For the past fifteen years, there had been no problems with them.
He made use of those taverns and gambling dens to draw Great Tang's attention. He had left out those operating those businesses, so it was impossible for Great Tang to find anything on them.
Those who were on the move were the customers and Han impersonators hidden amongst them.
For so many years, this strategic system he had implemented had not been exposed.
But with everything falling apart, he couldn't help but feel uneasy.
It was as if an opposing strategist had seen through all of his plans, and the feeling that he was completely exposed made him feel very uncomfortable.
He sat there silently as he thought through everything in his mind.
... Is it that young fellow from the Wang Clan?
His eyes narrowed, and his face suddenly turned cold.
After much thought, the most suspicious person he could think of was that lad named Wang Chong, although he still didn't think anyone could defeat him in a battle of wits.
But considering that lad's reputation in Great Tang, the possibility did exist.
I really underestimated him. I should have gotten rid of him first, before making my move.
Clenching his fists tightly, an overwhelming killing intent wafted into his surroundings.
However, it isn't too late. After I make arrangements at the final base, I'll bring more soldiers over from the empire and eliminate the Wang Clan once and for all!
Thinking so, he abruptly stood up.
He might have failed, but all wasn't lost yet. The final base he had was his last sliver of hope. The men in the base were all veterans who had been with him for a long time, and they were all very knowledgeable in the affairs of Great Tang.
As long as these “sparks” remained unextinguished, he would be able to swiftly reestablish dozens of bases and gather more experts from the empire. This was the main reason why he returned to the city.
After arranging matters with his subordinates in the final base, he would leave the city to stay out of the storm that would occur very soon. When things finally calm down, he would return to rebuild all that was lost and create something even bigger than before.
"It's time for me to leave."
He placed his bamboo hat on the bed frame with a smile. With his current image as a middle-aged silk merchant, even those woodsmen who had just greeted him earlier wouldn't be able to recognize him.
Needless to say, neither would his enemies.
Thus, he took his step out into the world with his new identity as a silk merchant.
When he stepped out from this room, no one else would be able to recognize him anymore.
Weng!
But right when he opened the doors, he sensed something that made his composed face warp in shock.
How is that possible?
His face paled, and his eyes widened to the brim. Peng! He immediately shut the door and retreated back to his room.
"Quick, this is the place! Surround it tightly..."
A loud bellow boomed outside. Following which, the clopping of innumerable horses sounded the outside.
His heart immediately sank.
Without much time for thought, he immediately stripped off his silk robe and threw it into the bottom of the box, buried by old clothes. Then, he donned his disguise as an old woodsman and grabbed the bamboo hat on his bed frame.
After a moment of thought, the old woodsman finally opened the door once more and walked out. The bag of lumber which he had carried back was placed right by the door. Lowering his back slowly, he carefully lifted it up before walking calmly over to the saw pit.
Even though he was alarmed by the sudden arrival of the Great Tang Imperial Army, he was entirely confident in his disguise.
He didn't think that he had left behind any openings that those people could possibly exploit.
"Hold it right there!"
But as soon as he walked over to the saw pit, a sharp bellow echoed above him.
"Gongzi, I am only a woodsman. I'll have to deliver the lumber to my customers later on, why must gongzi trouble me so?"
With a lowered head, the woodsman sighed with deep exhaustion in his voice. He sounded like a perfectly ordinary woodsman who had just toiled the entire night.
"Wang gongzi, are you certain that this is the correct location?"
Hearing the old woodsman's words, Ma Yinlong turned around to look at the young man beside him.
The ones who appeared at the saw pit were none other than Wang Chong, Ma Yinlong, Steel Arms, Old Eagle, Solitary Wolf, Li Lin, and dozens of Imperial Army guards.
After the battle at the monastery ended, Wang Chong brought the group here immediately, claiming that he would lead them to King Sosurim.
