Chapter 226: Mountain Storm Approaching

Under the cover of night, numerous boats sped across Shuangqing Lake, all heading directly for the leading covered boat.

These were the experts from the Six Doors and the Prefectural Yamen, who, after failing to apprehend Wang Mingxiu, immediately boarded boats in pursuit. Each of them was a martial arts master, and working together, they barely managed to keep up.

Suddenly, from the covered boat ahead, a figure flew out. Those with keen eyes recognized him as Mr. Dongjing. Immediately afterward, with a "boom," the covered boat exploded, and another figure was thrown out—it was Wang Mingxiu.

Instantly, the Six Doors experts, relying on years of unspoken understanding, dispersed. A small group went to retrieve Mr. Dongjing and Wang Mingxiu, while the rest collectively charged towards the Grand Manager.

At this moment, with the covered boat exploded, the Grand Manager stood on a wooden plank, facing the onslaught of Six Doors experts. With a light tap of his foot, he soared into the air. Simultaneously, a sudden gust of wind arose in the air, and the Grand Manager's figure seemed to transform into a wisp of smoke, instantly dissipating and vanishing.

The Six Doors constables collectively lunged at empty air, one after another falling into the water.

"Quick, bring the boat over! Mr. Dongjing is unharmed!"

In the lake, two Six Doors constables were supporting Mr. Dongjing, one on each side, swimming and shouting.

Soon after, a boat quickly arrived to pull Mr. Dongjing out of the water. At the same time, on the other side, Wang Mingxiu was also pulled from the water by another boat, but he was already dead.

Everyone returned to the shore, filled with questions.

As soon as they reached the bank, Prefect Pei Yuanzhen and Six Doors Inspector Liu Feng arrived. Both breathed a long sigh of relief upon seeing Mr. Dongjing.

Pei Yuanzhen quickly instructed his subordinates to fetch dry clothes for Mr. Dongjing, then he and Liu Feng strode forward to meet him.

"Thank heavens," Pei Yuanzhen said, supporting Mr. Dongjing, "I'm relieved you're unharmed!"

Mr. Dongjing, quite composed, replied, "Everyone must die someday. Luckily, Wang Mingxiu and the Grand Manager turned on each other, and it seems my time is not yet up."

"Turned on each other?" Pei Yuanzhen asked, surprised.

Mr. Dongjing nodded and said, "We can discuss the details later."

A short while later, a carriage arrived.

Mr. Dongjing entered the carriage to change into a fresh set of clothes, then summoned Pei Yuanzhen to join him, but not Liu Feng.

Liu Feng showed no resentment; instead, he proactively motioned for his subordinates to step back and keep their distance. He knew Mr. Dongjing's status was extraordinary, and although Pei Yuanzhen was his peer in rank, Pei's backing from the Imperial Tutor and the Pei family put him on a different level. There were many things the two of them knew that Liu Feng was not privy to.

He withdrew a considerable distance. The person driving the carriage was Advisor Zhu, Pei Yuanzhen's chief strategist.

Inside the carriage, Mr. Dongjing recounted how Wang Mingxiu and the Grand Manager had turned on each other.

After listening, Pei Yuanzhen asked in astonishment, "So, Wang Mingxiu knew nothing at all? The Grand Manager was simply using him?"

Mr. Dongjing nodded, "Wang Mingxiu seemed to have gone mad just now. I never expected him to release me and then fight the Grand Manager to the death!"

Pei Yuanzhen thought for a moment and said, "Perhaps his beliefs collapsed. The fact that Wang Mingxiu could become a Six Doors Captain indicates his perception was sound, not distorted. He possessed a clear sense of right and wrong, good and evil, in accordance with law and morality.

However, because he didn't know the truth, he always believed that you, Mr. Dongjing, and your group sacrificed over four hundred members of the Mu clan as scapegoats to save your lives and curry favor with the powerful. He lived in hatred all this time. Now, learning the truth—that the Mu clan deserved their fate—his beliefs crumbled. He didn't know what his actions or the meaning of his life were anymore.

