Chapter 195: A Violent Ape Roars in the Forest

Chapter 195: The Feral Ape Howls in the Woods

In all things, plan for defeat before planning for victory.

This maxim originated from the Sage Ancestor Guigu; Gong Qinghong had always revered it as his lodestar.

So when the curtain had just risen on the Qixia Group's side, with victory and defeat still undecided, he had already quietly fled far away.

But Gong Qinghong never expected that the escape route he had meticulously selected would be detected in advance by someone.

"The wind's voice was never heard, yet the rumor perceived it first. Even the 'Wind General' didn't know, yet the 'Rumor General' guessed it. Should I say Yuan Mingfei has good luck, or that I underestimated her ability?"

Gong Qinghong looked at the figure blocking his path and said helplessly, "I merely killed a few pieces of trash; is there a need to pursue me so relentlessly?"

Cao Cang's brows and eyes were icy cold; the iron rod in his hand pointed forward like a halberd.

"You are a traitor. You must die!"

Gong Qinghong laughed heartily, "Don't speak in such absolutes. The 'Sparrow Faction' of the Chuan-Yu Gambling Convention has three forces; I merely left your 'Stripes', that doesn't necessarily mean betrayal."

Cao Cang frowned tightly, vaguely sensing there was more to the other's words.

"You pursue me so vigorously; it shouldn't be just for the simple sake of eliminating a traitor, right?"

Gong Qinghong raised a hand and patted his own skull, "If I guessed correctly, you want to take my head, Gong Qinghong's, to present as a pledge of allegiance to someone else?"

"How do you know?!"

A look of horror flashed in Cao Cang's eyes; an inexplicable chill coiled around his body.

In an instant, raindrops fluttered like scattered needles; the wind through the forest sounded like ghosts weeping.

The mind-ape claws at its ears, the intent-horse slips its reins.

Cao Cang's five fingers gripping the refined iron staff tensed to the root; his breathing suddenly grew heavy.

"Don't be tense. If your intelligence is sufficient, many things cease to be secrets. Besides, Yuan Mingfei's identity as a wild nun isn't exactly an earth-shattering secret."

Gong Qinghong was calm and composed, not the least bit flustered by being hunted, speaking eloquently.

"The Arhat Temple was destroyed, and the identity of the perpetrator is so sensitive. For both the Han Transmission and Fan Transmission of Buddhism, this is a rare opportunity not to be missed; they can openly dispatch itinerant monks to Chongqing Prefecture to apprehend the culprit."

"Chongqing Prefecture's currents are swift and waters deep; even a dragon crossing the river might drown at the bottom if careless. These Buddhist masters are no fools; once in Chongqing, they will naturally seek a local snake to guide them."

"If it were the Han Transmission's envoys, it would be fine; they at least care about face, won't kill indiscriminately, and pay generously—working for them is profitable."

"But the Fan Transmission people are different. When Yuan Mingfei betrayed the Great Zhao Temple years ago, the commotion was huge; many Living Buddhas vowed to cast her into the Desire Realm, never to be reborn."

"The arrival of the Buddhists is inevitable. Yuan Mingfei seeking shelter for herself is only natural."

Gong Qinghong's facial skin twitched, a smile yet not a smile, "Pity the 'Eight Generals of the Thousand Gates' are unreliable; is that martial man reliable then? He himself is but a clay Bodhisattva; does Yuan Mingfei expect him to ferry her across the river? Too naive!"

Killing intent surged from Cao Cang's whole body; expressionless, he stepped forward.

Wind and rain grew fierce, blowing Gong Qinghong's robes into a loud flutter.

"The Fan Transmission enters Chongqing; Li Jun cannot stop them. Yuan Mingfei's life, he cannot protect either."

Gong Qinghong gauged the moment ripe for provocation, his tone suddenly rising as he shouted, "But what he cannot do, does not mean I cannot!"

His voice was like a great bell, landing with a resonant clang.

"Just you?"

"Not just me," Gong Qinghong shook his head in denial, his voice solemn and deep, "But also the Honghu behind me."

Cao Cang's figure halted; his eyes, full of ferocity, rippled with a trace of shock.

"You are Honghu's man?!"

"Correct."

The smile on Gong Qinghong's face deepened, his gaze sincere, making it hard to feel hostility.

