NOVPUBThe two reached a dead end.
Right above the secret passage was the dead end, and Lue Xiong glanced at the left side of the surrounding wall.
After pondering for a bit, he finally gritted his teeth and, with his son, climbed over it.
No sooner had they climbed over than guards in the courtyard spotted them.
"Who’s there?" Several guards hurried over with swords drawn, surrounding Lue Xiong and his son.
"Keep your voices down, I am City Lord Lue Xiong," Lue Xiong quickly explained.
"Oh," the guard instantly understood and asked, "City Lord Lue, what brings you here in this manner?"
"I need to see Brother Liu," Lue Xiong said directly.
"Sorry, Lord Liu is not seeing anyone recently," the guard answered.
"Why?" Lue Xiong was taken aback and asked.
"The lord didn’t explain, and I don’t dare to ask," the guard replied with a smile.
Hearing this, Lue Xiong fell silent for a while.
Standing by, Lue Jin looked at his father, somewhat puzzled. Who exactly was this Lord Liu?
He was quite successful in Phoenix Hoaring City but had never heard of such a person.
"Would you trouble yourself to relay a message to Lord Liu? Just say City Lord Lue Xiong requests an audience," Lue Xiong finally said.
"The last few times, it was my attitude that wasn’t right. I hope Lord Liu won’t take it to heart."
The guard hesitated for a moment, then eventually nodded.
Before long, the guard came out quickly, smiling, "City Lord Lue, our master invites you."
Lue Xiong slightly nodded and murmured softly, "So he really was waiting for me here!"
He walked into the hall with Lue Jin. 𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙥𝒖𝒃.𝒄𝒐𝒎
The hall was empty at that moment, and Lue Xiong had to wait patiently.
While waiting, he surveyed his surroundings.
He noticed that the courtyard’s layout was very simple.
A few ordinary tables and tea sets, and a painting hung on the wall for appreciation whose name he didn’t know.
"Dad, who is Lord Liu?" Lue Jin asked curiously.
"Don’t ask what you shouldn’t," Lue Xiong cast a brief glance at his son and said, "If it weren’t for your situation this time, I wouldn’t have been driven to such a desperate state. Just watch from the side."
About the time it took to burn two sticks of incense, a hearty voice came from the back hall.
"Brother Lue, it’s such an honor to have you here; I apologize for the long wait."
With the man’s arrival, the laughter had already preceded him.
Following the voice, an elderly man wearing a mask walked out from the inside.
The old man, dressed in a green robe, had a commanding presence, exuding an extremely formidable aura as he approached.
Seeing this masked elder, Lue Jin, for some reason, felt a sense of familiarity.
...
"It’s no trouble," Lue Xiong said with a smile, waving his hand.
Only then did a guard bring over some tea, with steam slowly rising from it.
The masked elder asked with a smile, "Brother Lue, what brings you to me?"
"I’d like to ask Brother Liu for a favor," Lue Xiong said thoughtfully.
"What is it?"
"To eliminate a few people," Lue Xiong stated each word deliberately.
"I’m afraid that’s not a good idea," the masked elder said with difficulty.
"City Lord Lue knows that we at the True God Cult do not involve ourselves in any affairs; otherwise, we would be wanted again."
Hearing the elder’s words, Lue Xiong scoffed.
These people of the True God Cult had ambitious intentions; they merely wanted a commitment from him.
But now, caught in a dilemma, he had no choice but to turn to them for help.
Otherwise, being sent to the capital city would spell certain death.
"Brother Liu, I agreed to what you discussed with me last time," Lue Xiong said with piercing eyes.
"I am willing to join the True God Cult," Lue Xiong stated gravely.
"In that case, brother, it’s my undeniable responsibility to take care of family affairs," the masked elder said cheerfully.
"I hope Elder Lue brother isn’t forcing himself."
Lue Xiong let out a few dry laughs. Forcing himself? He was already at his wit’s end.
But he wouldn’t say that out loud, just shaking his head with a smile.
"Then Elder Lue brother, just give me the information of the person you want killed, and I guarantee everything will be over before dawn," the masked elder said.
Lue Xiong provided a general description of Huang Xing and his companions, and after a moment’s circumspection, he stood up and left.
After Lue Xiong had departed, the hall fell into an eerie silence.
Only the sound of the masked elder tapping on the table could be heard.
It wasn’t long before a gray-clad servant walked in.
"Go back and tell the Sect Hierarch that Phoenix Hoaring City has been captured; I’m dealing with the aftermath," the masked elder spoke indifferently.
The servant nodded slightly and then slowly disappeared into the darkness.
After father and son Lue Xiong walked out of the courtyard building, they returned to the City Lord Mansion via a secret alley in the neighborhood.
Upon returning to the mansion, Lue Jin hesitated for a moment before finally saying, "Father, there’s something I’m not sure if I should mention."
"Speak," Lue Xiong replied calmly.
"Father, have you ever seen the true face of that masked elder?" Lue Jin asked.
Lue Xiong shook his head slightly. Brother Liu’s real name was Liu Zinan, and he had been cautious to keep his mask on ever since their first meeting.
Liu Zinan had always been trying to win him over, and if it hadn’t been for this incident, he would never have joined the True God Cult.
Though the Phoenix Perching Empire was always hunting down members of the True God Cult, Lue Xiong was the kind of man who managed to get along with everyone and didn’t want to offend anyone.
"I suspect that the masked elder is Old Zhang from the South of City Pharmacy," Lue Jin said deliberately.
"What do you mean?" Lue Xiong asked, puzzled.
"The reason I fell out with the people from Sansi was also because of this Old Zhang and his daughter."
Lue Jin continued, "I now suspect that this was all a set-up.
A trap laid out for you by the True God Cult."
"How can you be sure that Liu Zinan is Old Zhang?" Lue Xiong asked.
"It’s a feeling, too familiar," Lue Jin said.
"Believe it or not, I have no proof, but I feel it’s Old Zhang."
"That’s enough, go get some rest," Lue Xiong waved his hand and said.
"Father, are we really..." Lue Jin wanted to say more but was promptly cut off by Lue Xiong.
"We no longer have the luxury of choice, keep this matter to yourself."
Lue Jin nodded and left the room, resigned.
...…
Meanwhile, at the inn where Xu Zimei and her companions were staying in the city.
The night had grown deep, and several figures stealthily infiltrated the inn.
These figures exchanged glances, nodded at each other, and split up to enter several rooms.
Not long after, the lights in the rooms turned on, and the sound of fighting began to emit.
With a "bang," Huang Xing burst through the wooden door, kicking the black-clad figure out.
Immediately afterward, several others from different rooms hastily emerged.
"What’s going on?" Huang Ri asked.
"Someone’s trying to kill us," Huang Xing said.
The group looked towards the location of the inn’s main hall, where four black-clad people were standing.
Xu Zimei furrowed her brows slightly and glanced in the direction of Huang Yue.
But she found that Huang Yue’s expression remained unchanged, revealing nothing.
"Who are you?" Huang Xing asked sternly.
