In times of crisis, people's hearts were prone to change. The partner who had joined hands to fight against the enemy in the past had brazenly betrayed him when his life was at stake.
Xie Agui's sudden attack caught Kong Zhongwu off guard. Caught off guard, Kong Zhongwu fell into the trap. He was like a turtle in a jar, about to become a ghost under the blade. The most frightening thing was that there was no turning back now.
Xie Agui had already explained everything clearly. There was only one reason for all of this — he wanted to live.
In this cruel and desperate situation, if he wanted to live, he had to make the first move to gain the upper hand. He had thought through this cruel and decisive plan thoroughly in a short period of time and then brazenly made his move. There was already nothing that could change his mind because his plan was indeed the most correct — if he wanted to live, this was the most promising method.
Therefore, at this moment, there was no use in saying anything … Even if Kong Zhongwu grew a third mouth, he would not be able to change Xie Agui's mind.
He laughed bitterly. The dream-like experience of the past few years appeared in his mind, as if it had just happened yesterday.
Kong Zhongwu was originally a martial artist in Jianghu who clung to the old-fashioned and ridiculous chivalrous dogma. He dreamed of being chivalrous and righteous and becoming a respected chivalrous person. Even if he died under a despicable sword, he would not regret it because he firmly believed that justice would eventually triumph over evil, that chivalrous people would always triumph over evil … But reality, reality had given him a head-on blow.
He fought for justice for the weak and was instead beaten up by a martial artist from a big family. The bullied family did their best to disassociate themselves from him, trying their best to prove that he was not hired by them because they were afraid of the villains' revenge after this failed chivalrous act.
He was defeated time and time again, but he kept fighting. Over time, when people saw him, they avoided him like the plague, thinking of him as a troublemaker who was spreading trouble. Alienation was the first step, followed by ridicule and ridicule. They ridiculed him for his poor kung fu, but he wanted to learn how to be chivalrous and uphold justice. They ridiculed him for adding new scars today. They ridiculed him for not knowing kung fu at all. When it came to beating a drowning dog, people always had some natural talent.
Chivalrous and righteous required money. Because he had caused too much trouble, the people in town were not willing to hire him to work. He also did not want to be a lackey of those rotten big families, so he quickly lost his livelihood.
When … did he decide to steal?
People change.
However, they did not have the face to lay their hands on the commoners, so they had to put on the disguise of robbing the rich to help the poor, and sneak into the homes of the rich and heartless families. This undoubtedly increased the risk by ten times or even a hundred times.
With that, Dumbo Kong the Great Hero's bad record of theft was added to the list of topics for mockery and ridicule, which was enough to add some cheerful atmosphere to Lu Town's hotels.
People always change … But when exactly did they change?
Perhaps it was because he realized that the biggest enemy of the chivalrous heroes who dreamed of avenging their debts of gratitude and revenge, and enforcing justice on behalf of the heavens, was not the evil tyrants who bullied the weak, but the so-called kind and dutiful weaklings.
They were cowardly, petty, and ignorant, but they did not lack evil in them. They simply lacked the courage to do evil, and so they would vent all their malice on those they believed to be weak. They would absolve themselves and plan for themselves, they would sail according to the wind, and they would indulge the wicked … they were a frightening millstone, incessantly flattening the edges and corners of chivalrous heroes, sapping their spirit and chilling their hot blood until every young hero in bright clothes became disheartened and retired from the martial world.
It was not their fault — it was the world's fault.
The strong live and the weak die — that was the law of the world.
Who told everyone to … live?
Then, when exactly did he change?
When he was at his most despairing, lost, and on the verge of death, a mysterious person saved him and made a demonic exchange with him.
In a short time, his martial arts improved by leaps and bounds. His martial arts cultivation that had stagnated for more than a dozen years was like a hot knife through butter, rising steadily. He had a wondrous martial art that left Lu Town shaken, and it was enough for him to become a chivalrous hero who avenged his debts of gratitude and revenge with no regrets. He would slay every evil tyrant and evil tyrant, and fulfill his dream of becoming a chivalrous hero … but when did he change?
