Head Certification

Head Certification

"Fine, General. Even if you didn't know, why did you order them to arrest me?" Lin Yu threw the question back at him. To the Ancient Emperor and the others, it was as baffling as a riddle, but Lin Yu and Mo Ce both understood perfectly well.

Mo Ce stood there, feeling sweat bead on his brow. He raised his eyes straight toward the Ancient Emperor. Only then did the Ancient Emperor realize that this matter was no small thing. After a long while, he called out, "We will discuss this back in the main hall. I want both of you to explain everything clearly to me. The ministers should already know that this matter is not as simple as it appears."

The one thing Mo Ce had not expected was that the Ancient Emperor would truly take this matter to heart. If it was really investigated, he would inevitably suffer for it.

The crowd exchanged glances, realizing the gravity of the situation. They followed the Ancient Emperor away, leaving Mo Ce to glare viciously at Lin Yu. Lin Yu said, "General Mo, don't take offense. I don't want to die either, do I? We all have our own aims. If you had left me a way out back then, I might have given you a path to survival as well. Sadly, you never gave me that road." Lin Yu shook his head at the somewhat unsettled Mo Ce, then turned and left.

"What gave that brat such courage? Was it merely his cultivation?" Mo Ce was now waiting. He was waiting for those eighteen heads to be found as well. Once that happened, Lin Yu would have no chance at all.

"General, word has come from the men we sent out. The enemy army has scattered, and twenty headless corpses were discovered among them." Mo Ce shuddered upon hearing this. At last, he knew where Lin Yu's trump card lay. He roared, "Search! Go find them! No matter what methods you use, you must find them! Otherwise, bring your heads to see me!"

Only by finding those eighteen heads could he win. His gaze turned cold as he headed toward the main hall.

Lin Yu was already seated there. Seeing Mo Ce finally enter, he cried out, "Oh, General Mo, you're here at last. You really kept me waiting. If possible, I think we can begin now."

Before the Ancient Emperor could speak, Lin Yu had already begun. The ministers had never seen anyone so brazen and reckless.

Yet the Ancient Emperor had developed a measure of fondness for Lin Yu. He nodded and said, "Take your seats. I would like to see which of these two can emerge victorious today. Whoever loses, I will personally remove his head." The Ancient Emperor was old, after all, and gave no thought to the consequences. His children, however, trembled when they heard it. If Lin Yu won, could Mo Ce still live?

"Lin Yu, answer me. Are you certain those eighteen heads are still on those people's bodies?" Mo Ce went straight to the point. He wanted to know what Lin Yu would say, and just who had obtained those heads.

"Oh, those eighteen heads? It seems they're no longer on them." Even now, Lin Yu did not forget to needle Mo Ce. After all, the journey here had left him battered by the jolting carriage ride. No matter what, he could not let Mo Ce learn so easily where those things had gone.

"Then where are they?" The man awaiting the report had nearly gone mad. He had no idea where the eighteen heads were. What he needed now was to settle this matter as quickly as possible, or he feared a great disaster would fall upon him.

"Ah, General, that's strange of you to say. Weren't you waiting for news just now? If you don't know something, why ask me? You should question your own subordinates properly." After saying that, he yawned again, making everyone even more suspicious. Perhaps he really did know where those eighteen heads were.

At this point, even the Ancient Emperor could no longer hold back. He asked, "What are these heads you speak of? Why have I not seen them?"

"Your Majesty, those eighteen heads were what this subject had pledged in the military order I accepted that day: to kill every enemy commander and cut off their heads. But now..." Before Mo Ce could speak, Lin Yu had already begun speaking. If those words came from Mo Ce's mouth, they would carry an entirely different meaning.

"Oh, is that so? Mo Ce, is there such a matter?" the Ancient Emperor asked blandly, his intentions unreadable.

"Your Majesty, there is absolutely no such thing." Mo Ce rose to his feet. The Ancient Emperor gave him a careful look. He could still tell what sort of words these were. As for whether there was any need to ask further, that was his own decision.

"Very well. Since that is the case, I think today's game must change its form. How about this? No matter what methods you use, whoever finds those eighteen heads first shall be the winner. What do you say?" The Ancient Emperor offered a new proposal, causing Lin Yu's eyes to narrow. The Ancient Emperor's meaning was already clear: he was protecting Mo Ce.

"Your Majesty, this subject believes the proposal is acceptable." The two of them nodded at the same time. This had given Mo Ce an opportunity, while Lin Yu only needed to stall.

"Since that is settled, then so be it. I will give you three shichen. For every head you find, you may extend the time somewhat. Is that acceptable?" Hearing the Ancient Emperor's words, both men smiled and nodded again.

Only then did Lin Yu speak. "Your Majesty, when I killed them, I buried one head beneath a locust tree not far from their military camp. Send someone to dig there, and it can be unearthed." Lin Yu stood there, utterly unconcerned with what everyone else might think.

"Good, good. I will grant you another six shichen. Minister Zhongtong, go dig it up."

"This subject obeys the decree."

With horses driven at full speed, a head was soon presented before the Ancient Emperor. At the same time, Mo Ce grew anxious. Since one could be found, Lin Yu surely knew where the other seventeen were as well.

Lin Yu stood there before speaking. "In reply to His Majesty the Ancient Emperor, since the eighteenth head is already here, this humble subject has no need to conceal anything further." With a wave of his hand, seventeen heads flew out. Beyond those, another six heads appeared.

"Hm? What are those extra six heads?" The Ancient Emperor found this somewhat strange and asked.

"Your Majesty, these six men were six cultivators I killed. Among them were those whose cultivation was on par with Your Majesty's." Hearing Lin Yu's words, the Ancient Emperor's face turned pale. If such people had attacked, the Ancient Imperial City would have ceased to exist.

"Mo Ce, what else do you have to say? Men, execute Mo Ce and all the generals under his command together! Show absolutely no mercy! Otherwise, your nine clans will be exterminated!" This time, the Ancient Emperor was serious. Lin Yu smiled at the side.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, I beg you, I beg you to spare Mo Ce this once! I was also drawn in by his military merits, by his military merits..." As he spoke, Mo Ce was already dragged away.