Chapter 67: The Mole

After the man left, the thatched cottage returned to silence.

Li Yan stood with his hands behind his back, gazing deeply at the bright moon outside the window. A trace of regret lingered in his heart.

Tonight, after Xing Tao and Guo Cai’er stirred up trouble, Li Yan had originally planned to use the mystical abilities of the Ink World to verify the identities of the other players one by one.

But unexpectedly… the first player he encountered was Tang Feng. And Tang Feng, being rather audacious, immediately used a charm ability, completely disrupting his plans.

Instead of advancing his key objectives, the two of them ended up “plowing the ground” in the small garden behind the residence.

Sigh. Still, it wasn’t all bad. Li Yan had laid his plans early and spread his net wide; he wasn’t overly concerned about short-term gains and losses.

Suddenly—

“Whoosh!”

A sharp whistling sound of an arrow cutting through the air came out of nowhere. Li Yan instinctively retreated three steps.

“Thud!”

A muffled impact followed as an arrow pierced the window frame outside, its tail quivering violently before coming to a halt.

Li Yan froze for a moment and cautiously observed his surroundings for a long while. Only then did he reach out to remove the arrow from the frame.

Attached to the arrowhead was a slip of paper. He unfolded it to reveal a line of small handwriting:

“Master Li, I will never forget the life-saving grace you showed tonight. Should you encounter danger in the Princess’s tomb, simply call out ‘Heavenly Arrows from Beyond,’ and I will risk my life to assist you. From a humble, low-profile player of the Court Faction.”

Li Yan scanned the note, a faint smile curling at the corners of his mouth. “Everyone’s so cautious.”

With that, he moved to the desk, lit the note with a fire striker, and tossed the burning paper into the spittoon.

Tonight, Xing Tao and Guo Cai’er’s meddling had caused the Chief Historian’s residence to suffer heavy losses. More than twenty guests had died or been injured at the scene. Even the head steward’s¹ pregnant concubine had been cruelly slain by Zhang Meixuan.

However, there were notable gains as well.

Li Yan’s act of protecting all the players had significantly boosted his prestige and trustworthiness within the Court Faction.

As the banquet ended, numerous messages expressing gratitude had been sent his way, serving as clear evidence of this.

After pacing back and forth in the thatched cottage, Li Yan sat down at the desk and began drafting a secret letter.

Moments later, the door to the cottage was flung open with a loud bang.

The old steward, his robe stained with blood, fell to his knees as soon as he entered, sobbing uncontrollably.

“Master… you must seek justice for me! My poor concubine, pregnant for months and always so kind to others, was slain tonight by a vile woman. One corpse, two lives… Master, I beg you…”

Li Yan froze briefly before stepping forward to help the man up. “Have you found out who’s responsible?”

“Someone… someone saw a woman with throwing daggers breaking into my house,” the old steward said through tears and snot. “Master, please avenge me!”

Li Yan gazed at him with calm eyes and spoke: “Someone just told me earlier that in this life, who among us doesn’t have a few loved ones? You and I have served together in Prince Huai’s residence for many years. Though master and servant by title, we’re as close as brothers. Rest assured, I will see this wrong avenged.”

The old steward was overcome with gratitude and repeatedly kowtowed.

Li Yan turned back, picked up the letter he had just written, and handed it to the steward. “There is something I cannot entrust to others. Only you can handle it personally.”

…

Within Prince Huai’s residence was a rather unique area known as the Women’s Courtyard.

When the late Prince Huai had led his army to suppress the southern border by imperial decree, he had departed with a grand force of thousands. But upon his return, what came back were countless gravestones, as countless brave men had perished, their souls lost in foreign lands.

These fallen soldiers left behind many widows and orphaned families. Out of compassion, the late Prince Huai established the Women’s Courtyard within his residence, using his own funds to provide for these bereaved women and children. He issued strict orders that no one was to disturb them.

As long as the name “Prince Huai” endured in this world, his descendants were duty-bound to continue supporting these people.

