Han Mo never imagined that Han Feiyu would say such a thing.
Just listen to that—is this something a father should say?
He was actually encouraging his son to squander family wealth, act like an arrogant scoundrel, drug people, and then lose himself in… ahem, simply unbelievable!
Even so, what surprised Han Mo the most was that this particular exchange did not exist in the original game's plot.
Of course, neither in games nor in novels are the daily lives of villains usually depicted in detail.
Yet this was the conclusion of Murong Ying's side story arc.
In the game, if the player chose not to follow and triggered Murong Ying's bad ending, there would still be a conversation between Han Mo and his villainous father, Han Feiyu, after Han Mo survived.
The gist of that conversation was Han Feiyu flying into a rage, sternly reprimanding Han Mo for his dissolute behavior, and even giving him a severe beating.
Although it was a plot point brushed over in a few strokes in the game, one could still deduce from it that Han Feiyu ought to detest Han Mo's dissolute style of conduct.
Normally, no father wished for his son to turn out good-for-nothing.
Yet right now...
Everything was completely different!
Han Mo stood frozen in place, momentarily at a loss for how to reply, completely unable to comprehend it.
However, he understood very soon.
"You unfilial wretch, how many times have I told you? Ever since the new Emperor of the Immortal Dynasty ascended the throne, he has consistently spearheaded the new policy to curtail the feudal lords. Although your grandfather was a heavyweight official of the previous dynasty and was enfeoffed as the Marquis Suppressing the Border, it is inevitable that his achievements overshadow the ruler, making him an object of suspicion to the new Emperor.
In the past, I always tacitly allowed you to squander wealth and play the scoundrel precisely so that your infamous reputation would spread far and wide, letting the new Emperor know that our Han Family is merely putting up a bold front while being hollow inside, growing weaker with each generation, and posing no threat whatsoever. Only by doing so can I safeguard the three-generation foundation of our Han Family..."
Good grief!
Han Mo was once again struck dumb with astonishment, though he now understood Han Feiyu's original intention.
Although this conversation never appeared in the game, nor did it depict the domestic daily life of the villains.
Judging from the subsequent plot, the Han Family did indeed boast merits high enough to overshadow the ruler, because among Han Mo's more than six destruction endings, one of them involved the Han Family being ordered by the Emperor of the Dazhou Immortal Dynasty to be exterminated down to the last person, leaving not even a dog or chicken alive.
Han Feiyu's approach was logically sound after all.
Of course, this plotline definitely wasn't meant to be like this originally.
Could this also be because of that notebook?
Han Mo still remembered the blood-colored text that had appeared on the notebook back then.
[Contact the hidden dark side of this world, enter the Inner World mode]
Was this the so-called Inner World?
While Han Mo was still pondering the reasons for the drastic changes in the plot, Han Feiyu finished his lecture and suddenly sighed:
"Today's affair with Murong Ying was also a trap set by your father. Otherwise, did you really think that with a punk at the Qi Condensation 8th Layer like you, it would be so easy to invite her out and even drug her?
It was all thanks to your father pulling strings behind the scenes. It's just a pity that you, you little punk, are so useless; otherwise, your father could have killed two birds with one stone.
Not only would your reputation become even more foul, but your father could also use this as an excuse to demand Murong Ying from the Star River Sword Sect to be your concubine. Bound by the prestige of our Han Family, the Sword Sect would most likely tacitly consent to this matter.
That way, with a disciple of the Sword Sect in hand, we would be one step closer to our Han Family's scheme against the Sword Sect. What a pity, what a pity..."
Regarding the Han Family's plot against the Star River Sword Sect, Han Mo had actually been aware of it for some time.
However, what he hadn't expected was that even today's drugging incident had the shadow of the head of the Han Family behind it.
The original plot never mentioned this episode; he wondered if this was also the influence of the notebook, or if Han Feiyu had intended it this way all along.
