North Abyss Leaves Seclusion to Divinate Chaos, Shao Hou Sincerely Plots Assassination Alone

Guan Han actually felt relieved.

What he feared most was Jing Shao acting on impulse. Now that the two of them had split up, there would at least be fewer entanglements. If Zhao Cheng was truly as formidable as Xuanmingzi claimed, then should Jing Shao rashly make a move, he would be walking straight into a dead end—and Guan Han would inevitably be dragged down with him.

It was not that he clung to life or feared death. Rather, the Mohist School now stood at a crossroads that would decide its very survival, and he was the first to see it clearly. In a sense, he stood at the forefront of every Mohist disciple.

Only he could try to set the Mohist School's future back on the right course. The burden was too heavy to allow the slightest misstep. One wrong move, and the Mohist School might fracture—or even perish.

Guan Han steadied himself, picked up the tung-oil brush beside him, and continued oiling the gears. The movements of his fingertips became much steadier.

Meanwhile, Jing Shao's days grew increasingly restless.

He had waited many days without even catching a glimpse of Zhao Cheng. He had hammered away at gears until his head went numb, and the fire in his chest was nearly spilling over.

Several times, unable to restrain himself, he had wanted to sneak into the core area of the Mohist Pavilion and demand Zhao Cheng's whereabouts from Qin Guli and those other "traitors"—perhaps even force them to cooperate with him. Yet every time, he was caught red-handed by the patrolling Xuanmingzi.

Each time, Jing Shao managed to muddle through with excuses like "I got lost" or "I was looking for tools," but his belly was already full of rage. In private, he had cursed Xuanmingzi's ancestors for