Chapter 659: A Favor as Great as the Heavens [Part 2]

Chapter 659: A Favor as Great as the Heavens [Part 2]



"That's good then."

Fang Che was satisfied.

Entering the side hall to inspect yesterday's spoils, he was hit with a strong stench as soon as he reached the entrance.

These were all seized from the pirates' lair, how could they not have a smell? For Sun Wutian to bring them out was already a great favor.

Looking at the entire hall piled high with mountains of gold, silver, and resources, Fang Che was momentarily stunned.

These piles even exceeded the height of the hall, reaching the ceiling.

"Wu Dianzhu."

"At your service."

"I won't be taking any of the gold and silver here, I'll leave it all for the Guardian Hall."

Fang Che said, "Just select some of the resources and load them onto the carts."

"Yes! Thank you for your generosity, Fang Captain."

Wu Zhiyun was thrilled.

With these resources, combined with their original half of the income, the Guardian Hall in Bai Wu Zhou would be set for at least three hundred years.

Finally, he and his colleagues could enjoy a prosperous life.

Entering the main hall, Fang Che flipped through the thick stacks of documents, his face expressionless and cold.

But in his heart, a storm was raging.

Just based on the number of kills, the estimate was almost the same as Sun Wutian's own guess.

Adding the five million pirates from the sea, there were nearly ninety-six million...

How could there be so many pirates? Even if Fang Che exaggerated the scale of the pirates, there shouldn't be this many.

Could it be that Old Sun had also destroyed some country along the way?

"I can kill more than him!"

Fang Che felt a little impressed.

Just from these documents, it was clear that if he had been here instead of Sun Wutian, he wouldn't have been able to accomplish such a feat!

It was highly likely that he would have met an untimely end if he had stayed here for a little longer.

"Having a body double is indeed convenient."

Fang Che felt a sense of accomplishment, and his efforts in finding the most difficult continent to manage weren't in vain.

"Others' body doubles are mere servants, but my body double is an ancestor... Throughout history, who can compare to me?"

Fang Che was extremely proud.

But soon, he also felt a deep concern for Mo Guanyun and the others.

They must be going through a hard time, too? But at the moment, he couldn't contact them, even though his communication jade was clearly functional. However, contacting them would expose his identity, and he hadn't returned yet.

In the afternoon, Fang Che inspected the spoils loaded onto the carts. They were all super-sized escort carts.

"The first three carts contain supreme-grade spirit crystals and some extremely rare resources, heavenly treasures, and sea treasures; the middle four hundred carts are mostly high-grade and mid-grade spirit crystals, and according to your previous instructions, we've only loaded three hundred carts with low-grade ones. The last few dozen carts are filled with gold and silver."

"After Fang Captain leaves, we will also dispatch a convoy to deliver the remaining supplies to the Southeast Headquarters."

Wu Zhiyun explained.

"Hmm?" Fang Che asked.

"Zhao Zongguan said... Headquarters is running low on funds... The more we can gather, the better."

Wu Zhiyun smiled bitterly.

"..."

Fang Che was speechless.

Was Zhao Shanhe short on funds again? The resources Fang Che had left behind before his departure should be enough for the headquarters to survive for decades, even if they ate them all. But then he remembered that Zhao Shanhe was probably planning for the future, considering the existence of the Nirvana Martial Academy, a voracious gold-devouring beast. No matter how much money Zhao Shanhe saved, it might not be enough.

He felt a complete lack of security...

"Do as you please."

Looking at the nearly one thousand escort carts, Fang Che calculated that after these reached the Southeast Headquarters, Zhao Shanhe would probably be overjoyed.

These were worth tens of millions of billions!

As for the Execution and Inspection Team, they only needed the first three carts.

The rest could go to Zhao Shanhe; it would be a small mercy for this poor man.

"Which escort agency is handling this? With so many items, can they ensure a safe delivery?" Fang Che asked.

"It's the Great Saber Escort Agency's branch in Bai Wu Zhou, and half a month ago, five hundred experts from the Small Saber Escort Agency's headquarters in Donghu Zhou arrived to provide full support for this escort mission."

Wu Zhiyun continued, "They also brought six hundred dragon-drawn carts, which can travel at full speed without fear of wind or snow, covering about three thousand kilometers in a day."

"That's excellent." Fang Che was very pleased.

