Chapter 251: Battle Of Wits and Courage (2)
Liu Hong sighed, "Don't look at me like this. In truth, I have almost forgotten my original goal as well. I call myself a spy, but I have somewhat lost myself in it. Perhaps...the single character faction is really more suitable for me. I really have nothing to say about the multiple character faction's current circumstances."
"Your appearance changed everything!" Liu Hong's eyes lit up as he said in excitement, "Suddenly, I saw hope again! I suddenly felt like after so many years of regression, it is time for the multiple character faction to regain some vigor! You brought me too many surprises!"
Su Yu felt somewhat embarrassed hearing the high praise. He pretended to be calm and dryly said, "Teacher...are you...really?"
"It's normal for you to suspect me. Remember, do not easily trust anyone." Liu Hong smiled, "This is what I like most about you. Those bastards from the Myriad Race Cult are even better at deception. In truth, is there a need to clearly define my position?"
Liu Hong let out a long sigh.
"I am telling you my honest thoughts. If...one day the multiple character faction really shuts down, I...might really remain a member of the single character faction for life. I need to survive as well, Su Yu. You might think that I'm shameless, but I really need to survive!"
Su Yu sank into silence. After a while, he said, "Teacher, I understand."
"I hope so." Liu Hong smiled, "I honestly don't care what others think of me. I only need to stay true to myself. I am only saying all this today because you reminded me of myself. You are really very similar to the previous me. Senior Liu...is probably the same as my benefactor. He is probably filled with expectation toward you."
Su Yu nodded. He couldn't help but to think about Liu Wenyan. A look of recollection covered his face.
When Liu Hong saw that, he smiled and said, "Keep working hard. You did very well this time. Also, I won't admit to any of this outside this room. If you say anything, I will treat that as an unfounded rumor. We will keep treating each other the same as before."
He seriously said, "As for the 80,000 merit points, I have only taken 40,000. Zheng Yunhui has the rest. I was worried that you guys would attract unwanted attention by taking too much money. Of course, I was also selfish as I wanted to enter the Cloudbreach Realm as soon as possible. To do that, I need a certain treasure, and that treasure isn't cheap..."
"But since you're here, I can give you 10,000 merit points. I still wish to stay selfish for a bit. I need the remaining 30,000 merit points for that treasure. I need to advance! Only at the Cloudbreach Realm would I have enough say in the academy and make a change."
At that moment, Su Yu had the urge to refuse even the offered 10,000 merit points. But suddenly, his heart shook. No! He needed merit points as well! Also, just because Liu Hong claimed that he was undercover, he was one? Su Yu struggled. He wasn't sure if Liu Hong was telling the truth.
But certain things that had happened were telling him that Liu Hong might not really be an enemy. The Skybreak Technique was the perfect example. Although it had courted an opponent like Zheng Yunhui for him, it was still quite a valuable item.
Su Yu looked at Liu Hong with uncertainty in his eyes. His mind was clouded. Should he trust this person?
Liu Hong seemed to know what he was thinking about. He smiled, "Like I said, I will forget about all this after leaving this room. Don't put it to heart. I only hope that you won't be a second Liu Hong. Su Yu, stay true to your heart!"
"Teacher..." Su Yu struggled and softly said, "I...need merit points as well. I am too weak. I have a father waiting for me in the Allheaven Battlefield..."
"I understand." Liu Hong nodded, "You need merit points. It is easier for me to make merit points. How about this? I'll give you 15,000 merit points. As for the rest, I really need them. Su Yu, I'll repay you after I break through. I will repay you all 25,000 of them. What do you think?"
15,000 merit points! Su Yu thought about it. That was a lot of money. Including what he had on him, he would have 20,000 merit points. He was still unsure, but he believed that even if Liu Hong was lying, that was probably his limit. If he continued asking for more, what was he to do if Liu Hong decided to turn hostile?
Thus, he nodded with a complicated expression. He exhaled and said, "Sure. Then...I'll be accepting your offer. I really need these merit points..."
"I understand." Liu Hong smiled and took out a merit card. "This is an old merit card that is not registered to any names. You can get your 15,000 merit points from it. It is quite a coincidence since I only have 15,000 merit points in this card..."
Su Yu looked somewhat awkward as he accepted the card. After a short hesitation, he asked bashfully, "Uhm...can...I check the balance in the card?"
"..."
Liu Hong was really tired of speaking to this kid. Even after saying all that, this little bastard was still so cautious against him.
"Sure. You're really very good." Liu Hong smiled, "It is never a bad idea to be cautious."
Su Yu looked awkward, but he didn't say anything and checked the card. Fortunately, there were indeed 15,000 merit points in it. After that, the two sank into silence again.
After a short while, Liu Hong smiled, "Go back. Forget everything I told you tonight. Act normally in the future. I won't show you any favor in front of outsiders. Liu He will continue troubling you. And I will continue suppressing your faction."
"Be sure to act the same as before." Liu Hong solemnly reminded, "Just act like none of this had happened. Don't tell Bai Feng anything. He...isn't very smart."
Liu Hong helplessly said, "I don't want to look down on him, but if he finds out, he might ruin my plans and even some of your plans. He is an expert shit-stirrer."
"I understand."
Su Yu then stood up and walked toward the door.
At the door, he hesitated slightly and turned around, "Teacher Liu, can you tell me the name of your benefactor? For him to pass away silently without anyone knowing in a secondary school, that is a tragedy of the multiple character faction."
