Chapter 364 Dealing With the Aftermath
Seeing that Fang Xingjian had disappeared, Robert quickly followed.
The shop owner, Gus, wore a dazed expression and said, “Brother, that was… Fang Xingjian?”
“That’s right. Aside from him, which other youngster in the Great Western City would dare to be so arrogant?” Daniel looked at the surrounding crowd and said coldly, “Come with me into the store.”
He then cast another glance toward Duolun’s and Duolong’s corpses, saying, “Get someone to clean up and send their corpses to the Regional Academy for Fang Xingjian.”
Gus hesitated for a moment before asking, “Don’t we need to send them back to the Flowing Water Dojo? After all, they were from the Flowing Water Dojo.”
“Flowing Water Dojo? They assaulted the Empire’s Conferred Knight… Do you think that they can continue with their operations?” Daniel let go off Roeslim and said, “You should go get your father to think of a solution for you.”
With that, Daniel took Gus with him and turned to depart, leaving Roeslim mumbling to himself in a daze, “Fang Xingjian? Which Fang Xingjian?”
After entering the back of the store, Daniel turned and kicked Gus in the stomach. He sent her flying with a loud bang. Gus knocked against the wall and spewed out a big mouthful of blood. Fresh blood continued to trickle down from the corner of her lips.
“Brother!” Gus lifted her head to look at Daniel. She was just about to flare up when she saw his gaze filled with killing intent. It sent a shiver down her spine, making her unable to say a single word.
Daniel suppressed his fury and scolded her, “Look at what you’ve done! That’s Fang Xingjian, the current star of the Great Western Region. If he just mentions so much as a word about this before the Governor, it would rob your brother of his position as a Deputy Chief!”
“But… but I didn’t know who he was at the start.”
“Then don’t you know how to use your brain? Is a person who can spend 90,000 gold to purchase geomagnetic essence someone you can swindle just like that?” The more Daniel spoke, the angrier he got. “Get that 90,000 gold prepared immediately. You haven’t spent that yet, right?”
Gus criticized him in her heart, ‘But you were the one who made that counterfeit.’ However, facing the infuriated Daniel, she naturally did not dare to say a word.
Seeing Gus shake her head, Daniel let out a breath of relief and said, “Spit out the money, purchase a geomagnetic essence, and send it to Fang Xingjian.” With that, he glared at Gus and said, “Don’t try anymore tricks this time.”
“It’s not like I’m an idiot…”
Daniel let out a sigh. “Do you have 30,000 gold? If you don’t, then I’ll fork out the money. When it’s ready, you must personally send the geomagnetic essence and apologize. I’ll go with you. And… you should hand over those few guys under you who attacked him.”
Gus’ eyes were wide open as she said in disbelief, “Mike and the others? But they have been with me for close to ten years…”
“Do you think Fang Xingjian is easygoing? They attacked him, right?” Daniel turned to look at Gus. “The first person who offended Fang Xingjian was Kirst, the only son of one of the aristocratic clans in Kirst. Till today, his corpse has yet to be found.
“Back when Fang Xingjian was still a Knight, he charged into the western frontlines and killed over ten of Garcia’s Great Warriors.
“Isn’t Sword Saint Sasa formidable? Yet no one has seen him for half a month now.
“Don’t just judge him by how innocent and young he looks. This guy’s very vicious.”
Gus lowered her head and said hesitantly, “Can I just hand two of them over?”
“There can’t be even one less. Who knows if he’ll bear a grudge over these couple of guys. He managed to get to second transition and level 23 within less than one and a half years. If he were to recall this matter in two to three years and feel that he isn’t appeased, do you think I’ll be able to hold him off?”
Gus clenched her fists tightly but could not stop her trembling. Daniel continued to say, “You can wash your hands off the matters in Iron Ore Town. After you’ve apologized, you can return to our home back in Southern Flame Region immediately.”
Gus raised her head abruptly, saying, “Brother! This place is the result of over ten years of my hard work! I can’t go back just like that!”
Another kick landed on Gus’ face, causing her already fat head to be bashed up and covered in blood.
“It’s not for you to decide. After returning home, focus on your cultivation. Don’t come back here until you’ve become a Conferred Knight.
“Another thing. You’re not allowed to speak a word of this with father, grandfather, and the others. Let me tell you… if you dare to get father, grandfather, and the others to stand up for you, I’ll be the first to kill you.
“If you were to get them to deal with Fang Xingjian, you aren’t exacting revenge. You’re bringing harm to them.”
Gus could not accept this, “Brother, is Fang Xingjian really so terrifying?”
