“What do you mean by ‘their own growth’…” Sister Siwei said with a heavy expression. “Didn’t all these people end up where they are today because of your guidance?”
“Not entirely,” Uncle Wan replied, taking a sip from a paper cup. “Remember what I told you from the start? Everyone has their own ‘pain points.’ Once I grasp these ‘pain points’ collectively, the crowd begins to act on its own. After all, seeking advantage and avoiding harm is human nature—no one wants to suffer. Like I said, I’m just a ‘guide.'”
Sister Siwei sighed deeply before responding, “Brother Wan, if I’m not mistaken, you’re shirking responsibility, aren’t you? Are you saying the state these people are in now has nothing to do with you? That they brought it upon themselves?”
“That’s not quite accurate either,” Uncle Wan shook his head. “Xiao Li, you might not know this, but every day, hundreds of new members join our ‘family.’ I don’t even have to do anything—various ‘captains’ organize activities for everyone, and everything runs smoothly. In the coming days, the rate of people gathering will only accelerate.”
“What are you trying to say…?”
“You might find it hard to understand, but when a ‘pyramid scheme’ grows large enough, it’s no longer a ‘scheme’—it becomes increasingly formalized.” Uncle Wan took another sip of alcohol, his expression turning strange. “That’s exactly where we are now. We’ve become a towering organization in this city, controlling thousands, half of whom are ‘devotees.’ They’re fiercely loyal, obeying my every command. Almost every interview room now has our ‘family’ members. The moment someone arrives, they use professional tactics to bring them here. So all I have to do is close my eyes and collect their ‘jade.’ The ‘people’ keep coming, the ‘wealth’ keeps flowing. Do you think anyone in this land can surpass me now?”
His stench grew stronger, and I instinctively covered my nose.
“I admit your persuasive words always sound appealing, but this time, I can’t agree,” Sister Siwei replied gravely. “First, while this group is indeed ‘loyal,’ most of them have lost their own judgment. That means the ‘leader’s’ limits define theirs—they’ll only follow your orders and never do anything beyond your imagination.”
Uncle Wan nodded thoughtfully, swirling his paper cup. “Fair point, Xiao Li. You really are sharp.”
“Second, you should know better than I do that this organization is on the verge of ‘losing control,'” Sister Siwei continued, her scent tinged with worry. “Brother Wan, you’re well aware you’re not a real ‘god.’ These people rely solely on Little Hero’s power. More and more are realizing this—your reign is hanging by a thread.”
“True…” Uncle Wan nodded. “But so what?”
“So what?” Sister Siwei seemed baffled. “Brother Wan, wasn’t I clear? There’s no law here. Even though you’ve established some order, aren’t you afraid that one day, the organization you built will collapse? That they’ll rise up and ‘judge’ you?”
“That day will never come,” Uncle Wan said. “Xiao Li, do you know why I suddenly decided to talk to you today?”
“You…?”
“I’m leaving.” Uncle Wan smirked before downing the rest of his drink. “I’ve calculated—tomorrow, I’ll have enough ‘jade’ to escape this place for good.”
Sister Siwei blinked. “You plan to take the communal ‘jade’ and run?”
“There’s no such thing as ‘communal jade.’ It was always mine. I just wanted to give you some advice before I go. Once I disappear, you should leave too.”
“What?”
“You said it yourself—they need Zheng Yingxiong, not you.” Uncle Wan crumpled the paper cup in his hand. “Though I’ve kept you under house arrest, I’ve treated you well, never harmed you. But this organization needs Zheng Yingxiong, and he can’t function without you. I had no choice.”
His words left both Sister Siwei and me silent. Ever since he learned Sister Siwei could ‘heal,’ he started hitting—either me or her.
He was a bad man.
His smell was unbearable.
“I’m not a good person, but I’m not a monster either,” Uncle Wan said with a bitter smile. “I just wanted to achieve my goal.”
“You’re making it sound too simple…” Sister Siwei’s voice trembled. “Even if we ignore my and Hero’s situation, you used ‘Earth Ox’ as an ‘executioner’ to kill so many! We never saw those people again… including Sister Fang from our room…”
“Those were necessary measures,” Uncle Wan cut in. “If I hadn’t executed them, we wouldn’t be where we are today. I had to show everyone, in the clearest way, that ‘family rules’ are absolute.”
“You…” Sister Siwei still looked furious. “Wan Cai, do you really believe what you’ve done is justified? Haven’t you done the same outside—ruining families, draining fortunes? Here, it’s no different. You kill based on your own needs, yet you don’t consider yourself a ‘monster’? You could’ve just exiled them from your ‘family,’ but you insisted on making them vanish—just to solidify your own ‘power.’ How is that not monstrous?”
Uncle Wan fell silent for a long moment before letting out a cold laugh. “Hah… I never thought I’d fail to break through to you.”
“Break through to me…?” Sister Siwei frowned.
“People with both brains and emotional resilience are rare. Xiao Li, since you’re still so clear-headed, listen to me—Zheng Yingxiong is a ‘priceless jade.'” Uncle Wan spoke plainly in front of me. “By now, the entire city knows of his abilities. If you keep him with you, it won’t end well. If I escape, you must leave too.”
Both Sister Siwei and I found this odd.
Uncle Wan had built this ‘family’ from the ground up, yet he was urging her to abandon it.
“Every organization is like this,” Uncle Wan said. “Once it reaches a certain size, it begins to crumble. I can already foresee this city’s future.”
Sister Siwei asked skeptically, “What future?”
Uncle Wan drew a horizontal line on the ground, then marked three points, dividing it into three segments.
“Right now, we’re in the first phase—the ‘Era of Power.’ I’ve seized supreme authority in this city. But as you said, this power is built on countless uncertainties and lies, ready to collapse at any moment. Either I’ll be assassinated, or I’ll leave on my own.”
He moved his hand to the second segment. “Next comes the ‘Era of Chaos.'”
“Era of Chaos…?”
“Yes. Based on my years of experience building teams, when an organization or its leader falls apart, the entire system plunges into unprecedented chaos. And what awaits you is precisely the ‘Era of Chaos.'”
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