Chapter 147: Maternal Uncle

No matter how Tang Xingxiong threatened him, even bringing up the computer person at the end, Zhang Wenda's uncle didn't seem scared at all. He just kept up his playful, cheeky demeanor.

No matter what Tang Xingxiong said, he would somehow steer the conversation back to their "relationship," as if he could connect the explosion of the Earth itself to their shared history.

Seeing Tang Xingxiong get angrier and angrier, he and his group of friends even started shouting and jeering playfully.

At his uncle's continued teasing, even the hostages from Bureau 507 couldn't help but laugh, completely shattering the tense atmosphere.

Zhang Wenda found the scene incredibly bizarre. The supposedly inscrutable Tang Xingxiong now looked like she was fuming with impotent rage. And Liu Jianming, the man Hu Maomao had described as "bold and meticulous," showed no signs of meticulousness at all, just joining in the ruckus like a child.

Both Liu Jianming and Tang Xingxiong seemed like completely different people in front of his uncle.

It was as if they had known each other for a very, very long time and were just trading harmless jokes among old friends.

Zhang Wenda even suspected his uncle was secretly using some kind of Domain Skill to achieve this, but no. He was just extremely familiar with these people.

'It's clear my uncle really has a lot of pull here in the Big Circle,' Zhang Wenda thought. 'I wonder if he actually possesses the power of the Face-Face Fruit.'

However, the farce didn't last long. A flurry of dense footsteps echoed as a group of people in black combat gear emerged from the tunnels on all sides, instantly surrounding them.

Zhang Wenda saw the three-line insignia on everyone's chest. They were clearly from the Third Line. In such a short time, they had finally arrived.

Seeing this, Zhang Wenda first breathed a sigh of relief—Teacher Rabbit was safe. But immediately after, he grew tense again, starting to worry about his uncle's safety.

But in the next second, Tang Xingxiong's Crow plunged the area into darkness once more. With perfect coordination, everyone present moved at the same time, unleashing their various abilities in concert.

For a moment, the darkness was filled with endless cries of alarm and screams of pain.

Before Zhang Wenda could even react, light returned to his eyes, and he found himself standing on a busy street crowded with people.

Just then, an arm hooked around Zhang Wenda's neck. "Let's go. Hungry? Let's get something to eat," his uncle said with a cheerful laugh.

He said it so casually, as if they had just stopped to buy some groceries on the way.

After speaking, he enthusiastically led everyone toward a nearby barbecue stand. Tang Xingxiong was with them too.

Even though she had a cold expression on her face, she still followed along with the others.

"CLANG!" Two beer bottles clinked together heavily, white foam erupting from the mouths and mixing in the air.

"Come on! Drink! It's been too long. Let's you and I down one in a single go!"

At the table, Liu Jianming and the uncle had their arms slung around each other's shoulders. As if they were a bride and groom sharing a wedding toast, one poured beer into the other's mouth, while the other poured it into the tube connected to his friend.

The others were raucously cheering them on.

But Zhang Wenda wasn't sitting with them. He was at the kids' table, a bottle of Wahaha in front of him.

Looking at the lively main table, Zhang Wenda had the strange feeling that they were truly just a group of old friends having a reunion dinner.

But seeing Tang Xingxiong also at the table, Zhang Wenda just couldn't understand it. How did they end up drinking together? 'Is there really no problem in this world that can't be solved over some barbecue?'

Zhang Wenda shot a questioning look at Hu Maomao, who was also sitting at the kids' table, but the other just kept his head down and focused on eating, offering no response.

"Hey, I don't get it. What exactly is their relationship? You've been with Tang Xingxiong for so long, do you know?" Zhang Wenda turned to Saber, who was sitting next to Hu Maomao.

Saber didn't say a word, merely grinding the barbecue skewer between his metal teeth until sparks flew.

Zhang Wenda could tell that Hu Maomao's happiness was genuine, not faked. Even Tang Xingxiong, despite her cold expression, was still sitting to his uncle's left.

The meal lasted a long time, only ending after his uncle had thrown up for the third time. Everyone's face was flushed, and they had all drunk to their heart's content.

A couple of hours later, after a lot of idle chatter, the others gradually dispersed. Even Tang Xingxiong left, not sparing Zhang Wenda a single glance before she went.

"BLEGHH~" Leaning against a wall, his uncle held the tube sticking out of his body and sprayed vomit onto the roadside flowers as if he were taking a piss.

Zhang Wenda stood beside him, holding him steady while gently patting his back.

Meanwhile, Song Jianguo stood nearby, happily drinking the Wahaha that Zhang Wenda hadn't touched. 'This stuff is delicious. Besides chili peppers, I've found a new favorite.'

"If you can't handle it, you shouldn't drink so much," Zhang Wenda said.

His uncle, having recovered a bit, wiped the tube with his shirt and said, "Sigh, they're all my brothers. It's rare we get to see each other. I was happy."

"Tang Xingxiong too?" Zhang Wenda asked, thinking of the woman.

His uncle waved his hand dismissively. "It's fine. From now on, as long as you don't provoke her, she won't bother you."

Looking at his dearest uncle and thinking about how he had just gotten him out of that mess, Zhang Wenda remembered his agreement with Bureau 507. For a moment, he hesitated.

After a moment of hesitation, he finally began to speak. "Uncle, actually, I—"

Before he could finish, his uncle suddenly crouched down and picked a penny off the ground. "Well now, what luck. Found a penny. That's a good omen."

Just as Zhang Wenda was about to speak again, his uncle slapped a hand against the wall and started heaving once more.

This time, Zhang Wenda didn't continue. It was obvious his uncle knew what he wanted to say but didn't want him to say it.

"Wenda," his drunken uncle began, "do you think your uncle is a bad guy?"

"Uncle, don't be ridiculous. How could you be a bad guy? You're a good person," Zhang Wenda said, hoisting up his uncle's heavy frame a little.

"Wenda, let me tell you something. There are no good guys or bad guys in this world. Everyone's just a person. Only kids think someone is a 'real' bad guy, you know?"

The dizzy uncle rambled on, his voice rising and falling, as if he were talking to himself, and yet also to Zhang Wenda.

"Sigh, you've got a kid's temper. You're impulsive, you act without thinking of the consequences. Some things you should keep to yourself, don't just blurt everything out, you get me?"

"No matter what you want to do, just go for it. Your uncle's got your back. What can I say? You're my own nephew."

"From now on, you just stick with your uncle, alright? With me around, no one will dare bully you."

Zhang Wenda's heart stirred. A long time ago, his uncle had said the same thing, and after that, no one ever bullied him again.

Right then and there, Zhang Wenda silently made a decision.