Jumping Ship.
In this virtual world, there exists a kind of jargon used by some martial sects, known to the common folk as "thieves' cant."
It refers to leaving one's original organization to serve another group, gang, or family.
For some legitimate families and sects, jumping ship is permitted and carries a sense of amicable parting—business may not work out, but goodwill remains. Even if the deal falls through, the friendship endures.
In the future, when we meet again in the martial world, we can still clasp our fists, exchange pleasantries, and offer each other assistance.
Of course, this depends on the circumstances. Leaving on your own is one thing, but if you take a group of people with you, or abscond with their resources, clients, steal secret manuals, or cause trouble by killing someone, that's not an amicable parting.
In the martial world, whoever shelters you will be considered an enemy of the original sect.
The specifics depend on the severity of the trouble you've caused.
However, some organizations, especially large ones, absolutely forbid jumping ship.
Once you join such an organization and learn its secrets, leaving is not an option.
Upon entry, you must swear a curse, pledging to remain loyal for life, living or dying by fate.
Jumping ship triggers a bounty on your head, and anyone in the organization can kill you for a reward. The bounty depends on your personal abilities, the extent of the secrets you know, and the severity of the trouble you've caused.
Iron Tuo King is one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the North Snow City branch. He knows a lot about the inner workings of the organization, and this time he was entrusted with five billion in cash to handle a mission.
Now, after beating up the young master several times and handing the five billion to Lu Chengwen, he sits here eating lobster and drinking red wine...
If he jumps ship, the organization will go mad trying to kill him. At this moment, Iron Tuo King still hasn't grasped the situation: "Young Master, what does this mean?"
Lu Chengwen says, "You now have two choices: one, kill me and then flee for your lives. Two, leave the organization and follow me from now on. As long as I live, I won't treat you poorly. Whether we can escape the organization's pursuit depends on our fate."
Iron Tuo King and the others are still confused.
"Young Master, this... where is this coming from?"
Lu Chengwen says, "I'm not your young master. I'm Lu Chengwen, a native of Snow City. The one you beat up several times, Long Aotian, he's your young master."
Iron Tuo King's wine glass drops to the floor, and he sits there speechless.
"You... this... Young Master, don't joke like this!"
"Do I look like I'm joking?"
Iron Tuo King stares at Lu Chengwen for a long time, and from his eyes, he can tell this is no joke.
Recalling all the things he's done, he suddenly breaks out in a cold sweat.
The four big guys are also stunned, looking at each other, realizing they're doomed.
With such a huge mess, who wouldn't die? We're dead for sure!
Lu Chengwen says, "So? What will you do?"
Iron Tuo King, filled with grief and anger, flips the table: "You've been playing me for a fool! I'll kill you!"
Lu Chengwen shouts, "From the moment you set foot in Snow City, you were already walking a dead-end path!"
This shout stops all five of them.
Lu Chengwen declares with authority, "Feel your own head. Are you worth five billion? Are you? Why would such a cushy job fall to you?"
Iron Tuo King is speechless.
Lu Chengwen continues, "The organization sent you here, never intending for you to survive! Your mission was to secretly help Long Aotian as his black glove, doing his dirty work! Once Long Aotian unites the four great families, or even before that, at a certain point when his righteous facade can't hold, they'll crush you five, pin all the crimes on you, and he'll remain the pure, innocent hero! Everyone will hail him as the righteous white knight, and you'll be condemned as vile villains, deserving of death!"
Lu Chengwen adds, "By then, Long Aotian will be embracing beauties, sipping champagne, driving luxury cars, and living in mansions, while you won't even get a grave—just a rock tied to your feet, and you'll be sunk into the sea to feed the fish!"
Iron Tuo King, a nearly two-meter-tall man, has tears in his eyes.
Based on his understanding of the organization, what Lu Chengwen says is highly probable and entirely possible.
He looks back, and the four others are already crying.
Iron Tuo King looks at Lu Chengwen and roars, "Then why did you deceive me? If... if I had worked hard for the young master, becoming his trusted aide..."
"Become a trusted aide, my ass!" Lu Chengwen roars back. "He already has his own trusted aides. Does he need people like you? If he wanted to cultivate a few trusted aides, would it be your turn? A few mid-level martial artists, would Long Aotian take you as his trusted aides?"
"You think loyalty alone makes you a trusted aide for a big shot? You can't even tell the right person. Do you think you're qualified to be a trusted aide? Long Aotian has already made a name for himself in the frontier. Over the years, many have followed him through thick and thin. Once he stabilizes here, a bunch of his own people will come to receive his rewards. By then, what use will you be?"
