The Mole, and Another Mole

When Le Yu saw Yin Yinyin's head of white hair, he immediately understood which combat art he cultivated: the legendary Sword Hider Combat Arts.

In this world, "legendary" was not always a compliment, especially when it came to technology. Ancient technology was inevitably inferior to modern technology, just as Windows XP was inferior to Windows 10. Technology only became more refined with time.

Over the two thousand years of the Radiance, countless heroes had created countless combat arts. Yet only a few dozen had been passed down to the present. The vast majority of combat arts had become "legendary" techniques that had flashed brilliantly for a moment, at most leaving traces of their splendor in miscellaneous books and unofficial histories.

These "legendary combat arts" had often vanished into history for various reasons, such as their learning requirements and overall power. Alternatively, they had been incorporated into other combat arts, their essence retained while their names were discarded.

However, there were a few combat arts that, although the nation did not pass them down and military academies did not teach them, had not necessarily died out. It was simply that very few people cultivated them.

Yet because such a small group of people still practiced these "legendary combat arts," Qian Yuliu and the other military academy students had to learn how to deal with them. That way, when they encountered practitioners of these legendary arts, they could at least... die knowing exactly what had killed them.

The Sword Hider Combat Arts were one such "legendary combat art." Le Yu did not know the exact cultivation process. He only knew that the key was hiding light inside the body.

But humans were not plants, and their cells had no chloroplasts. Molecular structures could not block light either, so how could anyone possibly hide "light" inside their body? Le Yu, who had received nine years of compulsory education, could not make head or tail of it. Yet the Sword Hider Combat Arts could indeed accomplish this.

The price of "hiding light," however, was that the practitioner's lifespan was drastically shortened.

Light was like a sword. It not only granted the practitioner greater destructive power, but also continuously damaged their body.

The flaw in the Sword Hider Combat Arts was not limited to a shortened lifespan. According to the military academy's teachings, in terms of technique, the Sword Hider Combat Arts were no stronger than the combat arts popular today. They were even somewhat weaker. If everyone competed fairly under the sun, the Sword Hider Combat Arts would be beaten senseless by the other combat arts.

Then why were the Sword Hider Combat Arts, which lacked attack power and even damaged one's lifespan, regarded by military academies as a "legendary combat art" that had to be understood?

The answer lay in their ability to "hide light."

All Awakened needed to be in an environment with a light source before they could unleash the power of their combat arts. In a completely dark environment, the Awakened were almost no different from ordinary people. At most, they had superior fighting skills. But once they lost their light source, their Mental Power could no longer affect reality.

Sword Hiders, however, contained a light source within their bodies, so darkness barely weakened them at all. Not only could they see in the dark, they could even maintain themselves in a state as powerful as they would be at noon!

It was like a group of mages receiving a silence debuff, only for one mage to suddenly discover that he could still cast spells normally.

Thus, in a lightless environment, a single Sword Hider could slaughter a group of Awakened. Darkness brought more than just a difference in combat strength. Blindness, fear, screams, and chaos all magnified the Sword Hider's power without limit.

The Sword Hider Combat Arts, ancient names being Dark Path Combat Arts and Assassin Combat Arts, were a legendary combat art whose power might be lacking, but whose ability to kill from the shadows alone was enough to make countless people wary!

Many assassination incidents throughout the history of the Radiance had involved Sword Hiders.

Therefore, it was perfectly normal for Le Yu to be beaten senseless by Yin Yinyin in the little black room. In that situation, forget Le Yu—even if Lan Yan had come, he would have been forced to his knees.

However, Sword Hiders were not without weaknesses. Because their lives were rapidly consumed, they often developed white hair at a young age. Thus, the moment Le Yu saw Yin Yinyin's white hair, he knew that Yin Yinyin was a Sword Hider.

Practicing the Sword Hider Combat Arts was explicitly illegal. Once discovered, a Sword Hider had no way out but death. Killing one on the spot would even earn an official commendation. It was only in a place like Eighteen Streets that Yin Yinyin could live quietly with his face and head covered.

"I only have three years left..." Le Yu looked at Yin Yinyin's white hair and asked, "Is it worth it?"

"If I hadn't cultivated the Sword Hider Combat Arts, I wouldn't have lived until now." Yin Yinyin spoke calmly. "Every Sword Hider you see has already fought with all their strength to stay alive... That's common sense."

"I know that."

If they had had any other choice, who would have practiced a combat art like the Sword Hider Combat Arts?

A combat art that shaved years off one's life was bound to be excruciating to cultivate.

Sword Hider—hiding the sword meant concealing the sword inside one's body, piercing through the five viscera and six bowels until it became part of the body. Every Sword Hider who could endure such agony and continue cultivating had a survival instinct pushed to its absolute limit.

