Tang Fei sized up the square-faced man in front of him and asked, "Who are you?"
"Lu Zhiyong," the man replied.
He was also sizing up Tang Fei, pondering the relationship between this young man and his elder brother.
Because of his brother, he had been keeping an eye on Tang Fei’s activities recently.
It must be said that some people are just shrouded in fortune, chosen by heaven.
An ordinary Wasteland youth had unexpectedly found the pursued Empire Princess and, by a stroke of luck, saved her life.
After arriving in New Star, his life seemed to have cheated fate, taking over the Yan family business, defeating Shen Qingping across the border, entering the Imperial First Military Academy, recently making a splash at the Princess’s coming-of-age banquet, besting one of the Seven Stars Qin Jianyi, and becoming the rumored lover of Finance Minister’s daughter Sheng Xinhua...
Was there a more thrilling and exciting life?
Compared to those naturally gifted nobility, his trajectory seemed hardly worth mentioning.
"Also surnamed Lu..." Tang Fei laughed and said, "What is your relationship to Lu Yu and Lu Siyu?"
"I am Lu Siyu’s second uncle."
"I don’t know who you are talking about."
"Heh..." Tang Fei squinted his eyes and chuckled, "Let him come out. I’ve chased him all the way here. It’s unacceptable for him not to give me an explanation."
"I really don’t know who he is." Lu Zhiyong said solemnly.
Tang Fei stared into Lu Zhiyong’s eyes and asked, "You are a soldier, right?"
"Huh?" Lu Zhiyong stared back at Tang Fei and asked, "How do you know?"
"We’ve met before." Tang Fei said. "When the Undying Army went to the Old Land to pick up Princess Xiu Xue, I saw you..."
Lu Zhiyong stared at Tang Fei in astonishment, wondering how among so many people at the scene, merely following behind General Bai Qi down from the Star Disc, without any direct interaction, he had remembered him?
Was this young man’s memory a bit too terrifyingly good?
Besides, back then, shouldn’t you have been focusing on the flashy Star Disc, the imposing General, and the shocking revelation of the Princess’s identity instead of me?
"Look, we’ve met again," Tang Fei said with a smile. "You must have noticed the old man at that time and secretly contacted him to bring him back, right?"
"I’ve told you, I don’t know the person you’re talking about..." Lu Zhiyong said angrily.
This guy refused to believe him, even though he had repeatedly stated he didn’t know the man, yet it didn’t seem to matter at all to Tang Fei, who kept talking to himself.
It felt like he had made a joke that was completely ignored.
Also, it was infuriating; he had accurately guessed the true story...
"Did he commit a crime? A murderer? Or some other unforgivable wrongdoing?" Tang Fei kept his eyes unwaveringly on Lu Zhiyong’s expressions, trying to discern any clues, "Given the Gongshu family’s influence, ordinary affairs wouldn’t hurt you, nor force him to hide in the Wasteland for years... So, there’s only one possibility, a political prisoner? Only a political blunder could endanger the safety and status of people like you."
"I don’t know what you’re talking about... The Gongshu family is loyal to the Empire, loyal to the Royal Family. Nothing of the sort you mentioned has ever happened."
Tang Fei just grinned and said to Lu Zhiyong, "You know? You’re not good at lying... A good liar wouldn’t add that last line; it only makes you seem guilty... I guessed right; he is a political prisoner."
"The old man is something else," Little Fatty mused. "I always thought he impregnated some bigshot’s daughter and was chased out to the New Star... Turns out, he’s a political fugitive. What’s the matter? Is he dissatisfied with the Royal Family? Or does he have a grudge against Zhong Daolong?"
"..." Lu Zhiyong dared not speak anymore.
He feared that he might inadvertently reveal more than he should.
"Let him come out," Tang Fei said. "I won’t leave without seeing him."
"Not going to leave?" Lu Zhiyong sneered. "I spared your life out of respect for Si Yu..."
"Do you know if those Mechanical Rats had not been dealt with in time, they would have torn you to pieces? And those Mechanical Bees are expert killers, capable of spraying dozens of toxins from their mouths... Want to die? I can oblige."
"There’s plenty of space in Lu Ban Mountain to bury a few bodies..."
"You lied again," Tang Fei gazed at Lu Zhiyong and said. "Knowing Si Yu’s character, if she wanted to spare me, she would have come herself, not sent you..."
"You came to see me unaware of Si Yu, didn’t you? And the moment I called Lu Yu’s name, you couldn’t wait to step forward... You all don’t want him publicly exposed, not even to your own family members, right?"
Despair took hold of Lu Zhiyong.
What kind of disciple had his elder brother trained? How could he have a comeback for every line?
He was sure he had thought through everything and spoken flawlessly...
Closing his eyes, Tang Fei said, "I believe you all could easily kill me and I’m aware people can be discreetly buried here in Lu Ban Mountain... This life was given by him, and if he wants to take it back, I have no complaints..."
"I always knew Zhiyong was no match for you," said a voice that was both familiar and sleazily toned. "You cheeky kid, getting craftier."
"Big brother..." Lu Zhiyong was flushed with shame.
To think he couldn’t handle such a simple task, he truly let his brother down.
Opening his eyes, Tang Fei looked directly into the thin and rat-like smiling face before him and threw a punch.
The old man staggered back, pleading, "Not the face... can’t hit the face... I make my living off this handsome face, ruining it means I can’t trick the ladies anymore..."
"Old man, why did you leave without a word? Do you have any idea how worried Little Fatty and I were?"
"Do you know how many times Little Fatty has secretly cried? Do you know how worried we were..."
"Why didn’t you come back to New Star with us? Why didn’t you contact us after getting back or drop us any message... Even just to let us know you were still alive would have been something..."
"What is it that you couldn’t tell us? What can’t we face together? You even keep me and Little Fatty at an arm’s length... How could your conscience be so dark? Are you even human?"
Tang Fei hit as he cursed.
As he did, his own eyes began to redden.
"The old man is still alive!"
"The old man is right here..."
"Their family can reunite again..."
The old man covered his face, but still deliberately let Tang Fei land a few more hits.
He knew Tang Fei was venting his dissatisfaction in this manner.
As well as his longing.