Chapter 311: Methods

Chapter 311: Tactics

Having observed the events up to this point, how could Su Mo not understand what was really going on in this play?

When the assassin first appeared, Su Mo sensed that something was amiss.

By all accounts, the person most likely to want Ding Wugong dead would be none other than Wan Yutang.

Yet, in reality, the person least likely to kill Ding Wugong at this time was also Wan Yutang.

From Ding Wugong's behavior after being captured by Su Mo, it was evident.

Throughout the entire ordeal, Ding Wugong barely mentioned Wan Yutang.

He spoke of being assigned by Ren Xiongfei, mentioned the Dark Hall, and even brought up the Parting Brew.

Although Wan Yutang's name was occasionally mentioned, he never claimed that Wan Yutang had ordered him to administer the Parting Brew to Yang Xiaoyun.

According to him, it was Ren Xiongfei who had done this.

Ding Wugong, known as the Black-hearted Rat, was not a formidable figure, but he was indeed troublesome.

His words were a blend of truth and lies, making it difficult to discern his true intentions.

However, last night, when Su Mo and Wan Yilan hid in the secret chamber and overheard the conversation between Wan Yutang and Madam Wan, several things became evident.

First, Ren Xiongfei was not affiliated with the Dark Hall.

Second, Wan Yutang intended to use Ding Wugong's situation to leverage Su Mo into removing Ren Xiongfei, a thorn in his side.

With just these two points, the most deceitful part of Ding Wugong's account was revealed.

He was certainly not sent by Ren Xiongfei to harm Su Mo and Yang Xiaoyun.

The one who truly ordered him to do so was Wan Yutang!

Wan Yutang's aim to target Yang Xiaoyun was actually to control Su Mo.

If the plan succeeded, everything would be fine.

If it failed, the blame could be shifted to Ren Xiongfei, achieving two goals with one action.

With such a strategy in mind, Wan Yutang would never kill Ding Wugong at this time.

Although killing Ding Wugong would place Ren Xiongfei in a tough spot, there would still be no solid evidence to prove Ren Xiongfei's involvement.

Therefore, instead of reaching a deadlock with no evidence, which could anger Su Mo and lead to other possibilities, the best course of action was to keep Ding Wugong alive.

And have him face Ren Xiongfei.

Given Wan Yutang's understanding of Ren Xiongfei and the Black-hearted Rat's cunning, the outcome of this confrontation was truly unpredictable.

Therefore, Wan Yutang would never kill Ding Wugong.

But Ren Xiongfei also wouldn't kill Ding Wugong.

So where did today's spectacle come from?

Just as Su Mo had previously thought, there was a missing link in the chain.

And this link was revealed during the public trial.

This link was the assassin himself.

When the assassin accused Wan Yutang of sending him to assassinate Ding Wugong, Su Mo knew... there was something fishy about this.

Everything that followed was just as suspicious.

In front of everyone, the assassin confessed that Wan Yutang had sent him to kill Ding Wugong, and he presented evidence proving Wan Yutang indeed held a high position within Wusheng Hall.

He even disclosed everything about the Dark Hall.

Finally, when the Great Transformation Transcendence Sutra was revealed, everything could be concluded.

It had to be Wan Yutang!

In everyone's eyes, there was no other possibility.

But since Su Mo knew Wan Yutang wouldn't do this, he saw this as an opportunity to remove Ren Xiongfei, the poisonous fang.

How could he possibly undermine his own defenses?

The signs of deliberate manipulation were already obvious.

And looking across the entire Wusheng Hall, who else would most want Wan Yutang dead, know about the Dark Hall, and hold a high position?

It had to be Madam Wan!

Su Mo had already seen the relationship between Wan Yutang and Madam Wan last night.

They might be cooperating, or they might be maintaining peace through other means.

But this was just the surface. In reality, Madam Wan feared Wan Yutang would kill her, and how could she not want to kill him in return?

But she knew Wan Yutang controlled the Dark Hall. Regardless of his martial arts, Madam Wan alone couldn't handle him.

So when Su Mo arrived, Madam Wan saw her opportunity.