Although the military academy did not teach it, based on Qian Yuliu's analysis, the Sword Hider Combat Arts probably possessed another hidden trait: rapid cultivation. Otherwise, with their immense difficulty and extraordinarily high entry requirements, the Sword Hider Combat Arts would have vanished into the river of history long ago if there were no way to shorten the time required to learn them.

"All right. I can't waste the three precious years I have left talking about this pointless stuff with you." Yin Yinyin took a notebook from his robes. "Let's get to work."

"With that optimistic attitude, I suspect you're lying to win my sympathy," Le Yu mocked.

"Death is not worth fearing. What is truly frightening is having no hope."

Yin Yinyin looked at Le Yu and spoke meaningfully. "That is why you are alive while 'Stargazer' is dead. He would rather die than protect that hope of yours... I heard you killed him yourself?"

"Yes."

"Well done. You protected both of us, and you also protected the White Night intelligence network in Star Engraving Prefecture." Yin Yinyin tapped the notebook with his pen. "Tell me everything that happened that night."

Le Yu truthfully recounted the battle between Li Shijie and Kui Zhao, Lan Yan's intervention, and Lin Jinyao's sudden attack. As Yin Yinyin recorded everything, he asked, "If you fought Lan Yan, how confident would you be?"

Le Yu shook his head. "Not even ten percent. Even if Lan Yan were alone and I had other people helping me, I don't think we could keep him there—unless we extinguished every light source and you helped."

Lan Yan on that rainy night had left a deep impression on Le Yu. Saying that he was invincible against ten thousand might have been an exaggeration, but calling him a one-man army was perfectly apt. Someone capable of withstanding a storm of bullets could not be taken too lightly.

"Someone like Lan Yan would never enter a place with weak light sources at night. He would even carry Radiant Stones that emitted light."

Yin Yinyin tapped the notebook. "That's common sense too. No need to thank me."

"What about Kui Zhao? In a one-on-one fight, could you beat him?"

Le Yu thought carefully. "Probably a seventy-thirty split. Seventy for him, thirty for me. If I can find his weakness, I might raise my odds by another ten percent."

That was already Le Yu's most optimistic estimate. Of his thirty percent chance, ten percent came from betting that Kui Zhao valued his life while Le Yu did not need to.

"You don't need to emphasize that. I won't assume you have a seventy percent chance."

After his pen raced across the page and he finished recording the information, Yin Yinyin said, "The Statistics Department is now arresting people everywhere based on the letters found in 'Stargazer's' home. 'Stargazer' was cautious and never exposed his connections with any White Night Walker, but quite a few of those arrested are seeds we had planned to develop..."

Le Yu asked, "Do we need to find a way to rescue them?"

Yin Yinyin shook his head. "You don't need to do anything. Just handle your official duties. Compared with those seeds, you are a far more important nail in place. You absolutely must not act rashly. I estimate that before long, half of those who pose little threat will be released."

He paused. "You know, 'Stargazer's' family and students have already been released."

"That quickly?" Le Yu was shocked. Lin Jinyao's family and students had been arrested only last night, yet they had already been released today... They had not even been detained for twenty-four hours!

Yin Yinyin chuckled softly. "There were too many witnesses when you went to the military academy to arrest Mu Feihong today, and the impact was too damaging. The military academy students jointly submitted a petition to Ding Yi at noon to protest. To Ding Yi, those students were his future enforcers, so he couldn't ignore them. He urged Lan Yan to make a public gesture and first release the family and students of 'Stargazer' who had little connection to the matter."

Le Yu understood the crux of it after thinking for a moment. The military academy students knew there was no point in going to the Statistics Department, because the department was merely a shameless Running Dog. So they had gone directly to Ding Yi, the governor of Star Engraving Prefecture—Ding Yi still cared about his reputation. Besides, Lan Yan had already played the villain, so Ding Yi naturally took the opportunity to play the hero and win people over.

"Good." Le Yu breathed a sigh of relief. "Misfortune shouldn't extend to one's family. Mr. Lin sacrificed too much. His family and disciples are innocent..."

At that moment, Yin Yinyin suddenly said ominously, "Innocent? Do you really think so?"

"What do you mean?"

"Let me organize the timeline for you." Yin Yinyin flipped through the notebook. "One month ago, 'Stargazer' contacted Mu Feihong, Feng Chuanliu, and other acquaintances, testing their attitudes toward White Night."

"Three weeks ago, 'Stargazer' secretly contacted progressive students after class, testing their attitudes toward Against the Light. From then on, they began holding secret gatherings and studying White Night's advanced doctrines."

"Three days ago, 'Stargazer' finally received permission from White Night headquarters. He gained the authority to establish a Star Engraving branch and develop reserve White Night Walkers."

