Above the Galaxy
Chapter 411 - 263: Is This a Visit or an Act of Charity?

Chapter 411: Chapter 263: Is This a Visit or an Act of Charity?

The old man discarded Tang Fei’s hand with a hint of disdain and spoke out with a rebuke, "Speak seriously."

Tang Fei once again grabbed the old man’s arm with a trembling voice and said, "Shen Xinglan wants to kill me, the Shen Family wants to kill me."

"Come inside." The old man’s expression was solemn as he turned and walked toward the inner room.

Tang Fei quickly followed, afraid that the old man would get away.

After helping to close the yard door, Lu Siyu followed them inside.

The old man sat down on the living room sofa and looked at Tang Fei, asking, "What exactly happened? Explain it to me properly."

So, Tang Fei started from his conversation with Shen Xinglan on the Star Disc, all the way to their killing Yin Jiao as they emerged from the Burial Land, encountering an ambush by Fen Kuai—had it not been for the protection of his cloak, he might have already lost his life—narrating the entire perilous adventure.

After Tang Fei finished speaking, Lu Siyu silently passed over a cup of hot tea.

"Thank you." Tang Fei took the tea and gulped it down; after talking for so long, he really was thirsty.

After listening to Tang Fei’s story, the old man’s face turned serious, and he nodded in agreement with Tang Fei’s speculation, saying, "They really did want to hurt you."

All mechanical devices failed in the Burial Land, and the signal was lost, making contact with the outside world unrealistic.

By the time they got out of the Burial Land, Fen Kuai was already waiting for them just ahead.

What did this imply?

It suggested that Shen Xinglan had been in contact with the outside world all along, at least, when they were about to exit the Burial Land and the cell phone signal finally returned, he had reestablished contact with the Shen Family.

The Shen Family had used his personal location to allow Fen Kuai to go ahead and set the ambush accordingly.

Otherwise, with the Burial Land being so vast and having so many exits...

Even Tang Fei himself was unsure which area they would exit from, so how did he just happen to be waiting in the right place?

This was also why Tang Fei was convinced that Shen Xinglan wanted to kill him; at that time, he had asked Fen Kuai whether he came for Shen Xinglan or for himself...

Though in his heart, he already knew the answer.

He had always kept his true thoughts hidden in front of Shen Xinglan because he feared that Shen Xinglan, scheming a silent assassination, truly might cooperate with Fen Kuai and take him out.

"Was Fen Kuai sent by the Shen Family?" Lu Siyu asked.

"If I’m not wrong, this time it was Shen Wuxiang who made a move. Shen Wuxiang holds a high position and is powerful, being the Imperial Military Minister with countless capable people at his disposal, easily able to play a strong hand..."

"On New Star, how many families and clans can make a Grandmaster work like a mule?" The old man looked at Lu Siyu, and his gaze softened slightly as he explained.

"Tang Fei said that Fen Kuai had his head chopped off by Shen Xinglan... If Fen Kuai belonged to the Shen Family, why did Shen Xinglan help Tang Fei kill Fen Kuai? He could have teamed up with Fen Kuai..."

Lu Siyu glanced at Tang Fei and said, "If that were the case, the plan would have been foolproof, and Tang Fei would have had no chance to return from that place."

"Does it mean that Shen Xinglan didn’t know that Fen Kuai was one of theirs? Was there a lack of communication within the Shen Family?"

The old man looked at Tang Fei, his expression puzzled as he said, "Although I’ve long heard of that young man’s reputation, I’ve never dealt with him. You two, however, meet frequently; why do you think he didn’t attack you?"

"Pride," said Tang Fei.

"What?" The old man’s expression stiffened.

Clearly, Tang Fei’s answer was unexpected, completely outside his considerations.

"Because of pride," Tang Fei went on, "Shen Xinglan is a very proud person. He wouldn’t stoop to backstabbing. At least, not right after I had just saved his life."

"He’d want to kill me himself. Not by such means..."

In reality, Tang Fei hadn’t been in contact with Shen Xinglan for long, even though they were brothers from the same martial school, only having interacted briefly in the grape courtyard and not contacting each other after they parted ways.

Also, how long had Tang Fei been apprenticed under Xuanyuan Mingjing?

But Tang Fei understood Shen Xinglan.

This man was outstanding, and his excellence made him extremely proud to the bone.

This pride wasn’t arrogance but a confident composure based on real strength.

"Are there really such people?" The old man looked at Tang Fei skeptically.

"I don’t know about others, but Shen Xinglan... he is such a person."

"Such a person..." The old man pondered to himself and said, "Why does the Shen Family value him so much?"

A gentleman can be deceived by righteousness. If Shen Xinglan is too proud, or rather, too honorable, then that could be exploited against him.

In the struggle for power, this is a fatal weakness.

Without the ability to make decisions on the fly, to not have the heart to act in critical moments, such a person won’t go far.

Tang Fei looked at the old man and said, "He’s not as naive as you think. You’ll understand if you ever meet him."

The old man looked at Tang Fei and said, "I know; given the chance, you definitely wouldn’t let him return alive."

"How could you see me in such a way? Am I such a cutthroat person?" Tang Fei retorted angrily.

"If you put yourself in Shen Xinglan’s shoes, with the Grandmaster being sent by us... would you let him come back?"

"How could I be so fortunate?" Tang Fei sighed.

He avoided directly answering the old man’s question, and the old man did not pursue further.