Qing encouraged this, deeply concerned that this robust illegitimate son might affect his eldest son’s inheritance.

The third visit coincided with another all-night revelry at the manor, this time to celebrate Rong Hongxue’s glorious second-place victory in the Interstellar Heroes’ Tournament. His mecha, Great Dark Sky, had also become renowned throughout the stars, overshadowing even the champion of that year, Saint Quadrivirtue. Everyone said he should have been first.

The fourth, fifth... By the seventh visit, Luo Ruileo had become Rong Hongxue’s hidden lieutenant.

He witnessed the changes in the Rong family, the gradual loss of power, the death of his former employer at the hands of his own kin, and the swift demise of the eldest son he had favored. The other illegitimate children either left or dispersed, and only one remained, seizing the scepter and sweeping away immense wealth with overwhelming force.

Rong Hongxue—it was said that his mother had given him this name. It was hard to say what thoughts she had when naming him, but he was neither like a soaring goose nor falling snow. He bore no resemblance to anything light or elegant. He was blood and fire, born to destroy and possess.

Luo Ruileo had never seen him retreat or yield. Even in his youth, he liked to challenge opponents stronger than himself, as if he had no bones, only an indomitable spirit that grew stronger when faced with greater strength, determined to shatter everything taller and mightier than himself.

This man was undoubtedly dangerous, Luo Ruileo thought quietly.

So, when he abandoned the fleet and jumped back to the capital ahead of schedule, he should have been having dinner, but he was still sitting in the first-floor living room. Who was he waiting for?

A business partner? A court minister? Or…

A figure slowly appeared at the end of the corridor.

Luo Ruileo, a powerhouse with A+ Mental Power himself, hadn’t even noticed the arrival of this person. Ai Ling, sitting nearby, brightened. “Yi Zhen!”

Yi Zhen stopped, not bothering to greet Ai Ling. He looked at Rong Hongxue sitting on the sofa and, in the peaceful silence, said:

“—There should be a limit to your idiocy, big brother!”

Luo Ruileo: “!!!”

He was a reserved person, not one for gossip, but he had heard a lot about Yi Zhen from Yista. Because he dared to go head-to-head with Rong Hongxue for seven or eight rounds without losing ground, they called him the “Venus Flytrap,” meaning “seemingly beautiful, but will actually bite you to death.”

The ghost butterfly Anji admired him greatly. “The task of overthrowing the exploiting capitalists is entrusted to Mr. Yi!” he had said, tears of emotion in his eyes.

Their colleagues secretly shared Yi Zhen’s battle videos from the preliminaries. Many battle maniacs in the fleet chose to simulate battles with him in a holographic environment, and even they had to admit, “This kid has some skills.”

Luo Ruileo knew he was the superior’s lover, and he knew his temperament had changed drastically... But he didn’t know it had become this extreme!

How would Rong Hongxue deal with this audacious... Wait, why are you smiling? Why do you look so happy after being called an idiot?

“Isn’t the bus spacious and comfortable?” Rong Hongxue’s voice sounded genuinely puzzled. “I thought you’d like it.”

“I’d also like to see you die, so why don’t you go die?” Yi Zhen retorted. “If I wanted to take the bus, wouldn’t I go to the station myself? Why do you have to meddle?”

Just thinking about it made him want to break down. Rong Hongxue knew he had a soft spot for the old, weak, sick, and disabled, so he sent a driver with a metal brace on his left leg. The moment Yi Zhen tried to run, the driver hobbled out, beaming, thanking him for his patronage, saying this trip would allow him to buy better clothes and food for his children, thank you so much, Mr. Yi!

Yi Zhen was speechless. He could have easily masked his presence, crouched down, and vanished into the crowd. With the darkening sky, no one would have noticed him. But would that have been useful? Could he have lived with himself?

He could only lower his head in silence and get on the bus with the driver... And they actually passed a bus stop along the way! Someone tried to board, and the driver, with a serious face, opened the door and said, “Sorry, this is a private vehicle.”

This was practically performance art.

Yi Zhen pursed his lips, closed his eyes, and pretended to sleep on the bus, minimizing his presence... Never had he been more grateful to be an assassin than at this moment.

Rong Hongxue smiled. “It’s late. Aren’t you hungry? It’s time for dinner.”

Before the word “dinner” was fully out, a cold glint flashed!

Yi Zhen’s pupils contracted. Ever since he had been in the same room as Rong Hongxue, the internal energy stored in his dantian had been circulating throughout his limbs, and the Jade Alchemy of the Eastern Sea had been flowing ceaselessly. He was aware of even the slightest breeze, even the movement of a single strand of a servant’s hair.

Even so, he couldn’t clearly see Rong Hongxue’s four movements—reaching out, raising his hand, throwing, and retracting his hand. Only a bolt of silver lightning shot towards his skull!

