Chapter 96

**Ding Dong! System update complete!**

**Ding Dong! Congratulations, Host, for deepening your understanding of the essence of villainy in using others as tools. To be a great villain, you must be ruthless. Work hard to cultivate the Tong brothers into your sharpest blades! Reward: 40,000 villainy points! Please continue to strive!**

**Ding Dong! Congratulations, Host, for grasping the essence of villainy in being two-faced. Your acting skills are off the charts, deceiving everyone and completely concealing your fear of death! Reward: 9,000 villainy points! Please continue to be angry!**

**Ding Dong! Host currently has a total of 87,200 villainy points. Please continue to strive!**

In the system space, Wu Fan's expression no longer showed the look of someone on the verge of death. As the system said, he was just finding it profitable and putting on a show. He had no real feelings for the Tong family. His past kindness was merely because he thought Tong Wei would have a bright future, and he wanted to win their favor. Now, with the death of the Tong couple, as the future husband of Tong Rui, the only relative of the Tong brothers, Wu Fan could decide everything about them, including their lives and deaths.

Rubbing his temples, Wu Fan looked very tired and didn't say a word for a long time.

**Ding Dong! The Host must learn to adapt. To achieve great things, even close relatives can be sacrificed!**

"Swallowing the ashes of the lamp, releasing a light fart!" Wu Fan sighed deeply, saying, "My current morals and principles are truly deteriorating, falling further and further without any bounds! No matter what... I am not comfortable with this. My conscience and sense of justice are being severely tormented. I feel like I have already fallen into..."

**Ding Dong! Congratulations, Host, for deepening your understanding of the essence of villainy in being shameless. Conscience? Morals? Principles? Do you even have them? Reward: 800 villainy points! Please continue to strive!**

Well!

The little bit of melancholy that Wu Fan had in his heart was completely shattered by this system announcement.

Deciding to ignore the system, Wu Fan left.

Zhai Rang and Xiong Kuohai had to organize people and couldn't accompany Wu Fan.

Since Shan Xiongxin had nothing to do, he accompanied Wu Fan to the city of Yingyang, thinking of helping out a bit to show his goodwill.

Wu Fan and Shan Xiongxin were in the same carriage. Wu Fan opened his eyes, which were full of fatigue, and asked, "Second Brother Shan, where are we now?"

Seeing Wu Fan's haggard appearance, Shan Xiongxin sighed in his heart and replied, "We just got on the main road. It will take about an hour to reach the city. You haven't slept all night, so rest well!"

Wu Fan nodded silently and closed his eyes.

The carriage was very bumpy, making it hard to sleep. Wu Fan suddenly said, "Second Brother Shan, once we get this great fortune, help me persuade Brother Zhai and the Heavenly King to leave!"

Shan Xiongxin was taken aback and asked in surprise, "Why do you say that? What should I persuade them to do?"

Wu Fan opened his eyes, pursed his lips, and said with great certainty, "Leave the territory of Yingyang!"

Shan Xiongxin opened his mouth but couldn't say a word, waiting for Wu Fan to continue.

The outlaws of the green forest had their own rules and would not change their territory unless under special circumstances. Unless, like Xiong Kuohai three years ago, they were forced to flee to Yingyang territory and re-establish the Heavenly King's fort. To them, the territory was their home!

Wu Fan looked out through the carriage curtain and said, "Due to the disappearance of the grain tax ships from Ji Prefecture and the empire's plans to attack Northern Yan... the territory of Yingyang is not peaceful."

Shan Xiongxin nodded and continued to wait for Wu Fan to speak.

Wu Fan turned his head and looked at Shan Xiongxin seriously, asking, "Second Brother Shan, do you know Wu Zhao from Nanyang?"

"Nanyang Wu Zhao?" Shan Xiongxin thought for a moment and frowned, saying, "Isn't he the descendant of the Loyal and Filial King, the son of the Marquis of Nanyang, Wu Zhao? Wow! He is a fine man!"

Wu Fan nodded and said, "That's right! I'm talking about him! He recently resigned from his position as the commander of the Yingyang Guard in Luoyang and inherited the title of Marquis of Nanyang. Due to his success in eliminating the leader of the Maitreya Sect, Lan Zhuke, he was appointed as a seventh-rank Fierce Martial General and has come to clear out the bandits!"

Seemingly still shaken, Wu Fan added, "This man is as brave as a thousand men, not inferior to the Heavenly King. Moreover, he comes from a military family, with both military and political skills. If he is determined to clear out this area... I am really worried about Brother Zhai and the Heavenly King! Two tigers fighting will surely result in one being injured, let alone humans? Swords and spears have no eyes. We are not afraid of him, but there is no need. It's better to temporarily avoid the storm and have plenty of silver to spend, rather than living in constant fear here. Don't you think so?"

Seeing Wu Fan's sincerity, Shan Xiongxin nodded repeatedly and said, "Alright! I will invite them to my Two Virtuous Men's Manor. Delaying for some time is no problem!" He then changed his tone, clasped his hands, and said with great admiration, "Brother, you are truly a man of high moral integrity! Even at such a time, you still think of us. I am ashamed of myself!"

"Where, where! It's just a small matter, not worth mentioning!" Wu Fan humbly shook his head and said, "Since we have decided to be brothers, we must be true brothers and never be insincere or just drinking buddies."

Shan Xiongxin couldn't stop praising. If the timing were right and they weren't in mourning, he would have laughed and pulled Wu Fan to swear brotherhood without a moment's delay, fearing that he would lose a good brother.

**What a pity!**

Shan Xiongxin sighed inwardly.

**Ding... Ding...**

Wu Fan kept tapping his fingers lightly on the carriage, closed his eyes, and didn't speak.

Suddenly, Wu Fan remembered something.

Unlike in Luoyang, Wu Fan did not have a residence in Yingyang yet.

Since he took office in Yingyang, Wu Fan had always lived in the hundred-household office.

But...

Now it wouldn't do!

He couldn't set up a memorial for his family in the hundred-household office, could he?

Thinking of this, Wu Fan hurriedly called out, "Stop the carriage! Stop the carriage!" He quickly got off the carriage, mounted a fast horse, and apologized at the carriage window, "I have just arrived in Yingyang and don't have a residence yet. I am temporarily staying in the hundred-household office. This time, I need to arrange the funeral for my brother and sister-in-law, so I need to find a place! I am truly sorry, Second Brother Shan! I must go ahead and find a residence first!"

Shan Xiongxin didn't know what to say. However, he was always generous and straightforward. Hearing this, he took out a stack of silver bills from his pocket, didn't count them, and handed them to Wu Fan, saying, "Brother, don't be polite. First, arrange a grand funeral for your brother and sister-in-law, and then we can talk about other things! Time is of the essence. In about an hour, the hearse will arrive in the city! You go ahead! I will take care of things here and ensure everything goes smoothly!"

"Good! Good! Good!"

Wu Fan said three heavy "goods" and rode off.

...

**PS1: Request for favorites, recommendations, likes, and small red packets. I'll take anything!**

**PS2: Thank you, grady-wu, for the 100-point red packet support. Thanks!**

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