Chapter 145: Marching on Japan (Part 1)

As the heir to a family tradition, Regar carried on and promoted it quite well. His face was devoid of expression, and his heart was as cold as ice. He had just eliminated the person he detested the most. He had endured these good-for-nothings for so many years, and now, finally, he could let them know who was truly the most capable, who was the true successor to the Grimaldi family.

No one would ever contend with him for the position of patriarch again. This place was finally his domain. He ran into the room of that stubborn old bastard, smashed his favorite antiques with a firearm, and destroyed everything in the room. Then he laughed—he laughed wildly.

Upon learning that the Sakura Group had been neutralized over there, he burst into another fit of wild howling and jumping, firing his gun recklessly all around.

"Awesome... Fantastic... Damn it, this feels so damn good! Today I've finally vented all that pent-up frustration. Come on, brother, let's drink!" Having wiped out the branch of the Sakura Group, Fatty was overjoyed and had already consumed a significant amount of alcohol.

Xiao Tianci only drank lightly. He had no interest in this expedition, but since his brother was having fun, he had to take it into consideration. For the sake of his brother, he had to think ahead.

"Fatty, don't get too excited too early. They are powerful outsiders who crossed the sea, and even after crossing the sea, they fought you to such an extent. Do you really think this matter is just going to rest here?" Fearing that Fatty might lower his guard and become careless, Xiao Tianci gave him a precautionary warning in advance. Besides, this was precisely what he was worried about; it certainly could not end just like that.

"Glug..." Fatty tilted his head back and poured the liquor down his throat. "Rest assured. The Sakura Group is indeed very powerful, but they were too hasty. They had already established a foothold in Europe. However, other bosses in Europe are constantly looking for opportunities; that is their primary battlefield. As for this place—humph! They probably saw a gap and thought they could use a minimal force to capture this place as an outpost, thereby gaining a foothold and expanding in M Nation. Those damn little Japs."

Xiao Tianci nodded and said, "Does that mean the force that gave us so much trouble was only a very small fraction of their overall strength?"

Fatty thought for a moment and said, "Well, you can't quite put it that way. The main thing is that this time they hired a lot of mercenaries, which is what made it troublesome. Moreover, they spent a long time preparing, from collaborating with the Eagle Gang to getting rid of the old Grimaldi. Ha... ha... ha... Damn those little Japs! Just thinking about it makes me feel good. Aren't they still wiped out by us brothers in the end? Haha, as the saying goes, when fighting a war, nothing beats blood brothers; when brothers join forces, we are invincible under heaven."

Knowing that Fatty actually had everything under control in his heart, Xiao Tianci felt relieved. Fatty was rough on the outside but meticulous on the inside; otherwise, he could never have fought his way to this level. At that moment, someone entered to report that Regar had arrived.

Fatty said, "Ha... ha... ha... He's here! Come in quickly, we must celebrate properly today..."

Regar walked in, first bowing to Xiao Tianci and saying, "Boss," and then turning to Fatty with, "Big Boss."

*Oh,* Xiao Tianci thought to himself, nodding inwardly. *Indeed, not bad. Young in age, ruthless and vicious, yet he knows when to lower his head. When such a person acts like a sheep, he is the most docile of sheep; but if he turns into a wolf, he will likely be the most ferocious beast of prey.*

Fatty looked at him, nodded, and said, "Mm, not bad, not bad, you've got a bright future. Regar, today we've achieved a sweeping victory. Come, it's worth celebrating properly. Ha... ha... ha... From now on, this place is our world."

Seeing Fatty reaching to pour the wine, Regar briskly stepped forward to pour it for him, then for Xiao Tianci, but did not pour any for himself. Fatty pointed at the glass and said, "Pour it, pour it. Damn it, we're all our own brothers here; no outsiders today, just make yourself at home. Pour it and sit down to drink with me properly. Oh, those damn little Japs, how long they kept me depressed!"

