The two arrived at the entrance of the Black Wolf Gambling Den.
“Something is happening inside!” Sikong Yue’s ears twitched, and she immediately sensed the sounds of fighting and shouting coming from within.
“I heard it too; you didn’t need to tell me.” Gu Wangchen casually flicked his finger toward the shadows at the mouth of the alley. A wriggling mass of darkness dissipated instantly.
After arranging the next task for An Li, Gu Wangchen reached out to push the heavy wooden door of the gambling den.
“Wait a second.” Sikong Yue grabbed his sleeve.
“What, do you want to bet with me again?”
“Of course not,” Sikong Yue pouted and stepped in front of him. She said nonchalantly, “When the three of us split up just now, the reason you chose me to protect you was because you think I’m the strongest, right?”
“Uh…”
Gu Wangchen glanced at her, unsure of how to answer.
The reason he had sent Wei Yang off on a separate path was to give him the chance to face his former comrades alone. He wanted to see how this veteran, transferred from the Anxi Army to Shengan, would choose when the person in charge of the case wasn’t watching.
Would he shield his former brothers-in-arms, or would he uphold his honor?
Judging by the messages An Li had sent and the sounds of combat inside the den, this Wei Yang… was actually decent.
But it was a bit of a pity.
He had thought Wei Yang might protect his comrades, which would have allowed Gu Wangchen to turn him into a double agent. He could have used that to speed up the process of catching the mastermind behind the scenes.
But it didn’t matter now.
He would have to rely on An Li and the Hidden Shadow Pavilion to continue the tracking.
‘Sigh, An Li is carrying the whole team!’
“Hey, Master Gu, what’s wrong? Are you too embarrassed to admit it?” Seeing Gu Wangchen remain silent, the corners of Sikong Yue’s mouth curled up. She assumed he was just shy about admitting he needed her protection.
“Yes, you’re absolutely right. Since you’re so eager to protect me, hurry up and open the door.”
Gu Wangchen gave Sikong Yue a gentle shove.
“You were clearly the one who initiated this!” Sikong Yue retorted.
“As your superior, I am ordering you to clear the path for me now!”
“Hmph, what can you even do besides use your authority…”
Sikong Yue grumbled as she delivered a powerful kick to the door, seemingly venting all her frustration on the wood.
*Boom—!*
The moment the door was kicked open, the sounds of shouting and the clashing of blades from the main hall rushed into their ears, followed by the faint scent of blood.
Gu Wangchen pulled out a silk handkerchief to cover his nose as he slowly walked inside.
Before him was a scene of total chaos. Wood chips flew through the air, blades were notched and chipped, and the cold glint of steel reflected off the fresh blood. Heavy breathing and angry roars filled the space.
*Thump, thump, thump!*
The sound of a drum echoed from the second floor.
“Captain Wei, I’m here to help!”
Seeing the situation, Sikong Yue drew her sword and activated her cultivation technique. She vanished, turning into a blurred afterimage.
*Swoosh—*
Her sword-light was like falling stars, her strikes as pure as snow.
Her black hair danced in the wind, the white streak at her forehead shimmering alongside the cold radiance of her blade. Sikong Yue became a dancer amidst a forest of spears. Her sword style was fluid and graceful, using minimal movements to strike the joints of the attackers.
*Squelch, squelch, squelch.*
Flowers of crimson bloomed as the attackers staggered and collapsed in an instant.
The one-sided situation shifted immediately the moment Sikong Yue joined the fray.
Gu Wangchen watched her fight with genuine appreciation. ‘She really is a powerhouse. Even her sword moves are beautiful. It definitely reflects her master’s style.’
However… he recalled that Sikong Yue’s master’s swordplay was supposedly even more magnificent. He wondered if he would ever have the chance to see it for himself at the Sword Sect.
While his thoughts wandered for a moment, the tide of the battle had completely turned.
“Heh… cough…”
The attackers fell one after another. They tried to crawl back up to fight, but their stamina was already mostly depleted. Their struck knee and elbow joints simply wouldn’t support them anymore.
*Thump…*
The final beat of the drum fell.
A man with his hair tied back watched the scene in the hall with a blank expression. He walked down the stairs step by step, lifting his head to look at Gu Wangchen at the entrance.
