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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter One Hundred Fifty-Seven
The weather at the end of April had not yet turned scorching. After the heavy rain, it still felt a bit chilly. The roads, long ravaged by years of war, were uneven and bumpy from the trampling of horse hooves. A bullock cart creaked along, flanked by twelve black-clad Guards armed with bows and swords.
Inside the cart, Liu Chen, the Flame Cave Temple Priest, sniffled and tightened his clothing, still feeling cold. He couldn't help but pull the two Divine Maidens close to him, his plump hands reaching into their bodices for warmth, squeezing them without restraint. Liu Chen felt a rush of heat and was about to take further action when he heard a muffled thud followed by the shouts of the Guards!
A wave of unease surged through Liu Chen. He lifted the curtain of the cart to peek outside, only to hear a whoosh as a White Feather arrow shot through the air and embedded itself in the cart just inches from his face!
Fear gripped the Flame Cave Temple Priest as he hurriedly ducked back inside. The two Divine Maidens screamed in terror; one attempted to jump from the cart but collapsed back inside with an arrow lodged in her forehead!
"Ah!!!"
The other Divine Maiden screamed frantically as outside, the Guards were falling one by one. A group of Rogue rebels had ambushed them!
These twelve Guards were all elite members of Gaimu City's Garrison, but even brave men could not withstand being outnumbered. Caught off guard, they were overwhelmed by a flurry of Feathered Arrows that they could not fend off!
Liu Chen realized they were facing rebels and felt a surge of panic. However, as a priest, he knew that whether it was government troops or rebels, they would still need to pay homage to the Sun God. As a Flame Cave Temple Priest, he believed he should be safe wherever he went; perhaps those rebels would treat him with respect once they recognized his identity!
With this thought calming him down, he noticed that the Divine Maiden was still screaming in terror. He slapped her hard, causing her to faint from shock.
Liu Chen cautiously peered outside again; the Guards were still struggling to hold their ground. Gritting his teeth, he opened the bottom of the cart and retrieved a wooden box. He wrapped its contents around his waist and covered them with his clothing before feeling reassured.
Just as he finished these preparations, silence fell outside. The curtain was pulled aside, and Liu Chen's heart raced as he was dragged out of the cart.
There were four or five dozen Rogues in total, led by a young man in his twenties wearing ancient armor. Liu Chen glanced at the insignia on the armor and broke into a cold sweat: "It's actually members of the Eulji Family!"
Looking at these rebels again, he saw they wore vine armor and wielded sharpened bamboo spears. One among them donned a red robe and held a blood-dripping long knife, flanked by two beautiful women.
Upon seeing the two women, Liu Chen couldn't help but feel a sense of inferiority; these two were far more beautiful than the two Divine Maidens by his side!
As an experienced old priest, he straightened his back and pointed at the many rebels, feigning anger as he shouted, "You are all servants of the Sun God. Why do you obstruct the messenger's path? This is blasphemy against the Sun God!"
Fearing that he might not be able to control the rebels, Liu Chen discreetly reached into his waist with one hand and pulled a thin string. Some red powder quietly fell from the opening of his pants leg. He stepped back a bit and took out a bead from his pocket, throwing it to the ground where the powder lay. With a loud bang, flames erupted!
Eulji Nawi and the others were startled by the priest's fury and display of fire magic, retreating in shock. However, Xu Zhen squinted her eyes, having already seen through this priest's clumsy technique.
Seeing that he had frightened everyone away, Liu Chen felt an overwhelming sense of superiority and glory rise within him. In the Goguryeo Royal Court, who would dare disrespect a Flame Cave Temple Priest?
However, he did not bask in his triumph for long. A Red Robe Man among the rebels approached. He crouched beside the flames and surprisingly extended his fair hand to scoop up the fire into his palm!
Eulji Nawi and the others looked at Xu Zhen with even greater faith as she absorbed the priest's flames, while Liu Chen's heart was thrown into turmoil.
Although he had used an illusion, those flames were real fire. How could this Red Robe Man manipulate fire so easily? Was this priest truly encountering a genuine Sun God Messenger today?
Xu Zhen noticed Liu Chen's astonished gaze and couldn't help but sneer. Such crude tricks were beneath her notice. Moreover, she was always prepared with fire-resistant items to intimidate those at Stronghold; why would she fear such small flames?
Seeing Xu Zhen so unfazed, Liu Chen dared not act foolishly any longer and immediately begged for mercy. Xu Zhen couldn't be bothered with him anymore and handed him over to Eulji Nawi. After some intense questioning, they thoroughly investigated his identity and background. They then dressed him in priestly robes while Gao Huizhen and Jin Shu donned the attire of two Divine Maidens. Twelve capable individuals were chosen to impersonate black-clad Guards before they continued their journey toward Tuyang City.
Eulji Nawi could not accompany them due to being on the wanted list; he could only lead the remaining Brothers to clean up the aftermath and escort the stripped Liu Chen along with the Divine Maiden back to Stronghold.
Although this Divine Maiden was not as stunning as Gao Huizhen or Jin Shu, she still possessed some charm. Eulji Nawi took off his cloak and draped it over her shoulders before tossing her onto a horse as a trophy to bring back to Stronghold.
