Chapter 451: Fooling You

Chapter 451: Got You

The enigmatic Seven Slayers Hall.

A modus operandi that leaves no witnesses.

Powerful yet cautious.

It seemed there was a formidable adversary lurking.

These clues pieced together in Su Mo’s mind.

It made him recall the Three Extremes Sect he had encountered before!

The parallels between them were uncanny.

The only difference was that the Seven Slayers Hall operated in a more conservative and secretive manner than the Three Extremes Sect.

So, even before the leader said "Imperial Office," Su Mo had his suspicions.

That’s why Su Mo knocked out the Fire Taoist before the leader could say "Imperial Office."

The man was still useful.

If he heard about the Imperial Office—or worse, the Startling Dragon Society—Su Mo would have to kill him.

The Seven Slayers Hall leader gaped at Su Mo, stunned:

"How do you know about the Startling Dragon Society?"

Su Mo smirked:

"I didn’t—but now I do."

While the clues pointed this way,

Su Mo couldn’t be entirely certain.

Just because they feared the Imperial Office didn’t prove it was the Startling Dragon Society.

That’d be jumping to conclusions.

The final test was what confirmed it.

The leader’s face darkened, his gaze puzzled.

"Surprised?"

Su Mo gave him a mocking half-smile.

The man hesitated, then nodded:

"The Seven Slayers Hall serves the Startling Dragon Society, handling all South Sea operations.

"But the Imperial Office’s power in the South Sea dwarfs ours.

"So we move carefully in the South Sea. Even if we slip up, people only hear of the Seven Slayers Hall—never the Startling Dragon Society.

"...Unless you’re with the Imperial Office!?"

"But if you truly are from the Imperial Office, how could you not know our true identities?"

"You... just who are you?"

"What does a dead man need with answers?"

Su Mo chuckled lightly. "But this proves the Imperial Office indeed knows of the Seven Slayers Hall. So, you've always been hiding right under their noses?"

The leader let out a weary sigh.

"Far worse than that."

"We've been forced to lurk in the shadows, not daring to leave any trace behind."

"Otherwise..."

"Fascinating."

Su Mo pressed further. "With three major powers dominating the South Sea, the Imperial Office still manages to keep you suppressed? Could it be they too operate under false identities, never showing their true colors?"

"That has always been their way."

By now, the leader had given up all hope.

Preferring death to another session with the Painful Mantra, he spoke freely, delivering a frank account:

"The Imperial Office was established in the previous dynasty, originally a special organization under the Xuan Emperor."

"Within its ranks were countless martial arts masters, overseen by the four great martial arts masters of Da Xuan."

"In the past, the Xuan Emperor's seven conquests of the martial world relied heavily on the Imperial Office."

"They never wore official robes, instead disguising themselves as ordinary martial artists."

"Some were righteous vigilantes, others were infamous mountain bandits, or pirate lords ruling the waves."

"There were also down-on-their-luck wandering swordsmen peddling blades by the roadside, and proud scholars drowning their sorrows in brothels..."

"They could be anyone, scattered throughout the martial world."

"A thousand eyes surveilling every move in the realm."

"After the fall of the Great Xuan Dynasty, the Imperial Office endured several trials and crossed blades repeatedly with our Jinglong Society."

"Yet for reasons unknown, they always retreated when pressed."

"Afterwards, each faction claimed a different region."

"Our Jinglong Society settled in the Western Regions, while their Imperial Office took root in the Northern Plains."

"But neither would allow the other to extend influence into neighboring territories."

"Thus, our Jinglong Society could only stretch its reach to the Eastern Wastes, quietly expanding and building power."

"Meanwhile, the Imperial Office quietly established itself in the South Sea."

"Thus, they divided the land along both axes, preventing either force from connecting its domains, maintaining an unstable stalemate that stabilized the overall situation."

"However, our plans in the Eastern Desolation seem to have met with constant setbacks.

