The Scum Is A

"The antidote is the one you need, right?" Shang He asked and glanced at Cheng Sheng lying on the couch behind Fei Yin. 

Fei Yin and Wu Yuan didn't speak since the answer is obvious. 

Shang He just smiled. "How about I give you another one?" he asked. 

Meng Gui looked at him, surprised. But, Shang He didn't turn to Meng Gui and just looked at Fei Yin and Wu Yuan. 

"What does boss Shang want?" Fei Yin asked. 

"You're not that generous, right?" Wu Yuan asked. 

"Of course not." Shang He spoke. "I am sending my subordinates who are currently with me to Ma Wen's territory – the Heavenly Eye City, and thrash his place." He said. 

Meng Gui froze, while Fei Yin's and Wu Yuan's expressions didn't change. 

"Only to thrash, and not occupy it?" Wu Yuan asked. 

"No." Shang He answered. 

Wu Yuan didn't speak. He doesn't care what happened to these demonic cultivators. 

"How about you?" Fei Yin asked Shang He. 

"Stay here in the Drunken Moon City and wait for my subordinate's report of victory." Shang He carelessly answered as he sipped his drink. 

Meng Gui can't hold back anymore. "So, you really plan to stay here?!" he asked. 

"Yes." Shang He nodded. 

"You – " Meng Gui pressed his lips tight. 

Suddenly, Fei Yin spoke. "Boss Shang and leader Meng are close?" he asked. 

Meng Gui turned to him. 

"Boss Shang will give us another antidote in exchange of us to make up for the numbers of your people who should be helping leader Meng's people fight against Ma Wen's people that are still hiding in the Drunken Moon City…" Fei Yin said. "Am I wrong?" he asked. 

Meng Gui's jaw dropped. 

Shang He shook his head. "No. You are correct." He answered. 

Meng Gui's eyes widened, shocked. He looked at Shang He, stunned. 

Shang He finally turned to him. "What's with that expression?" he asked as he ate a snack. 

"No, you…" Meng Gui stammered. "You're really serious in helping me deal with Meng Gui's people that snuck in my territory?" he asked, staring at Shang He with his eyes filled with disbelief. 

Shang He's brows knitted. He looked at Meng Gui, his face filled with confusion. "You don't believe me?" he asked. 

"No." Meng Gui bluntly answered. 

Shang He's eyes had a flash of pain. "You don't trust me." He said. 

Meng Gui nodded. "I don't." he honestly answered. 

The corners of Shang He's lips were pulled down. "Ah Yan…" he called Meng Gui's nickname. 

Meng Gui's expression changed, as well as Fei Yin's and Wu Yuan's. Meng Gui wore a complicated expression. Fei Yin sported a thoughtful expression as his gaze flitted between Shang He and Meng Gui. Meanwhile, Wu Yuan's expression changed from expressionless to a strange expression. Like he wanted to something, but, in the end, decided to keep it. Instead, he secretly glanced at Shang He, then at Meng Gui, then back to Shang He, and back to Meng Gui, before he lowered his gaze and concentrated on his drink and snacks. His thoughts are unknown. 

Shang He's address and intimate way of addressing Meng Gui answered Fei Yin's question, that's actually not really a question. And, although Fei Yin asked such a question, in which the answer to it is very obvious, but he didn't speak after that since, from Shang He's and Meng Gui's expressions right now, it made his, Wu Yuan's and the comatose Cheng Sheng's presence seem redundant. 

Meng Gui, who is pondering after his conversation with Shang He, the longer the time he ponders, the stranger his expression become. Meanwhile, Shang He, who fell silent after hearing Meng Gui's honest answer earlier, fell into his own thoughts. But, it can be seen that both are immersed in recalling their past. However, one's face is becoming darker as they reminisce, while the other one look somber. 

It is Meng Gui who is sporting a dark face, while Shang He has the somber one, which is unusual. Fei Yin and Wu Yuan, who are bystanders, remained silent. 

"Ah Yan." Shang He broke the silence. 

