"Defect."
In this fictional world, "defecting" was a term used among martial sects—a bit of underworld slang. It meant leaving your original organization to serve another faction, family, or group.
For reputable clans or sects, defecting was often permitted, even amicable. A parting of ways could be done with mutual respect: business might end, but friendships didn't have to. In the martial world, you could still clasp fists, exchange pleasantries, or do each other favors later.
Of course, it depended on the situation. Leaving alone was fine, but taking a group, resources, clients, stolen secrets, treasures, or causing trouble—like killing someone—changed things. That wasn't an amicable split. Any faction that took you in would be seen as an enemy of your former group, with consequences tied to the severity of your actions.
But for some organizations, like the Great Organization, defecting was strictly forbidden.
Once you were in, knowing their secrets, leaving was impossible. You swore oaths, pledging your life to the cause, for better or worse.
Defecting triggered a kill order. Anyone in the Great Organization could hunt you for a bounty, its size based on your abilities, the secrets you knew, and the trouble you caused.
Tie Tuo Wang was no small fry. As one of the four Heavenly Kings of the Northern Kingdom's Xuecheng branch, he knew plenty about the organization's inner workings. Plus, he'd been entrusted with fifty billion in cash for this mission.
And now? He'd beaten up the Young Master multiple times, handed the fifty billion to Lu Chengwen, and was sitting here eating lobster and drinking fine wine.
If he defected, the Great Organization would hunt him like mad dogs.
Tie Tuo Wang, still processing, asked, "Young Master, what do you mean?"
Lu Chengwen laid it out. "You've got two choices: kill me and flee for your lives, or leave the Great Organization and follow me. As long as I'm alive, I won't let you down. As for escaping their pursuit—that depends on our luck."
Tie Tuo Wang and his men were still dazed. "Young Master, what are you talking about?"
Lu Chengwen clarified, "I'm not your Young Master. I'm Lu Chengwen, born and raised in Xuecheng. The guy you beat to a pulp, Long Aotian—that's your real Young Master."
Tie Tuo Wang's wine glass slipped from his hand, shattering on the floor. He sat frozen, speechless.
The four lackeys exchanged glances, realization dawning. They were doomed.
They'd caused a catastrophe. If anyone was going to die, it was them!
Lu Chengwen pressed, "So, what's your choice?"
Tie Tuo Wang, overcome with grief and rage, flipped the table. "You played me for a fool! I'll kill you!"
Lu Chengwen roared, "From the moment you set foot in Xuecheng, you were walking into a death trap!"
His words stopped the five men cold.
Lu Chengwen continued, voice commanding, "Touch your head, Tie Tuo Wang. Is it worth fifty billion? Is it? Why would a job like this fall to you?"
Tie Tuo Wang opened his mouth but couldn't speak.
Lu Chengwen pressed on, "The Great Organization sent you here never intending for you to survive! Your job was to carry fifty billion and do Long Aotian's dirty work as his shadow glove. Once he unites the four families—or even before, when his righteous persona starts to crack—you five get crushed. All the blame falls on you. He stays the pure, saintly hero, the white knight everyone praises, while you're branded as vile criminals, dead and forgotten!"
"When that day comes, Long Aotian will be sipping champagne with beauties, driving luxury cars, living in mansions. And you? You won't even get a grave—just a stone tied to your feet, sunk to feed the fish!"
Tie Tuo Wang, nearly two meters tall, had tears welling in his eyes.
From what he knew of the Great Organization, Lu Chengwen's words rang true. It was entirely possible.
He glanced back at his four men, who were already crying.
Turning back to Lu Chengwen, he roared, "Then why did you trick me? If I'd worked hard for the Young Master, become his trusted confidant—"
"Trusted confidant, my ass!" Lu Chengwen bellowed. "He already has confidants! Does he need you? If he wanted to groom someone, would it be you lot? A few Middle Four Gates newbies—does Long Aotian see you as confidant material?"
"You think big shots want loyal dogs and that's enough? You got the wrong person! You think you're qualified to be his right hand? Long Aotian's been making waves in the borderlands for years. He's got a loyal crew who've fought and bled with him. Once he's established here, they'll flood in for their rewards. What use are you then?"
