Green Mountain-Chapter 556 - 418: No More Bets

Liao Zhong lay unconscious on the ground. A dignified Seeking Dao Realm Executive Officer was beaten into oblivion by six palms.

Chen Ji looked at Mrs. Lu, hearing her heavy breathing. It seemed those six palms were not easy either. "How is Aunt Ping?"

Mrs. Lu whispered, "I’m fine, move quickly."

"Alright," Chen Ji bent down, hoisted Liao Zhong’s belt, and carried him out of the courtyard like a ragged sack.

But just as he stepped over the threshold, he immediately leaned back and retreated.

With a thud.

A crossbow arrow whizzed past the tip of his nose, embedding itself into the wooden door frame beside him, its tail rod trembling with a constant hum.

The Jiefan Guards were here to kill!

In the narrow alleyway, the Jiefan Guards wore straw coats, their right hands pressed on their waist knives, and their left hands held hand crossbows, triggering the mechanisms, with crossbow arrows weaving back and forth.

Opposite the alley, Jiefan Guards climbed onto rooftops, shooting arrows down at Chen Ji.

Chen Ji hurriedly pulled Liao Zhong back into the courtyard, not forgetting to kick the gate shut as he retreated.

Just heard a series of thuds as dozens of arrows from the Jiefan Guards nearly shredded the courtyard gate.

There’s no way out.

Chen Ji looked around.

Behind him was a sea of fire, in front of him the Jiefan Guards, where to go?

The heat waves from the sea of fire rushed in, burning the skin on one’s face until it swelled.

The Jiefan Guards outside the courtyard did not rush to attack. They knew that as long as the fire continued to spread, Chen Ji would have to come out sooner or later. The method Mrs. Lu used against Liao Zhong earlier was now being used on them.

Chen Ji, holding onto Liao Zhong, leaned against the door panel, pondering... use the sword seed? It seemed the only option was to use the sword seed to break out.

If Martial Temple Mountain Master Lu Yang found out about his inheritance, he’d die, but not using it meant death as well.

But even if he broke out of this alley, there would be more Jiefan Guards and Spies surrounding them.

Chen Ji looked at Mrs. Lu, "Aunt Ping, I have a lead on the Long Whale."

Mrs. Lu’s eyes beneath the black veil shrank suddenly, "What lead?"

Chen Ji spoke urgently, "The Long Whale works in the Jing Dynasty Military Intelligence Department as a Si Cao. He initially worked in the Jinling area, later scheming with the Liu Family in Luocheng City for rebellion. This person lurks in the Ritual Supervision, it’s unclear if he’s a Jiefan Guard or Spy Department individual, but he holds a high position, able to freely access records and dossiers. Now, this person has come to the Imperial Capital and can learn about Renshou Palace’s court discussions in just one day. There are not many who fit these clues; whoever fits them is the Long Whale."

Through the flames, Chen Ji felt the heat waves from the sea of fire curling his hair.

He told Mrs. Lu everything he knew at extreme speed, as if afraid he wouldn’t finish if he spoke any slower.

Long Whale.

Unknowingly, Chen Ji had dealt with this Long Whale numerous times. The other seemed unimportant yet was very important, always staying out of everyone’s sight, never showing up.

Chen Ji had never cared about who the Long Whale was and had never made an effort to find him out.

But now he had promised Aunt Ping to help her find this person.

However, Mrs. Lu didn’t seem so concerned about the Long Whale right now. Instead, she asked sharply, "Why didn’t you say so earlier? Are you worried you won’t make it out alive and afraid you’ll take the secret to the grave?"

Chen Ji corrected, "There might not be a grave."

Mrs. Lu stated calmly, "That’s not funny."

Chen Ji took a deep breath, "Aunt Ping, you should leave."

The gaze behind Mrs. Lu’s black veil was inscrutable, "I should leave?"

Chen Ji said solemnly, "Soon, I’ll find a way to break out. After I get out, I’ll head east, you head west..."

Mrs. Lu interrupted, "You think you have a way to break out? What way could you possibly have?"

Chen Ji sincerely replied, "Aunt Ping, you don’t need to worry about anything else, just know that I can break out. You’ve helped me enough, and I’ve told you everything I know, there’s no need to help me more. No banquet lasts forever, it’s time to part ways."

Mrs. Lu sneered, "If I don’t help you, who will? I’m..."

