Chapter 64: Hehehe…

In the housekeeper’s room.

Zhang Meixuan hid in the wardrobe, her supernatural abilities restrained, only her ears attentive to the surrounding sounds.

Outside the courtyard, two rows of soldiers quietly arrived beneath the wall, raising their steel blades, ready to strike.

“Tap tap…”

Urgent footsteps echoed as a Hundred-Household Officer of the Qingzhou Left Guard rushed over, standing in front of the soldiers, quietly asking, “Is there a person the Thousand-Household Commander is looking for here?”

“Yes, it’s a woman. She killed more than ten of our brothers.” The flag bearer officer in charge nodded. “I’m good at tracking, I can guarantee she hasn’t left since entering this courtyard.”

The Hundred-Household Officer licked his lips, his eyes gleaming with excitement. “Gather five flag bearer troops, I’ll personally lead the charge. Anyone who dares kill my men, I’ll make sure to finish her off.”

“Understood!”

Several soldiers dispersed, continuing to rally reinforcements.

Moments later, three more columns of soldiers arrived, bringing with them plenty of crossbows and hidden weapons to bolster their ranged firepower.

“Brothers, surround the front and back courtyards, and let’s storm in.” The Hundred-Household Officer’s eyes sparkled. Gripping his steel blade, he was the first to enter the courtyard.

In the housekeeper’s room, Zhang Meixuan’s ears twitched, and a solemn expression appeared on her otherwise ordinary face.

She heard the sound of hurried footsteps echoing all around.

Earlier, she might have believed that the Qingzhou Left Guard’s Thousand-Household Commander was just trying to root out traitors, but now she had begun to question his true identity.

Why such a desperate move, even going so far as to use his trump card to gather soldiers?

Was this about catching a traitor, or was it about eliminating the Court Faction players?

The Princess’s Tomb was about to open soon, and all three factions were secretly preparing. If the Qingzhou Left Guard’s Thousand-Household Commander were a traitor, he might very well be clearing obstacles for Prince Huai before entering the tomb.

The deeper her suspicions, the less likely Zhang Meixuan would just sit idly by.

Gripping her throwing dagger, a fierce glint flashed in her eyes as she prepared to risk everything.

In this Star Gate, every player’s supernatural abilities were powerful, and if they fought at full strength, the outcome was still uncertain.

“Shing!”

The Hundred-Household Officer approached the main house, swiftly raising his blade and sliding it into the door crack.

With a “crack,” the blade fell, and the door bolt snapped.

“Bang!”

The Hundred-Household Officer kicked the door open and shouted, “Search, find that woman, I’ll allow you to have your fun afterward!”

At his command, all the soldiers rushed inside.

The footsteps were chaotic, and Zhang Meixuan listened closely as two soldiers approached the wardrobe, immediately and without hesitation, she swung her dagger.

“Bang!”

The wardrobe split open, and with one horizontal cut, the two soldiers’ armor cracked, their chests shattered, and they fell backward.

“Haha, got her!” The Hundred-Household Officer’s face lit up with excitement when he saw her appear.

…

In another room, Tang Feng was also preparing to use his supernatural abilities desperately.

Since escaping, he had discovered six players in the courtyard who had displayed supernatural abilities, not counting himself.

For him, this risky venture to the banquet had clarified a lot of important information.

For example, the Court Faction players were not compatible, the Chief Historian and Qingzhou Left Guard’s Thousand-Household Commander both had their own plans and calculations, and they had the support of players from other factions; also, the Chief Historian’s supernatural abilities were quite overpowered, there was a woman in the courtyard skilled with throwing daggers, a stableman who was adept with a long whip, and so on…

These pieces of identifiable information would definitely be useful in the future, so this trip had definitely been worth it.

But the current dilemma was how he was going to escape.

There were too many soldiers in the courtyard, each having fought on the battlefield, indomitable and exceptionally brave.

He had tried to break through from the side courtyard earlier but failed, being shot back by archers on the wall.

Running didn’t help either, as he still couldn’t shake off the pursuers. At first, there were only seven or eight chasing him, but now there were over twenty…

Should he call Second Fool for help?

Initially, he had thought so, but now, under these circumstances, he didn’t want to call Second Fool unless absolutely necessary.

Tang Feng’s thinking was different from others; he felt that in this situation, all the players in the courtyard had already revealed their supernatural abilities, and the scene was chaotic, so everyone was at equal risk.

Calling Second Fool into the fray now would be like dragging his teammate into a dangerous situation. Moreover, with two people trying to break out, they wouldn’t have an overwhelming advantage. Even if Second Fool was strong, he wouldn’t be able to instantly kill over a hundred soldiers, so it was better to let him wait on the outside for support.

In the empty room, Tang Feng hid in the shadows, ready to use his supernatural abilities for the first time and prepared to unleash a combo attack.

“Bang!”

