Fake Death Game (Part 2)
Boom boom boom! Boom boom boom!
The violent pounding nearly shattered Huichun Hall's vermilion-lacquered gate, its hinges groaning painfully under the weight. A blue-robed disciple listened for a moment from the crack of the door, then turned back and whispered, "Master, it's dead silent inside, as if no one's there."
"Playing tricks!" Ding Yizhen's eyes were filled with murderous intent, his hair and beard moved without wind, and his iron palm, which was full of strength, was about to smash the door!
At that moment, a snow-white carrier pigeon flew over the eaves. Lu Jun'an caught it with a sweep of his sleeves. He unfolded the pigeon-clawed letter, and a line of vigorous handwriting came into view:
"The Demon Cult's hidden agents have been discovered in the Beimang Mine. Suppress them immediately!"
The signature is engraved with the intricate frost flower wax seal unique to the Seven Swords.
Lu Jun'an stroked the edge of the sealing wax with his fingertips, frowning slightly - this pigeon feather seemed... different in color from the legendary Seven Sword Spirit Pigeon feathers.
Ding Yizhen impatiently tried to snatch it away, but Tian Yizhong's withered claws grabbed his wrist with lightning speed, his strength cold and sinister: "Master Lu, since it's the Seven Swords Secret Order, why don't you read it out? Then we can work together to kill the demon bandits!"
Behind him, a dark crowd of people held swords and knives like a forest, and more than a dozen sect flags swayed restlessly in the oppressive air.
After Lu Junan finished reading in a deep voice, the seven words "Beimangshan Black Iron Ore Vein" exploded like boiling oil! Greed and fanaticism suddenly lit up in countless eyes, and thick desire and murderous intent silently filled the air.
Just at this moment, the red door of Huichun Hall creaked and slowly opened.
Su Baiwei stood by the door, her pale green skirt making her figure appear thin, yet her back remained straight as a bamboo. A white jade hairpin held her dark hair loosely in place. She casually glanced at the dense crowd in front of the door, her brows furrowed slightly as she spoke in a cold, clear voice, "Who are you? What's the reason for blocking the door with such a large crowd?"
Lu Jun'an took the lead, a distant and warm expression on his face. He bowed and said, "I am Lu Jun'an, the head of Tianmen Mountain." He turned sideways and raised his wide sleeves slightly. "This is Elder Ding Yizhen of the Iron Palm Gang, this is Tian Yizhong, the head of the Shangqing Sect, that is Elder Sun of the Cangshan Sect, and this is Taoist Qingxu of the Wudang Sect."
The expressions of the people named varied: Ding Yizhen snorted coldly, Tian Yizhong's lips twitched sinisterly, Elder Sun crossed his arms impatiently, and Taoist Qingxu bowed politely, his eyes quietly glancing at Lu Jun'an. Behind them, even more leaders and disciples from various factions, who hadn't been named, gathered into a silent, greedy pressure.
"Oh?" Su Baiwei's eyes swept calmly over the crowd, and she pointed at the wooden sign beside the door. "Masters and elders, please arrive. Unfortunately, we're closed today." Before she finished speaking, she turned and tried to close the door. Her eyes swept across the brick wall, and a flash of worry crossed her eyes.
"She is the divine medical master Su Baiwei!" a disciple of the Cangshan Sect pointed out hurriedly.
"Wait!" Ding Yizhen suddenly flung open a pale green silk handkerchief. "Three days ago, during the ambush at Black Wind Cliff, this handkerchief fell where the devil's blood was splattered! Don't even think about denying it!"
A silk handkerchief fluttered towards her. Su Baiwei pinched it between her fingers and examined it carefully. Her eyes were calm as she slipped her hand back into her sleeve. "Thank you for returning it to its rightful owner."
Tian Yizhong lunged forward, clattering open the blood-red portrait depicting the manhunt order. The figure in the painting had frost-hardened features, yet possessed a spring-like hue. A cynical, sinister aura nearly pierced the paper. "This cult remnant slaughtered our branch, and their blood debt is countless! Where are they hiding? Hand them over immediately!" The crowd behind him roared in unison.
Su Baiwei's eyes swept over the portrait, her pupils shrank imperceptibly at the curve of the figure's lips. "If you're looking for a consultation, please wait another day," she said coldly, her hand already resting on the latch on the inside of the doorknob. "If you're looking for someone, I'm afraid you'll return home disappointed."
"What do you mean?" the elder of Cangshan Sect asked impatiently.
"He's gone."
"Where did you go?" Tian Yizhong pressed.
"I don't know." Su Baiwei slammed the door shut.
A fierce gleam flashed in Tian Yizhong's eyes, and his withered claws, like lightning, grabbed her slender wrist! With another palm, packed with immense force, he blasted the gate open completely. "Search for me! Dig three feet underground to find it!" With this command, disciples from more than a dozen factions rushed in like wolves and tigers.