But at this moment, a rapid and shrill copper whistle sounded outside the courtyard.

This time, the whistle didn’t mimic the song of a magpie, but the long cry of an eagle: dangerous individuals!

Be careful!

Be careful!

Be careful!

In the next moment, exclamations of Jiefan Guards came from the west of the courtyard, someone unknown had come and disrupted their formation.

Another two breaths later, cries of pain came from the rooftop opposite the courtyard, along with the sound of a body falling from the tiles to the ground.

Two people had come.

Who?

With so many Jiefan Guards present, who dared risk being accused of treason to come stir things up?

Chen Ji and Mrs. Lu exchanged a glance, Mrs. Lu removed the door panel, "I’ll cover you, head west!"

She suddenly charged forward with the door panel, knocking the Jiefan Guards outside the door flying, crashing into the brick walls of the alley.

Mrs. Lu held the door panel facing east, as the crossbow arrows from the Jiefan Guards rained down onto the door panel like a downpour.

Chen Ji, carrying Liao Zhong, charged westward. The two of them backed up against each other, quickly moving toward the sounds of fighting.

His gaze pierced through the alley, through the overlapping layers of straw coats and bamboo hats, but he could only see shadows flickering, unable to discern who the newcomers were.

At this moment, a Jiefan Guard swung a blade down, Chen Ji raised his knife with his right hand to block, but realized the opponent changed the blade’s trajectory toward Liao Zhong in his left hand... they were here to silence them!

Chen Ji took a small step back, the Jiefan Guard’s blade barely sliced past Liao Zhong’s scalp, any closer and there’d be blood spilt on the spot. This cut scattered Liao Zhong’s hair, the grayed strands instantly fell loose.

Taking advantage of the moment when the opponent used up his strength, Chen Ji’s short knife flew out of his hand, nailing itself to the face of the Jiefan Guard, splitting open the bamboo hat.

The Jiefan Guard slowly fell backward, and just as his body was tilting up, Chen Ji stepped forward to withdraw the short knife again.

A Jiefan Guard from the crowd shouted loudly, "Fugitive Chen Ji, surrender and you can still have a chance to live, but if you resist any further, we will kill you without mercy!"

The firelight reflected on Chen Ji’s face, rippling with a massive and savage vitality.

His life is not given by anyone; he fought for it himself.

Chen Ji rotated the short knife in his hand from a forward grip to a reverse grip.

Based on force, a forward grip is the correct path for sword skills, suitable for stabbing, while a reverse grip is suitable for slicing.

But the true purpose of a reverse grip is not slicing, but concealing the knife. The blade is hidden behind the forearm, like a scorpion hiding its stinger, it’s the deadliest knife technique.

Chen Ji pressed forward to kill outside the alley, always within half a step of the Jiefan Guard, who could clearly see each of his eyebrows and hear his steady breathing.

The long knife in the Jiefan Guard’s hand had no room to maneuver at this distance; he tried to push Chen Ji away with his left hand to increase the distance, but could only watch helplessly as the short knife sliced through his underarm and neck, blood pouring out, splattering on Chen Ji’s body and face.

After killing one, Chen Ji emerged from the opponent’s embrace and crashed into the next person’s chest. The Jiefan Guard close by tried to wield their knife to block, but Chen Ji was a step ahead, slicing across the opponent’s tendon with the reverse hand.

Chen Ji had been watching out for Wu Xuange in his mind, but Wu Xuange did not seem to be among them.

Without Wu Xuange, without array formation space, and without the crossbowmen above providing support, there was no competitor among the Jiefan Guard for the Innate Realm officer.

The sounds of killing continued at the end of the alley; Chen Ji pressed to kill outward while others pressed inward, and although there were more Jiefan Guards, the two seemed to encircle the Jiefan Guards, who gradually became tightly packed.

Chen Ji was killing frantically, moving forward without knowing how many he had killed, or how many knives he had used, until as he was about to slice the person’s neck in front of him, the blade stopped in front of the opponent’s neck.

Woman.

The woman was dressed in black, her face covered in black cloth, patting her chest as she giggled, "Mr. Chen’s knife is so fast, almost scared me to death."

Just by speaking, Chen Ji recognized Jiao Tu’s voice, he frowned at the opposition: "Why is it you? I’m on the wanted list now, aren’t you afraid of being implicated?"

