Chapter 164: The Crow's Shadow Appears

The night was dark and deep; twenty miles outside Zhao Kuangyin's military camp lay an abandoned mountain god temple.

In the faint moonlight it appeared especially gloomy.

The temple was already dilapidated, with weeds growing among the broken walls.

Only the main hall barely retained its outline, but half the roof had collapsed, revealing the black sky behind.

Wang Yansheng gripped his waist sword, standing alone in the ruined temple courtyard.

Only the wind whistling through the broken window lattice could be heard, with occasional mournful cries of night owls.

He felt a little uneasy; if not for Commandant Zhao's strict order, he would never have wanted to come to this ghostly place at midnight.

He saw those people whose aura was thick with ghostliness.

The agreed time approached; a faint horse hoof sound, almost blending with the wind, came from far to near.

Wang Yansheng immediately became alert, gripping the sword hilt tightly.

Only three knights emerged like ghosts from the shadows behind the temple, silently reining in their horses.

They still wore the ordinary attire of merchants, but bore a fierce, cold aura.

And the oddly shaped slightly curved saber at their waists let Wang Yansheng instantly confirm their identity.

The leader dismounted, his movements clean and swift.

Yet there was a stiff coordination about him, as if every motion had been repeated thousands of times, with no excess.

He was not especially tall, but his shoulders were broad, his steps steady.

A black cloth covered his face, revealing only a pair of eyes that shone sharply in the night.

That gaze swept over him, making Wang Yansheng feel a sting on his skin, as if scraped by an icy blade.

"Captain Wang."

The visitor's voice was low and hoarse, without any emotional fluctuation, like stating an established fact.

"Sir."

Wang Yansheng took a deep breath, suppressed his discomfort, and clasped his fists.

"Commandant has been waiting a long time."

He stepped aside to gesture the other into the main hall that was still relatively intact.

Inside the hall was even more dilapidated; the deity statue had already collapsed.

Only half the pedestal remained, cobwebs spread everywhere, and the air smelled of dust and mold.

Zhao Kuangyin stood with his hands behind his back in the center of the hall, facing away from the door; hearing footsteps, he slowly turned around.

His face showed no expression, his eyes like lightning, directly staring at the masked messenger.

"Commandant Zhao."

The messenger gave a slight nod, as a greeting.

His posture showed little respect, instead carrying a sense of scrutiny.

"You have repeatedly sent messages inviting Zhao to cooperate, yet you always hide your heads and show your tails, never revealing your true faces; how can Zhao trust your sincerity?"

Zhao Kuangyin got straight to the point, his tone carrying a hint of oppression.

The messenger's eyes, exposed outside, showed no ripple, calmly responding.

"True appearance is merely superficial, irrelevant."

"What matters is whether our actions align with what you, Commandant, currently seek."

His voice remained flat.

"Chen Wenzhong is an obstacle before you, and also a 'variable' we must eliminate."

Again hearing the word 'variable'.

Zhao Kuangyin frowned slightly.

"What is a 'variable'? Who exactly are you? Why must you oppose Chen Wenzhong?"

"The world runs on its own track."

"Those who deviate from the set track are 'variables'."

The messenger's answer remained obscure.

"Chen Wenzhong's existence, and the expansion of his power, have seriously interfered with the track."

"If not corrected, unforeseeable calamities may arise."

"Our duty is to safeguard the track and eliminate 'variables'."

He paused, his gaze seeming to pierce the darkness, directly into Zhao Kuangyin's heart.

"As for our identity, Commandant, you need not investigate further."

"You only need to know that we can help Commandant obtain, more quickly, the strength to resist and even overwhelm Chen Wenzhong."

Zhao Kuangyin's heart stirred.

Although these words were still vague, the information they conveyed was shocking.

"Safeguard the track?"

"Eliminate variables?"

This sounded as if they were upholding some kind of predetermined... order?

Or perhaps, fate?

And Chen Wen, is the one who broke fate?

This realization did not make him feel absurd.

Instead, it gave him a vague, almost reasonable explanation for Chen Wen's astonishing rise.

