I Am Immortal in Great Yu

Chapter 198: Chapter 82: Death Trap (3)

’He must be trying to out-patience an old man like me. Heh, how interesting!’

Zhen Yi’s fighting spirit was reignited, and he began another round in his battle of wits against the empty air.

...

At noon, under the brilliant golden sun.

"Whoa!"

Fang Rui pulled on the reins, slowing his horse as he gazed at the majestic silhouette of Yunshan City sprawling on the horizon. "I’m finally back!"

Yes, he was back. Just him and his horse. He hadn’t brought that swarm of Earth Armor Centipedes with him.

—It wasn’t that he didn’t want to bring them; he couldn’t. They had extremely strict environmental needs. Besides, those creatures were linked to the death of the Iron Butcher, making them synonymous with trouble right now.

However, he hadn’t left the Earth Armor Centipedes idle.

Before leaving, Fang Rui had used his saber to carve a Stone Jar for them and assigned them a task: to fill it with Mountain Stone Spirit Milk. He planned to wait a few decades before going back to check on it.

After news of last night’s ’Mountain Collapse at Eagle’s Beak Gorge’ spread, the city gates had returned to normal this morning, and traffic flowed as usual.

He entered the city.

In the teahouses and taverns, on the streets and in the alleys, Fang Rui heard countless discussions.

"The Iron Butcher army was caught in a mountain collapse and completely wiped out! That’s just the Rebel Army’s luck!" someone exclaimed.

"Isn’t it? I heard that right when the mountain collapse happened, Grand General Xuantong had a breakthrough. If that’s not fate, what is?" another person agreed.

"Hey, did you see? Grand General Xuantong led his troops out of the city this morning!"

"He’s probably going to attack the Prefecture City, right?" someone guessed.

"I think so too! With the Iron Butcher army destroyed, the Government Office’s power in our Daze Prefecture is completely gone. This is a golden opportunity for the Rebel Army. Grand General Xuantong has a great chance of succeeding!"

...

’Not only has Li Xuantong recovered from his injuries, but he’s also broken through to the Upper Three Grades and left the city to attack the Prefecture City?!’

Fang Rui found it absurd. ’Wait, didn’t they say Li Xuantong was gravely injured? How did he suddenly have a breakthrough? He’s almost as fast as me, and I’m basically cheating.’

At that moment.

A strong premonition suddenly surfaced in his mind: even if he hadn’t acted, the invading Iron Butcher army would have been defeated and destroyed in some other ’plausible’ way.

’This isn’t just a matter of the situation being complex anymore... Someone is playing a game of chess!’

Fang Rui looked up at the sky, feeling as though the Three Southern States were a giant chessboard. A Heaven-Covering Hand was here, manipulating everything, intending to turn this land upside down.

The common people, Flood Dragons like Li Xuantong, and even the Official Army within the Three States of Great Yu were all just pieces on this chessboard!

’I can’t clearly see most of the mastermind’s goals yet, but thinking back to the great flood in the Four Eastern States fifty years ago, as mentioned in *Chang Sanliu’s Travelogue*, I can guess at least one: population reduction.’

’And considering that Great Yu has likely stood for a thousand years without falling, the concept of a dynastic cycle... the implications are terrifying the more I think about it!’

At the same time, a realization dawned on Fang Rui. ’In a way, my father’s death wasn’t a coincidence. It was a high-probability event.’

It was like in the world of his past life; unless you fled the cities and completely cut yourself off from the outside world, it was nearly impossible to avoid getting infected if you stretched the timeline out long enough.

’In this game of slaughter, I’m nowhere near being a player. At best, I’m a piece that’s currently overlooked. But as the other pieces are captured one by one, the one left standing will become exceptionally conspicuous!’

’I don’t even have to wait for that to happen. Having broken through to the Third Grade, I’m already a pretty big fish. If I stir up trouble in the Prefecture Cities or State Cities of these Three States, I’ll attract attention sooner or later.’

It was like with an inter-state restaurant chain. If a single branch in a small county town had its performance fluctuate for a month or two, it was unlikely to get much attention. But if it happened in a major city, there was a good chance it would.

At this moment, an extremely strong thought sprouted in Fang Rui’s mind: ’Leave this place! Leave the Three Southern States completely!’

’Actually, leaving might be for the best.’

As he hurried home, he pondered the possibility. ’The waters of these Three Southern States are too deep; there’s no way to survive this game. Dad is already... I can’t let Mom, Third Sister, Ling’Er, and Nannan take on any unnecessary risks!’

...

The Courtyard.

"BARK BARK BARK BARK!"

Several large dogs suddenly let out a series of urgent barks, but they stopped after just a few, wagging their tails and dashing straight for the gate.

"Brother is back?!" Fang Ling froze for a second before it registered, and she bolted toward the entrance.

"Brother Ah Rui!" Nannan scrambled after her on her short little legs.

"Whoa there, Ling’Er, Nannan! You’ve both gotten heavier!"

Fang Rui scooped one up in each arm, hefting them with a smile as he patted their heads.

CLATTER!

From inside the house came the sound of something being dropped in a hurry.

"Brother Rui?!"

Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family and the Third Lady came running from the inner room. They stopped short upon seeing Fang Rui, their pace slowing as tears welled up in their eyes.

"Brother Rui, it’s good that you’re back! As long as you’re back!"

"Are you hungry? I’ll go make some food..."

"I am hungry."

Fang Rui smiled, his heart warming as he entered the house with them.

At that time.

The autumn wind blew gently, stirring the mottled afternoon light and shadows. A wall of ivy rustled, and in the corner, pale pink chrysanthemums, like roses, swayed in the breeze, blooming in their prime.

...

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