Chapter 78 Loss
This was the second time Lin Chengye had felt such resentment.
The last time was also in a winter like this. She lay in a half-dead state, struggling, angry, questioning the emperor's ruthlessness, and regarding the lives of ten thousand Wei Lai soldiers as worthless.
When the tunnel beneath the Guanyin statue collapsed, she almost understood her defeat. She couldn't find the ghost, nor could she destroy the mother vermin. In the end, she still lost to the unpredictability of human hearts.
Now she was bedridden again, but fortunately this time it did not cause any serious damage. When she sensed her resentment and began to struggle to wake up, she had already escaped the boundless darkness, and the morning light fell into her eyes through the soft veil.
"firewood……"
The image of the person he saw before he fainted flashed through Lin Chengye's mind. Before he was fully awake, he began calling out the person's name in a hoarse voice.
“Hu Nan…”
"That person's name is Chai Hu Nan?"
Suddenly, a cold voice came from the bedside. The person put down the book in their hand, helped Lin Chengye sit up, and fed her the warm water that had been prepared in advance.
She's not here.
"...It was you."
With the warm water soothing his throat, which felt like it was being cut by a knife, Lin Chengye was able to gradually see what was in front of him.
She was somewhat surprised that the first person she saw when she woke up was Wei Jingchen.
"Disappointed? I'm truly sorry, for now I'm the only one left. Cai Wenyou has just recovered from his high fever and is still unconscious. And that woman in the black hood has been watching you for five days without sleep or rest. I just found her a place to rest."
Wei Jingchen chuckled.
But her sharp tongue couldn't mask her exhaustion. Her eyes were dark and swollen; she hadn't gone five days without sleep, but she was close. Her hair, not as neatly combed as usual, hung loosely over her shoulders, her lips were chapped, and her eyes were bloodshot.
Wei Jingchen pinched the bridge of his nose and spoke.
"how are you feeling?"
She slept for five days straight.
Lin Chengye rested her arm on her eyelids, took several deep breaths, and tried to suppress the anger and resentment surging in her chest. But in the end, she slammed her fist hard against the edge of the bed.
"Damn it...it's been too long, I've slept for too long...it's too late..."
"I am not dead."
Wei Jingchen suddenly handed her the book in his hand and said.
"Take a look at this first."
The book was an obscure and difficult scripture, which Lin Chengye had no interest in. With a whoosh, a letter that had already been opened flew out of it.
The letter was unsigned and contained only a few words.
Lin Chengye gently rubbed the letter paper with his fingertips, then picked it up and held it up to the sunlight, suddenly frowning.
The paper is lustrous like jade, and when viewed in the light, it is as transparent as a cicada's wing, with faint deer antler patterns appearing on it.
This paper was actually White Deer Paper. Lin Chengye was startled. This paper was expensive and extremely rare, only sold in Lin Su City. The handwriting on it was elegant and flowing, the ink rich and lustrous, and it read:
"On the eleventh day of the eleventh month, the mother insect will be released. The next day, it will be placed in the secret underground cave of the Treasure Hall. As usual, this winter, it will require food for seventy-three people, three people per day. On the last day, only one person will be needed. Remember the number carefully. If there is a shortage, you must not return to the underground cave."
Lou Sanbai died on the fifth day of the twelfth lunar month, which was the last day and the last person.
Lin Chengye rubbed his forehead. The person who wrote this letter was extremely meticulous, having already considered the possibility of exposure. This must be the secret letter written by the person behind it all to Qing Shi.
Thinking of Qing Shi, Lin Chengye's heart sank. She still remembered the last look Qing Shi gave her, so complex, so sorrowful, as if death was a great relief to her, and she had already expected to die this way.
Only a true Deadpool would do this, having his own self erased, living only for his master.
From the moment she discovered she was exposed, whether she attempted suicide or something else, every step she took was a delaying tactic, a delay until the explosion, trying to drag Lin Chengye down with her. If it weren't for Cai Wenyou buying her some time, and Chai Hu Nan arriving at some unknown time, she might have truly remained forever underground at Yongfo Temple.
Lin Chengye wasn't even sure if the flower stones were also being used by the bluestone as part of a delaying tactic.
But the last time Qing Shi looked at Hua Shi, it seemed as if she had struggled to break through her cold shell and was just an ordinary older sister looking at her younger sister with tenderness and love.
Suddenly, a strange fragrance wafted into his nostrils, pulling Lin Chengye back to reality.
The fragrance was extremely unique, deep and mellow, with a hint of sweetness amidst its bitterness. She quickly recalled the scent and confirmed that she had never smelled it before.
"I was wondering what that strange smell was coming from, it turns out it was from the paper, this is..."
“Your subordinate named Chai Hu Nan said that this is the smell of burnt myrrh.”
Wei Jingchen frowned.
"I feel like I've smelled it somewhere before, but I can't quite place it right now."
Lin Chengye glanced at Wei Jingchen speechlessly. This man must have already discovered the trick, deliberately tucked it into the book so she would have to find it herself. She threw the letter and the book back to Wei Jingchen, saying helplessly.
"Since you've already discovered it, then just say so. Does Your Highness want to see if I've been knocked senseless?"
"Can't it just be something you think is fun?"
