FVN 114. True Face
114. True Face
Lin Mo and Zhao Wuji faced off in the narrow alley. Swords flashed and palm strikes whistled as their figures clashed in the moonlight.
"Your swordsmanship has improved quite a bit." Zhao Wuji sneered, and suddenly a black aura burst forth from his palm, heading straight for Lin Mo's face.
Lin Mo dodged to the side, the tip of his sword drawing an arc, aimed directly at Zhao Wuji's throat: "Compared to your unorthodox methods, you're far inferior."
When the two clashed again, Lin Mo clearly felt that Zhao Wuji's martial arts were stronger than in his previous life. The black aura contained a strange power, and every time it collided with the sword, it made his arm go numb.
A swift victory was necessary. Lin Mo's mind raced, and his swordplay suddenly shifted as he unleashed the "Delusion-Breaking Sword Technique," a technique he had created in his previous life. This seemingly ordinary strike directly targeted the flaws in Zhao Wuji's moves.
With a "hiss," Zhao Wuji's sleeve was torn, and blood seeped out. His expression changed, clearly not expecting Lin Mo's swordsmanship to be so exquisite.
In that instant, Lin Mo seized the opportunity, his figure flashed, he leaped onto the roof, and disappeared into the night in a few leaps.
Zhao Wuji did not give chase, but coldly watched the direction Lin Mo left in, a strange smile curling at the corner of his mouth.
...
Three days later, Lin Mo returned to his base on the border with the intercepted military intelligence. It was a secluded mountain villa, ostensibly an ordinary caravan post, but in reality, it was his intelligence hub in the north.
"Master, you're finally back!" Chen Yuan greeted him, his face filled with worry. "The atmosphere at the border has been tense these past few days. The Prince of Zhenbei has tightened his defenses, making it very difficult for our men to get close to the Prince's residence."
Lin Mo nodded and took out the parchment from his pocket: "This military intelligence must be sent out as soon as possible. The grassland allied forces plan to launch a general offensive in five days; we must prepare in advance."
Chen Yuan took the parchment, examined it carefully, and his expression changed drastically: "They're actually planning a three-pronged attack... and the Prince of Zhenbei is even going to flood through Yanmen Pass in the middle! This..."
"Not only that," Lin Mo said in a deep voice, "I suspect that the Prince of Zhenbei is colluding with the Imperial Guards."
Chen Yuan was taken aback: "The Imperial Guard? Aren't they only responsible for the safety of the royal family? How could they be involved in border military affairs?"
Lin Mo walked to the table and took out a token. This was the Imperial Guard token he had brought from the capital, and it had a special mark on it.
"Look at this mark," Lin Mo pointed to the patterns on the token, "I saw the same mark in a secret room in the Zhenbei Prince's Mansion."
Chen Yuan leaned closer for a closer look, his expression growing increasingly grave: "So, the Prince of Zhenbei's treasonous actions are very likely related to the Imperial Guard?"
"That's not all." Lin Mo took out another secret letter from his pocket. "I found this on a guard when I was escaping the Prince's mansion."
Chen Yuan took the secret letter and began to read it carefully. The contents of the letter made him gasp: the Commander of the Imperial Guard had actually instructed the Prince of Zhenbei to cooperate with the grassland coalition in invading, with the aim of creating a border crisis and creating an opportunity for a certain prince to seize the throne.
"They've gone mad!" Chen Yuan exclaimed incredulously. "For their own selfish gain, they're willing to let wolves into the house, disregarding the people on the border?"
Lin Mo sneered, "In some people's eyes, power is more important than anything else. However, this just happens to give us an opportunity."
"What does the master mean?"
"Since they're colluding with the Imperial Guard, let's use that to completely expose the true face of the Prince of Zhenbei." A sharp glint flashed in Lin Mo's eyes. "I need you to send people to keep a close eye on the Prince's residence, especially the messengers who communicate with the Imperial Guard."
Chen Yuan accepted the order: "I'll make the arrangements right away."
...
For the next two days, Lin Mo's men closely monitored every move of the Zhenbei Prince's Mansion. Finally, three days before the grassland allied forces planned to launch their general offensive, they intercepted a crucial secret letter.
"Master, this is a secret letter that was just sent from the Prince's residence." Chen Yuan handed a letter to Lin Mo. "The messenger was dressed as a member of the Imperial Guard. Our men followed him to a residence in the west of the city."
Lin Mo opened the letter and read it carefully. The letter contained a report from the Prince of Zhenbei to a mysterious figure, detailing the grassland coalition's attack plan and his own deployment. More importantly, the letter mentioned a figure codenamed "Black Serpent," instructing the Prince of Zhenbei to eliminate all those in the know after the mission was accomplished.
"The Black Serpent..." Lin Mo murmured, "This must be a high-ranking figure within the Inner Guard."
"Master, what should we do next?" Chen Yuan asked.
Lin Mo stood up, his gaze resolute: "It's time to expose the true face of the Prince of Zhenbei. Immediately contact General Li, the commander of the border troops, and ask him to secretly mobilize troops to set up an ambush outside Yanmen Pass. At the same time, send several copies of this secret letter to several important officials in the capital."
Chen Yuan was somewhat worried: "Will General Li believe us? After all, the Prince of Zhenbei is a member of the imperial family and holds a very high position."