Therefore, his subconscious act of releasing you was perhaps an attempt to atone for his past. And fighting the Grand Manager to the death must have been a matter of his perception. Unlike those Mu clan members from back then, he held no allegiance to the descendants of Crown Prince Kangde. He was a normal person, and upon learning the truth, he indeed hated the Seven Absolutes Building even more. The Mu clan was annihilated for their sake, yet they never told him the truth, and now they had ruined his own family as well!"

Mr. Dongjing sighed, "He... he was quite helpless. He lived his entire life, decades, consumed by hatred, only to discover in the end that his hatred was baseless. Crucially, he did possess a correct understanding of right and wrong; the Six Doors' ideology is quite sound. His perception clashed with his hatred, and his beliefs vanished."

Pei Yuanzhen said, "Still, I don't quite understand. The Grand Manager clearly knew you were aware of the truth from back then, so why did he bring you before Wang Mingxiu? As a Six Doors Captain, Wang Mingxiu must have been useful to him in some way, right?"

Mr. Dongjing slowly replied, "Then, is there a possibility that the Grand Manager knew Wang Mingxiu was exposed all along, and he was simply playing along with your plan?"

Pei Yuanzhen's expression instantly changed, and he said somewhat flustered, "Mr. Dongjing, are you saying..."

Mr. Dongjing gravely stated, "You discovered Wang Mingxiu was a descendant of the Mu clan but remained silent, intending to use him as bait to draw out the Seven Absolutes Building and locate the descendants of Crown Prince Kangde. Therefore, the Grand Manager could also have known you had discovered Wang Mingxiu's identity and were setting a trap. He too could have been playing along, feigning ignorance of your scheme!"

"Then what was his objective?" Pei Yuanzhen asked.

"What was your objective?" Mr. Dongjing countered.

Pei Yuanzhen's face instantly turned ashen, his expression drastically changing. "Oh no, the Coastal Defense Garrison!" he exclaimed.

At once, Pei Yuanzhen's body went limp, and he slumped directly into the carriage, muttering, "The Grand Manager played along... that means the batch of weapons sent through Wang Mingxiu was deliberately exposed to me as bait... the purpose was to lure the Coastal Defense Garrison there... then they... the Coastal Defense Garrison, the Coastal Defense Garrison..."

Early morning, Huaihai, Tiansha Archipelago.

General Lin Jing, commander of the Huaihai Coastal Defense Garrison, was leading dozens of warships towards an island. This was the final destination of the weapons they had secretly smuggled out days earlier with Wang Mingxiu's approval, and it was also the hiding place of Crown Prince Kangde's descendants.

The calm morning sea was suddenly ripped apart by crimson ripples. Lin Jing stood at the bow, gazing at the approaching small island, ready to order an assault. Just then, muffled thuds of chisels striking wood, mixed with the sound of seawater rushing in, echoed from below deck.

"Water spirits!"

The lookout's scream tore through the silence. Before his words faded, the reeds on the reef exploded, and the smell of sulfur mixed with gunpowder filled the air.

"Release grappling hooks!" Lin Jing commanded, his sheathed sword flashing cold light as it was drawn.

And just then, despite no sign of disturbance, a large number of people suddenly appeared on the island from seemingly nowhere.

A dense volley of rockets wrapped in tung oil canvas flew through the air; several accurately struck the sails, and the fire spread like a spiderweb with the help of the sea breeze. From a distant canyon, countless fire ships suddenly emerged, their bows fitted with sharp iron spikes, charging towards the Coastal Defense Garrison's warships. The roaring flames made the sea glow like molten gold.

The warship swayed violently, and Lin Jing could only barely steady himself by grasping the mast.

A grating, teeth-setting crunch echoed from underwater, as three warships on the left simultaneously let out dying groans, and seawater, carrying splintered wood, gushed from the cracks.

"Seal the leaks in the third compartment on the port side! Prepare the cannons on the starboard side!" Lin Jing's hoarse command was drowned out by the crashing of the fire ships. The nearest fire ship scraped past the hull, splattering hot asphalt onto the deck, where it rose in white smoke.

