Chapter 1178: Chapter 643: A Deadly Question (Bonus 4-in-1)
Chen Yi casually picked up a clean teacup, lifted the teapot, and the boiling tea poured into the cup, making a slight sound, exceptionally jarring.
He held the teacup to his mouth, gently blew on the steam, then took a slow sip.
Chen Yi put down the teacup, not even lifting his eyelids, and said a single word plainly, "Sit."
It was as if he was inviting the three as guests.
The three masked men were momentarily suspicious, though their killing intent did not diminish, their movements involuntarily halted. They exchanged a glance — was this person really so arrogant facing their encirclement?
"Who are you? What is your intention?" The lead masked man with the bone flute spoke coldly, his voice having the texture of metal scraping, breaking the stalemate. He did not sit, the tip of the bone flute still remotely pointed at Chen Yi’s vital point.
"Heard the commotion inside," Chen Yi replied blandly, "so I came in to take a look."
"Hmph, playing tricks!" The masked man holding dual blades couldn’t help but shout angrily, "Speak! Where are our people? Where did you take them?"
"People?" Chen Yi’s gaze swept over the three, "Dead."
"What?" The three masked men exclaimed simultaneously, even behind masks, the shock and anger was palpable, further inciting murderous intent.
"All dead." Chen Yi’s tone was like he was narrating a trivial matter, "On the snowy mountain, by the pass, in the woods... your people’s heads rolled everywhere."
"You’re courting death!" Unable to restrain himself any longer, the dual-bladed masked man roared and was about to charge, but was forcibly stopped by the flute-wielding leader with the body of the flute.
"Hold on." The leader masked man stared intently at Chen Yi, "Why... why are you against us?"
"Against?" Chen Yi chuckled slightly, "Are you even worth it?"
"Who exactly are you?!"
After a moment, the person clearly spoke word by word:
"Former West Factory Battalion Commander, Chen Yi."
As the words fell, all three were physically shocked, their pupils contracted to the extreme behind the masks.
In an instant, all previous doubts had answers — why those seven men vanished silently... facing this person, not just those seven, even these three at this moment might not be a match... an unprecedented chill shot from the tailbone straight to the head.
In the private room, the atmosphere was deathly silent.
After a long while, the leader masked man subtly regained a semblance of composure, noticing that although Chen Yi’s Sword Intent was abundant, he still... did not exhibit further killing intent...
"Chen... Battalion Commander." He adopted a respectful title, the tip of the bone flute unconsciously lowered a few inches, "May I ask... why? Why did you kill our Divine Sect Elder?"
Chen Yi put down the teacup, his fingertips gently tracing the rough rim, speaking indifferently:
"Killing a few lackeys naturally is to get the attention of you... the housekeepers."
"To get attention?" Using seven lives as a doorway, the dual-bladed masked man couldn’t stop the fright.
The leader masked man raised his hand to halt his companion’s agitation, staring into Chen Yi’s eyes, trying to discern truth: "What does Battalion Commander Chen mean by this? We don’t understand."
"You," Chen Yi leaned forward slightly, his gaze sweeping over the three, "are what that so-called Divine Sect calls ’heretics,’ aren’t you?"
"Heretics?" The lead masked man paused, then let out a low, hoarse self-mocking laugh, "Ha... in the eyes of those fake believers, we indeed... are heretics!"
His voice carried suppressed resentment and a certain twisted pride.
"That’s correct." Chen Yi’s voice was emotionless, "The enemy of my enemy is a friend, even if not, we can at least talk."
"Enemy of the enemy?" The masked leader keenly captured the key, "Battalion Commander Chen’s enemy is?"
"Prince of Annan." When Chen Yi uttered these three words, his tone was as calm as mentioning an irrelevant name, yet the temperature in the private room seemed to drop further.
"Prince of Annan?" The lead masked man exclaimed in disbelief.
This answer was unexpected, yet reasonable — the Annan Royal Mansion had controlled the entire Nanwei for over three hundred years, even the various Tusis were burdened by its tyranny, with the notorious reputation of this former West Factory Battalion Commander, forming a deadly vendetta with a Vassal King wasn’t impossible.
"Is Battalion Commander Chen’s words true?" The masked leader’s voice was solemn.
Chen Yi did not directly answer but instead threw out another name, one drenched in blood: "Qin Weinian, have you heard of him?"
"...Qin Weinian?" The masked leader obviously knew this person, "That Qin Family elder reputed for his broad knowledge and respect for virtuous men? Recently... involved in the Ancestral Temple assassination case, ordered by the Royal Mansion to be executed publicly..."
