Plans Can't Keep Up With Changes

"Ding!"

A notification suddenly sounded,

"Reincarnator 111 has completed a slayer mission, killing a Second-Rate Expert, gaining 35 Slaughter Points, and one Black Iron Medal. Current total Slaughter Points: 56."

"Ding-ling!"

Another notification chimed,

"System Reminder: Congratulations, Host! 35 Luck Points have been credited to your account. Current balance: 56 Luck Points."

"A Black Iron Medal for killing a Second-Rate Expert? Are they trying to turn me into a murderous fiend!"

Gu Sheng's lips curled into a wry smile. Second-Rate Experts weren't exactly common fare. In Jiangning Prefecture's Black Armor Army or Yang Province's Silver Dragon Army, they could all compete for the position of squad leader. Killing Qin San this time seemed easy, but it was actually a carefully planned execution. If he had faced Qin San head-on, he wouldn't have been a match at all.

Moreover, he could easily imagine that this kind of killing-to-earn-medals thing wouldn't last long. At some point, there probably wouldn't be any more to farm.

Gu Sheng's gaze shifted to Qin San, who was staring wide-eyed in death. He reached out to close his eyes and shook his head, "What goes around comes around. Why bother? Besides, your oath had too many loopholes. Dying with your eyes open won't change anything. From beginning to end, I didn't lay a hand on you. You killed yourself!"

Gu Sheng wasn't actually lying. Qin San was killed by his own fear.

American psychologist Martin Galard conducted an experiment that proved extreme fear of the unknown could lead to death.

In a prison, he ordered his assistant to inform a death row inmate that he was about to be executed. Then, he did as Gu Sheng had just done, cutting the inmate's wrist, telling him he had severed an artery, and simulating the sound of blood dripping. In the end, the inmate fainted, his body exhibiting symptoms of excessive blood loss.

Qin San, with his overthinking and prior experience, knew too much, which only exacerbated his condition. He wasn't as lucky as that inmate and died on the spot.

What gave Gu Sheng pause was that the Luck Points were credited to him. In other words, both the Sovereign and the system recognized that he had killed Qin San.

"Junior brother! Are you asleep?"

A sudden shout startled Gu Sheng, breaking him out in a cold sweat. He hadn't heard any footsteps before the person spoke. He couldn't possibly contend with this person.

"It's Qin Da!"

Gu Sheng's hair stood on end, and he didn't dare make a sound.

"Junior brother!"

Qin Da spoke again, "Senior brother knows you're angry, that you blame me for not giving you face, for embarrassing you in front of so many brothers. But you have to understand, it wasn't easy for the three of us to get where we are today...

The master trusts us. Taking a little extra here and there, as long as it's not too much, the lord won't pursue it. But what you did today was really... Don't think senior brother is being harsh..."

Qin Da delivered a series of admonishments, and Gu Sheng's expression changed as he listened. He quietly put away the letter he had prepared, carefully closed Qin San's hidden compartment, and then, with a shifting expression, tiptoed to the window. He pushed it open and slipped out.

"Hmm?"

Qin Da was still lecturing Qin San, but he suddenly sensed something was off. His junior brother had a terrible temper. There was no way he would have remained silent for so long. Besides, why was there a faint smell of blood?

"Not good!"

Qin Da's expression changed instantly. He took a step forward and kicked the door to Qin San's room with all his might.

"Bang!"

The door, bolted from the inside, was kicked open. Gu Sheng, estimating the timing, landed to cover his footsteps and then leaped away from the small building.

"Junior brother!"

A mournful cry was followed by an even louder shout, "There's an assassin!"

In an instant, the entire Li Manor residence seemed to come alive. Guards on night watch shouted and searched, and countless servants and guards who were preparing to rest all sprang into action. Even Lord Li, who had already gone to sleep, was disturbed.

"Damn it!"

Gu Sheng's expression changed. Things had become troublesome. Qin Da had arrived too suddenly, and he hadn't cleaned up his tracks properly. Although Qin San had been placed on the bed, anyone could tell he hadn't committed suicide.

Plans really couldn't keep up with changes. Now, unexpected complications had arisen. A glint of determination flashed in his eyes. After identifying his surroundings, he headed towards a brightly lit courtyard.

"Xiao Cui, why is it so noisy outside?"

Li Qingyu, the young mistress who buried herself in her books and ignored the world outside her window, was suddenly disrupted by the commotion. Annoyed, she raised her head and called out to her maid in this world.

"Miss!"

A maid's voice came from outside, "It seems there's an assassin in the manor. They're trying to catch him!"

"Assassin!"

Li Qingyu's face suddenly became very animated. "Oh my god! Could it be that someone is targeting me? No way! I've been keeping a low profile since I arrived, and my predecessor didn't have any major conflicts with anyone. Could it be my cheap dad's fault? His competitors...

Is this where I dramatically take over after my dad dies and single-handedly support the family?" Countless melodramatic scenes flashed through Li Qingyu's mind, and she was channeling various drama heroines.

"Ouch! Who is it?"

Li Qingyu suddenly felt a pain in the back of her head and turned around, ready to scold whoever it was.

"Uh... this..."

Li Qingyu froze when she turned around. The guy in front of her, who was two meters tall, burly, and wearing a hideous tiger-head mask, wouldn't happen to be the assassin, would he? Mommy mia! She was just thinking about it randomly. Why did he really have to come after her?

"Th-there's... mmm... mmm..."

Li Qingyu opened her mouth to shout, but a fan-like hand had already covered her cherry-red lips. She used her not-inconsiderable Inner Force to struggle and resist, but she had too little combat experience, even less than the original owner of the body. Both of her hands were easily parried by the other party with one hand.

Before Li Qingyu could change her tactics and resist, a sweet fragrance suddenly flooded her nostrils. Her movements slowed, and then she felt a pain behind her neck. She suddenly realized that she had lost most of her sensation. Her limbs went limp, and she slid to the ground.

"Mmm..."

The anticipated zero-distance encounter with the ground didn't happen. A strong, large hand pulled Li Qingyu into the embrace of another, and then the tiger-masked man who had been holding her hostage sat down at the desk with her in his arms.

"Whew~"

Gu Sheng breathed a slight sigh of relief after subduing this inexperienced fellow Reincarnator. This little girl looked soft and delicate, but in reality, her Inner Force wasn't shallow. Her pair of small arms possessed the strength of a thousand pounds, already very close to the realm of a Second-Rate Expert.

In fact, this wasn't strange. In the original story, Li Qingyu was sent by Lord Li to the Gui Yuan Sect to practice Inner Force from a young age, and she was an inner disciple of the Gui Yuan Sect. Although it was only mentioned in a few words throughout the entire text, the fact that she was allowed to return home meant that she possessed at least a Third-Rate martial arts cultivation.

Sect disciples and rogue martial artists were completely different concepts. Li Qingyu's true strength was no less than Gu Sheng's current level.

If it hadn't been for Gu Sheng catching her off guard this time, and the fact that this Li Qingyu wasn't the same as the original, lacking in strength and experience, it was still uncertain who would emerge victorious.