Chapter 69. Today's Failure

I looked at the kneeling men and said to my subordinates,

“From now on, we are the Yunwu Society.”

“Huh?”

“Let’s change our clothes first. Take off the clothes of the dead and wear them. If there aren’t enough, take off the clothes of the severely injured. Go inside and bring them out to wear, or change all of them.”

I specifically excluded Dugu Sheng.

“You, don’t wear it.”

“Why?”

“You stand out too much. The clothes won’t help. Just stay here and clean up with the direct subordinates.”

When I said this to Dugu Sheng, the other subordinates finally understood my intention.

I planned to transform into a defeated soldier of the Yunwu Society and then immediately attack Li Longnong. Of course, the kneeling men would take the lead.

I briefly explained to Xiao Junping,

“Junping, it’s ‘using poison to counter poison.’”

“I understand.”

While the men were changing clothes, I called Hong Xin.

“Sister Hong.”

“Yes, Senior Brother.”

“Women know women’s hearts, right?”

“Right?”

“Since Dugu Sheng can kill anyone, you should stay and take care of the people captured here. You can kill suspicious people, but there’s no need to kill the weak.”

“I understand.”

“I plan to send the women who suffered here to Yiyang County or set them free. Please take good care of them.”

Hong Xin nodded.

“Yes.”

Only then did I approach the prisoners and start the indoctrination.

“Fools like Seongtae who only waste food...”

“...”

“You should all be killed just for being part of the Yunwu Society, but I’m a fickle person, so I’ll be a ray of light for you. If you don’t like it, raise your hand or bite your tongue and die. I won’t stop you.”

“...”

“No one? From now on, anyone who doesn’t answer properly will be an example for Shu Xiansheng.”

The prisoners answered in unison.

“No one.”

I pointed at the prisoners and said,

“Now, we will join forces to kill Li Longnong. You have been the ones who brought poor women here, stripped them, watched performances, and then sold them elsewhere. Is that right, or not?”

“Yes.”

I suddenly got angry and drew Heimiao.

“Just. I’ll kill all these bastards and go to hell...”

Bai Ren, who had approached, stopped me.

“Senior Brother, please hold on.”

“Let go. I’m going to the hell of extreme heat.”

“You can deal with them after assigning them the role of decoys. There are too many of them. Since Shu Xiansheng is dead, give them a chance to live differently, like us.”

I looked at Bai Ren, who was speaking at length for the first time in a while.

Bai Ren had suffered under the Great Temple, so he seemed to understand the prisoners’ feelings.

I sighed and reluctantly put the sword away.

“The hell of extreme heat isn’t a good place.”

Bai Ren said calmly,

“You’re right. Senior Brother, I will supervise these men from now on.”

“Alright.”

Bai Ren’s calm expression reassured me.

“Not a good place.”

Bai Ren continued,

“I will take responsibility for them.”

Since Bai Ren was taking responsibility, I remembered Murong Bai’s words.

Don’t kill alone; kill with your subordinates. I remembered the gist but not the exact words.

“You take responsibility.”

“Thank you. Senior Brother, please continue.”

“Where was I?”

“You said they were scum. Before that, you called them Seongtae-like men.”

“Oh, right. Anyway, these scum...”

Bai Ren said to the prisoners in a cold tone,

“Answer.”

“Yes!”

I scratched my nose and told the prisoners what to do.

“Your job is to act. We’re not honestly attacking together with my subordinates. We will temporarily become the Yunwu Society. You will inform them that Shu Xiansheng is dead and our goal is to enter Li Longnong’s mansion without a fight. Understand? We are now defeated soldiers.”

Bai Ren interjected,

“Senior Brother, I understand the plan. I will give specific instructions.”

“Good.”

Being the leader is easier this way.

I folded my arms and looked around, then called Xiao Junping.

“Junping.”

“Yes, Fangzhu.”

“Tell our excellent Black Cat Sect subordinates, who ran here, to rest. They’ve worked hard. They need to rest.”

“Yes.”

“If they follow, we’ll be weaker in battle. The more troops, the weaker we become. What a ridiculous situation?”

“I understand.”

The officers were now often smiling, seemingly finding something amusing. They seemed to have a better understanding of me after quickly capturing Shu Xiansheng.

I whistled while my subordinates prepared for today’s battle, feeling a bit bored.

After a while, the leader of the Black Boat Sect approached me with Yunwu Society clothes.

“Fangzhu, change.”

Looking at the clothes, I saw they were torn at the chest and covered in blood.

“Bring me a cleaner one. Where did I get a chest injury? I’m fine.”

“Alright.”

“Bastard.”

“Why are you cursing? I brought them for you.”

The leader grumbled and went to find other clothes. Thinking about it, he was the one who was clueless even in the Black Boat Sect.

I clicked my tongue and muttered,

“Somehow he survived. Somehow he survived...”

After changing into a clean outfit, I watched the fish. Then, my subordinates reported.

“Senior Brother, we’re ready.”

“Fangzhu, let’s go.”

I bid farewell to the fish and turned around.

“Let’s go.”

Heading towards the Yunwu Society’s main gate, I said,

“Later, feed the fish. They’re starving. We’re fighting to survive, so they shouldn’t starve.”

Xiao Junping replied calmly,

“I understand.”

***

Did Bai Ren choose the right actor?

A prisoner who volunteered for an important role slowly and unsteadily moved towards Li Longnong’s mansion gate.

I watched the performance from a distance with other subordinates.

