Chapter 400: Chapter 364: Sneak Attack

“Junior Sister, if I don’t go with you, what will you do?” Mo Yan Shu suddenly asked.

Sang Que’s heart tightened, “Senior Brother, I want to stand on the same side as you…”

Mo Yan Shu suddenly laughed. He sensed the hidden murderous intent in Sang Que’s eyes and also noticed the subtle changes in the surrounding aura, but his gaze towards Sang Que became more appreciative and comforting.

“Junior Sister, those who do whatever it takes to achieve their goals always move a bit faster…”

Before Mo Yan Shu could finish his words, Sang Que’s eyes became sharp, an opera house rose from the ground, and the Yin Child and the Deceitful Bride appeared behind Mo Yan Shu at the same time. A short arrow shot from Sang Que’s left sleeve, while her right hand reached lightning-fast for Mo Yan Shu’s neck.

Mo Yan Shu smiled, and that smile made Sang Que feel a sense of indulgence, just like when her mother looked at her after she won an award in a martial arts competition.

At the moment Sang Que, Yin Child, and Deceitful Bride’s three hands touched Mo Yan Shu’s body, he vanished like a phantom.

…

Sang Que awoke with a start, finding herself sprawled on the table in the tea room, alone in silence and darkness, with only the dim yellow light from a lamp bringing a hint of warmth to dispel the surrounding chill.

Dream?

The table was still set with pen, ink, paper, and inkstone, everything around her unchanged from just before. When did she fall into the dream? Or had she been dreaming since she entered here?

The water in the teapot was still warm, but the teacup was empty. Sang Que remembered she had poured a cup of tea for Mo Yan Shu.

Sang Que sighed, thinking it made sense. A storyteller with such a frail body would need some life-preserving skills; otherwise, anyone could easily choke him to death.

It was because she wasn’t confident about capturing him that she considered negotiating first, playing the emotional card to win him over to her side, then handing him over to the Nine Songs people for internal handling.

If she couldn’t win him over, she would risk trying to kill him.

Now it seemed Mo Yan Shu was determined to see this battle through to the end and lure out Zuo Jinye.

Thus, from now on, it would be up to their own skills!

Sang Que picked up the Hundred Blade on the table, left the tea room, and swiftly vanished into the night.

…

Inside the East City Gate, three thousand elite Qianshou Army soldiers wore black headscarves and armor, nervously swallowing as they listened to the opera melodies echoing above.

Currently, there were two hundred thousand Qianshou Army soldiers near Jianshui City. Aside from the soldiers at the four city gates and those guarding inside, most were ambushed outside Jianshui City.

These Qianshou Army soldiers had not undergone much training, composed of young and strong men from various places trying to survive. Previously, they attacked by surprise, sweeping across half of Qinzhou, burning, killing, and plundering everywhere they went, boosting their morale significantly.

But now, facing the regular Da Xuan army from Jingzhou and Jinzhou, they had been defeated in several frontal confrontations, their combat power on a different level entirely.

The Qianshou Army’s revolutionary fervor had long since dissipated, and if not for the fear of death as deserters, none of them would want to stay here.

On the city wall, the opera reached a climax, but overall, the Ghost Opera Troupe was at a disadvantage. Manager Luo, responsible for coordinating the performers and cueing the show, was sweating anxiously.

A single fifth-layer Daoist from Da Xuan had already defeated three fourth-layer Yin Walkers from the Ghost Opera Troupe, one of whom had been transferred from the Rongzhuang Department and had no prior stage experience.

There were few fourth-layer Yin Walkers left in the Ghost Opera Troupe, with only one veteran holding on stage.

If this one couldn’t hold on, Zi Ling would have to lead the Music Department down. Opposite them, Da Xuan still had a fifth-layer Deputy General and seven fourth-layer Colonels yet to act.

Manager Luo couldn’t understand why the Class Leader insisted on this fight despite the disparity in strength and had them hold out as long as possible until he was ready to make a decisive appearance and turn the tide.

