"Oh?" Otto laughed. "Everyone who's ever said that to me is already smiling in their grave."
"I don't know those people, and I don't care about them," Fyren replied.
Fyren walked in slowly, his leather shoes clicking rhythmically against the floor. His footsteps showed not a trace of hesitation.
Sherry grew increasingly uneasy - Fyren suddenly gave her an unprecedented sense of danger, an extremely threatening presence!
All three present understood clearly: Fyren had come here prepared to face death!
Either he was certain of victory, or he was determined to die trying!
His steps were measured and firm, devoid of any fear or anxiety.
This was completely different from the Fyren who had previously trembled before Otto, always trying to smooth things over with a smile!
Sherry slowly drew her longsword.
Otto looked back at her in surprise. "Nervous much? He can't do anything." Then laughed. "What, you think he's going to walk over here and beat me to death?"
Otto stood up, hands in his pockets. "Not bad - you've got decent presence. But as far as I'm concerned, you're just here to die."
Fyren stopped ten meters away from him.
At this moment, Fyren spoke: "Iron King. Get out here and do your job."
Sherry tensed, scanning their surroundings.
After a long pause, a figure dropped from above, landing with a heavy thud between Fyren and Otto.
Meanwhile, outside the iron door, four large, muscular black men had begun filing in slowly.
Otto covered his forehead in exasperation. "These goddamn idiots..."
Fyren commanded: "Take care of them."
Iron King looked between Otto and Fyren, his mouth working silently.
Otto tilted his head. "Dumbass, didn't Tactician order you to return?"
"But I told them to stay," Fyren said coldly.
"You're nothing!" Otto snapped. "Could you morons not figure out who your real master is? Kill him for me now, and I might forgive your mistake!"
"No need to shout," Fyren said. "Your little scheme has fallen apart."
Fyren lowered his head casually to light a cigarette, completely unguarded, and said calmly: "Do it."
Iron King clenched his teeth, eyes red. "Who the hell are you... young lord?"
Otto's eyes bulged. "Are you fucking kidding me? Still asking? Huh? Still asking? I am! Goddammit! I'm your YOUNG LORD! You're dumber than fucking donkeys!"
Iron King turned to Fyren. "You're the one who's been deceiving me?"
Fyren laughed.
This was a fight to the death.
Otto, Sherry, Iron King and those four men - any one of them here could kill him easily.
He possessed no heaven-defying cultivation.
No beautiful guards with peerless martial arts.
Nor did he have Iron King and his men willing to serve as his underlings.
But he had brains!
The courage to fight for once!
The determination to stake his life on this!
Iron King was his last trump card. If he could deceive him one more time, he might turn the tables and conquer this world!
Fyren looked at Iron King and shook his head in disappointment. "Iron King, do you know why I called you here for this job? Why I'm giving you one last chance? Do this well, and your past failures will be forgiven. Do it poorly..."
Fyren tilted his head. "There will be no place for you in this world."
Iron King's anger had shifted to confusion.
Suddenly, he dropped to his knees and wailed:
"What the hell! What are you two playing at? Whoever's real, just tell the truth, okay?
You're both so convincing - you're gonna be the death of me!
I've already made a huge mistake - I don't even dare return to headquarters!
One more screw-up and I'm finished!
You both have such damn presence - it's tearing me apart!
The faces can be switched around - did you two swap from the beginning or later?
Who's impersonating who in the end?
Just tell me honestly - who's the real young lord?!"
Fyren watched the kneeling, sobbing Iron King and thought:
[I'm sorry. This is how it must play out today. I know you're suffering, but there's nothing I can do. Bear with it a little longer.]
Sherry stared at Fyren, expression stern, ready to attack.
Iron King looked up at Fyren and suddenly realized:
This man's aura... it couldn't be faked!
Right!
This one was the real deal!
Iron King scrambled to his feet: "You claim to be our family's YOUNG LORD - where's your proof? Do you know kung fu? And why give me a chance after I beat you half to death?"
Fyren chuckled. "Gold King is on his way."
Iron King froze.
"If you don't do the job, he'll deal with you. If you do the job, he'll probably still deal with you." Fyren smiled slightly. "And after all this, you're still asking why I gave you a chance?"
"You... you... I broke over seventy of your bones! How did you recover so fast?"
"Fugu Jianyuan Pill."
Fyren walked past Otto, ignoring his venomous glare, and poured two glasses of wine. He handed one to Otto, clinked glasses, lifted his own and took a sip.
Returning with one hand in his pocket, he asked: "Heard of it?"
Iron King nodded vigorously. "Heard of it, heard of it! Only the YOUNG LORD could refine such a rare elixir - truly gifted!"
Otto exploded: "I told him that! I'm the one who fucking mentioned that pill! He didn't even know its name until yesterday!"
Iron King couldn't decide. He knew that now was the last chance to choose between the two.
Choosing the wrong one meant death!
Choosing the right one offered a glimmer of hope.
"So tell me, why are you unharmed when I hit you with over seventy bones?" he asked Otto again.
Otto was stunned.
Holy shit!
This idiot!
"Didn't he just say it? Fugu Jianyuan Pill, ah, Fugu Jianyuan Pill! Damn, you're sick! I'll call Tactician, is that okay?"