Meanwhile, cannons also fired from the island, and behind them, large pirate ships appeared, rapidly closing in to encircle them.

The roars were relentless. Lin Jing watched as his warships were battered, his face turning pale.

He knew this was no coincidence; these ambushes could not have been prepared in just a few days. They had been ready for a long time, simply waiting for him to fall into the trap.

"Pei Yuanzhen misled me, Pei Yuanzhen ruined me!"

Night fell. Linhai City Prefectural Yamen.

Advisor Zhu entered the study and sighed softly, seeing books and memorials scattered all over the floor.

In the study, Pei Yuanzhen sat in a chair, utterly dejected, continuously muttering, "Why? Why?"

Advisor Zhu tidied the books and memorials, then walked over to Pei Yuanzhen and said, "Master, what's done is done. The immediate priority is to contact the Pei family and see if we can ask the Imperial Tutor to intercede. If His Excellency the Imperial Tutor is willing to speak on your behalf, this matter won't be too severe."

Pei Yuanzhen waved his hand, "Impossible. My Grand Master cannot intercede for me in this matter. Have you seen the battle report from the Coastal Defense Garrison? Do you know the extent of the losses?"

Advisor Zhu nodded, "I've seen it. Thirty thousand went, over twenty thousand died, most of their bodies couldn't even be recovered. Dozens of warships and numerous weapons were destroyed or lost. General Lin nearly didn't make it back."

Pei Yuanzhen said, "For such a major incident, Lin Jing will bear some responsibility, but I am equally culpable, as I spearheaded the entire operation. How can my Grand Master possibly intercede for me? I've fallen deep this time. At best, I'll be dismissed from my post and investigated; at worst, I'll be sent directly to the Dali Temple.

It's just that I'm not resigned. It's not that I can't accept defeat; I simply can't fathom the purpose of Crown Prince Kangde's descendants in doing this. To deliberately set such an elaborate trap, just to cripple the Coastal Defense Garrison? Besides enraging the imperial court, I can't think of any other effect.

If this were years ago, I would have suspected they colluded with Southern Jin to seize the opportunity to attack the Four Huaihai Prefectures, hence first debilitating the Coastal Defense Garrison. But now Southern Jin is preoccupied with its own troubles, constantly begging for aid from our Great Qian; it's impossible for them to be involved in such schemes at this time.

So, what does Crown Prince Kangde's descendant want to achieve? His actions will only infuriate the court, possibly leading to the dispatch of a large army to attack them, and might even compel Southern Jin to assist in investigating their whereabouts. At that point, they would be besieged by the armies of both nations!"

Advisor Zhu mused for a moment, then said, "Master, there's a possibility you might have overlooked."

Pei Yuanzhen gravely asked, "Are you saying they want to land? To attack the Four Huaihai Prefectures by themselves? Wouldn't that be suicide?"

Advisor Zhu replied, "Yet, that is the most likely possibility."

Just then, footsteps sounded outside the door, and one of Pei Yuanzhen's trusted confidants appeared at the entrance.

Advisor Zhu motioned for the confidant to remain silent so as not to disturb Pei Yuanzhen, then he stepped out and quietly asked, "What is it?"

The confidant replied, "It's an urgent letter from Yanluo County."

Advisor Zhu asked, puzzled, "Didn't they already send a letter about that? They said they accidentally captured the real Six Huaihai Bandits. Why another urgent letter now?"

Puzzled, Advisor Zhu opened and scanned the letter. His expression then changed drastically, and he quickly rushed back into the study, swallowing hard and stammering, "Master... we might... we might... have found the reason!"

Pei Yuanzhen looked up, a puzzled expression on his face.

Advisor Zhu handed the letter to Pei Yuanzhen and said, "The letter from Yanluo County states that the Six Huaihai Bandits confessed to something enormous: six years ago, they intercepted a batch of military weapons and over ten thousand taels of military funds.

