Otherworld Advance Team
Chapter 1665 - 1658: Humble Origins

Chapter 1665: Chapter 1658: Humble Origins

"I’ve wronged you, and all you’ll do is criticize me?" Hun Jiansi asked.

"Yes," Cheng Ziang nodded earnestly. "I don’t think you would intentionally hurt us. That much is clear from how you’ve acted during this time. Whether someone is hypocritical or sincere, you can tell through their behavior—it’s not hard."

After a pause, he continued, "If you wanted to harm us, you’d have a thousand ways to do it, catching us off guard. Likewise, we’d have a thousand ways to counter you. But the truth is, while we’ve stood opposed to each other, we also understand each other. We’re both enemies and friends. And I believe, for you, you’d rather be friends with us than enemies."

"To sum up, if you’ve wronged us, it must have been out of necessity. As long as the harm isn’t too severe, we’ll stick to criticism rather than chasing you down mercilessly. Society is like a massive jigsaw puzzle. Killing someone might solve a problem, but it would also leave a piece missing from that puzzle. The more pieces that go missing, the more fragmented the final result becomes. That’s why we don’t take lives lightly."

After hearing Cheng Ziang’s explanation, Hun Jiansi seemed moved. Her lips trembled for a long moment before she slowly asked, "So, I can fully trust you all, trust that you won’t align with the Wu Family, right?"

"We’ll only align with fairness and justice. If the Wen Family temporarily stands for justice, we’ll support them. But conversely, if the Wu Family represents justice, we won’t hesitate to stand by their side," Cheng Ziang said.

"Thank you. I understand now." Hun Jiansi nodded gently.

"What’s wrong with you tonight?" After a moment of silence, Cheng Ziang couldn’t help but ask.

"I pledge my life for your justice. I hope you won’t let me down," Hun Jiansi replied, letting out a long sigh.

"You seem troubled tonight," Cheng Ziang probed cautiously.

"Do you want to hear my story?" Hun Jiansi asked, gazing up at the moonlight.

"If you’re willing to share," Cheng Ziang said as he tapped his temple, then straightened his posture.

Noticing his movement, Hun Jiansi felt a brief warmth in her heart. She pressed her lips together and mulled over her words before finally parting her lips, only to let out a long sigh.

"I was an orphan since I was little, raised by a group of beggars. When I grew up, I became a beggar too. Ha, what else could I have become?"

"You know, beggars don’t just beg. As long as it fills their stomachs, stealing and petty crimes come naturally. But I was pretty skilled; every time I stole something, I could hide so well that the owner couldn’t find me."

"Back then, I was known as the king of little thieves in the area. Though I only stole food and such, which wasn’t exactly impressive, the local merchants and low-ranking officials loathed me to the core."

"Eventually, I slipped up and got caught red-handed. A group of victims rounded up by a merchant beat me so badly I was nearly killed. It was only thanks to my master stepping in that I was saved."

"I’ll never forget how he appeared before the crowd. In the blink of an eye, he was already standing before me, shielding me from their attacks."

"My master paid them a lot of money and took me in for treatment. I asked him why he saved me, and he said I might be the only one who could inherit his teachings."

"That’s right—my master was the successor of the Fog Concealment Skill. I’m sure you’ve heard of this Nine Streams Skill before. In the years that followed, he poured his heart into teaching me everything he knew. Since I had a knack for it, I learned quickly and soon grasped the essentials."

"The Fog Concealment Skill is actually a comprehensive set of concealment techniques, combining various methods. Its goal is to deceive the seven senses and even instinct, rendering oneself invisible."

"When my master saw that I’d mastered his techniques, he nodded in satisfaction. I’ll never forget that day. He took a bell, broke it into two, and handed one half to me. He told me that if I could reunite the two pieces of the bell by finding him, I would have truly graduated and could call myself a successor of the Fog Concealment Skill in the martial world."

"And then he disappeared, vanishing without a trace. Fog Concealment also includes tracking techniques, so I used them to painstakingly search for any traces he might have left behind. For a whole month, I searched relentlessly..."

At this point, Hun Jiansi’s voice turned hoarse, as if she were choking back sobs.

"And then? What happened?" Cheng Ziang asked.

"I found him. It was laughable—behind the village latrine. By then, my master had already died, his corpse decayed. He had used the stench of excrement to mask the smell of his decaying body."

"At first, I refused to believe it was him, until I found the second half of the bell on his remains..."

"Is this going to be my life too? To die silently like that, unnoticed, my body rotting away without anyone caring to look for me..."

Hun Jiansi’s body suddenly convulsed uncontrollably, and she let out muffled sobs. Seeing this, Cheng Ziang quickly reached out to support her, only for her to collapse into his arms, resting her head against his chest.

"Are you okay?" Cheng Ziang asked hesitantly, clearly at a loss.

"You’re the first person to see through my Fog Concealment Skill," Hun Jiansi said sincerely. "I don’t know why, but even though my technique failed, I feel so happy. Because I think, when I die, you’ll be able to find me, at least to bury me. So I won’t end up like my master, dying by a latrine in obscurity."

"Don’t talk nonsense. You’re still young—how could you possibly die?" Cheng Ziang comforted her.

"When I used to steal, I always thought I might get caught and beaten to death. When I wandered the martial world, I also prepared myself for the possibility of dying if I were discovered. Last time, my master saved me, but now my master is gone. There’s no one left who can save me," Hun Jiansi murmured with her head lowered.

"I can!" Cheng Ziang shouted passionately.

His loud declaration startled Hun Jiansi, causing her to stop sobbing and look up at him. Her eyes, red and glistening with tears, sparkled as she gazed at him, a genuine smile breaking across her face despite herself.

Disregarding everything, Cheng Ziang said seriously, "As long as you stay with us, we won’t let anyone harm you. You don’t need to worry about death, because there’s nothing to fear about something that won’t happen."

"Really?" Hun Jiansi stared at him, her cheeks beginning to flush.

"Anyway, don’t overthink things. The past is already gone, and no one knows what the future holds. Don’t impose your past experiences on your future. That would be committing a metaphysical error," Cheng Ziang said earnestly.

"Meta-what?" Hun Jiansi looked utterly confused.

"Nothing. Just... thank you for trusting us," Cheng Ziang said with a shake of his head.

"That’s the second time you’ve thanked me. Am I really that great?" Hun Jiansi’s eyes sparkled with an unusual expression.

"Uh, it’s just a habit..." Cheng Ziang said, diverting his gaze.

"Anyway, I should thank you too," Hun Jiansi released Cheng Ziang and took a deep breath. Looking at him, she said, "I trust in the justice you stand for. So, no matter what you do, I’ll support you. Even if it means opposing the Cabinet..."

"Don’t say that. After all, you’re..." Cheng Ziang said, visibly moved.

"I’m tired of this world," Hun Jiansi said softly, turning away to gaze at the moon. "If you can change the world, then go ahead and change it. If you think the world should be destroyed, then destroy it already. I’ve had enough of these people, enough of their outdated customs. Things that deserve to die should have died long ago."

Her last words were spoken through clenched teeth.

"Maybe you feel the world is unfair, but it hasn’t yet reached the point where order should be overthrown. Many righteous people are still striving to change it. As long as fairness hasn’t completely lost its balance, order mustn’t be shattered. Because in a world without order, fairness becomes meaningless. And that’s a responsibility I cannot bear," Cheng Ziang said.