In a small courtyard in Central City, more than a dozen soldiers drank to their hearts' content.
Gu Shen and Mu Wanqiu were among them.
They raised cups and traded toasts, drinking themselves into blissful oblivion. The North Continent warriors were all heavy drinkers. Back in the small courtyard on Suspended Mountain, Gu Shen had drunk with them for days and nights. Now, after so many years apart, they met again. Thankfully, most of their old friends were still here. Even those unable to attend due to other matters were safe and sound.
Zhong Yuan, whom Gu Shen had met briefly at the Frozen Sea Ruins not long ago, had also arrived at the courtyard.
The moment he saw Gu Shen, he threw a vicious punch at him.
After several rounds of drinks, Zhong Yuan lowered his voice. "Actually, the moment I saw the Dire Ghost, I suspected that guy was you."
Zhong Yuan had figured it out back in the ruins. The person wearing the Dire Ghost Mask had been Gu Shen.
But he was smart enough to realize that Gu Shen was concealing his identity... so he had not voiced his guess directly.
Gu Shen smiled.
He knew Zhong Yuan had noticed something.
Back when he had fought Giant Deer and the Black Tortoise, Zhong Yuan's reaction had already been rather unusual.
"Especially when I saw you heal Wei Cheng's Jade Polishing Hand."
With a hint of drunkenness, Zhong Yuan smiled. "By then, I was already seventy percent sure that you hadn't died in Sang Continent Grotto. The reason you deliberately hid your identity... was that you didn't want the fleets of North Continent and Eastern Continent to remain in the Frozen Sea Ruins."
And afterward—
The bombardment from the Black Silver Cannonball further confirmed Zhong Yuan's suspicion!