Chapter 1 Subtle Currents

　　Fei Qing sat in the carriage, the carriage swaying slightly.

　　"The situation in the world is getting worse and worse, and the Northwest is completely ruined. Several large-scale military expeditions have failed." Fei Qing pondered silently, "The Emperor is ruthless enough to his subordinates, but he is increasingly weak and compromising towards the five princes who possess huge armies!"

　　"Since the Emperor ascended the throne, I left the imperial capital to take charge of the Blood Rain Guard in the empire's eastern region. Being away from the Emperor for a long time, the Emperor no longer trusts me as much."

　　Fei Qing sighed.

　　He worked hard to manage the empire's eastern region, cultivated a strong enough Blood Rain Guard army, and maintained the basic stability of the entire eastern region, unlike the ruined western and northern regions.

　　"The stronger the Blood Rain Guard army I cultivate, the more the Emperor fears me." Fei Qing also felt a little tired. "But if I don't put my heart into it, the empire's eastern region will probably also be ruined and completely out of control."

　　"It's been more than a month since I returned to the imperial capital to report on my duties, and the Emperor still hasn't let me go back."

　　"That Cheng Yanran acted cruelly, massacring a Blood Rain Guard detachment, even implicating their families. His actions are ferocious, and I wanted to punish and beat Cheng Yanran for this, but the Emperor refused." Fei Qing thought to himself, "The Emperor is far less trusting of me than before."

　　In the eyes of outsiders, Fei Qing was still the Emperor's right-hand man.

　　However, Fei Qing knew...

　　The danger he was facing now.

　　"With Dean Ming as my backer, even if I fall, at least my younger sister and my father will be safe." Fei Qing thought, then sighed secretly, "Emperor, be close to virtuous ministers and keep away from petty people. But Your Majesty, can you tell who is a virtuous minister and who is a petty person? I even doubt who you still trust?"

　　At this time, the carriage arrived at the Fei residence.

　　Fei Qing got out of the carriage and entered the residence.

　　"Master, Jing Ming is here, requesting to see you," said the silver-haired old man, Lu Shao.

　　"Oh?" Fei Qing nodded slightly.

　　With the Emperor's trust reduced, Fei Qing was not one to be slaughtered, and naturally he was also cultivating forces loyal to him. Someone like 'Jing Ming', who had the potential to become a top-tier expert, also belonged to Fei Qing's reserve forces.

　　……

　　"Master," Xu Jingming said respectfully.

　　"I know about the matter with your team," Fei Qing said, sitting there.

　　"Master, was it instructed by Cheng Yanran, the son of Prince Yan's mansion?" Xu Jingming asked.

　　Fei Qing looked at Xu Jingming in surprise.

　　Xu Jingming had purchased detailed information on 'Cheng Yanran' from the virtual world network and also knew the relationship between the Yellow Springs Sect and Prince Yan's mansion! Plus, Cheng Yanran had sent someone to assassinate him the night before, so it was easy to deduce.

　　"Master, you said that Cheng Yanran wouldn't give up," Xu Jingming said. "And I also found out in the Blood Rain Guard that the Yellow Springs Sect is based in the empire's northern region and must have connections with Prince Yan's mansion, so I guessed that it was instructed by Cheng Yanran."

　　"Yes."

　　Fei Qing nodded slightly, "I agree with your guess."

　　"Massacring a Blood Rain Guard team and even implicating their families is a capital crime," Xu Jingming said. He wanted to borrow official power, but Cheng Yanran was too difficult to deal with.

　　"Without evidence, there's no way," Fei Qing looked at Xu Jingming. "Even if you have evidence, it's useless."

　　"Even with evidence, it's useless?" Xu Jingming looked at Fei Qing.

　　"To arrest a son of a prince, the Emperor must nod his head," Fei Qing said.

　　"Master, Cheng Yanran targeted me and Luo Baichuan because of Miss Fei. Afterwards, he continued to target my team. Is Master just going to condone Cheng Yanran like this?" Xu Jingming asked.