This Wu Zhiyun was indeed capable, and it would be a pity to kill him outright.

Fang Captain had arranged every detail meticulously.

That night.

Uncharacteristically, Fang Captain accepted the farewell banquet held by the Guardian Hall.

It was set to take place at the Dragon Sea Palace, the largest restaurant in Bai Wu Zhou.

The news spread in the afternoon, and the Dragon Sea Palace sprang into action, clearing out the entire hotel to host Fang Captain!

This was Fang Captain's first banquet since arriving in Bai Wu Zhou! But it was a farewell banquet!

As the news spread, the entire continent was in an uproar.

Fang Captain was leaving!

He had brought an unprecedented, clear blue sky to Bai Wu Zhou, and he was departing the next morning!

Bai Wu Zhou was in a state of commotion.

The sky was overcast, with thick clouds covering the sun.

It was as if a heavy weight was pressing down on people's hearts, and their moods were somber.

At the end of the afternoon, snow began to fall from the sky.

There was not a hint of wind, and the snowflakes drifted gently.

The ground was already covered in a thick layer of snow, and the heavy snowfall continued unabated, suppressing the bloody atmosphere of the entire city.

The entire Bai Wu Zhou was enveloped in a blanket of silver.

Countless commoners braved the heavy snow, holding brooms and diligently sweeping the road from the Guardian Hall to the Dragon Sea Palace.

The snow kept falling, and the snow on both sides of the road had been cleared, forming tall, neat piles. However, this road was spotlessly clean, with only a slight dampness.

It was the end of the day.

Fang Che and Wu Zhiyun, along with others, stepped out of the Guardian Hall.

They were all shocked.

In the sky, snowflakes danced, and the entire city was covered in silver. But on this road, not a single snowflake fell, and it quietly extended into the distance.

On both sides, there were rows of people standing solemnly, holding lanterns, illuminating the path ahead.

Despite the heavy snow, their vision was clear.

But they stood stubbornly, holding their lanterns, stretching all the way to the horizon.

Fang Che's expression turned solemn: "Wu Dianzhu, why go to such lengths with this grand display?"

Wu Zhiyun was drenched in sweat: "This... this wasn't arranged by me... I don't know what's going on... I'll go ask."

Upon inquiry, it turned out that they were all ordinary commoners from the surroundings.

They took the initiative to do this.

Since Captain Fang arrived in Bai Wu Zhou, he hadn't had a decent meal. This was the only proper meal! "We want Captain Fang to feel that everything he has done for us is worth it!"

Several elders, with their white beards fluttering, stood solemnly by the road, bowing and saying, "Moreover, Bai Wu Zhou has already established the ancestral code for the entire continent, generation after generation, to worship Captain Fang and offer eternal incense."

"The people Captain Fang killed in Bai Wu Zhou, the so-called boundless sins... We, the people of Bai Wu Zhou, are willing to offer generation after generation of incense to atone for Captain Fang!"

"Starting today, all families in Bai Wu Zhou, all commoners, and all households, if anyone can enter the Guardian Hall and serve like Captain Fang, a new page will be added to the family records!"

"All of the above are ancestral rules, never to be changed!"

"Captain Fang's kindness will be recorded in gold on the family records, listed on the cover of the records!"

"Tonight, Captain Fang's banquet in Bai Wu Zhou is the pride of the entire Bai Wu Zhou. Therefore, we take the initiative to sweep the road for Captain Fang and light his way!"

"We are all ordinary commoners and cannot do much for Captain Fang. This is the only humble gesture we can offer."

"Please, Captain Fang, take a step forward and fulfill the wishes of the people!"

Several elders bowed together, and everyone followed suit: "Please, Captain Fang, take a step forward and fulfill the wishes of the people!"

Fang Che was deeply moved.

He knew that if he didn't walk this road, these people would truly feel disappointed.

He said with emotion, "Thank you all for your kind gesture. Today, I, Fang Che, will have the honor of walking this road."

"Everyone, let's go."

Fang Che took a step, braving the heavy snow, and walked on this clean road.

Along the way, they were sent off by the passionate gazes of the people on both sides.

Wu Zhiyun followed Fang Che, and everyone's hearts were filled with surging emotions, deeply moved.

Such honor... Captain Fang achieved this in just three months!

Fang Che walks this earth!"

