Chapter 1138: Inference

Without any findings, Jin Bai could not escape Emperor Mu's punishment.

He Lingchuan also sighed, "It seems it wasn't Elder Cao himself."

Jin Bai and Dong Rui both interviewed the eyewitness disciples individually, repeatedly asking for details, and then cross-referencing their answers. This is an interrogation technique used to ascertain the truth as much as possible. After verification, the likelihood of these disciples lying was very small.

"In other words, King Bo lied and arbitrarily implicated Elder Cao," Jin Bai said coldly. "These minor states truly lack reverence!" He then turned to He Lingchuan, "I will write a letter and send it back to the imperial capital. Mr. He, do you have anything to add?"

He Lingchuan thought for a moment, then shook his head. "Nothing."

Jin Bai went to draft the letter. This letter was very important; Emperor Mu would issue corresponding instructions after reading it. Would he severely punish the state of Bo, or simply let it go?

He Lingchuan gazed at the dark outline of Mount Baimao and asked Dong Rui, "How do you think Emperor Mu will choose?"

"If the Heart Lantern is usable, then there's no question, he'll definitely try to reclaim it," Dong Rui mused for a long time, as it was rare for He Lingchuan to actively seek his opinion. "But if it's unusable, what's the point of punishing the state of Bo? The small states on the Glittering Gold Plains rise and fall quickly; they're all short-lived. Even if Emperor Mu ignores it, the state of Bo might disappear on its own in a few years."

"From Emperor Mu's position, the most common consideration is always gains and losses. He likely wouldn't take action that isn't worth the effort." Dong Rui chuckled again, "Of course, perhaps Emperor Mu also wants to kill a chicken to scare the monkeys, so these minor states don't lose their reverence!"

"That makes a lot of sense; it's one of the gains and losses Emperor Mu must consider," He Lingchuan nodded. "What action he takes also depends on the current situation of the state of Mu."

"I remember Fang Canran saying that Mount Ling is once again looking to extend its influence into the Glittering Gold Plains. So, the state of Mu might use this opportunity to assert its power by striking at the state of Bo, serving as a warning to the surrounding minor states, which would make future dealings easier," He Lingchuan mused. "The residents of the Glittering Gold Plains likely understand the principles of 'the strong prey on the weak' and 'the winner takes all' more deeply than people elsewhere. To deal with them, one must use methods they can clearly understand and perceive."

A ruler of a major state must consider many dimensions.

Dong Rui was delighted by the rare praise. "You also said it's inconvenient for the state of Mu to send troops here. If Emperor Mu wants to punish King Bo, what should he do? Borrow soldiers from the Carefree Sect?"

The Carefree Sect had enough manpower and was not weak in strength—at least compared to the state of Bo—and was also nearby. If they sent troops from here, they could arrive by evening, before the state of Bo even reacted, essentially besieging the city, right?

He Lingchuan poured cold water on his idea. "The state of Mu is the state of Mu, and the Carefree Sect is the Carefree Sect; they are not one entity. Emperor Mu can borrow personnel from the Carefree Sect, but he may not be able to command them to wage war against a neighboring state."

The Carefree Sect was an independent Daoist sect, after all. Although its relationship with the state of Bo was not good, and it regularly paid tribute to the state of Mu, it might not commit its full strength to punish or overthrow a neighboring state. His conversation with Sect Leader Li today revealed that this sect was very adept at self-preservation; otherwise, it wouldn't have survived for over a hundred years in the tumultuous Glittering Gold Plains. Direct military action would likely violate its long-standing survival strategy. Moreover, after the matter of the Luminous Lantern was resolved, how would it manage its relationship with the state of Bo? At that point, Jin Bai and the other warriors from the state of Mu could simply pack up and leave, but the Carefree Sect and the state of Bo were unmovable neighbors.

Dong Rui then asked him, "So, if you were Emperor Mu, how would you punish the state of Bo?"

"It's not difficult," He Lingchuan replied without hesitation. "If direct military action isn't possible, then effectively use surrounding forces. If the Carefree Sect isn't willing to lend aid, surely other forces would be? Emperor Mu can deal with the state of Bo the same way Yu Ze-cheng dealt with Zhu Er-niang and me back then."

Nine months ago, Yu Ze-cheng of Beijia wanted He Lingchuan to hand over Zhu Er-niang, but he didn't have many subordinates. What did he do? He leveraged external forces. Didn't he seek out the Blade Harbor Maritime Affairs Bureau, the Lu family of Bailie, and finally the uncle and nephew of Wanqisi Song, instigating a rebellion to seize the island? Leveraging external power to strike at another has always been a tactic favored by major states.

"Such minor states have unstable foundations and shallow resources. With clever application of force, it could even turn into a remarkable achievement." To use an imperfect analogy, just as Beijia once disregarded the Yangshan Archipelago, today the state of Mu would not consider the state of Bo difficult to deal with.

Dong Rui clicked his tongue twice.

"Let time verify it."

"Why do I feel there's something suspicious about King Bo implicating Elder Cao?"

"You're not wrong," He Lingchuan said. "This lie is easily debunked. If King Bo truly wanted to deceive, he would have been better off claiming a wandering sorcerer sold him the Luminous Lantern, leaving no trace to follow. Implicating Elder Cao will only further enrage the state of Mu."

"Then the state of Mu..."

"The whereabouts of the Luminous Lantern have been discovered, and King Bo has also offended the state of Mu. If the state of Mu decides to act, these two reasons are enough. Even if the truth is eventually revealed, it won't change Emperor Mu's decision."

On the Glittering Gold Plains, even life and death are unimportant, let alone the truth.

"Actually, I think the person secretly pulling the strings might have the ability to change their appearance," He Lingchuan recalled. "Among other things, he was able to impersonate Cao Yanhua to conduct the transaction with King Bo."

Dong Rui wondered, "Officials wear official badges. Even if they don't have elemental power for combat, they should at least be able to see through such a minor magical ability, right?"

"Perhaps it wasn't a magical ability?" He Lingchuan mused. "Besides, the state of Bo is weak, and its elemental energy is sparse. These public officials might not be able to see through the other party's disguise."

The ability to discern a magical ability depends not only on the level of the ability itself but also on the strength of one's elemental energy. The state of Bo's elemental energy, in He Lingchuan's view, was almost nonexistent.

He pointed towards the mountains ahead. "Let's sleep. Tomorrow, we'll go into the mountains."

On their way north to Mount Baimao, they would inevitably pass through He Town. Almost all living residents of this town had been massacred by the White Bear King; even the dozen strong men of the local defense force hadn't been spared. Only two or three townspeople, who had stayed elsewhere overnight, escaped the disaster.

He Lingchuan and his group passed through the center of the town. The bodies here had already been collected, but black bloodstains could still be seen on the buildings. Doors and windows showed the heaviest signs of damage, indicating that the monsters and fierce beasts had clearly broken in.

The once peaceful and prosperous small town had now become a desolate, tragic ghost realm. He Lingchuan's sense of smell was not as keen as Fu Shanyue's, but even he felt that the summer wind couldn't possibly blow away the town's pervasive stench of blood.

Gateboard couldn't help but sigh, "If a nation's power isn't strong, its people cannot live in peace and prosperity. Even monsters will emerge to cause trouble."

Many other living people were active here: the Capital Guards and demon hunters. They used this place as a base to search for the whereabouts of the monsters. The authorities gathered hunters to form demon-slaying teams, with fifty people per team, led by experienced old hunters, in an attempt to intercept the White Bear King.