Chapter 2126 — I Don't Know Him

"No, I don't know him!" Yu Dake ground his teeth and shook his head. "What Yu Xiaoke? I have no younger brother!"

"Heh..." Wei Zhao smiled. "You really are the blindly loyal sort, and not all that sharp besides. No wonder nobody else would enter this thankless match and you volunteered."

"So what if I am?" What Yu Dake cared about now was not his wounds or his life or death, but news of Yu Xiaoke! All these years he had been quietly searching for word of her, yet had found nothing. He was certain he had never mentioned that name to anyone, never even hinted that he had any connection to it... And yet today this man, upon merely hearing his own name, had spoken his sister's.

"For Yu Xiaoke's sake, I'll save your life. Whether you admit it or not is your business." Wei Zhao waved a hand indifferently. Yu Xiaoke had enough pressure in her life as it was; for a brother to suddenly appear, dragging family feuds and old hatreds along with him, would only burden her to death.

So whether this man's sister, Yu Xiaoke, was the same Yu Xiaoke that Wei Zhao knew, he would save him this once. After that, what became of him was no concern of Wei Zhao's.

"Huh?" Yu Dake was stunned. Why would this man save him? Was he not his enemy? Puzzled, he asked, "Aren't you my enemy?"

"When did I ever say I was your enemy? Today is the first time I've laid eyes on you," Wei Zhao said.

"Then this Yu Xiaoke you mentioned..." Yu Dake hesitated, then asked warily, "You know Yu Xiaoke?"

"I know her, but I can't tell you where she is." Wei Zhao's tone was firm. "With this baffling family feud of yours, I don't want her dragged into it."

"That suits me perfectly!" Yu Dake slapped his thigh. "I was just about to say—don't tell her anything about me. These hatreds, I can avenge them alone. I won't drag her down with me. The only reason I want to find her is to be sure she's living well..."

"She's doing very well," Wei Zhao said.

"That's good..." Hearing this, Yu Dake felt as though a weight had lifted from his heart, and he breathed a sigh of relief. "This Yu Xiaoke you speak of—what does she look like?"

"Nothing like you, anyway," Wei Zhao said.

"Uh..." Yu Dake was taken aback, then shook his head. "Naturally. I take after my father—not much to look at, though rugged and manly enough. Xiaoke takes after my mother. She's beautiful..."

"Oh," Wei Zhao answered flatly.

"By the way, what is your relationship with her?" Suddenly Yu Dake's expression tightened, and he looked hard at Wei Zhao.

"None," Wei Zhao said.

"Truly none?" Yu Dake sensed something off, and would not let it go.

"Do you want the Lesser Restoration Pill and the Meridian-Opening Pill or not? If not, get lost!" Wei Zhao said.

"I do... I do..." Yu Dake nodded hurriedly. "Then... do you have a photograph of her? Could I see it?"

"No!" Wei Zhao said.

"Really none..." Yu Dake was somewhat disappointed.

"She's not my wife. Why would I carry her photograph around?" Wei Zhao said, exasperated.

"Then... wait a moment..." Yu Dake said, fishing a pocket watch from his breast. He opened it; on the inside of the lid was a photograph, and in that photograph were two children, a boy and a girl—the boy looked four or five, the girl perhaps only one or two. Handing the watch to Wei Zhao, Yu Dake asked, "Take a look for me—is it her..."

Now that Yu Dake was sure Wei Zhao meant him no harm and was not his enemy, he could scarcely wait to confirm whether the Yu Xiaoke Wei Zhao spoke of was his sister.

"Are you showing me a dirty picture? Your sister isn't wearing a shirt... that's not quite proper!" Wei Zhao said, sweating a little. "A child that small—how am I supposed to recognize her? Do you think I have some special power? Besides, I've never seen your sister without clothes on!"

"..." Yu Dake was momentarily speechless. "A child that small, and your mind goes there. You really are complicated..."

"There's a resemblance," Wei Zhao said. "But I can't be sure. The one thing I can confirm is that the Yu Xiaoke I know is also an orphan."

"Then it should be right..." Yu Dake carefully put the pocket watch away, tucking it close to his body. "Then I can rest easy. Whether it's her or not, I'll hold on to the thought. But whatever you do, don't tell her about me..."

"I've no time for that." With that, Wei Zhao walked with Yu Dake into the temporary lodgings and asked Han Xiaopo for a Meridian-Opening Pill and a Lesser Restoration Pill, which he gave to Yu Dake.

"Many thanks. I'll be off, then. I will repay this generously one day!" Yu Dake cupped his fists in salute and left Wei Zhao's temporary lodgings.

Wei Zhao sighed. Was this what they called cause and effect? He had been moved by Yu Xiaoke, and then had unexpectedly saved Yu Dake? Though it was still uncertain whether this Yu Dake was truly Yu Xiaoke's brother, by the look of things it was almost certainly so.

"Leader, why did you save him? Isn't he a disciple of the hidden You family?" Han Xiaopo had been puzzled for a while, but had waited until Yu Dake was gone to speak.

"Oh, I want to leave a pair of eyes in the hidden You family. Don't go spreading this around." Wei Zhao did not explain further.

"So that's it." Han Xiaopo did not press him on the plan, only said, "Leader, I reckon tonight's event is the single-competitor ring matches. You've only just recovered from your injuries—why don't we forfeit these matches?"

"Quite right. Our hidden Han family has already shone brightly enough, and this old man is well satisfied. The matches to come are tedious—many bouts before a winner emerges. If Mr. Lin does not wish to take part, then he need not," Han Tianba said with a nod.

"We'll see," Wei Zhao said.

By now, not taking part was hardly an option for Wei Zhao. To refuse would make it seem as though he truly were injured, or afraid! Now was the time to establish his authority; the earlier feat of wiping out three Earth Rank fighters in a single move would not buy Wei Zhao much time. These old men were already itching to be rid of him, and if he showed weakness instead of strength, things would likely turn very troublesome once he returned to the mundane world.

"Very well!" Han Xiaopo nodded.

After dinner, the Zhao family disciple arrived as promised and announced, "Is the elder master of the hidden Han family present? The third match of the day—the single-competitor ring challenge—is about to begin. Elder Han, please bring your competing disciples and your stakes to the council hall to register and place your bets!"

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