Fishing

"You gave me a fright."

Er Leng's tense expression relaxed. He slid Invite the Moon back into its leather sheath and bent down to sit. "What plan have you thought of, Your Highness?"

"A teacher of mine once said, no matter how tightly you clamp down, you can't stop a spear determined to thrust." Ren Ye licked his cracked lips, his eyes bright. "Someone is trying to harm me with gu poison, and they must have an insider helping them. So we need to take the initiative and turn defense into offense."

After a moment of bewilderment, Er Leng craned his neck and asked, "I understood the last part, but your teacher's words were too profound. What is being clamped, and what is this spear?"

Ren Ye couldn't be bothered to explain. "Let's organize our thoughts. Someone planted the gu after I went to the princess consort's chambers. Given the timing, anyone other than my eunuchs and maids would have struggled to do it. That leaves two possibilities: first, an insider helped an outsider harm me; second, there was no outsider, and the person controlling the gu is right here among my attendants."

Er Leng nodded thoughtfully. "You make a sound point, Your Highness."

"From what you learned, raising gu insects is a very troublesome business. My maids and eunuchs all live together, with very little private space. If one of them raised gu for any length of time, someone would likely notice." Ren Ye frowned and paused. "So I suspect the person actually controlling the gu isn't among my attendants. An insider is most likely behind this."

"Your Highness's extraordinary wisdom truly leaves me...!"

"Don't kiss ass. Don't kiss ass." Ren Ye waved him off repeatedly. "This isn't the time. Hold it in for now."

"?" Er Leng stared at Ren Ye, feeling that his prince had been speaking rather strangely lately.

"Er Leng, we need to leak a piece of false information. Something our enemy will consider very important."

Er Leng tried to work it out, then asked excitedly, "You mean to lure the gu controller into acting again with false information, so we can finally catch him?"

"You've gotten a lot sharper..." Ren Ye's eyes lit up.

"Hehe, after serving Your Highness for so long, naturally I've become more perceptive." Er Leng might have been straightforward, but his ass-kissing was every bit as accomplished as his martial arts. Regardless of the time or place, he seized any opening to lay it on.

"Heh, but you guessed wrong." Ren Ye shook his head with an infuriating grin.

Er Leng's face instantly fell. He felt he was being toyed with.

"The failed gu attack frightened us, but it frightened our enemy too," Ren Ye added decisively. "Unless he's an idiot, he won't make another move lightly."

"?" Er Leng was completely lost. "Then what do you mean, Your Highness...?"

"I want to use the insider. All we need is for the insider to think this information matters." Ren Ye rubbed his hands together. "At dawn tomorrow, distribute the gold, silver, and valuables we counted in the secret chamber. Then we'll put on a little show..."

With an earnest expression, Er Leng listened to Ren Ye's instructions, nodding from time to time.

Half an hour later, Ren Ye finished explaining the plan and reminded him once more, "Remember, you mustn't spread this information too blatantly or clumsily. Make them feel they stumbled across it because we trust them..."

"Understood." Er Leng flashed his white teeth, and the two exchanged a conspiratorial grin.

Through the long night, even after he and Er Leng finished plotting, Ren Ye didn't sleep. He merely stared blankly at the dark ceiling.

Even now, his experiences still felt like a dream. Just one day ago, he had been watching all sorts of inmates in a prison whose lights stayed on year-round. Today... he had to fight for his life in an unknown world.

There was fear, excitement, and curiosity about this Star Gate's legacy, but not a trace of sleepiness. He was exhausted, yet his mind raced.

Forget it. I won't sleep. Lying in bed, Ren Ye began reviewing his plan, trying to find and close any loopholes.

A full day had passed since he entered this Star Gate. He was gradually adjusting to his surroundings and felt that this "large-scale role-playing" Star Gate focused more on battles of wits. Items and supernatural abilities were merely aids...

The next day, the sun rose, and the world awoke.

After washing up, Ren Ye sat in the sunlit study and began reading a journal alone.

Huang Wei had given him this journal. It didn't violate the Star Gate's rules, so he had been able to bring it inside.

Ren Ye had skimmed it before without reading closely. Now, while he waited for the results of tonight's "fishing," he could use it to pass the time.

He opened the first page and found a lengthy introduction.

"We collectively refer to all highly intelligent beings within Star Gates as Gate Spirits. These include the people and animals you see, and even ghosts, spiritual entities, and so on.

Gate Spirits fall into two categories. The first are the Awakened, also known as the Star Source Clan. They are born within the worlds inside Star Gates, their origins cannot be traced, and their intelligence rivals or even surpasses that of humans.

