Unparalleled Double Harmony

Chapter 499 The "Sky Thief" Meets the "King of Desire"

"Haaa...Haaa...Wuuuuu..." Ding was panting heavily as he climbed up the hill.

He was not panting from tiredness, but from crying.

The tears kept flowing down his cheeks to his chin, and then dripped down, wetting the front of his shirt.

But he couldn't wipe away his tears because his hands had to support the child on his back.

Although the child's body was already cold and his hands hung limply on both sides of Ding Buzhu's neck, Ding Buzhu was still very careful for fear of letting him fall or get hurt.

The road up the mountain is both short and long.

Ding couldn't help wishing it could be longer so that he could spend more time with the child on his back.

Ding couldn't help but wish it could be shorter so that he could complete this farewell sooner.

That year, Ding Buzhu was 26 years old. He was carrying the body of his four-year-old son and was about to bury him in the cemetery on the mountain.

The sound of the children playing and laughing behind him yesterday seemed to still ring in his ears...

But today, when he returned home, what was waiting for him was just a lifeless little body lying on the couch.

His deaf-mute wife was slumped on the ground, having cried herself unconscious. On the table beside the kang, there was a piece of paper with a silver ingot on it.

Later, Ding Buzhu learned from the neighbors that a horse-drawn carriage passed by his house that morning and, because it was going too fast, accidentally ran over and killed his son who was playing in front of the door.

The child's mother was standing nearby at the time and was also slightly injured. She couldn't speak and could only rush over, holding the child's body and kneeling on the side of the road crying.

When the neighbors saw what had happened, they quickly gathered around, but the person in the carriage, from beginning to end... did not even lift the curtain to look outside.

The other party simply asked the coachman and servants through the curtain why the car stopped. After knowing the situation, he took out a silver ingot and left.

Will the common people let him run away? After all, it is a matter of life and death. Besides, Ding Buzhu, the prodigal son, is now popular among the neighbors. Everyone should help him.

However, when the servant of the carriage owner threatened to reveal their family background, the scene fell into silence.

Is this a big shot?
Not really. He is just a local tyrant. No one would take him seriously outside this county.

But the local people really can't afford to offend such people.

So, when Ding Buzhu returned home, he saw the note.

The content was written casually, and the general meaning was - "This ingot of silver is considered as compensation for your child's life. This matter ends here. Anyway, you two are still young. With this money, you can have two more children next year. I advise you not to be ungrateful. If you really take it to the government, you will only bring trouble to yourself."

That day, Ding Buzhu finally realized that human life, dignity, and feelings... all have a price.

And for a small person like him, everything about him is so cheap.

…………

"Haah..." Ding couldn't help but let out a long breath, driving out some memories that he didn't want to recall but were faintly emerging in his mind, and then continued walking towards the hillside in front of him.

It has been many years since he walked such a long distance in person. Although he now has martial arts skills, his slightly plump figure shows that he does not practice diligently.

"Boss Ding, you've kept me waiting for so long." Most young people lack patience, and Yu Wang is no exception. Before Ding could finish the last few steps uphill, he impatiently jumped down from the treetop and stood at the end of the road to greet the other party.

Ding Buzhu just looked up at Yu Wang with a calm look, then walked those few steps slowly. When he and Yu Wang were standing at the same height, he said, "You are early."

"Heh...that's right." Yu Wang smiled, "After all, I didn't expect that something as important as the 'Silkworm Seeking Ring' would be so easy to obtain..."

When Ding Buzhu heard this, he felt something strange, but he couldn't tell what it was.

"Where are the things?" After a few seconds of silence, Ding couldn't help but ask again.

Upon hearing this, Yu Wang simply raised his left hand and turned his palm over, and a ring appeared in his palm like a magic trick.

Ding Buzhu saw the Xuncan Ring and was about to reach out to take it, but Yu Wang immediately closed his hand and said, "Where is my reward?"

"Once I'm sure this is really the Silkworm-finding Ring, I'll tell you where to get it." Ding kept replying.

Yu Wang hesitated for a moment, but still handed the ring out again.

Ding took the ring and took out a magnifying glass from his pocket and began to examine it carefully.

"I'm a little curious. It is said that this Silkworm-hunting Ring has not appeared in the world for decades. Boss Ding, how can you tell whether it is real or fake?" Yu Wang was standing there waiting, so he asked casually.

While inspecting the goods, Ding Buzhu said, "It has only been a short time since the news of the Xuncan Ring reappearing in the world. If someone wants to make a fake, the one they make must be very new..."

"I see." Yu Wang interrupted and said, "Boss Ding, you can still tell the difference between something that is decades old and something that was made recently."

Ding Buzhu didn't respond to him.

Our book implies here that what Yu Wang said was only one of the reasons. Another reason was that this ring had been in Ding Buzhu's hands not long ago, and he had examined it carefully at that time. Therefore, when he got it for the second time recently, he was confident in identifying it.

"I understand too." After a moment, Ding couldn't help but put away the magnifying glass, "No wonder you think it's easy to get..."

"What do you mean?" When Yu Wang asked this question, he had actually heard the other party's hidden meaning, so he immediately asked, "Are you saying this is fake?"

"Yes." Ding couldn't help saying, "This is a replica, and it's made quite crudely."

"Boss Ding, you are a man of integrity. You wouldn't say something true is false just to owe me the small reward?" Two seconds later, Yu Wang thought of this possibility and asked.