　　"This is the imperial capital."

　　Fei Qing looked at Xu Jingming, "I don't have the final say."

　　Xu Jingming was stunned.

　　"Stay in the imperial capital for a few more days, and you'll understand everything," Fei Qing got up and left. Xu Jingming watched this scene and thought to himself, "It seems I can't rely on official power; I can only rely on myself."

　　……

　　Xu Jingming returned to the Nan Yi Thousand Household Office. Dozens of colleagues had died, and the Nan Yi Thousand Household Office was also talking about this matter.

　　"Poor Brother Qu and the others."

　　"The Yellow Springs Sect's methods are too cruel, even implicating their families." The Blood Rain Guards chatted, but it was just a few words of scolding.

　　Xu Jingming saw this scene and could feel the numbness in the hearts of these Blood Rain Guards. "I can feel that they don't intend to avenge their colleagues. Dozens of colleagues died, and their families were killed. It's so tragic… Why are they still so numb?"

　　Suddenly, angry scolding came from the front.

　　"Centurion Zhao! You only have three teams under your command, and now one team is almost completely wiped out, even their families have been implicated. I asked you to send someone to investigate, and you even demanded a bribe?" Zhang Ke's frantic voice came.

　　Zhang Ke came out, still cursing as he looked back, "I've finally seen what it means to be greedy for money! Are you even worthy of being a Blood Rain Guard centurion?"

　　"Zhang Ke!"

　　Zhao Defang walked out, his beard trembling, and roared, "Don't you slander this official! When did I demand a bribe? The Town Defender has issued an order to investigate the Yellow Springs Sect. When did it become my turn to send someone? Considering that your whole family was exterminated by the Yellow Springs Sect, and you are consumed by anger, I won't pursue your crime of slander, but you better be careful, not everything can be said."

　　"Hahaha…" Zhang Ke laughed, laughing madly.

　　The other Blood Rain Guards watched this scene and sighed secretly.

　　"Vice-Captain Zhang Ke is really pitiful."

　　"Bad luck, he provoked the Yellow Springs Sect."

　　"Working in the imperial capital, don't you know who you can't provoke?" These Blood Rain Guards muttered secretly. They were imposing to ordinary people, but they were all cautious in the face of truly powerful forces, fearing that they would provoke a great disaster.

　　Xu Jingming also watched all this.

　　"I used to be like you."

　　Zhang Ke looked at the many Blood Rain Guards around him, "Following the crowd, muddleheaded, just muddling through the days, thinking that the royal mansion and wealthy families are not to be provoked, thinking that the various forces in the imperial capital are terrifying, thinking that those Blood Rain Guards who are affected and lying dead on the streets are unlucky, it's their bad luck, they angered those great forces?"

　　"But now I understand, the Blood Rain Guards, ah, the Blood Rain Guards, have long lost their bloodiness!" Zhang Ke sneered, "Blood Rain Guards without bloodiness are just a joke, a joke!"

　　"If there was bloodiness, if it was the imperial capital's Blood Rain Guards when my father was young! Who would dare to massacre a Blood Rain Guard team? And even implicate their families? I'm afraid the Blood Rain Guards would turn the entire imperial capital upside down."

　　"Unfortunately, those are the Blood Rain Guards of the past..."

　　Saying that, Zhang Ke walked out.

　　"Zhang Ke," Xu Jingming called out to him.

　　Zhang Ke looked at Xu Jingming, but said directly, "Captain, and everyone present, you should all stay away from me, otherwise you'll easily be implicated by this madman." Saying that, he strode out.

　　The surrounding Blood Rain Guards buzzed with discussion.

　　"The Blood Rain Guards of the past?" Some older Blood Rain Guards felt complicated, "It's different now, that's in the past."

　　……

　　Outside the city, in front of a cemetery.

　　Zhang Ke knelt there.

　　Xu Jingming came here and offered sacrifices and burned some paper money.

