Chapter 481: Unworthy of Nomination

Chapter 481 Not Worthy of Nomination

Beneath the night sky, two motorcades raced from different directions toward the brilliantly lit Edo City.

At the junction of the roads, they drove side by side, gradually slowing down.

Okayama Castle’s hundred-household chief, Jiao Mujiao, shoved open the car door and strode quickly toward a black vehicle parked a short distance away, his grim face tinged with obvious unease and anxiety.

"Lu Yu, what exactly has happened? Why is the Bright King so urgently summoning us to Edo?"

Unlike his panic, Matsue Castle’s hundred-household chief Lu Yu, who followed him out of the car, appeared quite composed.

He reached out and grabbed Jiao Mujiao’s shoulder, half-dragging and half-pulling him to a spot far from their subordinates, then frowned and spoke: "Are you mad? Are you trying to let the men know whose orders we’re following on this operation?"

"I only told them there was an emergency in Edo City—they know nothing else."

Lu Yu’s scolding tone irritated Jiao Mujiao, who shook off his hand and said in a low voice: "By the rules of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the Bright King has no authority to deploy us, and this time he bypassed the Qianhu Station entirely to issue the order. If Qian Fengting’s people find out we left our posts without permission, we’ll be in deep trouble!"

"Then why did you come, knowing the danger?"

Lu Yu’s contemptuous words made Jiao Mujiao’s expression freeze. But before he could flare up, Lu Yu changed his expression like flipping a page, smiled, and said: "Alright, alright. Now that you’re here, what’s the point of worrying about all this? Calm down. The Bright King must have his reasons for doing this; he wouldn’t harm you or me."

"What reason could be worth my head, Jiao Mujiao’s head?"

Suppressing the fury in his heart, Jiao Mujiao let out a cold snort, his eyes fixed coldly on Lu Yu: "You’re so calm—do you already know something?"

"I haven’t been serving the Bright King as long as you have. If you don’t know, how could I possibly know?"

Lu Yu smiled faintly: "But I advise you not to pry. Just follow the Bright King’s orders obediently, and you won’t lose out."

"If you won’t tell me the truth, my men won’t enter the city."

Jiao Mujiao refused to believe his words, his tone firm as he turned resolutely to leave.

"Wait."

Jiao Mujiao paused mid-step, half-turning to look at Lu Yu: "Something else?"

"Jiao Mujiao, you really do have a fiery temper. The Bright King didn’t tell you for your own good, yet you take his kindness for malice. Do you know how I felt when I learned the truth? I wished I were deaf! Do you understand?"

Lu Yu gave a bitter smile, walking toward Jiao Mujiao as he pulled a cigarette case from his sleeve, shook out a paper cigarette, and handed it over.

"You’ve heard about what happened to Old Ye, right?"

"I know a bit. But what does that have to do with what we’re doing now?"

Jiao Mujiao took the cigarette and put it to his lips.

"He couldn’t reach an agreement with the Li family of Shiga Castle over a trivial matter, and they cut off his head right there in the station. He died so miserably. The Bright King summoned us to Edo because he sensed some unusual movements from the Liu family and decided to strike first."

The Bright King wants to kill Liu Dian?!

Jiao Mujiao’s heart trembled.

A flame crept close, illuminating the fear and unease on his face.

"The Bright King said that once Liu Dian is dealt with, he will arrange a way out for us, with conditions no worse than what those clans offer. You know the Bright King’s background—isn’t that better than working for those clans?"

Shaken, Jiao Mujiao almost instinctively inhaled sharply, the burning tip of the cigarette giving off wisps of smoke.

The Bright King stands behind Fuxu Cold Mountain Temple—Jiao Mujiao had known that for a long time.

Such a background was unique among the Embroidered Uniform Guard in the Japanese region, which was mostly filled with exiles. That was why, during Su Ce’s stint as an absentee chief, he had unhesitatingly aligned himself with the Bright King, willing to be his pawn.

But everyone knew this; Liu Dian couldn’t be ignorant. Given the behavior of these clan scions, even if the Bright King didn’t want to cooperate with him, the situation shouldn’t have escalated to such a point where they wanted him dead.

