Chapter 81

"Yuan Er, I pay my respects to Mr. Ning!"

The moment he saw Yuan Er bowing to him, Unlike Ning Zhuo hesitated.

He was wondering whether to take this opportunity to truly subdue the entire Monkey Head Gang for his own use. Yuan Dasheng had become a cripple, but its soul had entered the palace; it was absolutely a powerful weapon for seizing the Immortal Palace's inheritance!

But immediately, Unlike Ning Zhuo calmed down again.

"One must not covet immediate, empty gains!"

"Persuading Yuan Er to surrender was merely taking advantage of the enemy's weak heart and borrowing momentum to succeed. In the end, it wasn't me who truly subdued him."

"If Fei Si or the other three great families were to recruit him in the future, would Yuan Er be loyal to me? Absolutely impossible."

"A more critical point is, even if Yuan Er were completely loyal to me, could I rely on him to control the Monkey Head Gang?"

Unlike Ning Zhuo shook his head in his heart.

Many gang members were disappointed in Yuan Er.

"Can I control Yuan Dasheng through Yuan Er?"

Unlike Ning Zhuo shook his head again in his heart.

Yuan Dasheng only wanted to protect Yuan Er; it rarely listened to him. It had risen from the bottom and possessed its own ambition and judgment.

It had been ambushed and lost the initiative, but it hadn't realized that Unlike Ning Zhuo was a major enemy. Once given time to gather intelligence, it would rely on its experience of fighting and rising through the ranks, along with the wisdom accumulated over the years, to realize its true predicament.

Its most likely course of action would be to actively defect to the four major powers, abandon Unlike Ning Zhuo, or even eliminate him.

"I am so weak right now, like walking on the edge of a cliff, as precarious as a pile of eggs; how can I be tempted by profit and lose my sense of proportion!"

"One wrong step, and I will fall off the cliff and be smashed to pieces!"

At this point, Unlike Ning Zhuo calmed down completely, not misled by the false advantage.

He stretched out both hands to help Yuan Er stand straight, praising him, "Those who understand the times are truly outstanding figures..."

He spoke to soothe Yuan Er, and seeing the latter's emotions gradually calm down, he finally stated his true purpose: "Since you have already defected to our side, we must do our utmost to protect your position as gang leader."

"Your personal combat strength is ultimately a bit weak. According to Lord Fei Si's intentions, our side wants to fully customize a mechanical creation for you."

"This machine will have Foundation Establishment combat strength, allowing you to suppress the other elders in the gang."

"Oh?" Yuan Er's eyes lit up, and he felt pleasantly surprised.

Especially the attitude of the other side in increasing investment and support made him feel at ease.

As a result, Unlike Ning Zhuo's next sentence made him angry and shocked again, so angry he almost wanted to hit someone!

Unlike Ning Zhuo nodded and said, "It's good that you agree."

"Next, hand Yuan Dasheng over to us, and we will make a powerful mechanical monkey for you."

Yuan Er was so angry he almost jumped up: "No, this is impossible!"

He refused immediately, without any hesitation.

"Hmm?!" Unlike Ning Zhuo immediately frowned, "Gang Leader Yuan Er, think clearly!"

"Only excellent materials can create powerful machines."

"Do you think our side wanted to buy the monkey corpse just to humiliate you? You overestimate yourself too much."

"Only by taking materials from a monkey can we create an excellent monkey machine."

Yuan Er shook his head incessantly: "Even so, I will never take my Monkey Uncle's..."

Unlike Ning Zhuo waved his hand impatiently, rudely interrupting: "Enough, Yuan Er, are you still going to be soft-hearted now?"

"I will tell you frankly, you are the only one who can provide the materials."

"Only by taking materials from Yuan Dasheng's corpse can we make an excellent mechanical monkey to protect you in the future."

"Our side needs you to continue serving as the leader of the Monkey Head Gang, but how do you think these elders feel?"

"Your combat strength is weak, and you have no powerful existence to protect you on a daily basis. Once the elders hire assassins to kill you, what will you do?"

Yuan Er remained silent.

Unlike Ning Zhuo continued: "Fools only shed tears when they see the coffin."

"But that is already too late!"

"Since you have already decided to defect to our side, why not do things thoroughly?"

Yuan Er shook his head, his attitude firm: "Mr. Ning, you don't need to persuade me anymore. Monkey Uncle's kindness to me is as heavy as a mountain, and his contribution to the gang is extremely high; I must support him! I will ensure he has no worries in his later years."

"If I don't do this, am I still human?!"

Unlike Ning Zhuo narrowed his eyes, and an impulse inexplicably rose in his heart to punch Yuan Er to death and then finish off Yuan Dasheng!

He had gone through a great deal of trouble just to plot against Yuan Dasheng. Now that he was stuck at the final step, he couldn't help but feel a bit impatient.

