C23 My Heart Was Stuffed and It Was Very Tired!

"Now you must be satisfied, right? With conflict on the rise again, this place will never see peace," Third Master said to Chen Mo, his voice steady but the suppressed rage was unmistakably evident. After all, his life's work had been destroyed; anyone would be furious.

"Third Master must be joking; I'm hardly worthy of such praise," Chen Mo replied with a smile, brushing off the sarcasm in Third Master's remark. Their differing perspectives had put them at odds, but Chen Mo wasn't about to lose his temper over a bit of sarcasm.

Yet for Third Master, it was all over. The events that had unfolded were, in essence, a betrayal of him. Everyone knew that taking this step meant a complete reshuffling of the power structure. Anyone could rise to the top, except for Third Master.

They were all terrified that if Third Master reclaimed his position, they wouldn't be able to endure the inevitable settling of scores.

Chen Mo was not one for many words. To the visibly upset Third Master, he simply inquired, "I wonder, Third Master, whom do you favor more?"

Resigned to his fate, Third Master pondered for a moment before responding, "Fourth Brother is hot-headed, and Fifth Brother is dark and indecisive. They make fine underlings but lack the mettle to lead. My mess would be too much for either of them; they'd just end up as minor warlords, each ruling their own little hill."

Chen Mo couldn't argue with that. "With such disarray internally and widespread panic externally, without a strong leader to stabilize the situation, it's only a matter of time before it all fragments. I suspect even you, Third Master, would struggle in those times."

Third Master chuckled with a hint of irony, "So that's what you're driving at. My household still has some savings, and with the influence I wield, they wouldn't dare to lay a finger on me. So, to borrow your earlier phrase, their quarrels have nothing to do with me."

He laughed carefreely, as if he had let go of all the past troubles and was only interested in living out his twilight years in peace.

However, Chen Mo had different thoughts and couldn't agree with Third Master's perspective. "While there's some truth to what you're saying, Third Master, you can never truly know what's in another's heart. What if the new leader decides to make an example of you to consolidate his power?"

Third Master exclaimed, "He wouldn't dare!"

Chen Mo countered, "Once someone reaches that level of power, there's nothing they wouldn't dare to do. Besides, the higher one climbs, the more complex their thoughts become. They won't be able to tolerate the presence of a former leader like you. They'll always feel indebted to you, suspecting you of plotting in the shadows. They won't rest easy until you're gone; they won't even sleep well. In such a situation, how could they possibly allow you to live?"

Third Master's expression changed as he pondered deeply, breaking out in a cold sweat at the realization of how likely this scenario was.

Having spent many years in the martial world, Third Master had seen it all. Although he hadn't initially thought of this, Chen Mo's insights prompted him to think more deeply, realizing the gravity of the situation far exceeded his initial assessment.

Chen Mo, not being a man of the martial world, was cautious of human treachery but lacked clarity. Third Master, on the other hand, had spent the better part of his life navigating these treacherous waters and knew them well. He understood that if someone took the reins of power, he would be the first target unless he was willing to relinquish his claim and live contentedly as a figurehead.

After much deliberation, Third Master finally turned to Zhao Shi and asked, "So, what's your plan for me?"

Having reached a resolution, Chen Mo breathed a sigh of relief and called out to the courtyard, "Big Brother, come out quickly. You're needed."

"What's going on? Is someone messing with my brother?"

Han Feihu strode over, eyes blazing with a look that said he was ready to take on anyone who dared to cross his brother. Chen Mo shook his head with a wry smile and replied, "At this point, who would dare to mess with me? We just need you to handle a situation, Big Brother."

Han Feihu approached with a puzzled look, and Chen Mo, pointing at his somewhat befuddled elder brother, said to Third Master, "Support him to the top, and I guarantee you a lifetime of peace."

Third Master hardly hesitated before nodding in agreement, "Alright, no problem!"

Both Chen Mo and Third Master found this outcome acceptable. Over the years, Third Master had come to understand exactly who Han Feihu was—a bit of a scoundrel, perhaps, but a man whose word was as good as gold, the type to stand by his promises without fail. Third Master trusted him implicitly.

With the agreement in place, Han Feihu was still in a daze, but Chen Mo's mind was at ease. He had passed the baton to Third Master, feeling his mission was accomplished and he could now fade into the background.

However, when he returned to the courtyard and met the young girl's gaze, he was momentarily startled. "I almost forgot about her. I need to convince her before I leave. After all, I can't take her with me, and Han Feihu seems to be the only person I can entrust her to," he thought. "But I should ask Third Master about the girl's origins afterward."

Chen Mo rubbed his chin, running through the situation in his mind. After considering his next steps, he grew calm.