Suddenly, a dull sound rang out as more than twenty soldiers cautiously stepped into the room.

The room was dimly lit, and black ink seemed to be flowing everywhere, on the walls, the furniture—an eerie sight indeed.

Tang Feng, seeing the soldiers enter, did not act immediately but hid behind the bed, continuing to wait patiently.

“Tap, tap…”

Before long, footsteps sounded again from outside the door as the soldiers who had been left on guard entered to help with the search.

Now that they were all inside, it was time.

“Whoosh!”

A painting suddenly shimmered with brilliant light, rising within the room.

In an instant, the chaotic footsteps stopped. Every soldier in the room stared blankly, their gazes drawn to Tang Feng’s side.

The Obsession Illusion had taken hold—each of these men now saw what they most desired.

“Whoosh!”

Tang Feng seized the opportunity and struck, preparing to flee.

But just then, another round of deafening footsteps echoed outside.

Martial Artist Xing Tao, accompanied by five columns of soldiers, hurried toward the scene.

He personally came because his flag officer had just reported that a man in the courtyard had suddenly turned into a woman.

This report thrilled Xing Tao.

Who would be so determined to turn into a man before attending a banquet, afraid others would discover she was a woman?

It was clear now—only one player would care so much about maintaining their female identity: the one who had replaced Liu Ling’er.

With that thought in mind, Xing Tao abandoned his pursuit of other players and rushed straight here.

At the doorway, Tang Feng glanced outside and saw the soldiers gathering.

There was no way to win this fight. Even with two Second Fools, it would probably still end badly.

Tang Feng pulled back, his first thought being that he needed to control the enemy commander to have any chance.

His reaction was quick—he hid in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to strike.

At that moment, among the twenty or so soldiers who were entranced by the Obsession Illusion, more than ten of them turned their eyes toward Tang Feng with a wicked gleam.

Wait, something was wrong?!

A chill ran up Tang Feng’s neck, and for the first time, a rare look of fear flashed in his eyes.

Something was wrong… something was really wrong…

I didn’t use Charm, only the Obsession Illusion—why are they looking at me like that?

Outside the courtyard, the cautious Xing Tao didn’t rush in but instead waved his hand and shouted, “Surround her, capture this woman!”

“Tap, tap!”

The footsteps hastened as five columns of soldiers moved forward.

Inside, there were hungry wolf-like gazes, and outside, there were chasing soldiers who wanted blood.

Tang Feng’s pupils constricted, and a cold chill spread through him.

“Whoosh!”

At the critical moment, a black streak of light shot across the doorway.

The previously open black wooden door suddenly twisted and deformed, with the ink flowing wildly on it as if a giant hand had wiped across the ink.

In just a moment, the door and windows of the room disappeared entirely, transforming the entire space into an enclosed structure.

…

Inside the thatched cottage.

Chief Historian Li Yan frowned and muttered, “Eight players—except for Prince Huai and the Princess, only one remains unaccounted for. I’ll see who this most rebellious person is.”

As his words fell, Li Yan, enveloped in ink, softly called out, “Ink World, I create my own corner.”

“Glub, glub!”

A black bubble rose from the ground, and Li Yan’s figure disappeared in an instant.

In the chamber, Tang Feng, who had been preparing for a desperate last stand, was now shocked when the door and windows disappeared, leaving the room sealed.

“Someone… is sealing the door for me?” he muttered in surprise.

“Hehehe…!”

“Hehehe…!”

Strange laughter echoed all around as more than ten soldiers, controlled by the Obsession Illusion, showed foolish expressions, instinctively moving toward Tang Feng.

Why are they looking at me with strange eyes?! They’re like one of those adult films…

I didn’t even use Charm!

Tang Feng was terrified, his forehead covered in sweat as he took several steps back. But his position was near the center of the room, and there was nowhere else to retreat.

“Come on, play with me…!”

“Why is this little lady so beautiful!”

“…!”

Shameful remarks came from all directions as the soldiers surrounded him, making Tang Feng’s skin crawl.

He noticed a detail: these soldiers weren’t simply under the Obsession Illusion—they were obsessed with… “that.”

Long military careers, high-pressure work environments, and the ban on visiting brothels in the Qingzhou Guard… these big men had been pent up.

They didn’t mean harm, just pent-up frustration.

As Tang Feng realized this, his scalp tingled with fear.

“Glub, glub!”

At that moment, black bubbles rose from the ground, and a voice echoed with passion, “Heh, I’ll see who you are!”

“Whoosh!”

Li Yan’s figure burst out of the black bubble, precisely positioning himself behind Tang Feng. He could sense the Stellar Energy fluctuations in this space, but unless they faced each other, he couldn’t distinguish who was who.

Hearing the sound, Tang Feng instinctively turned his head and, without hesitation, activated his Charm ability.

He didn’t know who it was, and he had no other offensive options, so he decided to strike first.

“Swish!”