"General Li is a sensible man," Lin Mo said. "Besides, we have even more conclusive evidence."
...
That night, Lin Mo personally infiltrated the Prince of Zhenbei's mansion. Having learned from his previous experience, he was even more cautious, avoiding all the visible and hidden sentries, and went straight to the study of the mansion.
The study was brightly lit, and the Prince of Zhenbei was having a private conversation with several trusted confidants. Lin Mo, who was lying in wait on the roof, gently lifted a tile and looked down.
"Is everything arranged?" came the voice of the Prince of Zhenbei.
A staff member bowed and said, "Your Highness, rest assured, the grassland allied forces are in position. We will open the gates at midnight the day after tomorrow, and they can then march straight in."
Another man, who appeared to be a military officer, said worriedly, "Your Highness, this matter is far too risky. If it is exposed, it would be a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of one's family!"
The Prince of Zhenbei sneered, "With the Imperial Guard backing us up, what is there to fear? Once the Third Prince ascends the throne, we will all be meritorious officials who helped him rise to power, enjoying endless wealth and glory."
Lin Mo was shocked: It really was the Third Prince pulling the strings behind the scenes!
Just then, the study door was pushed open, and a person dressed in the uniform of an imperial guard walked in. This person had a cold demeanor, and a snake-shaped short sword was worn at his waist.
"Lord Xuanshe!" The Prince of Zhenbei quickly rose to greet him.
The inner guard, known as the Black Serpent, coldly replied, "The plan has changed. News has come from the capital that the Crown Prince's orphan may still be alive, and the Third Prince has ordered us to expedite our actions."
The Prince of Zhenbei's expression changed slightly: "The Crown Prince's orphan? Wasn't he already..."
"You don't need to know the specific details," Xuan She interrupted. "At the appointed time the day after tomorrow, proceed according to the original plan. After it's done, the Third Prince will not treat you unfairly."
"Yes, yes, yes..." the Prince of Zhenbei replied repeatedly.
Xuan She added, "That Lin Mo must be eliminated as soon as possible. This man is not simple; he has thwarted our plans multiple times."
The Prince of Zhenbei nodded: "I have laid a trap; if he dares to show his face again, he will never return."
Lin Mo, on the rooftop, sneered inwardly, quietly taking out a specially made powder and gently blowing it into the study. This was a mind-altering incense that could make people blurt out the truth when they were not in their right mind.
After a short while, the eyes of the people in the study began to glaze over, and their speech became slurred.
"Your Highness, are we really going to betray the court?" the trusted aide, who looked like a military officer, murmured.
The Prince of Zhenbei mumbled incoherently, "What betrayal... This is for a better future... The Third Prince promised me that after it's done, he'll appoint me Regent..."
The black serpent seemed to sense something was wrong and suddenly stood up: "Someone has poisoned me!"
But it was too late. Lin Mo had already leaped down from the rooftop, his sword tip pointing directly at Xuan She: "Lord Xuan She, it's an honor to meet you."
The black serpent reacted with lightning speed, its serpentine short sword instantly unsheathed, clashing with Lin Mo's longsword. The two engaged in a fierce battle in the study, while the Prince of Zhenbei and his confidants collapsed to the ground, dazed and confused.
"Lin Mo, you really came," Xuan She said coldly. "Since you've delivered yourself to my doorstep, don't blame me for being impolite."
Lin Mo's swordsmanship was fierce, each move aimed directly at the Xuan Serpent's vitals: "You have colluded with foreign enemies, wreaking havoc on the court; today I will act on behalf of Heaven!"
Xuan She's martial arts were extremely unpredictable; her snake-shaped short sword was as cunning as a venomous snake, always attacking from unexpected angles. But Lin Mo was prepared, his swordsmanship sometimes fast, sometimes slow, making Xuan She unpredictable.
After dozens of moves, the black serpent began to feel the strain. It feinted an attack, trying to escape through the window, but Lin Mo blocked its path first.
"Want to leave? Not so easy!" Lin Mo's sword strike was like a rainbow, aimed straight at the black serpent's chest.
The black serpent barely managed to dodge, but a deep, bone-revealing wound was slashed across its shoulder. It screamed in pain and collapsed to the ground.
Lin Mo stepped forward and subdued the Xuan Snake's acupoints, coldly asking, "Speak, why did the Imperial Guards collude with the grassland allied forces? What exactly is the Third Prince's conspiracy?"
The black serpent gritted its teeth: "You won't get any information from me!"
Lin Mo remained calm and took out a silver needle from his robes. "You may not know this, but besides martial arts, I am also proficient in medicine. This needle will cause you excruciating pain, but it won't kill you."
Xuan She's expression changed drastically: "You...you dare!"
"For the sake of the people on the border, what wouldn't I dare to do?" Lin Mo slowly brought the silver needle in his hand closer.
Just then, a commotion arose outside the study, clearly indicating that the guards of the Prince's residence had discovered something amiss. Lin Mo knew he couldn't delay any longer and quickly searched the black snake, finding a special token and several secret letters.
"It seems this is the end for today." Lin Mo put away his spoils, glanced at the slumped Zhenbei King and Xuan She, and sneered, "However, with this evidence, it's enough to ruin your reputations."
He flashed out of the window and quickly disappeared into the night. Behind him, the shouts of the palace guards grew closer, but no one could stop the truth from being revealed.