Assassination

Fu Qingyang led his five teammates out of the barracks. Looking around, they saw a dense, black swarm of insects blanketing the sky above the military camp, their wings buzzing with a deafening drone. Fu Qingyang narrowed his eyes to inspect them. The airborne swarm resembled mosquitoes, but each was several times larger, blood-red from head to tail, with slender mouthparts gleaming with a metallic sheen like sharp needles. Soldiers held their heads and scurried frantically beneath the swarm. One after another, they collapsed with bloodcurdling screams, madly clawing at their faces and chests until their flesh tore open, leaving them drenched in blood. Some soldiers retreated into buildings and slammed the doors and windows shut, only for the swarm to plaster the surfaces like flies, squeezing through every crack and crevice. High-ranking experts across the army unleashed their methods. Fire Specialists steered soaring dragons of flame into the air to incinerate the swarms. Water Ghosts drew water from the wells, forming colossal hands that swatted at the insects, but the Gu insects moved too quickly for the hands to achieve much. Wood Monsters lit insect-repelling incense, attempting to drive the Gu bugs away with the scent. Flames roared around Tianxia Guihuo as he shrouded himself in fire. Striding up to a corpse, he peered down and saw that it was completely shriveled, drained of nearly all its blood. Dense clusters of red eggs clung to the ruptured wounds. The eggs were crystalline and translucent, the life within them gestating and maturing at a terrifying speed. Tianxia Guihuo felt a jolt of alarm. Flicking a tongue of flame, he burned both the eggs and the corpse to ash and shouted, "These Gu insects not only drain human blood, but their eggs also cling to corpses to breed rapidly! We must wipe out this swarm immediately, or the entire Linxia City is doomed!" His words weighed heavily on the hearts of the experts in the army. "No wonder the Northern Dynasty's army has held back these past few days. They were breeding Gu insects, hoping to grind down our forces without shedding their own blood through such dirty tricks," Lingjun scoffed. Opening his inventory, he drew out a jade-green bamboo flute and began to play a lilting tune. The music drifted higher and higher, wafting into the sky and out into the mountain forests. Moments later, birds throughout Linxia City flocked together, converging toward the barracks. From the sprawling mountains outside the city, another dense cloud of birds rose into the sky, sweeping over in grand numbers. The flocks circled above the camp, diving and soaring, snapping up the frantically darting insects. In less than fifteen minutes, the Gu swarm that had attacked the barracks was devoured clean. "Fortunately, winter hasn't set in yet, or these Gu insects would have been far harder to handle." Fu Qingyang's grim expression relaxed slightly as he barked out orders in rapid succession: "Tianxia Guihuo, Zhao Chenghuang, take men and tend to the corpses. Demonic Eye, hold the line at the city wall and steady troop morale. Lingjun, Xiahou Aotian, deal with the poisoned soldiers." With that, he stepped onto his flying sword and shot into the clouds, leaving behind cold, decisive words: "I'm going to test the Northern Dynasty's experts." Lingjun and the others knew Fu Qingyang intended to single-handedly tie down the Northern Dynasty's forces and sow chaos so they couldn't launch an assault right now. Wasting no time, they sprang into action. An hour later, having wrapped up their tasks, the five returned to the barracks to find Fu Qingyang sitting shirtless by a table. He was wrapped in bandages, looking visibly battered. "You're wounded?" Lingjun hurried forward to inspect his injuries. "Just a scratch." Fu Qingyang waved a hand, fending off Lingjun's wandering hands. Accepting a medicinal pill from Xiahou Aotian, he said, "I fought Northern Dynasty experts and discovered a grim fact: they have several times more high-level combatants than we do. Furthermore, the Right Commander of the Juque Army is a level-eight Mist Lord, only slightly inferior to me. "Even after giving it my all, I didn't catch a glimpse of Tuoba Guanghe, their legendary top expert of the Northern Territory. That strongly suggests he is at the peak of level eight." What did the peak of level eight mean? It meant that even Fu Qingyang, an eighth-level combatant equipped with the Swordsman Cloak and Skill Nigh unto the Dao, could not guarantee victory in a duel. At the Dominator stage, even within level eight, the gap between the initial phase and the late peak was like night and day. Heavenly King Demonic Eye furrowed his brow. "If that's the case, once the battle starts, it's going to be a brutal grind." Zhao Chenghuang, Lingjun, and Tianxia Guihuo, on the other