Thinking this over, Jiao Mujiao’s eyes swept across the group of Matsue Castle guards standing by their vehicles, pausing abruptly on their heavily armed forms.

No, that bastard Lu Yu is lying to me!

"Lu Yu, you—"

The words had barely left his mouth when a swift, biting cold light flashed in Jiao Mujiao’s vision.

Pfft!

Half a blade pierced up through his jaw.

Lu Yu twisted the handle lightly, thick liquid flowing into his sleeve along the grip. With his left hand, he grabbed Jiao Mujiao’s collar, preventing his convulsing body from collapsing.

"Gah…"

Jiao Mujiao’s eyes turned bloodshot, staring intently at a brilliant golden gleam flashing deep in Lu Yu’s pupils.

"The Bright King has always known you were playing both sides between him and Li Jun. If His Majesty hadn’t thought you still had some use, you’d have been sent to the next life long ago. Actually, if you had honestly followed me into the city this time, you might have had a slim chance to survive."

Lu Yu smiled: "But what a pity—you still can’t see the situation clearly. You came looking for death yourself, so don’t blame me."

Pfft!

The dagger burst through his skull, nearly splitting Jiao Mujiao’s face in two, then plunged downward, burying its hilt deep into his heart.

At that moment, the Okayama Castle guards waiting in the distance finally noticed something was wrong.

"Chief!"

The horrified guards barely had time to raise their guns before a bullet from behind blew one of their heads apart.

In the deafening gunfire, a cold-faced squad leader from Okayama Castle kept pulling the trigger at the body lying in a pool of blood until the magazine was empty. Then, with apathetic eyes, he swept his gaze over the bewildered comrades around him.

"Okayama Castle hundred-household chief Jiao Mujiao colluded with the Lord of Yan from Inuyama Castle, plotting rebellion and persecuting Commissioner Xu Haichao of the Japanese region. He has been executed on the spot. From now on, everyone will follow Hundred-household Chief Lu Yu’s orders and march into Edo City to suppress the rebellion. Am I clear!"

The roar echoed across the empty wilderness; pale faces gradually lowered.

"Heard that? Now you’re the bandit, and I’m the officer. If you get a chance to be reborn in the next life, remember to keep your eyes wide open."

Lu Yu bent down to pick up the cigarette butt from the ground. The blood-soaked tobacco was dried by the heat, and the acrid, strange taste surged from his throat into his lungs, slowly stirring the bloodlust buried deep within.

"Into the city!"

The halted motorcade started moving again, racing toward the nearby neon-lit city.

A spent cigarette butt flew out the car window, landing on the bloody trail left by the wheels.

Jiao Mujiao’s body lay at the end of the bloodstain; one dull, dead eye reflected the fading red taillights.

Thirty li away, a motorcade belonging to the Kanazawa Castle Embroidered Uniform Guard was rapidly approaching.

"Baowei, have you seen the intelligence Xie Bi’an shared? The Qianhu Station is unreachable for some reason. What exactly is the Bright King up to, personally mobilizing the guards from Okayama and Matsue Castles into Edo at a time like this?"

Inside a speeding vehicle, Qiongqi, seated in the back, was communicating with Baowei, the hundred-household chief of Shuri Castle.

"I don’t care what he’s up to. What I care about is what Xie Bi’an—no, what the Lord of Yan wants us to do."

On the other end of the transmission, Baowei’s voice was especially grave.

"What do you think the Lord of Yan wants to do?"

Qiongqi paused for a moment, then spoke slowly.

"Who knows? But I think what he wants to do is definitely different from the Bright King."

"And where are you right now?"

"Right now… I should be able to enter Edo City territory in about three-quarters of an hour."

Qiongqi’s tightly furrowed brow suddenly relaxed, and he cursed through gritted teeth: "You bastard, you’re messing with me, aren’t you?"

Haha, leaving everything else aside, don't forget one thing, Qiongqi: the Yan Lord is the Crown Prince. Now that the Emperor's whereabouts are unknown, is there any need to consider whose orders to follow?

The telepathic message thus cut off, Qiongqi leaned his head back against the seat and closed his eyes in contemplation.

“My lord.”

Inside the stiflingly quiet carriage, Shanxiao, seated in the passenger seat, looked up at the rearview mirror, seeming to hesitate.