The assassin appeared, failed to kill Ding Wugong, and was captured.

He accused Wan Yutang, exploited the situation, and pinned everything on him.

The key to this plan was that she wasn't framing him but revealing the truth indirectly.

This approach was extremely clever.

But what caught Su Mo off guard was...

Ren Xiongfei's role in this affair wasn't as straightforward as he had thought.

This was because of Deng Fengbai.

Ling Hongxia had clearly observed last night that Deng Fengbai had already pledged loyalty to Ren Xiongfei.

And today, in today's events, it was Deng Fengbai who proposed the public trial.

This led to all the Hall Masters of Wusheng Hall gathering, instantly escalating the matter of Wan Yutang ordering the assassin to kill Ding Wugong.

There was no wiggle room left.

Similarly, it was Deng Fengbai who discovered that the assassin's martial arts stemmed from the Great Transformation Transcendence Sutra.

At that time, the assassin and Duan Qinghen exchanged blows, and many Hall Masters in the hall were filled with righteous indignation.

Deng Fengbai was certainly not the closest to Duan Qinghen, but he was the first to notice the anomaly.

If this alone showed Deng Fengbai's knack for noticing the smallest details and predicting outcomes, then combining these two points...

Su Mo couldn't help but think deeper.

However, with just this, Su Mo could not be entirely certain of any connection between Ren Xiongfei and Madam Wan.

But when Su Mo inquired about the Shadowcraft and everything that followed, it sealed the deal for him.

It is well known that Shadowcraft comes from the Valley of Eternal Night.

Therefore, when Su Mo inquired about this, Bei Zhangzhi, who was loyal to Wan Yutang, immediately questioned it.

He even wanted to overturn all previous accusations and pin the blame on the Valley of Eternal Night.

Trying to clear Wan Yutang in this way.

But this only worked in their favor.

Because mentioning the Valley of Eternal Night and the stolen Great Transformation Transcendence Sutra inevitably led to Wan Zangxin.

What Su Mo did not expect was that Madam Wan, for the sake of this matter, dragged her own daughter into it.

Of course, this was hardly shocking.

Wan Yutang and Madam Wan would use anyone to achieve their goals.

Their daughter was just a tool to get what they wanted.

Wan Yilan naturally would not know the ins and outs of the situation.

She couldn't stand hearing others badmouth Wan Zangxin, especially since he had been wronged in this whole mess.

So when she heard Bei Zhangzhi say that Wan Zangxin was delusional and that he had stolen the Great Transformation Transcendence Sutra, she jumped in without hesitation.

Determined to clear her beloved's name.

And she openly stated that she and Wan Zangxin were truly in love.

What others called delusional was clearly a mutual bond.

She even declared outright that if Wan Zangxin had taken her away that night, she would have followed him to the ends of the earth, never to part!

With this, the whole story of Wan Zangxin burning down Wusheng Hall and stealing the Great Transformation Transcendence Sutra in a rage fell apart.

This raises a new question.

If it wasn't Wan Zangxin who stole the Great Transformation Transcendence Sutra and set fire to Wusheng Hall... then who was it?

Deng Fengbai and Rong Zhantang immediately began to speculate.

In their words, they shifted the blame to Bei Zhangzhi.

The implication was clear: the man in black they encountered that night was Bei Zhangzhi.

It was Bei Zhangzhi who started a fire near the Fourth Hall, then infiltrated the library to steal the Great Transformation Transcendence Sutra.

He also fought Deng Fengbai, Rong Zhantang, and Qiu Chengli.

In the end, he killed Qiu Chengli himself!

Afterward, he acted as though nothing had happened and came to save the two of them.

Although the two had their suspicions, they couldn't accuse an innocent colleague, so they had been "investigating in secret."

Unfortunately... Deng Fengbai, who was known for his ability to discern the subtle and foresee events, fell short in this matter.

After such a long time, they had uncovered nothing.

Today, Rong Zhantang publicly exposed the truth, leaving Deng Fengbai on edge.

For Su Mo, this situation first explained why the assassin used Shadowcraft.