Reason told him that he must not be too hasty.

Unlike Ning Zhuo took a deep breath, calmed his heart, and changed the subject: "Gang Leader Yuan Er's character truly makes me admire him."

"I admire such character, and I also admire a person like you!"

"However... you are a bit selfish."

Yuan Er stared, feeling extremely puzzled in his heart: "With my performance, I'm still selfish? If I were selfish, I would have agreed to use Monkey Uncle as material to make a machine long ago!"

Unlike Ning Zhuo continued: "Gang Leader, have you ever thought about what your Monkey Uncle thinks?"

Yuan Er was stunned.

Unlike Ning Zhuo: "Your Monkey Uncle is brave and fearless, daring to fight and charge; he is a tough guy among tough guys. Do you think he prefers to die on the battlefield or die of old age in bed?"

"I think if your Monkey Uncle really becomes a cripple and can only lie in bed, then he would definitely be better off dead. This later life is just to satisfy your filial piety. To him, it is too cruel; it is an incomparable humiliation!"

Yuan Er frowned deeply, falling into deep thought.

Unlike Ning Zhuo's eyes were full of cold light; he smiled lightly, his tone gentle, like a breeze and drizzle: "Why don't you discuss it with your Monkey Uncle?"

"Your Monkey Uncle has sacrificed so much for you; if he extremely hates this kind of life, I believe he would definitely be willing to dedicate himself. He would think: even if I die, I can still accompany and protect you in another way."

"Why don't you ask?"

Yuan Er raised his head, his face pale, without a trace of blood; his gaze was unfocused, and he murmured: "Yes, Mr. Ning, what you say makes great sense. Why don't I ask my Monkey Uncle myself?"

Yuan Er left the small study and came to the master bedroom, where he knelt before the bed.

Yuan Dasheng was still in a comatose state.

Yuan Er opened his mouth to speak, but after trying several times, he couldn't say a word.

The incredibly majestic and burly body in his memory was now as fragile as paper, unable to give him even a shred of security.

Yuan Er's thoughts gradually became chaotic, his gaze unfocused, and tears flowed out unconsciously.

Through tear-blurred eyes, Yuan Er seemed to have returned to the past.

When he was a child...

He climbed on Yuan Dasheng's body, like climbing a dark red volcano.

When he could walk and jump...

"Monkey Uncle, they bullied me!" Yuan Er brought Yuan Dasheng to settle the score, scaring other children until they peed themselves and broke down in tears.

When playing in the water...

"Eh, Monkey Uncle, why is mine so small and yours so big?" Little Yuan Er pointed at Yuan Dasheng's crotch, full of curiosity.

When he was a little older...

Yuan Er began to be brave and fierce, curious about a question: "Monkey Uncle, who is more powerful, you or my dad? Have you fought? I ask Dad, but Dad never answers me."

After the gang war victory...

Yuan Er ran to Yuan Dasheng, full of worship and excitement: "Monkey Uncle, you are so powerful, so fierce; when can I be like you?"

Then, and then...

Things gradually changed.

The cruel and cold reality shattered Yuan Er's fantasy that "as long as you work hard, you can be outstanding."

Cultivation is about aptitude.

"I can never be as powerful as Monkey Uncle!"

"Monkey Uncle is truly powerful!"

"Monkey Uncle is too powerful!!"

"Monkey Uncle is overly powerful..." The boy who once praised him became a gloomy young man.

The same fact, the worship and awe it triggered, gradually turned into worry and suspicion.

"My father also relied on Monkey Uncle to build this foundation. After my father is gone, can I control Monkey Uncle?" Yuan Er looked at his father, who was seriously ill and getting weaker day by day, and became worried.

"The highest combat strength of our Monkey Head Gang is Monkey Uncle. Combat strength is power; is it appropriate for the foundation of power to be on Monkey Uncle?"

"Monkey Head Gang, Monkey Head Gang... is it a human gang or an organization of monkeys?" Looking at more and more monkey pets, Yuan Er also felt lost.

Seeing the elders trembling and in awe of Yuan Dasheng, he felt a mix of emotions.

During a gang battle, Yuan Er shouted to stop: "Don't, don't kill him!"

Yuan Dasheng had already fought to the point of madness and couldn't stop, directly opening its mouth and biting the opposing cultivator in two.

The opponent's morale plummeted, and they began to flee.

Yuan Er sighed deeply: "Now, this can't be cleaned up; we must destroy the enemy gang with all our might!"

Yuan Dasheng walked over, holding half of the cultivator's corpse, and suddenly handed it to Yuan Er.

Yuan Er was startled.

The prank succeeded, and Yuan Dasheng laughed, but it didn't notice the haze in Yuan Er's eyes.