Everyone thought that they would be in for another bitter battle, but who knew that they would come to this humble abode instead.
"Chong-er, are you certain that this is the place?" Li Lin was a little doubtful at this turn of events. This was a perfectly ordinary residence for a woodsman; short, tattered, and old. There were plenty of similar residences across the capital.
He couldn't help but think that Wang Chong might be mistaken.
"Old man, let me ask you. Did you see anyone suspicious coming by here, especially any men wielding three sabers?" Li Lin asked with a frown on his forehead from the back of his horse.
"Old masters, you must be jesting. I'm just a woodsman, how could I possibly know so much?" The old woodsman shook his head with a bitter smile.
"Wang gongzi, are you sure?" Solitary Wolf also spoke up with a doubtful tone.
To think that they were so excited a moment ago. Was the man that Wang Chong led them to catch this old woodsman? This was ridiculous!
The others didn't speak, but their expressions reflected their disbelief as well.
"HAHAHA..." Hearing their words, Wang Chong burst into laughter.
"Elders, since I've said that I would bring you all to King Sosurim, I will definitely do as I have said. Men, surround this place!"
"Yes, my lord!" In an instant, the powerful Imperial Army cavalry immediately encircled this humble residence tightly.
Seeing this sight, the old woodsman's heart sank.
“Hahaha, King Sosurim! To think that Goguryeon royalty would actually pass themselves off as an old woodsman, you sure aren't picky at all!" Wang Chong's body tilted forward slightly from the back of his horse as he examined the old woodsman before him playfully.
After the end of the battle, Wang Chong checked and saw the old woodsman whom King Sosurim was playing off was walking slowly back to the city. Thus, Wang Chong waited calmly for him to return before dispatching his men to surround him.
Recalling the Goguryeon chief spy who introduced a huge wave of chaos within Central Plains in his previous life, and looking at the unkempt and exhausted old woodsman before him, Wang Chong couldn't help but think that life was truly reminiscent of a soap opera, and he couldn't help but want to laugh at it.
Since they were within the city, and there were so many experts around, Wang Chong didn't fear him escaping anymore.
"King Sosurim, you sure have worked hard to play off as an old woodsman so flawlessly. Soiled clothes, smoking pipe, and lumber, even your Han accent is perfect... You must have put in a great deal of effort into it." Wang Chong said playfully.
"I have no idea what gongzi is talking about." The old woodsman shook his head slowly. At this moment, his heart was cold as though the middle of winter, but he didn't allow it to show through on his face.
What in the world had happened?
Many scenarios flashed across the old woodsman's head, but he still wasn't able to comprehend how he could have possibly drawn the Great Tang Imperial Army over.
"Wang gongzi, even though I wish dearly to find King Sosurim to settle the debt, are you certain that this old woodsman is him?" Ma Yinlong turned around and asked grimly.
Rarely wou
ld he speak like that. From his expression, Wang Chong could sense that he was asking this question earnestly. Clearly, Ma Yinlong didn't believe that this old woodsman was King Sosurim. It was taking his all to hold himself back from lashing out at this moment.
"It's a pity that you don't recognize your mortal enemy." Seeing Ma Yinlong's expression, Wang Chong sighed. Logically speaking, Ma Yinlong should have a deep impression of King Sosurim. Were Ma Yinlong's eyes really that bad to not recognize his enemy, or was King Sosurim's disguise really that flawless? After all, on top of the latter's appearance, his accent and disposition had changed entirely as well.
But regardless of which one it was, Wang Chong knew he had to offer the other party an explanation. Otherwise, the four would surely think that he was just making a fool out of them.
"Old Eagle, do you remember the old woodsman I told you to keep an eye on a few days ago?" Wang Chong turned around and asked.
"I do. But isn't he just an ordinary woodsman?" Old Eagle replied in surprise.
"I remember that we looked into his identity, and there was nothing suspicious about his identity. He only delivered lumber to the monastery, and he would only remain there for a few seconds each time."