hand, felt a sudden swell of relief that their side had two top masters, Fu Qingyang and Demonic Eye, holding the line. It gave them an immense sense of security. Well, Xiahou Aotian counted as half a pillar, too. Despite his eccentric personality, his practical utility was exceptional. Fu Qingyang said, "Report your findings." Xiahou Aotian immediately piped up, "Spies poisoned our wells with a virulent venom. Fortunately, with this protagonist on the job, the affected soldiers have recovered. I dropped a Water Purification Bead into each of the barracks' wells. I hope the organization reimburses me after we leave this dungeon." "I also planted plenty of toxin-absorbing water vines in the wells," Lingjun added. "From now on, all we have to do is check if the vines turn black to know whether the water is poisoned." Zhao Chenghuang said, "We lost six hundred soldiers in total. Fortunately, they were lower-ranking infantry, so the casualty count isn't catastrophic." Fu Qingyang said in a low, steely voice, "Under my command, every man is a brother. This grudge will be repaid." He then looked at Heavenly King Demonic Eye. "Given the Northern Dynasty's strength, if we fall back to defend the capital, defeat is guaranteed. Leave Yuanshi's situation aside for now. Trust him." *** "The beauty's singing sounds just like heavenly music!" Zhang Yuanqing clapped his hands, shouting "Bravo!" three times. Internally, he added: *The stench of a green tea vixen is practically suffocating!* This Beauty Wan truly knew how to vie for favor. She had arranged an "accidental encounter" with the emperor in the Imperial Garden, luring him with her song, and today she had stuffed fresh leaves and sprinkled salt water outside her door to make the stags stop. Hearing Zhang Yuanqing's voice, Beauty Wan on the second floor turned around in "pleasant surprise." "Oh! It's Your Majesty!" Gathering her skirt, she hurried downstairs, pattering down the steps like someone reuniting with her true love, seemingly ready to throw herself into Zhang Yuanqing's arms. Then, as if suddenly remembering etiquette, she abruptly checked her stride and said bashfully, "Your Majesty, this concubine has missed you dearly." Zhang Yuanqing scrutinized her, marvelling that the fatuous tyrant's taste was indeed something to be reckoned with. The girl was about sixteen, looking like a fresh lotus emerging from clear water, pure, delicate, and refined—truly a tender young blossom. "Beauty Wan, a single day apart feels like three autumns. We have missed you greatly as well." Zhang Yuanqing gripped Beauty Wan's hands tightly, letting a lecherous smile spread across his face. The instant he seized those fair, tender hands, he felt an irresistible force pull them back. The pure and refined Beauty Wan murmured coyly, "Your Majesty, how can you be so forward in broad daylight? Once the sun sets, please rest in this palace. This concubine wishes to attend to Your Majesty tonight." *Who is this?* Zhang Yuanqing looked at the pristine, graceful face. While nodding with a beaming smile, his mind raced, analyzing her identity. He had found another spirit realm walker. Well, likely one. Following Jiang Jingwei's example, Zhang Yuanqing had realized a quick method to locate teammates: initiate physical contact with the imperial concubines. Anyone who resisted had to be a spirit realm walker. After all, in their eyes, the emperor was just an NPC. There was no need to let an NPC grope them, and the Spirit Realm wouldn't present a dungeon where offering one's body was mandatory—this wasn't a dungeon exclusive to the Desire profession. As for whether a spy might resist physical contact, Zhang Yuanqing deemed it impossible. A spy's core duty was seduction; the more the emperor bedded them, the happier a spy ought to be. *In my faction, people this calculating... well, there are quite a few, but anyone this dramatic would either be Xie Lingxi or Auntie...* Zhang Yuanqing said, "My beauty, We still have matters to attend to and won't go inside just yet. Prepare yourself to attend upon Us tonight." With that, he cast a lewd look over Beauty Wan's shapely figure, then turned to leave with his retinue of guards and eunuchs. The Spirit Realm barred him from making any gesture hinting that he was a spirit realm walker. His only option was to conceal his identity and summon his teammates to the emperor's bedchamber under the pretext of having them attend him, turning them into round-the-clock bodyguards. Beauty Wan's eyes darted slyly as she smiled. "Yes, Your Majesty!" Leaving Beauty Wan's pavilion, Zhang Yuanqing headed straight for Consort De's palace. On the way, he summoned a eunuch and asked in a relaxed tone, "How do We usually treat Consort De?" The eunuch replied with a fawning smile, "With boundless favor, Your Majesty." *Which woman doesn't this tyrant treat with boundless favor?