“Ouch, Gramps! Why are you beating me?
“Ouch, Gramps! Come on, I don’t know you!
“Okay, okay, Gramps! Sorry for whatever I did, stop beating me!”
Han Xing ran as he cried, pleading as he cursed furiously in his heart.
Who the hell is this? Why did he come up and beat me the moment I saw him?! Who can tell me what is going on?!
In the confusing situation, Han Xing tried to fight back, but he suddenly realized that he was no match for the man and could not resist the beating at all. Out of options, he turned around and fled together with Tang Ling, but the further he ran, the more he got beaten!
What was going on?!
While Han Xing was crying and screaming like a baby, Tang Ling was not far away either. He failed to escape and might fall under Boss Huang’s rod any moment now.
“I’m going to kill you, you little bastard!” The rod almost hit Tang Ling but it suddenly stopped centimeters away.
Tang Ling half-squatted on the ground with a flattering smile while his hand held out some Black Sea coins. “Boss, please spare me.”
Boss Huang cleared his throat and took the Black Sea coins. He kicked Tang Ling to the side before he turned around and continued beating Han Xing.
“Ouch! Why me!?”
“Gramps! Come on, at least, give me a reason?!” As Han Xing was smacked to the ground, all he could do was ask for a peaceful death!
“A reason?” Boss Huang stomped on his back as he spat a cloud of smoke out after a puff from his smoking pipe and said, “Reasons, you mean? There’re three!”
“First, you are with the little bastard, so it’s obvious that I have to beat you together with him! Second, who the hell is Gramps? Can’t you tell I am still in my handsome prime? Third, I’m in a bad mood and I don’t like you. Got it?”
Han Xing was rendered speechless. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, everything you say is correct, Gramps!
However, he dared not call Boss Huang Gramps anymore and he also realized that he got a random beating just because of Tang Ling. Aside from the strange beating, why did the man’s voice sound so familiar?
Han Xing was in deep thought, and right after he got carried away, Boss Huang kicked him to the side.
What in the f*cking hell?
Han Xing shrunk aside with his thoughts while he sulked in objection.
Boss Huang then leisurely walked to Tang Ling’s side. “What now? There’s no pretty girl protecting you today, so you have to bribe me with money?”
Pretty girl protecting me? Since when did Higan protect me? Was that yesterday?
Tang Ling suddenly thought of the ice and fire that had appeared on Boss Huang.
Was it Higan?
Tang Ling squinted his eyes.
Pak!
A smack came down on Tang Ling’s head. Boss Huang then added, “Stop pretending. How can I, Huang Dao, be bribed with a puny amount of 17 Black Sea coins?”
It’s only been a moment and he’s already counted the money?
Tang Ling looked at Boss Huang in shock. “Boss, if you aren’t happy, why don’t you give me back the money? You can beat me up instead since my life isn’t worth anything.”
Boss Huang was stunned. The little bastard was really a despicable character! “Money? What money? You didn’t give me any money. Stand up. It’s time to go back.” He turned around and walked back to Dvesha Moha.
Tang Ling stood up with a breath of relief, he carefully followed Boss Huang back.
He was left with no choice since Boss Huang was a despicable character and Tang Ling still had to depend on him for the sake of food and his favorite smithing.
It was then that Han Xing remembered the voice. It was the voice that had told him to step away from temptation and pawn the sheath of his sword on his first day in Darkness Port!
How did he do that? Did he talk directly to my brain? A master! A real master!
Han Xing also stood up and made up his mind to follow Tang Ling. His reasons were simple. It was for the kid with the Precise Instinct and for the master. He would never let go of these two people.
…
“Hmm, I understand.” Tang Long quietly placed the glass of water aside.
In front of him were his men updating him about the situation that had happened that day.
Tang Long seemed distracted in the process as his gaze would stray to the sky at times. The universe was vast. Even if one failed to get close to the universe, the world was still big enough, was it not?
Compared to the world, the meager relationship was nothing.
The man in front of Tang Long did not know whether he was listening or not. However, the calmer Tang Long looked, the more nervous the man felt. He started to stammer and sweat covered his forehead.
Tang Long remained quiet while he lifted his glass for a sip of water.
He placed it down softly. The water seemed to taste a little…plain. Standing up, he continued grunting in acknowledgment of the updates as he walked to the wine cellar at the corner of the room.
The wine cellar was part of the luxurious room, but Tang Long could barely identify the types of wine in it because he had never been a drinker.
“Which one of these is the strongest?” he asked the man with a smile.
Frightened, the man quietly pointed out which was the strongest liquor.
Tang Long took it out and poured himself a glass. “Hmm, I understand everything now. You can leave.”
