The cook swung his cleaver with the force of a mountain.
The leader of the black-robed figures did not meet the blow but instead retreated. He touched the ground with his toes, spun his body, and brought his long saber down with the momentum of his turn. The cook’s cleaver missed, and the black-robed man’s saber landed precisely. The immense force transmitted through the blade to the hilt and rebounded into the cook’s palm, numbing it, nearly causing him to drop his weapon.
A black-robed figure seized this opportunity and appeared behind the cook, lunging with a sword.
“Careful!”
Shouyi shouted a warning, but it was too late to intervene.
With all his might, the cook deflected the saber pressing down on his boning knife and turned, slicing through the sword aimed at his heart. But behind him, the leading black-robed figure raised his saber and swung again.
Caught between attacks, the cook was powerless to resist. Just as the black-robed man’s saber was about to strike, a long saber sliced through the air, grazing the cook’s stray hairs and piercing the wrist of the leading black-robed figure. The saber’s blade was broad and sharp, and it carried the force of the wind as it flew. The moment its tip sank into the black-robed man's wrist, it severed his entire hand.
“Ah…”
The black-robed man’s saber clattered to the ground. Moments later, the saber that had severed his wrist, along with his detached hand, also fell. The black-robed man let out a cry of agony.
Just then, a long sword suddenly thrust out from the tunnel, piercing the heart of the leading black-robed figure. The black-robed man’s pupils dilated instantly. He turned his head in disbelief and saw a shadow hidden in the darkness.
Ying Yi withdrew his sword, blood droplets clinging to the blade. The drops arced through the air and fell like raindrops, followed by the black-robed man’s corpse.
“Boom~”
The death of the leader of the black-robed figures marked the beginning of the slaughter.
Ying Yi swung his sword, his sword energy stirring up fierce winds, and a chilling killing intent permeated the entire cave. With a single strike, the sword energy alone sent the two closest black-robed figures crashing to the ground. The cook seized the moment, swinging his long saber to lop off the heads of the fallen black-robed figures.
Blood gushed forth like a fountain!
Shouyi’s fist struck the chest of another fallen black-robed figure, caving it in, shattering his ribs, and driving them into his heart.
A single punch, a fatal blow!
The ferocity and ruthlessness of their attacks stunned Cheng Zimo.
One of them was as tiny as a radish, the other a tonsured monk. Neither looked like someone who would wield a butcher’s cleaver. Yet, reality struck Cheng Zimo like a slap, leaving him dazed. These two were monstrous beasts in human form!
Even Sheying watched with wide eyes.
The four of them fought with the spirit of dozens, killing six or seven of the black-robed attackers amidst their siege. Nan Shiying remained on the altar, making no move after throwing her saber.
Her attention, however, was drawn not to the fight below but to Cheng Chongyu. “General Cheng, with things having come to this point, do you still have nothing to say?”
The sounds of battle roared near, yet Nan Shiying’s voice pierced through the fierce roars and entered Cheng Chongyu’s ears, striking a chord in his heart.
It could no longer be concealed!
From the moment he had followed the green snake into the cave, nothing could be kept hidden.
How ironic that Yu Dabbu still believed he had covered everything flawlessly, thinking that by offering a scapegoat, he could suppress the entire affair, seal it, and bury it. But in truth, the other party had tampered with the final batch of sacrifices as early as in Liao Jiang, forcing them to act again, thus capturing the crucial piece, the evidence!
“Father?”
Cheng Chongyu’s silence was unbearable for Cheng Zimo. Sometimes, not answering was an answer in itself.
He had hoped his father would angrily question the accuser, hoped he would righteously deny all the charges leveled against him, not remain silent.
Anything would do, anything at all. Father, please say something!
Cheng Chongyu sighed, as if exhaling a pillar supporting his soul. The straightness of his back slightly bowed, and he visibly aged.
“I have no words to defend myself!”
“Father!?”
This was not how it was supposed to be. He did not want this answer. Chen Zimo pleaded, “Father, I beg you, please offer some defense, tell her it wasn’t you, it wasn’t you!”
Cheng Chongyu placed his hands on Cheng Zimo’s shoulders. He merely glanced at his son’s grief-stricken, desperate expression before lowering his head, unable to look further.
Cheng Zimo felt something collapse within him.
“Why, why would you do this, why…”
Tears streamed down Cheng Zimo’s face. He had searched for so long, investigated for so long, only to discover that his own father had killed the daughter of his best friend. He recalled Qin Si’s final moments, Qin Si looking at him, the despair in his eyes turning into a barrage of questions. Qin Si must have known, must have known his father’s shadow lurked behind Xiao Jun’s disappearance, which was why he had yearned for death, yearned for death!
Cheng Chongyu turned his head away, not daring to meet Cheng Zimo’s current appearance even in his peripheral vision.
“General Cheng, I have read all the letters. In the very beginning, it was merely a favor. I believe if you had been unwilling, even if you couldn’t resolve it, the Langhuan Army would have found a way, wouldn’t they?”
“Yes!”
“But why should I refuse?”
“I have witnessed these lunatics firsthand, seen their madness. If sacrificing a small number of people could throw Liao Jiang into chaos, why should I refuse?”
“Forty years ago, Liao Jiang raided our borders, killing over a thousand of our Linyuan soldiers and civilians. They must pay for this blood debt! If these lunatics summon the so-called Spider God, then Liao Jiang will undoubtedly fall into chaos. At that time, our Langhuan Army will march out in full force, topple the mountains and rivers of Liao Jiang, and plant our Linyuan flags on every inch of Liao Jiang’s land. Linyuan will finally unify the entire northern territory!”
“You…”
Nan Shiying’s eyes widened in disbelief. She had always wondered why Cheng Chongyu, the deputy general of the Langhuan Army, had fallen so far for a mere initial favor. Only now did she realize he hadn’t fallen; he had been a madman like the rest from the very beginning.
“Well said, truly well said!”
Nan Shiying applauded, her clapping crisp and rapid. As she clapped, she suddenly raised her hand and slapped Cheng Chongyu across the face.
The force of the blow sent him sprawling to the ground.
Cheng Chongyu’s mouth began to bleed. Nan Shiying lowered her head, looking down at him. “What a loyal and valiant General Cheng, what a patriotic General Cheng!”
“General Cheng’s devotion to the nation can move the sun and moon!”
“But who gave you the permission to act on your own, to use the lives of the common people in this unknown gamble? You sacrificed the lives of thousands, pushing them into the abyss of hell. Even if Liao Jiang truly descends into chaos because of this, even if our Linyuan flags truly fly over all of Liao Jiang, how can the royal family of Linyuan have the face to set foot in Liao Jiang, how can we celebrate territorial expansion on the bones of our Linyuan people?”
“Cheng Chongyu, you deserve to die, ten thousand deaths!”