And... Captain Duan... truly... truly found those items. But for something of this magnitude, there was no movement from the Four Huaihai Prefectures; neither their garrisons nor the Coastal Defense Garrison reported it. What does that signify? Moreover, according to the Six Huaihai Bandits, they robbed an ordinary merchant caravan!"

Pei Yuanzhen's pupils contracted. He quickly scanned the letter and said, "This means the robbed parties dared not report it. But who could possibly cover such a massive loss of military supplies and funds? It's impossible to cover, yet there's been no action for six years, which suggests that batch of items was never actually used.

This implies someone was embezzling military funds, maintaining ghost soldiers, or selling military equipment. The stolen military supplies and funds were never intended for the army's use, so their loss didn't affect the army's normal operations. That's why there's been no activity for six years. And the other party dared not report it, naturally fearing an investigation!"

Advisor Zhu whispered, "Master, if this batch of items belonged to the Coastal Defense Garrison... wouldn't that explain why the Seven Absolutes Building went to such great lengths?"

Pei Yuanzhen clenched his fists and said, "The Minister of War was just replaced recently and ordered inspections of all regional garrisons. So, any corrupt regional armies would have to prepare for the inspection.

If the Coastal Defense Garrison was involved in maintaining ghost soldiers or selling military equipment, the best way to conceal it would be to find an excuse to openly 'lose' weapons and 'lose' personnel. That way, no one would discover their problem."

Advisor Zhu gravely said, "Master, investigate it. If the Coastal Defense Garrison truly has problems, you can weather this storm. If the Coastal Defense Garrison has no problems..."

"If the Coastal Defense Garrison has no problems, that would be for the best," Pei Yuanzhen said. "If a country's army is showing problems, then that is a much greater issue. My personal future cannot compare in importance to the future of the nation!"

For a moment, Advisor Zhu was at a loss for words.

Privately, he hoped the Coastal Defense Garrison had problems, so Pei Yuanzhen could avoid punishment and even gain merit. But publicly, as Pei Yuanzhen stated, the army was the nation's bottom line. If such major problems were emerging within the army, then there truly was serious trouble.

"Immediately send orders for Duan Fei to return that batch of military supplies and funds, along with the two living Six Huaihai Bandits, to Linhai City as quickly as possible!" Pei Yuanzhen commanded.

Advisor Zhu frowned. "Master, I fear that alone won't be enough."

Pei Yuanzhen asked, puzzled, "What do you mean?"

Advisor Zhu explained, "Although Captain Duan immediately did his best to conceal the news, there were many people present during the capture of the Six Huaihai Bandits, most of whom were local Six Doors constables from Yanluo County. The news is bound to leak out.

Furthermore, transporting such a large quantity of items from Yanluo County to here will take several days. If the Coastal Defense Garrison truly has problems, how could they easily allow those items to be brought to Linhai City?"

"This..." Pei Yuanzhen began, "With Senior Gu here..."

Advisor Zhu shook his head. "Master, have you forgotten the Seven Absolutes Building? Whether Senior Gu is a match for the Grand Manager, I won't discuss for now. But how many experts does the Seven Absolutes Building have? What about a siege?

Moreover, there's a crucial issue. Yanluo County is coastal, Master, and the Coastal Defense Garrison is not far from it. Additionally, from the Tiansha Archipelago, if Crown Prince Kangde's descendants' army were to mobilize, they could land and reach Yanluo County very quickly.

Senior Gu's martial arts are unparalleled, but he is a man, not a god. Master, you've witnessed armies; it's an entirely different concept from skirmishes in the jianghu. How much of Senior Gu's martial prowess could he display when facing an army?"

At this point, Advisor Zhu took a deep breath and said, "Master, we must prepare for the worst!"

Pei Yuanzhen frowned. "What do you suggest?"

Advisor Zhu said, "It depends on whether you dare to gamble, Master. There are three thousand garrison troops outside the city. However, once the army moves, the risks increase significantly. If it succeeds, that's fine. If it fails, coupled with the charge of unauthorized troop movement, Master, you will inevitably face imprisonment!"

Pei Yuanzhen gritted his teeth and declared grimly, "Do it!"

