Counterfeit Hero

”Let’s go.” After signing the contract, Kubo didn’t linger at all. He led his group, who were supporting each other, drenched in cold sweat from pain, and turned to exit the Griffin Knight Fighting Hall.

It wasn’t until the members of the Tai Sect had all left and the entire hall quieted down that the members of the Phantom Stream still thought they were dreaming.

Just an hour earlier, everyone had been shrouded in gloom, worried about the catastrophe that was about to befall the Phantom Stream. They were furious and helpless over Kubo’s insults. But unexpectedly, the situation miraculously resolved itself.

It takes a villain to deal with a villain. That damned rogue-like Fatty was indeed Kubo’s nemesis.

The always domineering Kubo falling into Fatty’s hands was indeed a stroke of bad luck for him. If those nude photos were really taken, Kubo’s reputation would be utterly shattered.

However, in that case, the Phantom Stream wouldn’t have it easy either. Given Kubo’s vengeful nature, a bloody revenge would inevitably follow. And killing him would only bring more ferocious retaliation; Kubo wasn’t the only ruthless one in the Tai Sect.

The current ending, for the Phantom Stream, was a godsend. Not only were the challenges canceled, but they could also get back their stolen belongings. When Steelman returns the items openly and apologizes, everyone could imagine the shock of other sects.

Cancelling the duel, returning items, and apologizing clearly showed that the Tai Sect had backed down. For those unaware of the behind-the-scenes details, this outcome was undoubtedly unimaginable. Over the years, in head-to-head confrontations with the Tai Sect, no one had ever achieved such a result.

What exactly did the Phantom Stream have that made the Tai Sect wary? What hidden strengths did this sect have? Amid such speculations, the reputation of the Phantom Stream not only remained intact but became even more illustrious!

And all of this was thanks to that incredibly skilled Fatty in hand-to-hand combat. Without a doubt, he was the benefactor of the entire Phantom Stream.

Who exactly was this Fatty?

All eyes turned to Cosmo.

Just now, when Fatty left, he nodded towards Cosmo, which everyone had clearly noticed.

Cosmo was still staring at the empty door in a daze.

Feelings of joy and relief churned in his chest as if it would burst open.

He was no longer a sinner of the Phantom Stream.

Desperately trying to get involved with this person might have been the best decision of his life.

”Cosmo... do you know him?”

”Father...” Cosmo came back to his senses and looked at Old Smith’s questioning eyes, his eyes suddenly a bit red. The self-blame and pressure he had been carrying for days were too heavy. Now, he could finally face his father’s gaze again.

Walking up to Old Smith, Cosmo gently said, ”This is the person I went to find in the Leray Federation. He is Tian Xingjian.”

”It’s him?” Old Smith could hardly believe his ears, ”Are you sure it’s really him?”

”I’m sure!” Cosmo’s tone was unusually firm, ”I will never forget his face. Not before, not in the future!”

”It turns out it was him...” Old Smith stood dazed for a moment, thinking about everything that had just happened. He thought about the look Fatty gave him after mimicking his voice and couldn’t help but smile broadly, giving Cosmo a strong pat on the shoulder, ”Son, come drink with me!”

***********************************

”This wine is good, give me two more glasses!” In a private room at the Illusion Nightclub, Fatty was sitting on an extremely luxurious Knarren Unicorn Leather sofa, with a pure and a hot beauty on each side, laughing so hard his eyes disappeared.

The private room he was in was already filled with people. Besides Kubo next to him, there were the four Tai Sect Elders he had called for, and several Directors of various sect branches who arrived one after another. Each Tai Sect leader had two beautiful women accompanying them, and the scantily clad waitresses swaying their hips and breasts moved in and out, constantly serving drinks.

With so many people, the atmosphere grew lively. Listening to the music, watching Kubo hug women and brandish his cigar while chatting and laughing, Fatty couldn’t help but smack his lips. To be honest, he had come to admire Kubo.

None of these Elders or branch Directors knew how badly Kubo had been humiliated earlier. As soon as they left the Griffin Knight Fighting Hall, Kubo had issued a gag order. Now, those subordinates who had been beaten to death or injured by Fatty were lying where they should be.

The dead won’t speak, and the living kept their mouths tightly shut. They dared not say anything at all. In fact, no one knew where they were, and those who did would never dare to ask what had happened to them.

In this regard, Kubo could be considered flawless. However, this wasn’t the most impressive thing about him to Fatty. What really impressed Fatty was that from the moment they left the Mechanical Armor Hall, Kubo seemed to have forgotten all the unpleasantness.

Along the way, Fatty shamelessly tried to forget his actions just now, and Kubo, all smiles and spring breeze, didn’t seem to care about the earlier humiliation at all.

Fatty had to admit that just from this point of view, Kubo deserved the title of hero.

This man’s sinister and ruthless face, once he smiled, had a particular charm. And his ability to let go of all negative emotions under humiliation, acting as if nothing had happened, quickly regaining his composure and treating Fatty with warm hospitality, was something truly exceptional.

If it wasn’t for knowing from Barbarossa Hayreddin that this hearty Tai Sect Master was actually a cunning viper, if it wasn’t for understanding this man’s behavior and character in detail, Fatty might have genuinely thought that Kubo’s temperament suited him.

