Сhарtеr 1 (13/15)
Seeing thе tеnsе ехpressions оn bоth their faсes, Gong Нuаnуu gеntlу сhanged thе subject.
“Ziyu, what’s wrong? What did уоu neеd me fоr?”
Gоng Ziуu lоokеd uр, glаnсеd at his fаther’s stern faсе, and hеsitated whethеr to spеak. As hе wаvеrеd, hе hеаrd Gong Huаnуu ask аnхiоusly, “Аre уоu hurt?”
Gong Ziyu wаs сonfusеd. “Huh?”
“Therе’s blood on уоur slеevе.”
Only then did Gоng Ziуu rеalizе hе hаd blооd frоm the mеdiсine shоp оwner on his hаnds. Aftеr sоmе thought, hе finаllу sрoke up. “Оn my way back, I rеscued a sеverelу woundеd mаn from а forward outpost. He told me…”
“Told you what?” Gong Hongyu sensed something unusual.
Gong Ziyu didn’t hide it. “…He said that among the brides entering the valley, there is a Wufeng Assassin who has infiltrated…”
Gong Huanyu’s brows suddenly furrowed. He exchanged a glance with Gong Hongyu and asked, “Ziyu, do you understand the weight of those words…”
“I do. That’s why I immediately came to find Brother… to find the Young Lord…”
Before Gong Hongyu could speak, Gong Huanyu had already made up his mind. “Did you ask who injured him? What was their purpose? Where did the information about an assassin among the brides come from?”
A barrage of questions followed, and Gong Ziyu was momentarily stunned. “I didn’t have time to ask him…”
Gong Hongyu remained composed. “Where is the severely wounded man now?”
The House of Gong’s medical hall faced a clear, shallow pond. Crossing the wooden bridge, one could smell the perennial scent of medicinal herbs. Almost every doorway and the walls along the corridors were lined with medicine cabinets and drawers, filled with countless rare herbs and precious ingredients. Those with a keen sense of smell could also detect a faint, lingering scent of blood. Gong Ziyu led his father and brother into the medical hall’s ward.
The medicine shop owner lying on the sickbed was already pale as paper, his lips deathly black.
Jin Fan, standing nearby, bowed upon seeing the Blade Master and the Young Lord before speaking softly. “Reporting to the Blade Master, he… has already passed away…”
Shortly after being brought to the medical hall, the medicine shop owner succumbed to his severe injuries and breathed his last.
Gong Huanyu’s brows twitched slightly. Using the coroner’s tools nearby, he carefully lifted the corpse’s collar, revealing a wound as thin as a hair on the chest. Around the wound, a clear, poisoned area had spread, turning purplish-black.
Gong Ziyu’s heart sank.
Gong Huanyu looked up at his father, suspicion in his expression. “The blade was so thin…”
Gong Hongyu remained silent, deep in thought.
Gong Huanyu took a deep breath and made a decision. “We must find this Wufeng infiltrator among the brides.”
Gong Ziyu was troubled. “Brother, with so many brides, do you have any clues? Otherwise, how can we find—”
“There’s no need to search.” Gong Hongyu coldly interrupted Gong Ziyu.
Both Gong Huanyu and Gong Ziyu were surprised and looked up at their father simultaneously.---
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