Zhang Meixuan was one of these women, a daughter of a soldier who had died in battle. Her in-game identity was labeled “Fierce Woman.” However, according to her character’s memories, she had long since been bought off by the imperial court, serving as a loyal lackey of the emperor.

Inside the main house, the man who had earlier met with Li Yan returned, presenting The Chronicles of the Thatched Cottage with both hands. He spoke softly, “The Chief Historian has replied—this will serve as your token for recognizing each other within the tomb.”

“Thank you, Uncle,” Zhang Meixuan replied with a bow of gratitude.

“Then I shall take my leave. Rest well,” the man said politely before hastily departing.

Zhang Meixuan picked up The Chronicles of the Thatched Cottage and skimmed through it. A look of admiration appeared on her face. “Ah, The Chronicles of the Thatched Cottage. Refined, truly refined. As expected of someone in a position of power—dealing with cultured and clever people is always such a relief.”

In the real world, Zhang Meixuan had received a higher education and worked in a profession that commanded social respect. Her “noble, elite aura” had been ingrained in her since childhood. Subtly, this had also fostered a strong sense of class distinction in her—she naturally respected the strong but showed little restraint in expressing her disdain for the weak.

This mindset had its advantages and disadvantages.

People like her were nearly impossible to sway once they had formed their judgments.

…

Hour of the Pig (9–11 PM).

Two hours of work, and Ren Ye was utterly drained. He lay on the princess consort’s bed, staring at the ceiling, drenched in sweat.

The princess consort, now fully satisfied, had changed into a fresh set of clothes and emerged from the side chamber. Her long hair flowed freely, and she moved with an effortless grace, her bare feet padding softly as she approached.

“We’ll be entering the tomb in about an hour. Shouldn’t you be preparing?” she asked, standing beside him.

“…My dear consort, are you just a fence-sitter², swaying with the wind?” Ren Ye suddenly asked.

Xu Qingzhao paused, then gracefully sat down on a meditation cushion, her jade-like hand toying with the teapot. “What makes you say that?”

“Anyone from the Court Faction, even if tasked to approach me, wouldn’t gift me divine abilities, let alone watch me personally kill Liu Ling’er without intervening.” Ren Ye tilted his head toward the ceiling. “So, you can’t be working for the Court Faction. And you’re not on my side either—otherwise, you wouldn’t keep emphasizing your disinterest in meddling with Prince Huai’s estate. That leaves only one possibility… you’re a fence-sitter.”

Xu Qingzhao slightly nodded but did not deny it. “And if I am?”

“I don’t know the Opportunist Faction’s³ ultimate goal, nor whether you can realign yourself with a different side,” Ren Ye said with a sly smile, suddenly sitting up. “But I have a way to change your allegiance—to bring you to my side.”

Xu Qingzhao’s flawless face betrayed neither surprise nor joy. “And what would I gain by helping you?”

Ren Ye marveled at her immersive role-playing. We’re all just players here, brought into this game world from outside. Do you really have to speak like some ancient noble every single time?

“…We can win together,” Ren Ye declared shamelessly, spinning his tale. “Everyone on my side is a force to be reckoned with. Plus… I’ve planted a hidden piece in the Court Faction. I’m fully aware of their every move. If we join forces, our chances of victory are significant.”

“A hidden piece? Have they revealed themselves to you yet?” Xu Qingzhao asked calmly, her expression unchanging.

“Of course,” Ren Ye replied with raised brows. “We’ve met in secret multiple times.”

Xu Qingzhao’s gaze remained steady as she looked at him. “The Chief Historian’s banquet has just concluded, yet the Songstress and the Second Fool, who accompanied you, have disappeared. If there truly is a hidden piece, why would they need to risk their lives so recklessly?”

Ren Ye froze, his face flushing with embarrassment. “My dear consort… you truly have an intimate knowledge of every detail within the prince’s estate.”