The prisoner was convincingly acting as if he had been stabbed. His costume, posture, and movements were perfect. However, he suddenly collapsed at the gate.

“...”

I looked at Bai Ren and asked,

“Isn’t he overacting?”

Bai Ren shook his head solemnly.

“It’s part of the plan. And he was actually stabbed.”

Seeing Bai Ren’s serious expression, I couldn’t say anything. Turning back, I saw the collapsed man struggling to get up.

‘Impressive performance.’

The will to survive can be so powerful. Despite no one watching, the prisoner actor gave a desperate performance, moving towards the mansion gate and knocking.

Bang... Bang... Bang.

After a while, an old man came out and supported the nearly dead Yunwu Society man.

I couldn’t hear what they were saying.

After a moment, the other actors, covered in blood, arrived, panting.

“A full-scale battle with the Black Cat Sect is underway. We came to request reinforcements from Senior Li Longnong.”

“Come in.”

Another prisoner ignored the previous words and asked Li Longnong’s subordinate,

“Can I have some water?”

...

Watching, I opened my mouth in a circle and whispered,

“Good lines.”

Bai Ren’s lips curled slightly upwards.

“Senior Brother, it’s time for us to go.”

I warned the real Yunwu Society members one last time,

“If you want to die, you can join Li Longnong’s side. I’ll finish you off. Let’s go.”

I stood up first and raised my hand.

“Wait a moment.”

I narrowed my brows and listened. If the news of the Yunwu Society’s defeat had reached, the mansion should have been noisy. But even with three injured men entering, the mansion remained silent.

I kept my ears open towards the mansion and observed the Four Deity Generals. They were not wearing masks. I also observed Xiao Junping and the Black Cat Sect officers.

“...”

Finally, I looked at the Yunwu Society prisoners.

It seemed no one had betrayed us, but the ambush might have already failed.

Things in the martial world don’t always go smoothly.

I was used to failure.

And it wasn’t particularly strange.

First, a scout from the Yunwu Society might have noticed the change and reported to Li Longnong before we arrived.

Second, a scout from Li Longnong might have noticed the change first.

In any case, the mansion remained quiet, and the main gate was still wide open, like Zhuge Liang waiting for Sima Yi with the gates open.

I clicked my tongue.

“It seems we’ve been caught.”

Bai Ren suggested,

“Let’s go in and finish the battle.”

“No. I underestimated Old Li.”

I suddenly became curious about Li Longnong and headed to the mansion alone.

“Fangzhu?”

“Senior Brother.”

I waved my hand.

“You wait here.”

“Wait here?”

“Wait.”

Approaching the main gate, I felt embarrassed wearing the Yunwu Society’s clothes. I don’t know why I felt embarrassed. I took off my shirt and put on a long robe.

Inside, the mansion was as quiet as expected.

It was a large mansion, so I walked along a small path for a while.

There was a table in the middle of a wide garden, and Li Longnong was sitting alone.

As I approached, Li Longnong said,

“Welcome. Is our truce already over?”

I looked around as I approached.

“Everything settled?”

Li Longnong took a sip of tea and nodded.

“As you can see, everything is settled. I only left one old servant to open the gate, and I just sent him out the back door. He doesn’t know martial arts, so there’s no need to follow and kill him.”

“What about your subordinates?”

“Those with a place to go, I sent them away. Those without, I gave them some money. I said goodbye to all of them yesterday and today.”

I replied from a distance from the table.

“You’re quick.”

Li Longnong looked at me and smiled.

“How old are you?”

“None of your business.”

“I see, there’s a forty-year gap between us. I also entered the martial world at your age, so I have forty years more experience.”

“Experience doesn’t accumulate like internal energy.”

“True. Sit down.”

I don’t sit when told to. I stood still, and Li Longnong asked,

“Can’t you come over for a cup of tea?”

“I’m not a leisurely person.”

Of course, I wouldn’t drink tea with such a person. I just smiled, finding it ridiculous.

Li Longnong said,

“You’re very suspicious.”

“Old man, what have you prepared? I’m bored, let’s see.”

Li Longnong said calmly,

“What can a martial artist prepare besides martial arts? I’ve been practicing all my life, so there’s nothing new.”

“Do you know how I’ll come out?”

Li Longnong looked at me.

“You? You killed the Great Temple alone. I’ve seen many like you in the martial world. Your actions, your tone. I recognized your depth and personality immediately. This is a battle between you and me. There’s no need to see the blood of subordinates. That’s why I waited alone.”

“You and the Great Temple were close...”

As Li Longnong listened to me, he reached for his teacup.

As soon as I felt his gesture and intention were awkward, I pushed off the ground with my left foot.

Li Longnong pressed the teacup almost simultaneously.

A mechanism clicked, and the place where I stood disappeared. Not just where I stood, but the entire area around the round table sank, with a gap of about seven zhang.

I have a lot of experience, but this was the first time I saw a garden sink like this.

Using the One Step Leap technique, I slid across the ground and escaped, then looked at the pit.

It was deep and dark, hard to see.

Like Li Longnong’s dark heart.

I said to Li Longnong, who looked like he was sitting on a round pillar,

“Old man, this isn’t the end, is it? The chair and table were mechanisms, the tea was poison, and the surrounding area was a pit trap with the Sword Mountain Forest on the bottom. Since I lack experience, tell me in advance.”

Li Longnong stood up with a tight mouth and glared at me.

“...”

I said calmly,

“You scared me. Bastard.”