Chaotic World Book
Chapter 381 - 373: I’m Here

Chapter 381: Chapter 373: I’m Here

Zhao Changhe, accompanied by Tang Wanju, zigzagged through the city for a while, making sure that no pursuers were behind them, then turned into the duck farm of Great Zhou.

Hearing that a fierce battle had erupted in the Immortal Palace Garden, Great Zhou was pacing anxiously in the yard when suddenly, a bloodied man and a heavenly girl leapt down from the top of the wall, leaving him staring in astonishment, "Head, Head of the Department? Uh, Mister... Zhao."

Zhao Changhe said, "This place has not been exposed, it remains a very good hiding spot... Arrange a secret room for us, we need to treat our wounds immediately."

One of the benefits of having a person on the inside was that there was no need to fear unpredicted mishaps in some desolate wilderness; one could have a secret chamber prepared and someone to keep watch as well.

"Follow me." Great Zhou immediately opened a cellar, activating a mechanism inside, revealing a hidden cottage complete with beds and bedding, "I’m ashamed to admit, I always felt like I might need to hide in here someday. I never thought it would actually come in handy for Mister Zhao’s healing..."

"It’s not for me, it’s for your head, Tang Wanju," Zhao Changhe paused and then looked at Tang Wanju with a serious expression, "Did you partially unseal the Third Secret Treasure? You seemed too at ease dealing with Maitreya, something’s not right."

Tang Wanju had been smiling all the while as she watched Zhao Changhe coordinate with Great Zhou, but now she responded with a smile, "I didn’t fully unseal it, but it’s fine..."

Zhao Changhe stared at her with a stern face, not saying a word.

Tang Wanju actually felt a bit intimidated by his stern look and averted her gaze slightly, "I’ll be fine after some rest. What’s with that expression?"

"Are you sure a bit of rest will be enough?"

"Mhm."

"Then, I won’t join you to assist in healing your wounds," Zhao Changhe said earnestly, "I have important matters that I must attend to."

Tang Wanju smiled faintly, "Mhm."

She did not ask what Zhao Changhe was going to do, nor did she share her analysis. Zhao Changhe likewise did not elaborate, only saying, "Don’t overexert yourself, there’s no need for you to struggle desperately right now. The world won’t stop turning without you."

Tang Wanju’s beautiful eyes wandered, "Is that so..."

Zhao Changhe glared at her annoyed, said nothing more, and then vanished from sight.

Tang Wanju knew what he had left unsaid — "I am here."

From the moment he had shouted "Li Si’an has been rescued" outside, Tang Wanju realized that Zhao Changhe was even more wary than she was.

On the way here, she had wondered whether Zhao Changhe would use "helping you heal" as an excuse to fall into that indescribable atmosphere with her again... but it turned out, he had not even considered it.

In the chaos of Xiangyang, the world doesn’t stop without you.

I am here.

The Crown Prince she had once hoped for was becoming the real thing... By the time he charged to the Northern Border, he had already been drawn into the game.

It must have been for the sake of home and country...

"Head of the Department, Head of the Department?" Great Zhou’s voice snapped Tang Wanju out of her reverie. She coughed awkwardly, "Yes, I need to rest."

Do you really need to rest? Great Zhou gave her a speechless look and then asked, "When did this Mister Zhao Wangtang join the Demon Suppression Department? He should be a top specialist of the Human List, how come he has no reputation in the world?"

Tang Wanju: "?"

Great Zhou: "?"

Tang Wanju: "What did you call him?"

"Zhao, Zhao Wangtang."

Tang Wanju blushed and was at a loss for words for a while, then, with a flick of her sleeve, she moved into the secret chamber and slammed the hidden door shut.

And he was talking about home and country before, what does this name mean?

Great Zhou stood outside, puzzled for a long time before realization dawned.

What the hell is Zhao Wangtang? That’s obviously Zhao Changhe. As for which Tang he longs for? Given the flushed face someone had just now, it goes without saying.

...

"It’s unbelievable, one in the fifth rank of the Earth List, two on the Human List, over a dozen top specialists in the eighth or ninth rank of Mystical Gate, hundreds of strong bows and crossbows, and they couldn’t even force Tang Wanju to unseal the Third Layer Secret Treasure."

Inside the Immortal Palace Garden, the familiar Wang Daozhong paced back and forth in the hall, "It’s a pity we can’t take action ourselves. A single alert from the Chaotic World Book and the whole world would know... Who would have thought Maitreya would be such a waste, squandering such a great opportunity so idly."

Indeed, it was the only chance, Tang Wanju had assumed that the Wang Family and the Yang Family, no matter what, would never harm her directly. That’s why she came alone to Xiangyang. Who could have expected that these people intended to employ Maitreya to carry out their murderous scheme?

The one who threaded the needle was Lv Shiheng.

The Wang Family thought Lv Shiheng was acting in concert with them, paying lip service to the Heavenly Girl of Maitreya, using another to kill; whereas Maitreya believed that Lv Shiheng was controlled by the Heavenly Girl. As for who was right... in fact, neither was.

Just one Xiangyang, sandwiched between the Wang Family and the Maitreya Sect, Lv Shiheng knew he had no chance of standing on his own, he could only choose between the two. Both sides contended for Xiangyang, whoever was winning, that was the side to join, so he cooperated with both, doing a very good job with it, that even now, both parties still considered him their own person.

And if he could create a situation where both sides were severely damaged, it was not impossible for him to rise from their ashes, depending on how the situation evolved. Regardless of the changes, it would be greatly advantageous for these ambitious characters if Tang Wanju died.

Should Tang Wanju fall, who else could support Great Xia?

Some do not wish for chaos, seeing the lives of citizens as lowly as grass.

Others can only hope that chaotic times arrive quickly.

Wang Daozhong was still complaining, "This woman Vermilion Bird, I don’t know what kind of inexplicable stubbornness she has. ’I will not resort to the hands of the undeserving to defeat Tang Wanju,’ I spit on that! If you have such martial integrity, then go challenge Tang Wanju yourself! Hiding behind schemes, who’s the undeserving one!"

Lv Shiheng thought to himself that if Wang Daozhong had the nerve to say that to her face, he’d also like to know who was the undeserving one.

He finally couldn’t hold back and interrupted Wang Daozhong’s complaints, "Second Master, what do we do now?"

Wang Daozhong said, "Wait. Yang Jingxiu is crossing the river. Once he arrives, Yu Cixiu will set up camp with those forces outside, and they will not be able to breach Xiangyang’s fortress."

Yu Cixiu’s forces were actually quite substantial, and relying solely on Xiangyang City’s own defenses would be challenging. The defeat at Tai Lake had utterly dispersed Maitreya’s momentum. Now, their only hope was to gain control of Jing Chu; one could almost say that they were staking their entire army on this one gamble.