parentshiftbook Chapter 47 The Overlord Disarms, A Lone Hero's Lament
Chapter 47 The Overlord Disarms, A Lone Hero's Lament
Silence returned to the warm pavilion.
There was no musician, no drumbeats, and no backing vocals.
Only Lu Cheng, with one gun.
He stood in the center of the blood-stained Persian carpet and closed his eyes.
Since there's no band, let's use guns as clappers and our hearts as drums.
"call……"
Lu Cheng took a deep breath, and the [Toad-Catching Strength] quietly began to circulate.
Inside his abdomen, the deep, muffled croaking of the toad rang out again, but he suppressed it, transforming it into a long, resonant breath.
He suddenly opened his eyes.
A golden line swirled in his pupils.
"Clang!"
The big gun stopped.
This play is neither "Havoc in Heaven" nor "The Battle of Changban".
Today, the environment, the atmosphere, and my state of mind.
Only one play is most fitting for the occasion.
Farewell My Concubine... Part 1: The Song of Gaixia!
Lu Cheng didn't perform any of the showmanship or the kind of flashy moves you see on stage.
At this moment, the spear in his hand transformed into the Chu Halberd in the hands of the Overlord.
"With the strength to uproot mountains—"
Lu Cheng spoke.
Without the accompaniment of a huqin, the voice, once uttered, resonated like a great bell, echoing throughout the enclosed, warm room.
It carries a sense of tragic heroism at the end of his road, but also an unyielding arrogance.
"His aura is unparalleled!"
The big gun swept across.
Waaah—!
The 48-pound pure steel spearhead drew a silver arc in the air.
The strong wind it generated caused the surrounding candlelight to flicker wildly, sometimes bright and sometimes dim.
Yao Hong sat on the bed, forgetting to smoke the pipe in her hand.
She looked at Lu Cheng in the arena.
At this moment, Lu Cheng was no longer the schoolteacher in his long gown in her eyes.
He seemed to have donned golden armor and mounted his black steed.
That loneliness, that strength, that indomitable spirit that defied the odds struck her very soul.
"The time is not right... my steed will not go!"
Lu Cheng spun around, and his marksmanship changed.
It's no longer the kind of powerful, sweeping attack.
Instead, it becomes lingering and hesitant.
It's like that black horse that was trapped at Gaixia and refused to leave.
His steps were heavy, and with each step, the carpet seemed to sink.
"My steed will not go... What can I do?"
Lu Cheng suddenly put away his gun, stroking the barrel with one hand, a rare tenderness appearing in his eyes.
That was the tenderness that the Hegemon had for Consort Yu.
It was also Lu Cheng's reflection on his martial arts skills and his precarious fate.
He looked at Yao Hong.
There was no lust in those eyes, but rather a desolation born from seeing through the world's splendor.
"Oh, Yu Xi... What can I do?!"
This last sentence.
Lu Cheng erupted.
Tiger and Leopard Thunder Sound Unleashed!
The sound was like thunder, exploding in the small space of the warm pavilion.
The glass in the window was vibrating and even cracked slightly.
In that very instant.
Sitting on the daybed, Yao Hong's jade pipe fell to the ground with a "clatter" and shattered into pieces.
That wisp of rising smoke seemed to become a veil of time.
Looking into Lu Cheng's sorrowful yet arrogant eyes, Yao Hong was in a daze.
She could no longer see Lu Cheng.
She saw a snowy day in her hometown in Henan twenty years ago.
At that time, she wasn't called Yao Hong yet; she was called Er Ya.
Back then, there was also a silly boy named "Stone," wearing a tattered coat with exposed cotton wadding, holding a wooden stick used to shoo away dogs, standing firmly in front of her.
"Er Ya, don't be afraid. When I become successful, I will definitely marry you and make you an official's wife!"
Back then, Shi Tou's eyes were just like Lu Cheng's, frighteningly bright, reflecting the youthful spirit that hadn't been tainted by the world.
Later, Shi Tou was conscripted into the army and disappeared without a trace.
To survive, Er Ya was forced into prostitution, becoming a vulnerable and easily bullied woman.
Until three years ago.
She saw Shi Tou again at the Marshal's Mansion in Tianjin.
However, that stone is dead.
