Chapter 33: Chen Cha: I truly deserve to die!

"Young friend Ning Zhuo." Chen Cha cupped his hands, forcing a smile.

"Elder Chen, no need for such courtesy. Please, come in."

Ning Zhuo led Chen Cha into the room, invited him to sit, and poured him tea.

Ning Zhuo got straight to the point: "Elder Chen, what brings you here today?"

Elder Chen’s lips moved, but he still couldn't muster enough courage. He could only say, "There is some good news."

Elder Chen gave a brief summary: Chi Dun had pursued the black-shadow demonic cultivator, who fled into the Fire Persimmon Forest. The forest’s layers of arrays were fully activated, temporarily sealing the cultivator inside. To minimize losses, the City Lord’s side planned to mass-produce mechanical Fire-Exploding Monkeys to replace manual labor in harvesting the fire persimmons.

"This is a heaven-sent fortune. Young friend Ning Zhuo, your luck is truly good!" Chen Cha said, feeling a sense of emotion as he spoke.

"However..." Chen Cha felt as if his tongue were pressed under a giant boulder; even uttering a single word felt difficult.

Ning Zhuo observed his expression and took the initiative: "Elder Chen, is there something else you find hard to say? Please, speak freely. My mechanical monkeys were able to reach the ears of the authorities entirely thanks to your recommendation. If there is anything I can do for you, I will not hesitate!"

Hearing Ning Zhuo be so considerate, Chen Cha felt even more ashamed, guilty, and burdened by sin.

"I am ashamed, this old man is ashamed to the extreme." He looked up and sighed, then lowered his head to explain the circumstances, hoping Ning Zhuo would privately cede the identity of the mechanical Fire-Exploding Monkey’s developer to him.

A flicker of cold light passed through Ning Zhuo’s eyes.

"Fei Si... that Jin Dan cultivator has always been one to claim credit and show off. He is certainly capable of such a thing."

Ning Zhuo knew quite a bit about Fei Si. He had been plotting against the Molten Immortal Palace since he was two years old. The four major factions were his primary targets of precaution, and Fei Si was naturally among them.

In Chen Cha’s mind, a young man like Ning Zhuo would crave wealth and, even more, yearn for fame. He must have put in immense effort and endured great hardship to design the mechanical Fire-Exploding Monkey. Now that this fruit was to be plucked by an outsider, he would surely be unwilling and filled with rage.

Chen Cha had overestimated the difficulty of this matter.

He could never have guessed that the hidden circumstances were so complex and dangerous, even involving the previous bombing of the Immortal Palace.

Ning Zhuo’s meeting with Chen Cha was not just for the sake of designing the mechanical monkeys, but also to actively expose his intent regarding the mechanical Fire-Exploding Monkeys.

He took one step, but calculated at least three ahead.

Bombing the Immortal Palace was only the first step. How to guard against the investigation that followed? This was something Ning Zhuo had considered long ago.

"Previously, I had already prompted Chen Cha to use the Flying Disc Workshop to produce many mechanical monkeys and sell them externally."

"Now, Fei Si is sticking his hand in, asking me to cede the mechanical monkeys. Isn't this just shielding me?"

"Very good, another layer of cover."

Thinking this, Ning Zhuo decided to agree.

Of course, he wouldn't just nod immediately. Instead, after hearing Chen Cha’s words, his expression changed drastically.

Disbelief, anger, hatred, unwillingness, awe... all sorts of emotions appeared on his face, exceptionally complex.

Chen Cha could clearly feel that several times, Ning Zhuo was about to slam the table and stand up to angrily rebuke him!

Chen Cha had prepared himself to just lower his head and take the scolding; it was what he deserved.

But in the end, Ning Zhuo did not do so.

His face turned red and pale, staring at Chen Cha, his lips moving, emitting only a few vague, unclear syllables, as if cursing.

Chen Cha was filled with guilt; the sense of culpability in his heart almost made him unable to breathe.