“I’m not like the rest of you,” Xu Qingzhao murmured, taking a delicate sip of tea. Her voice was soft yet resolute. “You enter the princess’s tomb seeking divine legacies, but that’s not my purpose… I only want one thing from the tomb. And to obtain it, I might have to risk my life. Anyone who allies with me will face the same danger.”

Ren Ye caught her meaning. “Are you saying that if we join forces, my faction’s players will also have to shoulder the risks of retrieving that item?”

“Yes.” Xu Qingzhao’s frankness was unwavering. She neither concealed the truth nor harbored any intention of dragging others down with her.

Her heart was as calm as water, focused on attaining enlightenment and transcendence. She had no need for lies and disdained deceit.

“Do you still want to join forces with me?” Xu Qingzhao asked.

“Well… uh…” Ren Ye scratched his head and answered honestly, “If it were just the two of us teaming up, I’d agree without hesitation. After all, you’ve helped me, and it’s only fair I help you in return. But on my side… there are two companions. One is the Songstress you know, and the other is… the undercover agent I have yet to meet. If I decide on my own to shift the risk onto them, it feels a bit unfair.”

“Then let’s leave it at that,” Xu Qingzhao said as she stood.

“Alright, I’ll go back and discuss it with them,” Ren Ye replied, climbing off the bed. “But we can agree on a signal in advance. This way, we can recognize each other in the tomb and avoid any accidental harm.”

“Go ahead.” Xu Qingzhao nodded.

“Long legs, wearing stockings, lovers reunite and call me daddy.” Ren Ye, since meeting Tang Feng, had developed a mischievous sense of humor.

Xu Qingzhao seemed perplexed by his words. She furrowed her brows and pondered for a moment, displaying a rare, girlish charm. “What an odd phrase… but it’s memorable and distinct. Let’s go with that.”

“Dear consort, may everything go smoothly for us!”

“I hope… that once you emerge from the tomb, you’ll also escape the fate of being a bird trapped in a cage,” Xu Qingzhao replied with a nod.

…

After their discussion, Ren Ye returned to his quarters.

However, before he could enter, Lian’er came out to greet him. “Your Highness, someone just delivered a secret letter.”

“A secret letter? What’s in it?” Ren Ye asked with a frown. “Where are Second Fool and the Songstress Qing He?”

Lian’er pulled the letter from her sleeve and handed it to Ren Ye. “They’ve been waiting in the hall for quite some time. As for the letter, I didn’t dare read it. It was delivered by a porter who frequently moves between courtyards. I couldn’t tell who he works for.”

Ren Ye said no more. He opened the letter under the palace lantern, his brows furrowing as he read.

What he saw made his hair stand on end, and a chilling realization gripped him—he’d been outmaneuvered by a mastermind all along.

The letter read:

“I am the old Prince Huai’s undercover agent. My name is Li Yan, the Chief Historian, but outside, my friends call me Little Wolf Warrior.

After entering the tomb, whoever holds The Chronicle of the Thatched Cottage is your enemy. Focus on taking them out first.

I estimate there are six Court Faction players: myself, the Songstress, the Left Thousand-Household Commander of the Qingzhou Guard, a man resembling a groom⁴, a woman who uses throwing daggers, and one unknown individual whose gender is unclear but is likely aligned with the Thousand-Household Commander. These two are probably Bell Society members who know each other in real life.

Recognition code: ‘Love rises with the chime, yet stops not when it ceases..’⁵

Dear useless prince, we’ve met outside before.”

Ren Ye’s mind buzzed as memories rushed back. He suddenly recalled the fierce battle in the apartment building and the time he had visited the Xinyuan Spa. That “love rises with the chime” phrase was the tagline of the spa’s technicians. He also remembered that, as he left, someone had shouted the same line from a window…

Countless faces flashed through his mind before one froze in place.

He remembered—when he went out with Huang Wei, they had run into an eccentric old man who had also said that phrase. Later, during the battle, a ghost had secretly helped him.

Damn it. It all fit. Every piece of the puzzle lined up perfectly.