Chapter 33: This is the Jianghu

Everyone at the scene was quite scared by Zhao Pangzi.

But only those two people were exceptions.

One, naturally, was Wang Zhen.

At this moment, his face still wore a smile like a spring breeze.

The other was Li Jiaci.

His expression at this moment was calm, as if nothing had happened.

Seeing his demeanor, Wang Zhen couldn't help but look at him a while longer.

A moment later.

Wang Zhen shook his head and laughed.

Next, he leaned in close to his ear and whispered softly: 'Brother arranged this show; little brother, are you satisfied with it?'

Without realizing it.

Wang Zhen's way of addressing Li Jiaci had changed.

He went from calling him 'little brother' to calling him 'older brother,' and he himself began to refer to himself as 'older brother.'

This shows that Li Jiaci's performance truly made him look at him in a new light.

Li Jiaci also turned around and sincerely said to Wang Zhen: 'Thank you, Boss Wang; without your help, we might not really have been able to avenge Zhang Ge.'

As long as you're satisfied, little brother.

Wang Zhen turned his head to glance at Wang Li and gave him a nod.

Afterwards, he put his arm around Li Jiaci's shoulders and, amid the panicked cries of women and children, walked toward the other side.

"Little brother."

"Brother, may I boldly ask: what is your relationship with Zhang Ge?"

"He's the one who raised us."

"Li Jiaci neither concealed it nor wanted to."

"After all, such things are easy to find out."

"Oh, that's how it is."

Wang Zhen said, eyes full of praise: 'Looks like you really are someone who repays kindness, little brother.'

"Boss Wang, you flatter me."

Li Jiaci just smiled and said nothing.

"Hehe."

"I haven't overpraised at all."

"I'm just stating the facts."

Wang Zhen looked up at Li Jiaci and said: 'You found my enemy and saved my sister's life; what reward do you want?'

"Boss Wang has already given it."

Li Jiaci said: 'And I'm not a greedy person.'

Wang Zhen tilted his head: 'Just that trifling thirty thousand, and you're satisfied?'

"Of course I'm satisfied."

Li Jiaci smiled and said: 'I've lived this long and still never seen so much money.'

"Oh?"

Wang Zhen raised the corners of his mouth and asked: 'Then who made a fortune of three hundred thousand by opening the timber factory a few days ago?'

Li Jiaci couldn't help but stare for a moment.

Wang Zhen's news is truly well-informed.

"Just luck."

Li Jiaci said: 'This kind of luck, I'll encounter only once in my lifetime.'

"Little brother, your words do have a hint of hiding one's talents and fame."

Wang Zhen said: 'And good luck is also part of one's strength.'

"Perhaps."

Li Jiaci didn't want to discuss this further with him.

Or rather, he never had any intention of befriending Wang Zhen in this life.

And saving his sister earlier also counts as repaying the favor he received from him in prison in a previous life.

Wang Zhen curled his lips, shifted the topic, and said: 'Now that the great vengeance is avenged, what are your plans? Would you consider bringing your brothers to follow me?'

"I'm quite short of people around me, especially lacking a smart and righteous brother like you, little brother."

"Boss Wang, you're overestimating me."

Li Jiaci replied: 'We're at most a few lowly street punks; following Boss Wang, we're still not worthy.'

"Moreover..."

"Zhang Ge's greatest wish in life was..."

"... that we could leave this circle and never return."

"... and we really can't go against his wish."

Although Li Jiaci refused, Wang Zhen wasn't angry either.

"Alright."

"Since we can't become brothers, we can still be friends."

"If you need help in the future, just come find me; Brother will always be waiting for you, little brother."

Wang Zhen patted Li Jiaci on the shoulder, then turned to Lin Zhong and said, "When I send them home later, remember to give my pager number to Jiaci, my younger brother."

Okay.

Lin Zhong nodded in agreement.

But when he looked up at Li Jiaci again, his eyes clearly held a few more shades of complexity.

Li Jiaci didn't think much of it, merely offering a polite thanks.

Afterward.

Lin Zhong then led Li Jiaci and the others back the way they came.

As he turned around.

They could also clearly see Wang Zhen's lackeys, hoes in hand, filling the pit.

They could also faintly hear the wailing coming from inside the pit.

Wang Zhen always does things this way.

Either don't do it, or do it completely.

……

Back home.

As they were about to go upstairs.

Lin Zhong gave Li Jiaci a card, stared at him intently, and said, "You're the first person in all these years that Zhen Ge has proactively asked me to leave a pager number for."

Then should I feel honored about that?

Li Jiaci took the card and replied offhand.

You could say that.

Lin Zhong gave Li Jiaci another glance and said, "If anything comes up, just dial this number; I'm heading out now, see you later."

Hmm.

After watching Lin Zhong and the others leave,

Only then did Li Jiaci call everyone upstairs.

When they returned home again,

The atmosphere was clearly off, and everyone's faces looked grim.

"What's wrong? Are you already scared?"

Li Jiaci looked around at the group and said, "Isn't this the life you've been longing for?"

"Today you hack me, tomorrow I hack you."

"The day after tomorrow you kill my family, and the day after that I kill your family."

"How about it? Is this life exciting or not? Do you like it or not? Do you want to keep going back?"

Upon saying that,

Their faces grew even uglier.

"This..."

Li Yihu said, "This doesn't quite match what I imagined."

"What's different about it?"

Li Jiaci raised an eyebrow and asked.

Li Yihu lowered his head and said, "Wang Zhen does things way too ruthlessly."

"Ruthless? Is that even considered ruthless?"

Li Jiaci snorted and said, "To be honest, this is exactly what happens every day in this circle."

"The weak are killed by the strong, and the strong are killed by the stronger."

"And the even stronger will someday be caught by Maozi and thrown in prison to face a firing squad."

In my previous life,

he had personally witnessed far too many such things.

But back then he had no choice; even if he wanted to quit, he couldn't.

Li Jiaci looked at the people before him and said earnestly, "Brother isn't afraid of injury, blood, or death, but Brother fears seeing you hurt, you bleeding, you…"

He trailed off.

His words cut off abruptly.

He couldn't get the next word out.

Because in his previous life, he had watched his brothers die one after another right before his eyes.

Li Jiaci closed his eyes and drew a deep breath.

"So, consider this Brother's plea: stop fantasizing about this circle."

"Even if you don't want to work with Brother in the future, stay far away from this circle at all costs."

Li Jiaci's voice trembled as he told the group, "Brother only hopes you can live well and lead good lives."