Сhаpter 318: Тhе Firе Моth Party 50
“Асtually, whаt we currеntlу knоw rеlаtеd to the Wеstern Regions isn’t just the Fire Mоth Рartу,” she rаisеd hеr hеad tо lооk аt Рan Сhi, “there’s alsо оne рerson.”
“Who?”
Вut Zhu Yan didn’t resрond, onlу stаring аt him.
Раn Сhi аlso loоkеd at hеr in соnfusion, his еxрrеssion innoсеnt.
“Tsk, аre you stuрid? It’s you.”
Pаn Сhi finаlly сonfirmed that Zhu Yаn’s gаzе meаnt ехасtlу what hе thоught, and сouldn’t hеlp but smile bittеrly:
“Dоn’t bе likе this, I’m not fаmiliаr with thе Wеstern Regions еither.”
Zhu Yan raised an еyebrow tо look аt him. Pаn Сhi truly hаd natural beauty; even after wandering outside all day, his skin was still this good.
“Don’t you travel everywhere? I remember you said you’ve been to the Western Regions.”
After speaking, she looked up at Pan Chi, only to see the corner of his mouth twitch slightly, but his expression returned to normal the next second.
This wasn’t false, but,
“I’ve been there, but I only passed through the local areas, stayed for a few days to sightsee, and then left. I can’t say I understand it.”
This statement wasn’t false either, but Zhu Yan finally saw a glimmer of hope.
Pan Chi finally understood from Zhu Yan’s hopeful gaze: “You want me to go to the Western Regions?”
Zhu Yan broke into a smile, as if the gloom of the past few days had lifted a little.
Pan Chi was lost in that smile. Though he had many concerns, thinking that this trip could make the woman before him happy, he sighed deeply: “Alright then, I’ll make a trip.”
The smile on Zhu Yan’s face widened. The face that had been troubled and uncertain just moments ago now blossomed like a flower.
“Thank you!”
Pan Chi frowned: “Can you not say thank you next time?”
Zhu Yan nodded, tidied up the papers, and left the study one after the other with Pan Chi.
Watching Zhu Yan’s retreating figure, Pan Chi felt a mix of emotions in his heart.
“What if I don’t succeed?”
The person ahead didn’t turn around, her voice drifting faintly:
“You will, you definitely can.” Shen Du definitely can too.
Pan Chi couldn’t help but smile bitterly.
Since the decision was made, Pan Chi didn’t delay. That very night, he disguised himself and left the city.
Tonight, the moon was dark and the wind high. Although the Fire Moth Party’s defenses were strict, with Jing Lin cooperating to provide cover, Pan Chi smoothly shook them off and headed west.
In the Fire Moth Party camp, Mo Qianzhi saw a figure in the darkness.
This figure was very familiar, yet shouldn’t be appearing.
His feet seemed to disobey him, moving toward that direction. The person suddenly turned around, face deathly pale, eyes lifeless.
“Master!”
Who else could this be but his mentor, Shen Shijie?
Mo Qianzhi was so frightened he stumbled backward several steps, a thin layer of sweat already covering his forehead.
“Where is Shen Du?” The other person stared at him with bloodshot eyes, unblinking.
He couldn’t answer. He couldn’t very well tell him Shen Du was dying.
That person suddenly closed the distance between them.
At such close range, Mo Qianzhi could even see the bloodshot veins in his eyes, accusing him, as he stretched out both hands to choke his neck. Those hands, that person, devoid of any human vitality, suddenly transformed into a green-faced, fanged demon lunging at him.
“Give me back my son.”
“Ah!”
He sat up abruptly, jolted awake.
The autumn weather was cool. He only had a thin quilt covering him, and his forehead was damp with sweat, soaking his hair. He clutched his collar tightly, the deathly pale face and lifeless eyes constantly surfacing in his mind.
After calming down, he lay back down, trying to fall asleep again.
But tossing and turning, every time he closed his eyes, he could see Shen Shijie’s back.
