"Did Victor Wu want to kill you?"
Xu Fu nodded numbly, then suddenly smiled.
"If that old man Victor Wu had killed me back then, maybe all those troubles wouldn't have happened later. But he was too kind, so he spared me. He knew I would cause much tragedy in the future, yet he still let me live."
Xu Fu's mouth hung open, drooling. His entire face flushed red as he stared, eyes wide, at Victor Wu who stood before him, hands behind his back. Xu Fu's eyes were filled with despair, tinged with pleading.
Victor Wu stared quietly at Xu Fu. Behind Xu Fu, a shadowy ghost with pale cheeks and green nails on its hands loomed. Xu Fu felt colder and colder; his eyes rolled back, showing only the whites.
"Enough. Stop."
Victor Wu shouted. The evil ghost released its grip, grinned wickedly, and with a whoosh, slipped into Victor Wu's sleeve.
"Are you afraid of dying?"
Xu Fu stared blankly at Victor Wu, gasping for breath, nodding. His admiration for Victor Wu instantly turned to fear. Xu Fu trembled, his neck aching. He still remembered the feeling of suffocation—he had almost died just now.
"I—I’m not, Mr. Wu, I just..."
"Remember this: Starting tomorrow, study this book carefully. Now sleep."
In the dilapidated shack, Victor Wu was already lying down. Xu Fu slept on a pile of straw, clutching the Dao De Jing. But inside, he was consumed by terror. The chill around him felt sharper when he was near Victor Wu, and now, anger welled up inside him. He realized Victor Wu had done it on purpose—he didn’t know how, but his throat had just been strangled.
Early the next morning, Xu Fu discovered he was surrounded by a mass grave. Fear gripped him even tighter. The thick mist curling around the burial ground made the cold unbearable.
"Last night—you nearly died, didn’t you? How did it feel?"
Victor Wu smiled as he looked at Xu Fu’s ashen face and asked.
"I was afraid."
"That's right, you were afraid. Now, what about you? If you cannot grasp the value of life, you may leave now."
Victor Wu looked at Xu Fu, hoping to teach him, little by little, and root out the evil within him.
"I won’t leave."
He spoke with determination. Deep down, he yearned to learn Victor Wu’s skills, so he dismissed the thought of running away.
"So, what should you do now?"
Victor Wu asked again.
"I should memorize the Dao De Jing well and listen to your advice, Master."
"That's not right. Think harder—you’re supposed to be clever, aren’t you?"
Victor Wu said sternly. Xu Fu, frightened, took a few steps back and forced a stiff smile.
Even at breakfast, Victor Wu kept asking the same question, saying that if Xu Fu couldn’t figure it out, he didn’t need to do anything.
"Figure it out yourself. Go to the city and get some food."
Victor Wu spoke and walked off. Xu Fu followed, his stomach growling uncontrollably.
Victor Wu walked faster and faster. Xu Fu, exhausted and hungry, struggled to keep up until he lost track of Victor Wu and found himself in the city. It was lunchtime, and everywhere people were eating. Xu Fu was starving, dressed like a beggar, but deep down, he refused to beg like the others.
At this moment, his pride surfaced. Xu Fu watched as some beggars happily received food at the restaurant doors.
"What’s so joyful about that?"
Xu Fu glared fiercely at the beggars, anger rising inside him. His stomach ached with hunger, but he never forgot his status as a Xu family heir. He would rather die than beg.
Xu Fu squatted on the street, clutching his stomach, starving. The aroma wafting by made his hunger even worse.
Passersby glanced at him, and even those who considered giving alms turned away after seeing his fierce look.
At that moment, someone ran up the street—it was Adam Dale. He had a bun in his mouth and several more slung over his back, looking cheerful as he ran.
"Just like that, just like..."
With a smack, Xu Fu slapped his hand on the ground, sending up a cloud of dust. His hatred made him tremble.
"What’s wrong? Why don’t you beg for food?"
Victor Wu had somehow appeared behind Xu Fu.
"A true man does not accept food given with pity."