Nest Mountain Lake was a huge lake that was 50 kilometers wide. Standing by the lake, one couldn’t see the other edge with the naked eye; it was like an ocean. This lake also supported the surrounding residents, and countless people lived over the lake.
A powerful bandit was born here—the master of Nest Mountain Lake, Fu Xu.
It was afternoon on the second day after Fang Chong’s death. At Fu Xu’s residence.
“Sanyou!” Overwhelmed with grief, Fu Xu’s eyes were filled with tears. “We had drinks the last time you came to celebrate my birthday with me, but who would’ve thought that it would be our last farewell!”
“My condolences, my lord.”
“Brother, you have to take care of yourself! Brother Sanyou definitely doesn’t want you to be so sad.”
“Millions of people in Nest Mountain Lake are counting on you, Brother. You have to take care of yourself.”
Everyone around him consoled him.
At this moment, Old Fu arrived with a child.
“Kowtow quickly,” Old Fu urged.
The child immediately kneeled. “Uncle Fu, please accept my kowtow. I’m Fang Yong.”
“Good child.” Fu Xu’s eyes were filled with tears as he nodded and said, “I just received news that your parents have passed away.”
The child was stunned.
Old Fu found it unbelievable. “Master, he…”
“They failed to escape from the Blood Rain Guard.” Fu Xu was rather sad. “Brother Sanyou didn’t want to be humiliated and committed suicide by consuming poison. The Blood Rain Guard also didn’t spare the other members of the Fang family. Child, you don’t have parents. You will be my adopted son from today onward, alright?”
Old Fu got the stupefied child to kowtow in gratitude, only for the latter to do it in a daze.
Fu Xu suddenly stood up and said angrily, “Sanyou is my brother; we went through thick and thin! I’ll definitely kill whoever killed my brother! I heard that the murderer first killed Sanyou’s son—Fang Chong—and then fled to the Blood Rain Guard’s camp. They even fled Fengye City this morning!”
“Sixth Brother.” Fu Xu looked at an aged brother. “I’ll leave this matter to you. Quickly investigate the matter. We have to find out the murderer’s identity and where the murderer is! I want to avenge Brother Sanyou!”
“Yes, Brother!” His sixth brother immediately replied and turned to leave quickly.
“Brother, we have to think twice before acting.” Someone got up and said worriedly, “Brother Sanyou had our Nest Mountain Lake backing him. How did Fengye City have the guts to attack him? Why would the Blood Rain Guards of Fengye City listen to the murderer? The murderer probably has a huge background, so we can’t be rash.”
“Brother Sanyou is already dead. Think twice? Any more thinking and the murderer will have fled!” the others retorted.
“Shut up.” Fu Xu glared at his surroundings. “I have to seek revenge for the murder of my brother!”
“Thank you, Godfather.” Only then did the child, Fang Yong, come to his senses. He kneeled down and kowtowed to express his gratitude.
“Good child, come.” Fu Xu waved his hand, and Fang Yong got up and walked to his side.
Fu Xu pulled Fang Yong into his arms and said, “I’ll definitely avenge your father. Live in peace and study martial arts well.”
Fang Yong nodded immediately.
“Everyone, leave. I need some rest.” Fu Xu wore a sad expression and waved his hand.
Everyone left.
Fu Xu sat there alone. Even the maidservants had left, and only his wife accompanied him.
“Ah Fu.” His wife frowned slightly. “You received a secret letter from Fengye City four hours ago. The letter also stated very clearly that the murderer is Commander-in-chief Fei’s father. The one who killed Fang Chong was Commander-in-chief Fei’s sister.”
Nest Mountain Lake was the true hegemon of the surrounding 500 kilometers. He had naturally obtained detailed information via pigeon within a day.
“I took four hours to gather the rest after receiving the missive. Despite knowing the murderer’s identity, I ordered Sixth Brother to investigate the murderer’s identity and location,” Fu Xu said with a sigh. “It’s to buy time for Old Master Fei so that he can escape from my Nest Mountain Lake’s territory as soon as possible.”
His wife was slightly stunned.
“How would I dare to pursue him?” Fu Xu shook his head. “Everyone says that I’m the master of Nest Mountain Lake and the local tyrant in the area. However, Commander-in-chief Fei is akin to the sky of the entire empire’s eastern region! He has immense power, and all the Blood Rain Guards in the empire’s eastern region listen to his orders. How would I dare kill his father and sister?”
His wife sighed. “I understand.”
“We’re bandits, but a leader like me is treading on thin ice,” Fu Xu continued. “We need unity internally. We also have to be ruthless to the outside world! We have to make everyone fear us, but I also have to be careful lest I bring about a calamity. I’m already 58 this year, and I can feel that my body can’t keep up.”
His wife held his hand.
The couple had supported each other from his early days as an ordinary bandit until his rise to prominence; they had experienced too much.
“Moreover, Commander-in-chief Fei’s father is also very shrewd,” Fu Xu said with a smile. “He revealed his identity in front of the Blood Rain Guard encampment! If he had concealed his identity and only informed Commander Chang and the others secretly, it would’ve been very difficult for me to find out his identity. His public identity… was actually revealed to me. He wanted me to get my head together and not foolishly charge over and cause trouble.”
“Reveal it to you?” his wife was surprised.
“I’m the only one in a 500-kilometer radius who has the strength to wipe out their convoy,” Fu Xu explained. “Therefore, he revealed his identity to me. He was afraid that I would do something stupid.”
His wife came to a realization.
“This Commander-in-chief Fei’s father is quite scheming.” Fu Xu smiled.
During the empire’s decline, other than having brains, Fu Xu—a bandit who could control an area spanning 500 kilometers—also had sufficient strength. He was a famous super expert known throughout the world, and he had many first-rate experts under him! It was precisely because of this that he could break the law and resist the dynasty’s military punitive expeditions.
The Blood Rain Guards in the surrounding cities had to submit to him!