Chapter 15, Seeds!

The lighter had a bronze casing and was about sixty percent new, with a skull embedded on its body.

The raised part of the skull was smooth from wear, and even the color had faded significantly, turning into a black and yellow mix.

Lian Feng took the lighter and after inspecting it for a while, asked, "Was this brought by one of our own people?"

If it was a lighter brought by Bian Zhenxin or his underlings and dropped during a fight, it would be meaningless.

They were looking for the murderer, not the victims.

After all, the bodies were lying right there in front of them.

"It shouldn't be," Chen Hu said. "These windproof lighters are rare nowadays, and even rarer in the Henshan Gathering Area. I'm certain it's not Lord Divine Envoy's... he smokes rolled cigarettes, but he's never used this kind of lighter."

"As for the other Black Robes, it's even less likely they'd have such fine things, and if they did, they would have already presented them to Lord Divine Envoy..."

If you give willingly, it's considered honor.

If you give reluctantly, it's considered rude.

At any rate, the good items must belong to Lord Divine Envoy, and that's also why members of the Flame Shrine desperately seek promotions.

Once you've reached a certain rank, you're then eligible to accept others' "honor."

Bian Feng nodded, not taking to heart Chen Hu's "badmouthing" of Bian Zhenxin. This was how things worked atop the ruins, the law of the jungle, the weak paying tribute to the strong, wasn't it natural?

"Then there's a story behind this," Bian Feng pondered for a moment and then said, "Bian Zhenxin was no weakling, considered a top expert in the Henshan Gathering Area. Yet, he was killed with a single stab..."

Thinking of his son's tragic state, Bian Feng felt a twinge in his heart.

It hurt!

"Who else in the entire Henshan Gathering Area could kill him in one strike?" Bian Feng's gaze swept around, finally resting on the gathered bodies, "And moreover, he was accompanied by several Grey Robes... What kind of person or force could silently kill so many?"

"Look at their wounds; some were brutally killed by blunt force, others sliced into two by sharp blades... Who else in the Henshan Gathering Area possesses such strength? Who has such sharp weapons?"

"And look at those cuts... worried they weren't dead enough, they even finished them off... many had their throats directly slit... Who else is so ruthlessly cruel, so vicious in their methods?"

Bian Feng tossed the lighter away, saying, "You have one day... I want a result."

Chen Hu caught the lighter and bowed, saying, "Rest assured, my lord. I will investigate the matter thoroughly. Our brother's blood must be avenged with blood."

Bian Feng nodded, a cruel smile appearing at the corner of his mouth, "Living in the city area for so long, I've missed the taste of roasted meat."

"..."

Everyone bowed their heads, not daring to meet his gaze.

"Is this men's clothing?" Phoenix held up the blue jeans and black sweatshirt in her hands and asked.

"It's men's clothing," Tang Fei nodded. "We don't have any women at our place, how could we possibly have women's clothing?"

"But..." Phoenix wanted to say something else, but considering her current situation, she quickly nodded in acceptance, "Alright then, I'll wear men's clothing. It's my first time wearing men's clothing since I was a child..."

"Me too," Tang Fei said.

"Hm?" Phoenix looked at Tang Fei, was he making a joke?

"It's the first time my clothes have been worn by a woman," Tang Fei explained.

"Oh," Phoenix nodded and said, "Thank you, Mr. Tang Fei. It's an honor."

"Don't feel too honored, I can't fit into them anymore anyway. Little Fatty can't fit into them either, was just about to give them away..." Tang Fei said.

"..."

Phoenix stopped talking.

As Phoenix fell silent, Tang Fei also didn't know what else to say.

And so, the two just stared at each other, the atmosphere delicate, dominated mostly by awkwardness.

"Do you want to watch me change clothes here?" Phoenix saw that Tang Fei was still not leaving and asked.

Tang Fei was startled, not expecting this woman to make such an impolite request.

He looked into Phoenix's eyes, full of expectation, and asked, "May I?"

"Of course not."

"Oh!"

Tang Fei responded and turned to walk outside.

When Tang Fei came out, the old man was sitting in the yard with a large enamel mug, drinking tea. Little Fatty was topless, smashing rocks in the yard; with one hammer strike, a large rock split in two, then he swung the hammer to chip away at the edges.

Tang Fei rolled up his sleeves, ready to help, when the old man shouted, "Hey boy, come here."

"Hey boy" was Tang Fei's nickname, while Little Fatty was called "clumsy" and "bumbling".

Tang Fei approached the old man and asked, "What? Still not reassured?"

"How could I be reassured? Do you know how serious this is?"

"I know."

"Then you really intend to protect her?" The old man spoke as if he was disappointed, "What if she betrays us..."

"What use is her betrayal? If those from the Flame Shrine really come knocking, would they listen to our explanations? Wouldn't we all just be buried together? Right now, it's die together or live together."