Sin Becomes a God

Chapter 39: The Fox with Ulterior Motives

The room, measuring over thirty square meters, was well-ventilated and dry, containing nothing but a bed and a table. The sparse furnishings seemed to reflect the “Brotherhood’s” ascetic lifestyle. Though simple, the room exuded an air of rustic, time-worn charm. When mealtime came, a knock sounded at the door. A voice with a distinct Russian accent called out from outside: “Lu… it’s time to eat…” Lu Renjia, who had been sitting cross-legged on the bed practicing the *Nine Yang Divine Art*, slowly opened his eyes. He glanced at the setting sun, which had already dipped below the horizon, and mused, “In these mountains, time stands still; as winter fades, I lose track of the years… The path of martial arts is indeed long and arduous…” Exhaling a breath of stale air, Lu Renjia got out of bed and opened the door. The Russian’s good-natured smile stirred a sense of doubt in Lu Renjia’s heart. Before coming here, Lu Renjia had watched the movie *The Assassin’s Alliance* more than ten times. He remembered that while Wesley Gibson was recovering from his injuries, the Russian had once held up a mouse to demonstrate the power of a mouse bomb to Wesley Gibson, adding, “This is your father’s masterpiece…” This suggested that this good-natured Russian had long been aware of Sloan’s tampering with the commands issued by the “Loom of Fate.” If so, the Russian might be an accomplice left behind by “The Cross” within “The Brotherhood.” No wonder, then, that the moment the Russian man fell, a look of regret flashed across his face. Realizing this, Lu Renjia wore an amused smile. “Is it time for dinner? By the way… why didn’t your ‘Brotherhood’ send any exchange students to China last time?” If “Cross” hadn’t defected, then he must have been the one representing the “Brotherhood” in China last time. Upon hearing Lu Renjia mention “Cross,” the Russian’s expression froze. Although his good-natured smile remained unchanged, the sharp-witted Lu Renjia was startled to discover that the Russian’s pupils had contracted seventeen times in just two or three seconds. “Has he activated ‘Assassin’s Heart’? This guy is no ordinary person. If Fox gains superhuman speed after activating ‘Assassin’s Heart,’ then what this Russian gains from it must be the ability to process information at lightning speed… In that case, the effects of ‘Assassin’s Heart’ must vary from person to person…” Lu Renjia thought to himself. “Oh… you mean that…” the Russian muttered, his eyes glinting with a sly smile as he cast a furtive glance around. Upon seeing that no one was watching, he put on a cautious expression and said, “I’ll let you in on a secret… but don’t say I told you, okay? Originally, our ‘Brotherhood’ planned to send ‘Cross’—the most gifted assassin in centuries—to China as an exchange student… but there was a hitch… so we didn’t send an exchange student last time…” “‘Cross’? The most talented assassin in centuries?” Lu Renjia asked, feigning ignorance. “That’s right… the Gunsmith, the Butcher, the Repairman, ‘The Cross,’ and Fox… that is, Fox. Those five were originally candidates for the next leader…Of the five, the Gunsmith had the best marksmanship; the Butcher’s knife skills were unmatched throughout the entire ‘Brotherhood’; the Repairman’s grip strength was said to reach 1. 5 metric tons; and Fox’s speed, just like her nickname ‘Fox,’ was as swift as a cunning fox…But “Cross” is the most well-rounded of them all… which is why “Cross” has the best chance among the five of them…” the Russian said slowly. Lu Renjia was taken aback; he hadn’t expected the Russian to go into such detail about the specific abilities of the Gunsmith, the Butcher, the Mechanic, and Fox. But upon reflection, he understood the reasoning behind it. “Hmph… This Russian must know that my organization and the ‘Brotherhood’ are at odds beneath a veneer of unity, so he’s planning to use me to eliminate the ‘Brotherhood,’ isn’t he? He described the other four so clearly, yet only mentioned ‘Cross’ in passing? No… ‘Cross’ isn’t just the most well-rounded in terms of ability—he’s also the best at hiding! Even though he’s just across the street from Wesley Gibson’s residence, Sloan and the others still couldn’t discover his hideout… And ‘beyond-line-of-sight sniping’ is one of his trump cards…” Lu Renjia nodded thoughtfully, then smiled and said, “Let’s go… I haven’t eaten much all day… I wonder what’s for dinner tonight?” Upon hearing Lu Renjia’s words, the Russian’s brow was creased with a smile, but the fleeting glimpse of disappointment in his eyes didn’t escape Lu Renjia’s notice. After all, the Russian had been so attentive, hoping Lu Renjia would pick up on the hint and ask why “The Cross” wasn’t among the “Brotherhood”—only to find that Lu Renjia completely ignored the topic and instead asked about dinner. With an awkward smile, the Russian man counted on his fingers as he said, “Sloan knows you’re from China, so he had the chef prepare quite a few Chinese dishes tonight… roast pork… fried rice…” Following the Russian man, Lu Renjia entered the staff cafeteria. Using the textile factory as a cover, the members of the “Brotherhood” blended in like ordinary employees, each holding a tray and lining up to get their meals. Fox, the Gunsmith, the Repairman, and the Butcher—the four assassins in the “Brotherhood” second only to “The Cross”—stood out like a