Fang Che's steps quickened, and the crowd followed suit, knowing that he was doing this intentionally, walking faster so that these people could return to rest sooner.

As they walked, the road was filled with people.

When they reached the Dragon Sea Palace, they saw countless people gathered at the entrance, the remaining major families of Bai Wu Zhou, and the wealthy merchants of the city.

They quietly waited in the heavy snow, no one knew how long they had been there.

Fang Che stopped in his tracks.

Before him, thousands of people knelt in perfect unison.

"We have come here to wait and pay our respects by offering a cup of wine to Captain Fang! Thank you, Captain Fang, for your contributions to Bai Wu Zhou. Please accept our humble offering."

Fang Che smiled and said, "Since it's a toast, why not go inside and drink together?"

"We dare not. Tonight, the Dragon Sea Palace belongs to Captain Fang and the Guardian Hall! We would never dare to overstep this honor!"

"We will stay outside and protect Captain Fang. Please fulfill our wish."

Fang Che paused for a moment: "In that case, thank you."

Three family heads stepped forward, and the one in the middle held a tray.

On the tray was a single wine cup.

It was an ordinary wine cup.

"This isn't a fine wine, nor is it a spirit wine. It's the Bai Wu White Mist Wine that the people of Bai Wu Zhou often drink. It's just ordinary wine, please don't disdain it." The three family heads knelt and presented the tray: "Please, Captain Fang, drink this wine, the heart and will of the people!"

Fang Che stood silently, with a solemn attitude, and slowly raised his hand.

He took the wine cup.

Then, he lifted it.

He slowly turned around and said softly, "With this cup, I wish for Bai Wu Zhou to live in peace and prosperity, generation after generation, for a thousand years, in tranquility."

He raised the cup and drank it in one go.

"Thank you all, and thank you, Bai Wu Zhou!"

Fang Che placed the wine cup back on the tray.

The three family heads stood up and bowed, retreating to the back.

The people behind them parted, making way for a wide road leading to the entrance of the Dragon Sea Palace.

Fang Che strolled forward, the light reflecting off the snow, illuminating his face and body with a dazzling brilliance, as if countless stars had fallen upon him, creating a mesmerizing starlight.

He didn't say anything about letting these people go back to rest because it would be useless.

These people wouldn't leave.

Moreover, in the distance, more people were still coming towards them.

On the road they came from, people were still diligently sweeping the snow...

Even the roads leading out of the city were being swept.

The crowd entered the Dragon Sea Palace in silence, and the palace was already spotlessly clean.

Not a speck of dust was left.

The boss personally welcomed them.

He said, "Wu Dianzhu, the banquet you ordered has already been paid for by someone."

Wu Zhiyun was shocked. "Who?"

The boss smiled bitterly and said, "I originally intended to treat you all, but I felt unworthy and didn't dare to mention it. However, starting this afternoon, countless commoners suddenly came."

"Not many, just one silver coin each, they threw it down and left, saying they were treating Fang to a drink."

"I had no choice but to put a box at the entrance. But now..."

The boss smiled bitterly and pointed towards the entrance.

There were already ten large boxes, all filled with silver coins, stacked to the brim.

Wu Zhiyun was speechless for a moment.

Could such a thing have happened?!

"This money is for everyone to treat Fang to a drink. I dare not accept it, so from now on, these ten large boxes will remain at the entrance. Please give your permission."

As he spoke, the boss took out silver coins from his bosom, walked over, and placed them on top of the box.

Exactly one silver coin, no more, no less.

The boss bowed, "I also offer one."

"This..."

Wu Zhiyun turned his head to look at Fang Che.

"Let's go then," Fang Che said with deep emotion. "Let's go in and eat, don't disappoint the hearts of the people!"

"Yes!"

"Wu Dianzhu, from now on..."

Fang Che spoke softly, "You must treat the people of Bai Wu Zhou well. Who says that people's hearts are not as they used to be? Who says that the commoners are ignorant? If you truly do good deeds, how could the people forget and how could they rebel?"

"Yes, your words are like gold and jade, I will remember them well."

That evening, Fang Che attended a banquet at the Dragon Sea Palace.

He let go of his worries and enjoyed a hearty meal.

After an hour, the snow fell silently.

In the snow, countless people held lanterns and stood silently.