He actually became the kind of person that people hated the most in the past. It was as if he had the help of God, like the autumn wind sweeping away the fallen leaves, and took the opportunity to swallow up most of the property of this local rich family. He gained unimaginable wealth and status overnight, and the money in his hands could not be spent even in ten lifetimes. The people who used to look at him with cold eyes and ridicule had changed into flattering faces. He should have distributed all these ill-gotten gains to the poor people who were widely bullied. That was the style of a chivalrous hero, but …
But why did he turn his back on them and become the most hated person in the past? He was immersed in an extravagant life and wanton squandering, taking pleasure in the fear and panic in people's eyes. He intensified his exploitation and plundering, enjoying luxurious clothes and food that were difficult to enjoy in the past … why?
Oh, because he understood. He saw the world clearly.
In this land, there were no chivalrous heroes or ideals. The so-called kindness was just a trick used by those in power to coax the weak to accept their fate. The so-called justice was just a chess piece played by the ruler. After all, the world was a bloody rule where the strong preyed on the weak. It was just a tender feeling. It would not kill all the idealists and opposers fiercely, but it would subtly, bit by bit, erode, strike, and change until all the angular rebels became the mellow appearance that they should have.
Since that was the case, why not indulge?
Sooner or later, he would fall. Why not take the initiative to jump into the mire?
As the strong, he could also enjoy the beauty of material desires.
But now … now, it was finally time to wake up from this day that he did not know whether it was a dream or a nightmare.
Money was useless, martial arts was useless, the things that he had been chasing, all the wealth and power, were all useless … Those things could not be exchanged for his life, and could not make Xie Agui, who had made up his mind, hesitate for even a second.
The things that he had been chasing, the things that he could not ask for, had now lost all their usefulness.
And what terrified Kong Zhongwu the most was that when his life was about to come to an end, he felt an infinite emptiness, loneliness, and fear.
He did not even know what to do. He could not even curse at Xie Agui — because he could understand Xie Agui's actions very well.
Motherf * cker … What kind of joke is this?
Me?
Understand this kind of hooligan, scoundrel, scoundrel, and bandit?
Ah … That's right.
Because I am already a hooligan, scoundrel, and bandit.
At that thought, Kong Zhongwu could not help but laugh bitterly and close his eyes in resignation.
But a very strange thought suddenly appeared in his mind.
— If I was still that stupid, stubborn, old-fashioned, and conservative Second Fool Kong, at this very moment, I'm afraid I would not be so flustered and helpless.
That person believed in the chivalry in his heart. Although he had failed, he did not give up. Although he was down and out, he had faith. He was not afraid of death. When he encountered such a situation, he would sternly and righteously berate the other party for their ugly deeds, and bravely face death without fear. Because he had always believed that good and evil would be repaid, and that a villain like Xie Agui would sooner or later receive retribution, and someone would come to punish him sooner or later.
But now, he could not even curse, because …
This was his own retribution.
— His own retribution had arrived.
For a moment, he sighed in his heart, and actually had a trace of detachment from the world of mortals. The so-called floating wealth and boundless power could not resist this unsolvable fate, and death was close at hand.
With that thought, he closed his eyes and slowly said, "I … have nothing to say.
But Old Xie, I did not believe in retribution before, but now I do … My retribution has indeed arrived. "
"Retribution?"
Xie Agui laughed wildly, "If there is retribution in this world, then the Emperor would be the first to die without a burial place!
If there is retribution in this world, then all the civil and military officials, sects and families, from top to bottom, would all be exterminated!
If there is retribution in this world, then why did Zhao Laosi only die now?
If there is retribution in this world … "
He gritted his teeth and said word by word, "Then why did I have to suffer so much since I was young, and be bullied so much?
Ah?
Where is retribution?
Where is the retribution of those bastards? "
Kong Zhongwu only sighed.
Xie Agui straightened up, and said coldly, "There is no retribution, only the strong live, and the weak die.
Life is earned by oneself, and the weak have no dignity, and their lives are not guaranteed. They can only pray for the mercy of the heavens and the mercy of the strong. Maybe in the next moment, you will die … "
At this time, suddenly, there was an even more violent tremor in Bamboo Mountain.
Xie Agui frowned, "Damn, what is going on?"
He seemed to feel that something was wrong, and went forward to kick the farmer, "Hey, farmer, get up!
What is going on?
What else is there inside? "
He really did not know what else was in Bamboo Mountain.
