Behind him stood four guards.
All were large, tall, and sturdy.
They seemed mute, and deaf as well.
Yet they all gazed at their master, seemingly awaiting orders.
"Wie Kie-hong!" Cu Siau-thian stood up.
He spoke coldly, "You are too young, so easily deceived by others.
Quickly tell me, who told you all of this?
Hurry and say it."
"No need to say.
The person is already dead."
"Dead?"
"Why exaggerate the matter? This person was killed by you.
How could you not know?"
"Kie-hong! I have been very kind to you.
If you continue to be disrespectful to your elders, I must teach you."
"No need to speak like this.
I came like this, and then spoke to you in this manner, it has nothing to do with respect for the elders or the younger generation.
Cu Taiya! Please tell me.
Where is my father?"
"I don't know."
"Your words will not easily drive me away."
"What exactly do you want?"
"I want to find my father."
"Your father is in Pakhia.
Your father is still alive.
This I know, but I have no idea where he is, he has never contacted me."
"Regarding my father, have you not heard any news at all?"
"I have heard a great deal."
"May I know?"
"I cannot tell you yet," Cu Taiya shook his head, "because you already judge me with a bad view.
If you have a bad view, even if I tell the truth, you might not believe me."
"Cu Taiya, I can distinguish right from wrong.
Which words are honest and which are lies.
I will certainly listen to everything."
"Your father is a very famous killer in Pakhia."
"Killer?" Wie Kie-hong was very surprised.
"If you don’t believe, you can ask around.
After all, everyone in Pakhia already knows this matter."
"Could it be that my father has made a living by killing others?"
"He does not live by killing others, but kills to repay a debt.
He does not kill for money, but kills for Leng Souwhiang."
All the stories told by Cu Siau-thian indeed aligned with what he had heard all along.
However, it is possible that the news he heard all this time was also spread by Cu Siau-thian.
Now he says this, naturally making him even more doubtful.
"I know you probably won't believe it."
"Cu Taiya, are you saying all of this, is it all nonsense, or do you have proof?"
"Of course I have proof."
"Then try to tell it."
"Hui Ci-hong is one of the victims killed by your father."
"Lies!"
"I am not lying at all.
Just now he killed another person."
"Who?"
"Hiong-ki."
Wie Kie-hong was first stunned.
After this, he laughed loudly.
"What are you laughing at?"
"I am laughing at you.
You are truly very cunning.
Clearly, Hiong-ki was killed by you, then you say my father killed him.
Do you think I would believe it immediately?"
"One day you will surely believe."
"You say if I see it myself, I will surely believe, right?"
"No... you will believe after I die."
Wie Kie-hong was stunned for a long time.
He could see the demeanor shown by Cu Siau-thian.
He looked very serious and very somber.
He didn’t look like he was joking, nor was he lying.
"The next person your father will kill is me," Cu Siau-thian said, word by word, firmly, "the time is tonight."
Speaking of death is a frightening matter that is commonly covered up.
Every time someone talks about this, that person always feels their heart enveloped in a dark shadow.
Because of this, Wie Kie-hong felt that Cu Siau-thian was feeling very heavy-hearted.
If Cu Siau-thian is his father's next target, all situations now reverse.
Only at this moment, Wie Kie-hong felt moved.
"Kie-hong! you should understand, the person I trust the most is Tu Liong.
But Tu Liong has severed ties with me.
Do you know why this happened?"
Cu Siau-thian paused to rest for a moment.
Then he continued his words, "This is because I deliberately let him sever ties with me."
"Why did you do that?"
"Your father wants to kill me.
Tu Liong would surely try his best to protect me.
Basically, Tu Liong is not an equal match if he has to fight your father.
If that's the way, wouldn't I be like sending him to his death?"
Because of that, I let him sever relations so he wouldn't get involved in this matter, to avoid him from the problem."
At this point, Wie Kie-hong's feelings and thoughts became very complicated.
So complicated that it reached the limit.
The person he always thought of as a ruthless killer turned out to be a hero in the martial world.
After further investigation, it turns out his own father is the killer he was looking for.
A truly terrifying reality.
But can Cu Siau-thian's words be trusted?
If he believes them just like that, it seems impossible.
But if he must not believe them at all, Wie Kie-hong cannot do it either.
He never knew the nature and character of his real father, what he had done.
About the real event, he didn’t know at all.
Thus, he was unable to make a guess that at least approached what was happening.
"Cu Taiya, if all that you have said is true, I will appreciate your information.
But if it turns out your words are not true, in the end, I will surely find out.
At that time, I will come here to find you.
I will not forgive those who have tarnished my father's name."
After Wie Kie-hong said everything he wanted to say, he then asked again, "Cu Taiya, can you prove all your words?"
"You just need to wait.
Later you will see the proof yourself."
"Wait and see for myself?"
"Yes.
After you see my corpse, you will know that everything I have said is true.
No one would use their own life as proof of their words."
Wie Kie-hong spoke with emotion: "If my father is indeed as you have described, I will surely do my best to stop him.
Quickly tell me, where can I find him?"
"In the city of Pakhia, only one person knows exactly where he is."
"Who?"
"Leng Souw-hiang."
Cu Siau-thian's face looked serious yet gloomy.
His words were spoken with strong emphasis.
If all he had said was untrue, then he must be a very talented liar.
"I want to ask you one more thing.
At that time, you harmed Tiat Liong-san, what was your real motivation?"
"Do you want to hear the real answer or the pleasant one?"
"Of course the real answer."
"Everyone already knows that I have a grudge against Tiat Liong-san.
Because of that, I dealt with government officials and then collaborated to harm him.
Actually, I was the one who suffered losses....
Wie Kie-hong did not continue the question.
He just waited silently for the continuation of the sentence.
"Actually, the person who wanted to harm Tiat Liong-san was Leng Souw-hiang.
He wanted to get his valuable item.
At that time, Leng Souw-hiang was the right hand of King Su-cen.
Who did not respect him?"
I was nobody back then."
This sentence can be trusted.
Although in the martial world, Cu Siau-thian was a very famous hero, in the city, among the government officials, he was no more than a wanderer.
"In the end, did Leng Taiya get the item he wanted?"
"Certainly at that time, Tiat Liong-san was seen carrying a leather suitcase."
"What was in the leather suitcase?"
"I don't know."
"Then what did you mean by sending three secret letters to all of them?"
"All of that was a scheme made by Leng Souw-hiang.
I was just a scapegoat."
"Cu Taiya! now a new government has been established.
Leng Taiya and you already have the same social status.
Why are you afraid of him?"
"Because he controls a great killer named Wie Ceng."
"Even though you're afraid, you might not be able to avoid death.
Why don't you rise and fight him?"
"Ai..."
**
Glossary of Terms:**
1. **Cu Taiya** - A respectful title, meaning "Elder Cu".
2. **Wie Kie-hong** - A character, the protagonist of this chapter.
3. **Pakhia** - A location, possibly a fictional city or region.
4. **Leng Souw-hiang** - Another character, possibly an antagonist.
5. **Tu Liong** - A character mentioned as a trusted person by Cu Siau-thian.
6. **Tiat Liong-san** - A character with whom Cu Siau-thian has a grudge.
7. **Wie Ceng** - A great killer controlled by Leng Souw-hiang.
8. **Su-cen** - A king, possibly a ruler during the setting of the novel.