BXBX NOVEL Chapter 188 Zhong Xi
The name elicited an intense reaction from Feng Yan. He stopped eating. With a slightly emotional voice, he asked, "The one-armed teen?"
Chu Kuang nodded. Feng Yan leaned back in his chair as he remembered the reason Zhong Xi had lost his arm.
Ikasa was confused as to who they were talking about.
"Was it someone from your City guard team?" He asked, seeing their somber reactions.
Feng Yan shook his head. "He is a teen we recruited in Birch City."
Chu Kuang supplemented the answer and provided Ikasa with more clues that would help him pinpoint the identity of the person in question.
"Remember the grandma whose store we brought to set up the Manual Shop in this City?"
Ikasa clearly remembered the Grandma who had begged him to employ her grandson. She had been the one who had provided Ikasa the solution for the lack of recruitment to his Private Force.
Seeing Ikasa nod, Chu Kuang said, "Zhong Xi is the grandson of that old woman. After he lost his arm, he has been learning arithmetics from his father and grandmother."
"Oh! That boy?"
The memories of a big burly boy standing next to his short and fragile grandmother surfaced in his mind.
He was only seventeen and yet his muscles were more pronounced than many of the City Guards. Next to his grandmother, he looked like a giant!
In his memories, the teen had both his arms intact, so why were they calling him one armed teen?
"How did he lose his arm?"
Ikasa asked with concern in his voice. This time Feng Yan answered.
"He lost his arm while trying to save me."
His voice had returned to normal but his eyes still exposed the guilt in his heart.
"Save you? How would a kid in the Path Forging realm save you?"
Ikasa asked, baffled. One was a Sense Trainer with plenty of battle experience while the other was just a teen who had not been into many fights!
Feng Yan took a long breath and began to explain the circumstances in which he needed to be saved.
"When City Lord and you were trapped inside the Hu Clan, Hu Bei attacked us…."
He recounted the fight outside the Hu Clan to Ikasa. Feng Yan embellished some facts and exaggerated some events to make Zhong Xi and himself look good.
Ikasa had known the Commander of Gold Heart Guardians long enough to be able to see through his bullshit. He summarized the entire encounter in one sentence.
"So, Hu Bei slashed at you, and Zhong Xi stepped in to save you?"
Feng Yan noticed the piercing gaze from Ikasa and swallowed the words on his tongue. He did not argue and mutely nodded his head, agreeing with the young man's summary.
Ikasa was plagued by another problem. He thought that he was reported to most of the events happening in the Gold Heart Business Group.
He reproachfully asked Feng Yan, "How come I didn't know about the incident until today?"
"We had sent him to the Physician to get his arm reattached immediately after the fight. So, you did not see him when you walked with the troops later."
"Then why didn't you tell me about this?"
Feng Yan avoided Ikasa's eyes and stayed silent. This meant that Feng Yan had forgotten to make a report about it.
Ikasa pinched his forehead and closed his eyes for a moment. He opened his eyes and asked quietly, "What about the compensation amount?"
The old man jumped at the opportunity to prove his competence.
"I gave him 100 gold and had him retire from the Gold Heart Guardians."
Chu Kuang looked confused as that was not the right amount for the permanently disabled. Also, the supposed compensation was not recorded in his book of finances.
Seeing this, Ikasa had an urge to palm his face.
Feng Yan was a great military commander. He was charismatic and could easily earn the respect of his soldiers but the paperwork was his bane.
Ikasa realized this earlier but he ignored it because he was busy with other matters.
However, the mistakes were piling up and he could not afford his sloppy paperwork as the GHBG grew in size.
Ikasa decided that Feng Yan needed a babysitter to handle the administrative aspect of his job.
"Uncle Chu, find a few administrative aides for Commander Feng. They will look after all the paperwork. Their salaries will be deducted from the Commander's."
Ikasa requested Chu Kuang while glaring at Feng Yan.
The Advanced stage Sense Trainer looked appalled by Ikasa's decision. Still, he could not protest after having his mistakes exposed. He had to accept this decision quietly.