Daniel shook his head. “You’re not a Conferred Knight, so you won’t understand. The Pantheon Monument, the Killing Techniques Palace, the Rebirth Sword Technique… Fang Xingjian’s talent is beyond terrifying…”
…
Roeslim returned home, dejected. However, the moment he opened the door, he saw his father sitting on a chair in the hall, glaring at him.
He said while smiling with a slightly guilty look, “Father, how did you get the time to come back?”
“If I didn’t come back, I wouldn’t even know how I’m going to die.” Roeslim’s father stood up and spoke in an extremely coarse voice, “You’re doing better and better these days. How dare you collude with the barbaric Knights from the Flowing Water Dojo and attempt to kill an Empire’s Conferred Knight?! In a few more years, would you even dare to BEAT! UP! THE! GOVERNOR?!”
His last few words were spoken with great emphasis and fury. Roeslim shuddered, stood upright, and said, “Father, I really didn’t know that he is Fang Xingjian.”
As a profligate son, he had not known who Fang Xingjian was right from the very start. It was only after he sent someone to find out that he then discovered Fang Xingjian was the creator of the Rebirth Sword Technique which had risen to fame as well as this year’s Regional Champion.
“You didn’t know? Just because you didn’t know, you could get the people from the Flowing Water Dojo to fight for you? To help you kill someone? Haha, you wanted him to suffer a fate worse than death for three days and three nights? You must really think that your father is too stable in his position.”
Roeslim gulped and said, “I only spoke it out of fury. And when it goes down to it, that Fang Xingjian is a student of the Regional Academy, right? At most you can give him some money, and I’ll apologize to him.”
“Apologize? Who do you think you are? You think you’re some big shot? That if you apologize, the other party must accept your apology?” A hint of malice flashed in the eyes of Roeslim’s father. However, when he saw Roeslim frightened like a little rabbit, he eventually shook his head anyway. Roeslim’s father thought of the past few hours he had spent continuously trying to inquire for information, to come to a compromise, to consult people, to ask for help… He felt as if he had grew ten years older in just a short moment.
Just compelling Flowing Water Dojo to let them admit to their own crime, to say that the Duolun and Duolong brothers’ assault of an Empire’s Conferred Knight was something they had done… had already taken a lot out of him.
Usually, it would be very easy for him to coerce a small dojo like this. However right now, he needed the dojo to admit their crime, which was the equivalent of completely destroying the Flowing Water Dojo. Assaulting an Empire’s Conferred Knight was not a small crime.
The Flowing Water Dojo had retaliated wildly. Activating all of his connections exhausted Roeslim’s father of a lot of energy.
Then after that, he had to ask Fang Xingjian for his son’s thumb. He had no direct relation with Fang Xingjian, so he had to go through a few middlemen and once again expended a lot of resources and connections.
After all that, Roeslim’s father no longer had the energy to face the attacks of others nor to face the people who were after his position.
He looked at Roeslim’s bandaged right hand and shook his head helplessly. A hint of parental love once again flashed in his eyes. He pointed to a square box on the table and said, “That’s your thumb. The friend I’ve approached will be coming soon. He has healing abilities. If you cooperate well, your hand will be able recuperate within in a year or so.”
Roeslim ran over excitedly, opened the box, and saw that the thumb which Fang Xingjian had cut off was perfectly intact.
He smiled and looked at his father, saying, “Father, have you settled everything already?”
“Settled?” Roeslim’s father smiled extremely bitterly. “Your father is just an assistant. What can I settle?
“Go prepare yourself.” With that, Roeslim’s father stood up and slowly headed out of the door. “In a few days, we’ll be moving to Gemstone City.”
“Gemstone City? Isn’t that at the border of the Great Western Region? I heard that place is filled with barren mountains and turbulent rivers. There isn’t even a Prefectural Academy there.” Roeslim looked at his father in great surprise, only to feel that his father’s back view seemed to have become shorter. His father no longer had his usual high spirits and now appeared to just be like a little old man.
Roeslim came to a sudden realization. He father must have paid a huge price for this thumb.
He immediately chased after his father, shouting, “Father, I don’t want this thumb anymore! Without my thumb, I can just learn some fist or palm techniques. You can return this!”
Roeslim’s father turned, smiled bitterly, and pat Roeslim on the head. “There are many people who have set their sights on your father’s position. What’s the use even if I were to return this? If you can remember this and learn from it, your father will be very happy.”
Seeing his father’s aged face, Roeslim lowered his head. Gleams of moisture seemed to streak across his eyes. It was only then that he truly realized he had really got his father into great trouble. He had even changed his father’s future and the future of their entire family.
In this moment, Roeslim’s eyes were filled with extreme regret and guilt.