sore thumb. While the other tables were seated with at least ten or more people, their table had only the four of them. Sloan, meanwhile, had changed into a white lab coat and was slicing the golden-orange roast pork. Seeing Lu Renjia walk into the dining hall chatting and laughing with the Russians, Sloan raised his hand and smiled. “I knew you were coming today, so I made some pork-and-green-onion dumplings especially for you… This is a recipe Li taught me back in the day…” Looking at his warm smile, Lu Renjia replied with a smile of his own, “Thank you for your hospitality… Mr. Sloan…” With that, Lu Renjia picked up a tray and joined the line. Seeing that Lu Renjia wasn’t cutting in line but was dutifully standing at the very back of the line, Sloan couldn’t help but nod to himself. “It seems Li has trained a fine disciple… Someone who knows how to follow the rules can survive no matter where they go…” Now, thanks to the “Marrow-Cleansing Pill”—which accelerated his cultivation by fifty times—Lu Renjia had fully unblocked all twelve main meridians in his body, advancing to the late stage of a second-tier martial artist. He was just a hair’s breadth away from becoming a first-tier martial artist, so his daily appetite was growing exponentially. After filling a plate to the brim with dumplings, Lu Renjia also picked out about ten pieces of roast pork—crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Fox looked at the portion on Lu Renjia’s plate—enough to feed nearly three people—and muttered under his breath, “This guy really can eat like a horse…” His brown eyes glanced at the repairman sitting at the same table; a plan formed as he raised an eyebrow, and he beckoned to Lu Renjia, “Lu… come sit over here! There’s an empty seat…” The repairman, who had been eating with his head down, couldn’t help but look up. As he watched Lu Renjia sit down with a plate of food nearly enough for three people, his piercing eyes shot a defiant glare his way. Seeing that he’d piqued the repairman’s fighting spirit, Fox chuckled softly and said pointedly, “Lu… Do you Chinese martial artists really eat that much at every meal? No wonder you’re so strong…” From the very moment they met, Fox had struck without warning—a clear sign that this woman was no pushover. Considering how the Russian had deliberately triggered the “Assassin’s Heart” in the repairman, the gunsmith, the butcher, and Fox, each revealing their distinct traits, Lu Renjia smiled thoughtfully. “More or less… After all, martial artists burn through energy much faster than ordinary people…”As he spoke, Lu Renjia glared right back at the repairman without flinching, despite the man’s defiant stare. “Pfft… Pigs eat even more, but that doesn’t mean a pig is stronger than me,” the repairman said dismissively. “I can’t argue with that—after all, you’re comparing yourself to your own kind, and I don’t want to get involved…” Lu Renjia said nonchalantly. The gunsmith and the butcher, who had been quietly eating, couldn’t help but burst out laughing upon hearing Lu Renjia’s sharp retort. Fox hadn’t expected Lu Renjia to be so sharp-tongued; he held back a mischievous grin as he watched the repairman, who was already seething with rage. “Thud…” came a dull thud. The repairman punched the stainless steel tabletop, denting it and leaving a huge hole. “If you’re a man, let your fists do the talking… Unless you’re the type to pee standing up, in which case you can keep arguing with that bird’s beak of yours…” the repairman growled. Lu Renjia lazily raised his eyes. In the world of *The Legend of the Condor Heroes: The Demon Cult Leader*, he was the Demon Cult Leader who had slain over a thousand enemies and commanded the respect of all the heroes. A faint aura of a superior figure emanated from him as Lu Renjia said softly, ““As an exchange student… I came to the ‘Brotherhood’ with a genuine desire to learn. How can we compare? I’d also like to see just how strong the man known as the ‘Brotherhood’s’ strongest is!” Fox, whose scheme had succeeded, glanced at Sloan. Seeing that he hadn’t spoken up to stop him, the smile on his face grew even broader. Beating the Mechanic to the punch, he said, “This contest should be quite interesting… Since you’ve come to America, why not do it the ‘Brotherhood’ way…” Recalling the scene from the original timeline where Wesley Gibson was tied to a stool and “repaired” by the Mechanic, Lu Renjia looked at the malicious grin on Fox’s face and sneered inwardly, “A guest from afar… I’m a guest here—shouldn’t we follow the customs of our homeland, China? A contest in the ring… that’s the simplest and fairest way…” But just then, Sloan spoke up with a laugh: “While it’s true that you’re a guest from afar, I recall there’s another saying in your Chinese culture: ‘When in Rome, do as the Romans do.’ Since you’re going to be spending a month here at our ‘Brotherhood’ for an exchange and study program… why not experience the atmosphere of our ‘Brotherhood’? Let’s just follow our ‘Brotherhood’s’ rules…Rest assured, our two organizations have shared a friendship spanning over a century… Moreover, our ‘Brotherhood’s’ healing herbal baths are in no way inferior to your organization’s medical treatments… Even if you’re injured, you’ll be fully recovered in just three to five days…” As soon as Sloan, the leader of the “Brotherhood,” spoke, everyone in the dining hall erupted into a deafening uproar.