"I’ve heard that those sent there were incompetent in their duties.

"Others say that decades ago, a high-ranking agent dispatched to the Eastern Desolation went rogue, acting on his own and disregarding the broader interests of the region.

"This led to our defeat there.

"But... the Imperial Office presence in the Southern Sea is formidable.

"How many shadow operatives they have is unclear.

"Just one of their public-facing branches, the Dragon King Hall, stands as one of the three major powers in the Southern Sea.

"As a result, whenever our Seven Slayers Hall shows even the slightest sign of activity, it faces brutal crackdowns from the Imperial Office.

"Thus, we’ve had to operate in the shadows, leaving no trace behind."

At first, his tone was still defiant.

But as he spoke, his voice grew bitter, and he sighed repeatedly.

Su Mo gave a dry laugh:

"So that’s how it is. The Imperial Office has such origins. But what of the Jinglong Society’s origins?"

"...I don’t know."

The leader dipped his head in dismissal.

Su Mo raised an eyebrow: "You’re serious?"

"Every word’s true."

The man replied immediately: "You should understand—given my position, how could I possibly know the secrets of our organization?

"On the contrary, intelligence about our enemies is fed to even the lowest ranks."

This was indeed true.

The more one knows about their opponent, the greater the chance of victory.

But due to clearance level, knowledge of one’s own organization is far more limited.

Still, some parts of his earlier account fall apart if you poke at them.

The Jinglong Society has always moved like ghosts.

This holds true whether in the Southern Sea or the Eastern Desolation.

In the Southern Sea, if the Imperial Office’s influence is vast—even the Dragon King Hall belongs to them—then their caution is understandable.

But in the Eastern Desolation, where the Jinglong Society sank its claws into,

who were they being so careful to hide from?

The high-ranking agent sent to the Eastern Desolation decades ago was likely the Third Gate of the Dragon under the Specter Court.

Whether he truly had divided loyalties is anyone’s guess.

But his actions were downright baffling.

But pinning the Eastern Wasteland’s failure entirely on him would just be grasping at straws.

Since the collapse of the Great Xuan Dynasty, both the Imperial Office and the Jinglong Society have existed in this world.

Both are monstrous factions that have been expanding for nearly three centuries.

What difference could a few decades even make?

It’s not as if the Jinglong Society only began developing a few decades ago, right?

Su Mo’s mind raced—either this guy was clueless, or there was something deeper going on in the Eastern Wasteland.

But with the Eastern Wasteland nearly in his grasp, where could this hidden mystery possibly come from?

For some reason, the intel from White Tiger City flashed through his head again.

The words scribbled in that journal stashed under Su Tianyang’s old bedroom bookshelf in the Ziyang Sect echoed in his mind.

*Ghosts and fiends, the ninth of September!*

He closed his eyes lightly and asked a few more questions about the Jinglong Society.

But the guy clearly didn’t have much intel.

Still, he’d already hit the jackpot tonight.

Once he was sure the guy had nothing useful left, Su Mo put him down with a finger strike.

The man’s corpse wore a look of relief.

Death didn’t scare him—another round of Su Mo’s torture did.

A second of that agony felt like forever.

A lifetime of that? Unthinkable.

Next to that, getting flayed alive would’ve felt like a spa day.

Su Mo didn’t hesitate. He wiped out the rest and dumped their corpses into the temple’s flames.

The fire devoured the bodies, leaving no evidence behind.

Then, and only then, did Su Mo rouse the Fire Taoist.

The Fire Taoist blinked awake, scanning the area, baffled.

"Who jumped me?"

"Some martial arts master popped in, knocked you cold, and bounced."

"???"

The Fire Taoist gaped at Su Mo. What kinda loser master would pull that crap?

"You sneaked up just to knock me out?"

To him, the one who struck was clearly Su Mo.

