Chaotic World Book
Chapter 239 - 234 No Good Person

Chapter 239: Chapter 234 No Good Person

Vermilion Bird, who initially watched Zhao Changhe perform with a cheeky smile, turned chillingly cold in the latter half.

Zhao Changhe swung his hammer here and brandished his club there, catching one in an affair, then confirming another colluding with barbarians, leading and misguiding the crowd to a point where it seemed irrelevant who the real culprit was. Even Yan Lianping let his guard down involuntarily, feeling as though being discovered as the real culprit wouldn’t matter much.

However, everyone forgot that Zhao Changhe’s true objective was to find who spread the rumors.

Identifying the real culprit only mattered because whoever the culprit was, they were most likely the one spreading the rumors.

Yan Lianping was led astray and hesitated to deny firmly, which undoubtedly allowed Zhao Changhe to confirm that he was the rumor monger.

Spreading rumors that Zhao Changhe was a barbarian was intended to add turbulence to his future judicial dealings. The most suspect was the Wang Family, and with Sword Lake City not far from Langya, it was likely that during the Langya Swordplay Convention, when Zhao Changhe made clear his stance against cooperating with the Wang Family, they began to plan the eradication of Zhao Changhe’s "Prince" status and started spreading rumors around that time.

Whoever spread the rumor, is one of the Wang Family’s people.

The Four Symbols Sect had only just "allied" with the Wang Family, and the alliance had yet to be announced to their followers. So if Yan Lianping spread the rumors, it was not because of alliance ties with the Wang Family, but because he was following the Wang Family’s orders.

Concluding Yan Lianping as a traitor was logically consistent.

Vermilion Bird figured this out, yet found it a bit amusing.

She had never thought this matter would harm her Winged Fire Snake; factional strife from her point of view was of a very low level. Who spread the rumors about Zhao Changhe was none of her business, even if it was complex and confusing, so why would Yan Lianping, even if a traitor, make a move on her for no reason? Wouldn’t it just be making trouble out of nothing? Just fooling around for a few days and then sending them off should end it, right?

So she didn’t even bother to think too much, just watching how Zhao Changhe would perform.

But at this moment, she realized she might indeed be in trouble.

It was originally no issue, but it turned into one when Zhao Changhe’s case-solving revealed Yan Lianping’s defection to the Wang Family before her, and fearing the Vermilion Bird Venerable would find out, of course, he would want to silence her Winged Fire Snake!

Winged Fire Snake was indeed in danger!

Realizing this, Vermilion Bird couldn’t help but feel both amused and weepy.

While thus musing, a streak of sword light shot towards them from outside the building, instantly aiming for Zhao Changhe’s throat.

Vermilion Bird swiftly extended her hand, the assassin’s strike, so earnestly aimed, was lightly deflected by her fingertip, sending the sword off course and grazing past Zhao Changhe.

The assassin was horrified.

He, Qin Ruhui, was ranked seventy-one on the Human List! To have his sword almost shaken from his grip by such an insignificant flick! What sort of power did this Winged Fire Snake wield?

Vermilion Bird thought to herself that controlling her strength was a bit challenging, otherwise he’d be dead.

As she thought this, a sharp wind came at her waist, it was Yan Lianping stealthily attacking her with a Short Blade, "You are indeed involved with Zhao Changhe, I’ll capture you and let the Venerable deal with you!"

"Still pretending?" Zhao Changhe unsheathed his sword to strike at Qin Ruhui, scoffed, and said, "This little snake was sent by the Vermilion Bird Venerable to get involved with me, what would a traitor like you know?"

With a clanging sound, Qin Ruhui deflected Zhao Changhe’s broadsword with his own, and as sword flashes flared on both sides, it turned out to be Sha Qi bringing two elderly men to suddenly join the battle.

Qin Ruhui had no time to pursue Zhao Changhe, quickly fending off the two strikes, he bellowed, "Sha Qi, must you meddle in the Wang Family’s affairs? Will Ying Wu allow you to run wild?"

