"For the sake of a mere nobody like me, is being so murderous really worth it?" Zhou Quan felt like crying, receiving such "attention" from Fang Yuan!
He was a normal person. He was afraid of death too.
Otherwise, after the Zhou clan was destroyed, when he was alone and grievously injured, he would have just taken the chance and died back then.
But he lived. Survival is the instinct of every living being.
The reason he refused Shang Xin Ci was because he looked down on her. He was naturally arrogant, and had once been the clan leader. How could he bow down to a young girl?
But he never expected things would blow up so badly! Now he was facing the threat of death! Fang Yuan's madness was something he could never have anticipated.
"If I had known this would happen, I should have just gone along with that girl. I can't believe I've fallen to such a state!" Intense regret surged in Zhou Quan's heart.
Although he was arrogant, he wasn't stupid.
Between survival and pride, survival came first. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been clinging to life as a homeless stray until now.
"Right, I get it! My repeated refusals of Shang Xin Ci have severely undermined her prestige. Fang Zheng is Shang Xin Ci's biggest supporter, so he wants to get rid of me by any means necessary! Shang Yi Fan, you've led me astray..."
Feeling the increasingly dense killing intent from Fang Yuan, Zhou Quan's thoughts raced.
With his intelligence, a simple probe was enough to realize that the earlier rumors in the neighborhood were Shang Yi Fan's doing.
At first, he was quite smug about it, secretly pleased. These rumors were a perfect shield for rejecting Shang Xin Ci. At the same time, from the rumors, he could see that Shang Yi Fan valued him. If worst came to worst, he could go to Shang Yi Fan for patronage.
Shang Yi Fan and Shang Xin Ci made no difference to his Zhou Quan. As long as he was willing to serve, he could elevate the man to the position of Young Master.
This was Zhou Quan's confidence.
But now, he was immensely regretful.
It was precisely because of these rumors that Fang Yuan's killing intent was directed at him. It was too late for him to pledge allegiance to Shang Yi Fan now.
Fang Yuan was a madman, completely unpredictable. Zhou Quan had thoroughly miscalculated this time!
Zhou Quan lay on the ground, his whole body feeling dislocated from the beating, and his face was stepped on by Fang Yuan, completely unable to move.
He opened his mouth to beg for mercy.
But the words stuck in his throat and wouldn't come out.
"So many people are watching. If I beg for mercy publicly, I'll lose all my face. But if I don't surrender, my old life will be over too..."
Character decides fate.
At the critical moment, the inferior quality of Zhou Quan's pride was still playing its role.
"As the saying goes, a wise man submits to the circumstances. Zhou Quan, since you are not wise, you are not a noble man. Killing you costs me a Bauhinia Token. That alone is enough to make you proud. Die." Fang Yuan sneered, slowly putting more pressure on his foot.
Zhou Quan felt the immense pressure crushing him. He finally abandoned all hesitation and wanted to beg for mercy.
But Fang Yuan's foot was so tight, clamping his cheek. He wanted to speak but couldn't.
Zhou Quan panicked!
"Wait, I don't want to die! I want to beg for mercy, I want to surrender! Just let me speak..."
He roared in his heart, while using his remaining strength to flail his arms and legs.
His hands grabbed Fang Yuan's calf, but Fang Yuan's body was as immovable as if cast from steel.
"I am done for..." Just as Zhou Quan was in despair, he suddenly heard a familiar voice.
"Brother Heitu, please show mercy!" Shang Xin Ci had arrived on the scene.
"Xin Ci, it seems I couldn't keep this from you after all. I know you are eager for talents, but don't plead for this guy. A man like him isn't worth regretting." Fang Yuan replied coldly, but secretly eased the pressure of his foot.
"No, Brother Heitu, I have to speak." Shang Xin Ci was persistent.
She continued: "You and Senior Zhou Quan haven't known each other long, but I understand him better. Senior Zhou has always been devoted to rebuilding the Zhou clan. On his shoulders rests a heavy burden, and his ambitions have been hard to fulfill. He once sorrowfully confided in me that he couldn't let go of his past loved ones. On her deathbed, his wife entrusted him with rebuilding their home. All these years, he has borne this burden and struggled hard. He has his difficulties..."
"Is that so..." Fang Yuan retracted most of the force from his foot, his expression shifting slightly.
"When did I ever confide in you?" Zhou Quan felt strange. When his wife died, he wasn't even there.
But he immediately understood. This was a play put on by Shang Xin Ci and Fang Yuan.
In reality, Fang Yuan and Shang Xin Ci still wanted to recruit him!
They used Shang City as their stage and put on a good show for everyone to see. What they just said was a carefully laid-out stepping stone for him.
It not only promoted Shang Xin Ci's benevolence and her eagerness for talents, but also gave him a graceful way down.