Volume One, Chapter 21: The Assassin

Lu Xiangsheng documented this idea in a secret memorial to the Emperor, but unfortunately, no instructions were received from the imperial court, and there was no movement from Su Tiancheng’s side either.

Recently, Su Tiancheng had specifically instructed Qu Qingze to keep a close watch for any movements from the Later Jin, particularly any actions by Hong Taiji. This was the primary focus, and if any insights could be gleaned from the imperial gazettes, they were to be reported immediately, regardless of whether they could be fully verified.

"Brother Zuo!" came a sudden call from behind. Zuo Shaoyang turned quickly to see Miao Peilan.

Lin Mu sprouted wings from his back, his body agile as he fired arrows like beams of light. He unleashed four consecutive shots at the four men. His movements were simple: draw the bow and release. Yet, he kept his eyes on Benben, ready to depart freely the moment the city was completely destroyed.

Neither Lan Bo nor Lan Chen could figure out who held such a grudge against them.

If Zhang Chen had not been standing right there, Zuo Minghao might have slammed the table and cursed. Never before had he been so humiliated as to have his face slapped in public and still be forced to apologize obsequiously.

After speaking, he took two cards from his black bag and handed them over: one was a black bank card, the other a pale gold card. The server who took them was clearly startled.

With the imperial edict in hand, Jirgalang felt much more confident in his mission to hold Guangning and Xiping Fortress.

Even if the Divine Pool could not be expanded to ten zhang to achieve the true state of the Flaming Firmament Heaven, one could still achieve a false rank by breaking through the ten-zhang limit using the power of the divine spiritual pool.

Shi Yu’s pupils dilated slightly. No one knew better than she that the dreams Xuan Yin spoke of were real.

She was indeed deeply unwilling, but could she watch her father rot in prison? Besides, poisoning a princess was a crime severe enough to warrant execution.

Helpless, they realized that Linchuan Town was now under the control of the Peacekeeping Base. Even if they wanted to bite the hand that fed them, they lacked the strength to do so. They could only drag their exhausted bodies away, praying that the Base’s promise to distribute spirit crystals tomorrow was true.

The conservative capitalists who lost the industrial park were left with nothing but a few scraps of farmland and manors; they had been utterly defeated.

Yet, upon reflection, he felt there was nothing wrong with what Cui Yu had said. Why quibble over such things? He nodded and said he understood.

Following Shi Bi’s instructions, he settled Liu Yun into a secluded room and left two soldiers to guard it in shifts.

After nightfall, patrols in Rongzhou City intensified, but for the nameless narrow alley in the south of the city, the night was as cold, quiet, and deserted as always.

Two days ago, when everyone heard the news of Frank Lucas’s death, they dismissed it as a boring prank. Since the black gang organization led by Frank Lucas showed no reaction at the time, no one took it to heart.

Recently, matters in the capital related to the Cui family involved two things: Cui Qiong’s marriage and, secondly... Cui Pu.

His philosophy was to be neither a pushover nor a great villain, but to maneuver skillfully between these two extremes. That was the character and awareness a clever person should possess.

Xu An’an found the receptionist’s attitude strange and decided to wait outside. She only needed ten minutes for an interview.

Even if such behavior was against the law, it didn't warrant pulling a gun to kill him.

"The capital is too vast; even on horseback, it takes half a day. When we arrive at the inner city berths..." Yang Zhi transformed into a guide, pointing out the architecture along the riverbanks to Han Rui and the others as he directed the fleet.

Dadao Wang Zhengyi—the name might sound unfamiliar, but "Dadao Wang Wu" was a household name. He was a prominent titan of the modern martial arts world. Wang Wu was a Beijinger; born with the surname Bai, he became an orphan at eight and begged his way to the Shunxing Escort Agency in Beijing.

Yet he never imagined that this seemingly dilapidated porcelain vase was actually a top-tier treasure worth five billion.

Beneath the balcony, the streetlights shone brightly, and the area was filled with bars and KTVs. The noise seemed to tell the world of the excitement within, yet the soundproofing of the training room was so excellent that they remained completely undisturbed.

Nian Meng could not help but remind her: "Your Highness, the Empress Dowager has always been reasonable..." She assumed Huo Zhaozhi thought the Empress Dowager still cared for Princess Kangyue and was speaking in irony. But this time, even if it came from the mouth of a palace servant, mentioning both the lack of an heir and the lack of virtue—either would be enough to divorce the Princess. How could this be helping her?

If Han Rui hadn't arrived in time, something terrible would have happened. He had a sudden inspiration, pulled out a pack of cigarettes, handed one to Young Master Tong, and struck a match to light it for him, leaving the young man dazed. With a few words, he defused the conflict and took the opportunity to befriend him, planning to use the connection later.

Wang Yue admitted that the moment he saw Yi Xixuan, he was truly stunned into silence, to the point where he stared at her unblinkingly and without a shred of manners.

Along the way, he refused to believe Mao Leyan was truly dead. In his heart, Mao Leyan was like a cat with nine lives; she couldn't die. She must be playing some trick; he knew she was the one with the most devious tricks.

The cultivators were shocked; even someone like San Chi Jian wore a solemn expression. He was arrogant, but not stupid. Though he didn't know the full extent of the Overlord's power, he knew it was something this world could not currently withstand.

The shield was strong, but given enough time, it would surely be breached. If the giants broke into the No. 7 Mechanical City, it would be a catastrophe.

On the day of the journey, the sun burned like fire in a cloudless sky. The peak of Mount Tai, the number one mountain in the Nine Provinces, could not block the footsteps of the Heavenly Emperor Beiming Hao, and was ultimately conquered by him.

Under the bleeding cold moon, on the walls of Chengyang City, the Yongzhou troops looked exhausted, their faces pale and their eyes devoid of spirit.