* Zhang Yuanqing asked, "And compared to the other beauties and consorts?" The eunuch smiled again. "Your Majesty favors Consort De above all others." Zhang Yuanqing had his answer. Perhaps because Zhao Shun had slaughtered Consort De's entire family, he indulged her to an extraordinary degree. Soon, they arrived before Consort De's palace. Led by a palace maid, they stepped directly into the flower garden. White, nameless flowers were in full bloom, lending the entire garden an air of cool, understated elegance. In a pavilion within the garden, a woman clad in plain robes was plucking a zither. Her waist was slender, her bearing graceful. Her eyes held the depth of autumnal waters, her brows curved like long spring hills. Her skin was as pale as congealed snow, vivid and full of charm. She was truly an exceptional beauty. The eunuch shouted, "His Majesty arrives!" Yet Consort De kept her head bowed over the strings, turning a deaf ear. "Has she always been this arrogant?" Zhang Yuanqing whispered to the eunuch beside him. The eunuch, unfamiliar with the modern phrase, hesitated, unsure how to reply. Zhang Yuanqing rephrased: "Consort De has always behaved like this?" The eunuch nodded, not daring to offer further judgment. Zhang Yuanqing glanced at the sky. It was still early. "Let her play. Go gather all the palace attendants here." The eunuch complied and withdrew. Before long, every palace maid serving in Consort De's palace had been assembled. Following his theory, Zhang Yuanqing enthusiastically interacted with the pretty maidservants, pinching one, patting another, planting kisses here and there. The maids acted coquettish and flattered, showing not the slightest hint of avoiding him. All of them felt that being touched by the emperor was a blessing earned across eight lifetimes, and some even hoped to go a step further and climb into his bed. Just then, the music ceased. The stunning Consort De approached, accompanied by a maid cradling her zither. "Your Majesty!" she greeted him with lukewarm formality. "Consort De, Our beloved consort..." Zhang Yuanqing repeated his earlier maneuver, taking Consort De's hand. "We have missed you so much that We cannot focus on state affairs. We desire your attendance tonight; have your servants make ready." The cool-featured Consort De said flatly, "Just a few days ago, this concubine attended upon Your Majesty. You possess three thousand beauties in the imperial harem; you must not dote on me alone. I am weary and will retire inside to rest." With a chilly expression, she brushed past Zhang Yuanqing and entered her chambers with her maid. Zhang Yuanqing did not stop her or insist. He sighed. "Since beloved consort is not in the mood, another day it is." He had to continue playing the role of Zhao Shun. Next, Zhang Yuanqing went to see Lady Ya and the Empress. Unfortunately, Lady Ya claimed illness and refused visitors, while the Empress had left the palace to visit her family, the Yangs. He saw neither. At dusk, Zhang Yuanqing met Songstress Wang at the Yuyin Workshop. The songstress was voluptuous and glamorous, dressed in colorful robes. She had a full forehead, almond eyes, peach-blossom cheeks, and watery, alluring eyes, naturally radiating seductive charm. "Your Majesty, this servant has missed you so! Why haven't you summoned me to sing these past three days?" Songstress Wang approached gleefully, offering a graceful curtsy. With her, Zhang Yuanqing cut straight to the chase, letting out a cold snort: "We were poisoned by villains. The Imperial City Bureau is secretly investigating the matter, keeping it under wraps. Songstress Wang, you served Us both before and after We were poisoned." Songstress Wang's face changed drastically. "Your Majesty, even if this servant had a hundred times the courage, I would never dare harm Your Majesty!" Zhang Yuanqing softened his tone and chuckled. "Of course We do not suspect you. We are telling you so that if you suspect anyone, report it to the Imperial City Bureau at once." Only then did Songstress Wang turn from fright to joy. She pouted. "Your Majesty, are you trying to scare this servant to death? I am merely a songstress; how could I know of any traitors? I only know how to play the zither and sing. Why doesn't this servant..." Before she could finish, Zhang Yuanqing stepped close, grabbed her waist, and chuckled, "No need for singing. Follow Us inside." The moment his palm pressed against her soft waist, he clearly felt her body freeze. Her muscles tightened in an instant, only to relax a second later. "Y-Your Majesty, you have barely recovered from your grave illness; how can you overexert yourself?" Songstress Wang gently pushed against the emperor's chest, a soft, charming smile on her face. "Once you have nursed your royal body back to health, this servant will gladly attend to you." *If she were a spy, she'd be thrilled to get close to me. Even if she didn't assassinate me on the spot, she would have stayed to find another chance to poison me... Songstress Wang resisted physical contact as well.