Standing before her was a powerful brigade commander in the Fengtian clique, the ruthless "Marshal Shi."
He was dressed in a crisp military uniform, wearing white gloves, and his eyes were as cold as if he were looking at a stranger.
"Er Ya, I know absolutely nothing about Beiping. I'll definitely need the help of a roughneck like Ma Linyuan."
"Go ahead."
"Go to Ma Linyuan's place and keep an eye on him for me. In exchange, I'll back you up; you can do whatever you want in that mansion, and no one will dare to touch you."
At that moment, Er Ya's heart died.
The boy who once protected her with a wooden stick personally delivered her to another old man's bed.
So she changed.
It turned into the "Rouge Tiger" that eats people without spitting out the bones.
Relying on the support of "Brigade Commander Shi," she acted arrogantly and domineeringly in Marshal Ma's mansion.
She kept male lovers, manipulated men, and treated actresses like Xiao Shengyun like dogs.
Because she believed that all men in the world who gained power would turn bad and lose all backbone.
Marshal Ma dared not interfere with her, for fear of offending Brigade Commander Shi, who was behind her.
She thought there were no more men in the world who were "unyielding and would rather break than bend".
But today.
This man named Lu Cheng, wielding a gun, summoned back "Stone," who had died in the snow twenty years ago!
This is the stone that didn't turn bad!
This is the same tyrant who, even when facing a thousand armies, would never trade a woman for his future!
Tears streamed down my face without warning.
The water smudged her exquisite makeup, flowing down her face, which had long since learned to feign compliance.
She wasn't crying for Yu Ji.
She was crying for the stone that sold its soul for power, and also for herself who was no longer clean.
"when!"
Lu Cheng slammed his spear heavily into the ground.
To conclude.
At this moment, he was covered in sweat, which was a sign that his blood and energy had reached their peak.
A wisp of white steam rising from above looked like an immortal under the dim light.
The play is over.
There was no applause, no cheers.
There was only deathly silence and Yao Hong's rapid breathing.
Lu Cheng didn't speak, but just quietly watched Yao Hong, waiting for this "one-man show" to come to an end.
Just then.
The golden words reappeared before his eyes.
[Current Performance: Farewell My Concubine (Excerpt)]
[Character: Xiang Yu]
[Commentary: "Dancing without music, singing without companions. Though the form is simple, the artistic conception is profound. Using martial arts as a medium, it sings out the soul of the overlord and also breaks the heart of the beauty."]
Overall Rating: Class B (Selection of Sections is Restricted)
[Reward: Charisma Aura (Warlord of Chaos)!]
[Aura of a Warlord in Turbulent Times: Increases attractiveness to the opposite sex by 30% and deterrence against enemies by 30%. Makes people unconsciously want to submit!]
Lu Cheng felt a warmth spread through his body.
An invisible aura quietly spread out.
Let's look at Yao Hong next.
Her eyes changed completely.
It's no longer the greedy desire to manipulate and possess.
Rather, it was a kind of... almost worshipful obsession, even with a hint of fanaticism in having found solace.
"Slap, slap, slap."
Yao Hong applauded again.
This time, however, her applause was slow and soft, as if afraid of disturbing something.
She got up from the bed, walked to the dressing table, and opened a locked rosewood box.
He took out a thick stack of silver notes.
Those are Citibank drafts, each worth one hundred dollars.
This stack must contain at least three thousand.
"Lu Cheng".
Yao Hong turned around and didn't stick close to him like before.
She placed the banknotes on the table and looked at Lu Cheng with a complicated expression.
"Here's two thousand dollars, I've agreed to your bet."
"The remaining thousand is a reward."
"This performance... is worth the price."
Lu Cheng walked over and picked up the silver note.
He didn't count, and simply stuffed it into his sleeve.
"Thank you for the gift, Fourth Madam."
"It's getting late, I'll take my leave."
After saying that, Lu Cheng picked up his spear, turned around and left without looking back.
Watching Lu Cheng's tall figure about to disappear through the doorway.
Yao Hong suddenly shouted.
"Lu Cheng!"
Lu Cheng paused, but did not turn around.
"Be more careful in the future."
Yao Hong's voice was a little hoarse, as if she had used up all her strength.
"In this world, people who are too clean are easily broken."
"If one day... you get tired, or you're forced into a corner..."
