Chapter 378
A short while later, Shi Lei returned. He helped her sit down in a chair and unscrewed the cap of the ointment:
"Don't do that again, understand?"
Mudrock watched as its owner applied medicine to it, feeling the touch between his fingers, and laughed carefree:
"Hehe, I know."
After spreading the paste evenly, Shi Lei screwed the cap back on. He glanced down at the longsword at his waist and said:
"Mudrock, can you do me a favor?"
Let alone one, she would agree to a hundred:
"Please give me your orders, Master."
"I reckon that guy named Ya won't be coming back tonight. Keep this sword for me for now. Tomorrow morning and noon, take this sword and go for a walk in the downtown area of Jade Gate."
Having said that, Shi Lei untied his sword and placed it on the table:
"If I have this sword, he might not come out. So you need to act as bait to lure Ya out and take the sword. Don't worry about safety, I will provide the Jade Shield throughout and keep an eye on your movements. All you need to do is stall for time after he shows up."
Mudrock is his retinue, and he also has a ring made of Rock Constructs that allows him to pinpoint locations at any time.
Shi Lei considered Texas, but her skills were no match for Ya. After much deliberation, Mudrock was still the best fit for the mission of luring the snake out of its hole.
"Okay, leave it to me."
Seeing his master drink three bowls of the Feathered Beast Soup he had specially prepared, Mudrock left the room satisfied.
In the evening, Shi Lei did not read. He sat cross-legged on the bed, keeping a close eye on what was happening next door.
He put himself in Ya's shoes and considered the current situation. He figured Ya was unlikely to show up tonight. If he didn't come tomorrow during the day, he would most likely try to take advantage of the Catastrophe caused by the natural disaster.
Since the other party is secretly looking for an opportunity, what harm is there in giving them a weakness?
April 4th, 8:50 AM
The master's sword was not found all night, Zuo Xuanliao suffered from insomnia all night.
The entire patrol battalion was mobilized, increasing the number of sentries on the streets and conducting thorough checks. After searching all night, they found no suspicious individuals. It was like playing boxing with a thief's shadow—they didn't even touch him.
The next morning, Zuo Xuanliao fought off his sleepiness and tried to summon his generals to expand the search area.
Just as he was preparing to issue the order to assemble, a servant suddenly came to report that the Grandmaster requested an audience.
Zuo Xuanliao was overjoyed upon hearing this, thinking that Chongyue had found his sword, and hurriedly went out to greet him.
But when he caught a glimpse of the grandmaster's empty hands from afar, his expression immediately fell.
"General."
Chongyue approached and, with clasped hands, reported:
"The sword has been found."
What?!
Zuo Xuanliao was somewhat incredulous. He lowered his eyes and examined the other person's empty hands, asking in confusion.
Where is it?
"Last night, a thief did use his special abilities to steal the sword. But he encountered Mister Zhongli En route his escape and was stopped. Although the sword was left behind, the thief managed to escape in the chaos. He hopes to keep the sword temporarily and use it as bait to set a trap to lure the thief into walking into his trap."
Upon hearing that Zhongli had retrieved his sword, a strange glint flashed in Zuo Xuanliao's eyes. It was unclear whether he genuinely believed it or mistakenly thought the other party was crying wolf.
"It seems I really underestimated him before."
Chongyue had also questioned Shi Lei's strength before, but now he was largely convinced and echoed:
"When we first met, I couldn't see through Mister Zhongli either. Since he has the personal strength to reclaim his sword, let's see if he can capture the robbers. By the way, General, what are the results of the search in the city?"
Zuo Xuanliao initially intended to point out the flaws in the Grandmaster's plan, but proceeded in order. He would answer the first question first, and then provide further explanation and supplementary information on the second:
"I have already dispatched Zuo Le with my personal guards to the city to track down the Mountain Sea Cult. Since we cannot find the thief, we may be able to obtain important information from their accomplices. In addition, I personally do not agree with entrusting the sword to outsiders. I hope that the Grandmaster will stay with the sword to ensure its safety."
Although Chongyue was reluctant to go, he understood how much Zuo Xuanliao valued his sword, and reluctantly agreed.
"Since this is the general's wish, then I will make another trip. As for your Childe, I have already sent people to assist him in capturing the remaining Mountain Sea Cult."
April 4th, 9:00 AM
Following General Zuo's instructions, the patrol battalion instructed the people of Jade Gate to prepare for the impending Catastrophe.
Since we can't leave the city now, the so-called preparation is to open markets so that people can buy daily necessities.
The streets were crowded with people, adults holding their children's hands tightly, carrying bags of food and water.
"Bang! Crash!"
Suddenly, something strange happened at one of the shops. A figure crashed through a wooden window and flew out. He didn't even have time to pick up his weapon before pushing through the crowd and fleeing in panic.
Zuo Le chased after them from the shop, knife in hand, followed by a large group of guards from the General's Mansion.
Unfortunately, he was chasing too fast and didn't notice that he had become separated from the group behind him. Eventually, when he stumbled into a secluded alley, he was surrounded by the followers of the Mountain Sea Cult.
Zuo Le, young and impetuous, was completely fearless. After killing his enemy with a single blow, he glared angrily at the other believers.
"Get to know him here, get him!"
Attacked from both ends in the alley, Zuo Le was injured despite using both hands, and he was breathing heavily.
"Swords and blades have no eyes, watch out!"
At the critical moment, a gray-haired, red-eyed Elafia girl stepped forward.
The longsword in her hand moved like a dragon emerging from the sea, easily tearing apart the enemies at the end of the alley. This greatly reduced the pressure on Zuo Le in the battle, and she turned to look at her benefactor who had dared to come to her aid:
"Sister Qiu?"
