"It seems that Prince Ning intends to use a two-pronged approach, coordinating from within and without." Lin Qian sneered, a cold glint flashing in her eyes. "He wants to muddy the waters so he can fish in troubled waters."
"Host, should we take measures to control the spread of rumors?" 003 asked dutifully.
“No,” Lin Qian shook her head, “It’s too late to control the rumors now; it would only make things worse. Instead of trying to suppress them, we should let them spread. This will give us a chance to see who are Ning Wang’s accomplices.”
System 003's voice remained calm as always: "Host, the latest intelligence indicates that Prince Ning quietly left the capital the moment you left the bodies of your secret guards and assassins at Prince Ning's residence."
Lin Qian's eyes sharpened, and she asked urgently, "Where is he now?"
003's voice was devoid of any emotion: "According to reliable sources, Prince Ning is about to join forces with his army."
Lin Qian's heart sank, and she muttered to herself, "What should we do? Prince Ning's speed suggests he planned this all along." Frustrated, she scratched her hair and said to the air, "003, what should we do now?"
003 analyzed, "Host, after Prince Ning joins forces with his army, his strength will increase significantly. Our top priority is to quickly ascertain Prince Ning's action plan and the details of his army. Only in this way can we formulate a practical and feasible countermeasure."
"That sounds nice, but it's easy for you to say!" Lin Qian interrupted it irritably. "You talk like you can predict the future. Why don't you go and predict what Prince Ning will eat tonight?"
003 remained completely calm: "Host, my database contains no information about Prince Ning's personal dietary preferences."
Lin Qian was furious. She took a deep breath to suppress her agitation and said, "003, do you know? I once loved Prince Ning so much that I was willing to give everything, even betray my own family. But what did he do? In my previous life, after he ascended the throne, he kicked me aside. I suffered endless torment in the cold palace and finally died with resentment. In this life, since I have the chance to start over, I will definitely make him taste the bitterness of betrayal!"
003 responded, “Host, I sympathize with your plight. But we must now focus on dealing with the current crisis. As far as I know, Prince Ning has not only made friends with ministers in advance in this life, but has also secretly raised an army, making his power even stronger than in the previous life. We cannot let our guard down.”
Lin Qian's eyes were firm: "I understand, 003. That's why I need to work even harder to sabotage his plans. Can you try to obtain more intelligence about Prince Ning's army? For example, their troop distribution, equipment status, and marching routes, etc. This information is crucial to us and concerns the direction of the entire situation."
003 responded, “Host, I will do my best to gather intelligence through various channels. However, Prince Ning is cautious, and information about his army is strictly kept secret. I need some time to break through his defenses.”
Lin Qian sighed, her eyes revealing determination: "Time is of the essence, we must race against time. Prince Ning's actions have far exceeded our expectations. If we cannot make adequate preparations in time, the consequences will be unimaginable. We must not only protect ourselves, but also safeguard the people of the capital. We must not let Prince Ning's conspiracy succeed."
Lin Qian walked to the window and slowly pushed it open. The cool night breeze blew in, bringing a hint of sweet osmanthus fragrance, but it couldn't soothe the anxiety in her heart. She gazed at the dark night outside the window, her mind filled with countless thoughts.
"003, what do you think is the purpose of Prince Ning's rebellion this time? Is it merely for the supreme throne?" Lin Qian asked softly.
After a moment of silence, 003 said, "Host, the desire for power often makes people lose their minds. Prince Ning may believe that only by ascending the throne can he realize his ambitions and aspirations. Moreover, in this life, he felt threatened because of you, so he decided to take action before the old emperor passed away. His actions, however, brought endless disasters to the people."
Lin Qian's eyes were icy as she said, "Whatever his purpose is, I will not let him succeed. I want him to know the consequences of betraying me."
Just then, 003's voice sounded again: "Host, I have just discovered some anomalies. After Prince Ning left the capital, some forces within the capital seem to have begun to stir. They may be trying to take advantage of this chaos to fish in troubled waters and seek their own interests."
Lin Qian frowned and said, "It seems things are more complicated than we thought. Among these forces, there might be accomplices of Prince Ning. We must be careful and not let them ruin our plans."
Before she could finish speaking, a strange noise suddenly came from outside the window. Lin Qian turned around alertly and saw a dark figure burst through the window and head straight for her! Lin Qian quickly dodged to the side, and the dark figure missed its target.
"Who goes there?" Lin Qian shouted sharply.
The shadowy figure didn't answer and attacked Lin Qian again. Lin Qian engaged in a fierce battle with the shadowy figure, and she realized that the figure was quite skilled, so she became secretly wary.
"003, come help!" Lin Qian shouted.
003 immediately activated the defense system, and an invisible barrier appeared in the room, temporarily trapping the shadowy figure inside.
“Host, this person is very likely an assassin sent by Prince Ning. We must get useful information out of him as soon as possible,” 003 said.
Lin Qian nodded and walked step by step towards the shadowy figure...
Lin Qian approached step by step, the dark figure struggling within the invisible barrier, letting out low growls like a trapped beast. "Did Prince Ning send you?" Lin Qian's tone was icy, tinged with mockery. "Is this all you've got? You think you can take my life?"
The shadowy figure remained silent, only attacking the barrier even more frantically, attempting to break through. Ripples spread across the barrier, and 003's voice rang out: "Host, the barrier's energy is rapidly depleting; it probably won't last much longer."
Lin Qian's eyes narrowed, and she flicked a dagger from her sleeve, its cold light flashing. She was no delicate young lady who couldn't even kill a chicken. In her previous life, she had personally sent Prince Ning to the executioner's block. In this life, she would only be stronger.
"Since you refuse to speak, then don't blame me for being impolite." Lin Qian flicked her wrist, and the dagger drew a graceful arc, stabbing straight at the dark figure's throat.
The shadowy figure reacted with lightning speed, dodging the attack with a backflip. The barrier finally gave way, shattering with a loud bang. Taking advantage of the moment, the shadowy figure escaped, its form as swift as a ghost as it darted towards the window.
"Trying to run away?" Lin Qian sneered and flew after him.
Under the cover of night, two figures darted across the rooftops like two black lightning bolts. Lin Qian pursued relentlessly, her dagger flashing in her hand, each attack aimed straight for the shadowy figure's vitals.
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