ABCFWGR Chapter 145: The Tang Knife
Chapter 145: The Tang Knife
On the other side.
Han Lie lowered his head in shame. "Mr. Gu, I’m sorry. It’s my incompetence that caused you to come and save us personally."
Black Falcon and Hunting Eagle also lowered their heads in shame.
Especially Hunting Eagle. If he hadn't made a mistake, things wouldn’t have turned out this way.
"You’re right. You really are the most useless people I’ve ever used," Gu Chen said mercilessly. "First the He family, then the Xun Mansion. None were handled well. And Tan Bafang even praised you as a talent in front of me."
After a pause, Gu Chen impatiently waved his hand. "Apologies are meaningless, and I have no interest in pursuing this. You can leave."
However, none of the three moved.
"What? Do you want me to invite you to leave?" Gu Chen said coldly.
Han Lie trembled as he took out a small jade bottle from his body and held it in his hands. "I have disappointed you and do not deserve to use the medicine you gave me. Please take it back, but my two brothers..."
They are first-rate talents. I hope you can still consider keeping them.
Unfortunately, Gu Chen didn’t let him finish. "I never take back what I’ve given out. Besides, to me, it’s just a useless trinket. Don’t act pitiful in front of me!"
"Mr. Gu..."
Hunting Eagle couldn’t stand Gu Chen treating Han Lie this way and was about to speak up, but Black Falcon held him back firmly.
Gu Chen saw it, but didn’t even glance their way. He turned and walked away indifferently.
"Mr. Gu!"
Han Lie knelt down with a thud and shouted, "My two brothers are first-rate talents. I hope you can still consider keeping them!"
After saying this, he spread his hands and prostrated himself on the ground.
Gu Chen did not turn around, but said coldly, "Tan Bafang considers you a confidant, yet you are eager to switch allegiance. Are you trying to be like Lü Bu, the servant of three masters?"
"Unfortunately, you neither have the strength comparable to Xiang Yu, nor do you have Diao Chan as a companion. How can you imitate Lü Bu?"
Han Lie trembled all over.
The term "servant of three masters" is a huge insult to anyone, especially someone from the loyal and peerless Masked Army.
"Mr. Gu, your words are too harsh!" Hunting Eagle, who had a hot temper, couldn’t stand it anymore. He broke free from Black Falcon’s hand and stepped forward defiantly.
Gu Chen, with his back to them, waved his hand casually, and Hunting Eagle felt as if he had been hit hard, letting out a muffled groan as a trace of blood appeared at the corner of his mouth.
Only then did Gu Chen slowly turn around, his eyes sharp as a sword. "Who gave you the courage to challenge me?"
"Oppressing others with power is no skill. If you have the guts, suppress your strength to my level and fight me fairly!" Hunting Eagle said arrogantly.
Gu Chen laughed because it was so absurd. He looked at Han Lie and said, "This is the so-called 'first-rate talent' you mentioned? Not only is he incompetent, but he also has a big mouth. He barely survived with my medicine and now turns against me?"
"You..." Hunting Eagle’s face alternated between blue and white, unable to retort.
Han Lie raised his head and scolded, "Hunting Eagle, stop talking. Apologize to Mr. Gu!"
Hunting Eagle snorted and turned his face away, showing no intention of apologizing.
Black Falcon, understanding Han Lie's intention, sighed helplessly, pulled Hunting Eagle behind him, and looked up. "Mr. Gu, Hunting Eagle is just hot-tempered and meant no disrespect. I apologize on his behalf."
Gu Chen ignored his apology and asked, "Nice knife, where did it come from?"
Black Falcon was taken aback, then touched the knife with a hint of reluctance in his eyes. He then handed the Tang knife to Gu Chen heavily. "If Mr. Gu likes it, please take it."
"Black Falcon, are you crazy?"
"That’s the only thing proving your identity. How can you give it away so easily!"
Han Lie and Hunting Eagle were both shocked. No one knew better than them what this Tang knife meant to Black Falcon.
Black Falcon hid his reluctance, pretending to be indifferent, and smiled. "I’m already a cripple. Keeping it would only tarnish it. It’s better to find a good owner for it. I believe Mr. Gu will treat it well."
Seeing that Han Lie and Hunting Eagle were about to say more, Black Falcon interrupted, "Enough, don’t persuade me. My mind is made up!"
He then held the Tang knife with both hands and walked step by step to Gu Chen.
"Are you really willing to part with it?" Gu Chen glanced at him.
"It’s just a possession. There’s nothing to be unwilling about," Black Falcon forced a smile.
Gu Chen said nothing more, took the Tang knife, drew it from its scabbard, and ran his finger along the blade. Indeed, it was extremely sharp, a top-notch weapon. Then his gaze fell on the two small characters on the tail of the knife.
He sheathed the knife without a word and handed it back to Black Falcon.
"A gentleman does not take what others love. I may not be a gentleman, but I can see this knife is important to you. It’s better if you keep it," Gu Chen said.
Black Falcon looked at Gu Chen in surprise but couldn’t read anything from his face. He could only suppress his doubts and took the knife back. "Thank you, Mr. Gu!"
Gu Chen waved his hand nonchalantly and looked at Han Lie. "For the sake of the knife, I’ll give you a chance. Explain why you want to switch allegiances."
Han Lie was overjoyed, thinking that this reason might be weak, but with such a big shot like Mr. Gu, his thoughts were always hard to guess. Maybe he really changed his mind because of the knife.
Thinking this, Han Lie quickly walked to Gu Chen and said solemnly, "Because Mr. Tan can’t protect us, and we don’t want to drag him down."
Gu Chen raised his eyebrows, saying nothing, waiting for him to continue.
Han Lie took a deep breath and continued, "The three of us once belonged to the Masked Army. But the disastrous defeat back then was not because our commander was incompetent. He... he was framed."
"In that battle, the entire Masked Army was wiped out. The three of us barely survived, not for anything else, but to clear our commander’s name one day. However, our identities are too sensitive. If exposed, it would mean certain death, so..."
"So why do you think I can protect you?" Gu Chen asked casually.
Han Lie hesitated and said awkwardly, "When you and Night Owl went to see Mr. Tan, I happened to be at his villa."
I see.
Gu Chen nodded. "I understand. But matters involving the Masked Army are risky. You should go back. I’ll consider it carefully."
Gu Chen not only knew about the Masked Army’s deeds, but their famous commander was even an old acquaintance of his.
If he wanted, he could certainly protect the three of them, but this matter would inevitably drag him into court politics.
Once involved in that vortex, even a god would be peeled of a layer of skin.