Come to think of it, this Han Feiyu really was a crafty old schemer!
"Invincible Li Wudi committing murder and arson," that title was well-earned; he truly lived up to being a villain's father.
Only, did you know you almost got your own son killed?
Thinking along these lines, Han Mo felt a slight surge of resentment and said:
"Father, marriage is a major life event, how can it be treated as child's play? My own wives and concubines should naturally be chosen by myself. Although Murong Ying is blessed with stunning beauty, our personalities clash, and this son does not like her."
Yet this rebuttal of his enraged Han Feiyu:
"Crap! Didn't you say earlier that the two of you had a pleasant conversation, that it was like high mountains and flowing water? And you even drugged her—how can you still say you don't like her?
Oh, right, that's not called liking someone; you just coveted her body, you despicable wretch!"
Han Mo: "..."
Han Mo was left speechless by the retort, but Han Feiyu had no intention of dampening his son's enthusiasm for acting like a scoundrel. He quickly softened his tone and said:
"Of course, being a scoundrel, being a bit despicable isn't necessarily a bad thing. Only then will people increasingly look down on you, and look down on our Han Family. Your starting point was good, you just lacked competence in execution!"
With that, Han Feiyu suddenly tossed a small brocade pouch at him.
"This storage bag contains thirty thousand spirit stones. As punishment for your poor execution today, your father gives you until tomorrow to spend every last one of them. Whether you go to the pleasure houses to listen to music or head to the gambling dens to play games, just squander it however you like—you must spend every single cent until nothing is left."
Eh? There's such a good thing?
Han Mo caught the storage bag and instinctively opened it to take a look.
In an instant, a greenish glow overflowed, and a dense aura drifted out, refreshing both body and mind.
Spirit stones were the currency in the game, as well as the cultivation resource and hard currency of the Bahuang Changsheng world.
The four essential elements of cultivating immortality—wealth, companionship, method, and land—with wealth ranking second, which showed its sheer importance.
Although this entire bag consisted of low-grade spirit stones, there were still as many as thirty thousand of them.
For an ordinary rogue cultivator or a minor family cultivator, this was already a colossal fortune sufficient to cover a lifetime's cultivation expenses.
For Han Mo, just as he was wondering how to grow stronger, Han Feiyu delivered the resources right to his doorstep, like running into a pillow just as one felt sleepy.
He was instantly overwhelmed with excitement, almost dropping to his knees to kowtow and shout, "If Your Excellency does not spurn me, this Mo is willing to take you as my adoptive father."
Then he had a second thought: isn't this his biological father anyway?
Why bother looking for an adoptive father!
Just look at that—other people's punishments involved various family disciplinary measures, yet the head of the Han Family directly shelled out money, and even set a deadline for his son to spend it all within a single day.
This was a villain's biological father for you; he loved this!
"The hour is getting late, you should go home and reflect properly. Tomorrow morning..."
Seeing his son accept the spirit stones, Han Feiyu nodded slightly, just as he was about to offer a few more words of admonition, Han Mo suddenly thumped his chest firmly:
"Father, rest assured, tomorrow morning I will go straight to the pleasure houses to listen to music, cultivate my sentiments, drink with beauties, and make merry with wine."
That was what he said, but with thirty thousand spirit stones, how could he possibly spend it all just listening to music in a pleasure house? Keeping the rest as cultivation resources would be for the best.
This way, his first pot of gold in traversing to another world was finally secured.
Han Mo was harboring his own little calculations internally, and just as he was about to leave with his massive fortune, he was stopped by Han Feiyu.
"What kind of talk is that? You're a scoundrelly wastrel, when did you learn to speak in such a scholarly tone?"
Seeing Han Feiyu cast a dissatisfied gaze his way, Han Mo was momentarily startled, then quickly corrected himself:
"Dad, let's cut to the chase, I'm craving some womanizing, thanks for the funding, Dad."
"Hahaha, good, good... That's my fine boy!"