"Also, how much less did Commander Feng pay Zhong Xi?" Ikasa asked Chu Kuang.
"We had decided on a standard pay of 300 gold for any permanently disabled member and 1000 gold for a casualty."
The young man nodded his head.
"We will go over to Zhong Xi's house tomorrow and offer him the job as well as pay him the remaining 200 gold."
Just as Chu Kuang was about to close his books, Ikasa stopped him.
"Also, give 100 gold to Commander Feng. This foolish old man must've compensated Zhong Xi from his own pocket."
Chu Kuang's lips twitched as he remembered his days when he was the Vice Captain of Feng Yan's team.
Even though the compensation from the City Guards was generous, Feng Yan always made sure to add a few gold coins from his own pocket for the family of the deceased or disabled.
This was the only reason why forty members of his team stormed the Wei Family manor and decided to follow Feng Yan to the slums.
It was because they knew their families would be looked after if something were to happen to them. Their trust in Feng Yan was that solid.
Chu Kuang nodded to Ikasa.
Few leaders truly cared about their subordinates. Even fewer understood the capabilities and tendencies of those in their employ.
In Chu Kuang's eyes, Feng Yan fit the first criteria while Ikasa fit both. The bald man considered himself lucky to have met such leaders and for receiving an opportunity to serve them.
Chu Kuang bade everyone night and stood up. When he turned to leave, a wide smile was on his lips but his eyes were misty from emotion.
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"Grandmother, I swear I will be back without any injuries! I can't just stay in this dormitory all day!"
Zhong Xi tried to convince his grandmother. He had a backpack over his shoulder and a staff in his hand. From his clothes, it seemed like he was about to enter the forest.
"I forbid you, Zhong Xi! The forest is dangerous. Many able-bodied men have died out there, how will you be safe?"
Though the older woman spared the words, her glance toward his missing left arm conveyed everything. A bitter smile formed on the teenager's face as he noticed her gaze.
Zhong Xi did not resent anyone nor did he regret his actions. Before he met Ikasa, he was roaming the forests to gather medicinal herbs so that he could cure his father's injuries.
The injuries that goons from the Hu Clan had inflicted.
When his grandmother brought him to Ikasa, he was offered a chance for revenge. Ikasa had also promised to help cure his father and he had kept it.
Sister Xin Ruo had brought them to Physician Leong and paid for the medicines until his father recovered. Since then, Zhong Xi had sworn his loyalty to Ikasa.
He was prepared to sacrifice his life against the Sense Trainer Hu Bei. So, he considered himself lucky to have lost just his arm.
Still, he was in his teens, his prime. He enjoyed time with his family but staying home all the time made him restless. He felt like he was living on someone else's pity money.
Zhong Xi learned arithmetics, hoping to reopen their shop. In their shop, they used to sell lac and other forest products.
Zhong Xi knew where to find them from his numerous trips to the forest. He decided to gather some and build a stock of goods.
But when he was about to leave, he was caught by his grandmother. The teenager could not bear to see tears streaming from her eyes.
With his one good hand, Zhong Xi wiped the tears.
"Grandma, how will I find you a beautiful Granddaughter-in-law if I am a useless bum? Please, don't worry, and let me go. With your blessing, not even a hair on my body will be harmed."
The grandmother cupped the stubbled face of the teenager. She was not coaxed by his words. Her eyes kept glancing at his missing arm.
She shook her head violently.
"No! I brought harm to you. I asked you to find a safe job but you enrolled in some private force. It is my fault I introduced you to that man. While I am alive, I don't want to see any more harm come to you."
The old lady did not budge from her place and blocked Zhong Xi's way out.
"Grandmother, don't blame Boss Ikasa. He is the reason we have a safe place to live and good food to eat. He also treated my father when he didn't have to. I am very grateful to him."
Upon being reminded of the things Ikasa had done for them, the resentment in the old lady's eyes diminished. Still, she blamed Ikasa and herself for Zhong Xi's missing arm.
Just as Zhong Xi was about to speak more, a mellow voice sounded from outside their dormitory room.
"I am glad to hear you are grateful to me, Zhong Xi. Because I have a job offer for you."