Hiding behind the elderly men, Sha Qi grinned, "Lord Ying seeks Sword Lake City, he seeks the Ancient Sword Space. With such a deal in place, not to speak of you, Qin Ruhui, a mere lackey, even if Wang Daoning himself comes, Lord Ying would welcome him!"

As Qin Ruhui was about to retort, sword momentum surged from his side, as Zhao Changhe’s sword momentum swept towards him.

Qin Ruhui recognized the move, Fa Qing had just perished under the cumulative force of this technique.

Nether River Surge!

He had no time for idle prattle, focusing to parry.

Meanwhile, Yan Lianping found himself embroiled in the most challenging nightmare of his life.

He struck at the "Winged Fire Snake" at the waist, and it seemed the Snake was somewhat flustered by the sneak attack, contorting and dodging while also launching a swift counterattack at his eyes.

The strength was indeed not to be underestimated, exceeding Yan Lianping’s expectations. However, he prided himself on hiding Human List-level power, taking the initiative with a stealth attack; he should be prevailing, but as the fight went on, he frustratingly found himself increasingly struggling for no apparent reason.

The bizarre snake face now appeared full of mockery and jeering.

A sense of ominous premonition rose in Yan Lianping’s mind, he suddenly roared, "What are you fools staring at? Everyone, attack!"

The surrounding Pinghu Association gang members, dazed by the rapid succession of unexpected events, came to their senses and rushed into action.

But they heard Zhao Changhe sigh while slicing his sword, "I must apologize to everyone, especially to the deceased leader Ji."

The onlookers, habituated to their curiosity, involuntarily stopped in their tracks, looking at Zhao Changhe.

"Earlier, I deliberately labeled leader Ji as a barbarian’s lackey to relax President Yan’s vigilance and not cover up his true murderous nature. In fact, leader Ji did not collude with the barbarians."

Even Sha Qi, who was usually just a spectator, widened his eyes in surprise, "That was what the Ji Family’s steward said."

"Indeed, Venerable Ji was originally trading with the nomads, and those properties on Taiping Street were from the grassland. However, once the nomads started pressing at our borders, Venerable Ji wanted to cut off all contacts. When He Lei came here wounded, Venerable Ji refused to shelter him, so He Lei found another partner. Because of this, He Lei harbored resentment and had this new partner kill Venerable Ji." Zhao Changhe spoke slowly, "This is the true crux of the case. All that talk about annexing the Xingyi Gang is just peripheral."

Yan Lianping shouted furiously, "You’re talking nonsense!"

Zhao Changhe replied indifferently, "The information about He Lei staying at your place was provided by the Demon Supression Department, not made up by me."

Now that even the Demon Suppression Department was vouching for him, at this moment, Zhao Changhe’s words were highly trusted by the onlookers, and no one believed Yan Lianping’s side of the story anymore.

The former members of the Xingyi Gang rose up in anger, and in an instant clashed with the Pinghu Association, "You traitors! Give us our leader’s life back!"

Yan Lianping’s hope to win through sheer numbers instantly fell apart; even if the Pinghu Association was stronger than the Xingyi Gang, the outcome was uncertain with one side completely demoralized and the other burning with rage.

Yan Lianping couldn’t figure out how things had turned out like this. Zhao Changhe was obviously spouting nonsense, but nobody questioned it, and what he couldn’t understand even more was that He Lei really did show up!

A wounded grassland lion, who shouldn’t have appeared under any circumstances, actually came. It was as if he had come to confirm the accusation that Yan Lianping was colluding with the nomads, and after being exposed, there was no need to hide it anymore.

Taking advantage of the deadlock in the battle, a broadsword raged into action, striking toward... the Winged Fire Snake.

Even Vermilion Bird Venerable hesitated for a moment, but then quickly realized why He Lei wanted to kill the "Winged Fire Snake."

With the atmosphere as it was, as long as He Lei truly killed the Winged Fire Snake, Yan Lianping would be unable to argue and would have to join their dark path. The benefits for the nomads of acquiring a core disciple of the Four Symbols Sect were self-evident. At this moment, none of the parties involved had the spare energy to stop He Lei.