He only knew that those deadly hidden mice had all died with Ah Zhang. When the farmer and sister-in-law Dan were collecting Ah Zhang's bones, he and the farmer had gone out of the mountain to find some firewood for the cremation.
When something happened inside, he and Kong Zhongwu had dragged the farmer out, and explosive news came one after another. Their lives were at stake, and the Source Egg could hatch at any time, so the strange earthquake in Bamboo Mountain was nothing.
He really did not know what else was in Bamboo Mountain, or else he would have stayed far away from the cave.
The rumbling sound reached the cave in an instant, as if countless terrifying monsters were rushing in at an extremely fast speed.
Xie Agui instinctively turned his head.
Then he saw the hidden mice … … no, it was a large number of hidden mouse corpses.
They were densely packed, like ants stuck to honey. They were squeezed together, layer upon layer. They were all furry bodies and soulless little eyes. There was a faint green liquid flowing in the gaps between the Hidden Mouse corpses. It was like paste, gluing the corpses of these little mice together, piecing together a strange composite object.
It was like a giant claw, suddenly reaching out, opening its powerful and terrifying palm, grabbing at Xie Agui.
"What is this!"
Xie Agui cursed loudly. His martial arts were strong, and his reaction was very fast. He kicked, and with a bang, the strange limb was kicked into a ball, the hidden mouse corpses and green mucus splattering everywhere.
But this was a monster made of liquid, and it was a moving corpse, so it could not be broken, and it could not be injured. Xie Agui was caught off guard, and he had never seen such a terrifying monster before. He did not understand its attacking methods, nor did he understand its physical characteristics. Before he could dodge, the giant hand that had returned to its original shape attacked again with lightning speed!
It caught with one grab.
"Damn it!"
Xie Agui saw the furry pile of hidden mouse corpses, and immediately felt a wave of nausea, goosebumps rising all over his body. He struggled with all his strength, throwing out two punches, but to no avail. He wanted to use his qinggong to jump out, but the green liquid seemed to have a terrifying sticky force, making him unable to use his strength and escape.
He struggled to pull out his hand, struggling in the pile of hidden mouse corpses, roaring. He had encountered a monster he could not understand, he had encountered a power he could not resist — —
Only the ruthless would win.
This was the philosophy he learned from the wolf.
It was as if he had returned to the foot of the mountain. He had encountered that vicious wolf. Its eyes were sharp, its form was terrifying, and its aura was terrifying. It wanted to eat his flesh and drink his blood. Just like that, it followed him, looking for an opportunity to strike.
But he still survived, because he was ruthless, because he learned how to be ruthless, because he was willing to risk his life, because he … … had a hatchet.
The wolf came again.
But … …
Where is my hatchet?
He struggled with all his strength, and suddenly found that Kong Zhongwu, who was lying on the ground, was looking at him with shock and pity.
This man, whose fate was similar to his, who was in the same situation as him, who had once fought side by side with him, who had resisted and escaped with him, was the strength and courage he could rely on.
At this time, Kong Zhongwu was lying on the ground, helplessly watching himself fall into a desperate situation … … He could not move, and his acupoints were sealed by himself. In order to survive, he had betrayed his companions.
Xie Agui felt a great sense of absurdity and fear welling up in his heart. He thought of the wolf again, the wolf's eyes, fierce and sharp, wanting to tear him apart.
Now, the wolf had come to eat him, but he did not have a hatchet.
"… … Help."
But Agui did not say anything.
His eyes had already turned black, and there was a buzzing sound in his ears. He felt that his whole body was like dust bursting out.
Kong Zhongwu watched as Xie Agui's body was swallowed by countless hidden mouse corpses, covered, and dragged into the terrifying cave.
He did not know what the monster inside was, but he knew that it was the end of death.
The time of retribution … … had indeed come.
In this world, there was indeed retribution … …
Xie Agui had already died, and then it was his turn.
He laughed bitterly, "I have implicated you, Runtu. To be honest, if I could, I would like to use my life to save yours. But now, we are both going to die here … …"
The farmer opened his eyes, but did not say anything.
But the wind was strong.
The moment Xie Agui was dragged into the cave, two swift figures suddenly appeared not far away. After grabbing Kong Zhongwu and the farmer who could not move, they ran away!