Chapter 24 : Delicious friend

After successfully cultivating the "Purple Yang Lightning Gang Technique" to perfection, Fang Yuan's combat power took another leap. Coupled with his [Winning People Over with Virtue] and [The Fourth Day of Calamity] traits, even Fang Yuan, who always reminds himself not to underestimate the heroes of the world, couldn't help but feel a bit complacent. However, his good deeds points were almost exhausted, so it seemed he had to go around doing good deeds to accumulate more.

On the other side, Lin Jing also came to her senses. Her face was flushed, and she clenched her fists in excitement, shouting loudly, "Let's do it! We'll take action tomorrow!" She had already emerged from her depressed mood. At this moment, she realized that she had found a powerful ally. Only someone as powerful as Fang Yuan could help her avenge successfully. All those sayings like "Fortune may change within three decades" and "A gentleman can take ten years to seek revenge" were thrown to the winds. If it weren't for being outmatched by the enemy, who wouldn't want to chop off the enemy's head on the spot to relieve the hatred in their hearts!

"Finally, you've come to your senses." Fang Yuan nodded. Having just mastered a powerful martial art, he was also eager to try it out on an enemy to test its power.

"However, we still can't act rashly!" Lin Jing reminded again, "Let me first find out Zhao Shuanghe's plans for tomorrow, and then we'll take action!"

"Alright." Fang Yuan replied. Since there was Lin Jing, a "military advisor" by his side, it was definitely right to leave tasks like gathering enemy intelligence and coming up with strategies to her. After all, she had a deep - seated hatred, and she would be more dedicated to these tasks than Fang Yuan.

...

On the outskirts of Changqing City, there was an abandoned and dilapidated temple. Before dawn, Gouwa was pushed by a rough and dirty hand. "Get up, Gouwa. Time to go to work!"

Gouwa rubbed his sleepy eyes and muttered, "Grandpa, let me sleep a little longer..."

Gouwa wasn't originally called this name, and the grandpa he called wasn't his biological grandfather. Gouwa was only six years old. Since he could remember, his father had told him that his mother had died in childbirth when giving birth to him. Last year, the old beggar told him that his father had been beaten to death on the street by members of the Black Tiger Gang. Just like that, he became an orphan in a daze.

On the verge of starving to death, it was the old beggar who saved him. Since then, he had been living with this grandpa. The name "Gouwa" was also given by the old beggar, saying that a humble name was easier to raise a child.

"Didn't we agree? Begging on the street now makes us look more miserable, and others might give more alms..." The old beggar patiently persuaded. In his opinion, squatting on the street at dawn would make passers - by think they had slept in the cold corner all night, arousing their pity, so they could beg for more money.

Gouwa didn't quite believe this, because they often went out early in the morning but still couldn't beg for a single cent. But Gouwa never disobeyed the old beggar. After all, he knew that in this world, only this grandpa was good to him.

"I know, Grandpa..." Gouwa obediently replied and prepared to get up from the haystack.

"Forget it." The old beggar changed his mind, reached out to hold Gouwa's shoulder, and said with a smile, "Little guy, you can lie down a little longer today..." A trace of kindness flashed in the old beggar's cloudy eyes. At first, he adopted Gouwa because he thought the child could more easily arouse others' sympathy and was a "good material" for begging. In some places in the Yan Kingdom, there were even cruel methods like "Cai Sheng Zhe Ge" (mutilating children to make them more pitiful) to gain sympathy.

The old beggar naturally couldn't do such a thing. He just thought that bringing a child to beg could earn more money. But as time passed, the two developed feelings. The old beggar was alone and had no one to rely on. Now that there was a companion by his side, he subconsciously regarded Gouwa as his own grandson. Of course, he could forgive his own grandson for being lazy occasionally.

When the sleepy Gouwa heard this, he was overjoyed and quickly nodded, "Thank you, Grandpa."

"Okay. If you meet strangers, hide behind the statue and don't cause trouble."

"I know, Grandpa." Gouwa replied obediently.

"Good." The old beggar got up alone, holding a broken bowl in his arms, and walked into the wind and rain outside the temple. Gouwa closed his eyes again to sleep, but he couldn't sleep soundly. Just thinking that his grandpa was out begging alone while he was hiding on the warm haystack being lazy made him feel extremely guilty. Not long after, Gouwa sat up, picked up a cold and raw steamed bun from yesterday, and started eating. He planned to go into the city to find his grandpa after finishing the bun.

While eating, Gouwa saw a figure walking into the temple. He didn't forget the old beggar's instructions and immediately hid behind the statue. By the faint light outside, Gouwa could barely make out that the figure was like a child, about the same height as him, wearing a black robe, and he couldn't see the face clearly.

"Boring, boring!" The little figure in the black robe said in a muffled voice. The accent was a bit strange and not very standard, but the voice was childish. It was indeed a child about his age. Running out alone, could he be an orphan like himself? Gouwa guessed in his heart. At this moment, the little figure in the black robe suddenly let out a "hmm" and turned around the statue.

He was discovered! Gouwa wasn't too flustered and picked up a piece of broken stone on the ground. The other was also a child. If they really fought, it wasn't certain who would win. The next second, the little figure in the black robe jumped in front of him: "Haha, I found you!" The voice was full of surprise and joy, as if they were playing hide - and - seek.

Gouwa didn't know how to respond for a moment. But soon, he didn't have to worry about this, because he saw the other's appearance. The other person was covered in orange fur, shiny and smooth. On the slightly forward - tilted neck, there was actually a cat's head!