The three of them clinked glasses in celebration. Xiao Tianci suddenly realized that a huge gulf had actually formed between himself and Fatty. Even when he was playing rogue with Ivanov or Leges, he had never been so unrestrained. Every single curse word he uttered collided and blended with his current surroundings and everything around him. Yet right here with Fatty, whenever Fatty swore, it carried a certain heroic vigor.

Similarly, in his treatment of Regar, Xiao Tianci believed Fatty's inner thoughts were identical to his own. Sitting right there, quietly sizing Regar up, gave him plenty to ponder. Presumably, all these actions of Fatty were also giving Regar plenty to reflect upon. Habits in life were truly formed unconsciously, and much had changed before one even knew it.

Xiao Tianci asked calmly, "Regar, how is it? Have all matters been properly handled?"

Staring straight at him, Regar nodded. There was no sadness or even the slightest trace of pain on his face. Xiao Tianci suddenly said, "Regar, I am currently pondering a question. Since you could slaughter your own brothers and uncle like that without a care in the world, will you one day eliminate us brothers as well?"

Fatty's movements paused as well; he had not expected Xiao Tianci to ask such a question. He felt as though the temperature in the room had suddenly plummeted, making even Fatty feel that this question was truly...

Xiao Tianci slowly spun his wine glass and continued, "Don't tell me you wouldn't? Those were your biological brothers! Furthermore, I believe that if your father were still alive, you would have the capacity to eliminate him without the slightest hesitation as well. Am I right?"

The muscles on Regar's face twitched a few times. Xiao Tianci's gaze was calm, yet it seemed laden with endless mockery and murderous intent. Regar slowly nodded his head. "Correct. If he were alive, I would eliminate him just the same."

Instead, Xiao Tianci chuckled. "Hehe, I didn't misjudge you. You are the kind of person who will stop at nothing to achieve your goals. You will eradicate anyone and anything that stands in your way, am I right?"

"Right." Regar nodded stiffly once more, though his breathing had already grown chaotic.

Xiao Tianci sighed, "Tsk... tsk... Since you admit it yourself, do you think I will still keep you around?"

A smile suddenly broke out on Regar's face. "You will."

"Oh? Tell me why I would keep a beast like you who casts aside all human relations?" Xiao Tianci's words were utterly merciless; even Fatty, sitting right beside him, found it deeply uncomfortable to listen to. *Thought he,* "Could this kid have already decided to finish off Regar? Why didn't he discuss it with me first? Still, this kid's tongue is truly poisonous right now. What he's saying makes even *me* feel damn uncomfortable inside, relying on heaven. If you want to kill someone, just kill them already! Really, why say such unsettling things?"

Fatty chimed in from the side, "Number Five, what are you trying to do? Killing someone only requires cutting off the head; if you want to do something, just do it, don't—"

Xiao Tianci raised a hand to stop Fatty from continuing. "Fatty, this is none of your business today. Just sit back and watch closely. Besides, I'm right: a man who can coldly slaughter his own brother—what else should I call him if not a beast?" Turning back to Regar, he demanded, "What do you say, you beast?"

Regar laughed just as he had earlier when going crazy in his father's room. "Heh... heh... Yes, Boss, call me a beast, because I am a beast."

The suppressed darkness that had weighed upon Regar's heart for years had finally surfaced over the past two days, and his true nature—the character he had built up—was now fully exposed. Xiao Tianci had been watching him all along; the reason he remained seated at the back during their meetings wasn't to listen to their useless bullshit, but to watch, to sense, and to observe Regar.

He felt as though he were engineering and witnessing the birth of a demon, and Regar was that very demon. His entire being and soul were succumbing to darkness. Xiao Tianci knew that the moment Regar murdered his own brothers, he had already become an unadulterated demon.

Staring at him, Xiao Tianci said, "Tell me, why would I keep a beast like you by my side?"

After days of eruption, he seemed to have transformed into an entirely different person; even Fatty sitting right beside him could no longer recognize any trace of the person he once knew. With this feeling, even when looking at a face that was completely indistinguishable from before, one still could not believe it belonged to the same man.

