Hidden Shadow

The two quietly retreated into their room, preparing for battle.

The ship had just departed from Bianjing. If the opponent was truly Yelü Huangwu, she wouldn’t cause trouble near the capital—at the very least, she would wait until they reached a more secluded area.

Chu Dingjiang also needed to carefully weigh the situation.

After all, he wasn’t the only one who wanted him dead. Could someone have set a trap here, just waiting for him to walk into it?

The missions of the Crane Control Army were all classified. If he became a fugitive hunted by the authorities, the Crane Control Army wouldn’t help clear his name—instead, they would question the competence of the shadow unit. Revealing his identity or mission details was a capital offense. If this woman was a fake Yelü Huangwu and Chu Dingjiang took the initiative to assassinate her, becoming a wanted criminal as a result, the consequences would be unthinkable.

After packing her things, An Jiu asked, “What’s your plan?”

When An Jiu said “fight,” it was purely out of trust in Chu Dingjiang’s abilities. She didn’t have any flawless battle strategy in mind. She was very curious—with his Inner Force restricted, where did his confidence in facing so many experts come from?

“When I healed you last time, I discovered that you can absorb my Inner Force and True Energy.” Chu Dingjiang glanced at the Dragon Subduing Bow. “Our target is Yelü Huangwu. There’s no need for a direct confrontation—let’s try using Startling String.”

“I can still use Startling String?” An Jiu was surprised, then immediately understood why Chu Dingjiang, despite his own high Mental Strength, had said he needed hers. “You’ve known all along that I could be used this way, haven’t you?”

Since she had seen through him, Chu Dingjiang didn’t bother denying it. “Yes. I once secretly tested you with True Energy when we were in contact, but I didn’t probe too deeply for fear of alerting you. It wasn’t until I healed you last time that I confirmed it.”

“I can try,” An Jiu said.

Chu Dingjiang, noticing her lack of the expected reaction, couldn’t help but ask, “Don’t you feel like I deceived you?”

“It’s a fact. Do I need to feel it?” An Jiu was slightly unsettled, but she quickly smoothed over that feeling. “At least now I know why you value me.”

Chu Dingjiang’s heart sank. “I didn’t keep you by my side just to use you.”

“That doesn’t matter.” An Jiu’s tone was indifferent. “Whether it’s deliberate or incidental, isn’t it still using me?”

Since this relationship had never been pure to begin with, trying to explain it with words would only make it seem like an excuse. Chu Dingjiang decided to drop the subject. “I specifically looked into Startling String. At its peak, it doesn’t require visual contact with the target.”

Seeing her listening attentively, he continued, “With sufficient Mental Strength, you can discern the subtle differences between individuals. Startling String can penetrate layers of obstacles to strike the intended target. Aside from being able to distinguish the Madman’s Mental Strength, can you recognize anyone else?”

An Jiu thought for a moment. “You.”

They shared one thing in common—both were in the Transformation Realm.

“First, check how many people are on this ship.” Since everyone’s Mental Strength was unique, Chu Dingjiang could only guide her—there was no exact method he could teach.

An Jiu closed her eyes and probed for a moment. The answer she got was something even she found hard to believe. “Sixty-one. Fifty-five of them know Martial Arts.”

The lower deck alone housed sixty to seventy people—she had seen that with her own eyes. Add in the guest cabins and the ship’s original crew, the total was well over a hundred.

“It seems I can only detect those whose Mental Strength or Inner Force has reached a certain level,” An Jiu said.Among those without martial arts, there were also individuals with higher mental strength, and she could identify them as well.

"You and I are quite the opposite," Chu Dingjiang said. "I can sense everyone and even discern what they're doing. Through their heartbeat and breathing, I can roughly determine if they possess martial arts, but I can't directly pinpoint these individuals using mental strength."

Chu Dingjiang was accustomed to overseeing the entire situation, leaving no corner unchecked. It was thorough but also mentally taxing. An Jiu, on the other hand, couldn't sense everyone, but she could effortlessly filter out those who posed a threat—a skill closely tied to her expertise in sniping. Targets always stood out most clearly in her eyes.

Both types of mental strength belonged to the Transformation Realm, but Chu Dingjiang's concentrated attack power paled in comparison to An Jiu's. This was the main reason why An Jiu could easily execute the Startling String and mental strength Startling String, while others could not.

Given such differences, Chu Dingjiang had no choice but to adjust his approach. "You mentioned the woman in purple is different from the others. Can you identify her among these sixty-one people?"

An Jiu tried and replied, "Yes."

Chu Dingjiang was delighted. "Excellent!"

"I find it strange that Madman hasn't noticed me at all," An Jiu mused, unable to shake her unease. "After I assassinated Li Ting and fled, Madman managed to intercept me, which means he could identify me."

Madman had always been obsessed with competing with An Jiu in archery. If he had spotted her, he would have charged over without hesitation.

Chu Dingjiang said, "If you're certain that's Madman, I can only think of two possibilities. One, someone has ordered him not to act rashly. Two, he no longer remembers you."

An Jiu found his reasoning sound.

Madman usually sought out masters to provoke, targeting those with high internal energy—An Jiu being the sole exception. He had never gotten over his defeat to her at the ancient temple. If they crossed paths now, he would never let it go so easily. The best explanation was that he had forgotten the incident. However, given how "obedient" Madman had appeared earlier, it was also possible he was following Yelü Huangwu's orders.

Chu Dingjiang said, "We only have one chance. If we fail, we must leave immediately."

An Jiu agreed.

Since the last time An Jiu used the Dragon Subduing Bow to execute a mental strength Startling String, she had discovered that even drawing the bow a few inches could unleash several times the power of an ordinary arrow. Thus, she planned to use it again this time.

"Wait for the perfect moment," Chu Dingjiang whispered softly.

Whether Madman had lost his memory or not, his internal energy remained intact. As long as he was near Yelü Huangwu, the chances of a successful ambush would diminish, and failure would make retreat difficult.

After finalizing their plan, the two waited inside the cabin.

The moonlit night was bright.

A river breeze carried the faint scent of water grass.

On the bow of the ship, Yelü Huangwu sat on the deck, her long ivory-white dress spread around her. Her cascading black hair and snow-white skin contrasted with her crimson lips, exuding an aura of purity and allure. Beside her rested a basin of clear water, with a clean cloth draped over its edge.

Madman sat across from her, clutching a wine jar. His tattered robes and disheveled, gray-streaked hair were haphazardly tied with a black cloth strip. For now, he sat quietly, allowing Yelü Huangwu to shave off his wild, overgrown beard with a sharp dagger.

With each stroke, wisps of beard drifted away in the wind, revealing a strikingly handsome face beneath.Yelü Huangwu set down the dagger, wet a cloth, and began wiping the Madman's face. He narrowed his eyes like a cat enjoying being petted, looking thoroughly pleased.

"Why do you listen to Lu Danzhi?" Yelü Huangwu asked.

The Madman smiled cheerfully. "He's my uncle."

"He's lying to you." Yelü Huangwu's tone turned cold.

The Madman grew flustered, pouting in distress. "But he knows about the birthmark on my buttocks."

"You're surnamed Cui, he's surnamed Lu—how could he be your uncle? He first tricked me into revealing that secret, then used it to deceive you." Yelü Huangwu threw the cloth into the basin, splashing water everywhere. "Don't you trust me anymore?" (To be continued...)

PS: Damn, accidentally overstayed in the writing cave. Making up the update late tonight. Everyone get some sleep early and check tomorrow. Goodnight.