Without time to think, Yi Zhen brought his palms together, thumbs pressed together, as if swatting an annoying mosquito. He clapped his hands together just in front of his nose, producing a thunderous clap.

The force of the blow pushed his bangs back. Yi Zhen’s palms burned, not just from the physical impact, but from the force Rong Hongxue had imbued into his projectile. To stop it, Yi Zhen had to use his own force. The combined forces made his hand bones vibrate.

If this was a mosquito, it was the most ferocious, most difficult to swat mosquito in the world.

Yi Zhen had caught the “hidden weapon,” but he couldn’t immediately dispel the force within it. It was like a living thing, or a drill in motion, spinning wildly in Yi Zhen’s palm. He couldn’t let go. He had caught it too late, and his hand was right in front of his forehead. If he released it now, it would surely pierce his skull.

He could only retreat, rapidly backing up, using the momentum to dissipate its forward force.

His back hit the cold, hard wall, and the thing in his hand finally stopped.

His palms felt like they were on fire. Without the Jade Alchemy of the Eastern Sea, they would surely be charred black.

He slowly lowered his hands, thumbs gradually separating.

It was a pair of chopsticks.

No one used chopsticks as hidden weapons.

A hidden weapon had to meet three criteria: small, light, and concealed. Chopsticks might be concealed, but they were neither small nor light. If you were going to use chopsticks to attack someone, why not just use Emei Piercers?A type of chinese martial art weapon, looks like two metal rods with sharp ends

Applause rang out. Rong Hongxue praised, “To take a hit from me and still retreat unscathed. Xiao Zhen, you are truly remarkable.”

Yi Zhen stared at the chopsticks. Rong Hongxue was wealthy, and the Rong family had accumulated wealth for generations. Everything they ate with and used was naturally of the highest quality. Even a pair of chopsticks was made of pure silver inlaid with white crystal. Up close, the heads of the chopsticks were carved with blooming irises, their leaves distinct and lifelike.

Yi Zhen raised his gaze. “Hey.”

Rong Hongxue raised an eyebrow. “Hm?”

Suddenly, dozens of streaks of light erupted in the room!

It was like a blizzard, or like scattering many tiny mirrors, reflecting the bright lights everywhere, filling the room with a blinding white.

These lights shot out at different times, of different lengths, soaring towards Rong Hongxue’s seat from all directions. Three went straight for his forehead, chest, and lower abdomen. Five on the left, five on the right, blocking any escape routes. The rest curved in mid-air, aiming for his back.

From Yi Zhen’s hands as the origin, it was as if a beautiful, deadly flower had bloomed. In an instant, Rong Hongxue was submerged in these fragmented points of light.

Yi Zhen said coldly, “You want to play this game with me? I’ll play you to death!”

A slight whoosh sounded in the air. Rong Hongxue’s left hand flicked three times, catching the three projectiles heading straight for him. His right middle finger and thumb flicked five times, instantly knocking down the five coming from the right.

His hands moved simultaneously. Having dealt with the attacks from the front and right, he had already moved to the right side of the chair. He then shot out the three projectiles he had caught earlier, colliding with the streaks of light coming from the left, and caught the remaining two. Meanwhile, the hidden weapons that should have shattered his skull were embedded “thud, thud, thud” into the table in front of the chair, turning the white surface into a chaotic chessboard.

In the blink of an eye, Rong Hongxue had done all this. He carefully examined the two objects in his hand and couldn’t help but chuckle.

Shards of silver and crystal. Yi Zhen had shattered the chopsticks and returned them to him, not a piece missing.

“Alright,” he said with a smile. “I was just showing off in front of an expert.”

Yi Zhen rubbed his hands, too lazy to speak to him.

“Xiao Zhen,” Rong Hongxue suddenly called him seriously. “The arena of the Heroes’ Tournament is this kind of place. Are you sure you’re ready?”

Yi Zhen stopped and looked at him.

“The person you’re chatting and laughing with one moment might suddenly draw their weapon the next. On an isolated planet, everyone is racking their brains, thinking about how to lower others’ guard, how to eliminate the most people with the least effort.” He stood before Yi Zhen, gently taking his hand, placing a piece of silver and a piece of crystal into his palm. “Just like I did just now.”

Yi Zhen looked into his eyes, each reflecting the other’s pupils.

“And you were on guard against me. From the moment you stepped in, your domain was open, completely encompassing me. Yes, I know.” Rong Hongxue tilted his head, closing Yi Zhen’s fingers one by one. “Even so, you almost couldn’t defend yourself. What about others?”

Yi Zhen frowned. “Because it was you who attacked.”

Rong Hongxue smiled. “Do you think I used my full strength just now?”

“Don’t underestimate this battle,” Rong Hongxue sighed, as if genuinely feeling sorry for him. “In a one-on-one fight, you’re very strong. But in a group battle, you lose your advantage.”