"The Boss needs a ruthless, emotionless beast to do your bidding, to guard your door, to..." As he spoke, Regar glanced toward Fatty. Fatty suddenly felt a surge of fiery irritation upon meeting Regar's gaze, violently grabbed a wine bottle, and smashed it over Regar's head with a loud *crash!* Roaring with anger, he cursed, "Damn your mother, what are you looking at me for? Damn it, just looking at your eyes pisses me off. I might as well send you to join your brothers today!"

With that, Fatty moved to strike him again. Regar sat completely still even as blood poured endlessly from the wound where the bottle had broken against his head. Xiao Tianci stopped Fatty, motioning for him to sit down, and said, "Fatty, I told you to stay out of this today. Let me handle it."

Fatty sat down, inwardly bewildered. *Damn it, what just happened? The moment I saw this kid's gaze, I felt an urge to wipe him out. How does Number Five pull this off? Just a glance and I'm irritated to the core. How did Regar turn into this? Damn, he looks just like a ghost; looking at him gives you the creeps.*

When Regar first walked in, things had seemed fine; he hadn't expected Number Five's few words to warp him into this state. *Could it be that Fatty also understands that this is the real him now?*

Fatty was well aware of all sorts of underworld affairs. Originally, he hadn't intended to kill Regar, but now he felt an overwhelming urge to get rid of him. Still, it looked like Number Five had other intentions.

Xiao Tianci watched him silently, not bothering to inquire further because a situation like Regar's certainly hadn't formed over a single day or two; there had to be myriad reasons behind it, otherwise he wouldn't have ended up this way. For such a person, there were two viable approaches: either break him completely and subdue him utterly so he became a watchdog, or destroy him entirely.

Xiao Tianci took a gentle sip of his wine and said, "You are very smart. Perhaps precisely because you're too smart... Sometimes a person needs to learn how to be a bit foolish. If you were a bit more foolish, many things wouldn't seem so hard to comprehend. Don't you think?"

Regar's eyelids flickered a few times, as though his deepest secrets had been seen through by Xiao Tianci. Xiao Tianci didn't need to know his secrets, nor did he want to. Watching his expression, he knew he had hit upon Regar's sore spot. "And remember one thing: never assume your existence is indispensable. The world keeps spinning no matter who is missing. From now on, serve as a good, vicious hound for my brother. Everything about your past, I neither want to know nor care to hear."

With that, Xiao Tianci tossed the glass in his hand into the air. With a *crash*, the glass shattered right above Regar's head, spilling wine over his blood-soaked hair. The ruby-red wine mixed with his blood, matching it in hue. Fatty suddenly looked up and noticed that, at some unknown point, the Chief Steward had appeared by the second-floor railing, winking at him.

Xiao Tianci said coldly, "From now on, your name is 'Tong Lei.' Follow Fatty from this moment on. Go down and get your wounds treated."

Tong Lei nodded and departed. As soon as he left, Fatty angrily complained, "Damn it! Are you out of your mind, kid? Why would you give a guy like that a new name?

"What do you take yourself for, God? And on top of that, you made him take the surname Tong. I'm your brother—you just called him a beast, and now you're letting a beast share my surname? What on earth are you thinking, kid?"

Xiao Tianci hurriedly placated him, "Fatty, Fatty, calm down, calm down. Listen to me, I'm telling you, this Regar—oh, now his name is Tong Lei—"

"Damn it! What the hell 'Tong Lei', stop bringing up that—"

Xiao Tianci chuckled. "Don't be so emotional, just let me finish. Aside from wanting to eliminate his brother and uncle due to family infighting, I observed that it stemmed much more from a different reason: hatred, not just competition for interests. Therefore, I am certain he experienced something traumatic when he was young. If you don't believe me, you can investigate him. To let go of such a person without using him would be a waste. Moreover, if this kind of person is truly tamed, he'll prove far more useful than anyone else. Just think: no matter how large your empire grows, you'll definitely need subordinates to manage everything. Can you truly trust them? In the end, the one who betrays you will likely be the person you trust the most. Because those you don't trust never gain enough power or opportunity to witness your ordinary side, nor do they ever get the chance to realize they can easily disobey your commands."

