The Scum Is A

"WHAT?!" Li Tian and Feng Mo exclaimed after they heard what he said.

Lei Qing was also shocked. "Cheng-shidi, are you sure?" she asked.

"Ah Sheng… but it was agreed that the one who got the neither longest nor the shortest stick would go first…" Chen Han said.

The others nodded in agreement.

"But, what if they don't want to uphold that agreement?" Cheng Sheng spoke.

"What?!" they exclaimed.

"Don't take this matter seriously for now. They are just kids. It is fine to be competitive." Cheng Sheng chuckled.

They all looked at each other.

"But, how did you know that it wasn't him who got the neither longest nor shortest stick?" Kang Ce asked.

"Don't you think that something is missing?" Cheng Sheng asked.

"Huh?" they muttered and turned.

Qian Tian's eyes narrowed. "You mean, the one who should appear there didn't appear?" he asked. "The one who got the neither longest nor shortest stick also didn't uphold the agreement?" he added.

"That's right." Cheng Sheng smiled.

"But, this still doesn't explain why Wu Tie had the longest stick." Jing Cheng spoke. "It could be that he is really there at the right place and right time. That he got the neither longest nor shortest stick, so no one should appear there aside from him and Jin Yu." He explained.

The others nodded in agreement.

"Because all of them are playing very carefully." Cheng Sheng answered.

"Huh?" they looked at him.

"Even if the game Chen Wu proposed won't expose their identity as the one who got which stick, as I said – " Cheng Sheng looked at them. " – they are more apprehensive than what they show. Because not only they are the leaders of their groups, they also have things they care more than their position as a leader." He explained.

They were stunned and then fell silent. That's right… Fei Luo is the leader of the Shanliangde Sect disciples, and Chen Wu for the Xinfaxian Sect and Youxiwang Sect, as the eldest of the two groups. Then, there is Wu Tie who is leading Jin Yu.

"So, Wu Tie struck first because he badly wanted to win?" Xi Ming asked. "What if he would ran into the one who should be there instead of him?" he said.

"He won't. Because he already expected that the other two would act this way." Cheng Sheng answered.

"What?!" they exclaimed and looked at him in shock.

"Then… that game was meaningless?" Qian Lin said.

"No." Cheng Sheng answered. "On the contrary, that game is what they needed." He told them.

"Huh?" they looked at him in befuddlement.

"They needed to use something as a cover-up for their real plan." Fei Yin told them.

"… 'real plan'?" they muttered in a daze.

Fei Yin nodded and looked at Cheng Sheng.

"Da shixiong… what are you looking at me for?" Cheng Sheng smiled. "I am not a parasite that lives in their stomachs to know what they are thinking." He said.

Everyone. "…"

Fei Yin just chuckled. "I also don't know what they are planning, but judging the way they acted, they do have a plan." He told them.

The others nodded in understanding.

"But, why is it that Wu Tie got the longest stick?" Jing Hei asked. "And, what about Chen Wu and Fei Luo?" he added.

The others turned back to Cheng Sheng. They remembered that Cheng Sheng said earlier that at this hour he will know who got which stick, as soon as the first person shows up.

"Because the one who got the shortest stick still is upholding the agreement that it isn't his turn, while the other one who got the neither the longest nor the shortest stick, although was decided to be the first one to fight xiao Bao and xiao Ling, can still choose to not go, right?" Cheng Sheng asked. "That doesn't break the agreement." He told them.

Fei Yin nodded in agreement. "That is taking advantage of the loophole." He added.

Everyone. "…" he fcking got a point… they thought, feeling that their IQ was crushed.

"But, Wu Tie is really lucky that he managed to guess the Chen Wu's and Fei Luo's thoughts." Cheng Sheng continued. "He knows that the either of the two got the neither the longest nor the shortest stick since he knows that he got the longest one. And the two are apprehensive because they carry many people on their shoulders, so they wouldn't act according to the game and took advantage of the loophole because they have another plan." He explained. "Although Wu Tie may or may not know of the two's other plans, it is enough for him to sense that the two don't have the intention to be the first to fight against xiao Bao and xiao Ling. Thus, he acted." He finished.

A long silence passed as they all processed what Cheng Sheng said.

