Chapter 312: Coercive negotiation
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"Master, did we lose?"
The eldest senior brother stared blankly at their master, whose throat was pressed against a sword tip. His mind went blank. How could this be?
Leng Shi had to use human shields to ambush him, even with hidden magic, Master shouldn't have been defeated by him, right?
Moreover, his magic was the weakest among all, just water magic...
...
Leng Shi's master was named Yu Hongsheng.
At this moment, he sat dejectedly on the ground, his face looking somewhat unpleasant, unable to voice his grievances.
What could he say?
That Leng Shi was despicable, secretly using ice spikes to stab his weak points, freezing his vital areas with ice lumps?He couldn't afford to lose face like that.
To use a water-based magic in such a filthy manner, Leng Shi was indeed a talent.
He probably couldn't openly practice magic within Dragon Fang, so he had to resort to underhanded methods, thus mastering such a vile way of using magic!
"Who exactly are you?" Yu Hongsheng looked at Du Ge and asked.
"Qingwu Kingdom's Zhao Yong General Sichen's genius young sorcerer He Xu, a top-secret agent sent thirteen years ago to infiltrate Dragon Fang and investigate its mastermind," Du Ge proudly puffed out his chest, fabricating a new identity for himself.
"?" Yu Hongsheng.
"Of course, Qingwu Kingdom is gone now, and General Sichen is dead. Technically, my mission is over, but He Xu swore loyalty to the Qingwu royal family for life. So, as long as the Fourth Princess is alive, I will do everything in my power to help her restore the kingdom," Du Ge said. "Master, I returned to Dragon Fang this time to leverage its power to help the princess restore the kingdom. Please, Master, grant me this favor..."
"..." Yu Hongsheng frowned. "Are you serious?"
"Master, since you know I defected from Dragon Fang, you must know what I've been doing all this time," Du Ge smiled. "If I didn't want to help the Fourth Princess restore the kingdom, I would have killed her already and returned to the organization to claim credit. General Sichen is dead, and no one else in the world knows my identity. If I show some sorcerer talent, given time, I will surely outshine everyone in Dragon Fang..."
"What do you want?" Yu Hongsheng interrupted him and asked.
"Everyone needs to do something in life," Du Ge said. "If I must find a reason, maybe it's because of that bright look in General Sichen's eyes when he rescued me from mountain bandits! General Sichen was loyal to the country, and as his soldier, I naturally have to carry on his legacy. What he didn't complete, I will..."
A bright look?
Yu Hongsheng looked at Du Ge as if he were looking at a madman.
Yu Hongsheng said, "What if I don't agree?"
"Then I'll confine you in this small courtyard and use your orders to command Dragon Fang," Du Ge said leisurely. "After all, no one knows what happens here. I've been in Dragon Fang for so many years, I'm familiar with the organization's processes. If the eldest senior brother obeys, he can stay here with you. If he doesn't, I'll bury him here to keep you company."
"..." The eldest senior brother.
The only sound left in the small courtyard was the gentle flow of water.
After a moment.
Yu Hongsheng shook his head. "It's impossible. You don't know who's behind Dragon Fang. You might control it for a while, but not forever. Once he notices something unusual, he won't need to act personally. He can send a few people over, and you and your Fourth Princess will be dead."
"Leng Shi, take my advice and give up. I can overlook the past and let you stay in Dragon Fang. I can pretend not to know about Luo Shuang. With just the two of you, it's impossible to restore the kingdom..."
"Master, why can't you see the situation clearly?" Du Ge laughed. "Times have changed. Who knows how many Heavenly Demons and celestial beings have infiltrated the world? Even the Fourth Princess and I can easily find one. With them around, the world won't be peaceful for long."
He lowered his voice and leaned close to Yu Hongsheng's ear. "Master, do you know why I spread the story of the hen crowing at dawn? The princess is a woman after all. I'm betting on a chance to become a superior person. Don't you want to take a gamble?"
To hell with the bright look, Yu Hongsheng's eyes widened. "You..."
Wu Chang squinted his eyes. His attributes hadn't improved much, but he could still hear conversations within a few meters.
At this moment.
He finally understood He Xu's plan. This guy who claimed to be loyal to Qingwu Kingdom actually wanted to become the emperor himself. No wonder he looked down on Luo Shuang. The Fourth Princess had always been just a pawn in his hand.