There were still two quarters of an hour until the Class Leader’s appearance, and the veteran on the stage was hoarse and trembling, clearly nearing his limit. Where could he find someone to take over?

Thinking of this, Manager Luo couldn’t help but curse, cursing the one who shot in the dark earlier, injuring the troupe’s only leading female role, half of her brain missing, unable to perform for now.

Manager Luo came down from the wall, bracing himself to inform the Class Leader, when he suddenly saw three figures swaying near the supply stacks at the base of the wall.

“Who?!”

Manager Luo shouted, and the archers on guard nearby immediately turned in the direction of the sound, bows aimed at the darkness.

Clad entirely in black cloth, Chu Mo Wei emerged stiffly with two gut-bulging Blood Puppets.

Seeing this, Manager Luo cautiously retreated.

“Stop, don’t move!”

Chu Mo Wei halted, and Manager Luo squinted, scrutinizing for a while. Although he was in charge of a department, he wasn’t a Yin Walker himself and couldn’t tell if Chu Mo Wei posed a problem.

“It’s you. Do you know how much trouble you’ve caused us? Speak! Where have you been recently? Where is the Yin Child?”

Raising his hand, Chu Mo Wei made Manager Luo retreat two more steps. Yet Chu Mo Wei didn’t attack anyone. Instead, he pulled down the black cloth on his head, revealing his pretty face under a mane of white hair.

Having become a living corpse, Chu Mo Wei showed no expression. He looked up at Manager Luo briefly, stiffly, then lowered his head to resume covering himself with the cloth.

The Blood Puppet behind him spoke in a halting, dry voice.

“Hunted, injured, hiding, Yin Child, hidden.”

Seeing the severe scars on Chu Mo Wei’s neck earlier, Manager Luo assumed he was heavily injured from being hunted for capturing the Yin Child by Yunzhou and the Evil Suppression Bureau, explaining his recent absence.

Understanding that, since everyone wanted the Yin Child.

The Puppet Master was indeed the most elusive and adept at fleeing in the entire Ghost Opera Troupe.

“Where did you hide the Yin Child?” Manager Luo asked again.

“Class Leader.”

The other puppet behind Chu Mo Wei spoke, indicating they’d reveal it only to the Class Leader.

Manager Luo nodded, glanced at the city wall, hesitated, and finally said, “The troupe is in dire need of manpower. If the veteran on stage can’t manage, you’ll take over and hold out for two quarters.”

Chu Mo Wei acted like he was checking the surroundings, then lowered his head in thought before nodding.

Manager Luo watched him for a while and turned to lead the way.

“Follow me. Without me, you won’t get near the stage.”

Leading the way, Manager Luo smelled something odd and wrinkled his nose.

“What’s that smell?”

Chu Mo Wei didn’t answer, and the closer they got to the stage, the louder the music played, and the stronger the wind blew, dispersing the stench.

The guards on either side of the wall relaxed upon seeing Manager Luo. The stage stood at the gatehouse, and Manager Luo explained, “Tonight’s performance is by the Class Leader’s order. The Class Leader knows we are at a disadvantage against Da Xuan’s Yin Walkers, but he hasn’t mandated victory, only that we hold out until he appears. So no matter what, you must…”

Before Manager Luo finished, Chu Mo Wei suddenly pressed against his back, chilling icy auras coursing through him with the strange webs from Chu Mo Wei into Manager Luo’s body. Eyes wide with surprise, Manager Luo didn’t expect Chu Mo Wei to attack, intending to control him.

A few abacus beads dropped from Manager Luo’s collar, clattering as his entire being vanished, leaving only clothes behind.

Ignoring Manager Luo completely, Chu Mo Wei’s two bulging puppets split open, spilling blood mixed with strange meat chunks, each piece wrapped with tied firecrackers and gasoline-filled glass bottles. The fuses were already lit, sizzling and smoking.

With a wave of his hand, Chu Mo Wei sent the bloody flesh sprouting legs like a swarm of eerie spiders, madly rushing toward the brightly lit stage nearby.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep