The Human Emperor c1-2382

by Huangfu Qi (皇甫奇)

  This was the reason why Wang Chong thought highly of Old Eagle, and decided to entrust some of the intelligence gathering channels of the Wang Clan to him.

  He might be weaker than Steel Arms, Solitary Wolf, and Ma Yinlong, but his capability was definitely proving to be the most useful of all.

  After all, who could have thought that common birds would actually serve as the eyes and ears of another?

  Sou!

  After confirming that the area was safe, the masked figure leaped into the Duke of Liu Residence adeptly and disappeared silently within the walls.

  "Gongzi, do we follow him in as well?" Old Eagle turned around and asked with a hushed voice.

  "Of course. Are the preparations on your side done?" Wang Chong smiled in response.

  "Hehe, it isn't my first day training birds, so gongzi can rest assured. I have already planted my birds throughout the Duke of Liu’s Residence so we can keep track of his whereabouts no matter where he goes," Old Eagle smirked in response.

  Ever since all of his scouting methods had been uncovered by the Goguryeons during King Sosurim's case, he gritted his teeth through the humiliation and worked diligently to further his skills. His current ability in training birds was far superior to that of a decade ago.

  His ability was no longer limited to the mighty eagles and condors soaring high in the sky. Even those common sparrows that often lurked in the bushes could be trained by him and serve as his scouts.

  It was impossible for anyone to think of this under normal circumstances.

  Sou sou!

  The duo jumped down from the branches, dashed forward, and leapt onto the wall.

  Within the towering walls, there were numerous elegant gazebos here and there, as well as a garden, pond, and artificial hills. However, that masked man was nowhere in sight.

  "Where is he?" Old Eagle muttered in a hushed voice. Suddenly, he raised his finger and pointed toward a gazebo. Tracing Old Eagle's finger, Wang Chong saw a blurred silhouette flitting across the gazebos. If not for his sharp eyes, he wouldn't have noticed it at all.

  What is that fellow doing?

  Wang Chong gazed at that silhouette and fell into deep thought. Judging from the actions of that masked figure, he seemed to be looking for something.

  "Gongzi, do we follow him?" Old Eagle asked with a glance at Wang Chong. While the Duke of Liu didn't wield any actual authority, he was still a duke of Great Tang, and he had plenty of guards in his residence. There was a good chance that they might be found if they were to follow the masked figure.

  Also, that masked figure was also extremely wary. It wouldn't be easy to remain out of his awareness while following him.

  Standing on top of the wall, Wang Chong pondered for a moment.

  "Let's go down to take a look. Regardless of what happens, I have to confirm whether the masked figure is him or not, and why he would be snooping around the residence of a duke of the empire in the middle of the night!" Wang Chong said.

  He had to confirm this matter before returning back to Kunwu Training Camp. This was the final agenda he had in mind.

  As for the danger involved in the matter, in truth, he had no fear even if the Duke of Liu were to find him.

  "Let's go."

  The duo landed quietly on the other side of the wall without alerting anyone. Following that, they began advancing in the direction the masked figure was headed toward.

  Those birds which Old Eagle had planted in the residence played a crucial role at this moment. They were able to keep track of his movements clearly without even keeping the other party in their sight.

  "That fellow is way too brazen. What does he intend to find here?"

  The masked man's trail was completely random. He would head east for a moment and west in the next. Even Old Eagle was slightly astonished by the other party's movements.

  After all, this was the residence of a current duke of the empire, and it was guarded by formidable experts.

  Even Wang Chong and he had to proceed around carefully so as to avoid notice, needless to say others.

  Yet, that masked figure moved around without the slightest worry.

  With the knowledge from the scouting he had done in the past few days, the masked figure seemed to have gained a deep understanding of the layout of the residence. He seemed to have a tight grasp over the patrol schedule of the residence, allowing him to avoid every single guard that came his way, as if he was a member of the household himself.

  Following behind the masked figure, the duo saw him enter the bathing house, main hall, sleeping compartments, lounge, garden...