To be honest, the rules of the Free World meant that there weren’t many good people here. Even someone like Old Smith wasn’t a philanthropist. Here, it’s either you eat others, or they eat you. Without being ruthless and decisive, you couldn’t survive here.

However, everything has its rules. Even the law of the jungle has rules. The fierce beasts at the top of the pyramid, after feeding and drinking, should mark their territory, mate, and bask in the sun. Excessive hunting and killing benefited no one.

And Kubo is an unusual figure in the Free World.

In this jungle, the Tai Sect is like a group of lions that lost their parents young and grew up in the wild. They don’t follow the rules, are cruel and ruthless, and insatiably greedy. Their existence constantly disrupts the tacit understanding and balance within the jungle. To the entire Free World, they are a threat.

If you are a lion sharing the same jungle with them, you must sleep with one eye open. Otherwise, one day, these roaming lions will tear you to pieces, seize your territory and pride of lionesses, and kill all your cubs.

They are not only fierce but also cunning.

Before they are fully prepared, they will only prowl at the edges of your territory. Every day, they shake their dirty, smelly manes and watch you from a distance with vicious eyes, waiting for your moment of negligence.

What you have to face is not just these vicious and cruel lions but also the hyenas, wolves, and various despicable and shameless tactics they gather together.

Kubo is the most cunning and ruthless among these rule-breaking lions.

Anyone who gets involved with him, whether enemy or friend, will eventually be devoured. The countless forces that once cooperated with the Tai Sect and ended up in complete ruin are proof of this. The only way to survive is to join the Tai Sect, offer everything you have, and then collude with them, turning your spear towards other prey.

An organization like the Tai Sect naturally invites hatred. However, due to their power and the ugliness of human nature, the current Tai Sect has not only avoided joint attacks but has also become one of the rule-makers of the Free World.

These increasingly cruel rules have made many unable to even find the courage to survive.

For such people, Fatty has no psychological burden to harm them. The more vicious Kubo is, the more arrogant and rampant the Tai Sect becomes, the more it benefits him.

One should know that in the Free World, many people are watching the Tai Sect. Above the Tai Sect, there are Absolute Kill and Mountain Breaker Sect, along with countless forces that could disrupt the dynamics of the Mechanical Sect at any time.

Creating chaos is the best for fish in troubled waters, and the Tai Sect is undoubtedly the best target.

As Fatty was shamelessly groping a lady beside him, he was calculating in his mind.

Judging by Kubo issuing a gag order, it’s likely not just to save face. Maintaining his authority is his most important aim.

Considering the data of the Tai Sect, one can imagine that amidst this group of arrogant and combative roaming lions, there are various unseen conflicts. However, these conflicts are concealed under the rapid expansion of the Tai Sect and Kubo’s strong rule. Once the Tai Sect suffers a major blow, these conflicts will surface.

What I need to figure out now is the extent of these inevitable conflicts within the Tai Sect.

”Let me introduce you first.”

Kubo’s voice interrupted Fatty’s calculations.

”This is Brother Guo.” Kubo held a glass of red wine in one hand and patted Fatty’s shoulder affectionately with the other. He said to everyone in the room who had quieted down, ”From today, Brother Guo will be the eleventh elder of our Tai Sect and the director of the Puluo Town branch.”

”Eleventh elder?”

”Director of the Puluo Town branch?”

Kubo’s words immediately caused a commotion. Everyone seated on the sofa looked in surprise at the Fatty sitting beside Kubo.

Nothing special, this Fatty looks like a typical useless wastrel. Among the merchants who would cry for days with a slap and tremble off a few pounds from a fright, there are quite a few like this—he can be an elder and the director of the Puluo Town branch?

Kubo downed the wine in his glass and laughed, ”Although our new elder is not very familiar with Mecha yet, in terms of bare-handed combat, he is definitely the number one expert of our Tai Sect!”

”Number one expert?”

The elders and branch directors stared at each other, even more puzzled. If Fatty had other skills, they might believe it, but to say he is the number one expert in bare-handed combat in the Tai Sect—isn’t that a joke?

What is the Tai Sect? It’s a pack of wild wolves! Within it, there are countless fighters who survived the black market arena, battle-hardened mercenaries, interstellar pirates, and skilled fighters from martial arts families. In the Tai Sect, one could confidently select the best in Mecha control, but for bare-handed combat, it’s hard to choose the first!

This chubby and honest-looking Fatty Shui, is he the number one expert?

”Your great name is...” The Third Elder Sankey leaned in and shook Fatty’s hand, asking.

”My given name is just Jing...” Fatty smiled, shaking Sankey’s hand. ”Guo Jing.”

When choosing a pseudonym, Fatty initially wanted to call himself Tian Boguang.

But on second thought, Old Tian was lecherous enough, but in the end, he lost his manhood, which wasn’t exactly auspicious. Moreover, borrowing the name of the lecher’s ancestral master lightly wasn’t advisable.

And the legendary great hero Guo Jing, who was honest, righteous, and loyal, seemed to describe himself perfectly, right?

.(To be continued, for the rest please visit www.qidian.com. More chapters available to support the author and original reading!)