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墨書 Inktalez
Second Uncle was not angry; he propped himself up on the bed, trying to sit up. However, as soon as he exerted himself, he couldn't help but gasp.
I quickly went over to support him and said, "Don't move around too much; you might end up making your injuries worse. By the way, Gai said you were hit by a shell?"
Second Uncle had a bandage wrapped around his forehead, and there were visible abrasions on his bare arms. I lifted the blanket and saw that half of his chest and his right thigh were tightly wrapped in bandages, while numerous other small wounds covered his body. One could easily imagine the dangerous situation Second Uncle found himself in when the shockwave from the explosion mixed with flying shrapnel. No wonder, despite his usual carefree demeanor, he couldn't help but mention the phrase "dangerous circumstances" to me.
My eyes turned red as I thought about what I would do if Second Uncle really got hurt in Cambodia. He was the link between our family and Grandpa; without Second Uncle, our family might have become complete strangers to Grandpa long ago.
I had always felt dissatisfied with Grandpa regarding this matter. Fighting against Drug Dealer was incredibly dangerous; why did it have to be Second Uncle who took on this task? Even if we didn't use Second Uncle, we could hire someone else. Did it really have to be one of our own for it to count as a success? To Grandpa, the world was something you fought for yourself. The territories conquered by others belonged to them. Just like ancient generals, what good was it to be granted a title if you didn't earn it yourself?
I couldn't understand Grandpa's war mentality, just as I struggled to grasp Second Uncle's business mindset. Their perspectives were so different from mine that it sometimes led to arguments.
However, Second Uncle didn't blame Grandpa; he believed that this was something he had to do. As for why it was him and not Third Brother, it came down to the same reasoning: we are all family, so what difference does it make who goes? Was it acceptable for me to die while Third Brother could live? This line of thinking stemmed from Second Uncle's sense of brotherhood. Although I wasn't very close with Second Uncle, that didn't mean he wasn't familiar with me.
These conflicts could only be attributed to the fact that Grandpa and I had been apart for too long; we had become two different families.
Second Uncle's injuries were not light but also not severe. He was indeed lucky; the shell landed slightly off-target and exploded outside the house. With furniture and walls providing some cushioning, he narrowly escaped with his life. Moreover, despite being closest to the explosion, he sustained the least injuries. Most shrapnel merely grazed him, and even the most serious injury on his ribs was just a small penetrating wound. The only downside was that his hearing might be affected due to the shockwave. However, after a thorough examination, the doctor said that as long as he avoided similar situations in the future and stayed away from loud areas, any hearing loss would not be too severe.
In contrast, those Ajan and local "allies" in Cambodia were less fortunate. Less than a meter away from Second Uncle, a young Guide was struck by a large piece of shrapnel that penetrated his skull, causing his head to explode on impact, scattering brain matter everywhere. There were also others who suffered broken arms and legs; their fates were equally grim.
This incident sparked outrage among the Azhans. They hadn't intended to use such extreme measures; like our usual fights, most who came to help did so with a mindset of just showing off rather than actually wanting to harm anyone. But this close-range attack made the Azhans realize that while they could afford to be lenient with others, they had to be ruthless when dealing with Drug Dealer.
Thus, they took great risks and infiltrated an area less than a hundred meters away from that particular Drug Dealer. Not only did they cast spells but also employed some incomprehensible Evil Arts in their assault. The Drug Dealer had gathered many sorcerers around him as well, but facing the wrath of the Thai Ajarn, they were caught off guard. After blocking one wave of attacks, they began their counteroffensive.
Both sides fought fiercely, filled with resentment, resulting in casualties on both ends.
Fortunately, the Black-Clad Achan from Thailand heard the news and rushed to provide support, alleviating the pressure on their side. These white-clad sorcerers, skilled in dispelling attacks, rendered the enemy's assaults ineffective, as if they had sunk into the sea without causing any ripples.
Two days later, both sides ceased fighting. The Drug Dealer, who had nearly been driven to death by Ajan, could no longer endure the daily fear of being attacked by numerous Evil Arts. He retreated, willing to offer the Dealers a favorable trading environment and claimed he would warn other peers not to trouble the Dealers any longer.