Fyren stared at the glass without any reaction.
It was a gamble with life.
Once this call was made, one of them would surely die.
But luckily, the call was never answered.
Otto was furious: "Son of a bitch, not answering the phone!"
Iron King looked at Fyren. "You! You call Tactician!"
Fyren looked at Iron King and slowly smiled. "And then what? What do I tell Tactician?"
Fyren laughed harder and harder, laughing so much that Iron King's hair stood on end.
"That you were mistaken again, and that I had to call him for you to recognize me? Or else you're going to attack me again? Oh well, well, well, I'll call…"
"No, no."
Otto jumped to his feet. "You can't explain anything to him—he won't pick up!"
Iron King pointed a finger at Otto. "You shut up! Sit down! I feel like you're… suspicious right now, you know that?"
Otto glanced at the four masters and weighed his options.
His own combat power was already severely lacking, and at this point, Sherry alone might not be enough to protect him.
Shit!
At this moment, the outcome of life and death actually depended on this big idiot and the four little idiots he'd brought with him!
My God!
Iron King looked at Fyren. "So… you tell me, why didn't you fight back when I hit you back then?"
Fyren said, "Because I used the Shape-Shifting Face Technique, so I had no internal power for a short time! Understand?"
Iron King nodded. "Wait a moment, I'll ask him again."
Otto stomped his foot in anger. "He's pretty fucking polite!"
"Your turn!" Iron King asked. "Why didn't you fight back when I hit you then?"
Otto, his face trembling with rage, gritted his teeth and hissed, "Because I used the Shape-Shifting Face Technique, so I had no true qi left! You idiot!"
Iron King sneered. "That's exactly what he just said! Is it fun for you to keep repeating his words?"
Otto clutched his chest. "You moron! I want to tear you apart!"
Sherry said, "YOUNG LORD, Iron King has a hole in his head, Fyren has evil intentions, and with your old injuries, you're in no condition to fight! It's better for me to escort you to retreat first!"
Otto looked at Sherry. "Must you keep announcing my lack of combat power?"
Sherry cleared her throat and declared loudly, "Our YOUNG LORD is in no state to fight right now!"
Otto lowered his head and rubbed his temples.
Why is everyone around me so stupid? Can Iron King even think straight? Today, he's crossed the line—it's time to separate the real from the fake!
Otto looked at Iron King. "Just one thing—I may not have much fighting strength left, but my foundation is still intact. And this Fyren… Open your damn eyes and look! Does he even know kung fu?"
Iron King turned his head and stared at Fyren. "Yeah! Do you know kung fu?"
Fyren said, "Then let's test it. I won't fight back—try hitting me with the strongest move you've ever learned."
A man stepped closer to Iron King and said, "Rumor has it that the Young Lord's Acala Kung Fu has reached the fourth level. If he's the real Young Lord, he should be able to withstand your attack, Iron King."
Iron King nodded. "Both of you, to determine who the real Young Lord is, how about one of you takes a punch from me?"
Fyren frowned. "You dare to hit me?"
Otto immediately jumped up and pointed at Fyren. "What's wrong? Scared now, huh? Haha! You don't know shit about kung fu—you're just a fraud! Fyren, I've seen through you! You think you can fool us with your smooth talk? I've known all along!"
Fyren smiled slightly. "Yeah, starting with you."
"Fine!"
Sherry hurriedly interjected, "YOUNG LORD, you just used the Fugu Jianyuan Pill to heal your external injuries, but your internal qi is still depleted! If you force yourself to channel true qi for Acala Kung Fu now, you'll suffer internal injuries!"
Otto looked like he was about to cry as he turned to Sherry. "Why don't you just shout it a little louder?"
Sherry nodded earnestly. "Our Young Lord's internal qi is insufficient. Taking a heavy punch now will cause severe internal damage—and once that happens, even the Fugu Jianyuan Pill won't be able to heal it…"
"Shut up! You idiot!"
Otto angrily tore off his jacket. "Today, I'm fighting Fyren! Iron King, go ahead and punch me—I'll show you what Acala Kung Fu really is!"
Iron King nodded, clasped his fists, and bowed. "Then I apologize in advance!"
Iron King gathered his true qi, and with a gust of wind beneath his feet, he lunged forward and slammed his fist into Otto's chest!
At the moment the fist was about to connect, Otto shouted, "Acala! Open!"
BANG!
Otto's body stood firm.
Sherry saw her Young Lord's body tremble slightly.
Iron King was stunned. "It really is Acala Kung Fu! Even in a wounded state, you can still take my punch—amazing!"
Otto laughed.
Blood trickled from his nostrils and the corners of his mouth, dripping down his chin onto Iron King's hand.
With difficulty, he gasped, "Now...you know...who...I am..."
Iron King nodded. "My apologies."
Turning his head, he glared at Fyren with fury. "Your turn!"
Fyren nodded calmly. "You were holding back just now, weren't you? Use your full strength - I want to feel the true weight of your punch."
Acting while drinking.
Fyren quietly activated his one-time Acala experience card!
In his heart, he silently chanted:
[It all comes down to this one chance!]