"If you don't believe it, take it." Ding kept saying, and slapped the fake ring back into Yu Wang's hand, "If this is real, then consider it as my gift of the Silkworm Hunting Ring to you."

Now, Yu Wang couldn't help but believe it.

"Don't worry, I don't mean to blame you." Seeing that the other party understood, Ding Buzhu continued, "I asked you to go to the martial arts competition venue to steal the 'Silkworm Hunting Ring on the prize stand', and you did steal it. The box is not genuine, it's not your fault."

"So you will still pay me?" Yu Wang said.

“Oh… I’m not as easy to talk to as you think.” Ding couldn’t help laughing. “Besides, besides not getting the real thing, you also brought me other troubles…” He paused and glanced at the forest behind Yu Wang. “To be precise, there are four troubles.”

Sure enough, as soon as Ding Buzhu finished his words, four figures appeared within his sight.

The four people were Linghu Xiang, Qin Feng, Lei Buji, and Liu Ming.

The reason why they appeared here was simple: before the game, they accepted this task under the joint instructions of Shuang Xie, Huo Ming and Murong Shu.

Anyway, they will follow whoever dares to steal the fake prizes at the competition venue, and then find out who the employer behind that person is.

Of course, when this arrangement was made, no one could have imagined that the venue would later fall into chaos...

"As expected of you, Boss Ding. We had been hiding here for a long time without being discovered by that guy, but you found out not long after you arrived." Liu Ming, as the oldest of the four, took the lead in speaking to Ding.

"When I heard him say it was easy to do, I felt something was wrong. Then when I saw the ring was fake, I was sure it was a trap." Ding couldn't help but say, "If it was a trap, it was only natural that someone was following him."

"Hey, Fatty, you've already fallen into our trap, why are you still bragging?" Lei Buji was upset when he saw Ding Buzhu was still so calm, "How are you going to explain why you hired someone to steal the prize?"

"Explanation?" Ding Buzhu was a little amused by Lei Buji.

At this moment, he really wanted to reply, "Who should I answer to for my actions?"

But he finally endured it.

"Then Young Master Lei, what do you think I should explain?" Ding Buzhu knew Lei Buji, so his words were quite polite.

But his tone... has a hint of fearlessness in it.

Lei Buji is a very honest person. If the other party dares to ask, he will answer: "Of course you will go back with us. Let's make it clear in front of Brother Sun, Brother Huang and the head of the sect."

As soon as these words came out, Yu Wang laughed out loud, "Hahahaha... How funny! Do you think that you four can capture the leader of the Youjia Gang?" At this point, he turned to look at Ding Buzhu, "Boss Ding, I believe that the trusted guards who came with you will be here soon, right?"

Ding couldn't help but glance at Yu with a subtle look: "I came here alone."

Yu Wang's smile froze at that moment. He immediately lowered his voice and replied at a very fast speed: "Boss Ding...are you kidding me?"

"Didn't you fucking let me come here alone?" Ding Buzhu twisted his mouth and swore for the first time.

What he said was not wrong. After the two of them agreed on the location and time of the "delivery", Yu Wang specifically mentioned that Ding Buchu should come alone.

"Tsk... I'm just afraid that you'll rob me..." Yu Wang was also a little embarrassed, his face changed color, "Besides... I asked you to come alone, so you really came alone? You don't even leave a way out?"

"Nonsense, I didn't bring my reward with me. If we rob each other, I can only rob you, not you. The worst case scenario is that you stand me up and run away with the ring. Then I'll have made a wasted trip... What other way do I have left? Am I afraid that you'll rape me?" Ding Buzhu replied confidently, "How could I have guessed that you were so careless that you didn't even know someone was following you."

"Hey!" Yu Wang was speechless after being rebuked by Boss Ding, and was somewhat annoyed and angry. "Okay, you are right, you are awesome! Okay? Then I'm leaving, you can go play with them."

After saying that, he twisted his body, jumped, and rushed down the hillside.

Let's be honest, Yu Wang's anti-tracking ability is not strong, but his lightness skill is pretty good, and he ran away a long distance in a flash.

"Where are you running to!" Lei Buji took a look and started to chase him.

But Linghu Xiang and Qin Feng both held him back: "Forget it, Brother Lei, there's no need. The mastermind is here, let the kid run away."

Liu Ming continued to chat with Ding: "Boss Ding, the person you invited doesn't seem to be very reliable."

"Well, it was only after I invited him that I found out that the previous 'Sky Thief' died of a stroke last year. Several of his top disciples had an internal conflict to fight for his property and reputation, and all of them died after a round of robbing each other. In the end, only one young disciple was left who was not very popular with him... He happened to be away that day, so he got this reputation for nothing." Ding kept replying.

"But you still let him come?" Liu Ming continued.

"Yes, after all, a lean camel is bigger than a horse. He lacks experience, but his skills are still okay." Ding couldn't help but say, "Besides, this 'Zhengxiong Cup' was held in a hurry. If you ask me to find someone else right now, I'm afraid it will be too late."

"I see..." After Liu Ming finished talking to the other party, he turned the topic back to "Then... Boss Ding, you see you are now..."

Ding Buzhu was not the type to force himself to fight four people alone, so he threw away a folding fan he was carrying and replied in a very elegant manner, "Then I will go with you all."

(End of this chapter)