Hearing the name addressed to him, Meng Gui's face can't be any darker than the bottom of the pot. He looked disgusted, and there's hatred in his eyes. But, Shang He didn't see it since he's still in the process of reminiscing. 

"Why do you hate me?" Shang He asked. 

"No reason." Meng Gui finally answered. 

"'no reason'?" Shang He asked, then he lowered his head. "'no reason'…" he muttered, as if in a daze. "'no reason'." He repeated, and his shoulders slumped. 

Meng Gui, after successfully calming his emotions and exchanged a few words with Shang He, his expression eased and he breathed a sigh of relief. On the other hand, Shang He continued to be silent. His expression, though, now became confused, as if he is entangled with something inexplicable and he couldn't extricate himself. 

"Yin Jun. Qiu Yuan." Meng Gui called. 

Fei Yin and Wu Yuan almost failed to respond when the fake names they gave to Meng Gui were called. Meng Gui must also know that they are fake. But, what they have between all of them is just an interest-driven relationship. 

"I am tired. Let's talk about our business tomorrow." Meng Gui spoke.

"En." Fei Yin answered. 

Meng Gui, although he is itching to leave, nodded and forced a smile. "Thank you for understanding." He spoke, then walked towards the door, opened it, and left without looking back. He is more like escaping. 

And the one he wanted to escape from is the man that was left sitting on the couch across Fei Yin and Wu Yuan. Meng Gui has already left, but Shang He still sits there. 

"Boss?" Shang He's subordinates called to their boss who has fallen in a daze. 

Shang He woke with a start from his daze. He lifted his head and met Fei Yin's and Wu Yuan's gazes. From his conversation with Meng Gui earlier, he knows Fei Yin and Wu Yuan – who obviously are smart people, must have already figured out that he and Meng Gui have a past. It can be seen from Fei Yin's question earlier. 

But, not only Fei Yin stopped with that one question, but he and Wu Yuan didn't look gossipy, nor did they try to pry more information from him. Shang He knows that it's not just because Fei Yin and Wu Yuan are righteous cultivators who are always paying attention to their manners and etiquette. Shang He knows that it is out of respect. 

How generous. Shang He thought and felt a little better now. If Fei Yin and Wu Yuan just looked at him with scrutinizing gazes earlier, he would fall deeper in his memories. And he doesn't want that. There are many things that he doesn't want to remember. And, most of them are concerning Meng Gui. But, the main reason why he wants to forget everything in the past is because – 

"Ah Si? I hate him. So, don't speak his name before me again, you hear me?" 

He closed his eyes tight. These ruthless words were spoken by none other than Meng Gui – or Ah Yan. He could never forget his voice that was always calling him full of affection spoke those words filled with irritation, loathing, and disgust. 

He shook his head. They were so close, very close before. They grew up together, relied on each other, and even saved each other from the fangs of death that are about to bite them, taking their lives. So, how did they become like this? So estranged… stranger to each other than a pair of strangers. 

But, unlike a pair of strangers who can become closer to each other, he and Meng Gui actually are drifting farther from each other, until to the point that they can't see even just the other's silhouette. It was like the other has gone beyond the horizon, and never came back. 

However, Meng Gui came back. But, not on Shang He's life. Since Meng Gui came back with a new name, and as a new person. Shang He almost didn't recognize him, had it not been for Meng Gui's subordinates whom are also Shang He's friends in the past, like Meng Gui. They were also shocked when they saw him. It was then that Shang He realized, the past doesn't matter anymore. Since everyone has changed, and they can never come back to it, nor they can change it. 

All they can do now is live in the present, and move forward. As for the future? Who knows? Or, who cares? They all are bad people, and can die at any time. Why bother themselves with the future? They'll just waste more of their time that they could spend to have fun, to live their life to the fullest. 

Meng Gui… to return (gui) to the dream (meng). But, since the past that seemed like a dream to them was now gone, he can only become a demon (gui) that will either grant you a dream, or crush it.