"Kid..." Liu Hong laughed. He didn't seem to mind as he said, "Zhang Ruoling. An instructor of the Eighteenth Secondary School in Great Xia City. That is a secondary school in a suburban district of the capital. He passed away nine years ago. You...are really good."
Su Yu laughed dryly and left. He still needed to make sure. Otherwise, he wouldn't dare to believe Liu Hong's words.
After Su Yu left, Liu Hong exhaled deeply. After a long while, he grinned, "Interesting. That kid...damn that kid. To fool you, I need to fool even myself!"
He couldn't help but to lament about how difficult his life was.
"This is the power of wisdom! Nobody knows when Elder Hong will return. By the time the kid finds out about my lie, I'll be in the Cloudbreach Realm already. All the money would be spent. The whole matter would have come to an end already. Hehehe..."
Liu Hong laughed smugly. He had no choice but to admire his intelligence. Only someone like Su Yu would still be suspicious after hearing that story. That stupid student of his would have probably believed the entire story immediately and gave up on the merit points. He might even offer some of his own merit points to Liu Hong instead.
"15,000 merit points!"
That was still enough money to cause Liu Hong's heart to ache. But if he hadn't come up with that story, he probably wouldn't be able to send Su Yu off without paying at least 20,000 merit points. This way, he had at least saved 5,000 merit points.
Also, with that story, Su Yu would probably stop trying to scheme against him for some time. In truth, Liu Hong was still feeling some lingering fears from this scheme. Even he had nearly fallen for it.
That little bastard was clearly targeting him!
That little bastard wanted to bankrupt him!
"Hehehe, feel free to look that name up. That is a real person. And Elder Hong is not around. Hehehe..."
Once again, Liu Hong laughed smugly. He truly admired his supreme intelligence.
Yes, there was an Eighteenth Secondary School in the city. He was indeed a student there. And there was indeed someone called Zhang Ruoling there, an old man who had been expelled from the academy. And that old man had truly passed away nine years ago. He hadn't lied about all that.
The only lie he had spoken...was the fact that the old man was his benefactor.
Liu Hong curled his lips. No matter what, he was still the child of a small influential family. No matter how badly the Liu Family treated him, they were still willing to hire some language tutors for him. If these influential families were really so narrow-minded, how would they continue producing talented individuals?
In fact, they had a private school in their own residence. Liu Hong had merely registered for the secondary school as a formality.
Outside the villa.
While walking, Su Yu was deep in thought. Was Liu Hong telling the truth? He was unsure.
"Is Teacher and Martial Uncle unaware of that? Only Grandteacher knows the truth?"
Su Yu's head hurt. Those words of Liu Hong had given him some inner turmoil. If Liu Hong was really on their side, what should he do next?
Of the 80,000 merit points they scammed, he had taken 20,000 merit points, Liu Hong had taken 25,000 merit points, his martial uncle had taken 14,000 merit points, and Zheng Yunhui had taken 19,000 merit points. After including what Liu Hong bought for him, he had obtained 21,000 merit points in total.
In truth, Su Yu had obtained the biggest slice of the cake if what he had given Chen Yong was included. After all, both of them had obtained 34,000 merit points. But Liu Hong had also taken a lot. And if it turned out that Liu Hong wasn't one of them after all, he would definitely make Liu Hong pay for that.
But if Liu Hong was really one of them...even if Liu Hong had told him to pretend he knew nothing, how could he do that? If he was really someone who had endured humiliation and suffering to stay undercover in the single character faction, how could Su Yu ignore such a person?
Back at the research center, Su Yu wasted no time and went straight to a small study in the living area. After searching around for a bit, he finally found a list of names.
"Zhang Ruoling, expelled in the year 300 of the Anping Calendar. Joined Great Xia City's Eighteenth Secondary School as the language instructor. In the year 341 of the Anping Calendar, he died from sickness..."
There was indeed such a person!
He then took out his communicator and called a number. When the call connected, he asked, "Which secondary school did Liu Hong graduate from?"
"Give me a moment. Let me check..."
A short while later, Xia Huyou replied, "Eighteenth Secondary School of Great Xia City. Why?"
"Is he a concubine's son of the Liu Family?"
"Yes."
Su Yu asked nothing else. If Liu Hong was telling the truth, he could easily expose Liu Hong's identity by asking more.
"Why are you asking this?" Xia Huyou asked curiously, "Did you learn something? Also, what exactly happened today? Su Yu, are we brothers? Can't you tell me more?"
Su Yu laughed, "It's nothing. I have merely earned a little bit of money. Huyou, if you want to continue doing business with me, be sure to control what information you leak. Otherwise, we might have to terminate our business relationship early."
Xia Huyou said in excitement, "Of course! So are you going to buy something now?"
Yes. He was getting excited. He could smell a big business coming his way! He had thought that he needed to wait until Su Yu entered the Top 100 Ranking or even the Skysoar Realm before he could start profiting from his relationship with Su Yu. But perhaps...he would be able to start profiting now!
Xia Huyou was feeling very smug. No matter how much money Su Yu earned, the money would ultimately end up in his hands! This was how a true businessman should act! Sure enough, investing in a dark horse was the best method of doing business. As long as he invested in the correct dark horse, he would benefit massively.
"We'll talk again tomorrow. I'm busy at the moment."
"Sure."
After the call ended, Xia Huyou laughed as he clenched his fists in excitement. He was going to get rich! Oh, right, there was also Zheng Yunhui. That fellow was probably quite rich right now as well!