Chapter 130: Vigilante A, the Unambitious
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
One fine day, when Fang Ning was checking out the current situation, and the System was controlling Vigilante A to farm monsters, Zheng Dao’s message came in on QQ.
Zheng Dao requested, “Venerable One, the Truth Department is organizing a Year-End Summary meeting. They are dispatching people to invite the associates that performed well, and both the Venerable Ones are invited.”
Fang Ning had wanted to reject, ‘Sir System is so busy right now, we won’t have time to meet with them.’
After a brief consideration, Fang Ning still agreed. The reason was none other than having to trouble the Truth Department once the inmates of Draconic Penitentiary were ready to start farming gold for them in the Battle of the Beasts.
Two days after that, Vigilante A returned to his Qi City farmhouse. In his modestly decorated living room, he received the two staff members of the Truth Department.
A man and a lady. The lady looked proper. She was in her twenties, not gorgeous in any way, but was pleasantly presentable. The man looked to be in his forties. He looked honest and grounded.
Zheng Dao served their high-quality Longjing tea and stood on the side waiting for further instructions.
Fang Ning invited the duo to have their tea. Both of them sipped a little after refusing out of politeness before they started talking business.
The middle-aged man explained, “Venerable Dragon God, we are from the Truth Department’s Public Relations team, I’m Xie Dong and she’s Liu Qing. Our job here this time is to thank you both for your services in helping to keep the peace in the society in the past year. Here is some consolation for your services rendered. It’s not much, but it’s our warmest regard for your participation for our cause.”
Xie Dong placed a red envelope on the coffee table as he spoke. Just as his hand left the red envelope, it shot toward Vigilante A’s hand.
Liu Qing remembered her colleague telling her that she can leave out any other forms of gifts but money, it would help her talk to Vigilante A significantly.
Fang Ning replied, “Thank you both for the consolation. Please, have some more tea. If it’s not too sudden, I’d like to retire to continue my cultivation. I’ll leave Butler Zheng in your company.”
Xie Dong immediately shot a glance at Liu Qing, and Liu Qing said, “Venerable One, you work hard. We would also like to inquire if you have any new year resolutions, since it will soon be a new year?”
Fang Ning was alerted, ‘What do they mean?’
He immediately called the System for help, “Go out and explain to them, tell them the resolution will still be as usual, to cultivate and to do justice.”
The System took over Vigilante A’s body and said, “Nothing new, in my vocabulary, there’s only cultivation and uphold justice.”
Xie Dong hinted at Liu Qing again as she said, “We admire your pure intention. We shall not delay you any longer, we can make ourselves comfortable with Butler Zheng.”
Vigilante A did not fake pleasantries anymore, he exited the living room, leaving Zheng Dao and the duo.
Upon exiting, the System asked Fang Ning, “Why did you ask me to answer something you can do yourself?”
Fang Ning answered, “Nothing, I only felt that you have more authenticity in your speech, these guys would trust you more than they would me.”
The System said, “That’s right. Unlike you, I’m always an honest System.”
After chatting for a while, Xie Dong and Liu Qing exited the farmhouse and entered their black car. Having left for some distance, they uploaded their report secretly through the device installed into the cabin area.
“Vigilante A’s aspirations are still the same, to cultivate and to uphold justice. Through my special ability, I have determined that what he said was all true, advising to not change their potential threat level…”
***************
A day after, the duo arrived at the Mount Indigo Monastery to pay a visit to Master Ma Futian.
Master Ma replied, “Haha, in the coming year, Mount Indigo Monastery will open up to all of China for a selection of elite disciples. Of course, we will require the accommodation of the Truth Department…”
Xie Dong reported, “Mount Indigo Monastery has a wild ambition. Some of it is the truth, a part of it is hidden. Advising to revise their potential threat level higher…”
The two went southward to the Association of Spirit Kings. They did not meet Bodhisattva Spirit King, only the second-in-command Gui Da.
Gui Da said, “The Association of Spirit Kings have always taken upon ourselves to ensure the citizens and borders are safe. We will not have any big moves next year.”
Xie Dong reported, “The Association of Spirit Kings will have an unknown huge move next year, advising to be highly alert of their movements.”
Both of them went through the list of the other associates. They did not bring many gifts, nor did they engage in a lot of pleasantries, they asked straightforwardly, “What’s your goal for next year?”
The old farts would, naturally, answer vaguely, most of them had simply tried to maneuver through the question with a simple answer.
That strategy did not matter to Xie Dong. The duo only made them talk and determined what to report according to the truth in their words.
It was two weeks later when they had finished interviewing the associates. All the associates in China had been paid a visit by them, after which their intention for the new year was reported.
Think Tank group leader Ren Ruofeng read the reports and said lightly, “It looks like, after half a year in hibernation, many of those people had advanced in their cultivation and are itching to make a move. We need to get that thing out fast so they can have a place to spend their energy, we can’t let other people exploit this opportunity.”
Not long after he uttered his words, a figurative storm started brewing.
***************
After the two had left, Vigilante A did not continue to unmask the map, he cultivated at home to convert the experience points into his combat strength.
One day, another uninvited visitor dropped by.
It was a stately old man. He was dressed in a traditional Chinese robe, and his eyes were piercing regardless of his age.
After seeing him, Fang Ning had almost thought this man had transmigrated from the past, which was amplified as soon as he started speaking.
“I am known as Huang Rui, please forgive my unsolicited visitation in such a short notice,” apologized the old man as he bowed, stating forthrightly.
