"Uncle, you've always been a straightforward person. When did you start beating around the bush?"
Hearing his uncle's words, Shen Lang smiled and said, "If you have something to say, just say it. I don't want to guess; it's too tiring."
"Haha, you kid, your personality is exactly like your mother's when she was young. You're good at everything, but you're impatient. You always want others to say what's on their minds as quickly as possible."
Song Shadao looked at his nephew dotingly and smiled, saying, "Do you know that you've become the center of attention by single-handedly challenging the Yang Country's martial artists? There's so much talk about you domestically; you've become the biggest star."
"What? Traffic star?"
Upon hearing this, Shen Lang was stunned. He said, "Uncle, I single-handedly challenged the Yang Country's martial arts and dominated their fighters. Even if I didn't get any credit, I should at least get some sympathy. You don't have to insult me like this."
"A traffic star is someone brainless and useless. I don't want to be brainless."
Hearing this, Song Shadao smiled and said, "Alright, I used the wrong word. I should say you've become the biggest topic of hype. You've truly achieved fame and success now."
"I don't want fame. These things are meaningless to me. If I wanted these, I would have chosen to become an actor."
Shen Lang smiled and said, "It seems my uncle is mistaken. It's not one piece of good news and one piece of bad news, but one piece of bad news and one piece of even worse news."
"You kid, I can't win an argument with you. You've truly inherited your mother's sharp tongue."
Song Shadao looked at Shen Lang and smiled helplessly, saying, "The even worse news is that while you were challenging the Yang Country's martial arts and drawing all their attention, over three hundred mysterious black-clothed assassins appeared at the Yang Country's Sun Palace. They stole the ancient artifacts that the Yang Country had plundered from the Long Country, and they also burned the spiritual tablets worshipped by the Yang Country."
"Who did it?"
Upon hearing this news, Shen Lang was furious. "Aren't they using me to draw fire while they raid the house? Damn it, making me suffer while they reap the benefits. Is there any justice?"
"I've investigated their origins. They are none other than your old rivals, Qi Tuojiang and Kong Wudao, and the three hundred assassins were all organized by the Song family's consecrated fighters."
"Qi Tuojiang and Kong Wudao acted swiftly and decisively, clearly having rehearsed it hundreds of times. They not only succeeded quickly but also retreated quickly. Not a single person died during the operation, and when they left, the Yang Country people couldn't even catch a trace of them."
"Those two scoundrels, they're truly insane. Don't they know that the Sun Palace is a vital location in the Yang Country? To dare to attack it with three hundred people is just madness."
Speaking of this, Shen Lang looked at his uncle with curiosity and asked, "What's the situation with the Sun Palace now?"
Song Shadao heard this and smiled, saying, "After Qi Tuojiang and Kong Wudao bloodied the Sun Palace, they set it on fire. Due to the large amount of flammable oil stored in the Sun Palace, the fire was immense. Even the firefighters couldn't rescue it, and the Sun Palace has now turned into scorched earth."
"Qi Tuojiang, Kong Wudao, those two scoundrels, playing the game of 'the snipe and the clam fight, the fisherman benefits.' While I was fighting the Yang Country's martial artists, they launched a sneak attack, giving me all the danger while they reaped all the rewards. They truly deserve death."
Shen Lang asked curiously, "Uncle, what's the current situation of Qi Tuojiang and Kong Wudao?"
Song Shadao heard this and replied, "After they safely returned to the Long Country, they handed over all the stolen artifacts. Therefore, both of them received the title of 'Chizi Hero' and are now considered the brightest stars among the younger generation."
"Handed over everything?"
Shen Lang sneered, "The Sun Palace held countless rare treasures. Even one or two items could be worth hundreds of millions. I don't believe Qi Tuojiang and Kong Wudao would hand everything over. Those two scoundrels must have kept some for themselves, at least half."
"Haha, that's not surprising. It perfectly fits the style of the Qi and Kong families."
Song Shadao smiled and said, "The strong Qin dominated Qi, and the Kong clan was the most greedy. The Qi family is domineering, and the Kong family is greedy. If they were truly willing to hand everything over, it would be a joke. However, handing over half is still a great contribution, especially since those are priceless treasures."
"So, after all my efforts, I gained nothing but increased popularity, while Qi Tuojiang and Kong Wudao took advantage of me drawing fire to sneak attack the Sun Palace, and in the end, they gained both fame and fortune?"
Shen Lang looked at Song Shadao, and after a long pause, he said dejectedly.
"Yes, so this is the bad news."
Song Shadao smiled and said, "Qi Tuojiang and Kong Wudao indeed have the makings of ambitious figures. Not only are they ruthless, but they are also adept at seizing opportunities. They seized this opportunity very well this time. So, although you've suffered a loss, you have to admit they have their merits."
"I've never denied the merits of Qi Tuojiang and Kong Wudao. If they had no merits at all, they wouldn't have become the leading figures of the younger generation."
Shen Lang said, "I've witnessed their methods this time, but making me work hard for them to reap the benefits is something I truly cannot swallow. Sooner or later, I will make them pay a price."
"Alright, although Qi Tuojiang and Kong Wudao made a name for themselves this time, you've actually gained a lot. At least you single-handedly suppressed the Yang Country's martial arts, and in the end, no one dared to challenge you. You've essentially broken their spirit, and they'll have to lie low for a while."
Song Shadao wisely advised Shen Lang, smiling, "Actually, this time, your greatest contribution, besides breaking the arrogant spirit of the Yang Country people, was capturing the Great Poison King, He Yaodong."
"He Yaodong is the biggest poison king in Asia. Now that he's been apprehended, and personally captured by our Nanling Martial Guard Department, do you know how much face we've gained?"
"Shen Lang, thank you. I haven't had this much face in years. Since capturing He Yaodong, the congratulatory messages and phone calls haven't stopped. I've finally experienced what it's like to walk with my head held high."
Hearing Song Shadao mention He Yaodong, Shen Lang smiled and asked, "Uncle, now that He Yaodong is in our hands, how do you plan to deal with him?"
Song Shadao heard this and smiled, saying, "How do you think we should deal with him?"
Shen Lang replied, "There are only two options. First, try him, convict him, and execute him. This is the safest option and will save us a lot of trouble."
"What's the second option?"
Hearing Shen Lang's words, Song Shadao asked curiously.
"The second option is to keep He Yaodong under our control. Then, many of his accomplices will surely come to rescue him. We can use a big fish to lure out the small fry, and I believe we'll gain a lot."