Chapter Forty: Movements on All Sides

Liu Ru glanced back at the Third Prince, then pondered for a moment. “But to avoid arousing suspicion, at least some pretense should be made.”

The Third Prince was the sort who couldn’t disguise himself at all, but no matter how one looked at Carlotus, he didn’t seem incapable in the least.

“Of course there’s a need for a false identity,” Su Ziye said with a smile. “Just as you and I are using fake identities now—even if everyone knows they’re not real, until the masks are torn off, people must still pretend to accept them.”

“But Carlotus is peculiar in that he never treats his lack of a past as anything worth mentioning,” Su Ziye continued. “For him, as long as people know who he is now, that’s more than enough.”

“How many other remarkable individuals are there at Nightleaf Academy?” Liu Ru couldn’t help but sigh.

At least now she knew of two—Carlotus and the Third Prince. Since they came as a pair, it didn’t seem quite so out of place.

And compared to the Third Prince’s wooden innocence, Carlotus seemed entirely like a normal person.

At most, simply an unusually capable one.

“As far as I know,” Su Ziye looked at Liu Ru, speaking with assurance, “there are only two.”

...

...

In the Heaven Room of the inn at Nightleaf City, Lan Liu returned to his quarters with a face as dark as iron.

“Young Master.” His subordinate, waiting at his side, hurried to ask, “How did it go?”

“It failed,” Lan Liu replied, a trace of relief in his tone.

The way things had unfolded had far exceeded his expectations. He’d done his utmost—indeed, he’d come close to victory. But what happened next had shattered all his illusions.

Even though only four people remained to bid after him, names like the Winter Singer and the Seer’s Eye—rare and renowned spirit artifacts—were brought out in exchange for that exam paper. This opened Lan Liu’s eyes, but more than amazement, he felt powerless.

“Don’t lose heart, Young Master,” his subordinate consoled. “In the end, we did what we could; the rest is up to fate.”

Lan Liu smiled faintly and countered, “Do you know who succeeded in the end?”

His subordinate thought, I wasn’t there—how could I know?

But a good subordinate knows when to play along. “Please enlighten me, Young Master.”

“Someone you’ve seen before,” Lan Liu replied calmly.

The subordinate didn’t react at first, but then a golden-haired girl’s figure surfaced in his mind. He looked at Lan Liu in disbelief. “Impossible!”

“That’s the truth I saw with my own eyes,” Lan Liu said with a bitter smile. “In hindsight, we should be grateful for her magnanimity—or perhaps she never considered us worth her attention.”

As a member of the highest nobility in the Lanleaf Empire, ending up with such a powerless conclusion left his subordinate momentarily stunned. He then looked at Lan Liu. “In that case, your decision to withdraw early was incredibly wise.”

“It was merely self-preservation born from a sense of crisis,” Lan Liu replied, self-mockery in his tone.

“What next…” the subordinate began, wanting to ask about Lan Liu’s plans.

“There’s nothing more to say. Prepare diligently for the third trial,” Lan Liu said calmly. “My ultimate goal in coming here is still to join the Academy.”

...

...

Elsewhere in Nightleaf City, a young man wore an unhappy expression.

He spoke in a low voice, “Have you discovered that girl’s identity?”

“Young Master, there wasn’t enough time. Please give me a little longer,” someone replied, a trace of pleading in his voice.

“Useless,” the youth said coldly. “This was something I was determined to get, only to have it snatched away before us all. If she dares to openly challenge us, then we must answer in kind—let her learn the meaning of fear and respect.”

With that, he raised his hand, and a black dagger silently appeared in his palm.

He flicked it lightly, and the blade traced a curve through the air, landing on the floor before the kneeling man.

“Young Master!” the man exclaimed in terror.

“Relax, I’m not asking you to kill yourself,” the youth said with a chilling smile. “Take it and test her.”

“How should I test her?” the man asked softly. Serving such a temperamental master, he needed clear instructions, not vague hints.

“Just take a little piece from her,” the youth smiled, looking at the man before him. “She has a pretty face, but peel off the skin and it’s nothing but blood—let me think.”

He seemed to ponder seriously for a moment.

“A finger will do. Bring me the ring finger of her right hand.”

“But this is Nightleaf Academy!” the man whispered, trying to remind his master.

“Precisely because this is Nightleaf Academy, I will show them proper respect,” the youth replied coldly. “Otherwise, I wouldn’t let her live.”

“If you do well enough,” he continued, “then this Winter Singer is yours.”

Hearing this promise, the man looked up in delight, realizing his master was not joking. He kowtowed repeatedly. “Thank you, Young Master, thank you!”

“Go now,” the youth said, waving his hand with a trace of weariness.

After his subordinate left, he sat alone, supporting his head with one hand.

“I don’t know why Carlotus had you appear in public, but without a doubt, you’ve at least proven you’re worthy of holding that paper. Otherwise, ‘a man’s guilt lies in his treasure.’”

Muttering thus, he closed his eyes and fell asleep in his chair.

...

...

“What’s the girl’s name, and where is she staying—have you found out?” Mo Yun asked, holding a dull gray crystal ball, his gaze fixed on the man in black before him.

“We’re still investigating. Oddly, it seems she isn’t staying within Nightleaf City,” came the airy reply.

“Not in Nightleaf City?” Mo Yun was surprised. His long black hair fell to his shoulders, his eyes jet black like onyx, but his face was deathly pale. “Or perhaps a place we don’t know about?”

