Chapter Four: Grandfather and Grandson

"Five years ago, when your grandfather passed away, I was abroad on a mission and couldn't make it to his funeral." The handsome old man’s eyes flickered with the weight of years. "It’s a pity. We were brothers for so many years."

After a moment of reflection, the old man went straight to the point: "I am your grandfather's elder brother, Shen Shipeng, which makes you my grandson."

"However, the circle I move in is the world of martial artists."

"It's a rough world, and I have plenty of enemies. Both at home and abroad, there are many, many people who want my head—especially abroad."

"That’s why I never contact anyone outside this circle, and no one knows I have relatives left."

"It’s for your own safety."

"I have to say, your grandfather was an idiot, and your father and his three brothers were all idiots, too. In the thirty-plus years since the Reform and Opening-up, with so many opportunities to strike it rich, they managed to do so poorly. Watching from the sidelines, I found it infuriating. I even secretly handed your grandfather a chance to win the lottery once, and he ended up taking the money to the racetrack and losing it all. It drove me mad!" The handsome old man cursed while smoking, clearly a man of volatile temper.

As it happened, Shen Ye’s grandfather shared the same personality as Shen Jiaping—he loved to gamble. He had indeed won the lottery once, only to lose every cent of it at the tables.

"Still, I’m curious. Where did you learn your martial arts? I’ve looked at your file. It seems you don’t actually know any traditional forms, yet you possess incredible strength and decent speed. Plus, you have those strange chopsticks and a peculiar spider-silk weapon." The old man looked at Shen Ye with a thoughtful gaze.

Shen Ye was shocked internally but feigned ignorance on the surface. "What do you mean? Martial arts?"

The old man couldn't help but laugh in exasperation. "Stop acting. Cut the crap. Do you think I’d come here if I didn't know that you, my foolish grandson, are the 'Chopstick Hero'?"

Shen Ye finally dropped the act. "How did you know?"

The old man chuckled, flicking the ash from his cigarette into the tray. "Your earlier methods were simply amateurish. Take your first case at the pyramid scheme organization in Quliqing City, Yunnan—you used chopsticks, and then you kept using them for subsequent cases. Don't you realize the Public Security Bureau has a system for profiling? One comparison of those cases and anyone could deduce that you were the Chopstick Hero."

"If I hadn't personally scrubbed that Quliqing case from the records, do you really think the police system is so incompetent that they wouldn't have caught you by now?"

"Also, let me teach you a lesson: if you leave blood behind, wiping it away is useless. Next time, come to me and get some reagents. If you wipe down the area with them, it’ll be like it never happened. Luminol, Polilight—none of it will work."

"Still, you aren't completely hopeless. The first few cases had gaping holes, which I covered up for you."

"Your later crimes became much more meticulous. Given the current investigative capabilities of the police, they really wouldn't have been able to link your identity without those first few blunders."

Shen Ye wiped sweat from his brow. As he had taken on more cases, he had indeed realized his early work was sloppy. He had always lived with the fear of being targeted because of those initial mistakes. He never imagined that he had a grandfather who had been quietly erasing his tracks all along.

"Alright, Old Man, aren't you worried that by contacting me, your enemies at home and abroad will take notice and target our family?" Shen Ye asked.

"Call me Grandfather," the old man said with displeasure.

"Old Man."

"Call me Grandfather." The old man slapped the table.

"Old Man."

"Call me Grandfather!" The old man looked like his hair was about to stand on end.

"Elder," Shen Ye conceded.

"Fine. If you refuse to call me Grandfather, 'Elder' will have to do," the old man said, looking somewhat dejected. "I am your grandfather, after all. Today's youth are so unruly. As for your question—it’s not an issue. There are plenty of people who want to kill me, but I’ve always been a lone wolf. They couldn't find a weak point."

"Now that I’ve brought you into the light, you’ve become a target. Those who can't kill me will naturally come for you."

"After all, you are a martial artist, and I intend to train you."

"The others are just ordinary people; they aren't as important as you."

"You've got to be kidding," Shen Ye thought, feeling a vein throb in his temple, though he wasn't afraid. He was the renowned Chopstick Hero, after all. If one came, he’d kill one; if two came, he’d kill a pair.

"Alright, Elder, what else did you come here for?" Shen Ye asked bluntly.

When Shen Ye posed the question, the old man fell silent. He smoked for a while, pausing in thought.

Finally, he spoke: "You act as the Chopstick Hero, upholding justice, which is a good thing. But your recent posting of 'Death Notices' caused such a stir that it attracted too much attention. It’s not just small forums anymore; mainstream media is starting to pay attention. You’ve caused such a commotion that I’m struggling to keep a lid on it. Even the Captain-General has mentioned the Chopstick Hero."

"Furthermore, Qin Guoxiang, the father of Qin Zhengtian, isn't particularly talented, but he used to be a driver for someone very important. That makes things extremely tricky."

"If you continue to act as a vigilante like this, I might not be able to protect you anymore."

"That is why I intend to bring you into the Special Operations Group."

"Under my command, there are eight squads. The position of captain for the Eighth Squad is currently vacant. You will intern there for a while, and when the captaincy trials begin, you can compete for the position."

"Besides, once you join the Special Operations Group, you can continue to uphold justice. Otherwise, what do you think the primary mission of the Special Operations Group is?"

"Of course, for those with deep connections, you can act first and report later. If it comes down to it, you can always use your Chopstick Hero identity to take them out." The old man grinned. "That’s what I admire most about you—you have the guts to kill when necessary. However, once you use that identity, you must be clean. I will help you ensure it’s even cleaner, so no investigation ever leads back to you."

"How about it? Not a bad deal, right?"

"As the Chopstick Hero, you'll always be in the shadows."

"Accept this position, and you can emerge into the light."

"Whether you're purging evil in the shadows or in the light, it’s all the same—you're still a hero."

Shen Ye considered the old man's words and found they made sense. "What if I refuse this position?"

"I'll beat you until you accept. I thought I had no descendants left. I wanted my brother's kin to live in a peaceful world, not get dragged into the darkness. But since you've already jumped in, you'll just have to step up and take my place." The old man said with absolute authority. "Otherwise, if you keep playing the Chopstick Hero like this, it’s only going to get bigger until it’s impossible to suppress."

"I can't just stand by and watch the Captain-General send his top agents to drag you away."

"So, I have no choice," Shen Ye nodded. "Fine, I accept. The Eighth Squad, right?"

"By the way, how many members are usually in a squad? What’s the standard configuration?"

"A typical squad has one captain, one vice-captain, and thirty-two official members. The number of non-official members is flexible. Serve as an official member for a while; the Eighth Squad will likely hold captaincy trials soon. Your strength is sufficient to lead, so you can take the position then," the old man explained.