Chapter 13: Fishing for a Traitor

“You startled me,” Second Fool said, relaxing as he sheathed his blade, Inviting Moon, and sat back down. “Your Highness, what plan have you come up with?”

“One of my former teachers used to say, No matter how tight the guard, it can’t stop a determined spear.” Ren Ye licked his cracked lips, his eyes shining. “Someone is trying to use Gu to harm me, and they must have help from an insider. That means we need to take the initiative and turn this passive situation into an active one.”

Second Fool tilted his head in confusion. “I understand the second part, but that saying of your teacher… what does tight mean? And what’s the spear?”

Ren Ye dismissed the question with a wave. “Let’s focus. After visiting the princess consort’s quarters, someone used the opportunity to plant the Gu. From the timeline, it’s clear that only the eunuchs and maids around me could manage such a thing. That narrows it down to two possibilities:

1. An insider colluding with an outsider to harm me.

2. The Gu master is actually someone within my inner circle.”

Second Fool nodded thoughtfully. “Your Highness makes sense.”

“Raising Gu is a troublesome process,” Ren Ye continued, frowning slightly. “The eunuchs and maids live in shared quarters with little private space. If someone raised Gu over time, it would surely have been noticed. That’s why I believe the real person controlling the Gu isn’t one of my immediate attendants. It’s far more likely that an insider is helping someone from outside.”

“Your Highness’s wisdom is truly…!”

“Stop. No flattery right now,” Ren Ye interrupted, waving him off. “Save it for later.”

“…?” Second Fool blinked at Ren Ye, increasingly puzzled by his peculiar phrasing lately.

“Second Fool, we need to leak a false piece of information, something that will seem incredibly important to the enemy.”

Second Fool tried to grasp the idea and, feeling inspired, asked excitedly, “You mean we’ll use the false information to lure the person controlling the Gu into acting again and then catch them red-handed?”

“You’re sharper than before…” Ren Ye’s eyes gleamed.

“Ha! Being by Your Highness’s side has naturally sharpened my wits,” Second Fool said, grinning from ear to ear. His eagerness to please was second nature, as instinctive as his martial skills.

Ren Ye smirked. “Wrong.”

Second Fool’s expression immediately fell, as if he’d been toyed with.

“The attempt to plant the Gu failed. We were startled, but so was the enemy,” Ren Ye explained. “If they have even a modicum of intelligence, they won’t act rashly again.”

“…?” Second Fool felt like his brain was spinning in circles. “So, Your Highness means…?”

“I want to use the insider,” Ren Ye clarified, his tone growing serious. “It’s enough to make the insider believe the false information is crucial.”

Ren Ye rubbed his hands together, leaning forward slightly. “Tomorrow at dawn, distribute the gold and silver treasures from the secret chamber. Then, we’ll stage a scene…”

Second Fool listened intently, his face a mixture of earnestness and guile as Ren Ye laid out the details of his plan. He nodded repeatedly, making sure to memorize every step.

Half an hour later, Ren Ye wrapped up his instructions and reminded him, “Remember, the false information mustn’t be too direct or clumsy. Make it seem like they stumbled upon it naturally because they’re trusted.”

“Understood, Your Highness.” Second Fool grinned widely, and they shared a conspiratorial smile, partners in mischief.

The long night wore on. After concluding their scheming, Ren Ye remained awake, staring blankly at the dark ceiling.

Even now, he felt as though his experiences were part of a dream. Just a day ago, he had been confined in a prison where seasons never changed, observing the diverse faces of criminals. And now… he was fighting for his life in an unknown world.

There was fear, excitement, and curiosity about the mysterious Star Gate, but no drowsiness. He was exhausted yet alert.

Forget it. Ren Ye lay on his bed, replaying the plan in his mind, looking for flaws to address.

He had already spent a full day in this Star Gate and was gradually adapting to its environment. He realized this “large-scale role-playing game” leaned heavily toward battles of wits, with tools and supernatural abilities serving as mere supplements.

…

The next morning, the sun rose, bathing the world in light.

After washing up, Ren Ye sat in the bright and airy study, flipping through a journal to pass the time while awaiting the night’s “fishing” operation.

This journal, given to him by Huang Wei, didn’t violate the Star Gate’s rules, so he had been allowed to bring it in.

He had skimmed it before but hadn’t read it closely. Now, with time to kill, he opened it to the first page, where a lengthy introduction awaited:

“All sentient beings within the Star Gate are collectively referred to as Gate Spirits. These include people, animals, even incorporeal entities like ghosts and spirits…”

The Gate Spirits are divided into two types:

The first type is the Enlightened Ones, also known as the Starborn. These beings originate from the world within the Star Gate, with origins that cannot be traced. They possess intelligence on par with, or even surpassing, humans. Enlightened Ones have a slim chance of becoming players, undergoing transformations via Star Gate inheritance, and gaining supernatural abilities.

