Chapter 00142: The Bet
# The Bet
Chapter 142
Novel: Above Destiny
Chapter 142: The Bet
As soon as the words were spoken, a long-lost greeting echoed like thunder through the farewell hall.
The fragrance of flowers filled the air, and the flickering candlelight cast a solemn atmosphere over everything.
Even Lei Wuye, lying peacefully in the coffin, seemed serene.
But in an instant, the tension in the room became palpable.
At this critical moment, uninvited guests began to arrive one after another, adding to the pressure and tension that had already built up in the silence.
When Chen Xingzhou, who was supposed to be lying in a hospital bed, appeared boldly at the front of the farewell hall, it was like a spark igniting a powder keg.
The flames and shockwaves could no longer be contained.
The sharp sound of chairs scraping against the floor filled the air.
Many people in the hall stood up, their cold gazes fixed on Chen Xingzhou.
The atmosphere was tense, and yet, many others turned their attention to Lei Yaoxing.
In the blink of an eye, all the outsiders remained seated in their original positions, not uttering a word.
In the frozen air, Lei Yaoxing silently stared at his opponent, who was now standing right in front of him, no longer hiding his true self.
Despite the vast difference in their strength, Lei Yaoxing knew that someone like Chen Xingzhou, who had repeatedly refused the blessings of the White Deer and the upper echelons' inheritance rituals, could be crushed with just a flick of his finger.
No, he didn’t even need to lift a finger.
He could sense that Chen Xingzhou’s condition was dire—he was on the verge of death, a flickering candle in the wind.
It wouldn’t be surprising if he coughed up blood and died the next moment.
And yet, this man, who seemed to be at the brink of collapse, had become his most formidable opponent.
With just a few subtle moves in the shadows, Chen Xingzhou had forced Lei Yaoxing to exhaust himself in a desperate struggle.
Despite being so close to seizing control, Lei Yaoxing found himself unable to achieve his goal.
Now, as Chen Xingzhou stood before him in this state, Lei Yaoxing, who held all the advantages, suddenly felt... as if he were facing a great enemy.
Even without claws to hunt or teeth to tear flesh, there was something in Chen Xingzhou’s aura that sent shivers down Lei Yaoxing’s spine.
Though he was sitting in a wheelchair, barely clinging to life, his gaze was as sharp as an eagle’s, looking down from the heavens above.
It was as if... from the very beginning, Chen Xingzhou had never considered Lei Yaoxing a worthy opponent.
“So, this is how it is,” Lei Yaoxing muttered, his voice cold and filled with suppressed rage. “I underestimated you.”
From a mere money-grubbing pawn, Chen Xingzhou had risen to this level.
In this shadow war, with just a few insignificant moves, he had stirred up a storm in the stagnant waters of Yacheng.
“When did it all start?” Lei Yaoxing suddenly asked.
“Hmm?” Chen Xingzhou smiled faintly, as if puzzled. “What exactly are you referring to? The plan? Or the ambition? That goes back quite a while...”
“Seven years ago, Old Master Lei took a liking to me and wanted to adopt me as his godson. Unfortunately, I’m a troublesome person. I don’t know how to appreciate favors. I didn’t want the wealth that came from kneeling and begging.”
He sighed, gently stroking the armrest of his wheelchair. “Over twenty years ago, I went to the market with a broken folding knife to collect protection money. People saw through my bravado and beat me up. In the end, I knelt on the ground, crying and begging for mercy... No, maybe even earlier than that.”
Chen Xingzhou continued, “Even earlier than that...”
The first spark of ambition and greed had ignited in his soul, burning and rising like smoke, the moment he first felt true despair.
“Don’t cry, Yubo. From now on, it’s just the two of us.”
Under a bridge, a homeless teenager hugged his sobbing younger brother, his cold eyes fixed on the distant, icy neon lights. “Lift your head. Wipe your tears. We’re not bastards. Don’t be afraid. One day, no one will dare to look down on us.”
The rain fell silently, and a cold wind blew from afar.
It was as if the dead buried in the darkness were mocking them.
But when Chen Xingzhou looked back on those memories now, they had become blurred, no longer clear.
Some memories were too distant, so much so that even in nightmares, they were hard to recall.
“So many years have passed,” Chen Xingzhou said with a self-deprecating smile, glancing at Lei Wuye’s coffin and shaking his head slightly. “Looking back now, I was never the kind of person who repays kindness.”
“Indeed,” Lei Yaoxing said, a hint of crimson flashing in his eyes. “My godfather probably never imagined that a dog like you, who fed on scraps, would dare to be so arrogant before his spirit.”
Lei Yaoxing’s voice was cold as he asked his final question: “You’ve gone so far as to betray us, bringing in so many outsiders to interfere in the affairs of Huangji? Chen Xingzhou, have you thought about the consequences?”
Chen Xingzhou shook his head, completely unfazed.
“Don’t worry. They’re just here to witness what’s about to happen. They have nothing to do with the events that will unfold between you and me. They had to come today...”
Chen Xingzhou paused for a moment, his gaze calm as he looked at Lei Yaoxing. “After all, the chaos that Huangji has caused in recent days needs to be addressed.”
“Addressed?” Lei Yaoxing almost laughed. “Who’s going to address it? You? What the hell are you?”
Chen Xingzhou shrugged. “I just want to talk to you.”
“You? Talk to me?” Lei Yaoxing couldn’t hold back his laughter, his voice filled with rage. “Chen Xingzhou, do you even have the right to talk to me? What the hell do you have to offer?”