　　"Captain, you should keep your distance from me," Zhang Ke said calmly, looking at the tombstone, "From now on, I'm just a living dead, a living dead only for revenge. I don't want to implicate you. I can see… Captain, you're a good person, and you have bloodiness. Don't be implicated by me."

　　"Zhang Ke."

　　Xu Jingming turned to look at Zhang Ke, "The people who died are my brothers. Can I just ignore it?"

　　"Moreover, they and their families were all implicated because of me," Xu Jingming said softly.

　　Zhang Ke was stunned and looked up at Xu Jingming, "Implicated because of you?"

　　"Remember the assassination attempt on me the night before?" Xu Jingming said. "That night, there was also an assassination attempt on Luo Baichuan, and Luo Baichuan lost an arm and a leg. If I had also lost an arm and a leg that night, perhaps there wouldn't have been any subsequent retaliation."

　　"Because I blocked the assassin, the person who instructed it was furious, so they sent a stronger team to wipe out my entire team," Xu Jingming said.

　　"Who is the murderer? Why did he target the captain, target Luo Baichuan?" Zhang Ke asked.

　　"Cheng Yanran, the son of Prince Yan's mansion," Xu Jingming said, "Just because Luo Baichuan and I are the best male friends of Miss Fei from the Fei mansion."

　　Zhang Ke found it unbelievable, "Just for that reason?"

　　"Yes, just for that."

　　Xu Jingming nodded, "In the eyes of the son of Prince Yan's mansion, maybe ordinary Blood Rain Guards like us are just like pigs and dogs, for him to kill and massacre at will."

　　"Haha… Hahaha… How ridiculous, this world is so ridiculous." Zhang Ke laughed, but staggered away.

　　"Zhang Ke," Xu Jingming watched him.

　　But Zhang Ke didn't pay attention to Xu Jingming anymore.

　　……

　　"I want to put a bounty on Cheng Yanran, the son of Prince Yan's mansion." In a secret hall, Zhang Ke, wearing a black robe and a mask, said.

　　"The Seven Kill Tower has always had a bounty on Cheng Yanran. The bounty has been up for six years, and no one has been able to succeed," the Seven Kill Tower receptionist said.

　　"Two thousand six hundred taels of silver." Zhang Ke threw gold bars, silver ingots, and other items on the table, "I want to increase the bounty."

　　"Alright."

　　The receptionist was very casual.

　　Looking at the entire Blood Rain World, there weren't many that the Seven Kill Tower didn't dare to 'put a bounty' on! The son of Prince Yan's mansion? The Seven Kill Tower didn't care. Prince Yan only controlled a ten-thousand-mile territory, which had a limited impact on the Seven Kill Tower.

　　"The bounty amount, including mine, is only thirty-two thousand six hundred taels?" Zhang Ke looked at the amount. "This son of a prince has ruined the purity of many daughters from wealthy families. Didn't any of those wealthy families offer a large bounty?"

　　"The wealthier the family, the more they fear Prince Yan. It's already good to have a bounty of more than thirty thousand taels," the Seven Kill Tower receptionist smiled softly. "Sir, is there anything else?"

　　Zhang Ke turned and left.

　　……

　　In the evening.

　　Cheng Yanran's team was traveling on the street, with twelve guards on the left and right, and a coachman driving.

　　"Cheng Yanran! You sent people to massacre a Blood Rain Guard team and even kill their entire family. I, Zhang Ke… a lone ghost, have come to collect the debt!" Accompanied by a loud shout that resounded throughout the entire prosperous street, a man wearing a Blood Rain Guard uniform, with mourning clothes over it, and holding twin blades, strode over.

　　This made countless people on the street secretly surprised, and everyone stepped aside.

　　"Massacring Blood Rain Guards, exterminating their families?"

　　"Who is Cheng Yanran?"

　　"With the surname Cheng! Should be a member of the royal family."

　　The pedestrians discussed.

　　Zhang Ke, resigned to death, charged towards the carriage team.

　　Cheng Yanran's expression in the carriage changed. Some things could be done quietly, but if they were exposed, it would still be a little troublesome.

　　"Kill him." Cheng Yanran's order came from the carriage.