The second type is called the Residual Souls. These Gate Spirits are rigid in thought and primarily serve the players’ various tasks, appearing as entities like vengeful ghosts, fairies, or aliens within specific scenarios. They function similarly to NPCs. Over countless repetitive tasks, some Residual Souls might develop awareness of the Star Gate world, with a small probability of becoming Enlightened Ones.

In particularly unique Star Gates, there exists a third type of being known as Gate Eyes. Gate Eyes are embodiments of a Star Gate’s laws. They oversee the evolution and development of their world, ensuring it remains free of “deviations.”

Sitting on the wooden chair and engrossed in the diary, Ren Ye muttered to himself, “So, based on this, Second Fool must be a Gate Spirit—a pure and naive Enlightened One. Definitely worth cultivating. I wonder if it’s possible to bring him into the real world…”

…

Inside the Hall of Tranquility’s corridor.

Twenty-four maids and eighteen eunuchs stood in neat rows, the entirety of Zhu Zigui’s loyal household in the prince’s manor. They were either frail women or castrated men.

Standing at the forefront was Second Fool, his blade strapped to his waist. Facing away from the side hall, he called out, “The manor is facing turbulent times, but Prince Huai has always been generous to you all. I hope you understand… understand…”

He stumbled over his words. Having barely studied the classics, he forgot the phrase he had prepared in advance. No matter how hard he racked his brain, he couldn’t recall the famous idiom about loyalty.

For a while, all he could say was “understand,” without managing to finish his sentence.

Next to Lian’er, a maid who had often played cards with Zhu Zigui rolled her eyes and said, “Guard Hong, we understand the principles well. His Highness often discusses matters with us maids, sharing personal concerns that have moved us deeply to tears. Naturally, we would never collude with those court dogs.” [Second Fool’s realname is Hong Jiadi.]

“Exactly! Guard Hong, telling us this is a waste of breath.”

“Guard Hong, are you implying one of us has defected to the court dogs and serves as a spy?”

“…!”

The eunuchs and maids responded with sharp tongues. It wasn’t intentional disrespect toward Second Fool; they simply felt he was stating the obvious. Moreover, the recent turbulence in Prince Huai’s manor had left everyone on edge, making their responses curt.

Lian’er, as the prince’s chief maid, had their allegiance, so they didn’t feel the need to curry favor with Second Fool.

Realizing that the situation was getting out of hand, Second Fool knew they might have misunderstood his intentions.

Forget it. Better keep it simple and straight to the point!

He smiled and gestured. “Alright then, follow me inside.”

With that, Second Fool turned and pushed open the door to the side hall, stepping aside to let everyone in.

In an instant, the dazzling gold and silver within the room blinded the maids and eunuchs.

The side hall was filled with an array of treasures—antiques, calligraphy, paintings, and porcelain, as well as piles of silver and gold. These worldly riches were what Ren Ye and Second Fool had discovered in the secret chamber the day before.

What?!

Everyone was stunned, their bodies tingling with goosebumps.

“His Highness has said that in times like these, anyone willing to follow him loyally deserves to be rewarded. All the gold and silver here will be divided among you,” Second Fool declared, baring his teeth in a grin. “Do you understand the prince’s intention?”

That one sentence caused all forty-something individuals to kneel simultaneously. The laziness, impatience, and indifference on their faces disappeared in an instant.

“We pledge our lives to Prince Huai!”

“We will fight to the death without hesitation!”

“Even if the prince demands our very lifeblood tonight, we will give it willingly!”

“…!”

No further explanation was needed. Faced with real gold and silver, these impoverished servants truly felt that Prince Huai “cared” about them. Any lingering dissatisfaction or anxiety in their hearts vanished instantly.

Second Fool, pleased with their reactions, began distributing the rewards with Lian’er according to a prepared list.

Toward the end, Second Fool noticed a maid using a three-inch iron rod to pry open a wooden chest. At that moment, he suddenly recalled what Ren Ye had said earlier: “No matter how tight the guard, it can’t stop a determined spear.”

That one action made everything clear to him in an instant.

“Ah, so that’s it! His Highness truly is a remarkable individual, his choice of words rivaling that of great scholars. Vivid, entertaining!”

…

Ren Ye spent the entire day poring over the journal, absorbing much of the fundamental rules of the Star Gate.

