"Who were those assassins?"
"Then why were you with them?"
"I needed them to show me the way."
"Then why didn’t you help her earlier?"
Before "Fierce Horse" died, she had called out to Mr. Chen three times for help, but Mr. Chen did not lift a finger to save her and watched her get killed.
"She deserved to die."
"Why did she deserve to die?"
Mr. Chen pointed to the twenty-odd bodies from the posthouse lying on the ground.
"She killed these innocent people."
A kernel of hope suddenly welled up within Zheng Fan. People always preferred to be friends with honest and kind people because such friends were easier to deceive.
"Don’t you know why they wanted to kill me?"
"What about you? What are you doing here?" ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵•𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮•𝓷𝓮𝓽
Mr. Chen looked at Zheng Fan and said, "To kill you."
"Do you know who I am?" Zheng Fan pointed at his own face.
"There should be quite a few people in the world named Zheng Fan. You might have the wrong person..."
"Zheng Fan, the Commander of Green Willow Fortress, under the administration of Nanwang City in Yinlang County of Yan."
"Oh, it really is me, isn’t it? What a coincidence." Zheng Fan laughed awkwardly and continued to ask, "Are you from Qian State?"
Ever since Zheng Fan regained consciousness, he had indeed killed and cheated people. But considering the depth of damage he had done and the level of this mighty expert who had come to kill him... it could only be Qian State.
As expected, he was from Qian State.
"Mr. Chen, listen to me. There’s a saying: ’Every injustice has its perpetrator, every debt its debtor.’ I led the army into Qian State under the command of Lord Jingnan. How about this: if you really want to seek the welfare of Qian State and eliminate a huge threat for it, I can help you enter Nanwang City and get close to Lord Jingnan. I am just a Commander, merely a slightly bigger pawn. You should understand the principle of ’capturing the leader first to catch the bandits’."
After Blind Bei had made it clear that they were no match for this Mr. Chen, Zheng Fan, out of an instinct to survive, started to divert the trouble elsewhere.
Of course, it was also because Mr. Chen seemed a bit simple-minded.
"I am no match for Tian Wujing."
Tian Wujing was Lord Jingnan’s name.
"People should always try and find some challenges to tackle. Only then can life be more meaningful."
"I am not a match for Tian Wujing."
"..." Zheng Fan was speechless.
Zheng Fan found that it seemed more difficult to deceive someone who wasn’t quite bright because there was no solution to this reason. If I’m no match for him, why should I even bother confronting him?
"We can make long-term plans," Zheng Fan suggested. "I can help you plot."
To save his own life, Zheng Fan had no qualms about selling out Lord Jingnan multiple times.
"I don’t want to kill him."
"Then could you perhaps not kill me either? I know you’re a good person."
"I am here specifically to kill you."
"But we are at war, and I am a soldier. Killing in battle is part of my duty. You can’t possibly aim to kill everyone who goes to fight in Qian State, can you? Uh, I heard that Zuo Jiqian, the Commander of Jitui Fort, recently went to Qian State and killed quite a few Qian State soldiers. I know him; I can introduce you."
"Wait, so you’re set on killing only me?"
"Why won’t you kill them, but you insist on killing me?"
Hearing this answer again, Zheng Fan was filled with even more doubts and asked, "Who are you avenging?"
"For those who have died."
Zheng Fan was very curious. After he had led his soldiers into Qian State to raid, many others had followed his example. Why was this man fixated solely on him?
"Which group of people?"
"The souls of the unjustly slain."
It seemed Mr. Chen felt he had answered enough questions. He raised his sword, grasping the hilt with his left hand, and said, "I draw my sword; you draw your saber."
At this moment, Hui Wenzu stepped out from behind Zheng Fan. With a serious expression, he stared at Mr. Chen and snorted coldly. "Do you have any idea of the consequences of killing an official of Yan within our territory, even if you are a martial arts expert? You insolent brat! Do you really think our Yan has no one capable? If you intend to play the reckless hero today and spill blood, then in the future, when our Yan cavalry charges into the heartland of your Qian State, we will ensure thousands lie dead to avenge today’s grievance!"
Mr. Chen seemed unfazed by Hui Wenzu’s threat and said calmly, "I never harm the innocent. Every injustice has its perpetrator, every debt its debtor. Today, the only one I intend to kill is Zheng Fan. The rest of you may leave."
"Hmph!" Hui Wenzu glared angrily at Mr. Chen again, then turned and walked away.
Xue Three and Blind Bei didn’t leave; they remained standing where they were.
Mr. Chen continued calmly, "You may stand aside and watch me kill him. As long as you don’t intervene, you won’t have to die."
Xue Three didn’t speak but quietly stepped in front of Zheng Fan.
Blind Bei also remained silent, merely letting out a light yawn.
Seeing this, Mr. Chen said, "Then you too must die."
Blind Bei’s voice resonated in Xue Three’s mind: "I actually feel quite excited."
"Me too," Xue Three responded mentally.
"Last month, Liang Cheng took My Lord on that reckless jaunt to Qian State to play at war, nearly getting us killed in our sleep back home for no reason. It’s chilling to even think about it now. Now, it’s their turn to see how it feels."
"Yeah. At least before we die, we can go down fighting."
"We’re about to kick the bucket anyway, just bear with it."
"I think there’s something off about what this guy is saying," Blind Bei communicated. "It seems My Lord must have killed his family when he was in Qian State."
"What I think is off," Xue Three retorted, "is his mind."
At this moment, Zheng Fan spoke, "Mr. Chen, I have one final question."
Mr. Chen looked hesitant but eventually nodded. "Ask. After you’re done, I’ll draw my sword."
"Even if I’m to die, I should at least die knowing. What’s your name?"
Mr. Chen frowned slightly and said, "Haven’t you been calling my name all this time?"
"..." Zheng Fan was speechless again.