Su Mo had previously wondered why Shadowcraft was used if the goal was simply to pin the blame on Wan Yutang. It seemed unnecessary.

Now it appears that this was an attempt to revisit the incident of Wan Zangxin stealing the Great Transformation Transcendence Sutra that night, ultimately... to bring down Bei Zhangzhi.

If Su Mo's guess is correct, Qilin the swordsman, leading his men to search the Second Hall, would surely find the Great Transformation Transcendence Sutra.

Especially when he hesitated briefly in front of Lai Wenxiu.

Su Mo speculated that Lai Wenxiu was whispering to him, telling him where to look.

Once the Great Transformation Transcendence Sutra is found, Bei Zhangzhi is as good as dead.

Secondly, this confirmed to Su Mo that Ren Xiongfei had already teamed up with Madam Wan.

Otherwise, why would Deng Fengbai and Rong Zhantang go all out?

Based on the outcome alone, let's set Madam Wan aside for now, assuming she had nothing to do with it.

Two things will happen.

First, Wan Yutang won't be able to clear his name, and he will inevitably die at Su Mo's hands.

Second, Bei Zhangzhi, who is loyal to Wan Yutang, will die for the two major crimes of stealing the Great Transformation Transcendence Sutra and murdering a fellow disciple.

By then, throughout Wusheng Hall.

With neither Wan Yutang nor Bei Zhangzhi.

Who will take control?

Even without mentioning Deng Fengbai and Rong Zhantang, who are backing Ren Xiongfei.

Madam Wan has Xing Lan and Lai Wenxiu as her pawns.

Coupled with Madam Wan's own status, if Ren Xiongfei does not challenge her, naturally no one can oppose her.

Although it may seem like only two Hall Masters, making her appear somewhat isolated.

But don’t forget, after the deaths of Bei Zhangzhi and Wu Yong, there are two vacant Hall Master positions.

Even if Madam Wan only gains control of one, she will command a quarter of Wusheng Hall.

On top of this, Madam Wan also controls the covert forces at the western frontier.

Lin Tao, Duan Qinghen, and Ling Feimiao are all opportunists.

They sway with the wind, naturally aligning with Madam Wan's will.

With these cards in her hand, who would dare to underestimate this widow of power?

Moreover, the ambiguous relationship between Ren Xiongfei and Madam Wan ensures that Deng Fengbai and Rong Zhantang can also be counted among her followers.

Thus, out of the twelve halls of Wusheng Hall, nine Hall Masters are under Madam Wan's influence either directly or indirectly.

And without Bei Zhangzhi, how can Qin Yuren and Wen Zhongtai stand against this overwhelming force?

Either go with the flow or be crushed by it.

Finally, there is only Li Zhongming left... who can only fall in line and follow orders.

He enjoys the game of power, but he does not enjoy risking his life.

By that time, he might even side with this Hall Master's wife faster than Lin Tao and the others.

It must be said, this woman’s strategies are truly impressive.

The only pity is, if Su Mo truly knew nothing, based solely on today’s events, he might have been fooled by her.

But Su Mo knows far too much.

He knows that there is no Ren Xiongfei in the shadow halls controlled by Wan Yutang.

He also knows that Ren Xiongfei is actually a spy sent by the Eternal Night Valley in Wusheng Hall.

He even knows that Madam Wan is far from idle, certainly no ordinary woman.

From Su Mo’s perspective, today’s scheme is riddled with flaws, almost laughable.

But even now, the whole plan is missing a critical piece.

Su Mo’s fingers tapped lightly on the armrest of his chair, and a faint smile played at the corner of his lips.

In the next act of this drama, Madam Wan will surely make her entrance, won’t she?

As this thought crossed his mind, Li Zhongming, standing beside him, noticed Su Mo’s smile and couldn’t help asking:

"Chief Escort Su... what’s so amusing?"

Hearing this, Su Mo felt even more inclined to laugh.

He glanced at Li Zhongming and let out a soft sigh:

"I’m laughing because what this person is saying is all over the place and hard to follow.

"From the moment he started talking, some things just didn’t make sense.