* Zhang Yuanqing let go of her waist. "Attend upon Us tonight!" With that, he turned and departed with his guards and eunuchs. *** At dusk, Zhang Yuanqing returned to the bedchamber in his deer carriage. Collapsing onto the soft couch, he began reviewing his gains for the day. Beauty Chu was Jiang Jingwei. Beauty Wan's exact identity was unknown, but she was confirmed to be a spirit realm walker. Lady Ya and the Empress hadn't been seen. As for Consort De... Zhang Yuanqing couldn't be sure. Consort De hadn't resisted holding his hand, meaning she wasn't averse to physical contact. As for her refusal to attend him and her cold attitude, that stemmed from the blood debt between their characters. Songstress Wang, however, was quite interesting. According to the court activity records, Zhao Shun frequently summoned her. Normally, after countless romps in bed, she wouldn't resist physical contact. Thus, Songstress Wang could also be a spirit realm walker. Though he hadn't uncovered the spy, he had made a major breakthrough today—securing bodyguards! *There isn't a single lead on the spy. Catching them within twenty-four hours is nearly impossible. The proper move today was to dig up my teammates in the harem, enlist their protection, and wait for the spy to walk into the trap.* As for the ban on revealing one's identity, that was naturally the dungeon's way of amping up the difficulty. Otherwise, he could have ridden his deer carriage through the streets shouting modern catchphrases to link up with his companions with ease, which would have rendered the restrictions on their cultivation levels and inventories pointless. Fortunately, Zhang Yuanqing had cleverly devised a loophole-like method to find his teammates. Having located three of them, all he needed to do now was wait for them to arrive tonight. Just then, a pungent herbal scent drifted into his nostrils. Zhang Yuanqing frowned and looked over to see the graying Attendant Li walking in, accompanied by a palace maid carrying a bowl. Zhang Yuanqing instantly slipped back into his tyrant persona, snapping impatiently, "We already said We wouldn't drink it! You dog of a servant, do you not understand Our words?" Attendant Li's facial muscles twitched as he fought down his temper. He replied in a muffled voice, "Your Majesty, the imperial physician said you were stricken by a bizarre poison. If you do not take your medicine on schedule, residual toxins will accumulate in your body and cause permanent harm." *A bizarre poison? Why didn't you mention this during the day?* Seizing the opening, Zhang Yuanqing probed, "What bizarre poison? Why were We not informed!" Attendant Li said in a deep voice, "According to the physician, it is an exotic mixture of multiple poisons. The potency is ferocious, yet the components keep each other in check, preventing instantaneous death. For the same reason, tracing the poisoner is extremely difficult, as the doses might not have been administered on the same day." Realization dawned on Zhang Yuanqing. No wonder the culprit hadn't been caught, and since the harem consorts were all the emperor's women, the Imperial City Bureau didn't dare extract confessions through torture. *Finding the spy might be a long-term quest, but finding bodyguards is the optimal way to clear the 'survive for twenty-four hours' objective!* Zhang Yuanqing feigned impatience, took the bowl, and gulped down the medicinal brew. Of course, he hadn't forgotten to have the maid test it for poison first. Although Attendant Li was Empress Dowager Zheng's confidant and unlikely to be the culprit, proper procedure couldn't be skipped. After finishing dinner, Zhang Yuanqing waited eagerly in the bedchamber. Finally, a eunuch's call rang out from beyond the hall: "Announcing the arrival of Beauty Chu—!" Immediately after, the tall lattice doors swung open. Fourteen- or fifteen-year-old Beauty Chu, fair-skinned and pretty, entered the bedchamber escorted by two palace maids. "Your Majesty!" Beauty Chu declared loudly. "This concubine feels bashful. Might we dismiss the attendants so only I remain to serve you?" Zhang Yuanqing was only too happy to oblige. Since he wasn't actually going to bed Beauty Chu, having maids in the room would only complicate their act. He waved the palace maids away. *Pat, pat!* Zhang Yuanqing patted the mattress. "Come, come, Beauty Chu, have a seat." Beauty Chu didn't move. She pricked up her ears, listening as the footsteps faded into the distance before taking a step forward. Then, right before Zhang Yuanqing's eyes, a gleaming dagger slid from her sleeve. "???"