Outside the Dragon Sea Palace, amidst the heavy snow, numerous influential figures from Bai Wu Zhou stood in the snow, toasting each other in silence.

On the streets, the sound of sweeping snow could be heard without interruption.

High in the snowy sky, Sun Wutian stood quietly, observing this scene.

His expressionless face showed no emotion.

In his hand, he held a cup of wine, taken from the Dragon Sea Palace.

After a long while, the old devil slowly raised his cup and drank it in one gulp.

He lifted his head and looked into the depths of the vast sky, a hint of bewilderment in his eyes.

Then, his body flickered and disappeared.

An hour later, Fang Che and the others exited the tavern, and the people at the entrance had silently dispersed as their banquet was about to end.

The road remained spotlessly clean.

The lanterns on both sides still glowed.

In the late-night snow, the road stretched into the distance.

Fang Che and the others quickly passed by and entered the Guardian Hall.

Only then did the lanterns on this road slowly disappear.

Countless people continued to gaze towards the direction of the Guardian Hall in the heavy snow, only dispersing slowly after a while.

But from the Guardian Hall to the city gate, there were still people diligently cleaning the road.

The next morning, Fang Che was to leave by this road, no matter how heavy the snow, the road must be clear of snow!

In the morning, the snow continued to fall, but it had lessened somewhat.

The people of Great Saber Escort Agency arrived at the entrance of the Guardian Hall early, neatly suiting up all the escort carriages.

Surprisingly, the leader was Lu Sihai, the vice head of Great Saber Escort Agency.

As dawn broke, Fang Che walked out of the Guardian Hall, preparing to quietly depart.

But he hadn't expected that not a single person was missing from the Guardian Hall, and they were already waiting for him at the entrance.

"Fang, may the wind be at your back!"

Fang Che said, "From now on, Bai Wu Zhou will be in your hands."

"Please rest assured, we will not fail your trust!"

Everyone's voices were in unison, their hearts filled with passion.

Fang Che walked up to the team and saw a pure white, majestic unicorn dragon horse, already fully harnessed and ready to be mounted.

After stopping the tedious farewell ceremony, Fang Che smiled and said, "There's no need to see me off, in the future, there will be plenty of opportunities to meet. All this welcoming and sending off is the most annoying."

"Yes!"

Fang Che mounted the horse and waved, "Let's go!"

As Fang Che rode out three zhang, Lu Sihai gave the order, "Start the escort!"

The escort carriages slowly started, forming a long dragon as they exited the Guardian Hall's gates.

The road to the city gate was spotlessly clean.

Fang Che, in his black attire and riding a white horse, advanced slowly, leaving the road where the Guardian Hall was located and heading towards the city exit.

Suddenly, his gaze froze.

The entire avenue was spotless, stretching far into the distance.

On both sides of the road, people stood densely packed, forming a crowd that extended along the road and into the endless distance.

Fang Che waved, "Everyone, go back! It's so cold, don't let yourselves get frozen."

But no one responded, only looking at Fang Che with eager eyes.

Fang Che had no choice but to ride forward, saying, "Let's go, don't get too cold!"

Lu Sihai acknowledged and urged the team to quicken their pace.

But wherever they passed, a shocking scene made all the escorts and heads numb.

Fang Che, in his black attire and riding a white horse, led the way, and wherever he passed, the people on both sides knelt down voluntarily to see him off.

"We bid farewell to Fang!"

"We bid farewell to Fang!"

"..."

Wherever Fang Che passed, the crowds knelt down to see him off.

Fang Che knew that trying to dissuade them at this point would be futile, so he could only wave his hand and urge his horse to move faster, but not too fast, lest he disappoint these well-wishers.

He waved his hand along the way.

The escort carriage team accelerated accordingly.

A long line of people followed behind Fang Captain like a dragon.

They passed by, leaving a trail of kneeling figures on both sides of the road. The sound of their farewells was deafening.

Up ahead, there were still two rows of densely packed people standing, their eager eyes fixed on Fang Che. They were waiting for him to pass by!

Finally, they reached the city gate.

The gate opened wide.

Fang Che waved his hand, signaling for the carriage to exit the city.

As he rode out of the city alone, the entire Bai Wu Zhou erupted with a thunderous roar.

"Farewell, Fang Captain! May the winds be with you!"

"Take care, Captain!"