"Cao Cang, Li Jun can't help Yuan Mingfei. In all of Chongqing Prefecture, only Honghu can help her cross this tribulation!"

Chasing wind and catching shadows, silver-tongued.

Gong Qinghong stared intently at the changes in Cao Cang's expression, step by step manipulating his mind with words.

As expected, a look of struggle appeared on Cao Cang's face; the iron rod he had raised slowly lowered to the ground.

"Honghu... why should you help us?"

Gong Qinghong was secretly delighted; his speech sped up, "As long as you become one of Honghu's people, we will naturally spare no effort to help!"

"Really?" Cao Cang's voice was hoarse, barely concealing his hesitation.

Gong Qinghong declared with absolute certainty, "Absolutely true!"

"Gong Qinghong, is this how you always deceive people? No wonder Honghu has fallen to the state where everyone shouts to beat you."

A mocking voice drifted into his ears; Gong Qinghong, seeing the sudden derision on Cao Cang's face, froze in place for a moment.

Cao Cang rested the long staff across the back of his neck, hands resting on the shaft, sneering, "Did you forget what my Xiexin is? With just that slick tongue of yours, you can't fool me. Save your breath."

At this moment, how could he not understand that this 'Mind-Ape' was toying with him.

"Since you are obstinate and unreceptive, I'll rip out your Xiexin!"

Gong Qinghong's face darkened; he flung his sleeve, and dense figures suddenly flickered in the woods behind him, converging from all sides.

"Did you really think I talked this much nonsense just to tease you?"

Cao Cang shook his head, "I don't have such bad tastes."

Thrum.

A high-pitched sound wave burst forth from his chest cavity.

Cao Cang slowly lifted the iron rod, licked the protruding canine teeth in his mouth, and a wild, unruly smile appeared on his face covered in dense mane.

"I'm warming up my Xiexin, aiming to kill you with a single strike!"

The Feral Ape leaped into flight, howling through the mountains and forests!

Gong Qinghong retreated into the crowd, his heart filled with horror.

"Overclocking... this madman actually forcibly advanced to Bingdao Rank Seven?! Does he not want to live?!"

Zhongyu District, Xinfang Avenue.

This long street neighbored that grand Hongya Mountain, naturally becoming the hottest gathering place for the wealthy.

Either rich or noble; that was merely the baseline threshold to live here.

Wang Xie, dressed in a Flying Fish Robe disguised as ordinary clothes, crouched by the roadside, his eyes never leaving the luxurious mansion across the street for a moment.

Although Wang Xie had never personally entered this mansion, he knew every detail by heart—how many gates it had, how many courtyards, which secret passages were dug, how many hidden doors concealed—familiar to the point of rotten familiarity.

The reason was simple: this mansion ranked high on the Embroidered Uniform Guard's extermination list.

This was precisely one of the residences of the 'Upright General', the leader of the 'Tube Faction' of the Chuan-Yu Gambling Convention, and one of the 'Eight Generals of the Thousand Gates'.

Huff!

Wang Xie exhaled a stream of smoke from his nose, like a long dragon.

In just a moment, the ground beneath his feet was already littered with dense cigarette butts, plainly showing just how anxious and agitated his state of mind was at this moment.

"Damn it all, a cheat daring to meddle in rebellion—courting death!"

Just as Wang Xie was cursing up a storm, that supremely luxurious vermilion-lacquered gate creaked open with a groan.

From the depths of that noble mansion, deep as the sea, an elderly man with a curly beard stepped forth, clad in robes of profound black.

"The Boss is out! All of you, keep your eyes peeled and stand ready to move at a moment's notice!"

Wang Xie barked a low order, striding forward to meet him.

"Boss, does the Honghu affair have something to do with this brat? Has the man fled? You want the brothers to go in and ransack the place? If it's inconvenient for you to give the order, let me do it. My life's worthless anyway, Wang Xie—I fear offending those high officials not a whit."

The old man paid no heed to the frantic Wang Xie; his fingers, resting on his belt, tapped lightly.

Wang Xie's expression froze, his gaze locking onto the old man's fingers.

There, on the ring finger, the Wuchang Register ring flickered with a ghostly light, and faintly, as if from miles away, came the wailing cries of countless men and women.

"Just... how many consciousnesses have been thrown into the Imperial Prison?"

Wang Xie whipped his head around to stare at that gaping gate, a chill shooting from his tailbone straight up to his crown.