"It is indeed very important." Luo Puti put down the watering pot and regarded him intently. "The corrupted swamp that was the Six Doors Organization has been drained after a thorough internal investigation. I'm now its interim chief inspector!"
"Well, that's good news! My honey just got promoted!" Chen Xiaobei grinned.
"Let me finish! The organization is still recovering at the moment because Poseidon has essentially crippled us. However, the higher authority did make the tough decision to take revenge against Japan, and we managed to destroy their intelligence network in its entirety."
"That's good news too!" Chen Xiaobei was at a loss by why she was acting so solemn, before realizing the problem himself. "Are you trying to say that Japan would make us pay in return? That they might target me to make up for their loss?"
"It's not a matter of might. They will definitely come after you because they believe that you are Professor Lin's son; They would be ready to do whatever it takes to capture you alive!"
Chen Xiaobei shrugged. "Let them come! And here I was planning to travel to Japan to deal with something…"
"Are you crazy?!" Luo Puti frowned. "You aren't supposed to let them capture you, even if you were just a decoy. They would torture you!"
"I'm glad my honey cares about me so deeply!" Chen Xiaobei grinned. "Don't worry, I already planned a trip to Japan before all of this. I would make their prime minister and emperor my lapdogs, or destroy Tokyo if they refuse! Hehehe…"
"Are you in your right mind?" Luo Puti asked incredulously. "What the hell are you talking about – making lapdogs and destroying Tokyo? Who do you think you are?"
Chen Xiaobei simply smiled and kept quiet. He had the Heavenly Dog Biscuit and a Five Thunders Paper Talisman ready in his treasure chest; all he needed was just one more thing!
"Anyway, I'm getting changed," Luo Puti said. "Go look for my grandpa. Watch what you say, and don't blame me if he slaps you!"
"Hmmm…" Chen Xiaobei felt abashed as he headed lakeside. Elder Luo was looking out at the lake, his hands clasped behind him.
He reminded Chen Xiaobei of a stern old tree.
"Elder Luo, I'm here. How may I be of service?" Chen Xiaobei spoke humbly as he stood three meters away from Elder Luo. He did not dare to joke around anymore.
Elder Luo kept his stoic expression. "What do you think about this Lake Xuanwu?" He asked, his eyes never leaving the lake.
Chen Xiaobei considered it.
"It looks really huge, and I feel small when I stand beside it," he said after a while.
"You're right, I feel the same too." Elder Luo said with a grave voice and narrowed his eyes. "Let me say this – it isn't the biggest lake in Dragon City, and to the country it's just a random small lake."
Chen Xiaobei did not respond. He tried to figure out what the old man was actually saying.
Elder Luo finally turned to look at him. "This lake is like you," he said with a cold tone. "You are shining brightly in a small place like Green Vine City, and everyone there believe that. That, however, does not apply to Dragon City. It's simply not the place for you to shine."
"Seems like you have done a background check on me," Chen Xiaobei said calmly. "May I know what you are trying to say?"
"I want you to leave Luo Puti alone. She is the only child of the Luo Family in this generation, a martial arts prodigy and is tipped to lead the Six Doors Organization. Her future is filled with possibilities!"
However, his words did not trouble Chen Xiaobei at all. On the contrary, he felt like laughing out loud.
"The only child of Luo Family… Do you mean you want me to help you make more? A prodigy of martial arts... But didn't I spank her some time ago? The chief inspector of Six Doors Organization… I was the one who came up with the plan that took out Poseidon!"
"What are you smiling at?" Elder Luo frowned and growled.
Chen Xiaobei quickly straightened his face. "Not- Nothing. Please continue…"
"I can't deny that you have outdone yourself in Green Vine City, but you are still far away from the great men who stand at the pinnacle of Dragon City!" Elder Luo continued.
"I'm not too familiar with them. Do you mind giving me a few examples?"
"Liu Hengyi of the Liu Family. He possesses the highest combat power for every fighter under thirty years old. Yap Tianlin of the Yap Family. A business prodigy, famous throughout China! Cao Zhenyang and Zhuang Bifan are nothing special, but their families hold great influence over politics and business. There are so many more but I won't list them out. You would never catch up to them anyway!" Elder Luo said haughtily.
Just like before, the geezer's taunts hardly worked and amused him instead.
He never met Liu Hengyi and Yap Tianlin, but he knew Cao Zhenyang and Zhuang Bifan well enough. Both were laughing stock to him – he wrecked Zhuang Bifan's manhood and took Cao Zhenyang's Duskdawn. He would have taken out the ring right now too if he did not choose to humor Elder Luo.
Naturally, the old man was oblivious of all that and maintained his stern grandstanding. "That's all I have to say. I hope you could open your eyes and look at reality – you don't have the right to stand beside Luo Puti!"
"And what could I do to earn that right?" Chen Xiaobei asked calmly.
"Be an elite in a particular field or specialty." Elder Luo paused for a moment. "Most importantly, only a good man deserves to be Puti's partner," he added. "I would never allow an immature person like you with a personality problem to be together with her!"
Immature? Personality problem? Chen Xiaobei was stunned, but finally understood why Elder Luo disliked him.
It was his first impression! It was understandable too – no grandfather worth their salt would stand idly by and watch as their granddaughter left with some asshole.
"Elder Luo, I think that we might started off on the wrong foot-" Chen Xiaobei tried to explain but was immediately cut short.
"Don't try to defend yourself, I've seen it with my own eyes! I wanted to set you on the right path since you were her friend, but it seems like it's pointless. Take care, I'm leaving!"
And with that, the old man was gone.
Left behind, Chen Xiaobei shook his head and stared out at the lake.
"It's true that I'm still some side character, but China or even the whole earth is nothing to deities. All those great men in Dragon City are but ants to them, and I alone have the guts to belittle them – so what are those so-called great men to me?!"
Suddenly, he found Luo Puti running to him. "Xiaobei, please convey my regrets to your parents. I'm afraid I can't join you guys for dinner!"
"What happened?" Chen Xiaobei asked.