"Zuo Le, it's been a long time. How come your martial arts skills haven't improved much?"
"..."
The two did not exchange pleasantries for long before they heard the enemy's heart-wrenching screams coming from the alleyway.
Zuo Le looked closely and saw that it was a white-haired Sarkaz woman who was hitting someone with a large hammer.
A blunt object hitting you causes broken bones and tendons, which is far more painful than a cut from a sword or knife.
Seeing that the situation was dire, the Mountain Sea Cult immediately blew whistles signaling retreat. The believers scattered like birds and beasts, fleeing without looking back.
Mudrock obeyed its master's orders and did not summon the White Stone Golem, watching helplessly as several people escaped.
Seeing no hope of survival, the remaining followers of the Mountain Sea Cult Sect shouted slogans and committed suicide by cutting their own throats.
Zuo Le and Qiu Bai tried to stop them, but their numbers were limited, and they only managed to save a few people.
"The mountains, seas, and eight wastelands all belong to their master!"
"The mountains, seas, and eight wastelands all belong to their master!"
The believer, who had been stabbed in the neck, shouted slogans in a broken bellows-like voice, appearing extremely frenzied.
Shi Lei remained hidden in the shadows, making no move. His target, from beginning to end, was only Ya.
Moreover, there are still survivors among these Mountain Sea Cult. If we hurry up and interrogate them, we might be able to get some results.
"Um?"
After helping to bind the Mountain Sea Cult, Qiu Bai discovered the sword at the waist of the white-haired Sarkaz. Although the blade was covered by a black scabbard, the hilt looked strangely familiar.
Zuo Le squatted down to search the body, hoping to find clues to complete the task assigned by his father Zuo Xuanliao, as soon as possible.
Qiu Bai frowned and walked over, asking:
"Young lady, where did you get this sword?"
Mudrock turned around, sized up the other person, and shook his head:
"I'm sorry, I have no comment."
Just as Qiu Bai hesitated whether to force the examination, a familiar voice came from behind him:
"Miss, let her take the sword. I can't explain the specific reasons to you right now."
She turned around and saw that it was Chongyue, and was greatly surprised:
"Grandmaster, how... how could you..."
Chongyue didn't offer any further explanation, but went straight to Mudrock and politely inquired:
"Miss, I just went to the inn where you stayed yesterday, and the innkeeper said you've already checked out. I need to see Mister Zhongli now, may I ask where he is?"
Mudrock dared not act on his own and contacted his owner via walkie- Walkie-Talkie. Only after obtaining Shi Lei's consent did he whisper a nearby location.
Thank you.
Chongyue his hands in a fist salute, then instructed Qiu Bai:
"Miss Qiu, let's put the investigation of the Mountain Sea Cult aside for now. From now on, you will be in charge of guiding her."
Although Qiu Bai wanted to help the injured Zuo Le more, he still agreed and dared not disobey in the slightest.
"Yes, Grandmaster."
After finishing his business, Chongyue bid farewell to the two. Following the address provided by Mudrock, he found the nearby Xing Yu Inn.
He arrived at the designated room on the third floor and pushed open the slightly ajar door.
"Squeak."
As soon as Pu entered, Chongyue noticed a miniature clay sculpture on the living room table. Judging from the depth and outline of the streets, it was actually a map of the entire city of Jade Gate!
"Grandmaster, you've come at the perfect time. Would you be so kind as to play a game of chess with me now?"
Upon hearing the word "chess, "Chongyue immediately thought of his second brother, whose flesh and blood had turned into chess pieces, and his expression changed slightly.
"Good."
After Chongyue took his seat, he played black and made the first move. He moved a piece to the center of the board:
"Mister Zhongli, listen to my advice. It's best not to let General Zuo know about your Jade Gate miniature carving."
Shi Lei didn't care about this; he could mold and destroy Rock Constructs as he pleased without giving anyone cause for criticism.
"Master, if you were a fugitive, where would you hide if you couldn't leave the city?"
Chongyue had never considered things from the perspective of bandits before, and he immediately fell into deep thought. After a moment, he finally spoke:
"Thirty-six streets and seventy-two alleys are inhabited by people from Jade Gate. If I were to hide, the probability of being discovered would be extremely high. If I were a fugitive, I would definitely choose to hide in a place where no one lives. For example, near the outer wall of Jade Gate, there are large sand channels. However, with the Catastrophe approaching, huge turbines will be running there to ensure the discharge of yellow sand. If I were to hide here, it would be quite dangerous."
"The more dangerous a place is, the safer it is."
Shi Lei smiled and placed a piece, then used the walkie- Walkie-Talkie to tell Mudrock to go check on the sand canal.
April 4th, 9:20 AM
Jade Gate, a narrow pass in a sandy canal.
A minor leader of the Mountain Sea Cult asked sternly:
Have you found God?
"No, the city has been cracking down hard lately, with checkpoints on almost every street, making it impossible for us to go out. Just now, a stronghold was raided by the patrol battalion."
"If we can't get out, so be it. Let's just wait here. God is probably fine. Maybe he just didn't want to bother us. What we need to do now is conserve our energy and prepare to destroy the sand channels and fortifications when the Sandstorm Catastrophe, giving God a chance to seize the sword."
"Tsk, so what do we do next? Just wait here? How long will that take?"
"I don't know the exact timeframe, but I estimate it's coming soon. Look, the dark clouds on the city walls are getting thicker and thicker, and there's more and more sand in the wind."
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450 head-on confrontation 3K
April 4th, 9:23 AM
The game between the two players was nearing its end, Shi Lei, playing white, ultimately won by a large margin of 6 and 1/4 points.