The man was instantly relieved, so he left the room hastily.
Tang Long raised his glass and gazed into the amber liquid before he drained it to the last drop.
It was cold when it entered his mouth, but it burned his throat like fire. When the amber liquid reached his stomach, his face started to blush.
Indeed, the meager relationship was nothing, but it was this meager relationship that pained him terribly. It punctured his heart and hurt even his soul to the point that he could not wipe the injuries away.
Tang Long poured himself another glass and finished it in a single gulp.
Footsteps approached, so he stood up. His eyes contained their usual anticipation and tenderness but also had a tinge of gloominess.
Who made her, the silent girl who rejected the crowd so much, show her true face in front of the public and utter words of protection aloud?
Who was the one who could be the receiver of her beautiful smile at all times and simply stroke her hair?
As a matter of fact, the answer was obvious, was it not?
Tang Long laboriously placed the bottle back and kept his glass away. He sat down in his seat, but when he tried to pick up his glass of water, he realized that the glass had cracked!
In the end, he failed to control his emotions. As though nothing had happened, he threw the cracked glass into the trash can before he took a deep breath.
Someone knocked on the door.
“Come in.” Tang Long was still as soft as ever while the tender smile was displayed on his face.
Higan walked in.
“You are back?”
“Mhmm.” Higan nodded. She had a million words to say, but when she saw Tang Long, she had no idea where to start.
Along the way back, she had thought very hard. She wanted to tell the truth and did not want to hide anything.
There was a person named Tang Ling and she had a strange reliance on him as though the feeling came from her soul. However, even with his appearance, Tang Long was still important to her.
It was not exactly conflicting, so why would she be anxious about it? However, the nerves felt instinctive. There were things that one could only figure out as one got older.
Even a smart girl like Higan failed to do so at her age.
Tang Long was as soft and kind as ever and his tenderness only increased her anxiety. The righteous courage that she had built up along the way dissipated. She actually wanted to tell Tang Long that even without Tang Ling’s existence, her relationship with Tang Long would never change.
“Are you tired?” Tang Long spoke first when she went silent. He stood up and walked to her, reaching out to stroke her hair.
However, before his hand reached her head, Higan instinctively dodged his hand, so his hand grazed her hair like always.
Tang Long lowered his head as a shadow of depression and bitterness flashed over his eyes, but when he looked up, they were replaced with tenderness and kindness. He smiled. “You’re tired. Go and rest. Or do you want something to eat? Actually, the local delicacy…”
“Tang Long.” Higan could no longer bear the depression.
“Hmm?” Tang Long turned away, not actually wanting to hear it from her.
“I-I met someone yesterday…”
“You made new friends? Great.” Tang Long did not look back as he walked to the window and opened it to allow the salty breeze to fill the room.
“Tang Long, you knew, didn’t you? You know everything.” Higan decided to make herself clear.
“Know what?” Tang Long turned around with that signature smile, but it was painful to look at. There was conflict, pain, guilt, anxiety and uneasiness.
Higan was as cold as an ice wall, but behind the wall was her soft side. However, the wall of ice was too thick. How many people in this world could chisel their way into her heart?
Tang Long could. Higan valued their relationship, but unfortunately, what she gave him was not what he sought.
How could Tang Long force her?
Even though Higan could not understand his feelings right now, he knew it was extremely sad not to be able to give the person that she cared about what he sought after the most.
What should she do? She did not understand.
She did not even know what Tang Long sought! All she could do was state her mind and hope that it would calm him down, henceforth getting some consolation.
Unfortunately, she was still too young…
She said straightforwardly, “You know that I met someone and I got close with him. I don’t know why, but I like his scent. I feel that I can rely on him and trust him from the bottom of my heart. His name is Tang Ling.”
Tang Long’s back was facing Higan, but his hands on the window frame tightened as they became pale from the pressure and the frame slowly cracked.
“I might be close to him, but it won’t affect our relationship. Tang Long, you are more important than a brother to me.” Higan tried her best to express herself. This might be the longest conversation she had ever had with Tang Long ever since she had known him.
Bang!
Tang Long’s hands crushed the window frame. The sharp wooden splinters poked into his palms, but he did not avoid them and allowed his hand to bleed freely.
Tang Ling?! Brother?!
What irritating words! Fine, the feelings that Higan had for Tang Ling might not be love, but what about natural kindness and intimacy?!
Tang Ling could simply stroke her hair, smile at her, and even share tacit moments with her!
What about him?! Since when could he get all of those?
Tang Long turned around at Higan and said word for word, “Tang Ling? He was actually my nemesis, who I will hunt down until my last breath. He was, he is, and he will be my enemy. There will be no turning around about this!”