　　"Daring to slander His Highness, the prince, deserves to die." Three guards immediately rushed out. Zhang Ke charged up with twin blades. Even though Zhang Ke was a top-tier expert… after only a few exchanges, he was cut across the throat by a blade under the siege of three guards.

　　……

　　Nan Yi Thousand Household Office.

　　"Thump."

　　Zhang Ke's body was thrown in front of the Nan Yi Thousand Household Office.

　　"Blood Rain Guard Zhang Ke assassinated His Highness, the prince, in the street." Two mounted guards were in front of the Nan Yi Thousand Household Office, one of them shouted, "Your Nan Yi Thousand Household Office must give the prince an explanation."

　　"Assassinating the prince is a crime punishable by nine generations of relatives, and His Majesty will soon know about this."

　　After the two guards finished speaking, they turned and left, leaving only Zhang Ke's body lying in front of the Nan Yi Thousand Household Office.

　　Blood Rain Guards and auxiliary guards quickly came out and looked at Zhang Ke's body, looking at each other in dismay.

　　"Assassinating His Highness, the prince, in the street?" Zhao Defang, having received the news, rushed over and cursed angrily as he looked at Zhang Ke's body, "You don't want to live, but you want to harm us? Now there's trouble, trouble!"

　　Assassinating in the street couldn't be denied, and Zhao Defang, the centurion of the team he belonged to, couldn't escape the blame. Of course, Xu Jingming would also have to bear responsibility.

　　******

　　Virtual world network.

　　Xu Jingming was currently in the spaceship hall, looking at the materials in his hand, "I've been preparing for two days for the plan to deal with Cheng Yanran, and I still don't feel confident. I'm always panicking."

　　Whoosh.

　　Suddenly, a figure appeared from the void, it was Pang Ze.

　　"You haven't looked for me in a while," Pang Ze looked at Xu Jingming with a smile, "I, this agent, am not worthy of the name."

　　"So I'm inviting Mr. Pang today," Xu Jingming said.

　　"What's the matter?" Pang Ze asked.

　　Xu Jingming handed the materials in his hand to Pang Ze, "I encountered an enemy in the Blood Rain World, and I want to eliminate him! This is the information I've collected and the plan I've made. Please, Mr. Pang, give me your opinion."

　　Pang Ze took the materials and flipped through them.

　　Xu Jingming waited silently to the side.

　　After reading it, Pang Ze said, "You're too petty. You're only preparing 50 million cosmic dollars! To deal with such a tough bone to gnaw on?"

　　Xu Jingming was stunned.

　　"Looking at these materials, I can tell at a glance that Prince Yan doesn't really care about the life or death of this son," Pang Ze said. "The one who really cares about his life or death is that Emperor. If you want to kill the son of the prince… the biggest obstacle is actually the Emperor!"

　　"You haven't even figured out your opponent. Do you think your plan can succeed?" Pang Ze joked, "But your plan also has its merits. First, target the 'source of wealth' of the son of Prince Yan's mansion, and rob a wave first! At least you can earn back the capital."

　　"I also feel that I don't have much confidence, so I thought I'd earn back the capital for the plan first," Xu Jingming said immediately. "Then I'll carry out a desperate blow. I believe that with so many cosmic citizen players assassinating without fear of death, there's still a certain chance of success."

　　"Too rough."

　　Pang Ze said, "How about this, this action will be counted as my share. I'll invest 300 million cosmic dollars! The subsequent income will be divided according to a 6:1 ratio."

　　"Invest 300 million?" Xu Jingming was stunned.

　　Such a large sum?

　　"The strong win over the weak. That's the kingly way," Pang Ze said. "Do you need me to join? It's okay if you don't join. I'll help you improve the plan, but the chances of success are still no more than 30%."

　　"I'd be more than happy for Mr. Pang to join," Xu Jingming said.

　　"A total investment of 350 million cosmic dollars, I'll make the plan," Pang Ze nodded.

　　Xu Jingming immediately felt relieved.

　　It's settled!