bookrandom Chapter 1312 Keeping an Appointment
Chapter 1312 Keeping an Appointment
After a long while, Xiao Ce slowly raised his head, his gaze calmly sweeping over the extremely anxious Hu Yidao and the tearful Yin Pan'er.
His eyes were deep and unfathomable, containing neither anger nor fear, but rather a kind of confidence!
"I know it's dangerous. I know it's a den of dragons and tigers, and I know they'll have an ambush. But one thing I'm sure of is that they won't dare to take my life..."
"Your Highness, who can say for sure... Your Highness, perhaps it's better not to..." Yin Pan'er was still worried.
Hu Yidao nodded, then said to Xiao Ce, "Your Highness, why don't I impersonate you and go over there... After all, it's so late, they won't be able to tell each other apart..."
Xiao Ce waved his hand: "There are really only two possibilities now!"
Xiao Ce held up one finger and said to them, "Firstly! It's the one you're least willing to admit, yet many clues point to: Eva orchestrated this herself. I'm also more inclined to believe this..."
Hu Yidao's throat bobbed, as if he wanted to say something, but Xiao Ce raised his hand to stop him.
After Xiao Ce stopped him, he continued, "She used Ace and Bahar, whom she trusted most, to forge letters, create panic, and lay out this false threat, ultimately leading me to go to 'Shiva's Tears' alone tonight. Her purpose? I don't know yet."
"Perhaps she was under immense pressure that we haven't yet realized, or perhaps it stemmed from a mother's extreme protectiveness towards her child, wanting to keep me away from some source of danger she perceived as more terrifying? Or even... a kind of test?"
Xiao Ce's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly, then returned to its usual calm: "But in any case, she went to such lengths and made such a roundabout way; her purpose could not possibly be to take my life. If she truly wanted to kill me, she had countless more direct, more covert, and more successful options. In the Turkic lands, on the road, or even right here in the palace, catching me off guard would be far safer than setting up an ambush in that chaotic and filthy slum. So, if it really is her, this trip may be alarming, but my life is not in danger."
A complex light flashed in Yin Pan'er's eyes, showing both agreement with Xiao Ce's analysis and deep incomprehension and worry about Eva's behavior.
Xiao Ce raised a second finger, his eyes suddenly sharpening as he said, "Secondly, there really is a third-party force involved! It's the mastermind behind the scenes who used the name 'Hidden Dragon' and a stand-in to deliver threatening messages, forcing Eva to hastily disappear with Yuanwang! Their ultimate target is still me!"
His voice lowered, carrying a chilling killing intent: "They chose this method, using Eva and Faraway as bait, to lure me to their pre-ordained battlefield, the Tears of Shiva."
"This also shows that they dare not, or are not confident, to attack me elsewhere, under heavy protection! They need a chaotic environment, they need to use the terrain to offset my advantages, and they need to create psychological pressure. But..."
Xiao Ce stared intently at Hu Yidao and Yin Pan'er: "Their ultimate goal is definitely not just to kill me! If it were just to kill me, they would have had countless better opportunities when I entered the territory of Tianzhu, or even earlier, when I left Xiao Kingdom! Since they were able to stage this grand show at this exact time, it means they must know my whereabouts very well!"
"Why wait until now? Why go to such lengths? They must have a bigger scheme! They might want to capture me alive, they might want to coerce me into handing over something, they might want to drag me into a carefully designed trap to achieve some strategic goal... In short, they won't let me die easily before they achieve their goal! Eva and Yuanwang are important bargaining chips in their hands!"
In fact, Xiao Ce had an even more outrageous idea and plan in mind.
Although that's what he thought, Xiao Ce didn't say it aloud.
He even had a certain anticipation for these thoughts in his heart.
This analysis is meticulous and logically rigorous, clearly dissecting the essence of both possibilities.
Whether it's Eva's drama, the Hidden Dragon, or the scheme behind them, the core of it all points to Xiao Ce himself, yet the most fatal option of death has been temporarily ruled out.
The impatience on Hu Yidao's face faded slightly, replaced by a deep contemplation.
Yin Pan'er's tightly clenched hands loosened slightly, but the worry in her eyes did not completely disappear.
