Chapter 211: Xia Fei’s Choice I

Pampas Steppe. There was a massive tent, surrounded by a few other smaller tents, standing among the greenery. Obviously, the biggest tent was for Qin Mang to rest in, while the others were for the servants.

Although they were just temporary tents, Andre had decorated them to resemble five-star hotels. There were Persian carpets made of pure wool, bespoked chairs and benches, and metal utensils.

Qin Mang was laying down on a sofa, taking in the gentle breeze of the plains with a cigar in his mouth.

Xia Fei walked over with a smile. “Old man, have you been resting all right here?”

Qin Mang nodded. “Not bad. The view’s great; the cigar is also good.”

A servant placed a bench next to Qin Mang, and Xia Fei lay down on it and lit a Hongtashan cigarette for himself. He was quite tired after busying himself in the workshop a few days in a row, so his body became full of lethargic drowsiness the moment he relaxed himself.

“Where’s Uncle Thuram?” asked Xia Fei.

“Thuram’s gone back; he’s the head quartermaster of the weapons and equipment department, after all; he can’t get away with being out of office all the time. Have you finished with the matters in your factory?”

“Almost, but with Uncle Porter there, I’m not too worried,” replied Xia Fei.

“Porter is the machine god, after all, so of course he has the capabilities for that. I realized that all those people around you are quite impressive and, more importantly, appear to be loyal to you.

Xia Fei laughed. “Heh, I can’t say who’s loyal to whom, but they are really just people who are worthy of my trust, and that’s what’s important to me.”

Qin Mang squinted and said while hinting at something, “The energy-shield booster that you designed is about to enter production. It’s probably going to bring you a pretty penny. What do you plan to do with the money?”

Xia Fei was shocked as there seemed to be something unusual with his words.

“I’ve realized recently that I’m really suited to be an interstellar adventurer, and I enjoy it, too. I do need a suitable ship as I’m always drifting about in the endless space, don’t I? Last time, Uncle Thuram gave me a Vexor, but I’ve unfortunately wrecked within several days,” Xia Fei said plainly.

“And then? You’re not thinking of buying a beautiful warship, are you? If so I can fulfill your wishes now,” replied Qin Mang.

‘Sure enough, the old man has something he wants to talk to me about,’ Xia Fie thought as Qin Mang’s interrogation further confirmed his thoughts.

“If possible, I’d like to increase my strength and expand my power. As you know, I’m pretty close to Avril, and I do like her, but the difference in our social status is just too big. If I want to silence the doubters, I will need to prove my worth. I don’t care about the word on the streets, but as a girl with a pure heart, she’s probably going to be affected by the chatter.”

Xia Fei’s words were very down to earth. A man was capable of loving and hating, and Xia Fei, who was not one to shy away from his affection toward Avril, had even started thinking about her situation more. While Xia Fei was not afraid of being ridiculed, he would not allow anyone to treat Avril the same.

Qin Mang nodded and took a puff of his cigar but not down into his lungs. He had not resumed smoking for long, so he was not quite used to the strong taste of the cigar.

“If you really want to be successful, you’d best set your emotions aside,” Qin Mang said profoundly.

Xia Fei furrowed his eyebrows. “Old man, are you hoping that I’ll cut ties with Avril?”

Qin Mang nodded slightly, not saying anything.

Xia Fei thought for a few moments before saying, “Although I don’t know why you’re telling me this, forgive me as I can’t do that. I wouldn’t have cared if I’d never known Avril from the start; I don’t mind being alone either, but I’m on pretty good terms with her right now, and it’ll be shameless of me to break it off suddenly, which is a waste of her good intentions. Logically or emotionally, I can’t justify it.”

Xia Fei was quite stern. It was not every day that a man got to meet a nice lady, and once he met one, he certainly should not let her go so easily. Xia Fei knew this and thus sternly rejected Qin Mang’s suggestions.

“What if I gave you an offer that no one could refuse?” Qin Mang asked with a smile.

Xia Fei shook his head. “Old man, I wouldn’t change my decision even if you were to gift me the entire universe.”

“You’re always saying that in order to achieve a goal, we have to sometimes be willing to give things up. Why can’t you give things up this time? This is a huge temptation—enough to make anyone waver,” Qin Mang said, unsatisfied.

“What I meant about giving up before was when I had yet to make my choice. If this was two years ago, or even just one year ago when my relationship with Avril wasn’t what it is today, and I haven’t planned to be in any sort of relationship with her, there was simply nothing to give up, but after my journey to the capital ring, I made my choice. Now you’re telling me to give up at this moment? Sorry, but I just can’t do it,” Xia Fei said in a deep voice.