But looking around, he found that the black-clad men from the Seven Slayers Hall had disappeared, and his stomach dropped:

"Where... where are those men? Did that master knock me out and then rescue them?"

"That's right."

Su Mo nodded. "Before leaving, that person told me he has remembered you and will be coming for you."

"......"

The Fire Taoist went pale, grasping at straws as he asked:

"You... you're lying to me, right?

"You're messing with me?"

"Mm."

Su Mo nodded, giving him a pitying look. "Just kidding."

"!!!"

If Su Mo had denied it, the Fire Taoist might not have believed him.

But now, whether it was Su Mo's gaze or his demeanor, everything told him... this was the truth.

He was a dead man walking—the Seven Slayers Hall would surely come to kill him later.

That's why Su Mo pitied him.

Because he was going to die.

Claiming it was a lie was just a white lie!

To let him live his remaining days in peace.

The Fire Taoist's thoughts went into overdrive, his face alternating between pale and green, he was completely shaken.

Su Mo shot him a sideways look:

"So what's your plan now, Taoist?

"Or find a place to curl up and wait to die?"

"......"

The Fire Taoist flinched at these words, his jaw clenched:

"The hell I will!

"You... you said earlier that you had a way to wipe out the Seven Slayers Hall. Was that for real?"

"Dead serious."

Su Mo smiled. "But this matter needs the Taoist to handle it, and it will likely be extremely dangerous."

"Wealth comes through danger!"

The Fire Taoist said indignantly:

"Goddammit, if they won’t give me a way out, even if I’m going to die, I’ll take a few bastards with me."

"Good."

Su Mo nodded. "Now that’s the bearing of a true Senior, a role model for our kind.

"Since that’s the case..."

He took out a porcelain bottle from his pocket, tipped out a pill, and handed it to the Fire Taoist.

The Fire Taoist was stunned. "What is this?"

"Poison."

"You want me to poison them?"

The Fire Taoist’s eyes lit up. "Poison those bastards?"

"No, this poison is for you to take."

Su Mo crushed his hopes outright.

"..."

The Fire Taoist was speechless. "We’re both insects tied to the same string now. Why do this?"

"Hmm?"

Su Mo gave the Fire Taoist a puzzled look.

"Has the Taoist misunderstood something?"

"...Misunderstood what?"

"I’ve never been afraid of the Seven Slayers Hall.

"If they come for me, I’ll welcome it—one comes, one dies. If I get any leads, I’ll strike straight at their heart and even claim the Hall Master’s head."

Su Mo said with a smile, "The whole time, the one afraid of the Seven Slayers Hall has been you. The only insect on this string is you."

"I..."

A storm of curses swelled inside him, brewing and fermenting, but in the end, he couldn’t utter a word.

He couldn’t help but glare at Su Mo, thinking this man had no conscience.

His words were downright cruel.

But... heartless as they were, they were the truth.

At this thought, the Fire Taoist felt even more wretched, yet also more confused. He stared at the poison in his palm.

"If so, then why make me take poison?"

"Isn’t it to steel the Senior’s resolve?"

Su Mo smiled, "Although I haven't known you for long, Senior, I can see that you’ve always lived by the creed of saving your own skin.

"The words spoken tonight might just be hot-headed ranting.

"Once tonight passes, if fear overwhelms you and your fervor cools, you might very well cut and run.

"But—I didn’t scheme for you just to quit mid-game.

"Some truths don’t come free.

"So, this medicine is to ensure you see this through to the bloody end.

"Either the Seven Slayers Hall perishes, or you, Fire Taoist, die.

"Right now, you must fight tooth and nail to cheat death—do you understand this reasoning?

"Or has your courage already faded, Senior? Are you planning to roll over and die?"

Fire Taoist spat, "You—you’re underestimating me!"

Fire Taoist gritted his teeth, stomped his foot, and popped the pill into his mouth, downing it in one go.

