Chapter 104: Chapter 104: Catching the Ghost
The Grand Master’s study was vast, spanning five zhang in width and containing three interconnected rooms. If the screens were taken down, it could host martial arts practice or a banquet without issue.
In the past, the Heads of the Escort had gathered here countless times to discuss the agency’s affairs. Just as often, they had feasted and drank in this very room. In those days, the Longteng Escort Agency was thriving, the atmosphere was harmonious, and its members were as close as family.
In truth, even now—though the Escort Agency’s growth had hit a bottleneck, its strength insufficient to expand into the truly major cities—relations within the agency had always been harmonious.
The Grand Master was fiercely protective of his people and treated the Darts Masters well. While there was competition among the Escort Teams, it was always healthy, with no true rifts between them.
Yet, when Shen Longteng led the four available Heads of the Escort into this study—a room they knew so well—the atmosphere was colder than the dead of winter.
Head of the Escort Chu Sheng was away on an assignment, but Zhao Xingyang had just returned, and Wei Zhen, Lu Zhenyu, and Xu Mo all happened to be at the Escort Agency.
The four men stood in the study, each weighed down by their own thoughts. Some stared at the floor, others at the ceiling beams. One fixed his gaze on the man-sized, blue-and-white porcelain vase in the corner, even though the Grand Master hadn’t replaced it in a decade.
Shen Longteng, seated behind his large desk, took out a porcelain vial and tossed it to Zhao Xingyang, motioning for him to take the medicine. Then he closed his eyes and said nothing.
Zhao Xingyang opened the vial, removed the pill inside, and without a second glance, tilted his head back and swallowed it.
A moment later, a surge of warmth spread through his body. The damaged meridians and hairline bone fractures—injuries from forcing his breakthrough to the Bone Forging realm—began to itch as the warmth nourished them, slowly mending.
For a pill to take effect so quickly and mend injuries severe enough to damage one’s martial foundation, its value was undeniable.
Zhao Xingyang simply cupped his hands, his voice low.
"Thank you, Grand Master."
Shen Longteng waved a hand dismissively, his eyes still closed, saying nothing.
The air in the vast study seemed to grow colder and more suffocating.
Xu Mo the Head of the Escort frowned and was the first to break the silence.
"Grand Master, you summoned us. What are your orders?"
Shen Longteng finally opened his eyes. His gaze swept over each of the four Heads of the Escort before he spoke, his tone complex.
"I never thought something like this could happen at the Longteng Escort Agency, but I was careless. It is my failure as Grand Master that I didn’t notice it in time."
Wei Zhen shook his head.
"You’re being too hard on yourself, Grand Master. No one wanted this."
Shen Longteng nodded and sighed.
"Yes, no one wanted it, but it happened. I don’t know what the Vajra Sect could have offered to make one of our own—a veteran of so many years—betray the Escort Agency."
Xu Mo’s eyes widened.
"What?"
He instinctively wanted to object, but a thought gave him pause. His eyes flickered between Lu Zhenyu and Zhao Xingyang. After a moment of hesitation, he held his tongue.
Shen Longteng continued.
"What happened to Xingyang this time is obvious. His route was sold out in advance. Otherwise, how could a band of mountain bandits take a hundred men to set an ambush dozens of li away? In hindsight, with some of the oddities from previous missions, it’s clear there were signs long before now."
The four Heads of the Escort remained silent. Shen Longteng went on,
"Furthermore, the mole must be one of the Heads of the Escort. Otherwise, it would have been impossible to pull this off so secretly. We only found out because Xingyang was lucky enough to escape."
Wei Zhen clasped his hands behind his back and looked toward the ceiling. Zhao Xingyang stared at the floor. Lu Zhenyu opened his mouth as if to speak, but then stopped. Xu Mo’s brow was deeply furrowed. He was the one who finally spoke:
"There’s a traitor among us? Well... Xingyang was ambushed. The one who’s always had friction with him is..."
He glanced at Lu Zhenyu, leaving the rest unsaid.
Lu Zhenyu snorted.
"I may not like his methods, but I’d never stoop to this. And I would certainly never harm the Escort Agency."
