Chapter 256

Chai Rui cursed and swore as he felt his way up the mountain in the dark.

Every time he came to collect the count before, someone had led him up the mountain.

It is naturally much easier with someone to lead the way, but today he waited and waited and could not see anyone.

He had no choice but to bring his men up the mountain himself.

It wasn't that he didn't want to wait until dawn to go up, but because he really couldn't wait any longer.

Coming to Xuanyuan Temple to collect the Yaksha soldiers and Yaksha generals was just a task he was passing by for; he had more important missions on his person.

So he could not delay.

But when he reached the mountain, what met his eyes was a mountain of Yaksha soldier corpses.

This caused a bad premonition to arise in his heart, so he did not choose to continue forward, but stopped his cursing and ran straight down the mountain.

One didn't need to think to know that something had gone wrong; wouldn't staying behind be seeking his own death?

Unfortunately, he was still a step too late; he hadn't run more than a few meters before he was captured by several Black Armor infantrymen lying in ambush on the side.

Yang Qianyuan had long since calculated the time and location and arranged for the Black Armor infantry to wait here; as soon as he turned back, he was bound to be caught.

As for not turning back and walking all the way, that would be even simpler: he would have walked straight into Chu Danqing and his group's base camp.

At that point, there would be no need to capture him; he would have to do whatever he was told.

"Who are you people, how dare you—" Chai Rui struggled and was about to shout, but after receiving a slap, he became obedient.

Afterward, he was dragged before Chu Danqing and Yang Qianyuan, who were in the middle of identifying and classifying the spiritual materials.

Xiong Zhigang had gone to handle the various aftermath matters.

"Prince Ning's speed is not slow; it seems he is preparing to raise an army," Chu Danqing said, seizing the initiative: "It's just that you all underestimated our Prince Min; did you really think there was no one left in the world?"

First, pull the tiger skin like this, and talk about the rest later.

When Chai Rui heard this, his pupils shrank; this expression fell into Chu Danqing's eyes, and he understood that he had guessed correctly.

Prince Ning was truly about to make a move; as for Prince Min, Chu Danqing didn't know him at all.

"Hmph!" Chai Rui also realized he had lost his composure, so he snorted coldly and said nothing.

"It doesn't matter if you refuse to speak; our Prince Min already has an idea of what you are here to do," Yang Qianyuan added: "We have long heard that Prince Ning is in cahoots with the Eight Tigers."

"The Emperor is on a southern tour, and the Eight Tigers are being used by you; if this batch of Yaksha soldiers and generals is delivered, then when Prince Ning raises his army, the Eight Tigers can act as inside agents, and you can capture the Emperor from both inside and outside."

"Your idea is not bad, but it's a pity that Prince Min guessed it long ago and therefore acted a step ahead."

When it came to this, Chai Rui truly couldn't hold it together anymore.

The plan was indeed as such.

Yang Qianyuan naturally deduced this by combining the information at hand; Heavenly Secret Divination could not yet produce such detailed results.

In fact, he wasn't sure either; he just bluffed Chai Rui together with Chu Danqing, and now it seems they had indeed bluffed correctly.

But the problem was that they didn't know where the Emperor's southern tour had reached, or how far the plan had progressed.

The matter of Prince Min was fake, but Prince Ning's plan was real.

And such an important plan likely wasn't just left to Chai Rui and his few subordinates to implement; there must be follow-up precautions.

So the possibility of the plan succeeding was not small.

The reason Chai Rui couldn't hold it together wasn't because the plan was going to fail, but because he thought their scheme had become a case of the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.

The fact that the other party could destroy this stronghold a step ahead and accurately capture him meant that all of Prince Ning's plans had already been leaked.

"Still unwilling to talk? It doesn't matter, you will open your mouth." Chu Danqing gestured, and several soldiers walked over, dragging Chai Rui toward the back.

Since he wouldn't talk, then just interrogate him directly.

If his bones were so hard that he still wouldn't talk after this, then they could only send him on his way.

In any case, they had already obtained important intelligence from Chai Rui's demeanor.

That is, the world is about to be in chaos.

What? Chu Danqing going to save people to stabilize the world's peace? Even if he were willing to sacrifice the trial mission, he would have to be able to make it in time.

Whether he could make it in time was another matter entirely.

Secondly, this Emperor is incompetent and his actions are too absurd.

Rather than letting this Emperor Anyong, who loves wine and women, continue to enjoy himself, it might be better to change to someone else on the throne.

In his view, not being orthodox is not the original sin; being incompetent is the original sin.

Chu Danqing has no awe for imperial power at all.

If one can make the people live and work in peace and contentment, and there is peace throughout the land without war, then absurd behavior is called being unconventional.

But if you are incompetent, love to play, and make the whole world miserable, then no matter how diligent you are, it's just stepping on the gas without brakes.

After being tortured, Chai Rui honestly confessed everything he knew.

As for how much of it was true and how much was false, Chu Danqing and the others would need to judge for themselves.

"What do you think?" Chu Danqing looked at Yang Qianyuan.

Yang Qianyuan thought for a moment, then said: "Let's continue to Meilong Town."

The meaning was to ignore Emperor Anyong.

"Unless you are willing to let that Bear Coordinator lead his troops to crusade, otherwise, with the strength of the two of us, how can we shake this great trend?"