As night fell and the hour of the Dog(7-9 PM) arrived, he made his way to the princess consort’s quarters.

Meanwhile, a young eunuch who had participated in the earlier division of wealth arrived at the outer court’s Spring Fragrance Garden.

This garden, a scenic leisure area within the prince’s estate, was seldom frequented due to Zhu Zigui’s lack of interest in such diversions.

The eunuch stood under an ancient, shadowy tree, his expression impatient as he waited.

The cries of birds and beasts echoed around him, and before long, Liu Ling’er emerged from the darkness, clad in a black robe and wearing a face-covering veil.

Her face was completely concealed, her voice cold and aloof: “What is so urgent that you needed to see me?”

“Master, this morning, Guard Hong Jiadi gathered all the servants from the sleeping quarters and took them to the Hall of Tranquility. He distributed a large amount of gold and silver to win their loyalty,” the eunuch bowed deeply and reported. “Afterward, he ordered us to increase the nightly patrols around Prince Huai’s chambers and assigned tasks to everyone, acting as though preparing for an imminent crisis.”

Liu Ling’er interrupted impatiently, “We failed in our attempt to plant the Gu last night. Strengthening the defenses today is only natural, isn’t it?”

“Heh.” The eunuch chuckled slyly and quickly added, “It’s not that simple. While Prince Huai and Second Fool are indeed openly reinforcing the defenses of the sleeping quarters, the maid Lian’er secretly went to the Hall of Tranquility this afternoon. I followed her in the shadows and saw that she cleaned out a vacant room and set up numerous crossbow traps along the corridors.”

Liu Ling’er’s eyes narrowed as realization dawned: “You’re saying that strengthening the defenses of the sleeping quarters is merely a decoy?”

“Exactly. Last night’s failed Gu attempt has already alerted Prince Huai. He won’t stay in the sleeping quarters tonight. Instead, he’ll secretly move to the Hall of Tranquility. Apart from Hong Jiadi and Lian’er, he won’t inform anyone else—otherwise, the decoy would be meaningless.” The eunuch bowed again. “Therefore, Master, I believe this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If you act again tonight, that useless prince will have no one by his side, ensuring success.”

Bathed in moonlight, Liu Ling’er suddenly glanced around cautiously, her face darkening. “What excuse did you use to come and meet me?”

“Tonight, I wasn’t on duty. I simply told my fellow eunuchs that I was stepping out for a brief moment,” the eunuch replied eagerly, his tone growing emboldened. “Master, I ask for no reward for this service, only that you restore my manhood and grant me one night of intimacy with you…”

Liu Ling’er ignored his shameless request and instead scrutinized him coldly: “Did you encounter anyone on your way here?”

“No, Master. I swear—”

“Why is it,” Liu Ling’er cut him off sharply, “that of all people, you were the one to notice Lian’er cleaning out the room?”

“Master, I am wholly devoted to you and naturally observe Prince Huai’s every move. Rest assured, when I followed Lian’er, she didn’t notice anything,” the eunuch explained hurriedly.

Liu Ling’er stared at him for a moment before curling a finger in a beckoning motion. “Well done. Come here.”

Hearing this, the eunuch’s face lit up with joy. He stepped forward eagerly. “Master, I’ve admired you for so long. If you could restore my manhood, even my ancestors would bless you…”

“You know,” Liu Ling’er said suddenly, her voice as cold as ice, “you’ve just completely exposed me.”

The eunuch froze in shock.

“Slash!”

A flash of cold steel tore through the air. Blood sprayed from the eunuch’s neck as he stumbled back three steps, his eyes wide with disbelief.

In Liu Ling’er’s right hand was a dagger she had drawn at some point. Stepping forward swiftly, she seized the eunuch’s hair with her left hand, yanking his head to the side to expose his neck further.

“Slash!”

The blade pierced through his throat with precision, cutting clean through.

“Idiot! Brainless fool!” Liu Ling’er spat venomously, releasing his hair as the eunuch collapsed lifelessly to the ground.

Under the moonlight, her face was grim as she cast a sharp glance toward the woods.

Her eyes betrayed no remorse or pity, only an intense wariness as though facing an imminent threat.

Ruthless, decisive, and quick to act—whether in the real world or the Star Gate, it was clear that Liu Ling’er was not one to show mercy. Pushing boundaries was simply her way of survival.

“Rustle!”

A figure emerged from the woods.

The man was burly, cradling a leather-sheathed broadsword in his arms. Standing under the moonlight with a simple yet imposing demeanor, his voice was cold and commanding: “Drop the knife, or you’ll die.”