Chapter 142: Dragon and Snake

This was a gamble.

A gamble with everything Chen Xingzhou and Lei Yaoxing had as the stake.

The Leader beyond the clouds made the judgment and witnessed the whole situation—from the moment that bullet, which completely shattered the balance, was fired, it had already begun.

There was no room for trickery, nor did there exist any room for disguise or acting.

Either die so ridiculously, or crawl out of hell alive and reach out to grab everything you wanted!

This was the absolute punishment the Leader had given Chen Xingzhou in advance, because for his own selfish interests, he had attempted to push Yacheng's Wilderness Gathering to become a target for everyone, a crime deserving death.

And from that bullet on, Yacheng's Wilderness Gathering had only two outcomes.

The first was that Lei Yaoxing suppressed everyone, ascended the throne with wrist and power surpassing Lei Wuye, and became the true Speaker of Yacheng; at that time, Chen Xingzhou would be a clown, not worth a glance.

The second was that under public anger, Lei Yaoxing had no way forward and no way back, unable to make a final decision, and unable to control the situation, to the point of threatening everyone's safety.

When the tacit understanding and balance were broken, Chen Xingzhou, returning from death, represented all other participants to settle everything.

Now, the outcome was finally decided before the spirit.

Lei Yaoxing ultimately did not have the ability to control the Wilderness Gathering and reshape the wilderness.

Or rather, under Chen Xingzhou's interference and guidance, one wrong step led to another, the situation was too heavy to return, to the point where he had collapsed the situation to such a degree.

And Chen Xingzhou, who had been ignored, after opening his eyes… in just one night, through promises, deterrence, negotiation, and conspiracy, had reintegrated the scattered sand.

The long night had ended.

After today, the Dark Side of Yacheng would never look the same again.

Lei Wuye was dead, and the final traces would be completely erased from the Wilderness Gathering; the stagnant water of checks and balances and confrontation of the past would never return.

No, perhaps when Lei Wuye deliberately let the wilderness fall into rigidity and decay in order to continue his own status and power, he had already incurred the disgust and contempt of the Bai Lu.

Tian Tian Yuan loved checks and balances and stability, but what the Bai Lu wanted was only the elimination of the capable and the cycle of the survival of the fittest.

Yacheng's stagnant water had been rotten for too long.

And in this short half-month, under Chen Xingzhou's promotion—the battles they should have fought, the spoils and struggles they should have offered, had all been repaid to the Bai Lu…

And even more than enough.

This was everyone willingly offering sacrifices to the wilderness.

For profit, for ambition, for hatred, or other things…

And as the old and incompetent fools fell, in the spreading blood, new seeds had already received the Bai Lu's blessing.

Ambition and desire sprouted again on the wilderness, young beasts were hungry, rampant and arrogant, longing to challenge everything.

The replacement of the old with the new had been completed.

Everything from here on out would be different from yesterday.

"Give up, Young Master Xing, no one will obey you."

Chen Xingzhou sighed lightly, showing his supporters behind him: "The uncles don't support you, the bosses don't stand with you, everyone doesn't back you. Even if I died, could you ascend to the throne? And who would believe your promises and guarantees?

The position of Speaker, you are destined to have no hope."

He said, "Before this afternoon, leave Yacheng, and the Wilderness Gathering will still have a place for you."

Boom!

Without warning, a bolt from the blue.

Old Lin, who had been outside the door, suddenly arrived, blocking in front of Chen Xingzhou, his palms wreathed in flames and thick smoke revealing a strange outline, blocking the invisible blade that had been slashed from the air.

The entire mourning hall shook, flowers flew up amidst the turbulent waves, falling withered, a mess.

"You say it won't work, so it won't? Chen Xingzhou, what the hell kind of thing are you?"

Lei Yaoxing's eyes were scarlet, glancing contemptuously at him and the group of people behind him: "You think that by relying on a bunch of rabble, you can win against me?

It's not your turn to issue orders here—if the Leader wants my life, let him come and tell me himself!

If you want my life, come and take it yourself!"