It was now Third Master's show. Chen Mo had done everything within his power; the rest was out of his hands, for he was not Third Master, nor did he possess Third Master's high standing among these people.

To be honest, Chen Mo's success was partly due to Third Master's complacency. If it had been the Third Master of ten, or even just five years ago, Chen Mo wouldn't have gotten this far. He might have been captured at Third Master's estate, not to mention managing to escort Third Master for nearly a mile.

Unfortunately, time had caught up with Third Master. Although his spirit was intact, he was no longer the man he once was, now more akin to an elder in his golden years.

Needless to say, had Chen Mo been up against the Third Master of five years ago, he would not have risked such a daring and dangerous move.

Third Master, ever vigilant, truly lived up to his formidable reputation. In the unfolding events, he did not disappoint, his commanding presence intact. With just a few words, he cast Fourth Brother and Fifth Brother into an abyss from which there was no return.

While Chen Mo employed subtle and careful tactics to sow discord, Third Master was bold and decisive, delivering a fatal blow that left no room for explanations, branding the two with the mark of betrayal.

Aside from a few die-hard loyalists, the underlings naturally rejoiced. The news that Han Feihu would take over as the new boss, with Third Master pulling the strings from behind the scenes, caused a stir. However, under Third Master's firm control, no significant waves were made.

At the end of the day, Third Master was still their leader. In this place steeped in tradition, the bond between the underlings and their boss was not just about mutual benefit but also about loyalty and righteousness.

Throughout it all, Third Master had never betrayed these values, so the underlings had no reason to be critical. Since their boss hadn't betrayed them, they had no reason not to support him. In this natural course of events, Han Feihu emerged as the new supreme leader.

With Third Master's oversight, Han Feihu didn't have to worry about crises on all fronts. He could solidify his position as the boss legitimately, through his own character, rather than relying on Third Master's lingering influence.

However, such a transition would take time, and time was exactly what Chen Mo was short on. Thus, he decided not to get involved any further.

When everything was settled, Chen Mo found himself dealing with a reluctant goodbye. Parting with Han Feihu was simple enough, as it wasn't a final farewell. But the young girl presented a challenge. To her, Chen Mo was a precious lifeline, one she grasped tightly and was reluctant to let go of.

Chen Mo didn't want to hurt her. If she had been an enemy, it might have been different, but she was a delicate girl who relied on him, and honestly, no one would want to hurt her. Furthermore, after learning about her identity and family situation from Third Master, Chen Mo found it even harder to be firm. Despite his best efforts to reassure her, she showed no signs of relenting.

Chen Mo realized the day was getting late and there was still the matter of Black Jason's situation that remained uninvestigated. With no other choice, he had to put on a stern face and speak harshly.

After discussing their plan, Han Feihu and Chen Mo decided to play good cop, bad cop. They began to cajole from all angles—one offering comforting platitudes, the other spouting tough love. Finally, after half an hour of this back-and-forth, they managed to persuade the young girl to let go of the hand she had been holding on to so tightly.

Chen Mo breathed a sigh of relief and exchanged a look with Han Feihu. Once they stepped outside, Chen Mo expressed his gratitude.

Han Feihu, thumping his chest with pride, assured Chen Mo that he would take care of the girl from now on and that Chen Mo could rest easy. He then personally accompanied Chen Mo and a few others to Black Jason's house.

By talking to neighbors and examining the household items, they were able to confirm that Black Jason had moved away quite some time ago, coincidentally on the very day the rumors began to spread.

Chen Mo's suspicions were confirmed. With everything else seeming normal, the contradiction between Black Jason's actions and those of the so-called "senior" became the focal point of the problem. Although Chen Mo couldn't be certain if this "senior" was truly a student, he was sure of one thing: there were people at the school watching his every move.

This realization gave Chen Mo a headache.

Without understanding the other party's motives, Chen Mo found himself without a clear strategy to counterattack. It was like untangling a knotted mess without knowing where to start.

"It looks like I'll have to be more cautious from now on. But I refuse to believe they won't slip up. If they're after my life, well, let's just see what happens," he mused.

With the day's events behind him, Chen Mo returned home, a sense of guilt weighing on him as night deepened and the dinner table was set.

The dining room, with each person in their usual seat, was as familiar as ever. The table was laid out with the standard four dishes and a soup, no different from any other night.

However, as Yun Yiyi tasted the soup and then tried the vegetables, her expression changed. She put down her chopsticks and asked with genuine concern, "The flavor of the meal today is just as it's always been, neither too salty nor too bland. Yet, why does it seem to leave me feeling somewhat heavy-hearted when I eat it?"

"Really?" Chen Mo shook his head, sampled the dish, and after a brief pause, spoke in a disheartened tone, "I feel heavy-hearted, and I'm extremely weary..."