Lu Sihai was deeply moved by this grand send-off. In all his years of wandering the jianghu, he had never witnessed such a scene!

A single person had brought an entire continent to order.

At the moment of departure, the entire city came to see him off.

This was no ordinary city. Bai Wu Zhou was one of the top ten continents on the entire continent! Outside the city, the road was lined with people bidding farewell, but the snow remained untouched.

They traveled over a hundred li before they noticed people ahead clearing the snow and making way for the carriage.

The escort carriage sped by.

"Everyone, please return. If I have time, I will come back."

Fang Che let out a long whistle.

Two hundred li outside the city.

The snow-clearing team finally reached the end of their task.

Two warriors approached from afar, running through the snowy ground: "Lu Zongbiaotou!"

"Speak."

"For the next two thousand li, we've marked the safe paths. Following these signs, you won't fall into ravines or get lost in deep snow. We've marked everything clearly."

The two men looked ashamed: "Time is tight, but we did our best to mark two thousand li. Please forgive us, Captain Fang."

They stepped aside and knelt by the roadside: "We bid farewell to Captain Fang! May the winds be with you! Safe journey! Please remember to come back and visit when you have time!"

"We, the people of Bai Wu Zhou, will never forget Captain Fang's kindness!"

Even after the escort carriage had traveled a long distance, they could still hear voices from behind: "Lu Zongbiaotou, please take good care of Captain Fang along the way!"

"Yes, we will!"

"If you safely escort Captain Fang and the carriage to Donghu, the Great Saber Escort Agency's business in Bai Wu Zhou will be taken care of by us, the people of Bai Wu Zhou!"

"Captain Fang, have a safe journey! Please take care!"

"..."

The voices gradually faded into the distance.

They could no longer be heard.

They were drowned out by the snowflakes filling the sky.

Fang Che sighed softly, reined in his horse, and looked back from a high vantage point.

The sky was filled with dense snow, obscuring all sight.

But in his mind's eye, he could still see the lantern-lit road from the previous night, the earnest and passionate gazes, the long line of people kneeling, and the clean road stretching towards the horizon...

The thunderous farewells still echoed in his heart.

"Bai Wu Zhou!"

Fang Che's eyes were filled with complex emotions.

This was his first encounter with such a situation, and it was Bai Wu Zhou, conquered by Sun Wutian.

"I wonder what the Old Devil is feeling right now."

Fang Che thought to himself.

He knew that Sun Wutian had never shown himself throughout.

But he must have been watching this entire time.

Could Sun Wutian's heart be moved?

Lu Sihai urged his horse to catch up, and as he looked at Fang Che, his eyes shone with utmost respect. "Captain Fang, I, Lu Sihai, have never bowed to anyone, but this time, I bow to you, Captain Fang, with the utmost respect and reverence."

Fang Che urged his horse forward while smiling faintly. "There's nothing to be admired. I, Fang Che, am just a butcher with bloodstained hands."

Lu Sihai laughed heartily. "But a butcher with bloodstained hands has never achieved what you, Captain Fang, have accomplished. In all of history, there has never been another like you!"

"In the future, I will kill even more..."

Fang Che sighed.

"Whoever Captain Fang kills, I believe they must deserve it!"

Lu Sihai spoke from the bottom of his heart.

As the son of the Martial Heaven, he didn't know his father's identity, but as Lu Dadao's direct disciple, Lu Sihai also held a high status in the jianghu.

But this was the first time he had ever admired someone so deeply!

To live to Captain Fang's status, that was truly... a life well-lived!

If it were him, he would die without regrets, smiling in his grave.

The escort carriage team moved swiftly, and although the dragon horse they rode wasn't as top-tier as the one Fang Che and Lu Sihai rode, its speed was still terrifying, at least ten times faster than an ordinary warhorse! At the very least, an ordinary horse would move slowly in this snowy terrain, but this dragon horse pulled the heavy carriage with ease, galloping like the wind.

The team moved further away.

Deep wheel tracks appeared clearly in the snow.

Far behind them.

At the edge of the clear road and the snowy ground, a figure appeared.

Dressed in gray with white hair, he stood with his hands behind his back.

He seemed like a ghost in the snowy wind, standing amidst the fluttering snow, appearing and disappearing like a phantom.

It was Sun Wutian.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end