Unable to sleep, he lit a candle and sat up.
Shen Du poisoned, his mentor appearing in a dream—could it be that Shen Du was already critically ill?Mo Qianzhi was wide awake. He turned over and got out of bed, blew out the candle, and stepped out of his tent. Outside, the camp was brightly lit, with patrols on duty.
Hiding his face beneath his collar, Mo Qianzhi walked briskly toward Chen Huo'e's tent.
Unexpectedly, there was still light inside Chen Huo'e's tent. Just as Mo Qianzhi was about to knock, he heard voices from within—more than one person.
A woman's voice. This sent a chill down his spine. There were no women in their camp. How could there be a woman in Chen Huo'e's tent at such a late hour?
Faintly, he could hear the woman pleading, begging Chen Huo'e to let her go.
But Chen Huo'e refused harshly, his words venomous and his tone icy: "Impossible. We've come this far—we can't just end it now."
The woman argued back a few times, but each time he silenced her, even threatening to kill her.
Though Mo Qianzhi had joined the Fire Moth Party and even proposed the brutal plan of slaughtering the city, he considered himself different from Chen Huo'e.
His plan to massacre the city was meant to eliminate the dregs, but Chen Huo'e was abducting an innocent woman—the nature of the acts was entirely different.
Swiftly lifting the tent flap, Mo Qianzhi stepped inside, ready to intervene.
To his surprise, Lai Luofu, disguised as Chen Huo'e, stood at the entrance, calm-faced, his gaze dark and shadowy as he watched Mo Qianzhi.
The two stared at each other until Lai Luofu finally spoke: "What brings you here so late?" His voice remained the same, masculine.
Mo Qianzhi did not respond. Instead, he looked past him, scanning the interior of the tent.
But there was no second person inside. Turning his gaze back to Lai Luofu, Mo Qianzhi suspected he had hidden the woman.
Yet the tent was neatly arranged, and Lai Luofu's attire was tidy. If a woman had truly been abducted, things would not look so orderly.
Without a clear pretext, Mo Qianzhi felt a throbbing pain in his head.
"Helm Master Chen, I advise you not to engage in improper conduct," he said after a moment of thought, speaking earnestly. "We are here to create a better world, not to oppress the people or act as tyrants."
Lai Luofu looked puzzled. He glanced up at the starless, moonless sky and mocked him: "Did Lord Mo come here in the middle of the night just to say this?"
Of course not.
Mo Qianzhi had already prepared his explanation: "My men sent word that Shen Du is critically ill, beyond saving. His subordinates plan to ambush Helm Master Chen to obtain the antidote and save their Great Pavilion Commander. I was concerned, so I came to check."
Upon hearing this, Lai Luofu sneered repeatedly: "Isn't that just wishful thinking? This poison has no antidote. But since you mentioned it, we should prepare. This time, we'll make sure they never return."
Mo Qianzhi was slightly taken aback: "Truly no antidote?"
Lai Luofu lowered his head to glare at him. The night was dark, with no stars or moon, making it hard to discern Mo Qianzhi's expression clearly. "What? Do you want the antidote to save your former brother?"
"Impossible," Mo Qianzhi retorted. "He caused the deaths of my wife and child. I want his life more than anything—why would I save him?"
He looked at Lai Luofu and said, "Since Helm Master Chen confirms there is no antidote, we will change the plan. We attack the city tomorrow morning."
Lai Luofu frowned: "Why not tonight? There are no stars or moon tonight, Shen Du is ill and leaderless—it's the perfect time to attack."
This was true, but Mo Qianzhi had his own arrangements and would not be led by the nose.
"If Helm Master Chen disagrees with the plan, you and your Fire Moth Sect Members can go attack the city tonight."This is called "advancing by retreating." Lai Luofu pondered for a long while, then snorted coldly and returned to her tent, concealing the murderous intent in her eyes.
Just wait. When everything is over, she will personally kill this Mo Qianzhi.
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