"Then, what about Chen Wu and Fei Luo? Which stick did they get?" Zheng Yi asked.

"This…" Cheng Sheng suddenly grinned.

Everyone shuddered when they saw him looked at Chen Wu's and Fei Luo's figures being displayed by the Cleansing Stone.

"Fei Luo got the neither the longest nor the shortest stick while Chen Wu got the shortest stick." Cheng Sheng answered.

Their eyes widened in shock. "What?!" they exclaimed.

Xi Ming coughed. "Cheng Sheng…" he called. "Fei Luo is the most upright disciple of our sect. He wouldn't break any rules, including verbal agreements." He explained.

They all looked at him.

Cheng Sheng's brows raised. "And this is why I said that they only took advantage of the game's loophole." He said. "Also, it wasn't Fei Luo who decided this. It was Sun Yan." He told them.

"… what?!" they all looked at Sun Yi who smiled.

"Junior Cheng… you really love to expose everyone." Sun Yi said and helplessly said.

"Because your nephew is trying to outsmart me." Cheng Sheng answered.

Everyone. "…" that is just you overthinking! They all thought.

…

Sun Yan, who got exposed by Cheng Sheng, was talking with Xi Bing.

"Why didn't you two show up?" Xi Bing calmly asked. He didn't get mad since he knows how careful Sun Yan is.

If he did or didn't do something, there is a reason for it.

As expected, Sun Yan did have a reason. "Fei Luo's not in his top condition." He answered and looked at Fei Luo who sat woodenly on the ground while Fei Huo chatted with him.

Xi Bing fell silent. "… due to Fei Huo?" he asked.

Sun Yan didn't answer, which is confirming what Xi Bing said. "It is not that he doesn't trust you." He told Xi Bing.

"I know." Xi Bing spoke. "He just feels uncomfortable without Fei Huo around." He said.

Sun Yan fell silent as he looked at the Fei brothers. "Five years ago." He said with a sigh in his voice.

Xi Bing's expression changed. Five years ago, everyone saw how devastated Fei Lin was for losing not only his uncle, Fei Huang, but also Fei Yin. Fei Luo's mind matured early as the eldest child. Thus, he has seen Fei Lin's depression of losing his family.

The Fei family doesn't raise their children. Instead, they let their children grow on their own. Thus, the children began to rely on their siblings, increasing their affection, and also dependence, to each other. This is why Fei Lin was more affected when he lost Fei Yin than when Fei Huang died. And his period of depression was seen by Fei Luo, thus Fei Luo became secretly scared to become like Fei Lin and lose his brother Fei Huo. Although Fei Luo looked cold, he is actually very affectionate of his younger brother Fei Huo.

Really a tsundere. So, he is actually very scared to lose Fei Huo to the point of feeling apprehensive without Fei Huo around. Sun Yan has seen this today. Thus, he advised Fei Luo to not go earlier to fight against xiao Bao and xiao Ling and just wait for tomorrow for xiao Bao and xiao Ling to attack them.

"Sun Yan." Xi Bing called.

"What?" Sun Yan asked.

"I am afraid that this time difference…" Xi Bing frowned.

One day… they have to wait until tomorrow. Many things can happen in just one day.

Sun Yan also understood. "I am sorry. But, I can't let Fei Luo fight against xiao Bao and xiao Ling with his state." He said.

Xi Bing, fortunately, isn't a bad person. "I know." He said. "Take this as me considering him as Fei Huo's family." He told him.

"Thank you." Sun Yan sighed in relief. Then, he looked around. "Where is Xi He?" he asked when he didn't saw the other.

"Ah, this…" Xi Bing's brows knitted. "He is going to do something stupid again." He frowned.

"What is it?" Sun Yan asked.

"He has been tailing Wu Tie." Xi Bing answered.

Hearing this answer, Sun Yan's expression didn't look good. "If he will attack Wu Tie at this time, attacking xiao Bao and xiao Ling, Xi He will…" he looked at Xi Bing.

Xi Bing nodded. "He will just be helping Wu Tie and Jin Yu gain a 'helper'." He said.

"Wu Tie should have calculated this to happen.." Sun Yan sighed in defeat.