Chapter 14
The night breeze from the Qiantang River, thick with the scent of blood and gunpowder, whipped against Mo Ya's face. He seemed to blend into the shadows of the ship's planks, his cold gaze piercing the darkness, locked onto the speedboat tearing through the river like a ghost, hurtling towards the chaotic docks. Its hull was long and narrow, its draft was extremely deep, and its speed was preternatural. The waves split by its bow shone palely in the dim moonlight. The figures on the boat were scattered, silent as iron, only the occasional cold reflection of weapons.
This wasn't an official ship, nor was it an ordinary pirate ship.
This silent, oppressive feeling with a strong murderous aura belongs only to well-trained private soldiers or... death squads!
"Our goal is clear. We're heading for control of the dock." Mo Ya's voice was as iron-hard as steel, echoing over the speeding sampan, drowning out the wind. "Speed up! Follow route C and enter the reed marsh in the tributary!"
The unassuming sampan they were on suddenly sank. The two Shadow Scale members manning the oars at the stern tensed their arm muscles, unleashing a breathtaking burst of strength. Like an arrow shot from a bow, the sampan cut a sharp white line across the river, narrowly brushing the side of the murderous speedboat as it headed for the mouth of a narrow tributary.
On the deck of the clipper, a burly man with a hideous scar on his face instantly spotted the small boat attempting to escape into the darkness with his hawk-like gaze. His brow furrowed, and a fierce gleam in his eyes blazed.
"Want to run?!"
"Shoot! Stop that small boat! Kill everyone on it without mercy!" Scarface roared, his voice carrying in the river breeze.
"Whoosh whoosh-!"
A shrill, piercing sound instantly shattered the relative calm on the river's surface! Dozens of crossbow arrows, gleaming with a cold, dark blue light, swarmed like a swarm of poisonous bees, densely covering Mo Ya's small dinghy! The arrowheads were clearly laced with a deadly poison!
"Ding ding ding! Puff!"
The Shadow Scale members on the sampan were well prepared, their short blades unsheathed, dancing in a dense, cold light! Most of the crossbow bolts were deflected, sending up a trail of sparks as they sank into the water with a dull "puff puff." But one cunning arrow pierced through the gap in the shield and lodged itself firmly in the thigh of a Shadow Scale member at the stern of the boat!
The member groaned, his body jerking violently, blood instantly staining his trouser legs. The paralysis brought on by the poison had caused half of his body to become rigid, but he gritted his teeth and remained silent, his oarsman still unleashing its force to maintain the boat's speed!
"Let's go!" Mo Ya's voice was flat, as if his companion's injury was just an insignificant incident. His gaze didn't even linger on the injured companion, remaining fixed on the relentless pursuit of the speeding boat.
The sampan made a dangerous turn amidst the hail of arrows, almost turning sideways, barely scraping the surface of the water as it dove headfirst into the narrow tributary covered in dense reeds! The dense, withered, yellow reeds, more than a meter tall, acted like a natural barrier, instantly swallowing up the boat.
"Damn it!" On the deck of the clipper, Scarface watched his target disappear into the dark reeds in an instant, and slammed his fist into the side of the boat, sending wood chips flying! "Chase them! They can't get far! I'll see them alive or dead! Everyone on that boat must be silenced!"
Without hesitation, the speedboat turned, its massive hull violently smashing through the sparse reeds and plunging into the perilous tributary. The whirlwind lantern hanging from the bow swung violently, its dim light struggling to carve out a limited space in the impenetrable reeds, adding a touch of ghostly eeriness.
Deep in the reed marsh.
The small sampan glided silently through the narrow, winding waterway like a nimble fish. The injured Shadow Scale member's face was as pale as paper, and beads of sweat mixed with blood rolled down his face. He tore off his shirt and tied it tightly around his thighs to slow the spread of the poison, but his body trembled uncontrollably. Another member took over and paddled vigorously.
"Commander Mo... they are chasing us in..." the member in charge of lookout whispered.
Mo Ya didn't turn around, his expressionless face still blank. He raised his hand and made several extremely subtle gestures.
The sampan suddenly slowed to a crawl, practically drifting with the current. The Shadow Scale crew quickly lowered several heavy, oilcloth-wrapped objects into the water and carefully adjusted the boat's position, pointing its stern in the direction of the pursuers.
Behind us, the sound of a speedboat breaking through the reeds was getting closer and closer, and the dim light was like a giant malicious eye, scanning the darkness.
"There! Slow down! Catch up!" Scarface's excited voice came.
Just when the speedboat was less than ten feet away from the tail of the small sampan, the assassins on the boat raised their weapons and prepared to board and kill!
A cold light flashed in Mo Ya's eyes like lightning! He suddenly waved his hand!
"put!"
“Boom! Boom! Boom—!”
Almost simultaneously, several muffled, thunderous explosions erupted underwater in front of the clipper's bow! A massive column of water shot up into the sky, carrying with it silt, rotting reed roots, and broken planks! It was the gunpowder pack that had sunk earlier, precisely detonated!