"I remember, the door to Tingyuxuan wasn't completely closed."
Lu Cheng remained silent for a moment.
He understood what was meant.
This is the story of a woman struggling in the mire of power and lust, and her defense of the last remaining glimmer of light.
"Thanks for reminding me."
"However, Lu's bones are still quite strong."
"It won't break."
After saying that, Lu Cheng lifted the curtain and strode out.
……
Outside.
Manager Zhao paced back and forth in the corridor like an ant on a hot pan.
He heard noises inside: loud crashes, screams, and opera singing.
He was terrified that Lu Cheng, this hothead, might actually do something to the fourth concubine, or that the fourth concubine might chop him up.
If either of those two bastards gets into trouble, he'll lose his head.
"Manager Zhao."
A cool, clear voice came from behind.
Manager Zhao looked up abruptly and saw Lu Cheng walk out unharmed.
Not only was he unharmed, but his clothes were also perfectly intact, and he was carrying a large gun with a calm expression.
Instead...
Manager Zhao glanced into the room.
The fourth concubine, who was usually arrogant and domineering and treated men like playthings, was now sitting on the edge of the bed in a daze, with tear stains on her face and her eyes staring blankly. In her hand, she was holding a piece of fruit plate that Xiao Shengyun hadn't had time to pick up, and she didn't even feel it when her hand was pricked.
"Oh my god..."
Manager Zhao's heart skipped a beat, and his gaze towards Lu Cheng completely changed.
That's it... all done?
Not only did she escape unscathed, but she also made the rouge tiger cry with her singing?
What kind of trick is this? This guy is a reincarnation of a Casanova!
"Mr. Lu, this way please, the car is waiting outside."
Manager Zhao bowed even lower, a gesture of genuine reverence.
Lu Cheng nodded and walked out.
I had just reached the gate of the courtyard.
Then they saw Xiao Shengyun hiding behind a big tree, peeking out.
He hasn't left yet.
Or rather, he was too ashamed to leave, and had nowhere to go.
When she saw Lu Cheng come out, Xiao Shengyun's eyes were filled with resentment and venom.
He saw the respect that Steward Zhao showed to Lu Cheng and guessed what had happened inside the room.
Jealousy, like a venomous snake, was gnawing at his heart.
On what grounds?
Why should Lu Cheng be able to earn money standing up? And why should that female devil who treats men like dirt look at him differently?
And what about me? Even if I kneel down and act like a dog, I'll still get kicked out of the house?
"Lu Cheng..."
Xiao Shengyun dug her fingernails into the tree bark, gritting her teeth.
Don't get cocky.
"This city of Beiping is not yet at the point where you can control everything."
Xiao Shengyun turned around and disappeared into the shadows.
His eyes were filled with utter madness.
……
Lu Cheng was unaware that a mad dog was plotting a bigger conspiracy behind him, and even if he knew, he wouldn't care much.
He rode in the car from Marshal Ma's mansion, speeding all the way back to Qianmen Street.
The car had just come to a complete stop.
Zhou Daikui, Shunzi, Lu Feng, and a large group of people swarmed around them.
"Master!"
"Mako!"
Everyone searched him up and down, and when they found that Lu Cheng was not missing any arms or legs, they breathed a sigh of relief.
"It's alright, everyone can go home now."
Lu Cheng got out of the car, carrying a heavy red cloth bag containing silver notes.
Back in the main hall.
Lu Cheng slammed the large stack of silver notes onto the table.
"Snapped!"
"Three thousand silver dollars."
Lu Cheng picked up his teacup, took a sip, and moistened his throat, which was a little dry from singing.
"This trip was worthwhile."
Zhou Daikui stared wide-eyed at the pile of money.
"This...this is the price for a one-man show?"
"Good heavens, this isn't opera, it's robbery!"
Lu Cheng smiled, without explaining the danger involved or mentioning the complex relationship behind Yao Hong.
Some things are better left unsaid.
"Master, take half of this money and use it to buy more good meat and medicine."
"The rest, deposit in Citibank."
"Our foundation is still too weak."
Lu Cheng looked at Lu Feng, who was practicing martial arts outside the door.
"Starting tomorrow, double the dosage of medicine for Lu Feng and Xiao Shunzi."