Chapter 405

Night deepened, the crescent moon hung at the sky's edge, shedding a clear, cold glow.

Koujia Bay fell into sleep, only occasional dog barks breaking the silence.

Under the crooked old locust tree at the village's east end, the peddler's pack still leaned against the trunk, but the person disguised as a peddler had vanished.

Chen Wen and Qian Gui, under cover of night, slipped back to the village's edge like ghosts, crouching behind a dirt bank to observe carefully.

"The person is gone."

Qian Gui whispered, his eyes sharp as he scanned the surroundings.

"In the courtyard."

Chen Wen closed his eyes to sense for a moment, then spoke softly.

In his perception, that dim aura was now near the Kou residence, extremely faint, almost merging with the shadows.

Yet the icy feeling of surveillance aimed at Kou Zhun had not disappeared.

"As expected, they can't hold back."

A cold light flashed in Qian Gui's eyes.

"My lord, I'll go investigate first."

Chen Wen pondered briefly, then nodded in agreement.

"Be careful, don't startle the snake."

"Understood."

Qian Gui lowered his stature, slipping into darkness like a civet cat, using the shadows of farmhouses and haystacks to stealthily approach the Kou residence.

Chen Wen stayed put, maintaining Shi Yong, firmly locking onto that dim aura while staying alert to any movement inside or outside the village.

The quadruple effect's heightened perception let him clearly catch the low hum of night insects, the rustle of leaves, and even the breathing of distant sleeping villagers.

Time passed bit by bit.

After about the time it takes to burn an incense stick, Qian Gui's figure quietly returned.

His face solemn, he lowered his voice to report.

"My lord, I've found out."

"The hidden sentry has infiltrated the Kou residence, hiding in the shadow outside the study window, observing inside through the crack, holding a charcoal stick and thin silk, seemingly recording the child's words and deeds."

Chen Wen's eyes narrowed.

"Recording?"

"Yes, I observed his posture; he doesn't seem ready to act immediately, more like he's… gathering something."

Qian Gui spoke with doubt.

"If following common sense, the Iron Crow Army, wishing to preserve its historical trajectory, would either tightly monitor or directly eliminate such a key figure."

"To meticulously record a child's words and deeds is truly odd."

Chen Wen fell silent for a moment, a flash of realization in his eyes.

He recalled his past clashes with the Iron Crow Army and the owner's obsession with preserving the 'script,' and a thought rose in his mind.

"Perhaps… we got it wrong."

Chen Wen slowly spoke.

"What the Iron Crow Army wants is not necessarily this child's life."

Qian Gui startled.

"What do you mean, my lord?"

"What the Iron Crow Army upholds is a macroscopic historical outcome that aligns with their understanding."

Chen Wen explained, his train of thought growing clearer.

"As for who plays the role of Kou Zhun in this outcome, perhaps it doesn't matter."

"What matters is that the identity of Kou Zhun must follow the script they set."

He looked at Qian Gui.

"If the genuine Kou Zhun, due to some reasons—such as our interference—produces a 'variable' deviating from their script, no longer matching their preset trajectory…"

Qian Gui immediately reacted, sucking in a breath of cold air.

"They would then… find a 'substitute'?"

"Replace him?"

Chen Wen nodded heavily.

"I fear that is exactly so."

"Find a child similar in appearance and build, through some unknown method, let him inherit Kou Zhun's identity and fate, then follow the Iron Crow Army's written script step by step until reaching the historical node they desire."

"As for the genuine article that gets replaced, its fate…"

He didn't continue, but Qian Gui already understood.

"A person stripped of identity and fate, possibly knowing the secret, has only one end: to be completely erased."

"So, this hidden sentry's recording here is gathering the genuine Kou Zhun's speech habits, voice tone, even minute expressions…"

Qian Gui's voice carried a hint of chill.

"So that the possible 'substitute' can perform perfectly without revealing any flaw!"

"What ruthless means! What meticulous calculation!"

Thus, everything makes sense.

The Iron Crow Army isn't aiming to kill Kou Zhun right away; they're preparing a colder, longer-term 'replacement'.

Once they deem the original Kou Zhun to have an uncontrollable deviation, or a critical time point arrives, they will activate the replacement procedure.

Then, a carefully crafted 'copy' will replace the genuine Kou Zhun and step onto the historical stage.

And the true Kou Zhun will vanish silently and without trace.

"We can't wait any longer."

Chen Wen made his decision, his voice ice-cold.

Whether they are preparing a replacement or have other plans, this person cannot be spared.

He must be eliminated before he can transmit the information.

He looked toward Qian Gui.

You are in charge of watching the perimeter, to keep his partners from coming to his aid or alerting the villagers.

I'll take care of the one inside the courtyard.

Qian Gui fully understood the gravity of the matter.

Yes! My lord, be careful.

Chen Wen nodded, took a deep breath, and adjusted himself to peak condition.