A massive shockwave lifted the massive speedboat violently, then hurled it down again! The ship uttered a groaning sound that made one's teeth ache! The soldiers on the deck were caught off guard and were thrown out like dumplings, falling screaming into the cold, murky river water! The mast at the bow cracked under the weight, crashing down with the lantern!
"ah--!"
"The boat! The bottom is broken! Water is coming in!"
"There's an ambush! There's an ambush!"
Screams, cries of surprise, and the sound of water entering the hull instantly replaced the previous murderous atmosphere! Under the impact of the explosion and the water flow, the speedboat tilted violently and turned sideways, completely blocking the narrow channel!
Mo Ya looked coldly at the pursuers behind him who were in chaos and despair, as if he was looking at a group of drowning ants.
"Route C3, evacuate at full speed." His voice was calm.
The small sampan accelerated again like a cheetah that had received an order, and disappeared silently into the deeper darkness of the reed marsh, leaving behind only the devastated explosion site, the slowly sinking speedboat and the dying wails.
Shengjing, the Imperial City Sinan Pacification Office.
The uniquely cold, damp atmosphere of the dungeon, mingled with the faint smell of blood and rust, seeped into the very bones. The dim tallow lamps on the walls flickered, distorting the figures. This was a corner where not even sunlight could penetrate, a direct machine of violence under the shadow of imperial power.
Commander Cao Wushang, a lean, middle-aged man with a sinister face and venomous eyes, sat on a tiger-skin-covered armchair. He slowly and methodically wiped a willow-thin, cold-blue dagger with a snow-white handkerchief. Before him, a dusty spy in a black nightgown knelt on one knee, whispering secret reports from Jiangnan.
"...The Tongyuan Canal Gang is in turmoil. Liu Kui severely injured Zhang Mangfu and temporarily took control of the docks. But at the end of last night's melee, unidentified experts took advantage of the chaos to infiltrate the headquarters' accounting office and warehouse. Their methods were extremely sophisticated, and they came and went without a trace. It is suspected that... it was done by 'Shadow Scale', one of Prime Minister Gu's subordinates." The spy's voice was extremely low, with a subtle hint of awe and fear. "Deep in the warehouse, we found fragments of fine iron and a small amount of unburned gunpowder powder. Also, while pursuing a small force suspected to be 'Shadow Scale', one of our speedboats was ambushed by an underwater gunpowder attack in a tributary reed marsh. We suffered heavy losses, but the target... managed to escape."
"Fine iron? Gunpowder?" Cao Wushang paused as he wiped his dagger. A sinister glint flashed in his eyes, like a venomous snake spitting out its tongue. "'Shadow Scale'... Gu Linzhi has indeed set his sights on the 'Yunze Society'." A sinister smile curved his lips. "It seems that Ge Ping, that slipped through the net, has actually coughed up something useful."
The spy lowered his head even lower. "Yes. Also, rumors are circulating that during the salvage of the pleasure boat where the leader of the Tongyuan Cao Gang was killed in the explosion on West Lake last night, several fragments of partially burned camphor wood were found. The inner walls had distinctive markings, markings that were related to the Yunze Society. And..." He hesitated slightly, "...there are rumors that the seven boxes numbered 'three' and 'seven' didn't seem to be destroyed in the explosion, but... their whereabouts are unknown."
"Oh?" Cao Wushang's eyes gleamed even brighter, like a hyena that had smelled blood. "Seven camphorwood boxes... numbered 'three' and 'seven'... are missing?" He lowered his dagger, leaning forward slightly. An invisible, cold pressure spread out. "Investigate! Use all the spies you've planted among the Jiangnan community! Find out for me who has those two boxes now! Did they fall into Gu Linzhi's hands, or... were they moved away by the Yunze Society's own people? Or... were they snatched away by some other 'oriole' looking to take advantage of the situation?"
"Yes, sir!" the spy replied sternly.
Cao Wushang leaned back in his chair, tapping lightly with his fingers on the cold armrest, making a soft tapping sound that was particularly clear in the silent dungeon.
"Lord Gu... your lone sword can cut through iron like mud, slicing through the Jiangnan region with its razor-sharp blade. But the waters of the Yunze Society are deep. Fine iron, gunpowder, the Northern Barbarians... and those seven mysterious chests..." He chuckled sinisterly. "His Majesty is afraid that your achievements will overshadow your master, that you'll become too powerful to be controlled. But it seems to me that this Jiangnan whirlpool might... just be able to entangle you, this fierce dragon crossing the river?"
He waved his hands as if to shoo away a fly.
"Go ahead. Tell the people below to keep their eyes open. I want to know every step Prime Minister Gu takes in Jiangnan. And the Yunze Society... especially those two boxes. I want to see them alive, and I want to know where the fragments are even if I die! These are... things that can cost lives!"
The spy retreated silently and disappeared at the end of the dim corridor.
Cao Wushang picked up the willow-leaf dagger again and, facing the flickering light, admired the faint blue sheen flowing across the blade's edge, as if appreciating a beautiful work of art. The sinister smile on his face, under the distorted light and shadow, looked particularly ferocious.
"Jiangnan...is really getting more and more lively. Lord Gu, your fire is burning brightly. But be careful...don't burn yourself."
