Old Master Fan then shook hands one by one with Silver Fox, the Master Thief, and the others, saying, “I never thought I’d live to see you old ghosts again. Back in the day, you swindled me good—left me with memories I’ll never forget. Even if you turned to ashes, I’d still recognize you.”
Silver Fox chuckled, “How can you call it swindling? You hired us for jobs and then wanted to skip the payment—freeloading?”
“Old Fan, you’re the good guy here. Freeloading’s something you’d stoop to?”
Old Master Fan laughed heartily, “Let’s not talk money—you lot still cheated me plenty. Half the time, you left me in situations where I couldn’t back down.”
After reminiscing, Old Master Fan raised his voice, “I can vouch that this old ghost—er, these old brothers—are the leaders of the Five Emperors Hall. But they stepped back from the martial world decades ago. The hall’s been run by their disciples ever since.”
“I really never expected to see these old brothers again in my lifetime.”
His gaze swept over Zhan Yin and the others. To Zhan Yin, he said, “Young Master Zhan, you’ve got your grandfather’s flair from his youth, but your style’s more like your grandmother’s—just a lot more serious than she was.”
Then, to Little Ying, he added, “Little Ying, do you still remember me? You used to visit my house with your mom. Your Uncle Fan and my wife adored you—we even thought of having my second son marry into your family… Fate’s a tricky thing.”
Mrs. Shang replied apologetically, “Old Fan, I don’t remember much from when I was little.”
Growing up, she’d even forgotten she was a daughter of Jiang City’s Feng family. All she recalled was a childhood home with many servants, a big house, and cars for every trip.
Her parents’ faces were just a blur in her memory.
Her clearest recollection was of her younger sister. In the orphanage, knowing they were each other’s only living kin, she’d etched her sister’s face into her mind and kept their photo together, hoping for a reunion someday.
Sadly… she was too late.
“It’s fine, it’s all in the past. From now on, it’s nothing but good days ahead,” Old Fan reassured.
“Yes, good days ahead,” they echoed.
They’d all look forward.
Old Fan then glanced at Hai Ling and the others before turning to Mr. Fei. “Old Fei, your master’s descendants turned out well. I think she can rest in peace knowing that.”
“Only when I’ve avenged my master and punished the culprit can she truly rest,” Mr. Fei replied.
Old Fan nodded, then fixed his gaze on Feng Yue, his tone grave. “I suspected you back then, but I wasn’t the victim. Without proof, I couldn’t do anything. The only move I made was cutting ties and ending cooperation with your Feng family.”
Indeed, the Fan family had severed business with the Fengs. Not only that, they often worked against Feng Group—never delivering a fatal blow, but still mindful of the old ties with the previous master.
“Now, the victims are here with evidence, witnesses, and testimony. Feng Yue, what do you have to say?”
Feng Yue replied coldly, “With so many of you ganging up to bully me, forcing me to confess, what can I say? If I say I didn’t kill my sisters, would you believe me? Out of us three sisters, I’m the only one left. They both died in accidents, and even if I had a thousand mouths, I couldn’t clear my name.”
Old Fan stared at her. “You’re truly not even half the person your daughter is.”
Feng Yue glanced at Feng Qing, thinking she’d done something. But Feng Qing’s expression was open and untroubled—she didn’t seem to have betrayed her.
After a moment, Feng Yue realized.
Old Fan meant her character didn’t measure up to Feng Qing’s.
By now, Feng Yue knew everyone believed Mr. Fei, Mrs. Shang, and the others—that she was the murderer who killed her older and younger sisters.
“Feng Yue, with witnesses and evidence stacked against you, will you still not admit you killed the master?! The master loved you so much, raised you like his own daughter, and this is how you repay him? All these years, have you felt even a shred of guilt?”