"Stop!" Su Baiwei struggled fiercely, her bun loosening slightly, a few strands of black hair falling across her forehead, and her white jade hairpin slanting as if to fall. The silver hairpin in her sleeve gleamed coldly, and her voice rose, piercing the clamor: "You're making such a scene, forcing your way into the clinic, bullying a weak woman, and searching a dying man? Is this how a 'reputable and upright sect' acts as 'justice for heaven'?"
Many people's faces turned pale and red, and their movements froze. Lu Jun'an suppressed his embarrassment and stepped forward, his voice low and deep, "Miss Su, the remnants of the Demonic Cult are a threat to the martial arts world and must be punished. If you stop them, you will only end up doing something unjust."
"Oh?" Su Baiwei raised her hand to tuck the stray hair behind her ear, barely stabilizing the white jade hairpin. She straightened her back even more, and raised the corners of her lips. "I heard that this 'remnant' was one of the Seven Swordsmen who killed the Black Heart Tiger? Does Sect Leader Lu mean that even the combined might of the Seven Swordsmen is not an act of justice?"
These words were like thunder!
The square in front of the door suddenly fell silent, and hundreds of eyes were directed at Lu Junan.
"Witch! Stop confusing us!" the Cangshan Sect elder said, his face purple. "We must search today! Get out of the way if you know what's best for you!"
Su Baiwei showed no fear, her gaze sweeping across the crowd like an icy blade: "Do you recognize Chi Lian?"
"Chi Lian?!" This name was like a curse, causing the pupils of several sect leaders to shrink suddenly! Wudang Sect Leader Qingxu shook the whisk in his hand, his Taoist crown trembling slightly, and he actually took a half step back, his cloudy old eyes glancing at Lu Jun'an in surprise.
The Holy Fire Hall specializes in assassinations using poison and gu, and even possesses the terrifying method of transforming living people into zombies known as "medicine men." Many high-ranking members of the sect have been infected with gu, leaving their lives at the mercy of Chi Lian. A gasp echoed through the crowd, their forward momentum halted.
"What... is your relationship with him?" The Wudang leader's voice was dry, his hand tightly pressing on the hilt of the sword.
Su Baiwei straightened her back and spoke clearly, "Huichun Hall was built by the Holy Fire Hall specifically for Su. What do you think is my relationship with him?"
You can hear a pin drop!
The crowd's faces turned from livid to pale, filled with fear and hesitation. Some leaders of smaller sects quietly retreated.
Lu Jun'an's eyes were sinister, and his voice was low but chilling: "That devil Tiao Tiao must die today! Think about the fate of the Lutian Sect! The fire starter must be obtained! Be careful, so as not to damage Doctor Su's ability to save the world." He deliberately emphasized "carefully", and his sharp eyes swept across the walls and the ground, obviously intending to search for secret compartments and secret passages.
"Search!" The elder of Cangshan Sect made up his mind and rushed in first.
Tian Yizhong grinned and shoved Su Baiwei into the corner, where two disciples quickly restrained her. Su Baiwei was pinned against the cold wall, just a few steps away from the brick wall at the entrance to the chamber. Every footstep approaching the wall set her on edge.
The hall suddenly became chaotic.
The disciples' movements became noticeably more restrained, their eyes wandering, not daring to look directly at Su Baiwei. They also seemed hesitant when searching.
"Be careful! Don't damage my Tianshan Snow Lotus!"
With a crisp sound, the deep red crystal shattered, and a rich, exotic medicinal aroma filled the air. Su Baiwei's eyes were filled with a mixture of regret and anger. "That's... the century-old 'Dragon's Blood' that the Holy Fire Hall just sent us! It's all ruined! Stop!" It's a crucial ingredient in the Nine Flower Jade Dew Pills. The disciple's face paled, and he hurriedly stepped back.
Amidst the chaos, a Shangqing Sect disciple, feeling the old medicine mill in the corner was in the way, hesitated for a moment, and then kicked it over. The heavy stone wheel crashed to the ground, shattering the mill. The sound of the impact sent a shudder through Su Baiwei's heart.
Her eyes were fixed on the crack, her body tense as a string. The millstone was her father's legacy. Worse still, beneath the heavy base of the millstone lay the mechanism for the secret door to the chamber! This kick...
Elder Sun of the Cangshan Sect accidentally caught sight of the tiny flame pattern on the inside of the medicine cabinet. His heart raced, and cold sweat instantly soaked through his shirt. He hastily averted his gaze, as if the pattern would burn his eyes. He didn't dare investigate further.
A moment later, the disciple lowered his head and reported, his voice tinged with frustration and a hint of barely perceptible relief: "Master, elders, we've searched everywhere, inside and out, and there's no sign of anyone! We've knocked on the walls and floor, but there's no hidden passage!" Su Baiwei's tense nerves finally relaxed. The mechanism at the entrance to the secret room hadn't been triggered after all.