"Ah!" Gouwa was so frightened that he fell to the ground. How could there be such a person in the world, looking like a little cat! But the other didn't make any further moves. Looking at the fallen Gouwa, he found it interesting and covered his mouth and laughed, "You're so timid! My name is Honghong. What's your name?"

Gouwa didn't want to pay attention to this strange child at all. He wanted to get up and run away, but his legs were so weak with fear that he couldn't stand up. Honghong blinked and asked again, "I'm so bored. Can you play with me?"

Play, my foot! His legs finally got a little stronger, and Gouwa managed to stand up. He turned around and ran towards the temple door. Just as he reached the temple entrance, he heard sobbing sounds behind him: "Woohoo..." Was the other crying? Gouwa stopped and turned around. He saw that Honghong didn't chase after him and was standing there wiping tears.

"Why, why do you all avoid me..." Honghong muttered委屈ly, "I just want to play with you. Why do you all avoid me..." These words made Gouwa's heart tremble. Didn't he also want to have a playmate? But the reality was cruel. Not to mention playmates, there was only his grandpa who cared about him. Was it the same for the other? Lonely... And with the way the other looked, they were probably even more miserable than himself... In an instant, Gouwa felt a sense of empathy with the other.

Seeing Gouwa stop, Honghong's face showed an expectant look again: "Will you play with me?" Gouwa remained silent. Seeing that he didn't speak, Honghong said, "By the way, I have this thing. I heard you all like this!" As Honghong spoke, she took out a shiny object from her robe. Gouwa's eyes lit up. It was a silver ingot! Although the other looked strange, they were very rich! And he and his grandpa were in desperate need of money!

"If you play with me, I'll give this to you!" Honghong held up the silver in her hand.

"Really?" Gouwa asked excitedly.

"Of course it's true!" Honghong nodded vigorously.

"Okay!" Gouwa agreed. A silver ingot was enough for him and his grandpa to live for a long time. They wouldn't have to squat on the street begging in the wind and rain or under the hot sun... For the sake of money, he had to give it a try! Gouwa took a deep breath and bravely walked back in front of Honghong. Honghong generously handed him the silver in her hand: "Here you are!" Gouwa took it tremblingly. Suddenly getting such a windfall, he felt like he was dreaming.

Before Gouwa could come to his senses, Honghong suddenly grabbed his hand. Her sharp claws pricked his skin painfully. Gouwa was startled, but then he heard Honghong shout excitedly, "So, what shall we play now?!" Before Gouwa could answer, Honghong dragged him out of the temple. Honghong was very strong, and Gouwa couldn't resist at all.

To be honest, Gouwa had never really played before in his life. He racked his brains, thinking of things that made him happy. So, Gouwa first played shuttlecock - kicking with Honghong, then they swung on the swing together, then he took Honghong to fly a kite, and finally, they entered the city and Gouwa bought a bunch of big, red candied haws for Honghong.

These were all the most fun things in Gouwa's opinion, but he didn't know if Honghong would like them. Fortunately, Honghong also seemed to have never seen much of the world and had a great time, giggling all the way. Only when they entered the city to buy candied haws did Honghong suddenly become restrained. Her small body was hidden under the black robe, wrapped tightly.

"What's wrong with you?" Gouwa asked strangely.

"My parents told me that I can't let others see my appearance. It will scare people..." Honghong explained in a low voice, full of self - abasement.

"Honghong's appearance is really likely to scare people. She's even more miserable than me... Hmm, no, she's better than me. At least she has money and parents." Gouwa muttered in a low voice, and then asked, "Then why did you let me see your appearance?"

"Because I think you're a nice person!" When saying this, Honghong's little cat face showed a sweet smile. This sudden compliment made Gouwa blush. At the same time, he found that Honghong's little face... was cuter the more he looked at it. After all, cats were cute animals, especially little cats, which were even more endearing.

"Then... are we friends?" Gouwa summoned up his courage and asked the little cat beside him.

"Friends? Of course!" Honghong nodded vigorously. With this affirmative answer, a sense of happiness welled up in Gouwa's heart. Great, he finally had his first friend in life...

Honghong quickly finished the candied haws in her hand. She touched her stomach and said, "Come on, let's go back to the temple!"

"What for?" Gouwa asked in confusion. That was the place where he and his grandpa rested, not a good place to play.

"I'm tired from playing and I want to eat!" Honghong replied.

...

When Gouwa woke up, he vaguely saw a small shadow. The shadow was holding something and putting it to its mouth, and the sound of chewing, "ba ji ba ji", kept coming. There was an indescribable stench and fishy smell in the air. His vision gradually became clear, and Gouwa saw who the shadow was. Honghong was sitting beside him, holding what looked like a human calf in her hand and chewing greedily.

Gouwa's face distorted with fear, and his body trembled uncontrollably. His first reaction was to get up and run away. But he soon found that he could no longer stand up because his legs were gone... Intense pain surged like a tidal wave. Gouwa realized a tragic fact: Honghong was eating him!

The friend he had just made was now devouring his body! Tears rolled down Gouwa's cheeks. At this moment, the pain in his heart was more unbearable than the pain in his body. Gouwa was filled with sadness and confusion. He used all his strength to shout, "Why, why... Honghong, we, we are friends, aren't we?"

Honghong stopped chewing, her faint vertical pupils looked at Gouwa. Then, an extremely ferocious smile appeared on the little cat's face.

"Friends, delicious!" She said.