Chapter 238: Wang Tianshuang's Meeting Gift
Cooperation?
Bai Zhi had been drawn into Wang Tianshuang's story, but Zhou Fan's voice snapped her back to her senses. She looked at Wang Tianshuang, her eyes now guarded.
'This man managed to draw me in with just a story. Whether it's true or not, he's far too dangerous. If he had decided to attack then, I don't think I would have survived!'
"Yes, I wish to cooperate with Mr. Zhou. The Wang Family and the Elder Witch are our common enemies. These seven people are my token of sincerity for this partnership."
Wang Tianshuang paused, startled. A sharp glint flashed in the depths of his eyes. He hadn't expected Zhou Fan to be so clear-headed; it was a surprise.
"This token of sincerity seems a bit lacking, don't you think? And after I went to all the trouble of calling you 'Eldest Young Master Wang' so many times," Zhou Fan said, the corners of his mouth lifting in a mocking smirk. He tapped his fingers lightly and rhythmically on the tabletop as he watched Wang Tianshuang.
'This man is no simple character. Whether he's sincere about this cooperation or not, judging by his words and his skills, he's in a completely different league from Wang Tianhao.'
"If you don't mind, Mr. Zhou, you can call me Tianshuang. As for my token of sincerity, I believe it's quite substantial. After all, these are all masters who work for the Great Madam." Wang Tianshuang smiled faintly, not at all flustered by Zhou Fan's words and remaining perfectly composed.
"Xiaowang, just listen to yourself. Aren't you blatantly trying to take advantage of me?" Zhou Fan said, calling him Xiaowang in a patronizing, fatherly tone. Wang Tianshuang's mouth twitched, and beside them, Bai Zhi nearly burst out laughing.
"First of all, we're not just strangers; we're enemies. You say you and Wang Tianhao weren't on good terms, but that's just your side of the story, isn't it? I have no way of verifying that. What if this is all just an excuse to get close to me so you can make a move on the people I care about?"
"Secondly, these few people are hardly worthy of being a token of sincerity. I wouldn't even have to lift a finger. This beautiful lady right here could take care of them easily!" Zhou Fan boasted shamelessly, making Bai Zhi blush a little. 'If it were one-on-one,' she thought, 'I could take down any single one of them. I could even win a two-on-one fight against Uncle Fu and Auntie Fu. But against three... I'd probably get injured even if I won!'
'Let alone all seven of them!'
Bai Zhi desperately wanted to say, 'Brag all you want, but leave me out of it!' However, for the sake of the bigger picture, she had no choice but to accept the praise. She even shot a haughty glance at Wang Tianshuang.
Wang Tianshuang, for his part, curled his lip in disdain. 'This Zhou Fan really knows how to talk big. I haven't just been eating and sleeping these past few days in Nanjiang City. I've investigated everyone around him. I have a decent grasp of Bai Zhi's combat prowess. I know she's from Dark Night and strong enough to have killed their Number 5, but these seven are no pushovers either!'
'One against seven? You must be dreaming.'
"And finally, you yourself said your Wang Family is working with the Elder Witch. It's not just the Great Madam you can't beat; I'm guessing you're no match for your own father, Wang Feilong, either. There are probably others in the Wang Family who are stronger than you, too. That's why you seized this chance to get away and come to Nanjiang City, looking for a new opportunity."
"Which means if I agree to work with you, I'll be facing countless, even more powerful enemies. So, do you really think this qualifies as a token of sincerity? Not a chance."
After he finished speaking, Zhou Fan lit a cigarette. He took a long, satisfying drag before blowing out a perfect smoke ring, a smile playing on his lips as he looked at Wang Tianshuang.
CLAP! CLAP!
This time, Wang Tianshuang didn't argue with Zhou Fan's assessment. Instead, he simply smiled and began to applaud, leaving Bai Zhi stunned. Her right hand instinctively went to the dagger at her waist, ready in case he tried to pull something.
"You truly live up to your reputation as the Nether King of Weizhen International. I'm impressed. Wang Tianhao's death at your hands was his own fault for being blind and offending someone he never should have crossed." Wang Tianshuang continued with a smile, seemingly oblivious to Bai Zhi's movement. "Honestly, if you, Zhou Fan, had simply agreed to my proposal just now, I wouldn't have actually worked with you. Instead, I would have found an opportunity to kill you."
WHOOSH! Bai Zhi shot up from her chair, glaring daggers at Wang Tianshuang. But Zhou Fan pulled her back down, signaling for her to calm down.
"I know exactly how strong my enemies are. So strong that even with the few Deadpools I've secretly trained, I have no confidence I can succeed. Especially the Great Madam—her power is immense. Before I ever saw the Elder Witch fight, she was the strongest person I had ever met. Even Dragon Soul's Vermilion Bird couldn't last ten moves against her."
"But after hearing what you had to say, Mr. Zhou, I've decided to truly partner with you," Wang Tianshuang said, full of confidence and seemingly unconcerned that Zhou Fan might refuse. "Of course, we can forget the token of sincerity. But as for a first-meeting gift, I've prepared a very generous one!"