“Your Highness…” Hu Yidao’s voice was hoarse, “Your analysis is reasonable. But… even so, that place is far too dangerous! What if… what if the other side becomes desperate and does something unexpected…”
"Nothing unexpected."
Xiao Ce interrupted him, saying firmly, "It is precisely because the danger is unknown that I must go in person. If it really was Eva who set this up, I need to find out the reason in person and ensure her and Yuanwang's safety."
If it's a hidden dragon causing trouble, I must personally drag out this venomous insect lurking in the shadows and see what they're really up to! Hiding in the shadows will never solve the problem.
He walked up to Yin Pan'er, gently took her cold hand, and said in a softer voice, "Pan'er, trust me. Over the years, which seemingly risky decision hasn't ultimately led to a brighter future?"
“I know what I'm doing and I'm confident. You're not doing nothing on the periphery; you're my biggest support. I'll give you a signal once I confirm the situation.”
He then looked at Hu Yidao, his eyes gleaming: "General Hu, your mission is of utmost importance. As I mentioned in point two, search with great fanfare! The bigger the commotion, the better, so that everyone thinks we've gone crazy and that our main force is running around outside like headless flies. Deceive them!"
"But at the same time, select twenty of your most elite men, the ones most skilled in concealment and infiltration, and have them personally lead them to secretly infiltrate the outer perimeter of Shiva's Tears and await orders."
"Remember, it's a secret! Don't reveal any of your whereabouts! Without my signal, even if you see me surrounded, don't show yourself! If Eva is being held hostage, it's because I misunderstood him."
"Your mission is to deliver a fatal blow to the enemy at the most critical moment, or... ensure Eva and Vision's safe evacuation. Understand?"
"This subordinate...understood!"
Hu Yidao sensed the heavy trust in Xiao Ce's words!
His blood boiled with passion, and all doubts and dissuasion were suppressed. He clasped his hands tightly, his eyes burning with a resolute flame.
Looking at Xiao Ce's resolute profile, Yin Pan'er knew that further persuasion would be futile.
Once this man makes a decision concerning those he protects, not even nine oxen could pull him back.
She could only channel all her worry into a deep gaze, squeezing his hand tightly in return: "Your Highness... please be careful! Little Mudskipper and I... are waiting for you here... and for your sister and Yuanwang... to return safely!"
Xiao Ce squeezed her hand tightly, a hint of tenderness flashing in his eyes: "Don't worry."
Immediately afterwards, Xiao Ce and Hu Yidao went out.
Xiao Ce also disguised himself...
It's almost midnight...
The city of Brahma was shrouded in an eerie atmosphere, a mixture of false clamor and real deathly silence.
In the distance, the search and rescue team under Hu Yidao's command created a tremendous noise: soldiers shouting, horses galloping, and rough knocking on doors!
Like a muffled rumble of thunder rolling across the city!
This only serves to highlight the lifeless atmosphere of the "Tears of Shiva" area.
Xiao Ce changed into the most inconspicuous dark gray coarse cloth shorts, and smeared mud on his face again, like a homeless man crushed by life, silently blending into the shadows on the edge of the slum.
Of course, his tattered clothes also concealed some resources for taking others down with him.
Although Xiao Ce would not do that.
Because he knew very well that no one was worth dying for.
Stepping into "Shiva's Tears" again, the place is even more suffocating at night than during the day.
The murky Varanasi River murmured and flowed in the darkness, emitting a stench even stronger and more pungent than during the day. It was mixed with the acrid smell of rotting garbage, excrement, and burning cheap tobacco, forming a thick, suffocating miasma.
During the day, people with numb eyes could still be seen, but now most of them were huddled in dilapidated shacks. Only a few ghostly figures moved quickly through the narrow, muddy alleys, their wary eyes like those of wild beasts in the dark.
There were no lights, only the pale moonlight occasionally piercing through the gaps in the thick clouds, sparingly casting a few rays that reflected a weak, sickly luster on the murky puddles and rusted iron sheets, adding to the eerie atmosphere.