  Before long, the masked figure had already visited every single location throughout the residence except for the tightly-guarded places.

  His movements were frighteningly silent and steady, like an apparition of the night.

  "Hm?" All of the sudden, Old Eagle froze.

  "What's wrong?"Wang Chong immediately asked after noticing Old Eagle’s behavior.

  "That... He has entered the living quarters of the son of Duke of Liu," Old Eagle uttered in shock.

  "What?" For a moment, Wang Chong wasn't able to process what Old Eagle said properly.

  "That is where the son of Duke of Liu lives!" Old Eagle gazed at the room before him.

  "!!!" Wang Chong's body trembled, and he turned his head around to look where Old Eagle's sight was fixated on. Faint but clear in the darkness, across a roof, there was a room that was still dimly illuminated with candlelight, forming a stark contrast with the otherwise dark Ducal Residence.

  Wang Chong finally understood why Old Eagle was so astonished. Most spies would try to avoid the illuminated rooms, but the masked figure didn't seem to mind at all.

  However, this wasn't what Wang Chong was concerned about at the moment.

  "Old Eagle, are you certain that that is the living quarters of the son of Duke of Liu?" Wang Chong asked grimly.

  "Un," Old Eagle nodded, "Gongzi, shall we go over to take a look?"

  Old Eagle thought that Wang Chong would approve of his suggestion, but contrary to his expectations, Wang Chong's face warped in shock and he exclaimed in a hushed voice, "We must leave right now! This is a trap! It'll be too late if we don't leave now!"

  "What?!"

  Old Eagle was astounded by Wang Chong's words.

  How could that be possible?

  Even the birds he had planted in the surroundings hadn't noticed anything at all, so why would Wang Chong claim that it was one?

  But Wang Chong didn't explain the matter. After leaving behind those words, he immediately turned around and darted for the outside. Old Eagle hesitated for a moment, but he eventually chose to heed Wang Chong's words and leave as well

  The duo left by their original path, and before long, they had already leaped across the wall and left the Duke of Liu’s Residence.

  "Gongzi, what is going on?" Old Eagle asked from the forest beyond the towering walls.

  "Old Eagle, things aren't as easy as it seems. I don't think whether the men from the Duke of Liu Residence has noticed you or not, but without a doubt, they have already noticed that person. Regardless of whether that person is finding something or is planning on dealing with the son of the Duke of Liu, he won't be able to achieve anything at all," Wang Chong spoke grimly.

  He had underestimated the nature of this incident. The Duke of Liu had already declined so far that he had lost the right to intervene in the governance of the nation. He would only be invited to the Royal Palace during the Lantern Festival every year for a gathering with the other nobles of the capital.

  But even if in decline, how could a duke of Great Tang possibly be that simple?

  Old Eagle claimed that that person had loitered around the vicinity of the Duke of Liu’s Residence and hadn't been noticed by anyone. This in itself was underestimating the Duke!

  Chapter 289: Killing Intent!

  Chapter 289: Killing Intent!

  Sou!

  Not too long aft
er leaving the Duke of Liu Residence, an abrupt ruckus within the walls caught the duo's attention.

  "Gongzi, that person has left the Duke of Liu Residence," Old Eagle said. He glanced at Wang Chong in astonishment, knowing that the latter's instincts were spot-on.

  "Not bad! He realizes that something is amiss quickly!" A hint of commendation flashed across Wang Chong's eyes.

  Right after he left the Duke of Liu Residence, the masked figure also left as well. He didn't think that there were too many people who possessed astute senses on par with him.

  "Let's go and take a look!" Wang Chong beckoned Old Eagle and headed toward the area the masked figure was leaving from.

  ---

  Sou!

  A cold gale blew in the night sky. The masked figure leapt across the wall to escape from the Duke of Liu Residence.

  Beneath his sleeves, his hands were clutched together tightly. His face was pale, and frustration filled his eyes.