"Forget the rest, the main issue is...

"He said Wan Yutang sent Ding Wugong to harm me.

"If that's the case, then after Ding Wugong’s plan fell through, why didn't he mention Wan Yutang, but specifically brought up Ren Xiongfei?

"If Ding Wugong really worked for Wan Yutang, why would he do that?

"If I recall correctly, Ren Xiongfei is also a member of Wusheng Hall, right?

"What kind of person would Wan Yutang be, to go so far as to frame his own Deputy Hall Master?

"Doesn’t that just sound ridiculous?

"From this, it’s obvious that everything he’s saying is a pack of lies.

"It’s just not believable."

With that, he stood up and said quietly:

"Folks, let’s not waste any more time talking.

"He keeps saying he wants a quick end, but now it’s hard to grant him that.

"So, I’ll demonstrate some skills for the heroes of Wusheng Hall to see..."

The assassin’s face changed immediately: "Chief Escort Su, you... how can you go back on your word?"

"Oh?"

Su Mo shook his head: "You said you’d spill everything you know, and then I’d give you a quick end.

"Now that you’re holding back and lying, how can I grant your wish?"

"This... all because of Ren Xiongfei?"

The assassin furrowed his brow and finally sighed:

"I didn’t want to bring this up, because it involves a woman’s honor.

"But now that Chief Escort Su has pushed this far, I guess I have no choice but to talk...

"So, I might as well lay it all out in front of everyone.

"The reason Wan Yutang wants to slander Ren Xiongfei is nothing but... jealousy!"

"Jealous? Of what?"

Everyone was shocked, not expecting the situation to take this turn with new revelations still coming.

But Wan Yutang jealous of Ren Xiongfei? Really?

What... what’s there to be jealous about?

"This is just plain nonsense!"

Bei Zhangzhi couldn't help but fly into a rage again:

"Who does Ren Xiongfei think he is?

"Is he even worth the hall master's envy?

"What could he possibly have that the hall master would envy?"

After Bei Zhangzhi finished speaking, even Su Mo couldn't help but glance at him.

If this person hadn't already been thoroughly deceived, Su Mo might have suspected this was another one of Madam Wan's schemes.

"The assassin glanced around and suddenly blurted out:

"Because Wan Yutang suspects that Ren Xiongfei and Madam Wan are having an affair!!"

Su Mo sighed inwardly.

Everything falls into place now.

This is the final piece of the puzzle.

The motive is clear.

Wan Yutang targeted Su Mo to manipulate him using the Parting Brew.

He framed Ren Xiongfei out of jealousy.

He later sent an assassin to silence Ding Wugong, fearing he might spill the beans.

Once captured, he spilled everything in detail.

Every move had a purpose, and now the whole picture was clear.

The moment the assassin spoke, the hall erupted into chaos.

"You're spouting nonsense!"

"This is beyond outrageous!"

"How dare you tarnish Madam's reputation?"

For a moment, the hall was in an uproar.

But Su Mo couldn't help but find the scene amusing.

True or not, their acting was top-notch.

At this moment, Li Zhongming, who had been barely containing his anger, finally snapped and leapt to his feet:

"This is utterly despicable!

"Chief Escort Su, forgive my boldness...

"This man is spewing vile accusations! This is beyond intolerable! I ask Chief Escort Su to hand him over to me.

"Let me handle him and shut his mouth for good!"

Upon hearing this, the assassin, fearing that Chief Escort Su might agree, immediately shouted:

"Chief Escort Su, every word I speak is true! If I'm lying, may I meet a terrible fate!

"If you don't believe me, you can call Madam Wan here to face me!

"As far as I know, Ren Xiongfei has been taking advantage of his position to frequently visit the inner courtyard. The Hall Master of Wusheng Hall has seen Madam Wan and Ren Xiongfei meeting in private more than once.

"We don't know the details, but Wan Yutang claims they have long been involved in an affair.

"However, this is a shameful matter. How could the Hall Master of Wusheng Hall let this scandal get out?

"There's no obvious reason to accuse Ren Xiongfei, so he had to find another way to make sure this man met an untimely end."