“Finally.”
Gu Xianxian and Yan Jiangnan didn’t have anything else to do, so they invested time in perfecting the holes and arranging them in a formation that even they’d struggle to avoid. The fact that not even they knew where the holes were was the reason they stood dumbfounded in the centre of the formation. Nevertheless, Ming Feizhen would surely know his way around, so they decided to sit down where they were and kill time with a chat until Ming Feizhen returned.
“Brother Wu really has a good head,” praised Gu Xianxian, admiring his work.
Yan Jiangnan wagged his head. “You have only seen the tip of the iceberg.”
“Yeah? What else can he do?”
“Ordinary things like planning and excellent foresight are both things you’ve seen. Even more impressive, though, is he can resurrect the dead, raise soldiers out of beans and command the five chief demons of wealth to create wealth.”
Gu Xianxian gasped. “Doesn’t that mean he’s a god?”
“Considering how vast this land is, there’s nothing to be surprised about.”
Gu Xianxian, too, wore on a face of admiration. “I am truly blessed to have such a powerful ally.”
“That’s why Lang Qing will be easy work,” asserted Yan Jiangnan, grinning whilst tapping his knee with a finger. “Lang Qing’s fate will be sealed once he returns.”
As soon as they heard footsteps outside, the duo looked to each other and smile.
He arrived.
He arrived as expected.
Lang Qing arrived.
Elder, I thought you weren’t trying to get rid of me!
Even though he wobbled, Lang Qing still drank several more mouthfuls of alcohol and spared neither of them a glance. “Where is he?”
Yan Jiangnan: Since Elder is not here, we can take advantage of the situation to buy time.
Gu Xianxian thundered, “We can’t just because he’s not here? The two of us will fight you to the bitter end!”
Yan Jiangnan: Just you alone!
Yan Jiangnan couldn’t just run off given Ming Feizhen entrusted the duel to him, nonetheless.
Gu Xianxian whispered, “Even without Brother Wu, we have all these holes. Why do we need to fear him?”
Since he agreed, Yan Jiangnan voiced, “Indeed. We will fight you instead of Wu Ping.”
Lang Qing looked to Yan Jiangnan, but he didn’t ask why Yan Jiangnan was siding with Wu Ping and where he got the balls to fight from. Instead, he had another big mouthful of wine. “No point in explanations if you can resolve it with a chop.”
Lang Qing threw his wine pot away, sending a stinging smell into the duo’s noses with its spice. Unlike before, his eyes gleamed with energy. “If it’s a fight you want, you have yourself one.” He moulded energy to his feet and launched himself over to the duo.
Yan Jiangnan and Gu Xianxian: “That’s cheating!”
***
I think it’s time for the duel…
“Where are you going, Doctor Wu?”
“I…”
I had been doing laps in the base with the four guards for a good hour; however, I still hadn’t decided where to go. As Zero’s personal guards, they weren’t weak, didn’t take orders from anyone besides Zero and weren’t exactly courteous to me, let alone obedient to me.
I was going to lead the guards to my assailant so that they’d fight each other. If they killed him, it was a wild card dealt with. If he killed them, he solved an issue for me. Unfortunately, he was gone. I surmised he practiced a skill that either covered his traces or concealed the majority of his presence. There were two types of people who’d master such an advanced skill: the first were elite assassins (League of Assassins’ folks or perverts whose brains were filled with lust , such as my shifu). Based on the fact that their organisation was home to perverts, I wasn’t surprised.
The one thing that didn’t make sense was how he existed. I never heard his footsteps or energy moulding method before despite how long I had been in the base. Consequently, I suspected he had a second identity as I did and switched appearances for different roles. In that scenario, I had hardly eliminated any suspects.
Most of Fiends’ Genesis’ members were trained in the compound over the course of years. Kuanggu Sheng would’ve identified him if he was one of them instead of mistaking me for being his target. I always assumed the emissary was an outsider, so I was back to square one.
“Doctor Wu, where exactly are we g-”
“Hahaha, I’m just taking a stroll. If you’re tired, let’s sit down to take a rest.”
The four guards looked at me as though I wasn’t right in the mind and then silently found themselves a spot to sit, although they strategically sat in four corners to ensure I was dead centre. I couldn’t have run off, but it really felt as if I was a prisoner.
I, too, took a seat to start strategizing. It wasn’t difficult to shake off the four; if I disappeared, however, they’d immediately report back to Zero, and they’d all then assume I was attacked again. How could I eliminate Lang Qing under those circumstances? Hence, I had no other option besides befriending them.
While I didn’t know many people from Asa, I did get to know a small group from Asa during the battle in the past. I, therefore, approached them under the assumption that they might know each other.
