Chapter 229: Malice

They moved forward along the narrow passage.

Before setting out, Sir Sa told Wu Tie that he had no ready-made map of the vicinity of the Triple Linked Region, and the dark guild envoy who would meet Wu Tie on the other side would hand him a complete map of the area.

What angered Wu Tie was that their contact was a deadly trap, an all‑encompassing attack.

"Dark Guild… what a dark guild…" Wu Tie gritted his teeth, muttering it over and over.

Lao Tie, however, took it in stride, carrying a grinning witch who was wildly gnawing a beast leg, walking leisurely beside Wu Tie and chuckling: "Just get used to it… scheming plots, betrayal and frame‑ups—once you're used to them, it's fine."

"Humans!" Lao Tie chuckled, swatted a huge scorpion that darted past him unconscious with a paw, hooked it, and tossed it into his mouth to chew with relish.

"Eh, not bad… this body's not half bad, able to taste something delicious—Osiris that guy, that's earning merit." Lao Tie laughed until his eyes narrowed to slits.

"You've never eaten anything before?" Wu Tie asked, looking down at Lao Tie.

"If gnawing iron shards and swallowing crystals count as eating, I've had more than enough good stuff." Lao Tie stared at Wu Tie with bared teeth, sighing heavily in a painful tone of recalling the past.

"You think my original body became this strong, this mighty, this peerless hero by eating, right?"

"But back then, hoping for wine, meat and fine food was out of the question—iron slag, iron flakes, iron lumps, plus all kinds of high‑energy crystals and weird minerals."

Lao Tie went "pfft," spat out a few tiny scorpion shell fragments, and licked his lips with satisfaction.

"This dog‑headed body may be awkward to use, but it's still flesh and blood… being able to eat tasty stuff is really not bad."

Lao Tie hooked a claw at Shi Fei.

Shi Fei tossed over a large wineskin; Lao Tie snatched it in one bite, raised his head and gulped—glug, glug—downing several catties of strong liquor till it was empty.

"Having meat to eat, wine to drink… an occasional low‑intensity battle to stretch the limbs… this sort of life, even an immortal wouldn't trade for it." Lao Tie laughed until his eyes turned to slits.

He suddenly raised his claw; a black wind swept up sand and gravel, pulling a meter‑long poisonous snake from a dark corner dozens of meters away into his mouth, where he began chewing it bite after bite.

"Low‑intensity battle"?

Shi Fei, Lu Ji, and Lao Bai's faces turned a little pale.

Was the earth‑shattering, heaven‑collapsing scene we just saw in the stone cavern merely a low‑intensity battle? What would a high‑intensity battle in Lao Tie's mind look like?

Yan Hanlu, having noticed Lao Tie's earlier remark, edged up to him and asked carefully: "Senior Lao Tie, you just said… 'humans'? But Sir Sa isn't human!"

Lao Tie, chewing with a mouth full of blood that dripped "drip‑drip‑drip" from the corners of his mouth, glanced sideways at Yan Hanlu and said: "Humans… who says Sir Sa isn't human? He isn't, his ancestors are, his ancestors aren't, his ancestors' ancestors are…"

"Humans… there are many people, like Yang Jian and the Ox Hero I know… humans never lack heroes and good men, nor sages and saints."

"But humans… never lack traitors or scoundrels. Sir Sa and his ilk are nothing but a tiny, tiny, tiny little scoundrel."

Lao Tie narrowed his eyes at Yan Hanlu, then shifted the topic: "So, missy, you were born so pure and lovely—be sure to remember, when you look for a man, never ever pick a scoundrel."

"But with Old Master Lao Tie vetting for you, rest assured—I'll definitely find you a good man." Lao Tie grinned, showing a mouthful of bloody fangs.

Yan Hanlu was left speechless and retreated, abandoning the question she'd wanted to pursue.

The passage stretched ahead, bearing traces of abundant biological activity; Wu Tie and company followed it for dozens of li, arriving at a spacious stone cavern where they encountered a small merchant caravan taking a rest.

Wu Tie's group stayed hidden; the caravan was tiny, its members all cautious, jittery as startled birds. So they concealed themselves in the rear passage and sent Shi Fei to deal with them.