He was like a leaf merging with the night, silently slipping over the mound and drawing near the Kou family courtyard.

Holding his breath, restraining his aura, he even temporarily suppressed the surging power within, becoming as unnoticeable as a roadside stone.

Then, using a tiny protrusion on the wall, he silently scaled the wall and landed inside the courtyard.

Throughout the process, not a sound was made.

The courtyard was utterly silent.

From the main house came Mr. Kou's steady breathing, while the side room held the children's even, faint snores.

And outside the study window, within that dense shadow, Chen Wen clearly 'saw' the lurking figure.

He was curled in the wall's corner, perfectly merged with the shadow, using the faint light from the window gap to note something on the thin silk, attentive and earnest.

Chen Wen did not act immediately.

He, like the most patient hunter, slowly adjusted his position, using the shadow of an old tree in the courtyard to circle behind that person.

Each step was as light as a feather, landing without sound.

The night wind blew, leaves rustling, masking the faintest sound of his movement.

The distance gradually closed.

Three zhang, two zhang, one zhang…

That person seemed to sense something, his neck twitching slightly as if he wanted to turn his head.

But in that flash of lightning!

Chen Wen moved!

The Fourfold Effect exploded with a roar!

His whole body, like a leopard coiled to strike, burst from the shadows!

His speed was such that only a blurred afterimage lingered in the night!

The "Youying" reacted just as quickly; the moment Chen Wen moved, he realized he was exposed, without hesitation he rolled forward, at the same time slipping the charcoal pencil and thin silk into his pocket with his other hand, and threw several icy darts.

They were poisoned short darts!

The move was vicious and decisive, without hesitation.

However, Chen Wen's speed was even greater!

He seemed to have anticipated the opponent's move; his body shifted slightly, and those icy darts grazed his clothing, embedding deeply into the tree trunk behind him.

And Chen Wen's hand, like an iron clamp, precisely seized the "Youying"'s throat!

The "Youying"'s eyes flashed with alarm; he hurriedly blocked, his other hand reaching for his waist.

But Chen Wen gave him no chance!

The hand gripping his neck suddenly shifted mid-way, turning palm into fist, a fist imbued with fourfold power slamming hard into the "Youying"'s blocking arm!

"Crack!"

A bone‑cracking sound that made the teeth ache rang out especially clear in the silent night sky.

The "Youying" let out a muffled groan, his arm going limp, the intense pain stalling his movement.

Chen Wen's other hand had already locked tightly around his throat!

A powerful force erupted instantly, sealing his voice and draining all his strength.

"Huh… huh…"

The "Youying"'s eyes bulged, his throat emitting desperate gasps, he struggled in vain.

His eyes were filled with terror and a hint of disbelief, as if he could not comprehend why he had been exposed.

Chen Wen's gaze was icy, his grip slightly loosening.

"Crack."

A slight crisp sound.

The "Youying"'s struggle ceased instantly, the light in his eyes quickly fading, his head lolling to one side.

Chen Wen released his grip, letting the corpse slump to the ground.

He quickly searched the body, finding the roll of thin silk and charcoal pencil, plus some scattered copper coins, poisoned short darts, and a peculiarly styled black whistle.

He examined the thin silk closely; indeed, it bore fine brushwork recording Kou Zhun's daytime words and deeds, even including some habitual little gestures.

Chen Wen collected the thin silk and charcoal pencil, dealing with them together with the other suspicious items.

Then he dragged the corpse to the darkest corner of the courtyard wall, crudely covering it with weeds and fallen leaves.

The action was swift and practiced.

Having done all that, he cocked his ear and listened for a moment.

The main house and side room remained quiet, undisturbed.

He let out a slight breath.

After confirming again that there was no abnormality in the courtyard, Chen Wen silently scaled the wall, blended into the night, and joined Qian Gui.

"Solved?"

Qian Gui asked in a low voice.

"Hmm."

Chen Wen nodded and handed the thin silk to Qian Gui.

Qian Gui quickly skimmed it in the faint light, his expression growing graver.

"Indeed, he was gathering information, preparing for a replacement."

"The Iron Crow Army truly leaves no stone unturned."

Chen Wen gazed toward the village.

"Eliminating an information-gathering outpost is merely buying time."

"If the Iron Crow Army discovers this person has lost contact, they will surely become alert, and their subsequent measures may be even more covert and fierce."

"We cannot stop them forever."

Qian Gui deeply agreed.

"We must find a way to let the true Kou Zhun grow up safely, or… make the Iron Crow Army believe he no longer has any value or need for replacement."

"This matter requires long-term planning."

"First, let's leave here."

"Yes."

The two no longer lingered, swiftly distancing themselves under the cover of night.

The first subtle intervention targeting a key figure of the "script world" was quietly completed, with the destruction of the Iron Crow Army's outpost and the initial exposure of their "stand-in" plan marking the first step.

On the path of guarding the spark, thorns abound.