Rong Zhi’s expression dimmed; it seemed there was no useful information.
“Do you think, with just the three of us, we can defeat the guards in the courtyard at Swallow Mountain?”
Xia Yunting pondered for a moment and nodded, “We can, but it will be difficult.”
“Are they skilled in martial arts?”
“There are hostages inside.”
Indeed, with so many hostages inside, their fighting would inevitably harm the innocent.
“Furthermore, I need to capture them alive.”
Rong Zhi’s eyes held a question, “You want proof that they framed you?”
“Yes.”
“Then we can only infiltrate the enemy camp with the antidote.”
Her gaze fixed on the ceiling, her resolve hardening.
They hadn’t captured the assassins for Tang Yuanjiang, nor did Tang Yuanjiang blame them—naturally, he couldn’t. Their own internal affairs were in chaos.
The last time Rong Zhi brought two of the Five Ghosts to the county town, Tang Yuanjiang and they had fought to a mutual defeat. Moreover, Chen Lin brought news that the small tavern in front of their residence had been turned upside down that night. It was said a tall man and the waiter had a fight, a fight so earth-shattering and ghost-wailing that in the middle of it, a new, unfamiliar face appeared and separated the two combatants. Afterwards, the waiter knelt on the ground, showing great deference, and even called out, “Hall Master.”
The scholar renting Chen Lin’s courtyard, studying by moonlight, overheard the commotion and witnessed this scene. He didn’t see any more, fearing discovery and a beating, but this intelligence was sufficient.
It seemed the Hall Master of the Black Face Hall had arrived in Changping County. Following Rong Zhi’s previous act of sending the token, the relationship between the White Rat Hall and the Black Face Hall had become increasingly strained. As long as they didn’t unite, Rong Zhi and Xia Yunting’s danger would be reduced.
As for Swallow Mountain, two of the Five Ghosts were injured, and their guard strength would be significantly weakened. This was the best time for them to infiltrate.
The next day, Rong Zhi delivered the prepared antidote to the Zhang residence, quietly waiting for the results.
During this time, she, Xia Yunting, and Chu Qing ate and drank as usual. Rong Zhi pretended not to notice the surveillance on them, merely increasing her vigilance internally. Their concealment was so masterful that neither she nor Xia Yunting could detect where they were hidden, which reminded her of an old acquaintance from her previous life.
Speaking of which, that acquaintance was also a gang leader. Although skilled in hiding, his martial arts were not high, nor was he adept at managing people. She had even taught him some strategies for employing people, but he hadn’t listened. After her rebirth, she learned that the gang had already been destroyed, which was a regrettable turn of events.
A few days later, Li Hao and Yun Heng came to see Rong Zhi, saying the antidote still had problems. This time, Li Hao’s attitude was rather unpleasant.
“We gave you so much money, and this is the result? Our patience is limited.”
“The deadline is three months. It hasn’t even been a month yet. This progress is normal. Your Hall Master hasn’t said anything, so when is it your turn to yap?”
Rong Zhi replied calmly. Li Hao choked, his face turning extremely ugly.
“Furthermore, healing and treating illnesses require diagnosing the condition and prescribing the right medicine. To treat someone, you at least need to let me see the patient so I can adjust the formula. If you’re in a hurry, why don’t you stay here and be my test subject? You might even be of some help, rather than barking like a dog in a fit of rage here.”
Pfft!
Yun Heng almost burst out laughing but quickly covered his mouth when Li Hao glared at him.
“Are you saying that as long as someone is a test subject, you can quickly produce a qualified antidote?”
“At least faster than now.”
Li Hao thought for a moment and said to her, “You’d best not be lying.”
After a veiled threat, Li Hao left.
“Chu Qingze, it seems your medicine’s side effects are quite significant. Li Hao’s temper is terrible now.”
“He’s always been like that,” Chu Qingze replied with a hint of disdain. Then he asked, “Do you have confidence they’ll agree to let us enter Swallow Mountain?”
“Now only I can make the antidote. They have only this one option.”
As expected, the next day Li Hao brought news, asking Rong Zhi to accompany them to see the patient, but with one condition: only Rong Zhi could go. Rong Zhi had guessed this would happen.
In the evening, while changing Xia Yunting’s dressing, she casually said, “When I go to Swallow Mountain this time, they might set an ambush. Then I’ll have to rely on you for support from the outside.”
Xia Yunting said, “The Black Face Hall’s forces have already infiltrated Changping County. Their conflict with the White Rat Hall is deepening. Provoking them isn’t difficult, but capturing the people in Swallow Mountain alive is no easy feat.”
Rong Zhi tied his bandage and said calmly, “If we can’t confront them head-on, we can outsmart them. You just need to keep the forces outside Swallow Mountain in check.”
Xia Yunting nodded, “Leave it to me.”
At the appointed time, a carriage stopped at the mass grave. Li Hao invited Rong Zhi into the carriage and then said to Chu Qingze, “Divine Physician Chu, Doctor Lin will be accompanying us to see the patient. You must stay here in the mass grave. Otherwise, if something happens, Doctor Lin won’t be able to find you, which wouldn’t be good.”
After speaking, he gave Xia Yunting a threatening glance.
The implication was obvious: once Rong Zhi entered Swallow Mountain with them, she would become a hostage. If Chu Qingze and Xia Yunting made any rash moves, they could kill Rong Zhi at any moment.
Chu Qingze pretended not to understand and waved his hand impatiently, “Hurry up and go.”
Li Hao then drove the carriage, taking Rong Zhi towards Swallow Mountain.
This was the first time Rong Zhi could openly enter Swallow Mountain. The carriage moved swiftly, the scenery on both sides blurring past. In a blink, they arrived at the foot of the mountain. They chose a main road, and the carriage’s speed gradually slowed.
