RNP Chapter 43 Should good people be held at gunpoint?
Chapter 43 Should good people be held at gunpoint?
Kaifeng, the capital of the emperor, was a prosperous and thriving city.
On the second floor of Jiaxing Tower, by the window, Russell sat alone, leaning against the railing, looking like an ordinary wealthy young man enjoying tea and the view, completely unlike a demon being hunted down by the entire martial arts world.
Outside the window, on the Bian River, painted boats come and go, with the faint sounds of silk and bamboo instruments. The streets are bustling with carriages and horses, and pedestrians are everywhere. It is a scene of peace and tranquility.
Unfortunately, some people's concealment methods were too poor. Even without Russell's deliberate investigation, he could clearly sense that at this very moment, there were at least three or four different groups of people lying in wait around him.
Russell's assessment of this was that they were truly oblivious to their fate.
From Leigushan to Kaifeng Prefecture, a journey of only one day and one night, Russell was ambushed nearly twenty times.
There were chivalrous heroes who openly blocked his way, assassins disguised as merchants, and shopkeepers who poisoned his food. Russell's choices were just as he had said before: whether they came for fame and fortune or genuinely wanted to uphold the righteous path of the martial arts world, he did not let any of them go.
In the world of martial arts, if you're not as skilled as others, you'll die when you're supposed to; there's nothing more to say.
By the time he arrived at the city gate of Kaifeng this morning, no fewer than two hundred martial arts practitioners had died at his hands.
Meanwhile, Mu Wanqing and Zhou Cailing were already on their way to Luoyang.
Luoyang is now a hub of activity, with gangs such as Shaolin, Huangsha Gang, and Shenmu Hall gathering here, and Wangwu Mountain is no exception.
Russell himself could disregard his reputation and face the malice of the entire martial arts world alone, but Mu Wanqing and Zhou Cailing could not stand by and watch him be framed like this, nor could they tolerate the real perpetrators going unpunished.
Moreover, given the current situation, staying close to him would be too conspicuous and dangerous. Those pursuers, eager for credit in the demon-slaying campaign, might very well try to blackmail them.
The three of them then discussed splitting into two groups.
Russell traveled alone, openly attracting the attention of various forces, while Zhou Cailing and Mu Wanqing secretly took the account books they had collected along the way to Luoyang to find the current master of Wangwu Mountain, who was also Zhou Cailing's father, and explain the situation.
It would be best if he could meet Qiao Feng and tell him the whole story. Even if he couldn't, he wouldn't be left isolated and helpless when Russell went to Luoyang.
As for why Russell and Zhou Cailing were both so certain that Lord Wang would not stand idly by...
Ah, as I said before, the martial arts world is not just about fighting and killing; it also involves human relationships, fame, and fortune.
The Beggars' Sect has held its position as the number one gang in the world for far too long and too securely.
Now that they've been fed, no one would want to let such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity slip by.
[Chat Group Interface]
Russell: "That's how it is, so I can now call myself the number one devil of the Song Dynasty."
While waiting for Kumārajīva to arrive, Russell, feeling bored, opened the chat group and sent out information about recent events.
Han Li: "It's a pity I can't help you from another realm. Otherwise, I happen to have a few more soul banners here, which could also help you vent your anger."
Xiao Yan: "Oh no! Han Tianzun is about to lose control of Li Feiyu!"
Han Li: "..."
Han Li: "Yan Tianzun, please don't joke. Speaking of which, when are you planning to join the Soul Palace?"
Xiao Yan: "It's because we haven't found a way in yet..."
This idea was proposed by Xiao Yan during a chat a few days ago.
The main purpose is to give ancient jade for protection and peace.
Leaving aside the Soul Clan, the Soul Palace alone is something the Xiao family cannot contend with now.
The Xiao family is only so big; no matter what, they can't escape the Jia Ma Empire. One day, the Soul Palace will find them.
At that point, it's hard to guarantee that their property will be confiscated and their entire family wiped out.
Rather than that, it would be better for Xiao Huohuo to take the lead and surrender, so as to save the Xiao family for the time being.
Anyway, the myriad worlds are so vast, even if he can't enter the Strange Fire Plaza, he might still become an emperor.
Russell and Han Li had no objection to this; survival is a natural instinct, and there's no such thing as being shameful.
As for why it wasn't given to the ancient race...
It can only be said that under the protection of the ancient clan, even the Xiao family patriarch has become a Great Dou Master.
Zhang Xiaofan: "Brother Luo, what are you planning to do next?"
On Dazhu Peak, Zhang Xiaofan put himself in Russell's shoes and tried to understand him. He felt a tightness in his chest, a suppressed emotion mixed with grievance and resentment.
How can the world be like this? Brother Luo is clearly a good person, yet he is framed by bad people and hunted down by others who are unaware of the truth.
"If it were you, Xiao Fan, what would you do?" Russell asked rhetorically.
Zhang Xiaofan is good in every way, except that he is too dull, or rather, too reserved.
Because of the experiences of Caomiao Village and Tian Buyi's repressive education, he tends to remain silent whether he is venting his emotions or being treated unfairly.
From a psychological perspective, his condition is called learned helplessness.
This personality trait is also the root cause of why he pushed things to the worst possible state when many events occurred in the future.
Fortunately, Zhang Xiaofan has only just become an apprentice, so there's still time to change things.
Zhang Xiaofan: "Me? I don't know... I should be able to explain."
Russell: "What if the explanation doesn't work?"
Zhang Xiaofan: "I really don't know..."
Zhang Xiaofan was confused. Apart from the Beggars' Sect, who were truly evil, everyone else was innocent. If he took action, wouldn't he become a guilty person? But if he didn't take action, he would lose his life for nothing.
Han Li: "Brother Xiao Fan might be getting stuck on a rut."
Han Li was a shrewd man, and he quickly guessed Russell's thoughts, so he also spoke up.
Zhang Xiaofan: "What did Brother Han say?"
Han Li: "According to Brother Xiao Fan, the people who came to hunt down Fellow Daoist Luo were misled and are innocent."
Zhang Xiaofan: "Isn't that right?"
Han Li: "When they choose to use others as tools to kill innocent people without verification, isn't that also a form of evil karma? If so, their death is their retribution. If they don't die, what about the innocent people who die at their hands?"
Xiao Yan added, "If we're talking about innocence, your little Luo is the most innocent. Whatever he does is justified. Good people should never let others point guns at them."
Zhang Xiaofan: "..."
Zhang Xiaofan fell silent, probably questioning his existence. Russell picked up his teacup with satisfaction, took a small sip, and gazed at the bustling street outside the window, his mind clear.
This kid's plan to reshape his worldview is a long and arduous one...
As Russell was thinking this, he suddenly heard a commotion downstairs. He turned his head to look at the stairwell and saw a figure walking towards him.
This man was dressed in a light white robe, with a folding fan hanging from his waist. He had a handsome face and a gentle and peaceful expression. He exuded an air of refined elegance as he walked, like a graceful young gentleman in a turbid world, completely out of place with the rough and uncouth demeanor of the ordinary江湖客 (jianghu ke, a term referring to people from the martial arts world) in this restaurant.
He stopped in front of Russell with an elegant demeanor: "I presume you are the young hero Russell? I have long admired your name."