The two of them, one looking up, one turning their head, their eyes met instantly.

Li Yan froze for a moment and almost blurted out, “What the hell… You’re the person Prince Huai brought in?!”

He had seen this mysterious ability before, so he could recognize the other’s identity immediately.

But before Li Yan could say his second sentence, his eyes first glazed over, and soon… he too exhibited a foolish gaze.

No… no, I still have important things to do, I can’t just mess around!

Li Yan’s willpower was strong, and he tried to shake off this enchantment, his thoughts pulling him back and forth.

“Swish!”

Tang Feng dodged backward but immediately felt a pair of large hands pressing on his backside.

“Hehehe…”

“Hehehe…”

The strange laughter echoed all around.

“Calm down, you all need to calm down!” Tang Feng completely lost it, shouting over and over again, “I’m a man, I’m a man, calm down!”

“Ink World, brush!”

At that moment, Li Yan, with what little awareness he had left, once again invoked his mysterious power.

In the housekeeper’s room, the already injured Zhang Meixuan was locked in a fierce battle with the soldiers.

Suddenly, she felt the ground beneath her feet turn soft and muddy, and her body began to plummet rapidly.

When she opened her eyes again, she was outside the back gate of the courtyard, just one step away from escape.

“Chief Historian is still clever… Thank you,” Zhang Meixuan mumbled as she held her wound and quickly fled.

At the same time, the coachman who was skilled with the long whip had disappeared completely while surrounded by soldiers.

…

Inside the room.

After completing everything, Li Yan completely lost his sanity. He looked at Tang Feng, a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth, and he instinctively shouted, “Master.”

“?!”

Tang Feng suddenly turned around.

What the hell, another one?

“Hehehe…”

“Master!”

“Hehehe…”

“Master!”

The strange laughter and respectful calls grew louder.

“I’ll fight you guys!”

Tang Feng, in a fit of rage, rushed toward Chief Historian Li Yan with bloodshot eyes.

Three seconds later.

Tang Feng was lying on the ground, disheveled, his voice hoarse as he roared, “Step back, step back! Damn it, one at a time… in an orderly manner!!”

…

Outside the Chief Historian’s residence, in a quiet alley.

Over twenty soldiers were guarding a palanquin, the one that Guo Cai’er was riding in.

“Swish!”

A figure descended from the sky and landed about ten steps away from the soldiers.

“Who goes there?!”

“This is the palanquin of the Qingzhou Left Thousand-Household Commander, retreat immediately!”

“…!”

Upon recognizing the visitor, the soldiers all drew their swords and went on alert.

In the moonlight, the face of Second Fool appeared. Holding the famous blade Inviting Moon, he muttered softly while staring at the palanquin, “I’ve waited long enough, there should be no one to back you up around here.”

No sound came from the palanquin.

“How dare you!” One of the flag officers shouted nervously, “I’ll say it again, retreat immediately!”

Second Fool, holding the sword loosely in his left hand, stepped forward three steps, once again speaking to the palanquin: “…You must be from Qingliang Prefecture. The gold and silver treasures the Prince has bestowed upon me are countless. Tonight, I, Second Fool, will return the favor and offer a great gift to the Prince!”

As his words fell, he gently stroked the hilt of Inviting Moon and closed his eyes slightly.

“Whoosh!”

The wind stopped in an instant, and everything went silent.

“Clink, clink…”

His fingers moved lightly, tapping the hilt of his blade.

It was as if everything in the space froze, motionless.

“Swish!”

He unsheathed his sword.

Second Fool turned into a blur, charging forward, “I am not talented, and in seven days, I have only mastered the first blade of the Hidden Maiden.¹“

Holding Inviting Moon, my name shall echo for three thousand miles in the Southern Domain.

This was the legendary assassin Hidden Maiden’s first strike from her youth, known as “Echo for Three Thousand Miles in the Southern Domain!”

It was the ultimate speed, the supreme killing method.

This matched Second Fool’s swordsmanship. Though he was not gifted, it took him just seven days to grasp the essence of it.

One strike, one person, a shadow under the moon.

“Step, step…”

Over twenty soldiers raised their steel swords and spears to block his path.

“Clang, clang…”

As the figure passed, it was as if a line pierced through the alley with no chaotic gleam of the blade, only the clinking sound of metal being cut.

The soldiers, still in attack formation, stood frozen, their bodies stiff.

“Crack, crack…”

Armor broke, and necks snapped.

The soldiers’ throats nearly all gushed blood simultaneously.

Second Fool’s figure didn’t stop, like a light and agile phantom, he passed through the crowd.

“Thud, thud…”

One soldier after another fell backward.

The palanquin was right ahead, Inviting Moon swung from top to bottom without hesitation.

“Swish!”

Second Fool stopped, the sword already back in its scabbard.

In a breath, the entire palanquin let out a crisp cracking sound, slowly splitting open from the center.