"Even if he doesn't kill you, his team won't let outsiders like you compete for resources or favor!"
Lu Chengwen roared, "From the moment you left the Great Organization, you were disposable pawns! Just a few bodies in the pile Long Aotian needs to step over for his grand ambitions—nobodies not worth remembering or mourning!"
The five men broke down, sobbing.
Tie Tuo Wang closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. "So, following you gives us a way out?"
Lu Chengwen pulled a chair and sat. "Not guaranteed, but a chance."
Tie Tuo Wang laughed, a bitter, despairing sound. "Lu Chengwen, you don't understand. You have no idea how terrifying the Great Organization is, what it means to be a traitor. They'll hunt us relentlessly until we're dead. That's the rule—never broken!"
Lu Chengwen said, "The Great Organization is divided into Main, Plan, Guide, Strategy, Red, White, and Black branches, each isolated, forbidden from interacting. You're Red Guards, tasked with direct action."
"The highest authority is a branch leader, flanked by Left and Right Protectors and a Strategist—four in total. Red Guards fall under the Left Protector, with the Gold, Silver, Copper, and Iron Kings beneath them."
"If you defect, they'll hunt you mercilessly. But the ones chasing you will be Red Guards—it's their shame, so they'll clean house themselves. They'll act openly, making an example of you to warn others. Am I right?"
Tie Tuo Wang stared. "How… do you know this?"
"I know more than that." Lu Chengwen nodded at the table. "Pick it up."
Tie Tuo Wang hesitated but, struck by Lu Chengwen's commanding presence, turned to his men. "Fix the table."
The four quickly righted it.
Lu Chengwen grabbed the fine wine bottle he'd saved when the table flipped, pouring a little into each glass. "I'll be honest: Long Aotian's a prodigy, a Child of Destiny with extraordinary talent. He could shake the world, becoming the era's greatest figure."
Tie Tuo Wang muttered, "No need to tell us. Everyone says he's the Chosen One, with limitless potential."
Lu Chengwen slammed the bottle on the table, staring him down. "But I, Lu Chengwen, am no ordinary man! He's the Child of Destiny, but I'm the Chosen of Heaven! His edge is his halo and cheats, but mine is knowledge and intel no one in this world has! He and I will clash one day!"
"You've burned your bridges with the Child of Destiny. Even if you wanted to be his lackeys, that door's closed. But I, Lu Chengwen, the Chosen of Heaven, am inviting you to join me! Accept or not—it's your call."
Tie Tuo Wang stared, awed by Lu Chengwen's aura.
This guy's incredible!
So bold!
Chosen of Heaven? That confident!?
What does he know?
He hesitated. "You… can't beat him. You've got money, but he…"
"Who's been winning in Xuecheng?" Lu Chengwen cut in.
The five froze.
"Why was I so sure he wouldn't die falling off that cliff and insisted on chasing him down?"
"With Long Aotian's skills, he'd have wrapped things up in any other city. Why's he stuck in Xuecheng?"
Lu Chengwen pointed at himself. "Because he met me! I can't guarantee I'll win in the end, but I won't bow to fate! I'm not scared of his 'Child of Destiny' nonsense! I'm the underdog now, but he can't touch me. I'm telling you today: as long as I'm here, Long Aotian won't take Xuecheng! This city is mine!"
Lu Chengwen raised his glass, eyes blazing. "Drink this, and we're in it together—life or death, we conquer the world!"
Tie Tuo Wang wavered, then grabbed a glass and raised it. "Fine! I've got no other path. It's death either way. From now on, I'm with you!"
He turned to his men.
Lu Chengwen said, "Your choice: I'll give you money to disappear, or drink this and we're on the same boat."
As Tie Tuo Wang raised his glass, one man followed. Then another, and another…
Six glasses clinked.
Lu Chengwen declared, "From now on, you obey my orders, no matter how strange they seem. Follow me, and I swear: we die together, or we live together!"
"Die together, live together!" they echoed, downing their drinks with grins.
Just then, a loud banging came at the door. Lu Chengwen's face darkened.
No way! Pursuit already!?
_
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