Chapter 249 - 174: Finally Making a Move
’Who are these people? Why would they ambush and kill Commander Liu? Did he make too many enemies?’
Fang Yue wondered as he watched the fierce battle ahead.
After watching for a while longer, Fang Yue prepared to leave.
He didn’t know where these men in black came from or why they were attacking Commander Liu. Still, since someone else was doing the job, it saved him the trouble.
But just then, Commander Liu, who had seemed gravely wounded and a mere lamb to the slaughter, suddenly lashed out, sending several of the men in black flying.
He then broke into a sprint, dashing toward Denglai City.
He was fighting for his life now, and his speed was incredible.
In no time, he had covered several hundred yards. He was about to round a small knoll and seemingly make good his escape.
’As expected. The Life Force of a Qi Sensing Martial Master is incredible. Even gravely wounded, they can still put up a desperate fight.’
Seeing this, Fang Yue sighed and immediately gave chase.
’Since I’m already here, I can’t let him get away. Not after all the trouble Commander Liu has caused me.’
Soon, Commander Liu was in range.
He immediately nocked an arrow, took a deep breath, and drew the twenty-dan Strong Bow.
WHOOSH! The Sharp Arrow tore through the air, faster than Fang Yue could have imagined.
In the blink of an eye, it crossed hundreds of yards and struck Commander Liu.
The arrow pierced clean through his chest and lodged itself in the trunk of a nearby bowl-thick tree.
Commander Liu’s body froze in place.
"H-how... how is this possible?"
Staring at the arrow, his expression changed, his eyes filled with utter disbelief.
The next moment, blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. His body went limp and collapsed, his life gone.
The arrow had pierced his heart.
Fang Yue walked over to Commander Liu’s body and searched it, but the man was surprisingly poor. He didn’t have a single tael of silver on him, not even a silver banknote.
He did, however, find a booklet: the Si Shui Fist manual.
A quick glance revealed it to be a Martial Art that harnessed the power of flowing water to increase one’s combat strength.
’Well, it’s no surprise he died. On land, he could only use seventy percent of his strength.’
’Of course, even in the water, he still would have died.’
’The outcome was never in doubt.’
~~~~~~~
"He’s dead. An arrow straight through the heart. I wonder who shot him. Could more than one Incense Master have come to Guangfeng Prefecture?"
Soon, the men in black caught up and found Commander Liu’s body.
Their leader had his men check the surroundings. Only after confirming they were alone did he relax.
"It doesn’t matter who did it. He’s dead now. Wang Lin, you’re up."
At the leader’s command, another man in black took out a sharp dagger and began to work skillfully on Commander Liu’s body.
Before long, a complete human face—the skin—was held up for all to see.
"Excellent." The leader took the skin. He placed it over his own face, and in moments, he had assumed Commander Liu’s appearance.
The men in black then did the same with the other bodies. Soon, they gathered the faceless corpses and disposed of them.
By then, all the men in black had changed into the clothes of Commander Liu and his men.
"Mm, not bad. From now on, I am Liu Xun, Vice Commander of the Navy."
’Liu Xun’ laughed, quite satisfied with his new disguise. He then turned to the man beside him.
"Heh heh, this went so smoothly, and it’s all thanks to that Fang Yue. But since he was able to gravely wound the real Liu Xun, his strength must be formidable. We need to inform Xue Bing and tell him to be careful."
At his command, a subordinate immediately wrote a message and released a carrier bird.
Then, they swaggered off toward Denglai City.
~~~~~~~
A moment later, Fang Yue removed a small bamboo tube from a bird’s leg and unrolled the slip of paper inside.
’People from the Blood Dragon Platform? Xue Bing? He’s the one tracking me?’
Reading the note, Fang Yue instantly understood who had tipped off the government constables back in Denglai City.
’It was Xue Bing!’
He would never have imagined it. The young master of a Noble Family from Shanyang Prefecture, a Martial Scholar with an official post, was actually a member of the Rebel Army.
’Thinking about it now, it was no wonder the war in Shanyang Prefecture was so one-sided against them.’
’On the one hand, the Rebel Army was powerful, with numerous Martial Artists. On the other, the Prefecture’s high command was likely riddled with their spies.’
’And now, those Blood Dragon Platform agents have impersonated Liu Xun. It won’t be long before they make their move on Denglai City!’ Fang Yue mused, his brow furrowed.
’This means Denglai City will soon be unsafe as well.’
’The city was supposed to be protected by its natural defenses. With the great river dividing the land, as long as the waterway was secure, the Rebel Army couldn’t advance even if they conquered all of Shanyang Prefecture.’
’But now, spies from the Blood Dragon Platform had already infiltrated it and were starting to scheme.’
’This meant their tentacles had already reached into Guangfeng Prefecture.’
’The Rebel Army was likely even more powerful than the reports he’d heard suggested.’
’These are truly chaotic times!’
Fang Yue let out a long sigh, then set off in the direction of Denglai City.
’County Magistrate Lin, the City Lord of Denglai, and Inspector Qi Ming... they had all treated him well.’