  Without a doubt, his operation had failed utterly.

  Sou sou sou!

  As soon as he landed on the other side, the masked figure immediately dashed toward the forest.

  "Hmph! Brat, do you think you can get away?" a cold sneer sounded out, and a shadow suddenly emerged from the forest, standing right before the masked figure.

  Astonished, the masked figure immediately tried to turn around and flee in another direction. However, yet another shadow surfaced from the darkness, blocking his path.

  "Where do you think you are going?" Those two shadows were well-built, and appearing from their hiding spots, they didn't rush into taking down the masked figure. Instead, they slowly proceeded forward to close the encirclement, preventing the masked figure from escaping.

  Even though the masked figure was completely clothed in black, the sneers from those two shadowy figures surrounding him seemed to reflect that his identity was no longer a secret.

  "Not speaking eh? Do you think that you can conceal your identity just by remaining silent?" the brawny man leading the team chuckled with a cold edge to his voice.

  "Let me tell you, you might have been able to fool others and enter Kunwu Training Camp under a different alias, your disguise won't fool our gongzi or old master. Lad, our old master knew that you would come here eventually."

  Hearing those words, the composure in the masked figure's eyes finally cracked, revealing even deeper coldness and hatred.

  "If you had been in Kunwu Training Camp, we would still be unable to do anything about you. But it is a pity that you simply refuse to give up despite all these years and adamantly charged right into our trap!" the brawny man sneered.

  Weng!

  In that instant, the masked figure's eyes turned crimson, and a savage aura reminiscent of a ferocious tiger emanated from him, inducing a strong sense of fear in those around him.

  The brawny man had initially put on a haughty attitude, staring at the masked figure as if a cat toying with a mouse. However, under the overwhelming aura of the masked figure, a sense of discomfort abruptly crept onto his heart.

  "Brat, how dare you look at me with such eyes? You sure must be tired of living! Since that's the case, allow me to send you on your way. Brothers, come out!"

  Sou sou sou! In an instant, as if spirits materializing into existence, innumerable shadows appeared all around the forest, encircling the masked man tightly.

  Yi!

  The crisp and sharp call of a majestic beast echoed from above the forest, and a large eagle spread its steel wings and glided down from the sky.

  "Right, I forgot to tell you this, but you are completely surrounded. It's impossible for you to get away, so I suggest you surrender peacefully." The brawny man smiled sinisterly as he gazed at the masked figure like cornered prey. At the same time, he grabbed a piece of dried jerky from his pouch and threw it out. With a sharp cry, the ferocious eagle grabbed it with its beak before flying back into the sky, disappearing into the darkness.

  Seeing the massive eagle vanishing into the night sky, the masked figure seemed to have suddenly realized something, but there wasn't the slightest panic in his eyes.

  Klang!

  The masked figure retreated a few steps backward before drawing his sword, expressing the stand that he would take.

  "You're courting death!" Furious, the brawny man raised his hand, and an expert amidst the group charged forward with a sneer.

  "Lord, I don't think that there's any need for so many of us to be present just to deal with this brat! I'll suffice for him!" Leaving behind those words, the expert cut down his sword right toward the masked figure. At the same moment, a powerful surge of Stellar Energy gushed forth from his body along with this slash.

  Sou!

  But something astonishing happened. While the expert was making a move, the masked figure suddenly leaped up. Instead of retreating, he advanced to the attacking expert instead.

  Boom! Under everyone's eyelids, an astoundingly powerful surge of Stellar Energy burst forth from the masked figure like the eruption of a volcano. Appearing alongside this burst of Stellar Energy was a brilliant greenish-black halo.

  Hong long long! A cloud of dust carrying little pebbles were blasted away with the immense force from the outburst. The two very different Deluges of Stellar Energy clashed against one another, reminiscent of two ferocious beasts biting each other's neck. A humongous gale was whipped up, creating a bone-chilling sound of rustling leaves within the forest.