The alley was filled with corpses, Jiao Tu spun around in the pool of blood, seemingly indifferent: "That’s why I came masked, Mr. Chen, can’t you tell? I’ve even changed my clothes and hairstyle!"

"Thank you for your help," Chen Ji was about to rush out of the alley when Jiao Tu used her hand to block the wall stopping the path.

She smiled saying, "I have a heartfelt desire to save people, if you fail by someone else’s hand, don’t give me up."

Chen Ji took a deep breath: "Don’t worry, I will never give you up."

But after saying this, Jiao Tu still did not clear the path and was playing with a dagger in her hand.

Chen Ji glanced back, Mrs. Lu was still struggling to fend off the Jiefan Guards.

He asked Jiao Tu in a firm voice, "What does the lady want?"

Jiao Tu lowered her voice, smiling broadly as she said, "Talking to smart people is so easy. Mr. Chen, the achievement this time is too big, I’m afraid you can’t handle it alone. If Mr. Chen were to die, then that’s that, but if you return alive to the Imperial Capital, could you support me?"

Chen Ji replied earnestly, "Definitely."

Yet Jiao Tu still did not move aside.

Chen Ji raised his eyebrows, "Does the lady have anything else?"

Jiao Tu spun around again: "My night clothes are embroidered with lotus branches, sized for a tailored fit, haven’t you answered me if they look good!"

Chen Ji was caught by surprise: "It looks good!"

"Mr. Chen has better taste than Yun Yang!" Jiao Tu finally moved aside, smiling broadly, "Mr. Chen, rush to escape, I can only help fend off some shrimp soldiers and crab generals, the rest I won’t bother with. There are three warhorses outside, remember to give me the horse money when you return to the Imperial Capital, three hundred taels of silver per horse!"

"Aunt Ping, let’s go," Chen Ji quickly walked past Jiao Tu, grabbed the reins of the warhorse at the alley mouth, put Liao Zhong on the horseback, and mounted another warhorse himself.

Mrs. Lu suddenly tossed the door panel up a foot, using both her hands to press it aggressively, shattering the door panel completely. Invisible force carried wooden splinters and arrows off the board, knocking Jiefan Guards in the alley head over heels.

Mrs. Lu turned and walked away, passing by Jiao Tu when she gave Jiao Tu a cold glance, the sharp look made Jiao Tu shiver in her heart despite the dark veil, with hairs standing on end!

However, Mrs. Lu did not pay her any attention, jumping onto the horse: "Head to the East gate."

Jiao Tu watched the two leave, shouting to the rooftop, "Come down and work!"

Yun Yang, masked and clad in black, leaped from the roof into the alley to clean up the aftermath. A man and a woman each holding daggers executed swift and clean killings.

"Hey, killing so many people, could it cause a major incident?" Yun Yang asked curiously, speaking as he thrust his dagger into a Jiefan Guard’s jaw.

As they killed, they walked leisurely, techniques were precise, direct, and decisive, the Jiefan Guards stood no chance.

Jiao Tu walked through the small alley stepping over blood and corpses, "Don’t worry, they’re all traitors to Lord Prime Minister, it’s okay to kill them all."

Once the alley quieted down, Yun Yang wiped the blood from his face: "What did that kid say?"

Jiao Tu calmly said, "He agreed."

Yun Yang stretched lazily: "What if the kid turns out unfaithful?"

Jiao Tu glanced at him, "We already know what kind of person that kid is, now I trust him more than I trust you."

Yun Yang’s eyes widened, "You trust him over me?"

Jiao Tu responded nonchalantly, "Why should I trust you? Give me a reason."

Yun Yang opened his mouth, wanting to speak but then stopped.

Jiao Tu sneered: "Shut up, get busy. Block the North coming spies too, Xuan Snake took the wrong side trying to rise, thinking Wu Xiu gained favor..."

Yun Yang curiously asked, "Currently, His Majesty indeed favors Wu Xiu more. Shouldn’t we..."

Jiao Tu glanced sideways at him, "Do you want to die too?"

Yun Yang raised his hands in surrender: "I was just saying casually."

"Let’s go."

Yun Yang was reluctant to move: "You’ve already helped him earlier, even if you don’t help now it doesn’t matter, he couldn’t see anyway. Plus, he may not survive back, too many people want him dead, you and I can’t stop it."

Jiao Tu replied nonchalantly, "If he does return, you and I can resume our zodiac positions. Jin Zhu is shrewd, he has already placed his bet, if loss, we lose together."