"So, this crazy fellow is quite exceptional. Look at how well he answered just now..."

"Good grief..." Fatty threw his head back and groaned, "I get it now. You're out of your damn mind too! Only a madman would appreciate another madman. How the hell did I end up as brothers with a lunatic like you?!"

Xiao Tianci laughed. "You stupid fatty, I haven't even started fat-shaming you yet. By the way, you should look closely into this matter—it's quite good. Of course, he's your man; whether to use him in the end and how to use him is entirely up to you."

In truth, if Fatty hadn't had a reasonably good initial impression of Regar, he wouldn't have helped him in the first place. After thinking it over and realizing it made sense, Fatty resignedly said, "Fine, I'll look into it further. This kind of person is tough to handle, though—you're always just creating trouble for me."

Xiao Tianci retorted, "Fatty, do you have any conscience? I'm looking out for you, and you say I'm causing trouble? It's as if you weren't the one who went looking for trouble in the first place!!!!"

"Damn it! He might be a demon, but your old man here is King Yama himself—I can still keep him suppressed, no matter what kind of monster he is!" After thinking it over, Fatty suddenly regained a great deal of confidence.

Actually, Xiao Tianci had thought things through thoroughly before making this decision. Laying everything out in the open today was a good thing. Xiao Tianci didn't understand psychology deeply, but he had a certain grasp of it. He knew that in Regar's situation, the calmer and more unremarkable he appeared on the surface, the more turbulent his inner world must be. Before long, such a state would either drive a person to mental collapse, turning them into a complete fool or a true maniac.

Xiao Tianci wished to see neither outcome, which was why he chose to pierce the tumor beforehand, allowing Regar to release everything completely. Especially Fatty's sudden blow with the bottle—Xiao Tianci felt it had actually worked wonders, proving even more effective than calling Regar a beast.

Regar needed an outlet, a channel for release. Was genuinely killing him the answer? Xiao Tianci could almost sense the pleasure—or rather, the relief—Regar felt when he called him a beast. Perhaps, by immersing himself in the status of a beast, Regar might actually feel a bit better.

Xiao Tianci firmly believed that Regar would eventually become Fatty's finest assistant, far more trustworthy than anyone else.

"See? That's more like it. Remember back in college when one of the brothers said he didn't dare stay in a room alone because he was afraid of ghosts?"

Hearing Xiao Tianci bring this up, Fatty recalled their past and laughed happily. "Damn right I remember! Weren't we all united back then, running off to find ghosts together? Ah, beating up the boys—no, scaring the girls... Haha... Awesome..."

Xiao Tianci nodded. "Right. Actually, when you're sitting at the top—especially you, Fatty, running in the underworld—which of your subordinates isn't secretly sizing you up? Do you really think there's that much genuine loyalty in this world? Worshipping Lord Guan is just praying to him to help make more money and to bless the boss with a quick death so they can climb up themselves. Therefore, the only reason you are the boss is because you have strength, money, and power. If you had none of those things, just see what happens."

Of course Fatty understood this situation; otherwise, he wouldn't have survived all these years in the underworld. He nodded and said coldly, "Mm, I know all of that. Damn it, human hearts are separated by skin!"

Xiao Tianci smiled and patted Fatty's belly. *Quite comfortable,* though this time Fatty didn't swat his hand away. Instead, Fatty remained right there and said, "If you keep patting me like that, I might just have to offer you my body in return."

Xiao Tianci recoiled as if struck by lightning and laughed, "Fine, you win! Haha... Fatty, that's why I helped you tame him. Watch him and use him as you see fit."

Fatty nodded in understanding and said, "Don't worry, like I said—if he's a ghost, I'm King Yama. Oh right, there was something I wanted to tell you just now, but we got sidetracked halfway through."

"What is it?"

"The Sakura Group."

"Oh."

"I'm thinking of taking the fight straight to Japan. This—"

"No way, Fatty. You've lost your mind."