  "AH! ——"

  Before anyone could fully process what was going on, a cry of agony echoed in the air.

  That clash ended swiftly.

  The sword of the masked figure was knocked several zhang away. The expert from the Duke of Liu’s Residence had managed to pierce the masked figure's left chest, the tip of his sword protruding slightly from the other party's back.

  However... like an incomparably sharp blade, the right hand of the masked figure had penetrated deep into the heart of the expert.

  With frosty eyes, the masked figure stared down at the lifeless man before him.

  Silence!

  The gleeful faces on everyone's faces from before vanished in that moment, and a cold intent that threatened to freeze even their bones embraced them.

  In that moment, everyone suddenly realized that they had been underestimating the reticent masked figure.

  Never had they seen such a brutal fighting method before—a strong determination to slay one's opponent even if it meant suffering grievous wounds!

  While the masked figure suffered severe injuries in the encounter, it was clear that he had won in this face-off. After all, he was the one standing after the clash.

  Puchi!

  The masked man calmly tightened his grip, crushing the other party's heart, before retracting his hand from the other party's chest. With eyes wide in disbelief, the expert from the Duke of Liu's Residence collapsed onto the ground.

  "Kill him!"

  After seeing this sight, the brawny man immediately charged forward with a savage expression. This time, everyone moved together

  ---

  "Gongzi, their fight is growing more and more intense," Old Eagle said. Even though he couldn't see anything at all, he had many birds in the surrounding relaying information regarding the situation to him, thus allowing him to create a vivid image of the scene.

  "They have a lot of people, and they are heading to the northwest!"

  "Our target is injured!"

  "Yet another group has arrived!"

  ---

  Old Eagle led the way through the night while filling Wang Chong in on the present situation. Even though Wang Chong had seen how Old Eagle trained his birds, he still couldn't understand the language which the latter used to communicate with them.

  Along the way, some birds would suddenly appear and chirp, dance, circle the area, or flap their wings. These were nothing more than perfectly ordinary movements to Wang Chong, but in Old Eagle's view, they were a message rich with information.r />
  Through these bird scouts, Wang Chong and Old Eagle were able to follow their target precisely.

  "Hmm, to think that there would be another eagle here." Old Eagle suddenly came to a halt.

  "I was careless. Duke of Liu knew that someone would come and prepared an eagle in his residence. Gongzi, you are right. This was indeed a trap!" Old Eagle sneered. As a person who specialized in training birds, he had spent his entire life interacting with all kinds of avians. Before conducting any operation, he would always make sure to sweep through the sky to check if there were any other possible “eyes”.

  This was his usual practice, and he had always made sure to do so before an operation.

  Thus, Old Eagle was certain that there wasn't such an eagle in the vicinity of the Duke of Liu’s Residence before this incident.

  The only possibility was that the eagle had come from the Duke of Liu’s people.

  It wasn't a common practice for those in the Central Plains to rear eagles. It was extremely suspicious how they had one prepared even though the Duke of Liu Residence had been calm for many years.

  Old Eagle realized that his evaluation of this matter had been wrong all along.

  "There's no need to hesitate, get rid of that eagle," Wang Chong instructed calmly.

  As long as the eagle continued to watch from the sky, that masked figure wouldn't be able to get away. On top of that, it was possible that their presence might also be detected by that eagle.

  "... Also, send the signal," Wang Chong said.

  "Yes, gongzi." Chuckling, Old Eagle reached into his left sleeve and took out a small, golden bird.

  Its entire body was huddled together, but its eyes were exceptionally bright. On top of that, its feathers were exceptionally tough, reminiscent of steel. With just a look, it was clear that it was no ordinary bird.

  Wang Chong had been with Old Eagle for some time already, but he never knew that the latter had such a bird. It seemed like Old Eagle also had many secrets behind him.

  Yi!

  With a resounding call unlike that of its small stature, the golden bird flew from Old Eagle's hands. Even Wang Chong wasn't able to clearly see how it disappeared.