Du Ge took a step back and continued, "Master, Dragon Fang will continue to take on assassination missions. As long as the missions continue, I don't think the headquarters will come to inspect for a while.
Moreover, Master, have you ever thought about what would happen if you suddenly went mad while practicing? Would Dragon Fang choose someone from among us to replace you and lead the Curled-up Dragon Sword Sect? I vaguely remember that you inherited the position of Sect Leader from our grandmaster. If you went mad, it should be the eldest senior brother's turn to become the Sect Leader, right..."
As he spoke, Du Ge turned to look at the eldest senior brother, his eyes filled with encouragement.
The eldest senior brother suddenly realized the current situation and quickly expressed his stance, "Junior Brother Leng, if I can lead Dragon Fang, the entire Dragon Fang will be at your disposal."
Yu Hongsheng's sharp gaze suddenly turned to the eldest senior brother.
Du Ge smiled. "Senior Brother, Master isn't dead yet! The process of changing the Sect Leader is too complicated. I prefer to cooperate with Master. After all, Master is more experienced and mature than you."
The eldest senior brother realized he had been played by Du Ge, his face turning bright red.
"Master, what do you think?" Du Ge turned back to Yu Hongsheng. "I've given you all the choices. It shouldn't be hard to pick the right one, right?"
As he spoke, his gaze suddenly became sharp, and the sword tip gently pushed forward, piercing the skin of Yu Hongsheng's throat. "No one can stop me from helping the princess restore the kingdom."
Pain, struggle, decision...
Yu Hongsheng stared straight at Du Ge, his eyes changing. Even the most skilled actor couldn't portray his complex emotions at this moment.
In the end.
He sighed, seeming to age ten years, his voice hoarse. "Leng Shi, you win."
"Master, happy cooperation." Du Ge withdrew his sword and went over to help Yu Hongsheng up. "I always remember your teachings, Master. An excellent assassin should never give up, no matter how harsh the environment.
Even if captured, disguise, feign weakness, flatter... As long as you can lower the opponent's guard, there's a chance to counterattack. So, Master, I hope you weren't acting just now, understand?"
"Leng Shi, you're better than I thought," Yu Hongsheng said with a bitter smile.
"General Sichen thought so too, and so does the princess," Du Ge smiled. "Otherwise, I wouldn't have been chosen to join Dragon Fang at such a young age and remain undiscovered for over ten years. Master, I've learned more over the years than you can imagine..."
Yu Hongsheng remained silent.
Du Ge turned to the eldest senior brother and Wu Chang. "You two, come in as well!"
The eldest senior brother looked at Du Ge with lingering fear, his eyes filled with terror.
At this moment, he suddenly realized that he didn't really know this junior brother who had lived with them for ten years.
Wu Chang's feelings were also complicated. He was an elite selected from the Simulation Field, standing out for his flexibility and adaptability, which was why he was chosen to participate in this extra match.
But in the real Alien Star Battlefield, his flexibility and adaptability were useless.
Stripped of his right to choose a body to possess, he couldn't compare to those who dominated the Alien Star Battlefield, nor even to the natives of the battlefield.
Especially He Xu, whose control over people's hearts was masterful.
He seemed to give others many choices, but in reality, apart from the path he set, all other choices were dead ends.
"Old Wu, help my master bandage his wound. I'll go fetch the Fourth Princess," Du Ge placed Yu Hongsheng on a low couch and skillfully took a bottle of medicine from a nearby shelf. "Master will tell you how to use the medicine."
"Okay," Wu Chang said obediently, putting away his arrogance.
"Old Wu, I know you're a war god in the heavenly realm, known for your bravery. But your strength hasn't recovered yet. My master and eldest senior brother have been immersed in the art of assassination for years, with countless unpredictable methods. So, don't let your guard down just because they're injured."
Du Ge glanced at Wu Chang and smiled, reminding him, "Now, Master and eldest senior brother are already at odds. Your combat strength may be lacking, but you can use this to balance the two."
"..." The eldest senior brother's eyes widened.
Yu Hongsheng frowned.
Wu Chang looked at Du Ge and finally understood the purpose of his earlier provocations.
At this point, he finally submitted to this native, warning himself not to play any tricks until he had enough strength to control the situation.
Just focus on being a brainless warrior and improve his attributes—that would be enough.
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