Hate hurts more than love does.

Love fades, but hate clings on.

Lu Yu had faced the toughest decisions, the darkest moments, and his heart had long since turned to ashes.

Apart from hatred, there was nothing else in his heart.

Yet, when he thought of his old friend's current predicament, a relentless anger and self-loathing surged within him.

He loathed his incompetence.

He despised himself for not acting sooner, for not planning ahead.

Yes, the arena always demanded sacrifices.

Either oneself or the enemy.

He had prepared for the worst, even sacrificing himself if necessary.

But he should have foreseen this...

Tang Fei understood the old man's feelings, but he did not offer comfort.

Good words are not an antidote and can hardly detoxify.

Often, fighting poison with poison worked better.

They had been through so much together, he believed the old man could handle it.

Was this setback anything significant?

They were bound to face even more terrifying blows...

After all, what they were involved in was a deadly trade.

Tang Fei was also silent, equally struck by the blow.

Everything had been following the plan, but he hadn't anticipated this.

Sunshine Orphanage wasn't crucial to their plans, but it was fatal.

It involved people's hearts!

"All seventy-two orphanages have been hit, our bases are exposed..."

Tang Fei poured the old man a cup of tea, hoping to calm him down quickly.

"What we need to figure out now is, did they only discover this lead, or have they dug up more?"

The old man's voice was stern, "Can't you see? He's forcing us, forcing us to come out into the open."

"Why would they strike now? Because they've already surrounded the Lu Family…"

"The military has confirmed that the Lu Family is connected to Sunshine Orphanage, or at least they suspect it. So, they blocked their retreat early, preventing them from escaping to Lu Ban Mountain in a critical moment..."

If Lu Ban Mountain had not been besieged, the orphans from the orphanages could have hidden there under the organizers' lead.

Then, they would have been utterly safe.

Even if it was known they were in the mountain, they would not have been found.

The situation was different now; Lu Ban Mountain had become "Lonely City."

"This is what I'm worried about too," Tang Fei said with furrowed brows. "They have captured too many people, including key figures like Senior He... If they threaten us with these hostages' lives... What should we do?"

The old man looked at Tang Fei, his face expressionless: "He Xiaohua is not a key figure, and neither am I. We have only one key figure, and that is you."

"..."

"They died twenty years ago, surviving up to now is both fortunate and unfortunate."

"So, as long as your identity remains hidden… you cannot step forward. At least, not now."

"Are we just going to let them be killed?" Tang Fei felt dreadful inside.

He understood the old man's decision, but...

What else could he do?

Seventy-two orphanages, thousands of people.

Including Tang Family's direct descendents like He Xiaohua and many innocent orphans...

Just give them up?

"Yes." Lu Yu's voice was devoid of any emotion, like a cold machine: "I can die, my children can die, why can't they?"

"..."

"All sacrifices are necessary and worthwhile." Lu Yu understood Tang Fei's feelings; although he had grown up in a ruthless place like Hate Mountain, he still had inherent kindness passed down from his parents.

Even if he continually showed him by his actions that "bad people live better," Tang Fei learned how to deal with villains, yet, his heart couldn't turn black.

Is this a failure in my teaching?

Or a success?

If he truly turned into a cold-blooded killing monster, would that truly be what I wanted?

"We need to do something," Tang Fei got up and paced back and forth in the cramped room.

He was willing to accept the old man's plan, but that didn't stop his heart from aching.

His heart felt unbearably stifled, as if a massive stone weighed upon his chest.

If it were literally a stone, that would be one thing, but these were lives.

Living, breathing, thousands of lives.

"Indeed." The old man nodded, saying: "Haven't you already dispatched the Ghosts? It's time to move."

"Now?" Tang Fei asked, uncertain.

He was sure of their meticulous timing.

This move was supposed to coordinate with that event, and the timing was not yet right.

Moreover, due to the previous assassination attempt by Bai Wuxin, security in Phoenix City had tightened.

Especially for those important officials of the Empire, who were heavily guarded, making them hard to approach.

"Now," the old man nodded.

He too knew it wasn't the ideal time.

But a blood debt had to be repaid with blood.

Since their hand had been forced, it was time for them to strike back.

Tang Fei nodded, saying, "Alright. I'll send the orders."

He felt something needed to be done; perhaps, it wouldn't save their lives.

But...

It would ease his mind somewhat.

The old man drained his cup of tea on the table and looked at Tang Fei, his voice stern: "Just endure a bit longer... hang in there just a little longer..."

"Soon, it'll be your turn to enter the stage..."

"This era belongs to you."

------

Pfft!

A white mist sprayed onto He Xiaohua's face, the strong irritant of the drug abruptly waking her from her slumber.

Her murky eyes surveyed everything before her, and then slowly closed again.

Out of sight, out of mind.

Zhao Wuji stood before He Xiaohua, grinning, "What? Close your eyes and pretend nothing happened?"

"I know what you're up to." He Xiaohua, with her eyes still closed, her voice full of contempt: "Save your efforts and just kill me to save trouble."

"That won't do." Zhao Wuji refused, saying: "You're a big fish, if I let you die just like that, it would be negligence on my part... you're more valuable alive than dead."

"Of course, if you want to die, that's fine... tell me everything I want to know, and I'll give you a quick death. Ghost Axe He Xiaohua is also a senior in the Cultivation World, and she deserves to be treated with dignity."

"Well, let's follow the procedure then," He Xiaohua remained calm and fearless, saying: "They say nowadays interrogation tortures are much crueler and more painful than in our time... let this old lady test her limits."

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