Having achieved their goal, the Dealers decisively stopped the conflict. The expenses incurred from sending so many Ajan were not insignificant; even though it was a collective effort, many felt they were at a loss. In such circumstances, continuing to fight would only backfire. Therefore, Grandpa immediately issued a statement to the Dealers, instructing them to bring all Ajan back. As for the hatred generated from attacks between the two countries' Ajan, that could be addressed later.
Second Uncle was sent back to Thailand before the matter concluded and admitted to one of Bangkok's best hospitals for treatment. Although he wasn't severely injured, some wounds had become infected due to delays. Fortunately, the doctors here were quite skilled and managed to save him just in time.
I listened with my heart racing and couldn't help but complain, "Why didn't you come back immediately after getting hurt? What were you doing there? You can't fight or move; aren't you afraid of dying in a foreign land for nothing?"
Second Uncle smiled and said, "One must see things through to the end; otherwise, it would be embarrassing. I was sent by the old man; I can't let him down. In his words, our family only has warriors who die in battle, not cowards who run away!"
My criticism quickly shifted towards Grandpa as I said, "He's in his seventies and confused; what warriors and cowards? If he were so brave, why did he run away to Thailand in the first place?"
Upon hearing this, Second Uncle's expression hardened as he replied, "Child, watch your words. The old man left because it was necessary; surviving allowed him to achieve what he has today. You mustn't speak of him like that!"
Seeing Second Uncle get angry left me feeling quite frustrated. Necessary... nonsense! It was clearly blind admiration from a son for his father. However, I knew better than to say anything further; otherwise, Second Uncle would be even more displeased. Not wanting to upset him while he was injured, I decided to keep quiet.
Noticing my gloomy demeanor sitting by the bed, Second Uncle eventually said, "Alright now, look at you all downcast. You didn't come here just to criticize me and the old man, did you? Go on and peel me a banana."
I responded with an "oh," stood up, and peeled a banana before handing it over. Second Uncle took it and asked, "What about that drum you mentioned last time? How's that going? Do you want me to find someone to take a look?"
I said it had already been resolved, and Second Uncle was a bit surprised, saying he didn't see that coming. "You little rascal, you have this kind of ability? Who did you find, Ajan?"
I felt a bit smug about this, so I replied, "I won't tell you. Anyway, you have so many channels; you wouldn't even care."
Second Uncle chuckled a few times and didn't ask further. Remembering Hu Xiaoyi's request from before, I asked him if he had any Authentic items that were effective for safety, preferably in the few thousand dollar range, and ideally with special effects against evil spirits. Second Uncle chuckled again and said, "First, let's get that ten thousand back."
I angrily snatched the banana back and ate it in a few bites. Second Uncle was taken aback for a moment and then laughed, saying, "You little guy, you're too stingy; you won't even let someone finish a banana."
I replied, "Don't think that just because you're not helping me, I can't get a good Amulet!"
Second Uncle, being quite shrewd, immediately said, "What’s this? Do you have someone in Thailand?"
I raised my head and said, "In this day and age, no one can get by without connections!"
"Alright then, you handle it yourself. But let me make it clear: if you get scammed, don’t come crying to me. Just like that Azan Hongsha incident last time; it was really laughable," Second Uncle said.
I snorted and didn’t tell Second Uncle the truth. The Potted Amulet that Banrada sent over did indeed have an effect, which meant he wasn't lying to me. Since that was the case, it could only mean that last time's Ling Gui Tu Pai Ying was misjudged by Grandpa and Second Uncle. The reason that little ghost didn’t have any spirit must be because we messed something up.
Such matters I wouldn’t argue with Second Uncle about because it would lead nowhere. At that time, I only had one thought in my mind: when my Amulet business grows big one day, I’ll make sure to surprise all of you! By then, let’s see who dares to look down on me.
It’s quite normal for a young novice to have such naive thoughts. But looking back now, it truly fits the saying: the young bull doesn’t fear the tiger but turns around and dies in the tiger's den!
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