"Then the Statistics Department arrested Lin Jinyao."

Yin Yinyin closed the notebook. "Don't you think there's something strange about this timeline?"

"Perhaps Mr. Lin was too conspicuous while developing new members, so the Statistics Department noticed him?" Le Yu guessed.

"I'm not surprised that the Statistics Department noticed 'Stargazer.' In fact, it would have been perfectly normal for him to be arrested at any time." Yin Yinyin opened the notebook again and spoke lightly. "He was bait from the very beginning."

Le Yu's eyes widened as countless pieces of information collided in his mind and formed a new conclusion. He asked urgently, "What do you mean?"

"You've already reached the answer. Do you still need to ask me for confirmation?"

Yin Yinyin's tone was cold, as though he were discussing a stranger's affairs. "To develop new members in Star Engraving Prefecture, White Night first had to let someone highly respected take the initiative to contact potential progressives. However, people of high standing were often also the Statistics Department's primary targets for observation... From the beginning, 'Stargazer's' arrest was never a question of whether, but when."

"After 'Stargazer' accepted this mission, he was never going to live longer than I would. He was a bait White Night put out. Once the Statistics Department swallowed that bait, it meant that we White Night Walkers' operation had to enter its second stage."

Le Yu drew a deep breath. "Mr. Lin... was destined to die violently from the very beginning?"

Thinking about it this way, Lin Jinyao's instructions to Qian Yuliu had not been groundless worry, but a farsighted entrustment. He had known he would die at the hands of the Statistics Department, so he had chosen Qian Yuliu as his executioner. His death would become the most powerful credential, completely wiping away every "stain" on Qian Yuliu.

"Heh."

Yin Yinyin did not answer Le Yu's question. "Do you still have the leisure to mourn the dead? We're the ones in danger now."

Le Yu was puzzled. "Mr. Lin is already dead. What danger are we in?"

"Didn't I just say? 'Stargazer' was bound to die sooner or later, but the timing of his arrest was far too suspicious." Yin Yinyin tapped the notebook with his pen. "It happened right before the White Night branch was about to be established."

"'Stargazer' is dead now, but the seeds he planted are still here. White Night cannot abandon these new members. It can only choose one person from Star Engraving Prefecture's reserve agents to become the leader of the White Night branch. And at precisely this moment, 'Stargazer's' family and disciples were safely released..."

Yin Yinyin spoke in riddles. It took Le Yu a while to understand. "You're saying that someone deliberately reported Mr. Lin so he would be arrested in order to seize the fruits of victory when the White Night branch was established?"

"I didn't realize you were so childish. You sound like a little boy tattling to his parents because another child took his toy." Yin Yinyin's words dripped with sarcasm. "Come on. There are no fairy tales in the adult world."

"But you got one thing right. Someone is indeed trying to seize the fruits of the White Night branch's victory. So once this calculating and unscrupulous person takes control of the branch, he can't possibly intend to help White Night build a better society, can he? What would he do to turn White Night's resources into his own?"

Le Yu fell into thought. What were the White Night branch's resources?

The list of its members.

Every one of those members could be taken straight to the firing range as an Anti-Light Rebel!

Le Yu suddenly understood. "He wants to sell the new members Mr. Lin developed in Star Engraving Prefecture to the Statistics Department!"

"Very good, my son." Yin Yinyin smiled with an expression that seemed to say, "Well done, son." "You can think one level deeper."

"'Stargazer' was arrested just as he was about to establish the branch. Then, the next day, the Statistics Department sent you out to arrest suspects on a massive scale, provoking widespread public outrage. The people pressured Ding Yi, and Ding Yi took the opportunity to have Lan Yan release some prisoners. Those prisoners would then gain White Night's favor because of what they had experienced..."

Le Yu sucked in a cold breath. "You mean..."

A trace of sickly crimson appeared on Yin Yinyin's fair face. His voice carried a faint excitement as he spoke coldly:

"From the very beginning, there was a mole from the Statistics Department beside 'Stargazer'!"

"The reason the Statistics Department waited until now to strike was that the time had ripened. Every progressive with an Against the Light heart had been drawn out by 'Stargazer.' We weren't the only ones using 'Stargazer' as bait. The Statistics Department was using him as bait too—a lure to fish out the rebels!"

"They helped the mole eliminate every obstacle to rising to power, and embellished the mole's credentials, all so that the mole could obtain the complete roster of the White Night branch."

"Once the Statistics Department obtained the list, what happened next would be common sense: they could easily uproot every hidden rebel, root and branch!"

P.S. I found an old book called Bad People's Superstar and suddenly got completely absorbed in it. I almost forgot to update.