There is an extremely small chance that an Awakened can become a player, be transformed by a Star Gate's legacy, and gain supernatural abilities.

The second category is known as Remnant Souls. These Gate Spirits have rigid thought patterns and primarily serve various player missions. Examples include vengeful ghosts, sprites, aliens, and so on that appear in certain scenarios. Their function is equivalent to that of NPCs.

After experiencing the Star Gate world through countless repeated missions, Remnant Souls have a chance of becoming Awakened.

Within certain highly unusual Star Gates, a third kind of being exists. They are called Gate Eyes.

Gate Eyes are embodiments of a Star Gate's laws. They oversee the evolution and development of that world, ensuring that no 'deviations' occur..."

Sitting in the wooden chair, Ren Ye read the journal carefully and instinctively muttered, "If that's the case, Er Leng must be a Gate Spirit. An innocent, idiotic Awakened? Then he's worth cultivating. I wonder if I can bring him into the real world..."

In the corridor of Tranquil Heart Hall.

Twenty-four maids and eighteen eunuchs stood in orderly rows.

These were all of Zhu Zigui's personal loyalists in the residence. They were either frail women or men without cocks.

Er Leng stood before them with his famous saber at his waist and his back to the side hall. "The residence is going through troubled times, and Prince Huai has always treated you generously. I hope you all understand... understand..."

He was a poor speaker and had barely studied the classics. Halfway through his speech, he forgot the words he had prepared. He racked his brain but couldn't remember that famous idiom about loyalty to one's sovereign.

He kept repeating "understand" for quite a while without managing to finish the sentence.

At that moment, a maid beside Lian'er who had often played poker with Zhu Zigui rolled her eyes and replied, "Guard Hong, we all understand these lofty principles. His Highness often talks with us frail women by candlelight, and his intimate words have made my juices flow like a spring many times. Naturally, we would never collude with those court lackeys...!"

"Exactly. Guard Hong, telling us all this is simply a waste of breath...!"

"Are you saying this because you suspect someone among us has joined those court lackeys and become their spy?"

"...!"

The eunuchs and maids answered glibly.

They weren't deliberately targeting Er Leng. They simply thought he was saying things that served no purpose. Besides, the undercurrents coursing through Prince Huai's Residence lately had left everyone anxious, so their responses were perfunctory.

Lian'er was the female official in charge of Prince Huai's chambers, so these people had little need to curry favor with Er Leng.

Seeing the situation slip out of control, Er Leng realized that everyone might have misunderstood him.

Forget it. If I can't talk, I should stop babbling and get straight to the good stuff!

Er Leng waved and smiled. "Very well. Please follow me inside."

With that, he turned and pushed open the side hall's door, then stepped aside.

In an instant, the gleam of gold and silver inside nearly blinded the maids and eunuchs.

A large assortment of antiques, paintings, calligraphy, porcelain, and other collectibles occupied the center of nearly half the hall, along with plenty of silver and gold bars. Ren Ye and Er Leng had found all these worldly valuables in the secret chamber yesterday.

Huh?!

What did this mean?

Everyone was dumbfounded, goose bumps rising across their skin.

"His Highness said that, despite his circumstances, you are still willing to follow him unto death, and that deserves a reward. All the gold, silver, and valuables in this hall will be divided equally among you." Er Leng bared his teeth and called, "Do you understand His Highness's feelings now?"

That single sentence sent more than forty people dropping to their knees in unison. The laziness, impatience, and indifference on their faces vanished instantly.

"We swear to follow Prince Huai unto death!"

"We will give our lives in your service and never cease until death!"

"Even if His Highness wishes to use lamp oil tonight, I will risk my life to oblige him!"

"...!"

Further words were unnecessary. Only when real gold and silver lay before them did these servants from impoverished backgrounds truly feel that Prince Huai still "remembered" them. Their lingering dissatisfaction and fear vanished in an instant.

Highly satisfied with their reaction, Er Leng joined Lian'er in distributing the rewards according to the list.

Near the end, Er Leng saw a maid insert a three-inch iron rod into a lock to pry open a wooden chest. Suddenly, he remembered what Ren Ye had said: no matter how tightly you clamp down, you can't stop a spear determined to thrust...

One motion, one instant, and understanding dawned.

"So that's it! His Highness truly is a remarkable man. His choice of words rivals that of a great scholar. Heh, vivid and amusing!"

