"Judging by your appearance, you don't seem to be a member of the Chu clan. Yet, how do you possess the Azure Nether Ring, a symbol of elder status within the family?"
The silver-haired, black-clothed man stared at Lu Fei with a look of suspicion, his eyes seeming to demand the truth, implying that dishonesty would lead to the swift destruction of his mental core.
Upon hearing this, Lu Fei blinked in surprise.
He withdrew his gaze and focused on the ring.
This item had such a history? I had no idea...
Thinking further, this silver-haired, black-clothed man seemed to know a great deal about the Chu clan?
He recalled Chu Huainan mentioning that the leader of the Hunter organization was his godson, indicating an unusually close relationship.
Therefore...
The organization must have undergone specialized training!
But for what reason? Was it out of respect for the leader's godfather, or was there some unknown feud between them?
Lu Fei dared not gamble...
After a moment of internal struggle.
He tentatively asked, "If I tell you the origin of the ring, can I leave?"
The silver-haired, black-clothed man stated calmly, "That depends on whether your answer satisfies me."
Hiss... I can't get any information out of him... Lu Fei rubbed his temples. At this point, he could only take a gamble.
He composed himself and said in a deep voice, "Yes, this ring was indeed given to me by Elder Chu."
After speaking, he looked at the silver-haired, black-clothed man, observing his expression.
The silver-haired, black-clothed man's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Why did he give it to you?"
Lu Fei pondered for a moment, then said with utmost seriousness, "He felt he had nothing else to give, so he gave this to me."
As he spoke, Lu Fei gestured with the ring on his hand.
The silver-haired, black-clothed man was briefly taken aback.
After a short pause, he let out a soft, noncommittal "Mm."
"That does sound like something he would do."
"One last question." The silver-haired, black-clothed man's expression returned to its solemnity. "What is your relationship with him?"
Lu Fei rolled his eyes. His few secrets were being probed, first by Tang Ao, then by Zhou Shuyi, and now by this stranger.
He held his forehead with one hand, feeling utterly helpless.
With limited excuses and reasons, if this continued, he would forget which statement was the truth...
Moreover, in the presence of this man, deception was clearly useless; his intelligence was on par with Lu Fei's, capable of exposing any lie instantly.
Therefore, it was either not to speak, or if he did speak, it had to be something that would shock the other party!
Big brother! My life is in your hands!
Lu Fei took a deep breath, deciding to reveal his ultimate trump card!
He stared intently at the man and said in a deep voice,
"Chu Huainan is my sworn brother!"
As the words fell, the air instantly became silent.
The two met each other's gaze.
After a prolonged silence.
The silver-haired, black-clothed man gave a disdainful smile.
"If you claimed to be his disciple, I might believe you to some extent."
"But he never even took a disciple in his life, so how could he possibly swear brotherhood with someone?"
He scrutinized Lu Fei from head to toe, as if looking at a colossal joke. "Besides, with your age and seniority, what qualification do you have to be sworn brothers with him?"
The silver-haired, black-clothed man shook his head, feeling that talking further was a waste of breath.
Lu Fei frowned. He, too, had a belly full of grievances. Apart from those present like Lin Yuansheng and Chen Zhanpeng, anyone else who heard this would instinctively dismiss it as a joke...
A rookie from the beginner village being sworn brothers with a max-level expert. Tang Ao himself wouldn't dare to boast such a thing...
Lu Fei rubbed his temples, contemplating how to explain it to the man.
After a moment of silence, he took out his phone, dialed Chu Huainan's number, and casually handed the phone to the silver-haired, black-clothed man.
"How about, let him tell you?"
The silver-haired, black-clothed man's eyes narrowed. This was indeed the most effective method...
Although he didn't reach out to take it, he casually glanced at the screen.
The next instant, his eyes widened in shock.
His expression was astonished!
He snatched Lu Fei's phone and stared at the number displayed.
Lu Fei's heart pounded. This call might directly determine his fate today...
Little did he know, the silver-haired, black-clothed man's heart was also beating unusually fast.
After a few seconds.
There was no response from Chu Huainan on the other end of the line.
