Full of Schemes

"You're right."

"An old, decaying thing like me truly can't compare to His Majesty."

"As for whether we can win?"

"There's no absolute certainty."

"Just like you, I'm merely doing what I ought to do..."

"Whether we succeed or not, we'll only know after we do it."

[Xushiki] replied with remarkable calmness.

He seemed utterly unconcerned with the matter of victory or defeat...

[Shadow] fell silent.

This answer had been within his expectations, yet beyond them as well.

Like a piece of flavorless chicken amid a pile of dry kindling, it sounded as dull as chewing wax.

"Do you have a plan?"

Xushiki admitted:

"Yes."

"But I'm sorry, I can't tell you."

"Why?"

"Unless His Majesty suddenly drops dead..."

[Shadow] fell silent again.

He understood what Xushiki meant as well.

In short:

Even if he betrayed [King Zhenruo], it still could not prove his position or loyalty.

This had nothing to do with trust or distrust.

Purely speaking, the more people who knew, the greater the risk.

There were only two kinds of people who could keep a secret:

Those who did not know the secret, and the dead!

For the sake of victory, Xushiki's plan had to remain strictly confidential! Unless [King Zhenruo] suddenly died, no one else could be allowed to learn of it!

After all, who could guarantee

that this [Shadow] was not merely biding his time?

Even if the chance was only one in a hundred million...

As long as it was not zero, the risk remained!

Having lived for so many years, Xushiki dared not guarantee much else.

But when it came to being cautious, he was unquestionably exceptional!

"Very good."

"Elder Xushiki truly is cautious enough."

"What do you need me to do next?"

[Shadow] was not bothered by Xushiki's concealment.

The more