Prime Minister's Residence, "Quiet Observation" Study.
The candlelight shone brightly, illuminating Gu Linzhi's calm, deep profile. He stood before a massive map, his hands behind his back, his gaze fixed on the stretch of Qiantang River deliberately circled with cinnabar. Mo Ya's rigid voice echoed behind him, recounting the details of last night's operation: the fragments of the Ge Ping manuscript, the sample of refined iron and gunpowder, the markings on the box, the number "three"... and the brief but fatal encounter and counterattack in the reed marsh.
"...the express ship from the Southern Pacification Office." Gu Linzhi's voice was low, unremarkable, but it suddenly cooled the temperature in the study. "Cao Wushang's hand is quick to reach out." He turned slowly, the candlelight dancing in his deep eyes like a dark fire burning beneath the ice. "It seems our Majesty can't wait to place another set of shackles on his 'lonely minister'."
Mo Ya lowered his head. "Yes. Cao Wushang is like a maggot on the tarsal bone. He must be keeping a close eye on Jiangnan. The clues about the 'Yun Ze Society' and the missing camphorwood box may have fallen into his sights."
"Just keep an eye on him." Gu Linzhi walked to the desk, his fingertips brushing over the pieces of fine iron that Mo Ya brought back, which were shining with a cold metallic luster. They felt cold and hard to the touch. "He wants a handle? Then give him one." He picked up one of the pieces of fine iron and stroked the cold edges with his fingertips, as if weighing the weight of the enemy.
"Black Crow."
"I'm here."
"Send one of the fine iron samples, along with the rubbing of the Ge Ping fragment and... the Yunze Society's insignia," Gu Linzhi's voice was cold and clear. "Secretly send it to the residence of Feng Zijing, the Left Censor-in-Chief of the Metropolitan Censorate. No need to conceal it; send it through the Yinglin channel. Let Cao Wushang's people 'happen' to see it."
A flash of understanding flashed across Mo Ya's stern eyes. "Yes. I understand." This was an open conspiracy. Sending the shocking evidence of the "Yun Ze Society" smuggling refined iron to the enemy through seemingly secret but potentially revealing channels to the self-proclaimed upright and honest Feng Zijing was like pouring cold water on boiling oil! Feng Zijing was a pedantic and unyielding man who would not tolerate any injustice, let alone treason! Once he got his hands on this evidence, whether motivated by public interest or a desire to maintain a good reputation, it would be like a ignited firecracker, setting off a tsunami in the court! Emperor Zhao Heng would no longer have the luxury of playing dumb and watching from the sidelines regarding the "Yun Ze Society"! He had to make a statement! A thorough investigation was necessary! This would force the emperor, under the watchful eyes of the public, to side with Gu Linzhi—at least publicly! Even if Cao Wushang, the poisonous snake in the gutter, saw it, he could only watch the fire being ignited, and might even be burned by the sudden flames!
"Also," Gu Linzhi's gaze fell on the piece of fine iron engraved with the number "Three," his deep eyes gleaming with a cold light like an icy needle. "Those two missing boxes... 'Three' and 'Seven'..." He slowly raised his hand, his fingertips drawing a cold trail in the air. "Use our deepest undercover agent in the Cao Gang, 'Water Ghost,' to activate all the underworld lines. Spread the word that... the camphorwood box numbered 'Seven' contains secret letters between the 'Yun Ze Hui' and the Northern Di Royal Court, as well as ironclad evidence of treason by Jiangnan officials. It's priceless. With it... you can command the Jiangnan people, or... ask the court for rewards and wealth!"
The muscles on Mo Ya's stern face twitched imperceptibly. This was like trying to provoke a tiger into devouring a wolf, akin to casting a stone to test the waters! The value of Box 7 was infinitely exaggerated, thrown into the Jiangnan underworld, already turbulent with the emergence of the Yunze Society and a crisscrossing of factions! This box would instantly become the juiciest prey for every ambitious, opportunist, and desperate criminal! The ravenous wolves would be drawn to the scent of blood, vying frantically for it! Whether it was the remnants of the Yunze Society seeking to reclaim and destroy evidence, or other coveted forces seeking to profit from the fire, or even the forces secretly controlled by Cao Wushang... they would all be driven from the shadows into the open, lured by the illusory bait of this "treasure chest," forced to clash and expose themselves! The true hunter, however, would simply watch from the sidelines, waiting for the biggest fish to reveal a fatal flaw in the melee!
"As for 'Three'..." Gu Linzhi's fingertips gently tapped the cold iron, his voice as low as the echo of the abyss, "It's right here. It's bait, but also... a sharp knife."
The candle flame suddenly jumped, casting a swaying shadow on Gu Linzhi's dark robe, stretching his tall figure like a lone peak in the center of a storm. The study was utterly silent, with only the fine iron gleaming coldly in the candlelight. The cold number "Three" stood like a silent brand, foreshadowing the even more brutal and bloody reshuffle that was about to hit Jiangnan.
The waters of Jiangnan have been boiled with blood and fire. And the chess player is throwing his deadly pieces one by one into the center of this seething vortex.
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