"We can't find out anything from her, and we can't find her. She is from the Holy Fire Hall..." The head of the Wudang Sect had an ugly expression on his face. "If we anger Chi Lian... that medicine man..." He expressed everyone's thoughts.
Lu Jun'an's eyes darted around, but his expression instantly changed to a warm one. He stepped forward and bowed deeply, his tone sincere, his voice rising a few notches: "Miss Su, we were in a hurry just now and acted rashly, disturbing you. Please forgive us." He paused, stroking his beard and thinking, "I'd like to offer you a hundred ingots of silver to calm you down." He fixed his eyes on Su Baiwei and threw out the bait: "If you can tell me the whereabouts of that demon, I'll also give you a hundred taels of gold, both hands!"
Before he finished speaking, the corners of the mouths of several small sect leaders and disciples in the corner twitched violently, and they subconsciously tightened their grip on their wallets. Several disciples of the small sects murmured quietly, "Why do we have to share the cost?"
Lu Jun'an glanced sideways, his eyes sweeping across the crowd like a knife. He lowered his voice but spoke with unquestionable authority: "How can a few material possessions be compared to eliminating this great threat? Are we going to sit back and watch the devil make a comeback?"
Everyone was frightened by his gaze, and thinking of the tragic scene of the destruction of the Lutian Sect, they had to shut up in anger, but their dissatisfaction and pain were evident in their words.
Su Baiwei noticed that dusk was approaching and knew the time had come. Her face showed just the right amount of struggle and hesitation, her eyes roaming over Lu Jun'an's face, then sweeping across the crowd with complicated expressions, as if she were struggling to make a decision.
Seeing her wavering, Lu Jun'an was secretly delighted and immediately increased the amount in a sincere and urgent voice: "If you feel it is not enough, I am willing to double the amount to show my sincerity! I only ask for your advice and help us get rid of this great evil!" As soon as these words came out, there was another suppressed commotion in the crowd.
Su Baiwei bit her lip greedily, as if she had made a great decision: "Okay! It's a deal! If you dare to go back on your word..." Her eyes suddenly became as sharp as ice, and her voice swept across the whole audience with a threatening chill, "I will ask the leader of the Chilian Hall to send a large group of medicine men to 'visit' each of the leaders one by one!" As soon as the word "medicine men" came out, everyone's face turned pale.
"No, no! Don't worry, girl!" A stiff smile appeared on Lu Jun'an's face.
Su Baiwei took a deep breath, her gaze sweeping across the mess on the ground. She paused for a moment on the cracked old medicine mill. Pain flashed in her eyes, and she sneered, "One hundred taels of silver? Not enough to pay for even a dime of dragon blood! Not to mention the family medicine mill!" She paused, then whispered, "He's dead. In the mass grave west of the city. He died at three quarters past three in the afternoon."
"Dead?! At three o'clock in the afternoon?!" A wave of astonishment swept over everyone. Lu Jun'an's eyes flickered violently, his knuckles clenched until white, and the image of a carrier pigeon's feathers flashed through his mind. Anxiety gripped him, but looking around at the greedy, fearful faces around him, he knew there was no escape.
"Impossible!" Ding Yizhen roared, his hair and beard standing on end.
Su Baiwei's face showed the shame and impatience of a doctor who was incompetent. "He was seriously injured and there is no way to save him. He just died an hour ago!"
“Why didn’t you say so earlier?!” Everyone felt fooled and became angry again.
"Is it glorious to kill someone?" Su Baiwei retorted coldly, her chill piercing her bones. "Why should I tell you just because you ask? Who do you think you are?"
"Go to the mass grave!" Ding Yizhen was furious, "If we can't find the body, you will pay the price!" His roar was like a signal, and more than a dozen groups of people immediately became agitated and turned their targets to the west of the city.
"Go ahead," Su Baiwei said coldly, violently breaking free from the grip. Under the gazes of the crowd, filled with a mixture of suspicion, anger, and greed, she slowly stepped back, grasping the inner latch with both hands.
"Bang--!"
With a resounding bang, the red door slammed shut, its heavy bolts falling and locking tightly, completely isolating the clamor, greed, violence, and hypocrisy outside. Su Baiwei leaned against the cold door, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. The relief of the secret room remaining unexposed weighed heavily on her, nearly overwhelming her. When she opened her eyes, a glint of brilliance flashed before exhaustion overwhelmed them. She quickly walked toward the wall, her fingertips discreetly brushing against specific bricks, confirming the hinges and mechanisms intact. Only then did her tense body truly relax.
In the corner of the courtyard, the snow-white carrier pigeon that Lu Jun'an had abandoned was pecking at the medicinal residue. Su Baiwei slowly approached, squatted down, picked it up, and gently brushed the pigeon's feathers.
"Shuang'er," she said softly, pinching a grain of rice into her palm. "I'm sorry for letting you down. You've been tainted by the foul air." Pigeons cooed and pecked at the food. The bitter aroma of medicine lingered in the twilight. Her gaze, however, involuntarily drifted to the wall that held her greatest secret.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