Wei Jingchen shrugged.
Don't think of me as so boring.
Lin Chengye was too lazy to pay attention and gave a perfunctory "uh-huh" twice.
“After the incident at Duobao Hall, I sent Jiang Heng to rescue you, while I went to Huashi’s residence first.”
Without further ado, Wei Jingchen began to recount the events that occurred amidst the chaos of that night with a serious expression.
That night, she couldn't sleep. After seeing Lin Chengye and Cai Wenyou off, she sat at her desk with her eyes half-closed and her fingers supporting her swaying head. Her tired body felt heavy, but her tense mind wouldn't allow her to rest for a moment.
Suddenly, she was jolted awake by a thunderous sound. She glanced in the direction of the sound, then abruptly got up, pushed open the door, and went out, cursing under her breath.
This incident is so significant that it will likely first alert the city patrol officers outside Linsu City, who will investigate the cause of the accident and who entered the Duobao Hall today. If there are any suspicious points, the matter will most likely be handed over to the Dali Temple for investigation. As for whether the investigation will be effective…
"Jiang Heng, go to the Duobao Hall right now to rescue them. I need to see them alive or dead."
"Your Highness..." Jiang Heng hesitated for a moment before glancing at Duobao Hall. The source of the explosion was clearly underground, a near-death experience. Going there would probably be a wasted effort.
"Hurry! Lin Chengye isn't that easy to kill!"
Wei Jingchen roared angrily, then made a decisive move and ran wildly toward Hua Shi's residence.
If the city patrolmen were to submit something useful, she didn't believe the Dali Temple would be able to investigate anything. Whether Lin Chengye lived or died, this matter couldn't be left like this. She had to get the useful evidence in her own hands before that happened!
...
"Fortunately, you are alive. I have also found something useful, which is this letter, which was tucked under the blankets."
Wei Jingchen's face was somewhat gloomy. He rested his chin on one hand and looked at Lin Chengye.
"We both have our suspicions about who's behind this strange illness, and I think we both hope to catch our aunt by the tail."
"But unfortunately, neither the handwriting nor the scent of this letter resembled my aunt's. After I finished searching, I stayed around my aunt's Bodhi House all night, but no one entered. It seemed she didn't care."
After Wei Jingchen finished speaking, the entire house fell into a long silence. Lin Chengye gripped the blanket tightly with both hands, gritting his teeth until his knuckles turned bluish-white.
Without saying a word, they understood that this time, they had lost miserably.
The heavy snow outside the window had stopped sometime ago, but the chill remained undiminished. Lin Chengye was filled with anger but didn't know where to direct his resentment, and he couldn't help but blame himself. But after thinking it over, he realized that she hadn't made any mistakes.
"...Never mind, just tell me what happened in the Treasure Hall first?"
Wei Jingchen sighed and asked.
Lin Chengye rubbed his temples and briefly recounted the harrowing events of that night. Wei Jingchen listened, her expression growing increasingly grim, until the final words sounded like an impending storm. She clapped her hands with a cold laugh.
"What two good dogs they raised. They're willing to drag their own family members down with them for their master."
"What I said at the time was also a lie, a combination of soft and hard tactics, just to get Qing Shi to talk. If she really revealed the whereabouts of the Mother Worm, I would spare Hua Shi's life. But I really didn't expect..."
This was probably their most candid conversation ever, and Lin Chengye found herself saying a lot without realizing it. She realized that she truly respected Wei Jingchen's abilities, and that such a near-defeat-filled outpouring didn't feel like a burden.
"Alright, you're the only one who doesn't need to reflect on this. I'm the one who should be reflecting. You should get some rest."
Wei Jingchen was too lazy to listen and waved her hand to shut Lin Chengye up. She stood up and forcefully pushed Lin Chengye back into bed. With unsteady steps, she pushed open the door, leaving Lin Chengye alone in the room with the words, "I'm going to rest too."
Tick-tock.
As the person left, Lin Chengye gently closed her eyes. She heard a water droplet roll down the windowsill and her own breathing gradually return to calm and long. She could even feel the turbulent emotions fading away, and the cold rationality within her body once again sprouted branches and took over without warning.
The Wuma family, the vermin, and Linsu City. These words were the first to magnify in Lin Chengye's mind.
First, the insect-killing technique is a secret art of the Wuma family, but this sect has been in seclusion for many years. Could it be that its disciples have already entered Linsu City to serve someone?
Secondly, this incident occurred at Yongfo Temple, right under the Princess's nose; it's impossible that she was completely unaware. The worst-case scenario is that the person in the capital was also acting on her orders.
However, the threads must be untangled little by little, the knots must be untied one by one, and the ghosts must be pulled out one by one. There is no rush to catch the princess's tail all at once.
Third... Lin Chengye's lips slowly parted, and she heard her own voice ethereal. The words she uttered startled even herself.
"What are you going to do with the woodworms? Who exactly in Lin Su City needs to be controlled?"
That person must be someone who is disobedient, yet someone you absolutely must hold onto tightly.
Lin Chengye's hands, which were placed at his sides, gradually curled up, and his knuckles gradually turned white.
She did think of someone who perfectly matched the description.
Half-Immortal, Qin Ruoliu.
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