214 Cooperation (1/2)
Chapter 214: Cooperation
Translator: TransnEditor: Transn
Flowery Pavilion was a low-end brothel. Different from its high-class counterparts in Pleasure Alley, it kept many cheap prostitutes in the house. Low prices and a wide variety of choices here attracted lots of customers.
When Zhong Heng came to this place to meet the killer, Yang Huan, he was also quite satisfied with the services here. Although the prostitutes here were not as good-looking as the ones in Pleasure Alley, he still felt great to have several girls serving him at the same time.
Commandant Zhong and the two junior officers who followed him spent the whole day drinking and playing inside the brothel. They were leaving Jade City within a few months, so they decided to enjoy themselves in South City as much as possible before leaving their posts.
In the evening, Zhong Heng sent his officers and prostitutes away and went to have a private conversation with the killer. Commandant Zhong, who always talked in a roundabout way, seem to be pretty straightforward today. ”Brother Yang, can I call you like that?”
Zhong Heng had a red face after drinking. He appeared to be slightly drunk and talked to the killer in a warm, friendly tone.
”Yes.” Gu Shenwei replied.
”When we first met, I knew that you would become a good killer. You're smart, knowledgeable, and... ambitious.”
”Commandant Zhong, you're flattering me. I'm just an ordinary killer,” Gu Shenwei said smilingly. Everybody in Jade City admired ambitious people, but no one in this city knew this young killer's true ambition.
”I told the truth. You're being too modest.” Zhong Heng paused for a moment and then he asked, ”Brother Yang, have you ever thought for yourself?”
”I don't quite understand your question. Commandant Zhong,” replied Gu Shenwei.
Zhong Heng approached the killer to whisper beside his ear, ”You've killed two sons of the Supreme King.” Commandant Zhong had already known that it was Yang Huan who had assassinated Shangguan Ruo and helped Shangguan Fei kill Shangguan Chui.
”It's not my call. I just carried out my masters' commands.” Gu Shenwei said.
”Huh, brother Yang, you're a clever person. You should know an old saying: 'After the cunning hare dies, the hounds are boiled.' You do all the dirty jobs for your masters and let them reap all the benefits. However, they'll probably kill you someday to whitewash their own names,” Zhong Heng explained.
Gu Shenwei knew what Zhong Heng was talking about, but he continued to play dumb. ”Fortunately, Golden Roc Fort hasn't attached any blame to me for the death of the two young masters.” In fact, Gu Shenwei had to thank the twins for this result. As they were young and immature, it was easy to manipulate them. In the Stone Castle, he could not find any other young master like the twins. That was why he felt hesitant to kill them.
Upon hearing what the killer said, Zhong Heng chuckled to himself for a while, and then he picked up his teacup and took a sip of his tea. ”Have you ever noticed anything unusual within Golden Roc Fort during the past few months?”
”What do you mean?” Gu Shenwei felt intrigued and asked.
”Lady Meng dictates in the fort, the New Moon Hall resurges in the desert and the young masters of the fort have started to kill each other. However, the Supreme King remains aloof from these things. Why?” said Zhong Heng.
When Lady Meng had stricken back at the eldest young master months ago, Gu Shenwei had had the same question in mind. However, as time went by, he gradually got used to the Supreme King's absence. Zhong Heng's question aroused his curiosity again. ”Commandant Zhong, if you trust me, please tell me what you've discovered directly.”
Before telling the killer what he had founded out about the Supreme King, Zhong Heng asked the youth another question. ”Brother Yang, can you tell me who your real boss is in the Stone Castle?”
Although Gu Shenwei had worked for many people in the fort in the past, he had never considered anyone of them his real boss. At first, he wanted to make up a story to deceive Commandant Zhong, but after a moment of thought, he gave up on that idea. He was pretty sure that this well-informed man had already known quite a lot about himself. Besides, he thought it was unnecessary to lie to a man who was going to die very soon. ”To be frank, I've no boss now. It's not easy for a killer to survive in the fort. I have to find a reliable master for myself,” Gu Shenwei said to Zhong Heng.
”Haha.” Zhong Heng laughed with satisfaction and then he said with a solemn face, ”It's very wise to choose a master by yourself. However, there are only a few powerful masters. When everyone rushes to seek protection from a great power, you've already missed the best chance to pledge loyalty to this power.”
Although this idea was not new to Gu Shenwei, he still thanked Commandant Zhong for this piece of advice.
”To ensure a bright future for yourself, you have to pay close attention to your current boss. Once he shows a sign of weakness, you'll have to get ready to find another boss,” Zhong Heng said, implying that the Supreme King was not well.
In Gu Shenwei's eyes, information from Zhong Heng should never be taken lightly. This man was not just a common officer in Jade City. He also gathered intelligence on Western Region for the Central Plain. ”Commandant Zhong, are you saying that—”
”The Supreme King is sick for a long time. He's stopped managing the Golden Roc Fort since last winter,” Zhong Heng interrupted.
Gu Shenwei had seen the Supreme King only twice: the first time at the Giant Rock Cliff, and the second time at Shangguan Chui's funeral. At the cliff, the Supreme King had easily slapped a black-masked assassin to death when he had failed to catch the giant golden-crowned rocs alive. When he had appeared on the funeral surrounded by many killers, he still looked alright.
”Really?” Gu Shenwei asked in surprise. He searched his memory but failed to find any sign that the Supreme King was ill.
”I need you to verify this information. By doing this thing, you can also help yourself,” Zhong Heng said assertively.
”Zhong Heng is a crafty man. He never makes a commitment and always gives others dubious replies. Nevertheless, this time he directly said that it was he who needed my help. He sounded so assertive. He must have been speaking on behalf of the Governor,” Gu Shenwei thought to himself. ”I'm afraid that I can't help you. We're not allowed to gossip about the Supreme King inside the Stone Castle. More importantly, I can't return to the fort without permission during the Tenth Young Master's probationary year,” he said to Commandant Zhong.
Zhong Heng lowered his head to blow his tea. ”The Tenth Young Master is the Supreme King's favorite child. Now that her father seems to be ill, she should return to the fort to pay him a visit,” Commandant Zhong said casually without looking up.
”Shangguan Ru, again. Obviously, I'm not the only one who plans to use her. She's fed up with killing and scheming, but as the Supreme King's daughter, she can never stay away from those things. She probably has never expected that her identity will bring her so much trouble,” Gu Shenwei thought for a while and then said to Commandant Zhong, ”That's not a good idea. It'll kill me instead of doing me any good.”
Zhong Heng could tell that the killer had already been intrigued, so he continued to persuade him. ”You don't have to worry about your own safety. Now the political situation in Western Region is different. Golden Roc Fort's influence on this region is already past its peak, and the Central Plain will return to Jade City sooner or later. Thirty years ago, this city was our military base, and 10,000 soldiers were stationed here. Now our emperor intends to send an army here to reclaim this city. Backed by such a great power, you've nothing to worry about.”