Perhaps because it was designed to be a powerful weapon, it was bound to make noises from time to time. So, even though the three people inside were falling to the ground one after another, the soldiers guarding outside didn't take it seriously.
"Hmm, not bad. He's become a master after all, he knows what's good for him." Hong Xiaoduo walked slowly to Xuanjizi, chuckled softly, and reached out to pick up a small object from his desk. She had seen this thing in the Jianghu Treasure Record; it was a projectile-type hidden weapon.
"Who...who are you?" Xuanjizi tried hard to control his tone, not wanting to show any fear. He slowly placed the teacup he was holding onto the table.
Hong Xiaoduo fiddled with the hidden weapon in her hand, pointing the firing end at the other party, and whispered, "Keep both hands where I can see you, and don't be clever and make any rash moves."
Hearing her words, Xuanjizi had no choice but to put his hands on the table, which he had been about to put down to use as cover to reach for the hidden weapon at his waist.
Damn it, how did she see through my intentions? She doesn't look that old, how can she be so cunning and experienced?
"Who am I? Didn't you just say you wanted to capture me and then personally torture me to find out the formula for the fireball? Now, I'm right in front of you."
"It seems you really want to see me. Heaven is granting your wish. Otherwise, how come I appeared right after you finished talking about it?" Hong Xiaoduo said casually, glancing at the two boxes placed next to a bed in the corner.
"You're actually a woman?" Xuanjizi was utterly shocked upon hearing this.
The variable that caused the Yunwu Kingdom's army to suffer a crushing defeat was actually such a young girl? He had imagined that a person with such abilities would be at least over fifty years old, if not white-haired and youthful-looking!
"Yes, you didn't expect that, did you? Your name is Xuanjizi, right? How are you feeling right now? Disbelief, resentment, or unwillingness to accept it? You have such skills, so why can't you use them on tools that benefit the country and its people?"
For example, helping farmers figure out how to harvest rice in a convenient and labor-saving way, how to store grain to prevent it from getting moldy, and how to divert stream water to higher ground for dry fields.
Why choose to create such a vicious and destructive weapon when there are so many good deeds to do? It would be understandable if you built it to defend Yunwu from foreign invasion and protect the people.
But you created this thing to help them invade other countries; you're aiding and abetting evil. You're intelligent, but your heart is wicked, utterly despicable." Hong Xiaoduo couldn't hold back any longer; she had to give him a good dressing down before she could truly vent her anger.
"Every man for himself, or the world will destroy him. Young lady, you are still young and inexperienced, so don't say too much. With your abilities, if the two of us join forces, we will surely achieve great things."
"I'll give you half of all my savings right now, and we'll split all our future earnings fifty-fifty, how about that?" Xuanjizi had a vague feeling that today might be more ominous than auspicious, but he still wanted to turn the tide and save himself.
Humans have weaknesses, and everyone has desires and wants.
If I can figure out what this young woman needs and wants, I will have a chance to survive.
"Oh, trying to seduce and bribe her?" Hong Xiaoduo wanted to laugh.
"Xuanjizi, don't rack your brains and waste your time. Let me tell you this: even though I am a woman, my current assets, while not enough to make me richer than a country, are still several thousand taels of gold and several thousand taels of silver. So, money is not very tempting to me."
There are valiant generals and handsome princes whom the emperor highly values, who want to marry me. So, beauty is useless to me.
As for power, I have no interest in the female official position promised to me by the Emperor of Fengliang.
"Wealth, power, and sex—I have it all. What else do you think could tempt me to agree to collude with you?" Hong Xiaoduo finished speaking patiently, glancing at the three on the ground. They had stopped twitching and must have died.
"I don't believe you have ulterior motives, so why did you stand up for Fengliang Kingdom?" At this moment, Xuanjizi did not doubt that what she had just said was a lie.
"Well, it's alright to tell you the truth. There are two reasons why I'm standing up for Fengliang Kingdom. First, my family members are in the Fengliang army. If the soldiers of Yunwu Kingdom fight against him, it's the same as fighting against me."
Secondly, it's even simpler: what I hate most is the act of invading other countries.
"Alright, I've said enough to let you die knowing why. Now go to the underworld and reunite with your disciples." After Hong Xiaoduo finished speaking, she pressed her thumb on the protrusion on the hidden weapon in her hand. With a soft "whoosh," a flash of cold light appeared.
The next moment, Xuanjizi looked down at his chest in disbelief. There, a few specks of black slowly seeped from the silver-white silk robe and began to spread.
That was his blood. He knew it was black because the poison needle in the hidden weapon had been soaked in snake venom—the venom of two kinds of snakes: cobra and bamboo pit viper.
He only used this hidden weapon three times, all to test its toxicity on beggars. The effect was exactly like this: as the blood flowed through his body, the poison would spread throughout his body, his nails and lips would turn black, and finally he would bleed from all seven orifices and die.
The very thing he used to defend himself and save his life is now being used by others to take his life.
"You young woman, with such vicious methods, do you think you're a good person?" Xuanjizi, feeling weak all over and in excruciating pain in his internal organs, glared fiercely at Hong Xiaoduo and questioned her.
"Whether I'm a good person or not is not for you, a villain, to decide. To be fair, this hidden weapon is indeed useful, so it's mine. You're welcome." Hong Xiaoduo said with a grin, ignoring Xuanjizi who was suffering from the poison, and rummaged around on the table before finding the outer casing that held the hidden weapon.
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