Fang Ning knew the year-end was imminent and matters like this would pop up frequently, so he received his guest patiently. Butler Zheng served them their tea and stood aside as usual.
Fang Ning raised his hand slightly, “I’m wondering what could have brought you here, mister?”
Huang Rui said, “You have contributed much to the justice and peace of the country, your reputation was well-earned. However, do you know about Han Xing and Li Shanchang 1 ?”
Fang Ning was sipping his cup of tea and almost did a spit take, ‘He really is from ancient China, I wonder if he’s from the Three Kingdoms era or the Spring and Autumn period?’ he was only familiar with these two historical periods and understood that there were many talented persuaders in those periods.
He started acting serious and said, “I have heard a little. I wonder what your intention is, bringing up the two saints?”
Huang Rui’s face was grave, he said, “You are in danger, do you not know? I am only a humble citizen, but I know to repay favors. I do not bear to witness your downfall in the same vein as people before you, so I decided to send a warning myself.”
Fang Ning was confused, “I have saved many people in the past, who might you be?”
Huang Rui explained, “My home is in Ji City. Due to my assets, I had been targeted by some people with ulterior motives. By the grace of the gods, you have helped me by removing them without so much as a second thought. I have frequently thought about repaying this debt of gratitude, but I only have some gold and materialistic commodity, of which I am sure you need nothing. I could not think of anything fit for a repayment, so I have not been feeling well.”
Fang Ning thought, ‘No, someone needs a lot of gold and materialistic commodity. Thankfully, that someone is busy, so I don’t need to worry about it bluntly asking for money and ruin my effort in pretending like I’m in the ancient era.’
Huang Rui continued, “Fortunately, I have read history books plenty and consider myself to be somewhat of an intellect, so I have paid attention to your actions. Goodness me, did I find a hidden danger. A calamity will soon happen to you if you remain the same, so here I am to advise you.”
Fang Ning said, “What danger could that be? Please elaborate.”
Huang Rui said after mentally preparing himself, “Naturally, it could only be being cast aside after you have outlived your usefulness. 2 Currently, the situation was not clear, they still need your help, no one would care much of how aggressive you are coming across, but because you would kill them, that might be stepping on some toes. It might provoke some people to make noise and make it difficult for you to do what you do.”
Fang Ning immediately called out the System to answer Huang Rui according to his intention the last time.
The System said, “The only thing I know was to cultivate and to rid the world of evil, I have never once doubted myself, thank you for your concern.”
Huang Rui looked extremely disappointed as he sighed, “Since you have decided not to heed my warning, I bid you goodbye and hope you do not regret your decisions…”
He trailed off, turned around, and started walking.
The System said, “Wait a second.”
Huang Rui brightened up and turned around again, “Do you want to hear my instruction on avoiding future troubles?”
The System said, “Don’t you worry about that. Since you said you feel ‘uneasy for not repaying the favor’, I’ll tell you an easy way. You can just contribute some of your money to me.”
Huang Rui was speechless, and finally said, “If that’s the case, I will contribute half of my assets to you as my gratitude.”
The System said, “Mm, you’re really nice. If there are other things that are troubling you in the future, feel free to contact my butler.”
Huang Rui pretended to be happy, “I thank you for your kindness, I shall take my leave then.”
As he finished, he rushed away quickly as if afraid to be stopped a second time to hand over the other half of his assets.
Fang Ning was speechless at the scene and told the System, “I asked you to say one thing, why did you have to do the second part?”
The System replied, “I heard someone wanted to give me money, so of course I would say something. You weren’t able to ask him for it, but I can’t let my money disappear just like that… Vigilante A is not your real identity anyway, don’t be embarrassed about asking for money. Your plans are good, but every single one of them needed a huge amount of investment.”
Fang Ning said, “I finally could act like an ancient martial arts specialist for a bit, and you had to come and ruin it.”
The System quipped, “So act less, you almost cost me my money…”
***************
After Huang Rui left the farmhouse, he boarded a car and drove away.
After some distance away, he dialed an international number and said respectfully, “Master Tom, Vigilante A had no huge plans whatsoever, he only wanted to cultivate and rid the world of evil. No wonder the people from the Truth Department would be so relaxed around him. I don’t think it’s possible for the President to groom him to become one of us to fight against the Truth Department.”
Black Cat Tom said, “If that’s the case, he has no strategic value to keep around. Think of a way to dispose of him to avenge Anderson and the others. Maggie would ignore Anderson because of their beef, I can’t let the others in the association down.”
Huang Rui said, “I have an idea, but I ran into a tiny problem.”
Tom asked, “What problem?”
Huang Rui immediately described to him his failures about how he gave half his assets to Vigilante A.
All of those assets belong to the Association and not for him to move around. Without Master Tom’s approval, he would not be able to touch even a single penny.
Black Cat Tom said, “You idiot, how could you make such a mistake, don’t you know Vigilante A is a greedy bastard?”
Huang Rui said fearfully, “I’m sorry master, I thought he would be moved by my speech, could it be that he really is stupid? Everyone knows the Truth Department would not let people like them keep cultivating without a boundary.”
Tom replied, “Hmph, maybe he thought he could cultivate to the point no one would be able to threaten him. It’s a shame he didn’t know that this world would cap the cultivation every once in a while, only Vit- oh, you don’t need to know about this. Your identity is very important, don’t let him suspect you, I will allow you to move half of your assets.”
