Chou Ba Appears

Chou Ba Appears

With no other choice, Ye Weiming immediately applied the "Swordsmanship Insights" to the "Moon Maiden Swordplay," raising this Low-grade swordplay by three levels in one go. Its attributes became...

Moon Maiden Swordplay (Low-grade)

A swordplay passed down from the Spring and Autumn period. Its power was unremarkable.

Level: 6

Proficiency: 2286/3200

Power +60%, Accuracy +60%

As his swordplay level rose, the changes it brought Ye Weiming were far more than mere attribute bonuses.

Compared to the attributes, he felt that his understanding of this swordplay had become much clearer and more thorough. Though this was not the first time he had experienced such a feeling, it was stronger than ever before. It was as if some resonance from the depths of his soul had been stirred, a sensation beyond words.

Perhaps because he had never raised a swordplay four levels in a row before?

There was no point dwelling on it. Ye Weiming shook his head and began searching the room for clues.

The Autopsy Method was not useful only on corpses. It could also highlight important clues at a crime scene. Ye Weiming merely had to inspect everything in the room once, and the system would automatically list the important clues one by one.

For example, there were two bloodstained bandages beneath the bed. There were also two sets of bowls and chopsticks on the kitchen stove. Old Man Li's carpenter's toolbox was in complete disarray, showing signs that it had been rummaged through—and not tidied up afterward.

At this point, Sanyue had returned as well, bringing back several important clues.

Clue One: Wang Dalong said that Old Man Li had once let slip while drunk that he had been a Taishan Sect disciple in his youth, with the Daoist name Jade Flute. His standing had apparently been rather high; supposedly, he belonged to a generation senior even to the current Taishan Sect leader.

However, he had later performed a Golden Basin Hand Wash and returned to secular life. It was said that he possessed a swordplay manual powerful enough to dominate the martial world!

Clue Two: Wang Dalong also said that Old Man Li and One-Eyed Flying Eagle Chou Ba had once been the closest of friends. After Chou Ba's entire family was murdered, his temperament changed drastically. He began associating with bandits and slaughtering innocents, and Old Man Li had expressed regret over his downfall.

Clue Three: Old Man Li had been acting strangely these past few days. Every night, he secretly went to the mine cave in the back mountain, claiming he was looking for lumber.

Clue Four: No information whatsoever could be found about "Soy Milk Xiaobai."

"Combining the clues the two of us found, I can make this guess." Ye Weiming analyzed seriously. "Chou Ba recently drifted into the area around Dukang Village and was injured, so he sought refuge with Old Man Li, who had once been his closest friend. But Old Man Li did not dare keep him in his home, only allowing him to hide in some secluded corner of the mine cave in the back mountain while delivering him food and medicine every day."

"Perhaps Old Man Li carelessly revealed that he possessed a swordplay manual, stirring Chou Ba's greed and Killing Heart. So he secretly returned to the village and murdered Old Man Li. That also explains why there were no signs of a struggle at the scene, despite Old Man Li being a martial arts expert. He would never have been on guard against Chou Ba, who had once been his closest friend!"

Hearing Ye Weiming's orderly analysis, Sanyue immediately asked, "How confident are you?"

"Eighty percent." Ye Weiming shrugged. "But it'll be easy to verify. We just need to search the mine cave in the back mountain. Before that, though, we need to prepare for a fight."

"What do we need to prepare?"

At that, the smile on Ye Weiming's face gradually turned wicked. "Come closer."

The Dukang Village mine cave was not very large. After changing into Novice Cloth Garment, Ye Weiming made a full circuit in less than five minutes.

Since it was already getting late, there were no other players or NPCs inside. Only a fork in the passage hung high overhead, more than ten feet above the ground. There was no way a novice player could reach it with their movement skills, and it was unknown how it had been excavated in the first place.

But that was not the point. The point was that there were climbing marks on the rock wall beneath that elevated fork. They were faint and easy to overlook.

Everything matched his earlier deduction perfectly!

Ye Weiming immediately took out the firestarter, dry grass, and firewood he had prepared beforehand at the innermost part of the cave and lit a bonfire.

Once the flames were burning fiercely, he tossed a huge bag of dried chili peppers and another bag of fresh red chili peppers directly onto the fire. Thick smoke instantly billowed up!

Done!

Having finished his mischief, Ye Weiming turned and ran out of the mine cave. When he saw Sanyue standing alertly outside the entrance, he waved and said, "Don't get worked up. It's one of us. But Chou Ba will be forced out soon, so get ready to fight!"

As he spoke, Ye Weiming had already begun changing clothes.

What?

You said changing clothes in front of a girl was indecent?

How could that be!?

This was a wholesome novel, and Eternal Chivalry was a wholesome game too.

The game had given the Novice Cloth Garment a very special ability: it could not, could not, and absolutely could not be removed. When other equipment with attributes was worn, it would automatically conceal the original Novice Cloth Garment. But once those other clothes were taken off, the Novice Cloth Garment would appear again.

There was simply no chance of running around naked!

Just as Ye Weiming finished equipping the Flying Fish Robe, Woven Palm Hat, and Long Official Boots, a crude curse rang out from the mine cave. "Fuck! Which immoral son of a—cough! Cough! Cough!"

The rolling smoke, carrying the chili peppers' uniquely intense irritation to the nose and throat, had already filled the entire mine cave. Chou Ba had barely started cursing before his words were replaced by a violent fit of coughing.

Standing ready at the cave entrance, Sanyue felt a chill run down her spine. She looked at Ye Weiming as though she were looking at a monster.

Though she had been prepared for it, when their earlier hypothesis became reality, the young girl still found it hard to accept.

Too ruthless!

Too underhanded!

He had actually come up with such a vile, smoke-belching low trick. Was he a demon?

Yet as a chaotic set of footsteps drew closer from deep within the mine cave, Sanyue realized that her understanding of this fellow's Underhanded Tactics was still far too shallow.

Crack!

"Ah!" After a scream, there came another bout of incomparably violent coughing.

Green Peak Sword in hand, Ye Weiming's eyes gleamed with excitement. "Got him!"

Sanyue asked, "Got what?"

Ye Weiming replied, "The Beast Trap."

Sanyue: ...

As the name implied, Beast Traps were used by hunters to catch wild animals. The large, conspicuous metal trap was too obvious even for dealing with ordinary people. Who would ever think to use one against a martial arts expert?

Ye Weiming would!

Not only did he dare think of it, he had actually done it!

Just imagine it: the cave was now filled with smoke, which naturally obstructed vision to a certain extent. However, the smoke was not enough to leave a martial arts expert unable to see anything. But the pungent chili spice within it was enough to make tears and snot stream down a person's face. Under such conditions, it would be a miracle if Chou Ba could spot the trap on the only path out.

How had he even thought of such a method?

For a moment, Sanyue actually lost focus.

"Careful, he's coming!"

At Ye Weiming's warning, the two of them saw a bald, one-eyed brute with a face full of flesh stumble out of the mine cave. A Beast Trap was still clamped onto his right leg, too late to remove, while blood flowed between its serrated teeth in a horrifying sight!

Chou Ba (Weakened State)

Level: 25

HP: 5600/7000