It was noon, and the weather was still hot. Even sitting in the carriage, Rong Zhi felt parched, fanning herself.
“How much longer?”
“Half an hour. Have some water!” A waterskin was thrown in from outside. Rong Zhi caught it and, just as she was about to drink, paused. She took a small pill from her pouch and swallowed it, then raised the waterskin and drank several gulps before capping it and throwing it back out.
“Thank you.”
“No need to be polite.”
After another half hour of travel, the carriage finally reached an open area. Li Hao lifted the carriage curtain, and as Rong Zhi stepped out, she realized this was the very place where Xia Yunting had been tied up when she rescued him last time.
Many people were standing around, guarding their positions.
Rong Zhi asked, “Are these the patients I need to treat?”
“No, the patients are inside.”
Li Hao said, a hint of suspicion in his eyes.
Judging by her demeanor, she seemed genuinely unfamiliar with the place. Could the person who brought him here before not have been her?
Suppressing his doubts, Li Hao led the way, bringing Rong Zhi deeper into the mountain towards the large residence. As they approached, five figures quickly appeared before them, their faces menacing. It was clear that compared to their first meeting, these individuals now carried an added layer of apprehension amidst their ferocity, indicating that Rong Zhi's previous trickery had caused them considerable harm.
“Who are you?”
The short one was the first to speak, his tone very unwelcoming.
“The Hall Master ordered that Doctor Lin be allowed inside to check on the patient.”
“Where’s the token?”
Li Hao’s face darkened. The Hall Master’s token was lost; this was known throughout the White Rat Hall. The Hall Master had even beaten him for it in his frustration. Now, to be asked for the token was clearly an intentional provocation.
“I brought someone here personally, surely that’s trustworthy?”
“Hmph, not necessarily,” the short man snorted coldly.
“Everyone knows our White Rat Hall has had many traitors lately. If you’ve turned traitor and brought an outsider in, disrupting the Hall Master’s plan, how can we account for ourselves?”
The five figures stepped forward in unison, clearly blocking their path.
“What do you mean? Do you want to fight?”
Li Hao was also getting angry, but beneath his fury lay a hint of fear. With his martial arts skills, he couldn’t defeat any one of the Five Ghosts, let alone all five of them together.
The Five Ghosts, seeing Li Hao’s predicament, felt smug. They had been wronged the previous day and were looking for someone to vent their anger on. Here was an opportunity, so why not make things difficult for him?
“Li Hao, don’t blame us. After all, the Zhang family is gone now. If you’ve been punished and are unwilling to work for the Hall Master anymore, it’s possible. We are only considering the Hall Master’s interests.”
Although the blind man’s words were not as harsh, they still carried a mocking undertone, questioning Li Hao’s loyalty.
Mentioning this made Li Hao even angrier.
“Even without the Zhang family, I can find a source of income for the hall. Who do you think you’re looking down on?”
Li Hao said, pulling out a silver ingot from his怀, and flashed it before their eyes.
“Don’t think I only have this one financial channel. Your Uncle Li has many tricks up his sleeve. Consider this as a toll fee. Can we pass now?”
He tossed the silver ingot forward, and the deaf one immediately caught it. He weighed it and nodded to the short one beside him.
“Alright, we’ll trust you this time. If you try anything funny, we won’t let you off. Hurry inside!”
The five figures parted to the sides, making way. However, as Li Hao passed them, they still eyed him and Rong Zhi with extreme vigilance, as if trying to pierce them with their gazes.
Rong Zhi thought these five were quite cautious. However, due to the incident with Tang Yuanjiang, they also had little trust in the White Rat Hall.
The Five Ghosts of Three Sheep Mountain did not originally belong to the Blood Drinking Pavilion. It was unknown what means the Blood Drinking Pavilion had used to subdue them. Therefore, compared to those who joined the Blood Drinking Pavilion before its rise, the Five Ghosts’ loyalty was clearly much lower. If the time was right, it might not be impossible to win them over.
Rong Zhi’s thoughts raced. When she came back to her senses, they had already reached the courtyard.
As soon as she entered, a strong smell of blood assailed her nostrils, mixed with the scent of bitter medicine, making it difficult for Rong Zhi to breathe.
She coughed twice, covering her mouth and nose with her hand.
“Where is the patient?”
“Wait a moment, we need to see some people first.”
Li Hao said, entering a room and soon returning with a group of people. These were the ones Xia Yunting had mentioned. Just as Xia Yunting had said, they wore the clothes of Xia Yunting’s guards. But as they approached, Rong Zhi detected a strong aura of blood and killing intent. She had encountered this aura in two types of people: butchers in slaughterhouses and professional assassins—those who had killed for a long time.
“You are Lin Mo?”
One of them spoke, sizing up Rong Zhi like prey.
“Yes.”
“You created the antidote?”
“Yes.”
The other person scoffed, “A woman, no less.”
“What’s wrong with being a woman? Didn’t you still fail to create what I did? It seems you’re not as capable as a woman.”
The other person’s face darkened, and a killing aura quickly emanated. It seemed if Rong Zhi weren't useful to them, he would have snapped her throat on the spot.
“Can I see the patient now?”
Rong Zhi asked, her gaze involuntarily drawn to the houses on either side. Although the sounds were not loud, she could still hear groans emanating from within, as if from hell, sending shivers down her spine.
“Let’s hope you are truly capable.”
The person who had spoken to her earlier gave her a dismissive look, took out a key from his person, and opened the door to a side room on the left.
The moment the door opened, an overwhelming stench of blood wafted out. Rong Zhi saw the situation inside, and her heart clenched painfully!
It was like this!