Chapter 15: 015 Prevent problems before they occur_1
Duge demonstrated what high-efficiency growth and loyalty meant to the Feng Family, so there was no more time to delay.
Speed is of the essence in warfare.
Not long after breakfast, the Feng Family had prepared the travel bags for Duge and his companions.
Duge, Feng Yunjie, Feng Shiyi, and a Direct Disciple named Zhang Han, the four of them, dressed in fine clothes and riding spirited horses, stepped into the Martial Worlds, planning to visit various sects in the name of traveling to find and subdue or kill the other hidden Heavenly Demons, and to prevent them from being used by others.
Feng Shiren saw them off.
Standing in the farewell party, Feng Jiu watched Duge leave, feeling a stone finally drop from her heart, and an inexplicable sense of relief washed over her.
Chewing on a piece of dried meat, Feng Jiu couldn't help but let a touch of mockery flicker in her eyes. Undeniably, Feng Qi was proficient in the use of keywords, but he was too arrogant, actually believing that he could control everything in the simulation field. It's laughable how naive such a fool could be, no knowing which family taught him!
Farewell, my dear Brother Qi!
Later, I will send you a gift.
The name of this gift is "lesson," and it will make you understand the cruelty of the simulation field. Consider it a return favor for not eliminating me, just like your theory of extremes, it will serve you for life. Remember, setbacks are the most precious treasure in a person's life…
It wasn't until Duge vanished from view that Feng Jiu turned around and looked towards Feng Shiren, smiling and saying, "Family Head, let's go back, Brother Qi has left, and from now on, I will be the one protecting the Feng Family..."
Smack!
Smack!
Before Feng Jiu could react, Feng Shiren moved swiftly, striking several points on her chest to seal her acupoints.
Feng Jiu's voice stopped abruptly as she asked in panic, "Family Head, what are you doing?"
"Mr. Seven, I'm sorry. Mr. Seven said you have a rebellious streak, and after his departure, you would inevitably cause trouble. He instructed us to control you early to prevent irreparable damage," Feng Shiren said.
"…" Feng Jiu was stunned, then her face turned ashen. She broke out in a fine sweat on her forehead and tried to smile, pleading, "Family Head, could there be some misunderstanding here? Indeed, I wanted to escape the Feng Family before, but after receiving favors from the Feng Family, I have sworn to protect it. You can't just listen to Feng Qi's slander..."
"Mr. Seven said you go to extremes in everything you do. In your pursuit of growth, you could eat until your stomach is about to burst, and could even eat while sitting on the toilet, enduring what others cannot. Someone who is so cruel to themselves, how can they be good for the Feng Family once they grow up? It's just gluttony now, but when your greed grows to the point you want to devour the Feng Family, it would be too late to take action..." Feng Shiren shook his head, his gaze filled with a hint of pity, "Mr. Nine, it's unfortunate that your nature is Gluttony!"
"…" Feng Jiu's pupils suddenly constricted, her body trembling uncontrollably.
He knew.
He knew everything.
He was aware of her disguise, he knew the true meaning of Gluttony!
What naivety?
What kindness?
All fake, she was the naive one...
She still felt somewhat unwilling to accept this, "Family Head, Feng Qi is crazier than I am, and his actions are very extreme. The theory of extremes is his idea. Aren't you afraid he might backstab the Feng Family?"
Feng Shiren said, "His extreme is protection. Who wouldn't want an extra guardian god in their family?"
Feng Jiu was about to explode, she steadied her emotions, "Family Head, have you ever considered that he might be deceiving you, that we are not reincarnations of Heavenly Demons at all, that there is no such thing as the Demon Realm, that your world is entirely an illusion. And maybe his keyword isn't protection, it's deception, which can deceive you all and allow him to grow..."
"As Mr. Seven predicted, to drag him down, you would deny everything about him from the foundations," Feng Shiren chuckled lightly, his pitiful gaze turning into disdain, "Be it deceit or protection, as long as it serves the Feng Family, I don't care. I don't even care if there's a Heavenly Demon Realm or not. Seeing you, I know that the martial worlds are truly about to descend into chaos, and this chaos is not just the discovery of a secret manual or the opening of a treasure vault; it's fundamental chaos. Everyone in the martial worlds will be swept up in the turmoil, and self-preservation is the worst strategy; I am not senile yet. Mr. Nine, you are still too young..."
"Fuck!" Feng Jiu cursed angrily, his face turning ashen in an instant, he swallowed and said, "Family Head, can you give me a chance? I can prove to you that Feng Qi is really setting you all up, I can prove that I am more useful than Feng Qi. They haven't gone far, it's not too late to remedy things."
"That won't be necessary," Feng Shiren said, "Mr. Seven said that Gluttony is a good keyword, we can keep you in captivity, experiment on your growth progress by controlling your diet, and find ways to counteract Heavenly Demons from your body, so we won't panic when facing other Heavenly Demons in the future. Mr. Nine, I must say, you are far behind Mr. Seven in vision."
Despair instantly flooded Feng Jiu's heart, and he exploded in rage: "Mr. Seven says, Mr. Seven says, Feng Shiren, you just believe whatever he says, don't you? I think you're a fool, and you'll regret it one day..."
Feng Shiren laughed and looked at Feng Jiu, who was blinded by rage, and said softly, "Mr. Nine, don't panic. Actually, we could also cooperate. I'm quite interested in the alternate version of the world you've mentioned. And with Feng Qi betraying you like this, we could discuss how to contain Feng Qi. How to identify the keywords of other Heavenly Demons? I'm not too keen on putting all my eggs in one basket..."
Feng Jiu felt a chill down his spine.
At that moment, he suddenly understood why his teacher always said, "Hide yourself as much as possible, do not try to change the world; the more you expose, the quicker you die."
The natives in the simulation are way too cunning; each one of them is an acting master.
All because of that fool Feng Qi, who has brought misery to everyone!
...
The stagnant attributes began to increase again, and moreover, they had increased by a lot.
Indeed.
The keyword being applied to a player made the effect much more apparent.
Duge arrived at a new conclusion: the setting of the simulation was designed for players to kill each other!
A brutal battle royale game!
Maybe Feng Jiu isn't as bad as he thought, but leaving without backstabbing him felt unsatisfying to Duge, who decided to trust his instincts.
There's a saying: once doubt creeps in, the accusation stands.
In the simulation, doubt is enough; there's no need for evidence.
Who says backstabbing isn't his persona? The role he plays is inherently a villain through and through, maintaining his persona isn't wrong, and who would challenge human nature in the fate-determining simulation?
In a battle royale game, being kind to your enemy is being cruel to yourself.
Pity that Feng Jiu is too naive; teaching him a lesson might help him walk a smoother path in life!
Duge looked at the first place shining on his personal ranking, his lips curling into a smile, thinking how good things were now: he had backstabbed Feng Jiu, maintained the Feng Family, and his attributes had also increased.
Killing three birds with one stone, losing only Feng Jiu's freedom, was an absolute bargain.
As for what becomes of Feng Jiu?
Whether he will ruin Duge's plans was not within Duge's considerations.
After leaving the Feng Family, he had no intention of returning.
The sky is high for the birds to fly, the sea is wide for the fish to jump, just like Guo Jing stepped out of the desert, and Yang Guo emerged from the ancient tomb, even if he were to return, his martial skills would have already become incredibly advanced, not something a mere Feng Family could suppress.
...