As everyone's doubtful gaze fell on him, Old Eagle smiled awkwardly and hurriedly explained the affairs from a few days ago.
For this, they would have to trace back to three days ago, when the birds whom Old Eagle sent to keep a lookout at the monastery noticed an old woodsman among them.
At that time, Wang Chong issued an order to have everyone who came into contact with the monastery investigated, and that included that old woodsman as well.
And Old Eagle did investigate him, and he found that there was no problem with the other party. The other party was just an ordinary old woodsman who delivered lumber to the monastery.
He would leave right after delivering the lumber each time, and he never stepped into the monastery.
When Wang Chong heard of the matter, he instructed Old Eagle to dispatch a nightingale to follow the old woodsman.
In the last fifteen years, Old Eagle had trained many different kinds of birds just so to prevent the Goguryeons from noticing him. After all, after the incident fifteen years ago, eagles had become his trademark.
But thinking that it was nothing much, Old Eagle forgot about the matter regarding the old woodsman as well.
Who could have thought that Wang Chong would eventually lead them to the abode of this old woodsman?
Chapter 263: King Sosurim!, Part Two
Chapter 263: King Sosurim!, Part Two
"Hahaha. Old Eagle, you're taking it too lightly."
Wang Chong burst into laughter. Did Old Eagle think that he had instructed him to send a nightingale to follow the old woodsman for fun?
"An operation consisting of a thousand Goguryeon elites. Just the preparation itself spanned over four months, and they even built a monastery in the middle of the mountain for it... Given how much effort was devoted into this matter, did you think that King Sosurim wouldn't supervise it personally? Since he isn't in the monastery, there's no doubt that he would be in the surroundings to view the entire operation!" Wang Chong explained confidently. This was no longer a deduction to him, he bore no doubts whatsoever that the old woodsman before him was the elusive King Sosurim.
Weng!
The old woodsman's heart jolted. He didn't expect the young fellow from the Wang Clan to be so sharp. He had always kept his whereabouts a mystery, such that not even his own subordinates were aware of them.
Yet, Wang Chong was able to deduce it from this angle.
"... Also, King Sosurim has always been known to be a wary person. He even swapped all of the monks within the monastery to be Goguryeons as well. Considering that they were planning to kill the influential officials in Great Tang, do you think that he would actually allow an old woodsman of unknown background to come into contact with the monastery?" Wang Chong sneered coldly.
Even the slightest opening can expose the greatest of secrets. Even though the old woodsman was only there for a few seconds each time, there was still a chance he could have seen something that would have made him doubtful, thus compelling him to report it. If that were to happen, their previous efforts would have been in vain.
After much thoughts, Wang Chong felt that the old woodsman who sent lumber to the monastery everyday was the most suspicious of all.
Weng!
Initially, everyone was still skeptical of Wang Chong's words. However, after hearing his explanation, they began to become doubtful of the old woodsman before them.
Indeed! It was an operation involving a thousand True Martial realm Goguryeon elites, how could King Sosurim possibly stay out of it?
Given that they had searched through the monastery and there were no traces of him, only one possibility remained—King Sosurim must be viewing the entire operation from afar.
Given King Sosurim's cautious nature, there was no doubt that this was what he would do.
Furthermore, how could a person as wary as him possibly be so careless as to allow an outsider to deliver lumber to them every day?
The more they thought about it, the more suspicious it felt.
"Who in the world are you?" Ma Yinlong reached for the saber by his waist as he stared at King Sosurim with a grim expression.
"Old masters, I'm just a woodsman. I really have no idea what you are all talking about..." the old woodsman waved his hands as he backed away with a frightened expression. "Gongzi, why must you do this to me? I'm just an ordinary person, I really don't know anything about what King Sosurim you speak of."
The fearful expression on the old woodsman made everyone hesitant once more... Were they really mistaken? Judging from how unstable his footsteps were, he did seem like an ordinary man.