Yi Zhen’s heart trembled. Rong Hongxue’s words had indeed struck a nerve, leaving him unable to refute.

“What do you want to do?”

The man leaned in slightly, his lips almost touching Yi Zhen’s forehead, his voice low and heavy, like a whisper, or like he was talking to himself.

“Xiao Zhen, I know what you want, what you want to do. Our goals should be aligned. Since that’s the case, why not let me help you? I can be your support. I will support you until both of us achieve our dreams...”

Yi Zhen raised his head, his forehead seemingly brushing against something soft. He didn’t dwell on it, staring at Rong Hongxue, asking in a deep voice, “What have you guessed?”

Rong Hongxue looked at him blankly for a moment, then smiled. “I can’t tell you yet. Your strength is far from the point where I can be honest with you.”

“You mean you want to teach me, be my teacher?” Yi Zhen asked.

“That’s right.”

“What do you want to teach me?”

“Physical techniques, Mental Power control, weapon knowledge, mecha types... Everything you can think of,” Rong Hongxue said. “In these ten or so days, I won’t say I’ll teach you everything, but if you want to learn, it’s no problem.”

Yi Zhen fell into thought.

“Don’t hesitate, Xiao Zhen. It’s also beneficial for me if you become stronger,” Rong Hongxue said with a smile. “You hate me, I look down on you, but at this stage, let’s use each other.”

“What do you think?”

Yi Zhen said decisively, “Deal.”

Weighing the pros and cons, putting aside their grievances, having a pilot with double-S physique and Mental Power as a free teacher was indeed something Yi Zhen couldn’t ask for more at this moment.

Also, Yi Zhen was very curious to know how strong Rong Hongxue actually was, aside from his skills in bed, which were shown in the book in all angles and directions.

Rong Hongxue laughed and said, “I like people who are straightforward and do business with me.”

Yi Zhen said, “Like is like, but you should let go now.”

Rong Hongxue slowly released his grip on Yi Zhen’s hand, smiling casually. “Aren’t you hungry? I’m hungry. I had them make meat soup. A hot bowl will be good for you.”

He was looking at Yi Zhen, but it was as if he wasn’t entirely looking at him, more like observing something through the shell of the person in front of him.

Yi Zhen was noncommittal. Rong Hongxue didn’t question him about Gaia, nor did he interrogate him about his change in personality or physical breakthrough, as he had said he would. Combined with what he had said to Gaia and his words just now, Yi Zhen actually believed a little of what Tai’a had said, that Rong Hongxue had indeed discovered some of the truth.

Ai Ling silently watched the whole thing, putting down her teacup. Luo Ruileo, who had never seen anything like this before, was speechless. The old butler and the servants in the room were also stunned.

What kind of strange plot development was this? Why were the conflict and reconciliation like lightning, swift and winding, bizarre and strange?

It started with a shocking “You’re an idiot” and ended with a heartwarming “Have some hot soup.” In between, there was a life-and-death exchange, a conversation full of undercurrents. The two of them were like a drama on 10x fast forward, at each other’s throats one moment, and heading to the dining room together the next!

You two are really something. I’m impressed.

Yi Zhen liked to chat while eating, not adhering to any rules about not talking during meals or sleep. But tonight, besides Ai Ling, Rong Hongxue was also sitting at the table. So he didn’t say a word, quickly finished his dinner, and headed to the training room.

Rong Hongxue put down his utensils, watching his figure disappear around the corner of the corridor, his eyes dark and unreadable.

[Player, the male lead’s priority is higher than the system courses. He has offered to teach you. Should the system courses be temporarily suspended?] Tai’a asked.

“Let’s talk about it tomorrow,” Yi Zhen said. “Too much has happened these past few days. I need a break.”

[Okay, Player.]

The door opened. Yi Zhen stood at the entrance, suddenly covering his forehead, and quickly closed the door, sealing the training room tightly.

No matter how expensive the variety, they were just ordinary flowers. The Moon Dew Rose that the Three-Smile Butterfly had been nesting in had completely rotted, so it had set its sights on the Bone-Eroding Spirit Scorpion’s nest. The two little creatures, completely disregarding Yi Zhen’s instructions before he left, had been fighting for who knows how long. The room was filled with the stench of scorpion venom and a thick, lingering cold fragrance.

If this smell were to leak out, it would be too little to poison three or four, but seven or eight would be more than enough.

“Heavens, what sins have I committed...”

[I believe this is a common family situation in the Earth era, namely, widowed parenting.] Tai’a suddenly said. [According to the data I have recorded, the most suitable solution at present is to call the husband in to clean up. It is actually very difficult for a single mother to raise two children in their hormonal adolescence.]

Yi Zhen: “............”

Heavens, what sins have I committed!?

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