Qin Mang let out a hearty laughter all of a sudden. “You know, I just like the fact that you say something and you mean it. Since you’ve decided not to let go, that means you’re prepared to face any challenge.

“In truth, I didn’t really want you to give her up but was just checking if you’d be able to stand your ground in the face of temptation. You answered well, and I’m satisfied with it.”

Xia Fei pouted as he complained secretly about Qin Mang’s test.

Even if Xia Fei was even more resolute and stubborn, he was still a normal person in nature. If Qin Mang really gave him a huge temptation, Xia Fei would still stand with his choice, but it was inevitable for there to be some struggles.

After all, it was normal to be tempted by anything; sometimes, it was money, and sometimes, it was women. Humans were greedy, and so was Xia Fei. Although he rejected the elderly man’s offer, it did not mean that he was not tempted.

Being tempted was one thing—it affected all humans, but changing their initial decision because of temptation was another. Only a few stubborn people could stay in their position all the way, and Xia Fei was one of them.

Qin Mang looked into the horizon. “Let’s have a walk over there; there’s something important that you need to decide.”

Xia Fei was shocked. Qin Mang finally got to the main topic, but he did not know what the important thing he was referring to was.

After grabbing a hoverchair, Xia Fei helped Qin Mang onto it and pushed him forward.

“Pick up your pace. The place we are going to is still ways away,” said Qin Mang.

With a press on the hoverchair, an energy shield appeared and encapsulated himself.

Hoverchairs were incredibly high-tech. In order to ensure that its user would not be affected by weather or be hurt by rough terrains, they were equipped with energy shields.

Xia Fei stomped the ground with his feet and moved forward at around 2000m/s. Qin Mang lazily leaned into the hoverchair. Because of the energy shield, he was not affected by the wind one bit.

They traveled several hundred kilometers in the blink of an eye. The two arrived at a quiet spot next to a lake. The plains had always been quiet, but this was even more so with only a body of lake next to them.

Qin Mang gestured for Xia Fei to stop. There was a huge log next to the lake, which Xia Fei sat on.

Qin Mang said slowly, “I’m going to go through some important things with you; listen carefully.”

Xia Fei nodded with a stern look on his face.

“Everyone is only aware that the person with the most power in the Adjudicator Union is the president. He’s not. There’s an organization above the president similar to a council of elders. This is formed by ten elders, and people who are in the know of this mysterious organization’s existence refer to them as the Ten Great Elders, and long ago, I was one of them.”

Xia Fei was shocked. No wonder Qin Mang was so skilled; he was one of the ten strongest members of the Union. Although he did not know what the Ten Great Elders were like, it was not hard to tell that they superseded the existence of the president.

The Adjudicator Union had incredible power, and whoever had more power than the president could be described as nothing short of incredible.

“The Ten Great Elders aren’t at peace so in-fighting is unavoidable. Mata, who visited me when I was at the hospital, is the representative of one of them, and he’s after one specific thing of mine.

“This thing has some history. It’s just like a hot piece of rock; it never ends well for whoever has it. I’ve been living a quiet life in the Heaven Execution Training Camp and never fought with any of them. Moreover, I still have friends among those ten, so my nemesis has never tried anything.

“When I was about to die, the people lurking in the shadows started making their moves. They actually miscalculated as I would never give that away so easily. Even if I died, it wouldn’t end up in their hands. I have people watching this thing develop, be it out in the open or in the shadows; the moment my people see that something isn’t right, they’ll take it off me to protect it.”

Xia Fei listened intently as he tried to guess what Qin Mang was referring to. One thing was for sure: A thing coveted by the ten old men would certainly be anything but ordinary.

“As for my terrible disciples, all they want are some precious ancient books, texts about martial arts, or something of the ilk. I don’t really care about those and I won’t mind giving all away to them.

“But I’m really troubled by that one thing. If I give it to someone weak, I may bring them harm; I can’t give it to someone strong, either, for they may have their own compunctions to weigh and not give it their all to protect it.”

Xia Fei was utterly shocked. “Are you saying that you want to give it to me?”

Qin Mang paused for a few moments, then he slowly said after lighting another cigar, “In truth, I haven’t known you for that long, and in theory, I shouldn’t give you such an incredible responsibility, but I have this thought at the back of my mind telling me that giving it to you is the most correct choice.”

Xia Fei thought for a few moments. “Old man, I’m the one you referred to as too weak, and you’ve just said that I don’t have the strength to protect your precious thing.”

“That’s why I’m giving you the choice,” Qin Mang said mysteriously.

“What choice?”