His tone carried a trace of regret, and some confusion as to why Chen Yi suddenly mentioned this already dead person from the royal mansion.
"It’s him."
Still with a flat tone, Chen Yi lifted the teacup but did not drink, merely watched the slightly swirling tea as if caught in recollection.
"He showed me kindness by recognizing my potential."
The words, though calm, were deep and powerful.
"May I ask Battalion Commander... about the reasons."
"He has a keen eye for talent, judges people without bias. Ever since my tracks were exposed at Dragon and Tiger Mountain, I’ve been hunted by the court, fleeing into the Southern Border with no one to turn to... he still boldly employed someone like me with an unclear origin.
I and the Prince of Annan, with new resentment and old grudges,"
He spoke each word with eyes ablaze,
"So... it’s a fight to the death."
The leading masked man quickly processed this shocking information. Finally, he weighed the pros and cons, nodding slightly to Chen Yi, more respectfully than before.
"What Battalion Commander Chen said is of great significance. This matter cannot be decided by just the three of us." He spoke carefully, "We must immediately return to the main altar, report the Battalion Commander’s intention to the Supreme. If the Supreme is interested, someone will contact the Battalion Commander here. What does the Battalion Commander think of this?"
"Okay." The man replied with only one word.
The three masked men said no more, cupped fists towards Chen Yi, and silently opened the elegant room’s door, disappearing swiftly into the noisy night outside the gambling den like phantoms blending into the shadows.
Chen Yi picked up the teabowl, gulped down the cold tea in it, with a clatter, he casually tossed the teabowl onto the table.
.............
"A fight to the death, is it truly so?"
Qin Qingluo picked up the tea, glancing sideways as she asked.
"Indeed, that is what I said."
"A good adaptation."
Chen Yi heard this, raised his eyes, and for some reason, the Princess’s lips seemed to carry a barely noticeable smile.
It struck a chord.
Truly not bad.
Chen Yi took a deep breath, then somewhat awkwardly argued: "This subordinate was merely... acting according to plan, not deliberately trying to please the Prince."
Blame the Little Fox, sometimes he couldn’t help but admit, there was indeed a barely perceptible arrogance in his demeanor.
Since that’s the case, going with the flow seems more sincere.
The tall lady chuckled, still casting a sidelong glance at him, making Chen Yi even more embarrassed.
This was something unseen before... Qin Qingluo’s eyes slightly narrowed, such a man, could he actually be embarrassed?
She had been unable to figure out Chen Yi for years; people like him, obsessed with appearances but cherishing old feelings were rare and hard to grasp, one could only say he was... an extraordinary man, closer now than before, suddenly realizing he was actually easy to understand.
Why not, delve deeper?
Qin Qingluo gave Chen Yi a deep look, then lifted the candelabra and walked out, Chen Yi followed closely behind.
She walked out of the study, heading straight to the library building, the two again seeing the wide panorama from the top balcony; under candlelight, the night sky was densely star-studded, fluorescent twinkling, the surrounding mountains like a rolling ocean, the Prince Mansion like a great ship half-submerged, a staggeringly beautiful scene.
Qin Qingluo instructed the maid to bring wine, then asked: "How is your capacity for alcohol?"
"I’m not very fond of drinking, but assisting Yu Long in dying for the Lord is still easy, let alone drinking?"
"Diligent." Qin Qingluo chuckled, specially ordering someone to uncork the cellar’s finest brew.
Chen Yi didn’t pay much attention to which kind of wine it was; it was all the same to him. He truly didn’t enjoy drinking; he always drank to accompany others, the most frequently accompanied being Min Ning, followed by... Qin Qingluo? Thinking about this, Chen Yi couldn’t help but feel a bit surprised.
Soon, the wine was brought to the balcony, and the maid poured the first round for the two before being dismissed downstairs by Qin Qingluo.
Chen Yi got up to clink glasses with the tall lady, asked: "Does the Prince wish to discuss Martial Intent over the wine?"
"No rush." Qin Qingluo said.
The two drank their wine in one go, then gazed at the distant scenery.
"When I first clarified my original intention, you and I were drinking on the clouds." She suddenly said.
Chen Yi was slightly stunned; this was the first time she’s mentioned their past to him.
Back then, it was near desperation, he and this Princess fought to the death, amidst overwhelming enmity, how could he not remember the events after the wine on the clouds, with the Prince and Princess raising their troubles in succession?
A life-threatening question,
What... to do about it?