Advisor Zhu took a deep breath and said, "However, there's another issue. Once the army moves, you won't have time to request instructions from the general headquarters. Others in the imperial court might seize this opportunity to accuse you of rebellion. Therefore, it would be best to have someone of sufficient standing testify on your behalf!"

Pei Yuanzhen raised an eyebrow. "Are you referring to... Mr. Dongjing?"

Advisor Zhu nodded. "Mr. Dongjing is a great scholar of this dynasty, and he is about to assume the post of Crown Prince's Grand Tutor. As long as he vouches for you, no one will be able to target you over this matter in the future. Given Mr. Dongjing's profound integrity and understanding, he should agree, right?"

"Let's try!"

Yanluo County, Six Doors Constable Station.

Gu Mo and Gu Chudong were still waiting for a letter from Pei Yuanzhen, so they had not left. Duan Fei, meanwhile, was handling the handover. In the bureaucratic system, things weren't like the jianghu, where one could come and go as they pleased; many matters required following strict procedures, unless one had a deep background like Zhuo Qingfeng, who could act first and complete the procedures later.

However, with the capture of the Six Huaihai Bandits yesterday, Yanluo County had emerged from the oppressive atmosphere of fear and suspicion. Only Duan Fei and other informed officials remained heavy-hearted, knowing that the true culprits were still at large.

Therefore, they were still investigating.

Gu Chudong also ran around with them.

It wasn't until dusk, when the sky was nearly dark, that he returned.

"Brother," Gu Chudong entered with a food container, and as he took out the dishes, he asked, "Do you think that group from the Seven Absolutes Building will continue killing people?"

Gu Mo shook his head slightly. "It's unlikely. Their goal was to impersonate the Six Huaihai Bandits to attract me. Now that the true bandits have been caught, there's little point in them continuing to kill. Also, I don't know if Linhai City has already taken action. The Seven Absolutes Building's ultimate goal in luring me away was to assassinate Mr. Dongjing. If that has already been accomplished, they won't continue to kill."

Gu Chudong nodded. "So, that means it will be very difficult for us to find that group?"

Gu Mo nodded. "Indeed, they will be very hard to find. Given the Seven Absolutes Building's methods of concealment, it's difficult to locate them unless they reveal themselves. Also, it's highly likely their mission is complete, and they've already left Yanluo County, making a search here even more futile."

"I see!" Gu Chudong nodded.

"By the way, what about Captain Duan?" Gu Mo asked. "Has he completed his handover process? When does he plan to leave?"

"Probably tomorrow or the day after," Gu Chudong replied. "The main reason is that this matter is extraordinary; he needs to await instructions from Linhai City. He can't arrange his own travel. That batch of over ten thousand taels of military funds and hundreds of weapons is too significant; it's no longer something a mere Vice-Captain can decide."

Gu Mo thought for a moment and said, "That's true. How this matter should be handled, I'm afraid only Pei Yuanzhen in Linhai Commandery can temporarily decide, and ultimately it must return to the prefectural government and then be reported to the imperial court. It doesn't matter; we'll also await Pei Yuanzhen's letter. This trip to Yanluo County wasn't in vain after all—we actually caught the real Six Huaihai Bandits!"

Gu Chudong whispered, "Oh, right, Brother. Captain Duan just went to a banquet. A few wealthy merchants in the city used their connections to find him, claiming they wanted to thank him on behalf of the city's residents and invited him for a meal. Due to the intermediary, Captain Duan couldn't conveniently refuse.

However, before he left, he quietly told me to pay close attention and go assist if I heard any activity from the warehouse. He didn't elaborate due to lack of time, but I have a feeling something isn't right about him attending this banquet."

Gu Mo pondered for a moment and said, "That's normal. Military funds and equipment are matters that could cost one's head, only handled by influential figures. Now that these items are in Duan Fei's hands, naturally some people can't sit still and want to downplay the issue and make it disappear."

"So they won't harm Captain Duan, will they?" Gu Chudong asked.

