Chapter 886: Shangjing Shadow Guard

That night, Chen Changsheng came downstairs.

The jianghu wanderer from earlier that day had already ordered wine at one of the tables.

When he saw Chen Changsheng, he raised his cup in greeting.

Chen Changsheng walked over.

Only then did he take a good look at the man.

He looked ruthless, with a vicious glint in his eyes. A thick layer of calluses covered the webbing of his hand, left behind by years of wielding a saber.

His overall aura was dark and brooding, bearing a striking resemblance to that of a suicide operative.

Chen Changsheng sat down, and the man poured him a cup of wine.

"Shangjing Shadow Guard, Seventy-Eight, greets Mister Chen."

Chen Changsheng asked, "So, you serve one of the princes?"

Seventy-Eight smiled. "What do you think, Mister?"

Chen Changsheng had no interest in guessing. "Speak," he said bluntly. "Why have you sought This Chen out?"

Seventy-Eight stroked his chin. "This matter shouldn't be too difficult for you, Mister."

"With the realm fractured and descending into chaos, the Imperial Court has been plagued with headaches. But as things stand..."

He didn't get to finish.

Chen Changsheng raised a hand to cut him off. "If you want This Chen to help you deal with some prince or scheme against someone, save your breath. I have no interest and no intention of doing so. No matter how chaotic the realm gets, you can fight amongst yourselves. The world will eventually unite one day."

Seventy-Eight paused. "You're in such a rush to refuse, Mister. Aren't you afraid that Miss Ruyi might fall into danger?"

Chen Changsheng stared at him. "Do you really think my niece is someone you can touch just because you want to?"

Seventy-Eight met his gaze. "Don't be angry, Mister Chen. Whether we can touch her or not, you will just have to wait and see. We Shadow Guards don't have any grand abilities; our main advantage is our numbers and our disregard for our own lives. No matter how capable you are, Mister, let's see if you can kill us all. That is, if you can even root us out to begin with."

Chen Changsheng silently stared at him.

As Seventy-Eight locked eyes with him, a sudden sense of dread surged in his heart, as if Chen Changsheng really could hunt down and slaughter every last one of them.

Chen Changsheng suddenly smiled.

But that smile made Seventy-Eight shudder.

He had come fully prepared. He had thought his courage boundless and that he wouldn't flinch, but facing this Immortal master, a genuine sense of fear still crept into his heart.

"It seems you are already prepared to die," Chen Changsheng said.

Seventy-Eight nodded. "Yes. Anyone afraid of death wouldn't dare come here. We Shadow Guards have never feared dying. It's just that, relatively speaking, my life is the most worthless, so I came."

"I have never seen someone belittle themselves quite like this," Chen Changsheng said.

"You are wrong, Mister. It's not belittling; it's seeing clearly. I see my worth clearly."

Seventy-Eight took a sip of his wine. "For rats in the dark like us, being able to die in the light is already a worthy end."

"Then should This Chen grant you death?"

Seventy-Eight's arm trembled. He pursed his lips. "Please, Mister, talk with me a little longer."

"Aren't you afraid, then?"

"It's not dying that I'm afraid of."

Seventy-Eight smacked his lips. "I am just afraid of being forgotten. When people like us die, no one remembers us."

Most Shadow Guards were orphans, and he was no exception.

Chen Changsheng stared at him for a moment before filling his own cup with wine. "What do you want to talk about?"

Seventy-Eight said, "This is an extremely crucial part of the plan. A sudden complication has arisen, and I'm afraid it might ruin everything. Originally, Mister Lan was supposed to handle this, but for some reason, she suddenly changed her mind..."

Hearing this, Chen Changsheng understood why this man had sought him out.

"In that case, you serve Yan Ruchu?"

Seventy-Eight nodded.

"It has only been a single day. You moved quite fast," Chen Changsheng said, frowning slightly. He couldn't help but find it strange.

Seventy-Eight explained, "Actually, the Shadow Guard had already been in contact with Mister Lan prior to this. Upon testing the waters, we realized she was still hesitant about the matter, so we kept people watching her..."

Chen Changsheng asked, "What did Yan Ruchu want her to do?"

"Our Lord hoped that Mister Lan could hold the Northern Territory at the critical moment."

"The Northern Territory?"

"Yes..."

Seventy-Eight sighed. "You might not know this, Mister, but the Northern Territory was originally Great Xiang's homeland. Long before Great Jing split away, Great Xiang suffered from internal strife spearheaded by Northern Mang. Although the Grand Ancestor eventually crushed the rebellion, their remnants have continued to stir up trouble. Our Lord does not fear a Northern Desert uprising; he only fears that these remnants will seize the opportunity to rise again."

"Is that all?"

"That is all."

Chen Changsheng shook his head. "You are not a very good liar."

Seventy-Eight said, "I am not lying."

Chen Changsheng said, "This Chen has a history with your Lord. I know exactly what kind of person he is. There is no way Yan Ruchu would leave himself unprepared in a matter like this. Even if Mister Lan refused to go, he wouldn't come begging This Chen for help."

Seventy-Eight opened his mouth to speak, then said, "Compared to Mister Lan, you are the perfect candidate, Mister."

Chen Changsheng said, "You are not Yan Ruchu's man."

Seventy-Eight froze.

Chen Changsheng said, "Securing the Northern Territory..."

He pondered for a moment, then said, "Wei, Shu, and Jin all border the Southern Domain. The Imperial Court sits in the north, and Prince Kang occupies the Northwestern Lands. If the various princes march on the capital, the weakest point will undoubtedly be the north. But the north is bordered by Northern Mang, who harbors equally treacherous ambitions."

"But if Northern Mang is held back, the one who benefits the most is Prince Kang. He could then flank from the rear and suddenly march on the capital, catching everyone off guard."

Seventy-Eight gave an awkward laugh and said, "You must be joking, Mister. Prince Kang doesn't have that kind of ability, much less that kind of military strength."

Chen Changsheng looked at him and smiled. "He doesn't, but the Northern Desert does."

Seventy-Eight stiffened.

Chen Changsheng watched him, his gaze piercing right through the man.

Cold sweat broke out across Seventy-Eight's back, and he couldn't help but swallow hard.

"Although you have calluses on the webbing of your hand, their thickness is completely different from those of Great Xiang's soldiers," Chen Changsheng noted. "The difference lies in the blade. The people of Great Xiang mostly wield long sabers. Their points of friction differ entirely from those of the Northern Desert's scimitars, and the calluses on your hand perfectly match the grip of a scimitar."

Seventy-Eight fell silent.

Torn between hesitation and shock, he finally let out a sigh and said, "You have a sharp eye, Mister."

Chen Changsheng said, "As for your identity as a Shadow Guard, it's highly unlikely to be a disguise. Mister Lan is no ordinary person. Without a token from Yan Ruchu, there is no way she would have believed you. So, your standing as a Shadow Guard should be genuine as well."

Seventy-Eight's smile was a little strained.

Every word this Mister said was exactly right.

He was indeed a Shadow Guard, but his heart was not loyal to His Majesty.