Shi Fei, naturally fair and plump with a friendly air, though his once‑soft flab had been replaced by firm muscle, still round and amiable, ran over with a cheerful laugh.

After just a few words, Shi Fei dispelled their wariness.

After the time it takes to finish half a cup of tea, Shi Fei sat down with the caravan and launched into lively conversation.

When Shi Fei generously produced jerky and strong liquor to share with the caravan chief, he had already become their good friend.

Two ke later, having drunk too much wine and flushed red‑faced, Shi Fei hurried back with plenty of information.

This is the Great Lake Region, less than a month's journey from the Triple Linked Region, and counts as the core territory of the Triple Linked Region's directly administered lands.

The Great Lake Region is famed for its enormous lake inside the largest stone cavern, which yields all kinds of tasty aquatic fare—blue phosphorus shrimp, transparent eels, pipa crabs and other delicacies that once served as tribute to the Great Peacock Dynasty.

To this day, the Great Lake Region's precious aquatic products remain indispensable delicacies on the tables of the nobles of the Twelve Executor Families of the Triple Linked City‑States.

Back when the Great Peacock Dynasty still existed, the Great Lake Region was directly overseen by the dynasty's tribute office, and the dynasty even stationed an elite force there to guard the safety of its tribute goods.

Now that the Great Peacock Dynasty has fallen, the Twelve Executor Families have split the spoils, and the Great Lake Region has been assigned to the Udumbara Clan among them.

In the Great Lake Region's capital, Great Lake City, a general of the Udumbara Clan is garrisoned, and all the hundreds of great and small clans throughout the region have become the clan's claws and fangs.

"Heh, the Udumbara Clan," Mo Zhang Wang chuckled softly from the side.

Wu Tie glanced at Mo Zhang Wang: "You know them well?"

Mo Zhang Wang exhaled deeply, speaking calmly: "Many of the Great Peacock Dynasty's royal families took wives from the Udumbara Clan—it's a clan that produces beautiful women."

Mo Zhang Wang drew a deep breath, pointed at his nose, half‑smiling, half‑crying: "My mother was one of them… but I'll never forget the day the Great Peacock Dynasty's capital fell, when my mother hoisted the heads of my two half‑sisters and burst into loud laughter."

"Although my relationship with those two sisters and me isn't good…"

"Although they usually don't get along with her either…"

"But I really can't understand how she could personally do something like that."

Shi Fei's round face twitched violently a few times.

Yan Hanlu, who had been stroking her two sabers, suddenly stiffened.

Lu Ji and Lao Bai shivered, glancing sympathetically at Mo Zhang Wang again and again.

Wu Tie also felt a jolt in his heart; looking at Mo Zhang Wang's calm façade, he thought, then slapped his shoulder hard and pressed down, nearly slapping Mo Zhang Wang to the ground.

"Hmm… just tell us what you need us to do." Wu Tie isn't good at comforting people; no one's ever taught him that skill.

"Exactly—whether it's killing or arson, squeak… if you want anything else, we're not up to it… killing and setting fires is our old trade." Lao Tie grinned widely beside them, showing his teeth.

Wu Tie smiled, glanced at Lao Tie.

After a moment's thought, Wu Tie permanently gave up the urge to comfort Mo Zhang Wang.

"With a 'good teacher and beneficial friend' like Lao Tie, Wu Tie figures he'll never learn how to soothe people in this lifetime."

Mo Zhang Wang's mouth corners slowly stretched back until they reached below his ears, revealing an extraordinarily bright grin that sent chills down the spine.

"Then our next move must be extra careful." Wu Tie said solemnly: "We've basically slipped into the enemy's lair, let alone having provoked the Dark Guild… those damned underground rats…"

Lao Bai jerked his head up, staring fixedly at Wu Tie.

Wu Tie hastily lowered his head and gave Lao Bai an apologetic smile: "Eh, Lao Bai, you're certainly not of their kind… you're a hero among the rat‑folk."

Lao Bai raised his eyebrows and smiled smugly.