Gu Mo shook his head. "If they intended harm, they wouldn't invite him to dinner. An invitation to dinner is naturally for discussion; they want to keep things under wraps, not blow them up. Killing a Six Doors Vice-Captain would make it impossible to conceal the matter."

Inside a tavern in Yanluo County.

Several prominent wealthy merchants of the city were gathered, but none of them sat at the main table. That seat was occupied by Duan Fei, the Six Doors Vice-Captain. Beside Duan Fei sat Liu Baihu, the Six Doors Captain of Yanluo County.

However, Captain Liu remained silent throughout, eating with his head down. His stance was clear today: he had only acted as an intermediary to invite Duan Fei because he owed these wealthy merchants a favor. As for what they discussed, he would not participate at all.

After three rounds of drinks, Huang Wanwan, Yanluo County's wealthiest merchant, beckoned. A servant brought over a sandalwood box and placed it on the table.

Huang Wanwan pushed the box towards Duan Fei and said, "Captain Duan, you apprehended the Six Huaihai Bandits. We few here wish to thank you on behalf of the people of Yanluo County. This is a local specialty tea from our county, a small token of our appreciation. Please do not despise it!"

Duan Fei slightly opened the box and saw that inside were four stacks of silver notes, encircling an egg-sized pearl in the center. Judging by their denominations, the four stacks of silver notes totaled no less than ten thousand taels, and the pearl itself was even more valuable.

Although Duan Fei knew nothing about jewelry, the sheer size of the pearl and the stacks of silver notes serving as its cushion led him to deduce that this pearl was extremely valuable, certainly far exceeding ten thousand taels.

With his salary, he wouldn't earn this much money in a lifetime.

He closed the box and chuckled, "Mr. Huang, such precious tea... I cannot accept it without earning it. If you have something to say, please be direct, so I can feel more at ease!"

Hearing Duan Fei's words, Mr. Huang knew there was no need to beat around the bush. He slowly said, "Captain Duan, to be frank, I enjoy collecting old artifacts. I heard you recently unearthed a batch of old items on the mountain. I'd like to purchase them at a high price. Rest assured, I won't just pay; I'll also prepare a new set of items for you as replacements!"

Duan Fei observed Mr. Huang and asked directly, "What price are you offering?"

Mr. Huang quickly said, "Captain Duan might not know this, but Wang Mingxiu, the Six Doors Captain of Linhai Commandery, was captured for colluding with the Seven Absolutes Building. Now, the Captain position is vacant, and Captain Duan has been a Vice-Captain for so many years; it's time you were promoted to the full position!"

Duan Fei chuckled softly. "The people behind you truly have extraordinary influence!"

Mr. Huang chuckled, "You jest. We are just ordinary merchants."

"Merchants are good!" Duan Fei said. "I'm best at negotiating prices with merchants."

Duan Fei stood up, picked up the sandalwood box, and said, "I'll accept this tea. I'm also interested in the business you want to conduct. However, I suggest you gentlemen discuss the price again. My batch of old items is quite valuable!"

With that, Duan Fei left directly.

The merchants quickly rose to see him off, accompanying Duan Fei until he boarded his carriage before returning to the tavern.

"Brother Huang, it seems Captain Duan is open to negotiation," a merchant said.

Huang Wanwan shook his head. "Hard to say. I think it's more likely Duan Fei is stalling for time. I need to report this to the big boss. It's best to have a two-pronged approach!"

Huaihai, outside the Coastal Defense Garrison.

The night was deep, and the waves roared. General Lin Jing, commander of the Coastal Defense Garrison, was consumed by anxiety over the severe defeat suffered at the Tiansha Archipelago a few days prior, barely eating or sleeping for days.

He walked out of the barracks, waved his hand for his personal guards to retreat, and under the cover of night, headed towards a distant reef.

His personal guards watched Lin Jing's desolate figure, feeling helpless.

The severe defeat at the Tiansha Archipelago this time had incurred massive losses. Lin Jing, who originally had a promising future, had it utterly ruined. The Ministry of War would be investigating in a few days; the best outcome for him was dismissal, and a slight misstep could even lead to imprisonment.