“Ahaha, I heard you gentlemen are elites from Asa. When I went to the Western Regions for in the past, I got to know the captain of a small team from Asa. His name was Usel-, Sammitong Sading. It’s true when they say friendship grows from an exchange of blows.”
The guards looked to each other.
“Never heard of him.”
“Who’s that?”
… Uselessammitong, you really are just like your nickname! Your old man is a duke, for crying out loud!
Uselessammitong, the eldest son of aforementioned duke, was out on another trip to extort “protection fees” from the citizens with his two lackeys when I ran into them. After I smashed him, I dumped him at a military camp, where he spent the next few years working his way up to lead a small squad.
“W-wait. Do you mean… Prince Sammitong?”
The other three guards jolted.
The guard who asked the question then continued, “Five years ago, Duke Sameu took the crown, turning His Highness into a Prince. Prior to that, I think he was indeed… the captain of a small squad.”
“Nah, no way… Prince Sammitong is one of the few royal family members who’s a warrior. Friendship grows from an exchange of blows…” The guard eyed me.
He’s a Prince now?
Sameu was a truly competent man. The erstwhile King was old, didn’t have any children and could never form his own opinion, so Sameu took care of all major military and political problems; it wasn’t surprising he inherited the mantle. Thing was, Sameu was Zero’s lackey, not the imposter Zero in this base, but my real lackey Zero. Sameu would’ve jumped off a cliff if Zero told him to. I… wasn’t so sure it was the best idea to entrust Sameu with the throne considering that… In addition, Uselessammitong would be wailing the moment he ate one punch. A rare warrior? In what universe?
Since the four guards stared at me with suspicion, I hurriedly wagged my hands. “We only met once by chance. Think about it: how am I in any position to be friends with Useless-, Prince Sammitong? Uh, I was close to his subordinate, Brother Luosu. We drank from the same pot and slept on the same bed back then.”
“L-Luosu?”
The four of them exchanged eye contact. “G-General Luosu?”
“He’s not General Luosu anymore,” corrected one of the guards. “He’s now Bright God Divine Palace’s Martial Commander.”
“Brother Luo Su?” The four of them looked at me again, except with more respect for a chance.
Come on now. He really was a younger brother to me! Man couldn’t accomplish anything, frequently got lost, cried for help whenever he was in a fight and ate less than me. You’re telling me he’s a general? How far have your state’s standards fallen?!
“I didn’t know he was a general when I got to know him, so I spoke fairly casually to him, hahaha… I was actually closest to his underling… We peasants can’t expect generals to be our friends, huh?”
“May I ask what the name of his underling was?”
“Uh, Su Qi.”
“You even know Cavalry Captain Su Qi?!”
Who let you guys get promoted so fast?! I don’t know anyone beneath you idiots! How was I supposed to know a snotty-nosed kid following behind Zero and I could become a cavalry captain?!
“Cavalry Captain Su Qi is here!”
“What?” I never heard anything about this.
“You met him. How did you not recognise him? He is the most senior person here.”
He’s here?
“Go ask Cavalry Captain Su to come over! Hurry! He would be ecstatic to meet an old friend.”
They dispatched the lowest-ranked member among them without even asking for my opinion…
One of the guards sneered. “Aren’t you close? How did you not notice?”
“Central Plainers sure know how to blow smoke up their own rear.”
A large man in his thirties to forties – judging from his appearance – soon arrived where at rest spot. With a piercing gaze and in a deep voice, he questioned, “Doctor Wu, what sort of joke is this supposed to be?”
That’s my question! How did you completely change?! What happened to the feeble Su Qi who always had two trails of snot coming from his nostrils?!
I could identify him from his facial features. His physique, on the other hand, hell, I’d believe him if he claimed to be Su Qi’s father!
“Doctor Wu, I don’t remember having met you before.”
The more I scrutinised him, the more traits I could identify. Su Qi had a big scar on his neck from an injury sustained in a battle back then. He was unbelievably lucky to have survived that incident, but it seemed that his luck was far from out.
Due to his broad shoulders, despite not being as tall as me, as soon as Su Qi took two steps closer, he looked no different to a bully picking on a smaller guy.
“You claim to know General Luo Su, Prince Sammitong and myself. What is the purpose of your claim? If it’s a lie, you won’t be excused.”
I smacked my lips and sighed. I couldn’t believe the former wuss was mouthing off at me.
I could’ve saved myself a tonne of trouble and time if I knew you were here.
I headed off to my meeting place with Lang Qing. Incensed, Su Qi seized my shoulder. I took advantage of our close proximity to whisper to him. First, he widened his eyes. Next, tears welled up in his eyes, and he went down onto his knees.
“What is the matter, Cavalry Captain?”
“Cavalry Captain?!”
Su Qi wailed as he watched me leave. Meanwhile, the four guards were at a complete loss for what to do.
