Book 2 Chapter 23 (1/2)

B2C23: Gold-card mission (2)

In a gloomy room of an old house, there is a candle on a desk. The candle, with its dusky light, is shining on one side of the face of a man who is sitting at the desk. Under the flicker of the candlelight, that man’s face is only a vague shape.

The only exception is that pair of eyes -- a pair of eyes which radiate so much eeriness and grimness that they are both pronounced and frightening. At the moment, this pair of eyes is staring at the top of the desk where a hand is writing nonstop with a pen.

After a while, the pen is put down.

Suddenly, the candle’s flame brightens, lightening the face of this man clearly -- it is a handsome and pale face. At first sight, even though this man is already in his forties or fifties, there is an air of a sickly beauty about him. However, when coupled with that pair of eyes, the entire bearing of this man changes.

This man is none other than Zhen Xu, the absolute genius of the Xiang royal clan’s intelligence service. Even the head of the intelligence service will tremble upon seeing him. He is also the one person Xiang Guang appreciates the most.

Zhen Xu takes out from his bosom a square block of jade, which radiates gentle rays of light. There seems to be some marks on this square block of jade. Zhen Xu examines the marks carefully then slightly shakes his head and says: “Trans-Heaven diagrams. This is the first Trans-Heaven diagram. Pity after a half year of research I haven’t achieved anything. I better give it to the Emperor. Perhaps I’ve been delaying for so long that he can’t wait anymore.”

Zhen Xu gets an iron case from the side of the desk. At the same time he puts the secret letter and the square jade black in it. Then he closes the lid of the iron case and locks it up using a key.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! ……

Suddenly Zhen Xu continuously pokes the iron case several times. The case gives a series of clacking sounds then the key hole disappears. This case uses the same security mechanism as the iron case the Qin clan used to keep the secret books. Someone who does not know the method of opening simply cannot get anything from it.

However, at this moment outside the room, a silvery-masked man is standing in the center of this old house’s courtyard.

Qin Yu’s eyes are closed.

“Trans-Heaven diagrams.” Qin Yu’s interest is aroused. His marvelous perception allows him to sense clearly everything happening in the room which is several tens meters away from him, including the several places Zhen Xu poked at on the iron case. Qin Yu commits them to his mind completely.

Thanks to the benefit of the Meteoric Tear, Qin Yu’s soul is now as strong as a Xiuzhenist’s. His strong soul has given him a marvelous perception, which is also a Xiuzhenist’s ‘holy sense.’ As the soul becomes stronger, the range of the holy sense will also become longer.

Qin Yu does not make any wind sounds when walking and he is holding his breath so, for the moment, Zhen Xu in the house actually does not know that he is outside.

“Little brother, take this iron case into the palace at once. You must be quick and this key must be hidden carefully. There’s a Trans-Heaven diagram in the case so you mustn’t be careless,” says Zhen Xu suddenly.

A man who has been staying in a dark corner walks out. This man will make other people feel as if he is a juvenile. However, Zhen Xu knows this juvenile-looking man is already over 40 years old because he has been following him for more than 20 years.

Zhen Xu’s 2 subordinate generals -- Nalan Feng and Nalan Dan.

The Nalan brother and sister are very weird. Despite being in their 40s, they still look like juveniles. According to the Nalans’s guess, this has something to do with their eating a kind of holy fruit during their adolescence. The Nalan brother and sister only listen to Zhen Xu’s orders and do not even care about Emperor Xiang Guang in the slightest.

“Don’t worry, big brother. I’ll attach this key to my key chain.” Nalan Feng takes out a key chain and strings the iron case’s key on it. He also suddenly takes another key out from the key chain and puts it in his chest as if it is very important.

“Little brother, you’re still the same,” says Zhen Xu smilingly.

Nalan Feng raises his eyebrows and says: “Big brother, precautions avert perils, right? Even if someone killed me, he would surely think the key in my chest is the right one and wouldn’t think that the real key is on my key chain. Moreover … I’ll even let a subordinate of mine carry this key chain.”

“Feng, you’re always thinking that you’re so clever.” A cold and clear voice rises. A grim girl also comes out from a dark corner of the room. She sticks her tongue out and gives her palm a lick. In the palm, there is …