Hou Jing's expression suddenly changed. "Why are they here?"
Zou Tao's eyes were full of suspicion: "Aren't they just ordinary businessmen?"
"Not really! They know martial arts." Hou Jing's face was solemn, with worry between his brows.
Zou Tao didn't care.
No matter how powerful the two businessmen are in martial arts, they are definitely no match for the secret guards around these princes.
"Who are these people?"
"Master Hou just brought it here!"
The conversation outside continues.
Immediately following, there was the sharp sound of weapons clashing.
Hou Jing ran back from the cave entrance and asked Zou Tao, "The people that Prince Chen brought should be able to defeat the people around Boss Song and Boss Qi, right?"
"They are all people around the prince."
"That's good." Hou Jing touched his chest.
If he was so weak, then his surrender to King Chen just now was a big mistake.
"You just said that the three of them have to work together to open this secret compartment?"
"It's not that troublesome! Because there are three mechanisms set up, if any of them goes wrong, highly corrosive liquid will destroy the account book." Hou Jing explained.
"Did you design this secret compartment?" Zou Tao's eyes were cold and gloomy.
Being stared at by him, Hou Jing's scalp tingled, "Yes."
"Then you should be able to open this secret compartment!" Zou Tao looked at him critically.
"I did design this secret compartment, but Boss Song and Boss Qi didn't trust me, so they each found someone else to design the mechanism."
The fighting outside was still going on, and footsteps were heard, becoming clearer and clearer.
Zou Tao said: "You try to open the first mechanism first."
"I told you, we need three people to work together. Otherwise, if it takes too long, there will still be problems."
Zou Tao gripped the hilt of the sword tightly, his eyes filled with murderous intent.
Boss Song and Boss Qi came in with swords.
"Hou Jing, you traitor!" The tall and thin boss Song's eyes were bloodshot.
When he heard that Xiao Xian had brought the victims to Pingyang, he felt that something was wrong.
He asked Boss Qi to go to the city gate together. The victims were eating. Li Qinghe was kneeling on the ground with his head down, but Hou Jing was nowhere to be seen.
They wanted to find someone to inquire about the situation, but they were afraid that Xiao Xian would be too alert and they would be targeted by him, so they hit it off and brought people to the back mountain.
Hou Jing's face was pale, like a frightened quail.
Zou Tao's face was filled with disgust. He tightened his grip on his sword and said in a cold voice, "You colluded with the government, exploited the people, and even smuggled salt. You are simply parasites of the imperial court! You deserve to go to hell."
Boss Song and Boss Qi looked at each other, and both of them had fierce expressions on their faces.
"Since you know everything, then go to hell!" The short and fat Boss Qi held two scimitars, with murderous intent surging around him, and attacked Zou Tao.
Zou Tao's eyes darkened as he waved the sword in his hand, blocking while slapping Boss Qi in the chest.
The cave was not very spacious. The two men fought with each other, and their powerful internal forces collided with each other, making a series of loud "bang bang bang" sounds.
Boss Song originally planned to deal with Hou Jing, but seeing that Boss Qi was gradually losing the upper hand, he had no choice but to pick up his sword to help Boss Qi.
Hou Jing was a person who liked to seek profit and avoid harm. Seeing this, he covered his ears and hurriedly ran out of the cave while Boss Song, Boss Qi and Zou Tao were fighting.
Zou Tao's eyes darkened. He pulled out a dagger from the straps on his leg and threw it towards Hou Jing.
The dagger flew past Hou Jing's ear and cut off a strand of his hair.
His ear was burning with pain, so he reached out to touch it. The glaring red on his palm frightened him so much that his vision went dark.
With Zou Tao's skills, he could have ended this fight in the simplest and most brutal way. However, he remembered what Hou Jing had just said, that the design of this secret compartment was very strange. If they could get the account book, they could also help Xiao Xian catch more corrupt officials in the court.
Therefore, he always held back when he took action.
Boss Qi and Boss Song obviously noticed this. They exchanged glances and swung their swords, each move a killing move.
Zou Tao's eyes were red, and anger was burning in them.
He shouted loudly, and the roar mixed with his powerful internal energy echoed throughout the cave.
“Clatter—”
There was rubble falling continuously, but Hou Jing ran out regardless.
"Boom—"
A huge rock fell and he fell to the ground, patting his chest in shock.
Fortunately, he ran fast, otherwise, he would have been smashed into a pulp by this big rock.
On the other side, Xiao Xian had been waiting for so long, but Zou Tao still hadn't brought people back. He heard some noise coming from the direction of the back mountain. He looked grim, and after giving a few instructions, he brought his people to the back mountain.
The people brought by Zou Tao were still fighting, and both sides suffered casualties.
When they saw Xiao Xian, they gasped heavily.
"Your Majesty, I am incompetent!"
Xiao Xian joined the battle, and his moves were swift, accurate and ruthless. All these people were killed by a sword and fell to the ground.
He entered the cave with his sword.
“Swish, swish, swish—”
When they touched the mechanism, poison darts shot towards them.
Xiao Xian used his internal energy to push the poison dart away.
A second wave of poison darts shot towards him, and he said to the injured people, "You guys retreat first."
Everyone was worried about him and tried to drag him out with them.
"go out!"
Zou Tao, who was fighting with Boss Song and Boss Qi inside, heard Xiao Xian's voice and shouted in the same way as Hou Jing had brought him in just now, mixing his internal energy.
The poison dart attack stopped, and Xiao Xian followed Zou Tao's instructions, avoided the mechanism, and successfully entered.
Boss Song and Boss Qi were also covered in wounds. Seeing him come in like a bloodthirsty killer, their hearts trembled violently.
Xiao Xian narrowed his eyes dangerously, his eyes were as cold as the depths of winter.
"Your Highness, the account book is in a secret compartment. We need three of you to open it together!"
He looked at Zou Tao deeply and nodded slightly.
He said that with Zou Tao's martial arts skills, it wouldn't take so long, it turned out that he was trying to keep the person alive.
Boss Qi and Boss Song saw that things had come to this point. Either they died or Xiao Xian died. When the two looked at each other, they were both determined to die.
The two of them joined forces and attacked Xiao Xian.
Xiao Xian swung the sword in his hand, and with a swipe of his hand, one of Boss Qi's hands was chopped off.
Blood was gushing out, and the whole cave was filled with a disgusting smell.
The blood drained completely from Boss Song's face, and he looked at Xiao Xian with fear in his eyes.
Boss Qi covered his wound and felt dizzy.
"Open the secret compartment."
Xiao Xian's voice was as cold as ice.
Boss Qi held his breath in his throat and took half a step back.
"Your Highness, Hou Jing ran away!" Zou Tao wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, a little annoyed.
"He will come back!"
As soon as he finished speaking, footsteps were heard outside.
Zou Tao turned his head to look at Xiao Xian, whose expression remained unchanged, and gave him a thumbs up with a blazing look in his eyes, as if he was looking at a god!
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