“For the sake of our brotherhood over all these years, if you want to get off the car now, I can give you the chance.”

Qiongqi slowly opened his eyes, his tone exceedingly calm.

“That's not what I meant.”

Shanxiao raised a hand to clutch his chest, putting on an expression of utter grief, and said in pained tones: “Though I, Shanxiao, am a coward who fears death, that character flaw is still slightly less than my greed for wealth and lust for pleasure. Your misunderstanding of me like this pains me greatly.”

The coldness in Qiongqi's eyes dissipated completely. “Then what do you want to say?”

“I just want to ask, if by some chance I survive this time, will I have a chance to be a centurion?”

Shanxiao chuckled. “I've been a squad leader for so many years; I want to advance a bit too.”

“I want to as well.”

Kuinui, who was driving, said with a muffled voice.

“Go to hell, are you trying to rebel?”

Qiongqi laughed and swore, then his smile faded and he said solemnly: “If we don't die this time, I will definitely recommend you to be centurions. If Lord Su disagrees, I'll make room for you!”

“Did you hear that? You might take over our lord's post!”

Shanxiao slapped Kuinui heavily on the shoulder, clicking his tongue: “Centurion Kuinui of Jinze City, hmm, not bad!”

“It sounds a bit strange, but still comfortable.”

Kuinui, who usually didn't get along with Shanxiao, wasn't angered by the teasing and wore a simple, honest smile.

Because from the palm on his shoulder, he clearly felt a slight tremor.

Who would willingly go to their death if they could live?

But this time, they had to go. Not because they had no choice—on the contrary, they had many options to safely weather the storm and quietly wait for riches and honor to be delivered into their hands.

But Kuinui refused to choose that, Shanxiao refused to choose that, and so did Centurion Qiongqi.

There are always some people and things worth risking their lives for.

Like the clothes on their backs at this moment, and the blades in their hands.

Qiongqi stared at the dense night that even the headlights couldn't pierce, and let out a heavy sigh.

“Faster!”

The full moon hung high; it was already midnight.

Harsh alarm sirens echoed through the building of the Quanshan City Centurion Station.

“It's finally here, goddammit!”

Fan Wujiu planted a foot on the edge of the station's top floor, his face ferocious as he stared into the distance.

Dense figures converged like a black tide, and one after another finely crafted ‘Wumu’ shields rose up, the loud hum of electric currents roaring like tidal waves.

At this moment, the Quanshan City Centurion Station had become an isolated island in the sea, ready to capsize under the vicious waves at any moment.

“Yang Baize, even at this point, you still want to fight like a cornered beast?”

Within the shield-wall formation, Wang Changting, who had long vanished from Quanshan City, finally appeared again, holding a feather fan and wearing a scholar's scarf, his scholarly air undiminished.

“Hiding for so long, you still have the nerve to show yourself?”

Before the station, Yang Baize stood tall, his sword-like brows and eyes devoid of any fear.

Chen Qisheng stood one step behind him with arms crossed, his flying sword ‘Zhuang Yuan’ slowly orbiting his body.

“Don't flatter yourself too much.”

Wang Changting smiled faintly. “You and Li Jun are not qualified to make me give way. I didn't play with you simply because I had more important matters to attend to.”

“Whether it was hiding or retreating, there's no need for such idle talk.”

Yang Baize declared loudly: “I'm standing here today; if you want my head, then come and get it!”

“Dying is simple; the real challenge is how to live.”

Wang Changting watched Yang Baize's impassioned, death-defying expression and couldn't help but laugh mockingly. “Just a child after all, even if you put on official robes, you can't accomplish great deeds.”

“Yang Baize, that day in the Pacification Commission office when you refused me under the pretext of loyalty and righteousness, how noble and impressive you were! Why not continue your hypocritical act today, instead of pushing these innocent Brocade Guard members forward to die in your place?”

Wang Changting sneered. “Because that day you knew I couldn't kill you, and today you know you can hardly survive. Arrogant before, subservient after, cowardice disguised as bravery—this is Pei Xingjian's student?”

“How dare you!”

A furious roar burst from within the station.