Had they not known Lin Jing's mental state was still relatively stable, these guards would genuinely not have been comfortable letting him wander alone by the sea.

The night was deep, and the starlight was dim.

Lin Jing leaned against the shaded side of a three-zhang-tall reef, a spot that perfectly concealed the lights of the military camp behind him.

The night sea shimmered with faint silver light, the tide whispered, and a gentle breeze carried a salty, fishy scent past his shoulders. Suddenly, he heard the faint sound of oars from the distant water. Looking up, he saw a small, solitary boat drifting towards him in the vast darkness.

A tall, slender figure stood at the bow. The moonlight was obscured by clouds, making the person's face indistinct.

The sea breeze suddenly picked up, and waves surged. The figure on the small boat vanished.

The next moment, a wisp of green smoke appeared beside Lin Jing, carried by the wind. A scholar in a green robe stood with his hands behind his back, his features gentle as jade, appearing no older than thirty. The hem of his robe still gently swayed in the breeze.

If any Six Doors personnel were present, they would surely recognize this man as Night Wanderer, one of the Seven Absolutes Building's three Jade Medallion assassins.

Lin Jing observed Night Wanderer with interest and asked, "I've always had a question. As far as I know, the Heavenly Abyss Silent Seven Kill Verses have limitations; each verse can only be cultivated by someone with the corresponding bloodline.

Every time you appear, you use the Wind and Thunder Verse from the Seven Kill Verses, which means you're from the Wind and Thunder lineage. Also, when I met the Grand Manager previously, he also displayed wind manipulation techniques. What's your relationship?"

Night Wanderer glanced at Lin Jing and said, "That's none of your business, is it?"

"I'm just curious," Lin Jing replied.

Night Wanderer did not answer.

Lin Jing then asked, "Also, your Grand Manager killed the last descendant of the Yin-Yang lineage. Aren't you afraid the Yin-Yang Verse will be lost? And legend has it that when the Seven Kill Verses unite, one becomes invincible. Isn't it a pity that the Yin-Yang lineage is now missing?"

Night Wanderer calmly replied, "Instead of worrying about these meaningless things, you should focus on what you're going to do now. That batch of weapons and military funds is easy to trace; the Ministry of War will find you with a simple investigation."

Lin Jing said, "I've already sent someone to bribe Duan Fei. As long as he hands over the items to me, without that evidence, no one can trace it back to me. The battle at Tiansha Archipelago a few days ago has already settled all the outstanding debts."

Night Wanderer chuckled. "I've always known you were embezzling funds, but I never imagined you'd be so bold. Claiming a forty-thousand-strong Coastal Defense army, yet twenty thousand are ghost soldiers? You and your patron must be incredibly well-fed, aren't you afraid of bursting?"

Lin Jing chuckled, "What's this? Just twenty thousand. Do you believe there are those with ten times more?"

Night Wanderer's pupils contracted slightly. "Indeed, the most unscrupulous and daring individuals are always found in officialdom."

Lin Jing neither confirmed nor denied, saying, "Alright, tell me, why did you summon me?"

Night Wanderer said, "Pei Yuanzhen has dispatched three thousand Linhai Commandery garrison troops directly to Yanluo County."

Lin Jing's expression subtly changed.

Night Wanderer continued, "If his army reaches Yanluo County, you will be utterly ruined. Not just you, but also the person behind you will be implicated. The Grand Manager asked me to tell you that it's no longer possible to resolve this matter quietly."

Lin Jing stood up. "What should I do?"

Night Wanderer said, "You are to intercept the Linhai Commandery garrison army. Our Seven Absolutes Building army will land and attack Yanluo County, forcibly seizing that batch of supplies."

Lin Jing's brows furrowed. "Are you mad? Don't you know that if you do this, the imperial court will surely be enraged and send a large army to encircle and annihilate you? They'll even collaborate with Southern Jin, and the Tiansha Archipelago won't be able to protect you."

Night Wanderer chuckled lightly. "Then we won't need it."