Xu Mo pressed his lips together, took a step forward, and said in a low voice,
"Grand Master, I’m not sure if I should say this, but my subordinates have seen Head of the Escort Lu keeping very close company with an Official from the county yamen. They often drink together at the Jude Building. This has been witnessed by multiple people, on multiple occasions."
Lu Zhenyu’s brows shot up as he snapped:
"He’s a childhood friend of mine! What’s wrong with having a drink with him?"
"Head of the Escort Lu, you already have bad blood with Master Zhao, and now you’re consorting with an Official. Do you know what the county yamen is? It’s Yu Chunsheng’s personal fiefdom! Why are you doing this to yourself..."
Xu Mo was still shaking his head, but before he could finish, Zhao Xingyang cut in.
"It wasn’t Head of the Escort Lu. Even if he were going to pass information, why would he meet in a public place like the Jude Building? He’s not an idiot."
Wei Zhen nodded.
"Agreed."
Xu Mo hadn’t expected both of them to defend Lu Zhenyu. He stared, wide-eyed.
"You..."
"Xiaoxu... how exactly has the Escort Agency wronged you?"
Shen Longteng cut him off. The words struck Xu Mo like a lightning bolt, and his face turned ashen.
He forced a smile.
"Grand Master, what do you mean by that?"
Shen Longteng’s face was a mask of mingled heartache and hatred.
"There’s no need to mention Old Wei and Old Chu. We founded the agency together; it’s as much theirs as it is mine. I raised Zhenyu from a boy; this agency is his home. I know his character, and he would never do something like this. Xiaoxu, besides you... are you suggesting Xingyang set himself up?"
Xu Mo’s expression shifted rapidly before he gave a wretched laugh.
"Why me? Is it just because my seniority isn’t as high?"
"Of course not. You were in the first batch of guards we recruited when the agency was founded. Our Escort Team had fewer than ten men back then. Old Wei, Old Chu, and I took you out on missions together. You were the youngest, always at the front, shouting with all your might. We were all young then, and life was wild and free. I still remember those days.
"Of the original Escort Team members, some are dead, others have retired. Only a few of us old-timers are left. You are one of the founding veterans. Zhenyu and Xingyang, for all their youthful energy, have they ever disrespected you? That’s what I don’t understand. You risked your life time and time again to build this agency into what it is today. So why would you betray your own legacy?
"I’ve known you for nearly thirty years. How could I not know your character? Even if Zhenyu had actually betrayed the agency, a peacekeeper like you would never have been the one to speak ill of him. Before you all came in, I was only fifty or sixty percent sure it was you. Now... there’s nothing left to say.
"Xiaoxu, give me a reason."
As Xu Mo listened to Shen Longteng, his face grew progressively paler. At last, he couldn’t bear it any longer. He closed his eyes and rasped,
"Grand Master, I’ve wronged you..."
"What good are words now? So many of our brothers are dead!"
Shen Longteng slammed his hand on the desk, his furious roar echoing through the study.
Xu Mo’s lips trembled as he spoke in a low voice:
"I’ve failed our brothers.
"Grand Master, you know I was over thirty when my son was born. He’s my only one, and I spoiled him. I thought as long as I was watching over him, nothing serious could happen. But then he got into terrible trouble.
"I told him countless times, even if he wanted to go out and have fun, not to wander off. But somehow he ended up at a casino run by the Vajra Sect. He lost all his money, then beat someone into critical condition. They seized him on the spot, and before I even had time to react, he was thrown into the county yamen’s dungeons.
"That night, I was on my way to the agency to talk to you, but Yu Chunsheng intercepted me. Grand Master, you know... he’s my only son..."
As Xu Mo spoke, tears began to stream down his face. He dropped to his knees and began kowtowing repeatedly, his forehead striking the floor with a series of heavy THUDS.
"Grand Master, he’s my only son! I wasn’t thinking straight and I made a terrible mistake. I, Xu Mo, am worse than an animal, but... but I’m still begging you, Grand Master! You have to help me get him out!"
After speaking, a sudden burst of energy erupted from his body. With all his might, he smashed his head against the ground one last time.
BOOM! A loud crash echoed as a crater appeared in the study floor. Xu Mo lay motionless within it, a pool of blood slowly spreading from beneath his head.
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