"Rather than trying to stop it, it's better to let nature take its course," Yang Qianyuan said very bluntly.

Chu Danqing didn't think so; mainly because the S-rank side mission earlier made him keenly aware that he might have already been involved in Prince Ning's rebellion.

If it were unrelated, it wouldn't have been a side mission but a hidden one.

"Then what if Meilong Town is related to this?" Chu Danqing deliberated and still chose to tell Yang Qianyuan.

When Yang Qianyuan heard this, his brows couldn't help but furrow.

He didn't investigate where Chu Danqing got this news, but was thinking about how to solve it.

"Chai Rui said that Prince Ning already has an army of 100,000 under his command; although there is a suspicion of exaggeration, there are at least 30,000 to 50,000."

"If we are truly involved in this, Bear Coordinator's troops are just a drop in the bucket," Yang Qianyuan replied.

The meaning was that they couldn't win.

"That is indeed troublesome," Chu Danqing muttered; the troublesome point was that it would require spending money to pay-to-win.

"But it's fine, since we're here, there are always more solutions than difficulties," Chu Danqing replied, then said: "Chai Rui, what's your opinion? My opinion is to just kill him and be done with it."

Chu Danqing naturally couldn't let Chai Rui go because of Prince Ning; in fact, if Prince Ning didn't restrain his nature and still didn't act like a human after raising his army, he also planned to send Prince Ning on his way.

He didn't care who became Emperor; he only cared whether the person becoming Emperor could make the people live better lives.

It's just a pity that changing the whole world is a long and difficult process; Chu Danqing really lacked the strength and time, otherwise, he would guarantee to make this group of feudal personnel go sweep the streets.

"I agree with your opinion, Big Brother Chu; keeping this person is also a scourge." Yang Qianyuan's meaning of scourge didn't mean the other party was doing evil, but that he would leak their whereabouts.

The two reached a consensus, and a Black Armor infantryman raised his blade; with a crack, after the hand rose and the blade fell, Chai Rui's head was chopped off.

As for the attendants, servants, Purple Mansion spirit beasts, etc., they were all slaughtered as well.

Afterward, they were all thrown into a pit along with the Yaksha soldiers and generals and buried, otherwise, so many corpses left here would trigger a plague.

This matter was considered finished; next, if there were no accidents, they could continue to set off for Meilong Town once Xiong Zhigang finished handling things.

Facts proved that it really wasn't that easy to have accidents.

Especially when there was a group of troops here.

Around dawn, the corpses of the Yaksha soldiers and generals were successfully buried, and the soldiers who escorted the women to Guanglu Prefecture also returned successfully.

Chu Danqing also stuffed the spiritual materials he needed into his storage space after sorting them out.

As for the remaining unused spiritual materials and the Orchid Blood Dew, there was no need to worry; the soldiers explained the situation when they handed the women over to the Guanglu Prefecture Prefect.

Now they have already sent people on the way.

They need to go through the process and arrange personnel; by the time they finish and set off, the soldiers would almost be back, so it was naturally impossible for them to arrive together.

"It's not early anymore; I'll send you and Bear Coordinator back first," Chu Danqing said.

Although the maintenance cost for Xiong Zhigang is not expensive, people also need to rest; having been busy with you all night, they are naturally exhausted.

Whether it's Xiong Zhigang or his soldiers, their naked stats can't even compare to Chu Danqing's, and having fought and cleaned up, it would be a lie to say they aren't tired.

【You have sent back the covenant target, the repatriation cognition rationalization modification is complete, current duration: 7 hours, consumption: Paradise Points × 7】

'It seems I need to summon Guo Ming as soon as possible and have the Guo Clan refine two batches of pills for me.' Chu Danqing thought to himself.

One batch is naturally Exemplary Tier fine pills, used to improve the strength of Xiong Zhigang.

The other batch is common-tier mass-market pills, used to improve the strength of Xiong Zhigang's soldiers.

Common-tier items are notarized; 1 portion costs 1 Paradise Point, and converting it into strength will certainly not be low.

'But I can't let the Guo Clan work for free; after all, it's not for me, I have to pay.'

This payment must be paid by Chu Danqing; Xiong Zhigang's trial world doesn't produce anything that can be used for trading with the Guo Clan.

Xiong Zhigang and his soldiers becoming stronger not only adds to Chu Danqing's strength but also allows him to get more basic-tier skill crystals as a commission.

Essentially, it is an investment rather than a gift.

'I'm penniless; I hope this shining Fine Tier treasure chest can open up some good things for me to use as payment.'

'Alright, even if it opens, it's still taking advantage; using a Fine Tier to exchange for someone else's Exemplary Tier, and it's not even one portion...'

Chu Danqing is helping the Guo Clan and Guo Ming, but one thing is one thing; if this resource were for himself, he would naturally use it with peace of mind.

However, since it is for Xiong Zhigang, he certainly can't get it for free.

"It's dawn, let's... find a place to rest before setting off." Chu Danqing originally wanted to say let's set off, but keenly noticed a trace of fatigue in Yang Qianyuan.

He finally chose to rest for a while and open the treasure chest by the way.

Anyway, the time limit for going to Meilong Town is one month, and it has only been one day so far, so there is no need to be so urgent.

If he could brush up some more treasure chests and missions on the way to make Chu Danqing's pockets bulge a bit more, that would be even better.

(End of chapter)