He took the initiative to pick up the teapot and refill Ning Zhuo’s tea: "Young friend Ning Zhuo, it is my fault, everything is my fault. You can beat or scold me all you want!"

Ning Zhuo gritted his teeth and finally stood up in anger. As a young man, how could he endure such an encounter? He glared fiercely at Chen Cha, but ultimately did not curse, instead pacing around the small room in front of Chen Cha.

His face was flushed, his hands clenched into fists, his steps heavy and long, as if he wanted to vent all the stifled anger in his heart through his movements.

Seeing this, Chen Cha was at a loss, wanting to console him but finding no good words. He felt so guilty he wanted to crawl into a crack in the ground.

Ning Zhuo paced back and forth several times, stood by the wall, and suddenly slammed his fist into it.

He lowered his head, leaving a stubborn, lonely back to Chen Cha. His thin shoulders and the fist that had slammed into the wall, now slowly bleeding, left Chen Cha speechless, his heart heavy as a mountain.

Ning Zhuo stood like a stone statue, maintaining this posture, motionless.

Time seemed to stand still, and the atmosphere in the room was truly oppressive. Chen Cha could only hear the sound of Ning Zhuo’s angry breathing.

It was unknown how much time passed before Ning Zhuo finally pulled back his fist and slowly turned around. He looked as if his bones had been removed; his previous spirit had collapsed, his face filled with sorrow and helplessness.

His once clear eyes were now filled with despair.

His voice became hoarse, and he spoke with difficulty: "So, Elder Chen, this matter cannot be undone, right?"

Elder Chen’s Adam’s apple bobbed; he wanted to comfort Ning Zhuo, but he could not speak.

Suddenly, he raised his palm and slapped himself hard several times.

Slap, slap, slap.

He used all his strength, each blow causing his face to tilt at a huge angle.

After finishing, he stood up, cupped his hands to Ning Zhuo, and bowed deeply, refusing to rise.

Ning Zhuo took a few deep breaths, gritting his teeth, and let out a few indistinct, mournful sounds. It was as if he were crying, and as if he were screaming.

This sound made Chen Cha’s heart ache immensely!

Then, Ning Zhuo loosened his tightly clenched fist, took a heavy step, slowly raised his hand to support Chen Cha’s forearm, and lifted him up.

Chen Cha finally straightened up. In just a short time, his cheeks were already visibly swollen and red.

And when Chen Cha saw Ning Zhuo, his pupils shrank.

He saw the young man’s red-rimmed eyes and two clear tear tracks on his cheeks.

"I truly deserve to die!" Chen Cha cursed himself in his heart.

Ning Zhuo spoke: "Elder Chen, there is no need to blame yourself. Although I have spent very little time with you, I believe you are absolutely not such a petty person!"

"Since things have reached this point..."

"Since things have reached this point, I can only accept it, can't I?"

Ning Zhuo looked up and sighed, took a step back, his body staggering, almost falling.

Chen Cha hurriedly stepped forward to support him.

Chen Cha helped Ning Zhuo all the way to his seat.

For a long time afterward, both remained silent, sitting opposite each other.

Ning Zhuo had been secretly counting the time, feeling the moment was right, and broke the dead silence in the room with a hoarse voice.

"I agree."

Elder Chen’s heart gave a sharp twitch.

"I agree," Ning Zhuo said again.

Elder Chen bit his lip in pain.

His own eyes were red-rimmed as he looked at Ning Zhuo, then took a jade slip from his robes.

He placed the jade slip on the table and quickly took out a small cloth bag.

He placed the bag next to the jade slip.

Finally, he took out a bag of spirit stones and placed them on the table as well.

After doing this, he cupped his hands to Ning Zhuo in another deep bow. Afterward, unable to bear staying here any longer, he turned and left Ning Zhuo’s residence without a word.

Ning Zhuo was left alone, taking a long time to calm down.

He had been too immersed; the intense emotions and their lingering effects had not yet faded. ===== CHAPTER 34 =====