At that moment, the sound of chairs scraping against the floor echoed once more.
At the very back, a one-eyed woman who had been smoking stood up, tossed her cigarette butt aside, and walked toward the altar.
She stood behind Chen Xingzhou, facing Lei Yaoxing’s murderous gaze.
She was none other than the eleventh goddaughter under Lei Wuye’s command during his lifetime.
Then, a second person stood up, seemingly forced, with a look of helplessness on his face, and walked to stand behind Chen Xingzhou.
A third, a fourth, a fifth...
In the silence, those who Lei Yaoxing had never taken seriously—those who had been groveling at his feet just days ago, begging for mercy—now stood up one by one.
Even some of Lei Wuye’s former trusted aides, as well as several leaders from other factions, stood up without hesitation, shaking off the hands of those trying to hold them back, and took their place opposite Lei Yaoxing.
In the once-crowded hall, more than half of the chairs were now empty.
Aside from Lei Yaoxing’s direct subordinates and a few inseparable allies, almost no one remained seated.
In that moment, the carefully constructed empire that Lei Yaoxing had spent days piecing together crumbled in an instant.
*Crack.*
Ji Jue heard a crisp sound.
Beside Tong Shan, Tong Ting had already taken out a handful of melon seeds from her pocket, happily spitting out the shells.
Ji Jue couldn’t help but feel a headache coming on.
No matter where you go in the path of the Ether, you never forget to carry a handful of dried fruits and melon seeds, do you? You really can’t resist any kind of drama.
Tong Hua could only speculate about motives in murder scenes, calling Ji Jue “Brother Ji Jue” every afternoon.
But her elders were sitting right under the White Deer’s nose, watching the drama of Huangji’s division unfold...
The difference in status was just too great.
Noticing his gaze, Tong Ting turned to look at him, seemingly startled for a moment, then smiled helplessly and... handed him a handful of melon seeds from her pocket.
A warm invitation.
“...” Ji Jue’s face twitched.
He instinctively wanted to wave his hand, but his outstretched hand opened on its own, and he grabbed a large handful without hesitation.
*Crack!*
The crisp sound echoed from the back, scattered and rhythmic.
Ji Jue’s eyes lit up.
The Ether-infused melon seeds... were truly delicious.
More, please!
Sitting among so many big shots felt like being in an invisible fortress.
Even an ant that would normally be crushed by a giant’s foot at the slightest movement was now safe.
So much so that he couldn’t even feel the overwhelming pressure that had solidified in the hall.
Killing intent, hatred, anger, vengeance, and hunger...
The beasts of the wilderness bared their claws and fangs, their cold auras intertwining.
Even the raindrops falling from the eaves seemed to freeze mid-air, as if time itself had stopped.
In the air, the fine dust trembled in fear, but dared not fall.
In this brief yet soul-crushing silence, a single command, a single glance, or even a single movement could ignite the final fuse, triggering an unprecedented internal conflict within Huangji.
But before that could happen, Chen Xingzhou, sitting in his wheelchair, let out a sigh and began to cough hoarsely.
He raised his hand awkwardly, wiping away the blood that seeped from the corners of his mouth and nose.
Beneath his freshly changed formal attire, a dark red stain spread—his wounds had reopened.
But he paid it no mind, speaking slowly and deliberately.
“Before we continue, there’s something I must tell you.”
He paused, then continued, “A few days ago, I went to Yingtai Mountain. I was fortunate enough to meet the Sovereign.”
Yingtai.
The Sovereign.
When these two words, heavy with significance, were spoken in the hall, even the sound of heavy breathing and swallowing saliva disappeared.
It was as if even the souls and ferocity of the beasts had been subdued.
On Yingtai Mountain, which loomed over the sea, there was only one person revered and feared by all followers of the White Deer—the Sovereign.
Once the ruler of the Federation’s underworld, he had quelled the division of Huangji a century ago, stepping over the corpses of his predecessors to claim the title of Sovereign.
Since losing interest in supreme authority and stepping down over a decade ago, there had been no news of this reclusive Sovereign.
The once-unified Federation underworld had naturally split again, with factions fighting endlessly.
Now, as the Sovereign’s will reappeared, everyone instinctively held their breath.
“I told him that Old Master Lei was growing old and senile, gradually straying from the path of the White Deer. Once he passed away, his forces would likely spiral out of control. The longer Huangji remained leaderless, the more the conflicts would escalate, and it would become a target for all. The achievements of generations of leaders over hundreds of years would be destroyed. Just like... now.”
Amidst intermittent coughs and gasps, Chen Xingzhou continued, “The Sovereign asked me what I wanted to do. I told him I wanted to unite the people, eliminate the troublemakers, and restore order to the wilderness. If I succeeded, I would become a mere figurehead, allowing the wilderness to grow wild and free—perhaps that was its natural law. He agreed and told me to give it a try. So, we made a bet.”
“—I bet that I would survive, and that after my ‘death,’ the affairs of Yacheng would remain within my control.”
Chen Xingzhou smiled, spreading his arms to reveal the crimson stains from the bullet wounds on his chest.
This was the Sovereign’s decree.
Even now, the dark wound remained unhealed.
Despite the aid of the Elixir of Ten Thousand Spirits, the pain would never fade.
And yet, this pain was the badge of honor for one who had wrestled with death and emerged victorious.
With that, he looked down arrogantly at his opponent and declared:
“I won the bet.”
(End of Chapter)