Chapter 65 Some People Are Just Despicable

After a brief moment, once people were dispatched to take the two severely injured men away for medical treatment, Lu Xuan and Zhao Yufei went off to discuss other critical matters.

As for Lu Zhen, he was naturally left in the company of Lu Jin, who was of a similar age.

Walking along the familiar wooded path, Zhao Zhen glanced sideways at Lu Jin, who walked with his head down and remained silent.

Finally, Zhao Zhen took the initiative to break the silence.

"Those two men... are they your paternal cousins?"

"Yeah. My second uncle had four children, and now only those two are left..."

Lu Jin nodded, a flash of deep hatred appearing in his eyes.

"My condolences."

Zhao Zhen reached out and gently patted Lu Jin's shoulder.

"Brother Zhao, you mentioned earlier that they fell into a trap set by the alien practitioners of those Japanese devils. Do you recognize those people?"

"I do." Zhao Zhen nodded.

"Tell me who they are. I'm going to butcher them!"

Looking at Lu Jin's bloodshot eyes, Zhao Zhen let out a soft, inward sigh.

"Master Zuo letting you return home wasn't meant for you to throw your life away, was it?"

"What do you mean?"

"Those fellows are called the Biheizan Shinobi Zoku. They are a group of assassination experts similar to the Sichuan Tang Sect; internally, they call such people ninjas.

Not only are the abilities of this organization's members bizarre and varied, but every single one of them is well-versed in the art of assassination, just like the assassins of the Tang Sect.

Do you really think you can do anything to them all by yourself?

Moreover, the ones who have arrived right now are merely an advance force; the true shinobi hordes haven't even crossed over from their homeland yet. If you truly forge a blood feud with them, the ones who will be in genuine danger are actually you Lu family members.

Don't forget, starting from now, while Shanghai is said to be ours, it has actually already been occupied by those Japanese devils."

Lu Jin clenched his fists, a flash of agony crossing his eyes.

"Are we just supposed to watch helplessly, letting them occupy my land like this and slaughter my compatriots?"

"There's nothing else to be done. Some people are simply base; if others don't make them feel the pain, they won't even know how to resist."

Zhao Zhen shook his head with helpless resignation. Over the past year, he had been wandering around the Three Northeast Provinces. During that time, he had even used his Metal-Escape Light Art to blow up quite a few Japanese devil camps, but what good did it do?

His own army had fled without firing a single shot. Even if he, Zhao Zhen, used up every single Earth-Shattering Golden Light Talisman on his body, how many Japanese devils could he possibly kill?

Watching those invaders swaggering triumphantly across his native soil—to be honest, it chilled the heart...

"Making them feel the pain... Heh, what I'm afraid of is that those people won't know how to resist until the country is on the brink of subjugation and total annihilation. But will resistance still be of any use by then?"

Zhao Zhen smiled faintly and consoled him softly, "Rest assured, the situation hasn't deteriorated to that absolute extreme yet. Just as there are those who sit idly in their high positions and eat their government salaries, there will naturally be people like Boss Zhao who worry about the country and its people.

Trust me, the day of nationwide resistance won't be too far off. After all, we have patience, but those Japanese devils certainly don't."

Comforted by Zhao Zhen's words, Lu Jin's previously agitated emotions gradually calmed down somewhat.

"Brother Zhao, thanks."

"Pfft, we've been friends for all these years, isn't it a bit too formal to say thank you?" Zhao Zhen laughed heartily.

"Ever since your master entered seclusion two years ago, I haven't been able to contact you at all. Where on earth have you been running off to these past two years?"

"I've been doing the same as before—running here and there, making the whole world my home since heaven and earth are so vast."

"Cut it out, don't try to hoodwink me.

I heard that some time ago, the Japanese devil camps in the Northeast were frequently blown up by someone every now and then. But every time they sent massive military forces to encircle and suppress them, thinking the enemy had no way to escape, a flash of golden light would appear, and that person would suddenly vanish into thin air.

That person who blew up several Japanese devil camps... it was you, right?"

"Hahaha, Young Master Lu's intelligence network is quite well-informed!" Zhao Zhen laughed out loud.

"Oh man, you really something else!"

Lu Jin clenched his fist and struck Zhao Zhen's chest in excitement.

"It's nothing special, at most it just causes them a little trouble and can't affect the overall situation."

Zhao Zhen waved his hand with helpless resignation, then continued:
"And so, a friend I knew up there told me the Japanese military has already put me on the Biheizan Shinobi's assassination list. Seeing that the situation was turning bad, I simply fled right back.

The enemy advances, we retreat; the enemy tires, we attack~"

"Hahaha, coming back is good too! Your abilities will definitely be of great use in the wars of the future, so you must make sure you don't die!"

"Rest assured, I'm more afraid of death than any of you. Don't forget, this Metal-Escape Light Art of mine is fundamentally a life-preservation technique."

"Then I can rest easy."

Lu Jin nodded. After a moment of silence, he continued to ask, "Brother Zhao, what are your plans next?"

"Me? I can't go back to the Three Northeast Provinces anymore. Although I have the Metal-Escape Light Art to protect my body and ensure my survival, it's ultimately difficult to prop up a falling house on one's own.

Recently, I plan to cooperate with Boss Zhao, take a break for a while, and replenish the talismans I've consumed.

And you?"

"Since things have quieted down here, I should head back to the Sanyimen Sect.

I believe the day you spoke of will eventually arrive, so before that happens, I will practice with all my might to elevate my own strength."

"Mm, that is for the best."

Hearing this, Zhao Zhen nodded with a sense of profound gratification.

Originally, his greatest worry was that Lu Jin, much like his hatred for Wu Gensheng in the original plot, would be completely blinded by vengeance and drag the entire Lu family into making irrational moves.

Yet now, it seemed his worries had been somewhat redundant.

"Then once you head back, please convey my regards to Master Zuo."

"Small matter."

...

After chatting with Lu Jin for a little longer, Zhao Zhen left the Lu residence.

By this time, the garrison troops within Shanghai had all evacuated, replaced by the incoming forces of the Japanese army.

Looking at the scene before him, which bore such a striking resemblance to the Three Northeast Provinces, Zhao Zhen could not help but let out a long sigh.

This scene—in the future, it would probably be repeatedly enacted in many places, wouldn't it?

"Why is Zhao-kun sighing?"

Zhao Zhen's brow twitched. Turning his head, he saw a Japanese man with long hair, dressed in traditional ronin attire and carrying a katana at his waist, looking at him with a smile.

"Watching your army swagger onto our land while I am utterly powerless to stop them—tell me, Soubei, why wouldn't I sigh?"

This man's name was Soubei, a Japanese person Zhao Zhen had met in the Three Northeast Provinces.

Unlike those Japanese militarists, Soubei did not support the military's expansionist policies; on the contrary, he preferred to take root in this land in a friendly manner.

As for why Zhao Zhen was so familiar with this man, it was naturally something he had orchestrated on purpose.

Because Zhao Zhen knew very well that this Soubei actually had another name—Mr. Erli, the future leader of the Biheizan Shinobi Zoku!

"Powerless? With Zhao-kun's abilities, how could you ever be considered powerless?"