“Second Master Yuan, pay respects to Mister Ning!”

The moment Yuan Er knelt before him, Ning Zhuo hesitated.

He pondered whether to seize this opportunity to truly subdue the entire Monkey Head Gang for his own use. Yuan Dasheng was crippled, but his soul entering the Immortal Palace was undoubtedly a terrifying weapon for claiming its legacy!

However, Ning Zhuo swiftly regained his composure.

“I must not be greedy for fleeting, superficial gains!”

“Convincing Yuan Er to submit was merely taking advantage of the enemy’s weakness and riding the momentum. Ultimately, it was not I who subdued him.”

“If Fei Si, or the other three great families, were to recruit him in the future, would Yuan Er remain loyal to me? Absolutely not.”

“More importantly, even if Yuan Er were completely loyal to me, could I rely on him to control the Monkey Head Gang?”

Ning Zhuo shook his head inwardly.

Many gang members were disappointed in Yuan Er.

“Can I control Yuan Dasheng through Yuan Er?”

Ning Zhuo shook his head again in his mind.

Yuan Dasheng only sought to protect Yuan Er, rarely heeding his commands. Having risen from the bottom, he possessed his own ambition and judgment.

He was ambushed, merely losing the initial advantage, unaware of Ning Zhuo as a formidable foe. Once given time to gather information, he would, with his experience of battle and rise, and the wisdom accumulated over the years, realize his true situation.

His most likely course of action would be to proactively seek refuge with the four major powers, abandoning, or even eliminating, Ning Zhuo.

“I am so weak now, walking as if on a cliff edge, as precarious as stacked eggs. How can I be lured by profit and lose my sense of proportion!”

“One wrong step, and I will fall off the cliff, crushed to pieces!”

At this point, Ning Zhuo was utterly calm, not misled by false advantages.

He extended both hands, pretending to assist Yuan Er in standing upright, and praised, “He who understands the times is a true hero…”

He comforted Yuan Er with kind words, and seeing the latter’s emotions gradually calming down, finally revealed his true purpose: “Now that you have joined our side, we must do everything to secure your position as gang leader.”

“Your personal combat strength is somewhat lacking. According to Master Fei Si’s intentions, we will create a custom-made mechanical construct for you.”

“This construct will possess the combat power of the Foundation Establishment stage, allowing you to overpower the other elders within the gang.”

“Oh?” Yuan Er’s eyes lit up, feeling surprised and delighted.

In particular, the other side’s attitude of increasing investment and support made him feel at ease.

As a result, Ning Zhuo’s next sentence made him angry again, nearly driving him to violence!

Ning Zhuo nodded and said, “It’s settled then.”

“Next, hand over Yuan Dasheng to us, and we will create a powerful mechanical monkey for you.”

Yuan Er was so angry that he almost jumped up: “No, that’s impossible!”

He refused immediately, without hesitation.

“Hmm?!” Ning Zhuo frowned instantly, “Gang Leader Yuan Er, think carefully!”

“Only excellent materials can create powerful mechanisms.”

“Do you think that our purchase of monkey corpses is merely to humiliate you? You overestimate yourself.”

“Only by using monkeys as raw material can we create an excellent monkey mechanism.”

Yuan Er shook his head repeatedly: “Even so, I will never use my Monkey Uncle’s…”

Ning Zhuo waved his hand impatiently, interrupting roughly: “Enough, Yuan Er, are you still showing womanly benevolence now?”

“I’ll be frank with you, you are the only one who can provide the materials.”

“Only by using Yuan Dasheng’s corpse as the raw material can we create an excellent mechanical monkey to protect you in the future.”

“We need you to remain as the leader of the Monkey Head Gang, but what do you think these elders are thinking?”

“You are weak in combat and have no strong presence to protect you on a daily basis. What if the elders hire assassins? What will you do?”

Yuan Er was silent.

Ning Zhuo continued: “Fools only shed tears when they see the coffin.”

“But then it will be too late!”

“Now that you have decided to join our side, why not do things properly?”

Yuan Er shook his head, his attitude firm: “Mister Ning, you don’t need to persuade me any further. Monkey Uncle has shown me immense kindness and contributed greatly to the gang. I want to take care of him! I will ensure that he has a carefree old age.”

“If I don’t do this, am I still human?!”

Ning Zhuo narrowed his eyes, a surge of impulse inexplicably rising from the bottom of his heart, wanting to punch Yuan Er to death directly, and then simply eliminate Yuan Dasheng!

He had gone through so much trouble, all for the sake of Yuan Dasheng. Now that he was stuck at the last step, he inevitably felt impatient.

Reason told him not to be too hasty.