“Though Nightleaf City is in West City’s territory, that doesn’t mean we know nothing here,” the man in black chuckled. “We still have enough eyes and power in this city to gather all necessary information. In fact, the girl first appeared in Nightleaf City just two days ago, accompanied by a boy.”

“They seem to have clashed with someone surnamed Lan—Lan Liu—and there’s direct evidence that they tried to find lodging here but failed. In my opinion, they’re likely staying outside the city.”

“Fine, and her name?” Mo Yun asked.

“According to the candidate list leaked from the Student Council, the girl’s name is Liu Ru,” the man replied.

“Liu Ru?” Mo Yun repeated. “Any previous record?”

“None—could be an alias, as their registration came through the Mercenary Guild,” the man said coolly. “But the focus isn’t Liu Ru, but the boy with her.”

“The boy?” Mo Yun had not seen him.

“He has an unusual name: Su Ziye.”

“Su Ziye?” Mo Yun still didn’t recognize it. “What’s unusual about it?”

“That’s something you wouldn’t know,” the man in black smiled. “In January this year, the Steger Empire had a certain incident.”

“What happened?” Mo Yun asked.

“A squad of imperial border guards—about 150 men—was killed near a village,” the man explained.

“Really?” Mo Yun frowned deeply. He knew that the loss of such a force was no small matter in these peaceful times.

“The Steger Empire covered it up,” the man continued, “and Prince Xiye led a major purge and restructuring of the border troops.”

“How does this relate to the current situation?” Mo Yun asked. The Steger Empire was thousands of miles from Nightleaf City—completely unrelated, or so it seemed.

“Ordinarily, it wouldn’t. But this name—Su Ziye—has a connection.” The man smiled. “Reliable intelligence says the culprit was a youth named Su Ziye.”

“Could the two Su Ziyes be the same person?” Mo Yun asked.

“No one knows. By rights, no one would flaunt the same name in public,” replied the man in black. “But in our line of work, you can never trust common sense.”

“What is Su Ziye’s background?” Mo Yun pressed.

The man in black smiled, not answering directly. Instead, he looked at Mo Yun. “Do you know why the Council of Elders specifically summoned you this time?”

“I’m not in a position to ask questions,” Mo Yun replied coolly. “I just follow the Council’s orders.”

“Then I can tell you now,” the man in black said. “Because you happen to be in Nightleaf City, and there are special tasks for you to carry out here.”

“What tasks?” Mo Yun asked bluntly.

The man looked him in the eye. “Now you’re asking questions again.”

“Because I have the right to ask you,” Mo Yun replied. “My original mission was to enter Nightleaf Academy and report further intelligence on Carlotus.”

“So this mission may be canceled,” the man said.

“Canceling a set mission means this new one is higher priority?” Mo Yun asked.

“As high as the sky,” was the reply.

“Thank you for the Council’s trust,” Mo Yun said calmly.

“Have you guessed what the new task is?” the man asked.

“I never guess,” Mo Yun replied.

“Then what I tell you now will be classified at the highest level. Are you ready to hear it?” the man said.

Mo Yun nodded.

“The seed we planted in the Steger Empire is finally about to take root. Of course, now the seed needs our help and favor.”

“Your actions are part of that favor,” the man smiled. “You have two targets.”

“The first is Prince Xiye, the fourth son of the Steger Emperor—serial number three. He has arrived in Nightleaf City. Before he enters Nightleaf Academy, you must kill him.”

“This mission is Earth-level.”

“The second target concerns Su Ziye.”

“Seven months ago, the seventh prince of the Steger Empire, Xi Che—serial number one—left the imperial court and vanished. His only suspected appearance was during that border massacre. At that time, he used the name Su Ziye.”

“He’s a cunning adversary. We can’t be sure the Su Ziye with Liu Ru is really Xi Che. But you must kill him, and with certainty. According to our intelligence, this prince is a master of disguise—it’s impossible to tell if he’s young or old, male or female. Identifying him is the priority.”

“This mission is Heaven-level, assigned personally by the Eighth Elder.”

Mo Yun listened in silence, his expression unchanged. When the man finished, he sighed. “A prince of Steger, is it?”

“If it really is the Steger prince, we couldn’t withstand the Empire’s wrath,” the man in black chuckled. “But if we only kill a stray dog, we’ll be rewarded.”

“I never liked getting involved in imperial affairs,” Mo Yun said quietly. “But a mission is a mission. What’s the deadline?”

“Before they enter Nightleaf Academy,” the man replied. “Once they’re inside, the mission fails.”

“We’re not ready for all-out war with the Western City and the Academy just yet.”

“Understood,” said Mo Yun. “Can I request further assistance?”

“This is the highest priority mission within Lanleaf Empire’s borders. All resources and personnel will be allocated to you. But out of respect for Nightleaf Academy, no one above the Heaven level will be sent,” the man confirmed.

“Can I request the aid of a weapon?” Mo Yun asked.

At this, the man in black fell silent for a rare moment.

After some thought, he replied, “The weapon is at a critical juncture—it’s not convenient for her to be used right now.”

“I ask that the Council reconsider,” Mo Yun said solemnly. “Otherwise, I cannot guarantee success.”

“Very well, I’ll report it. But the final decision rests with the Council,” the man replied coolly.

“Thank you,” Mo Yun said softly. “If I fail in this mission…”

“As agreed, I will look after your younger brother,” the man assured him.