Wei Yang leaned on his long-handled saber, struggling to stay upright. He wiped the blood from his forehead and looked at Sikong Yue. “Thank you… Miss Sikong.”
“Don’t mention it. We’re teammates now!” Even as she said it was nothing, Sikong Yue couldn’t help but nod her head with satisfaction.
‘This feels great! So this is how it feels to show up at the last second and take all the credit!’
She instinctively glanced back at Gu Wangchen as he walked up to her side and patted him on the shoulder. “Thanks!”
“?” Gu Wangchen didn’t quite understand her train of thought.
However, he didn’t care much and looked toward the man with the tied-back hair.
“May I ask who this lord is…” The man noticed the gold medallion at Gu Wangchen’s waist. His heart sank, and he was the first to speak.
Gu Wangchen pointed at his own face, looking confused. “Where did this bumpkin come from? You don’t even recognize me?”
He turned to Sikong Yue. “Tell me, is Gu Wangchen really that obscure? A bumpkin from out of town doesn’t even recognize this young master?”
“Huh?” Sikong Yue looked at him, unsure of how to respond.
To be honest, when she first arrived in Shengan, she didn’t recognize him either!
Seeing Sikong Yue’s blank expression, Gu Wangchen sighed softly. “Sigh, it seems my great reputation hasn’t reached you… well, you bumpkins from the border yet.”
The man twisted his neck, making a cracking sound. “Gu Wangchen? You’re the son of that treacherous minister, Gu Huaizhang?”
“Oh, a political activist, are we?” Gu Wangchen walked forward two steps fearlessly, sizing up the soldier. “What? Which one of my father’s policies ruined your family or whatever?”
The Beggar Gang members from before were one thing, but why did this soldier also have a grudge against the Gu family?
The man let out a cold snort. “If it wasn’t for that treacherous minister’s policy of sending supervisors to the army which delayed our reinforcements, how could 20,000 Anxi elites have been trapped and killed at Xiangling three years ago? Shouldn’t that debt… be settled on his head?!”
Gu Wangchen picked at his ear, looking bored. “A terrorist like you isn’t qualified to discuss policy. The Anxi Army failed to suppress a rebellion on its own, and now you’re blaming Shengan?”
“If it weren’t for the supervisor sent by that treacherous minister, Commander Gao wouldn’t have been held back—”
“Shut up,” Gu Wangchen interrupted him, patting Sikong Yue’s shoulder. “Go on, give him two slaps to wake him up!”
“What?” Sikong Yue was confused, not immediately reacting to the request.
Gu Wangchen looked at her like she was a lost cause. “How are you so slow? I mean, take him down!”
“You could have just said that!” Sikong Yue shot him a glare, but her body was obedient. She immediately drew her sword and lunged at the man.
“Son of a treacherous minister…” The man pulled out several black spheres and threw them violently at Gu Wangchen.
“Watch out, milord! Those are Earth-Shattering Thunders!” Seeing the flying black spheres, Wei Yang ignored his pain and lunged toward Gu Wangchen, using his body to shield him.
*Puff—whoosh…*
However, the world-shaking explosion never came. Instead, a cloud of ink-black fog and a pungent, choking odor instantly filled the hall.
“What the… *cough, cough!*”
When the black mist finally began to dissipate and Gu Wangchen climbed up from the ground while covering his nose with his silk handkerchief, he realized the man and his subordinates had vanished without a trace.
‘Perfect. Next… I just need An Li to follow the trail and find these guys’ nest.’
Thinking of this, Gu Wangchen smiled calmly.
“Where did they go?” Sikong Yue looked around with her sword drawn. Seeing her opponents were gone, she turned to Gu Wangchen. “It’s all your fault. You talked so much that you gave them the chance to take medicine and escape.”
“I let them go on purpose.”
“Psh, keep pretending!” Sikong Yue didn’t believe him for a second. He was definitely just trying to cover up his mistake!
“Do you dare to make a bet?”
“I’m not betting!” Sikong Yue said instinctively.
“If you won’t bet, then keep your mouth shut.”
“Infuriating! Fine, I’ll bet. Tell me, what are the stakes?”