Only then did he ask Su Mo:

"The antidote—will you give it to me after I follow your plan and destroy the Seven Slayers Hall?"

Su Mo shook his head firmly.

Fire Taoist gaped: "What do you mean?"

Su Mo just kept smiling.

Fire Taoist’s flushed face instantly turned pale:

"Wait—there’s no antidote?!"

"Correct."

Su Mo’s grin turned wolfish.

"You monster!!!"

Fire Taoist was seeing red: "You—you’d use such despicable means to off me?"

"No big deal, no big deal."

Su Mo waved his hand lightly.

"What do you mean, 'no big deal'?!"

Fire Taoist thought his ears were playing tricks.

This man fed him a poison with no antidote, then had the nerve to say, "No big deal"?

Of course it’s no big deal to you—I’m the one screwed here!

For a moment, Fire Taoist was ready to bawl, itching to throw hands but knowing full well he’d get wrecked.

His hands trembled, and he stood there, frozen stiff.

Then he heard Su Mo say with a smile:

"Alright, alright, enough joking around, Senior.

"This drug will take effect in six months.

"By then, whether you succeed or not, you must find Su Mo. Otherwise, your guts will rot, and you’ll die in agony."

By the end, his tone had turned sharp and cold.

The Fire Taoist couldn't help but tense up, nodding grimly.

He wanted to ask again if Su Mo was bluffing,

but he feared Su Mo would immediately reply, 'Yes, I am lying—this drug has no antidote at all.'

Then he’d have no hope left.

Right now, the Fire Taoist felt as if his mind was in complete chaos.

Was what he took actually poison?

Was there really an antidote?

Was Su Mo being honest or just messing with him?

He couldn't tell at all.

This man, despite his youth, was as sly as a fox and as cruel as a devil.

Yet, he had somehow earned a heroic reputation on Dragonwood Island...

A hero!

Bah!

He was nothing but a demon!

But for now, these words could only be cursed in his heart, a hollow satisfaction. Outwardly, he forced an ingratiating smile:

"Then... Hero Su, what do I do?"

"Easy."

Su Mo smiled and said:

"The Seven Slayers Hall may be powerful, but they’ve got enemies in the South Sea.

"However, these rivals... won’t just show up so easily.

"Just do two things, and the Seven Slayers Hall will be too tied up to come after you."

"Tell me, Hero Su!"

Seeing Su Mo speak with such certainty, the Fire Taoist couldn't help but feel a flicker of hope.

Su Mo then held up a finger:

"First—go sell some intel to the Tianji Pavilion."

"The Tianji Pavilion..."

Fire Taoist froze. "Does the Tianji Pavilion actually purchase intelligence?"

"Naturally they do."

"Then... what intelligence should I offer?"

"What would you suppose?"

Su Mo smiled. "Where is Mr. Zimu of Seven Slayers Hall hiding right now? How many in this world would know?"

"Ah, I see now!"

Fire Taoist suddenly understood, but couldn't help asking,

"Would the enemies of Seven Slayers Hall truly purchase this information from the Tianji Pavilion?"

"Who's to say?"

Su Mo chuckled. "But there's no harm in trying, is there?"

"Sound reasoning."

Fire Taoist nodded immediately. "What of the second matter?"

"Go to Twin Dragon City, find a good spot, and await the performance."

"...When does this performance commence?"

"I don't know."

Su Mo smiled. "But come it surely will. And what you must do is..."

At this point, he suddenly whistled.

A piercing shriek rang out from the sky, followed by an enormous carrier eagle circling above Su Mo's head.

Su Mo said to Fire Taoist, "It will follow you. When the show begins, do not interfere—simply observe in silence. After it's over, I want to know... the true identities of these players."

Hearing this, Fire Taoist grasped the gist, though some details eluded him.

But overall, his assigned tasks appeared straightforward.

He nodded at once. "Understood. When do I depart?"

"Go at once."

"Until we meet again."

"You may go."