Ning Zhuo took a deep breath, calmed himself down, and changed his tone: “Gang Leader Yuan Er’s virtue is truly admirable.”

“I admire such character, and I admire a person like you!”

“However… you are being a little selfish.”

Yuan Er widened his eyes, feeling very puzzled: “Such conduct is selfish? If I were selfish, I would have agreed to your request to use Monkey Uncle as material to create a mechanism!”

Ning Zhuo continued: “Gang Leader, have you considered what your Monkey Uncle thinks?”

Yuan Er paused.

Ning Zhuo: “Your Monkey Uncle is brave and fearless, daring to fight and charge ahead, a man among men. Do you think he prefers to die on the battlefield or in bed?”

“I feel that if your Monkey Uncle is truly reduced to a cripple, only able to lie in bed, then he will definitely be living worse than death. This period of his later years is merely satisfying your filial piety. To him, it would be too cruel, an unparalleled humiliation!”

Yuan Er frowned deeply, falling into deep thought.

Ning Zhuo’s eyes were filled with cold light, he smiled softly, his tone gentle, like a gentle breeze: “Why don’t you discuss it with your Monkey Uncle?”

“Your Monkey Uncle has sacrificed so much for you. If he deeply loathes this kind of life, I believe that he would definitely be willing to dedicate himself. He would think: Even if I die, I can still use another method to accompany and guard you.”

“Why don’t you ask?”

Yuan Er raised his head, his face pale, without a trace of blood, his eyes scattered, murmuring: “Yes, Mister Ning, you are absolutely right. Why don’t I personally ask my Monkey Uncle?”

Yuan Er left the small study and went to the master bedroom, where he knelt in front of the bed.

Yuan Dasheng was still in a coma.

Yuan Er opened his mouth to speak, but tried several times, yet could not say a word.

The incomparably majestic and burly body in his memory was now as fragile as paper, unable to give him even a shred of security.

Yuan Er’s thoughts gradually became confused, his eyes scattered, and tears flowed out uncontrollably.

Through teary eyes, Yuan Er seemed to return to the past.

As a child…

He climbed on Yuan Dasheng’s body, like climbing a crimson black volcano.

When he could walk and jump…

“Monkey Uncle, they bullied me!” Yuan Er brought Yuan Dasheng to seek revenge, scaring the other children into wetting themselves and collapsing into tears.

While playing in the water…

“Huh, Monkey Uncle, why is mine so small, and yours so big?” Little Yuan Er pointed at Yuan Dasheng’s crotch, his face full of curiosity.

A little older…

Yuan Er began to be brave and aggressive, curious about one question: “Monkey Uncle, who is more powerful, you or my dad? Have you ever fought? When I ask Dad, he never answers me.”

After winning the gang war…

Yuan Er ran to Yuan Dasheng, his face full of worship and excitement: “Monkey Uncle, you are so amazing, so mighty, when will I be like you?”

Then, and then…

Things gradually changed.

The cruel and cold reality shattered Yuan Er’s illusion that “as long as you work hard, you can be outstanding.”

Cultivation relies on aptitude.

“I will never be as powerful as Monkey Uncle!”

“Monkey Uncle is really amazing!”

“Monkey Uncle is too amazing!!”

“Monkey Uncle is too amazing…” The admiring boy of the past turned into a gloomy young man.

The same fact, the worship and awe it caused, gradually turned into worry and suspicion.

“My father also relied on Monkey Uncle to build this foundation. When my father is gone, can I control Monkey Uncle?” Yuan Er looked at his father, who was seriously injured and incurable, weakening day by day, and became worried.

“The highest combat power of our Monkey Head Gang is Monkey Uncle. Combat power is power, and the foundation of power is on Monkey Uncle, is it appropriate?”

“Monkey Head Gang, Monkey Head Gang… is it a gang of people, or an organization of monkeys?” Looking at the increasing number of monkey pets, Yuan Er also felt confused.

Seeing the elders being apprehensive and most respectful towards Yuan Dasheng, he had mixed feelings.

……

During the gang battle, Yuan Er loudly dissuaded: “Don’t, don’t kill him!”

Yuan Dasheng had already fought to the point of madness, unable to stop, and directly opened his mouth, biting the opposing cultivator in two.

The opponent’s morale plummeted, and they began to flee.

Yuan Er sighed deeply: “Now, it can’t be settled, we must do everything to wipe out the enemy gang!”

Yuan Dasheng walked over, holding half of the cultivator’s corpse, and suddenly handed it to Yuan Er.

Yuan Er was startled.

Succeeding in teasing him, Yuan Dasheng chuckled, but did not notice the gloom in Yuan Er’s eyes.