At this moment, following Lei Yaoxing's words, many people in the mourning hall stood up suddenly, no longer caring about showing their spiritual quality fluctuations, malicious and ferocious, looking at Chen Xingzhou and the people behind him.

Situation? Strength? Public expectation?

For beasts, those were useless things, not worth a glance. Even a cornered beast knew how to fight to the death; who would be the Speaker, only after fighting would they know.

Even if the living might not win, the dead one definitely couldn't do it!

"Very well, things have come to this, I have nothing more to say."

Chen Xingzhou sighed lightly and finally said: "I leave it to you."

Saying this, he turned his head and looked at Ji Jue.

"Ah?"

Ji Jue was sluggish, confused, almost dropping his melon seeds. From everyone's gaze, his brain was buzzing—what the hell? What's going on? Leaving it to me is of no use!

Buddy is here to eat melons, what does your Bai Lu life-and-death struggle have to do with me!

But immediately after, a soft voice sounded from behind him.

"Okay," she said.

The moment Ji Jue turned around in astonishment, he almost thought Xiao An had also arrived at the scene.

But that wasn't Xiao An, but another figure he had just said goodbye to last night…

—An Ning!

He didn't know when she had moved a stool over and sat behind him, but Ji Jue hadn't felt any aura or movement.

Even during the boring wait, she had even braided three small pigtails on the back of Ji Jue's head.

And from beginning to end, Ji Jue hadn't noticed at all…

And now, as the young girl stood up and walked toward the dispute before her, no one could ignore her existence anymore.

In her eyes, the brilliance that once looked like stars shining had disappeared, leaving only a pitch-black darkness like the night, with no end in sight.

No more soft and sweet smiles could be seen, only an indifferent and cold calm.

After waiting for such a long time and experiencing many unexpected episodes, her work had finally begun.

All the vivid features that once belonged to her had disappeared at this moment. When An Ning actively erased all colors, what walked toward the mourning hall now was only the executor of the Leader's will.

Like the incarnation of the Wilderness Gathering.

The Bai Lu Hunter walked toward the dispute.

Just like that, she raised her right hand toward everyone, showing the thin gloves worn on it, scarlet as blood.

The pitch-black Bai Lu emblem manifested light.

"Today, I convey the judgment on behalf of the Leader—"

She stared at the many furious or terrified beasts, declaring indifferently: "The struggle in Yacheng ends here, do not cause any more disputes. The incompetent will be expelled, and those who do not obey will die."

After a brief pause, the Bai Lu Hunter finally asked:

"—Now, the Wilderness Gathering asks here, do you want to rebel against the Leader?"

In a moment of dead silence, except for Chen Xingzhou and Lei Yaoxing, everyone actually took a step back in unison, their expressions shaken, and soon, the originally violent spiritual quality fluctuations dissipated completely.

Some even took the initiative to put down the weapons and pistols in their hands, retreating again and again.

Old Lin remained unmoved.

And right behind Lei Yaoxing, among the many silent supporters, some had changing expressions, gritting their teeth, withdrawing their hands, and turning to leave in a hurry; others retreated after hesitation.

In the end, even the closest assistants and subordinates lowered their heads tamely under the Bai Lu Hunter's gaze. But when they saw Lei Yaoxing, who was still standing ferociously, they couldn't help but advise in a low voice:

"Brother Xing, as long as the green hills remain…"

"Brother Xing!"

Lei Yaoxing didn't speak, nor did he pay attention to the tugging of those people.

His face was livid.

He stared coldly at the figures retreating around him, and finally, looked at An Ning, his killing intent violent, like a trapped beast in a cage, shackled by invisible chains, struggling to break free.

He just gritted his teeth, holding on, refusing to bow his head.

"Someone from the An family…"

He squeezed a cold laugh through his teeth: "Heh, really, long time no see."

An Ning just threw a box over: "Before I came, Grandpa said, for the sake of the meager friendship with Lei Wuye, let me bring you something."

She said: "I hope you know what's good for you."

The box fell at Lei Yaoxing's feet.

He bent down silently, picked it up, and opened the box. Inside was not some fast-acting poison or letter; amidst the soft, luxurious velvet and buffer layer, there was only a common coarse porcelain rooster bowl.