Could it be that Chen Wenzhong truly received some heaven-defying opportunity, making him so different?

"How can you help me?"

Zhao Kuangyin pressed down the surging waves in his heart, and asked in a deep voice.

He no longer dwelled on the other's identity, turning instead to the most practical problem.

"Information, resources, and even... opportunity."

The messenger spoke concisely.

"Chen Wenzhong's reliance is nothing more than the efficient production of the land of his three counties and the elite troops under his command."

"The source of this efficiency lies in his extraordinary control over craftsmen, agriculture, and even administration."

"We can provide more detailed internal information to help the commandant find his weaknesses and cut off his roots."

He stepped forward slightly, his voice still low, yet carrying a kind of captivating power.

"As for resources... the North River lands and even beyond the frontier are not the only places where Chen Wenzhong can obtain salt and iron, horses."

"We have our own channels, can supply what the commandant needs at prices far below market."

"Even, at certain critical times, we can help the commandant create a 'just right' opportunity."

Zhao Kuangyin's eyes flickered.

Information and resources are exactly what he urgently needs now.

The crushing defeat in the border market made him deeply aware of his shortcomings in these areas.

If such a mysterious organization truly provides support behind the scenes...

"What's the price?"

Zhao Kuangyin is no naive person; he knows well that there's no free lunch in the world.

"You help me like this, what do you want Zhao to do?"

"The commandant only needs to go with the flow, continually strengthen himself, and at critical junctures make the 'correct' choice."

The messenger's answer remained vague.

"Wait for the 'variable' to be cleared, the trajectory to return."

"The commandant will naturally enjoy the results, reach the highest position among subjects, and even... go further."

Go further!

These three words struck his heart like a heavy hammer.

His breath hesitated slightly, and a flicker of uncontainable eagerness passed through his eyes.

Although he already harbored ambition, being so bluntly laid bare still made his heart race.

The hall fell into a brief silence, only the wind's whimper through the ruined walls.

Zhao Kuangyin quickly weighed things in his mind.

To plot with a tiger for its skin is extremely risky.

These people's purposes are far from simple; behind the so-called 'maintaining the trajectory' surely hides a greater scheme.

He himself is likely merely a knife in their hands.

But if he refuses to cooperate, relying only on himself...

When will he be able to catch up to Chen Wen's terrifying development speed?

When will he be able to escape this suppressed state, possibly even being devoured?

In a chaotic world, not advancing means retreating, and retreat means eternal damnation!

Ambition, unwillingness, and the desire for power ultimately outweighed that hint of caution.

He raised his head, his gaze becoming firm and sharp.

Looking at the messenger standing like a sculpture, with icy eyes, he spoke in a low voice.

"Good! Since our goals align, then Zhao... will cooperate with you once!"

The messenger's eyes exposed outside seemed to narrow slightly.

A fleeting, hardly perceptible gleam, like a machine achieving its goal, flashed.

"A wise choice."

He spoke hoarsely, then immediately took out a small bamboo tube from his bosom and handed it to Zhao Kuangyin.

"This is the 'sincerity' of our first cooperation, concerning Chen Wenzhong's possible recent movements and detailed information on partial material reserves of the three counties."

"Later, someone will get in touch with Captain Wang."

Zhao Kuangyin took the bamboo tube that still retained a hint of warmth, gripping it tightly in his hand.

"Hope your 'assistance' will not disappoint Zhao."

He stared at the messenger, saying each word clearly.

"Will certainly not disappoint the commandant."

The messenger bowed slightly, saying no more.

Turning around, he brought two attendants who had always been silent like shadows, quickly disappearing into the darkness outside the temple.

Just as they had come, they left without a sound.

Wang Yansheng then relaxed his breath, discovering his back was actually soaked in cold sweat.

Zhao Kuangyin stood alone in the ruined temple, lowering his head to look at the bamboo tube in his hand, his fingertips turning slightly white from exertion.

He did not know whether his decision today was right or wrong.

But he knew that from this moment on, he had no other choice.

He could only walk down this road paved with thorns and the unknown.

The crow's shadow had appeared; the deeper, colder undertow began to surge.