"Even if he doesn't kill you, Long Aotian's own team won't keep a few outsiders like you around to compete for resources and favor!"
Lu Chengwen shouts, "From the moment you left the organization, you were already discarded pawns! Just a few of the countless corpses Long Aotian will step over in his grand ambitions, the kind that don't even need names, completely expendable!"
The men all start crying.
Iron Tuo King closes his eyes, takes a deep breath: "So, do we have a way out by following you now?"
Lu Chengwen pulls over a chair and sits down: "Not necessarily, but there's a chance."
Iron Tuo King laughs, a bitter and hopeless laugh: "Lu Chengwen, you don't understand. You have no idea how terrifying the organization is. You don't know what it means to become a traitor in their eyes. They will stop at nothing to hunt us down, to the death! This is the rule, and it's never been broken!"
Lu Chengwen says, "The organization is divided into several major branches: Leader, Strategist, Guide, Planner, Red, White, and Black. Each branch operates independently, with no communication or interaction allowed. You five are Red Guards, specialized in opening operations."
"The highest authority is a helmsman, two protectors, and a strategist. The Red Guards are managed by the Left Protector, below whom are the Four Great Tuo Kings: Gold, Silver, Copper, and Iron."
"After you jump ship, they will stop at nothing to hunt you down. But the department responsible for the hunt will still be the Red Guards, because this is their shame, and they must personally clean house. The Red Guards must open operations, announce it to the world, and use your five lives as a warning to others. Am I right?"
Iron Tuo King looks at Lu Chengwen: "You... how do you know all this?"
"I know more than just this," Lu Chengwen says. "Pick up the table."
Iron Tuo King is stunned, but seeing Lu Chengwen's commanding presence, he turns and says, "Fix the table."
The four men quickly set the table back up.
Lu Chengwen grabs the bottle of fine wine he saved from the table flip, finds a few glasses, and pours a bit of wine into each.
"I'll be honest with you. Long Aotian is a man of extraordinary talent and ability, a child of destiny. He may stir up storms and become the most powerful figure of this era."
Iron Tuo King mutters, "No need to tell me. Everyone says he's a chosen one, with an unimaginable future."
Lu Chengwen slams the wine bottle on the table, staring fiercely at Iron Tuo King: "But! I, Lu Chengwen, am no ordinary man either. He is the child of destiny, and I am the chosen one! His advantage lies in the halo above his head and the hacks within his body, while my advantage is the knowledge and intelligence in my mind that no one else in this world possesses! Sooner or later, there will be a showdown between us!"
"Now, the child of destiny has been thoroughly offended by you. There's no way you can go back and be his lackeys. But I! Lu Chengwen! The chosen one, now extend an invitation to you! Accept or not, it's up to you."
Iron Tuo King looks at Lu Chengwen, truly intimidated by his commanding presence.
This young man, how is he so formidable?
Damn, he talks so arrogantly!
The chosen one? So confident!?
What does he really know?
Iron Tuo King says, "You... you can't possibly defeat him. You're just rich, but he..."
"Who has won during your time in Snow City?"
The men are all stunned.
"Why was I so sure he wouldn't die falling off a cliff and went to personally hunt him down?"
"With Long Aotian's abilities, in any other city, things would have been settled long ago. Why has he been unable to make progress in Snow City?"
Lu Chengwen points at his chest: "Because he met me! I can't guarantee I'll win in the end, but I won't bow to fate! I won't be intimidated by his so-called 'child of destiny' title! I'm at a disadvantage now, but he can't do anything to me either. Today, I tell you, as long as I, Lu Chengwen, am here, Long Aotian will never lay a finger on Snow City! This city is mine!"
Lu Chengwen raises his glass, his gaze fierce: "Drink this wine, and from now on, we share life and death, building a grand legacy together!"
Iron Tuo King struggles for a moment, then grabs a glass and raises it: "Fine! I, Iron Tuo King, have no other path. Left or right, it's death. From now on, I follow you!"
He looks back at the four men.
Lu Chengwen says, "You choose. Either I give you some money, and you disappear, or drink this wine, and we're on the same boat."
Once Iron Tuo King raises his glass, one man quickly follows, then a second, a third...
Six men raise their glasses.
Lu Chengwen says, "From now on, you must obey my commands, no matter how hard to understand. Just do as I say, and I promise, we live or die together!"
"Live or die together!"
They all drink in one gulp, smiling.
At that moment, someone bangs on the door, and Lu Chengwen's expression darkens.
Damn, could the pursuers have arrived so soon!?