It looked as if it had been used for many years.

The rooster on it was faded and dim, carrying many scratches.

"The Bai Lu is the way of the wilderness; survival of the fittest is the right principle, but the wilderness also has the rules of the wilderness. If anyone wants to cut off the water source and endanger the wilderness, then he is the enemy of all beasts.

In half a month, you failed to integrate Yacheng and suppress the discord. If you still don't know when to advance or retreat and struggle on your deathbed, then you are the source of disaster."

An Ning said: "The wilderness cannot accommodate you, so you must leave the wilderness and seek your own way out.

This is the guarantee he gives you."

A rice bowl is naturally used to hold rice, even if it is the rice bowl of the Wilderness Gathering.

As long as a person still has a rice bowl, they have a mouthful of rice to eat. As long as this bowl is still there, no one can snatch this mouthful of rice away.

If a person has rice to eat, they can still live.

This is the grace given by the Wilderness Gathering.

Leave Yacheng and seek your own way out.

If you have ambition, you might be able to make a comeback one day and retake the position of Speaker.

Fate and luck are both in your own hands.

"Now, I ask you one more time on behalf of the Wilderness Gathering, Lei Yaoxing—"

In the dead silence, An Ning finally asked, "Do you obey the Leader's order?"

Lei Yaoxing did not answer.

He just stared silently at the bowl in his hand, a smile appearing on his livid face, so mocking, but he didn't know whether he was mocking others or himself.

But when he finally raised his head and looked at his empty surroundings, and then at Chen Xingzhou in the crowd, his twitching expression gradually calmed down.

In the end, only exhaustion and numbness remained.

"Heh, a total defeat."

He sighed lightly, raising the bowl in his hand toward An Ning, the knuckles of his five fingers turning white: "Thank you for the life-saving straw given by Grandpa An."

Just like that, he smiled calmly, not caring at all.

"What a pity."

Lei Yaoxing said, "I don't want the life I had to kneel and beg for!"

Snap!

With a wave of his hand, the final mercy of the Wilderness Gathering left his hand, fell to the ground, and smashed into pieces.

The crisp sound was like thunder, making everyone's expression shake.

Immediately after, there was the sound of blood flowing.

It fell to the ground.

"Heh… heh…"

Lei Yaoxing widened his eyes, raising his hand sluggishly to touch his throat, only then noticing the cold texture, cutting his fingers, so sharp.

The moment the coarse porcelain bowl hit the ground and shattered, a piece of it sprang lightly from the ground.

As if by coincidence, it pierced his throat.

Even the dynamic vision of a Chosen could not perceive it, and even the recovery ability of the Rebirth Rank could not exempt it.

Couldn't dodge, couldn't bypass, and couldn't guard against it.

Like fate.

A bowl is used for eating; if the rice bowl is smashed, there is no more rice to eat.

A person will die.

This was the dead end Lei Yaoxing had chosen for himself.

At that moment, outside Yacheng, in the wilderness, in the deep mountains, birds were startled.

The old man sunning himself on the recliner seemed to sense something, his eyes lifting slightly.

Soon, however, he withdrew his gaze with no interest.

What a pity.

He learned Lei Wuye's arrogance of life and death being beyond one's control, but didn't learn his forbearance of suffering humiliation under the crotch back then.

If given time, he might have been able to soar into the nine heavens, but unfortunately, the Dragon Gate was hard to pass.

Ultimately, he was not destined for greatness.

No, perhaps he chose to give up himself, because… in the clouds above the nine heavens, that position had already been occupied by someone else!

Changing size, rising and hiding at will.

So high that it made him completely despair.

It's just… the giant python that is rising with the trend and calling for wind and rain at this moment, when it reveals its true form one day, is it a dragon or a snake?

The old man stared at the dark clouds gradually drifting in from the distance, seemingly lost in thought.

After a long time, he waved his hand.

He closed his eyes to nap again.

The clouds dispersed and the fog cleared, the sky was clear for ten thousand miles. ===== CHAPTER 143 =====