Xu Zhun, with graying hair and beard, strode out, his hair bristling with rage like an old furious lion.

“You dare to utter Sir Pei's name directly?”

At the same time, a lean and tough man silently walked out from the shield formation to the front. Ignoring the restless gun barrels before him, his eyes filled with killing intent locked firmly onto Xu Zhun.

A Confucian fourth-rank local official on the verge of decline, facing a vigorous fourth-rank agricultural lord in his prime.

Who was stronger? The answer could be seen on Xu Zhun's face, which looked as if he were facing a formidable enemy.

Without a word, Chen Qisheng stepped forward to stand side by side with Xu Zhun.

Yuan Mingfei walked out from the shadows inside the station in high-heeled wooden clogs, the metal lines embedded along her long legs emitting a faint golden glow. She smiled seductively at Wang Changting.

“It seems Li Jun has staked most of his fortune on you.”

Wang Changting's smile remained calm and composed, as if he had long anticipated this situation.

He flicked his sleeve, and behind him stepped out another man with the character ‘Liu’ branded on his forehead, exuding a fierce aura.

Clanking metallic sounds came from the man's chest, and his swollen body burst the upper part of his clothes into shreds.

On his exposed chest, a heart pumping at high speed could be clearly seen. Crimson threads extended from the mechanical heart, winding around the coldly gleaming mechanical bones, instantly weaving a muscular, bulging frame.

Reconstructing steel bones with a mechanical heart—to achieve this, the opponent was at least a fourth-rank military lord!

“Yang Baize, do you know? Because of you, Liu Dian played me, taking the top credit for the first phase of the New Deal and causing me heavy losses. It might even lead to a reprimand from the clan and affect my official career. Yet even so, I can still give you a chance.”

“I can choose not to kill you today, not even touch a blade of grass in this station, as long as you accept one condition.” Wang Changting smiled. “Accept my Confucian seal imprinted on you, in exchange for these hundreds of lives. For a man of loyalty and relationships like you, the choice should be simple, shouldn't it?”

Yang Baize's face turned pale. He hadn't expected Wang Changting to have borrowed a fourth-rank military officer from Liu Dian.

With such a vast gap in strength, if they really fought, there would likely be no survivors in the Quanshan City Centurion Station.

Yang Baize slowly took a deep breath. “I—”

“Let me answer for you.”

At the sound, Yang Baize abruptly turned his head. Xie Bi'an had somehow appeared beside him.

After patting Yang Baize's elbow, Xie Bi'an's wheelchair transformed into external prosthetics, supporting him as he stood up.

Clang!

An embroidered spring blade slid from its scabbard. Xie Bi'an raised it and pointed ahead, cursing furiously: "Damn you, Fan Wujiu, still watching the show from up there? I'll put a bullet in that bastard!"

Boom!

A violent gunshot tore through the night, blasting a guard in front of Wang Changting—man and shield—flying away.

"I've been waiting far too long!"

A hot shell casing from the chamber flew past Fan Wujiu's cheek. Amidst the spreading smoke, his face held nothing but savage bloodlust.

"So it turns out that you and your master Pei Xingjian are nothing but hypocritical and base scoundrels!"

Wang Changting's tone was dripping with sarcasm, but his sweeping sleeve suddenly froze in midair.

"It seems I, Pei Xingjian, have truly regressed in the Ru Sequence over these years, to the point where a nobody like you dares to point a finger at me."

An aged voice rode the cold wind, freezing the smugness in Wang Changting's eyes inch by inch.

"The Six Arts of the Ru Sequence place ritual first. Now that you see your former teacher, why do you not kneel?"

Wang Changting looked in horror toward the sound, only to see, in the pitch-black Confucian temple, Pei Xingjian walking out with his hands behind his back, slovenly dressed, his frame hunched like an old man in his twilight years.

"All those of the Ru Sequence, kneel."

As the old man's figure drew closer, an ever-intensifying pressure caused the genes within Wang Changting's body to emit a shrill, piercing wail. He could no longer stand and sank weakly to his knees.

"You can't even resist the ritual that the Ru Sequence has engraved into your genes to be used against yourself, and you still dare to speak my name?"

The arrogant and overbearing words fell from above, echoing like thunder in Wang Changting's ears.