Underfoot was ankle-deep mud, each step accompanied by a sticky, sucking sound and a nauseating stench. The low, cluttered, and seemingly collapsing shacks, like a group of deformed beasts, silently squeezed the narrow space, casting large swaths of thick, impenetrable darkness.
In the distance, faint sounds of suppressed coughs, the weak cries of an infant, and low moans, whether human or animal, could be heard, making the area seem like a living hell.
Xiao Ce's five senses were heightened to their peak.
Lingxu's detection spread cautiously in all directions like an invisible spider web, capturing every abnormal fluctuation in the air. Although Lingxu couldn't attack, it could provide Xiao Ce with a 360-degree, no-blind-spot detection.
Even an anomaly within tens of meters could be detected by Lingxu.
This was one of the reasons why Xiao Ce dared to come...
He could clearly hear the suppressed breathing from the nearby shacks, smell the faint trace of cheap incense hidden amidst the pungent stench, and see several pairs of eyes peering in from the shadows, only to quickly dart away...
His steps appeared unsteady, yet each step landed on the most solid and silent spot, skillfully avoiding sharp debris scattered in the mud and potential traps. He moved like a ghost through the maze-like alleyways, precisely heading towards the abandoned shipyard in the river bend.
At this moment, he was like a master hunter, disguising himself as prey and stealthily moving through the hunting grounds.
The closer you get to the river bend, the more dilapidated and desolate the environment becomes.
The shacks gradually thinned out, replaced by large piles of garbage that emitted a strong stench of decay, as well as abandoned, rusty, dilapidated vehicles and machinery wreckage.
The murky river water has carved out a large backwater here, where the current is relatively gentle, but it is also more filthy, with thick layers of oil and all sorts of indescribable filth floating on the surface.
The shipyard is located at the very end of this garbage-strewn tidal flat...
It was a simple dock that had long been abandoned, built with rotten wood and rusted iron frames, and several huge boat sheds that were now just skeletons.
The massive, abandoned ship, resembling the skeleton of a prehistoric beast, lay half-submerged in the murky water, its surface covered in slippery moss and barnacles, its dark hatches like gaping maws ready to devour anyone who might enter.
Several broken, towering wooden booms jutted crookedly into the dark sky, casting distorted and grotesque shadows in the pale moonlight.
The entire area was filled with a heavy smell of rust, rotting wood, and stagnant water. It was eerily quiet, with only the soft lapping of the river against the decaying wood and the whistling of the wind blowing through the holes.
Xiao Ce stopped behind a huge, abandoned anchor that was half-buried in the mud.
The view from here is relatively open, allowing you to observe both the main body of the shipyard and the direction from which you are coming.
He seemed to blend into the shadow of the anchor, his aura almost nonexistent, with only his eyes flashing with a calm, cold starlight in the darkness, sharply scanning the desolate place before him.
Meanwhile, Lingxu had already detected a person not far away, slowly approaching...
That's right, the other person really was one person...
A short while later, he appeared behind Xiao Ce...
“Lord Xiao Shen…I have long admired your name. You are indeed a man of your word, and…you are indeed bold.”
There was no emotion in his voice, only an inhuman indifference and a condescending scrutiny.
Xiao Ce heard the sound and looked in the direction it came from...
The newcomer was wearing a pure black robe, a type of robe that was not uncommon in India...
The moonlight was not bright, but one could see that beneath the robe was a cold, Indian mask of some unknown god.
Xiao Ce glanced at the man a few times, then his face showed a disdainful sneer: "Hiding your head and tail, playing tricks. I dared to come alone, why are you still hiding!"
After hearing Xiao Ce's words, the man in the cloak smiled and said, "Xiao Ce, I admire your courage. I admire your confidence even more... But, aren't you a little unaware of the situation right now...?"
Xiao Ce found the voice of the cloaked man somewhat strange, but that didn't matter...
Xiao Ce gave a meaningful smile, then said, "Oh? The situation? I really can't see it clearly right now. Come on... give me a hint..."
At this moment, the man in the cloak seemed to have caught the hint of mockery in Xiao Ce's words, and coldly snorted at Xiao Ce, saying, "Xiao Ce, I don't know where your confidence comes from! What qualifications do you have to talk to me now? Your people are in my hands, you must know that."