Lin Jing paused slightly, then said, "I understand. The Seven Absolutes Building was never truly cooperating with me. You've already been collaborating with the person behind me. I am the white glove; you are the black glove. Therefore, the forces on Tiansha Archipelago are now dispensable to you. The Seven Absolutes Building is one entity, and the Tiansha Archipelago is another!"

Night Wanderer chuckled lightly. "Just figured that out?"

With that, Night Wanderer took a token from his bosom and handed it to Lin Jing, saying, "This is King Ji's token, ordering you to act as commanded."

Lin Jing took the token and asked, "Which one of King Ji's associates is the Grand Manager?"

Night Wanderer chuckled. "Guess."

Lin Jing rolled his eyes and said, "Intercepting Pei Yuanzhen is doable, but there's a more immediate problem: your Seven Absolutes Building's army. What qualifications do you think they have to breach Yanluo County?"

Night Wanderer frowned. "It's just a mere county town. With the three to four thousand elite soldiers the Seven Absolutes Building has trained over the years, can't we take a small county town? It's just three to four hundred garrison troops!"

Lin Jing scoffed, "Your so-called elite soldiers haven't even seen a real battlefield; they've only fought a few pirates. They've never received complete, systematic training. Do they understand military formations? Do they know the steps required for a siege? Your 'elite soldiers' are nothing more than a group of jianghu individuals who merely grasp some basic cooperation.

Furthermore, your people have been on islands for a long time; naval combat is one thing, but land combat experience is nonexistent. Normally, to besiege, attack, or breach a city, you'd need three, five, or ten times the numbers, respectively, with complete siege equipment and comparable skill levels. Given your situation, you'd need thirty times the numbers to see if you could breach Yanluo County by sacrificing lives. Do you have ten thousand men?"

Night Wanderer's brows were tightly furrowed. "Is the disparity really that great?"

"If you haven't been on a battlefield, you can't understand what it's like. Even martial arts grandmasters don't play a huge role on the battlefield. Think about it, could it really be that simple?" Lin Jing said.

Night Wanderer gravely stated, "The Grand Manager's assessment is the same as yours."

Lin Jing chuckled, "It seems the Grand Manager knows his stuff! In that case, he must have made some preparations, right?"

Night Wanderer nodded. "Our objective isn't actually to lay siege to the city, but to destroy the evidence. So, we only need to tie down the main forces of Yanluo County's army and the Six Doors. Then, a portion of our people will infiltrate the Six Doors to destroy or carry away those weapons and official silver. It's only a few thousand catties of goods; with enough experts, it won't be difficult to take them. Those aren't divine weapons either; we can easily destroy them on the spot with pre-prepared aqua regia!"

Lin Jing thought for a moment and said, "There's a crucial issue: Gu Mo is in the city. If you intend to resolve this purely with martial arts masters, the difficulty might be considerable. We don't have much time; once a distress signal from Yanluo County reaches neighboring counties, you'll have to retreat."

Night Wanderer gravely stated, "The Grand Manager will act personally."

Lin Jing cautioned, "Be careful of capsizing in the gutter. Gu Mo is not easy to deal with."

Night Wanderer chuckled lightly, "The Grand Manager is invincible!"

"Stop boasting," Lin Jing said bluntly, "If he's really that powerful, why doesn't he go fight Zhang Daochang? Don't you know what kind of martial arts the Heavenly Abyss Silent Seven Kill Verses are? The Seven Kill Verses united might be formidable, but the Grand Manager is from the Wind and Thunder lineage, cultivating only the Wind and Thunder Verse. At best, he's at the Grandmaster level. Now that the Yin-Yang lineage is gone, only the Wind and Thunder, Heaven, Earth, Mountain, Fire, and Water lineages remain. What makes him the world's number one? Of course, if all six lineages cooperate, challenging any of the other nine of the Great Qian's Ten Grandmasters, besides Zhang Daochang, shouldn't be an issue."

Night Wanderer chuckled softly. "How can a frog in a well comprehend the vastness of the world?"

"Then, do you want to witness a real army?"