Over the course of the day, Ren Ye read more than half the journal and learned quite a few of the Star Gate's basic rules.

After night fell, shortly after seven, he went to the princess consort's chambers.

At that same moment, a young eunuch who had received a share of the money that morning arrived at Spring Fragrance Garden in the outer courtyard.

This was where the residence's inhabitants could enjoy themselves and admire the scenery. Zhu Zigui had little interest in such things, however, so few people usually came.

The young eunuch stood beneath an old tree in the darkness, waiting impatiently.

Birds and beasts cried around him. A short while later, Liu Ling'er emerged from the night, dressed in a black robe with a black cloth covering her face.

Her face was completely concealed, and her voice was cold and aloof. "What is so urgent that you needed to see me?"

"Reporting to you, Mistress: this morning, Guard Hong Jiadi summoned all the servants from the prince's chambers to Tranquil Heart Hall and rewarded everyone with substantial gold, silver, and valuables to buy their loyalty." The young eunuch immediately bowed and replied respectfully, "Afterward, he ordered us to strengthen the night patrols around Prince Huai's chambers. He assigned everyone duties and acted as though facing a formidable enemy."

Liu Ling'er interrupted impatiently. "Our gu attack failed yesterday. Isn't it perfectly normal for them to tighten security today?"

"Hehe." The young eunuch gave a sleazy grin and quickly added, "It isn't normal. Prince Huai and Er Leng did strengthen the night patrols openly, but that female official, Lian'er, secretly went to Tranquil Heart Hall this afternoon. I followed her in secret and discovered that the bitch had quietly prepared an empty room and installed many concealed crossbows and other weapons in the corridor..."

Hearing this, Liu Ling'er understood at once. "You mean strengthening the security around his chambers was merely that good-for-nothing's diversion?"

"Exactly. Last night's gu attack put that useless Prince Huai on guard. He definitely won't stay in his chambers tonight. He'll sneak over to Tranquil Heart Hall, and he won't tell anyone except Hong Jiadi and Lian'er. Otherwise, the diversion would serve no purpose." The young eunuch bowed again. "So I believe this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for you, Mistress. If you strike again, that good-for-nothing will have no one around him, and you're sure to succeed."

Under the moonlight, Liu Ling'er suddenly surveyed her surroundings and asked grimly, "What excuse did you use to come meet me?"

"I'm not on duty tonight. I merely told the eunuchs sharing my room that I needed to relieve myself." Looking at Liu Ling'er as though expecting praise, the young eunuch suddenly proposed excitedly, "I ask for no reward for this. All I want is for you to restore my manhood and sleep with me once...!"

Liu Ling'er ignored his request and slowly turned her gaze toward him. "Did you encounter anyone when you came out?"

"No. I...!"

"When Lian'er went to prepare the empty room in Tranquil Heart Hall, why were you the one who happened to see her?" Liu Ling'er asked again.

"I am devoted to you unto death, Mistress, so naturally I watch Prince Huai's every move. Rest assured, when I followed Lian'er in secret, she didn't notice anything," the young eunuch hastily explained.

Liu Ling'er looked at him and beckoned. "Well done. Come here."

Overjoyed, the young eunuch stepped closer. "Mistress, I've truly admired you for so long. If you could restore my manhood, even my ancestors would thank you...!"

"Do you know something? You useless fool have completely exposed me!" Suddenly, as she stared at the young eunuch right before her, Liu Ling'er's voice turned icy.

The young eunuch froze.

Spurt!

A cold flash swept past. Blood sprayed from the young eunuch's neck, and he staggered back three steps, speechless with shock.

At some point, a dagger had appeared in Liu Ling'er's right hand. She lunged forward, seized the young eunuch's topknot, and yanked it left, exposing his neck again.

Spurt!

The dagger drove into the young eunuch's neck and pierced straight through.

"Useless! Brainless!" Liu Ling'er snapped angrily. She released his topknot with her left hand, and he toppled stiffly to the ground.

Beneath the moonlight, Liu Ling'er's pretty face grew grave as she looked toward one side of the grove.

There was no pity or guilt in her eyes, only the solemn vigilance of someone facing a formidable enemy.

Ruthless, decisive, and quick to react!

Whether in the real world or the Star Gate world, she was clearly no softhearted woman. Crossing society's moral boundaries was how she survived...

Whoosh!

A figure emerged from the trees.

The man was powerfully built, cradling a saber in a leather sheath. Standing beneath the moonlight, he wore an honest-looking expression, but his voice was cold. "Drop the knife, or you'll die."