"Hahaha! King Sosurim, I heard that you are quite a figure yourself, but you are looking rather pathetic now trying to deny it even when cornered. None of us are fools here. Why don't you change your shoes before talking about it?" From atop his horse, Wang Chong gazed down at the old woodsman and sneered.
Those words immediately brought gazes to the old woodsman's feet, and vaguely, they could see a pair of cloud embroidered white silk shoes hidden beneath the tattered gray robe.
The old woodsman also noticed his shoes at the moment, and his face immediately darkened. He had always been a careful person, meticulous even with the smallest details.
Thus, when he switched to the appearance of a silk merchant, he changed the shoes and everything else as well. Who could have known that when he was changing back, he would actually forget about the shoes.
How could an old woodsman who had to toil every day to make a living possibly afford a pair of embroidered silk shoes? He had schemed for his entire life, but who knew that he would actually be caught by a pair of shoes?
It was impossible for him to deny it anymore.
"Since you specialize in disguise, there must be more than one costume inside. You few, go inside and search his room. There must be more clothes inside, and I'm certain that most aren't what an ordinary old woodsman could afford." Wang Chong chuckled confidently from his seat on his horse.
"King Sosurim, what else do you have to say?"
"Bastard, so you are the one!"
No matter how slow-witted Ma Yinlong was, it was clear that there was something very wrong with this old woodsman. With reddened eyes, a powerful aura gushed forth from him.
A destructive gush of black Stellar Energy rushed forth with incredible momentum toward the old woodsman.
Boom!
A resounding explosion echoed in the air. Ma Yinglong's attack was dispelled as swiftly as it came. An immense force jolted his entire body backward.
That powerful black Stellar Energy was torn apart in an instant. A powerful wind gushed into the surroundings, drawing dust and grit up into the air. The war steeds neighed uneasily as they retreated in fright.
Boom!
&nbs
p; At that very instant when Ma Yinlong was jolted flying, a specially-crafted arrow harnessing ridiculous might instantaneously appeared in the courtyard, its trajectory heading straight for the old woodsman.
Luo Chong, who was hidden at the back of the formation, had made a move!
Luo Chong's archery surpassed all other master archers he had met. His arrows were as swift as lightning, rendering them impossible for anyone to dodge.
And the frightening might behind his arrows ensured a one shot one kill, pinning his enemy firmly onto the ground. Even the strongest True Martial realm expert was no exception to the rule.
Weng!
A hand reminiscent of a steel claw grabbed the shaft of the arrow, stopping this sure-kill arrow with sheer brute force.
Weng!
The surroundings instantly fell silent. Even Steel Arms, Old Eagle, and Solitary Wolf who wanted to rush forward to assist Ma Yinlong halted in their footsteps.
At 800 meters away, Luo Chong gripped onto his bow with an incomparably grim expression.
To think that he would be so strong!, Wang Chong sighed deeply as coldness welled in his heart.
Currently, Ma Yinlong and Luo Chong were the two strongest men by his side. The incredible black Stellar Energy that tore apart everything in its path that Wang Chong first saw back at the Bureau of Personnel yamen branch had left him with a deep impression.
On the other hand, the master archer which King Song assigned him with had refreshed Wang Chong's understanding of master archers with the incredible might of his arrows. To those beneath Profound Martial realm, he was no different from a God of Death.
With that archer standing behind him, Wang Chong felt extremely safe.
And yet, the both of them actually weren't able to stop this old woodsman. In fact, the latter even grabbed Luo Chong's arrow with his bare hand.
This situation was unprecedented!
With a strong sense of danger overwhelming him, Wang Chong immediately drove his war steed back. It seemed like he had severely underestimated this chief spy of Goguryeo.
"Hehehe!"
Grabbing the shaft of the arrow, the old woodsman released a sinister laughter.
The Human Emperor c1-2382 Page 196