Inside the carriage, Xu Zhen sat with Jin Shu and Gao Huizhen flanking her sides, enjoying a sense of comfort with both by her side. She had already shared intimate moments with Jin Shu; thus, leaning against him felt pleasant. However, Gao Huizhen had never liked Xu Zhen due to their past conflicts when they first met. Now having to pretend to be a Divine Maiden made her feel somewhat uncomfortable.
She was a Royal Court Princess, born into nobility, exuding an air of untouchable grace. Jin Shu also came from a prestigious background, and the two of them, solemn and dignified, resembled true Divine Maidens even more than the two actual Divine Maidens!
The Xu Zhen intended to study Liu Chen's Illusion artifact thoroughly, but with the two women close by, he found himself at a loss and could only suppress his thoughts, hoping that once they arrived in Tuolang, there would be no need for further performances.
Jin Shu worried that the Xu Zhen might slip up, so she repeatedly reminded her of Liu Chen's background and experiences while tirelessly correcting her accent. Fortunately, the Xu Zhen had an extraordinary talent for languages; otherwise, she would not have been able to grasp the Goguryeo Language in such a short time.
Fortunately, Liu Chen had indeed never met the Western Martial General nor had he ever been to Tuyang City. Such small places were typically avoided by ordinary high priests. Liu Chen had just been promoted to priest and had no reputation, which was why he was sent to such a remote little town.
After a bumpy journey lasting most of the day, they finally arrived at the entrance of Tuyang City in the evening. After the black-clad Guard reported their arrival, a procession emerged from the city, dividing into two sides. To their surprise, the Western Martial General himself came out to greet them!
The Western Martial General was in his thirties, short and thin with a handlebar mustache. Aside from his fierce and intimidating eyes, there was nothing particularly striking about him; even his personal guards appeared more imposing.
The Xu Zhen feared that speaking too much would lead to mistakes, so she remained silent and maintained an aloof demeanor. These people had never encountered a high-ranking figure like a priest before and quickly welcomed the Xu Zhen and her companions into the city, ensuring they were settled comfortably before hosting a banquet in preparation for the formal blessing ceremony the next day.
Gao Huizhen and Jin Shu both dressed as Divine Maidens and closely followed the Xu Zhen. The people under the Western Martial General were all from Green Forest backgrounds; they watched with hungry eyes but were afraid to offend the priestess, feeling restless.
To minimize the Xu Zhen's need to speak, Jin Shu informed the Western Martial General about everything needed for the ceremony. The general promptly assigned people to prepare accordingly. The banquet ended early, and the Xu Zhen feigned dissatisfaction as she returned to her residence with Gao Huizhen and Jin Shu.
The Western Martial General was perceptive enough to notice the priestess's displeasure. He ordered food and drink to be sent to the Xu Zhen's room while secretly eavesdropping on their conversation.
Sure enough, it wasn't long before a servant returned with news that the priestess's discontent stemmed from the general not providing Female Slaves. The Western Martial General couldn't help but curse the Xu Zhen for her shamelessness; with two such stunning Divine Maidens already at his side, she still expected him to offer Female Slaves.
However, in order to secure his position as a legitimate leader, he endured it and sent over two reasonably attractive personal maids that night. Yet, astonishingly, the priestess was still unsatisfied and insisted on choosing for herself!
The Western Martial General had cursed the Xu Zhen countless times in his heart but maintained a facade of courtesy. He hurriedly ordered someone to take her to the prison so she could personally select her Female Slaves.
Tuyang City is extremely shabby, with low and ugly buildings primarily made of bamboo. There is no way to build a dungeon, and many slaves are kept in open cages surrounded by wooden fences, much like livestock, exposed to the sun, rain, and mosquito bites.
The Western Martial General is shrewd and has no interest in the useless Rogue. These slaves are all rebels attempting to revolt or warriors from the Rongliuwang period, while the Female Slaves are mostly strong and healthy young adults, with few elderly or weak individuals.
Goguryeo is lacking in resources and does not have many iron chains or shackles; they only use wooden stocks placed around the slaves' necks and bind their hands with ropes, deploying soldiers to guard them.
To prevent the Xu Zhen from selecting suitable Female Slaves, the Western Martial General deliberately leads her to the dirtiest places. The surroundings are filled with foul odors and swarming flies, making it a place people would avoid.
The Xu Zhen pretends to be aloof, covering her mouth and nose with her sleeve as she walks slowly. However, the slaves in the cages raise their heads; their eyes do not show the numbness seen in the Rogue but are instead filled with fierce fighting spirit and hatred, resembling a pack of wild wolves trapped behind bars.
After walking for a while, the Xu Zhen finally stops, cursing under her breath, seemingly displeased about dirtying her boots. As she bends down to wipe the mud off her boots, a hand suddenly reaches out from one of the cages, pulling her toward it. The prisoner's arm tightly wraps around her neck, almost choking her!
The accompanying guards are horrified and quickly brandish their swords to scare off the prisoners before dragging the High Priest of Flame Cave Palace back.
The High Priest is terrified and curses as he retreats to his quarters, not daring to select any more Female Slaves.
The guards inform the Western Martial General about the Xu Zhen's encounter. This small and cunning old man sneers repeatedly, as if everything is within his expectations.
In the cage where the Xu Zhen was just grabbed, a disheveled prisoner pushes aside his messy hair to reveal a pair of wise and determined eyes. In his hand is a finely crafted small knife—indeed, it is the flying dagger that the Xu Zhen carries with her!
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