Chapter 212 The Butler's Duty
As Wu Long and Butler Bang looked at each other, the surrounding was getting tenser.
"Hmm, let me ask you this, since I am not going to take you up on your offer, would you consider mine?"
Wu Long said after some thought.
"You have an offer for this old man?"
"It is nothing much, I am offering you to change your employer"
Butler Bang first froze, then his eyes widened, and then he started heartily laughing, bringing shudders to the two people on his sides and Old Yen.
"...hahaha, ahahaha fyu~... younglin', don't make jokes with this old man, it's bad for my health to laugh so much"
Butler Bang wiped a tear that came out from laughter from the corner of his eye.
"I am not joking with you, and I am quite sincere. That way your wish can come true and you do not need to fight me and die by my hand"
"Heh, you seem to have gained a lot of confidence outside... but that is beside the point. I have been raised in the Wu family from when I was a small child, a lowly orphan with nowhere to go... much like you were. I owe them a debt of gratitude"
"And you repaid that debt with hundreds of years of loyal and exceptional service. There has to be a line at which you had already done more than enough for them... not to mention that the current most prominent family members are not the ones who gave you that kindness, and the one who picked you up from the streets died a long time ago"
"Even if you are right, what then? What do you need a feeble old man who can count the remaining years of his life on both hands for?"
"What for? To perform the butler's duties of course? I am not telling you to switch professions, you see I have quite a big household already, and it will still grow. I will eventually need a few hands to deal with the daily needs a household has"
Beads of sweat went down the men who were on Butler Bang's side as he looked at Wu Long in silence, not rejecting his proposition outright.
"...Why me? And what makes you think I will switch sides so easily?"
"Heh, you have already been taking care of me before, and you are good at your job. Not to mention I do owe you some gratitude so it would be a shame to be on the opposing sides. Besides, you were willing to go against the wishes of your masters for me, so in a way, you are already one of my people. And lastly, what do you have to lose anyway?"
Wu Long widely smiled, shrugging his shoulders, and the people on Butler Bang's sides slowly started to reach for their weapons, as the skin on their hands was covered with goosebumps, the hair on them raised as if fur on a startled cat.
"I suppose you are right..."
Butler Bang nodded with a wry smile and at that moment both subordinates took out their swords, rushing off to the sides away from the old man. But as they went away they fell into pieces as thin lines of sun reflection ran across extremely thin wires that were held in Butler Bang's hands.
"Heh, I told you guys to not make rush decisions in battle and always pay attention to your surroundings... but you never listened to my lessons"
He shook his head as a few others who were trying to run away were cut into pieces by the wires that seemed to cover the entire area. Cold sweat ran down Old Yen's back as he only now realized that the old man somehow concealed the wires from perception with a profound Spiritual Qi manipulation method.
"Don't worry, Butler Bang, you are not switching gold for dirt, as your new household is as rich as its enemies"
Wu Long jokingly said as he knew well that Butler Bang never used the salary he received from the Wu Family, only using it a few times for Wu Long when he was younger, so it did not matter to him whether Wu Long was rich or poor.
"Of course, Young Master"
Butler Bang said with a smile and Wu Long looked at him with a look of surprise.
"Heh, well that's the first time I heard such an address, but whatever's comfortable for you I guess, I don't really care if you call me just Wu Long as you did previously"
"Hahaha, no can do, Young Master, a butler has the butler's pride you see"
Wu Long shook his head and went forth as the wires around the place began to rapidly get out of Wu Long's way and clear the area. Old Yen still did not dare to move, as if nailed to the spot he was standing at. Butler Bang also looked vigilantly at him.
"Young Master..."
"Ah, yes, this is Old Yen, he does some work for me temporarily. You do not need to be on guard against him"
Wu Long lightly waved his hand from side to side, dismissing any caution or worry, and Butler Bang slightly relaxed, though the same could not be said about Old Yen who was still as if treading on thin ice.
"Is the Su-In restaurant wiped clean of evidence?"
"Yes, but I have it in my spatial ring, was going to dispose of it later"
Butler Bang nodded and Wu Long smiled as he now had everything he needed. He turned as he headed in the direction of the Wu Family Manor while taking out a communication talisman and sending a message to Ye Ling that he would be starting, so she needed to be on guard against anyone trying to get to the pirates.
"Is it one of the Elders?"
"Yes and no, there are a few elders involved but the main culprit you are searching for is Wu Tianshui"
"The Patriarch's third son? Did Nie Chansheng promise to make him the next patriarch or something?"
"I do not know for sure but most likely..."
"And the patriarch? There is no way Wu Tianshui had the power to mobilize you without the patriarch's approval..."
"Of course, that snotty brat is not someone I take orders from. The patriarch does not want this scandal to grow bigger so I was sent by him separately to clean up Wu Tianshui's mess, I also erased the one he sent to hire the Su-In people"
Wu Long nodded while walking, the two following behind him on his sides.
"Young Master... do you not blame me? The poison..."
"You did that so that I would not look like a threat to the ones who viewed me as an obstacle, protecting me. And I already cured the damage, so I am not inconvenienced by it"
Wu Long did not express much emotion at the mention of Butler Bang's past deeds, as they were ultimately his way of protecting him. Without him, it was quite likely Wu Long could have died before even being able to recover the memories of his past life. Butler Bang sighed with relief as that decision was not an easy one to make, but it was definitely the one that kept Wu Long alive for so long.
"How is Mengqi?"
"She is... I don't know. Lately, she has been absent-minded. As if in a daze. She was not as vehemently opposing the marriage recently so Tianshui managed to push for it in the family council..."
Butler Bang said with some hesitation, but to his surprise did not notice any dismay on Wu Long's face.
"Is the Wu family unaware of the Soul Cultivator?"
"...Soul Cultivator?"
When Old Yen timidly asked Butler Bang's eyes flashed with a dangerous light.
"Those sons of..."
"Relax, it seems they did not do a direct manipulation or memory seal since the Patriarch would have noticed, they are just grinding down her will a little to make her more susceptible to persuasion, and probably numbing her memories of me"
Wu Long said as Butler Bang's fury was about to explode, making the jumpy Old Yen almost wet his lower robes.
"Eh? Um... boss..."
Old Yen suddenly took out his communication Jade and his eyes widened.
"They are preparing for the arrival of the prince with the official marriage proposal paperwork"
"How convenient, it seems that I don't even need to seek him out, he will come out on his own"
A cold smile touched Wu Long's face and both of the people behind him felt a slightly suffocating feeling fill the surroundings. Wu Long's aura slightly changed, as if an ancient monster opened its eyes after a deep slumber.
As they sped up, Wu Long sensed from the distance as a procession with an imperial insignia went inside the Wu Family Manor.
When Wu Long's group arrived in front of the manor, Butler Bang went forward.
"What is he going to do?"
Old Yen nervously asked as he could not feel at ease with Butler Bang around.
"What do you mean what I am doing? I am performing a butler's duty of opening up the door for my master"
Butler Bang said, overhearing Old Yen's question, sun reflections appearing in the air around him as he approached the gates to the manor.
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