Vermilion Bird Venerable was in a dilemma.

If she was willing to reveal her true strength, then He Lei was basically delivering himself to his death... but could she really reveal it?

Before she could make a decision, having just parried a blow from He Lei, a flash of sword light appeared and Han Wubing’s calm voice could be heard, "As I said earlier, the mad lion He Lei, come out and meet your death."

The onlookers were dumbfounded. Wasn’t Han Wubing at the Ji Family’s residence holding Ji’s wife hostage? How did he get here?

This meant that Han Wubing wasn’t at the Ji Family’s home at all, and the one who had delivered the message was merely an actor sending false military intelligence? Who was that?

As people turned their gaze upon the unnoticed messenger, he suddenly made his move, displaying a prowess even stronger than Han Wubing’s, they jointly attacked He Lei, "Demon Suppression Department’s Wei Zicai is here, nomad, meet your death!"

With that, shadows flickered outside the building, countless strong bows and crossbows appeared from nowhere, aiming at He Lei in mid-air.

He Lei: "..."

Everyone: "..."

The Earth List is indeed the Earth List; even with unhealed wounds, one can’t be killed by such an ambush. He Lei swept his sword furiously, a massive Qi Wall surged out, deflecting close arrows askew in all directions, then a strike landed on Wei Zicai’s sword, and he fled.

But he couldn’t defend against Han Wubing’s strike to his back, which pierced his shoulder blade, blood soaking through his clothes. The wounds that had taken so many days to heal not only reopened, they were now worse.

He Lei’s loud roar came from a distance, "Central Plains people, indeed treacherous! Zhao Changhe, I’ll remember you!"

Taking advantage of the chaos caused by He Lei’s intrusion, Qin Ruhui feinted with a sword and also retreated rapidly. There was no one of the Human List present, and if he truly wanted to leave, he could not be kept.

What a joke, if he didn’t retreat now, he would genuinely die here! And somehow, he’d been indiscriminately implicated, with Yan Lianping being confirmed as colluding with he and the Wang family; what about his own Wang family?

Qin Ruhui couldn’t figure out how things came to this.

What puzzled him even more was Yan Lianping himself; he also wanted to retreat, but who was his opponent?

How could he retreat?

As Qin Ruhui retreated, Vermilion Bird’s hand was already clutching Yan Lianping’s throat, her voice cold as if ground from between her teeth, "Thanks to you, I really do need his support even more now."

Yan Lianping didn’t know what she was talking about, feeling the world had lost its color, he mumbled, "I did not collude with the nomads..."

"I know." Zhao Changhe didn’t chase after Qin Ruhui, but slowly approached Yan Lianping, lowering his voice, "What I said just now was purely made up. I have no idea whether Ji Yinan traded with the nomads in the past and refused to now; I’ve never interviewed him. I only said that to get the Xingyi Gang on my side, and it was an unexpected bonus that He Lei took the bait and showed himself."

Yan Lianping: "..."

Zhao Changhe turned slowly to face Wei Zicai, "So, Mr. Wei, could you tell me why you told me He Lei was staying at the Pinghu Association, when in fact he was at the Ji Family’s?"

Wei Zicai said with an apologetic smile, "Of course, it was just to remind you to pay more attention to Yan Lianping. The matter with Yan Lianping is much more significant. After all, Ji Yinan is already dead, dwelling on whether he colluded with He Lei is pointless."

"You’re essentially helping Sha Qi deal with the Pinghu Association. Ever since I asked you who was behind the Kangle Gambling House and you hesitated, I realized, you also betrayed the Chief and now follow Ying Wu." Zhao Changhe sighed, "Small temple, big demon; shallow waters, lots of mudskippers. In this decrepit Sword Lake City, there’s not a single good person."

Vermilion Bird suddenly remembered something Zhao Changhe said before, that they were all lying.

---

PS: Seeking a wave of monthly tickets.