Wu Tie glanced at everyone, then earnestly instructed: "Make all preparations for any contingency; I don't want to see anyone get hurt… or die here. I hope we all come here together and leave safely together."

Mó Zhāng Wáng gave a vigorous nod, his head snapping down with a whoosh straight onto his abdomen.

Everyone stared intently at this guy.

Obviously, Mó Zhāng Wáng could barely control his emotions; that eerie smile and this weird nodding posture are something no normal person could do—even if it were him, it's really too strange.

But just after a few nods, Mó Zhāng Wáng's body began to writhe and twist, quickly turning into someone who resembled Wu Tie about seventy to eighty percent—at first glance like Wu Tie's younger biological brother.

Then Mó Zhāng Wáng's eyes, hair, and skin color rapidly began to change.

The golden-haired, blue-eyed, fair-skinned Mó Zhāng Wáng became black-smoke haired, black-haired, yellow-skinned, exactly matching Wu Tie's appearance.

This guy rummaged in his bracelet and somehow produced a pure steel long spear, then pretentiously imitated Wu Tie by shouldering it.

"From now on, I am Wu Tie's little brother, Wu Gang… please give me your guidance." Mó Zhāng Wáng laughed extraordinarily brightly, his mouth corners almost pulling to the back of his head, both rows of big teeth fully exposed.

"Also good." Wu Tie smiled helplessly at Mó Zhāng Wáng, then the group discussed, changed their attire etc., and made some simple adjustments to their physical features.

The Taotie creature, the great snake Yi, Sun Zuo, and others whom Wu Tie had sealed were tightly bound, their mouths stuffed with cloth, packed into a sack, and placed on a large cart.

The group was well prepared, also took out several more carts, piled on them herbs, metal ingots, ores and such common goods, and transformed into a tiny caravan.

Wu Tie and Lao Tie scouted ahead, while the others followed behind them several li away; the small caravan set off.

Following far behind the small caravan, they went another hundred or so li ahead, when a medium-sized cavern twenty to thirty li in radius loomed into view, a medium-sized stone fortress standing in the cavern.

The small caravan stopped outside the fortress; with a few long calls, several middle-aged men came out of the fortress, the caravan leader went up to meet them, they exchanged a few words, and the caravan sent its carts into the fortress.

When the caravan people left the fortress, everyone was smiling broadly.

Especially the caravan leader, who held a large animal-skin bag, his smile was as bright as a blooming flower.

Obviously, the trade was very successful; they sold their goods for a good price.

Wu Tie and Lao Tie, seeing this, had a plan in mind.

Such small caravans operate within a range of a few hundred li at most, traveling back and forth among a dozen or so medium and small caverns to trade.

Being able to sell their goods for a good price in such a short time obviously means the fortress owner is fairly decent, not a bully relying on his own power.

However, it's easy to imagine that if the fortress owner weren't decent, these small caravans wouldn't come to do business with him.

Wu Tie and Lao Tie slowly entered the cavern; from the watchtower far off in the fortress came a sharp horn blast, a loud voice shouting that strangers were approaching, warning the fortress occupants to stay alert.

Wu Tie raised his hands high and loudly said: "We are just a passing caravan; we mean no harm."

From the fortress, a small squad of warriors came forward, scrutinizing Wu Tie and Lao Tie; a werewolf muttered indistinctly: "A caravan? Just two people? Do you think we have no brains? Where's your cargo?"

As they were speaking, Shi Fei and the others arrived with several carts; Wu Tie smiled at the werewolf and said: "This is our cargo… we're heading to Lake City to trade some precious aquatic products."

The few middle-aged men who had just received the small caravan walked over slowly; from afar they sized up Wu Tie and company, and gradually their gazes grew a bit strange.

Wu Tie glanced at the several middle-aged men.

Seeing Wu Tie look their way, the several men stared straight at him, rudely.

One middle-aged man suddenly raised a hand, then clenched his fist tightly.

From behind the fortress came a sharp 'whoosh' as a dim green light shot out, flashing toward a distant passageway and vanishing in an instant.

Wu Tie and his party still didn't know what had happened.

Mó Zhāng Wáng then whispered: "Blue beetle sound transmission… they're warning people… they mean us harm!"