Instead, the sound of "beep, beep, beep" indicated the call was disconnected.
No signal!
"This..." Lu Fei grabbed his phone and paced back and forth, searching for a signal source.
After trying for a long time, he gave up.
He forced an awkward smile and explained, "No signal, it won't connect."
The silver-haired, black-clothed man nodded slightly, devoid of any emotion. He spoke as if to himself, saying, "This number does belong to him."
Lu Fei shrugged his shoulders. "I have no reason to lie to you."
"But this number, he only told one person."
"Is that so? Only I know?" Lu Fei subconsciously replied.
Soon, he realized something was amiss and turned his head to look at the silver-haired, black-clothed man with suspicion.
He then heard the man speak calmly, his tone as placid as flowing water.
"Now there are two."
Lu Fei's expression changed. The implication was that only he and this person knew this number?
He was Chu Huainan's sworn brother. Though their bond was not long, their relationship needed no further explanation.
Then, what was this person's identity?
He seemed to realize something, and a bold conjecture formed in his mind, causing his heart to pound even faster!
Lu Fei stared intently at the silver-haired, black-clothed man.
He asked word by word, "Who are you?"
The silver-haired, black-clothed man turned his back. The moonlight shone on his face, casting his figure in an exceptionally tall silhouette!
He was like a king under the moonlight, looking down upon all beings!
The silver-haired, black-clothed man's voice was calm, like a river of spring water, undisturbed by ripples.
"My name is Huangfu Chenyi."
Lu Fei's eyes widened.
He already had a guess in his heart, but hearing it spoken by the man himself brought a different kind of astonishment.
Huangfu Chenyi! The former pride of the Beast Taming Continent! One of the highest-ranking members of the World Government!
The current Night Emperor, the leader of the Hunter organization!
Most importantly, he had another identity – Chu Huainan's adopted son!
So, we're even relatives? Lu Fei's eyes lit up. He clapped his hands together, feigning composure. "Haha, turns out it was all a misunderstanding. Since we're family, there's no need for us to go to the bitter end!"
Huangfu Chenyi chuckled, "I can temporarily believe your relationship with him."
Lu Fei grinned.
"But if I ever discover you lied, I will make an exception and kill you."
Instantly, an overwhelming killing intent surged towards him.
Lu Fei's expression froze. Although he was speaking the truth, cold sweat still beaded on his forehead.
The atmosphere took a sharp turn, and he decided to make awkward small talk and then find an opportunity to slip away.
However, after carefully considering for a long time, he couldn't figure out how to address the other person to close the distance, given their relationship.
This distant relative connection was truly troublesome...
After a period of silence, Lu Fei looked up and asked, "Can I ask you something?"
Huangfu Chenyi hummed in acknowledgment.
"My father's brother, what should we call him?"
The air suddenly fell silent.
Lu Fei's facial muscles instantly stiffened.
He saw Huangfu Chenyi's face turn ashen, like a bruised liver...
"I... I was just asking casually..." Lu Fei began to stammer. "You can call me Xiao Lu or Xiao Fei. Uncle Huangfu..."
Huangfu Chenyi's expression gradually returned to normal.
In a tone that was both shocking and humorous, he said,
"By seniority, I should call you 'Uncle-cousin'."
Lu Fei immediately waved his hands. "Your junior dares not!"
Huangfu Chenyi shook his head slightly. "Seniority must be respected, and the order of age cannot be disordered."
Lu Fei swallowed hard. "Then I'll call you Daddy Huangfu, and you call me Cousin Lu, and we'll each address each other as we see fit?"
Huangfu Chenyi paused for a moment, then calmly uttered a single word.
"Agreed."
Lu Fei's mood instantly became exceptionally pleasant. This top wanted criminal of the World Government wasn't as terrifying as the rumors suggested; he was quite easy to communicate with!
He then turned around, preparing to make his escape.
"Daddy Huangfu, I'll treat you to tea another day. I'm leaving now."
"Bye-bye!"
Huangfu Chenyi let out a dry laugh.
A terrifying aura suddenly surged.
"Out of respect for him, I will grant you ample dignity."
"But that does not mean I will let you leave unharmed."