250: Black Wind Village borrows a passage

In the secret chamber forged from black iron, Jun Xiaoyao’s fingertips glided across the floating crystal panel. Dense clusters of light points pulsed upon it—each one represented the coordinates of a member of The Net.

At this moment, the red dots in the Qingzhou region were lighting up in patches, like sparks scattered across black cloth.

"Young Lord," Zhao Gao said, bowing in the shadows, his voice kept extremely low.

"The Net has received news. The City Lord of Qingzhou is colluding with the Black Wind Stockade in secret. Last night, he transported three carts of military equipment out of the city, claiming he was 'lending' them to the bandits for the winter."

On the crystal panel, the red dots in the southwest corner of Qingzhou were moving along the mountain road, gradually overlapping with the coordinates of the Black Wind Stockade.

Jun Xiaoyao tapped his finger lightly, pulling up the defense map of the armory. He asked coldly, "Is the commander of the City Lord of Qingzhou's guards one of our people?"

"It is Old Seven of the Shadow Group, who was planted there just last month." Zhao Gao handed over a scroll of secret intelligence. "He said the City Lord of Qingzhou accepted three thousand taels of gold from the Black Wind Stockade and promised to open a path for the bandits to raid surrounding villages after spring arrives, with a thirty percent cut for him."

Jun Xiaoyao sneered. Suddenly, a new notification popped up on the crystal panel: [Detected summonable character—Zhan Zhao (three heroes and five gallants), Realm: Late Grandmaster Realm, Martial Skill: zhanlu sword technique (Major Achievement), Sleeve Arrow (Perfection), Loyalty: 85%]

The light of the summoning array flared suddenly. With a flash of a green shadow, Zhan Zhao, dressed in red, stood in the center of the array. The "Juque" sword at his waist gleamed with a cold light. As he cupped his hands in a salute, his sleeves fluttered: "Zhan pays his respects to the Young Lord."

"Brother Zhan, you have arrived just in time." Jun Xiaoyao pulled up the map of Qingzhou, his finger landing on the location of the City Lord of Qingzhou's mansion. "There is a job tonight. You need to sneak into the City Lord of Qingzhou's study and retrieve a secret agreement with the Black Wind Stockade. Keep the disturbance to a minimum."

Zhan Zhao swept his gaze over the map and nodded in understanding: "Zhan understands. I will not harm any innocents; I will only retrieve the secret agreement."

Zhao Gao timely handed over a bronze token: "This is a passage token for the City Lord of Qingzhou's mansion. Old Seven will open the west corner gate at the hour of the Tiger to meet you."

As the secret chamber door slowly opened, Zhan Zhao had already transformed into a green shadow and vanished into the night. Jun Xiaoyao looked at the light points of Qingzhou on the crystal panel and suddenly said: "Have the peripheral members of The Net spread the word that the Black Wind Stockade intends to ransack the City Lord of Qingzhou's mansion, and will strike at the third watch tonight."

Zhao Gao was slightly stunned: "Young Lord, you intend to..."

"Borrow the bandit's blade to cut off the City Lord of Qingzhou's hand." Jun Xiaoyao tapped his fingertips against the panel. "The City Lord of Qingzhou colluding with bandits is already a taboo. If he is then 'forced' to abandon the city and flee, the Prefect of Qingzhou will surely go with the flow and allow our people to take over the defenses."

At this moment, the crystal panel suddenly flickered; it was a real-time feed from the Shadow Group. Old Seven was guiding Zhan Zhao through the corridors of the City Lord of Qingzhou's mansion. Moonlight fell upon Zhan Zhao's red robes, as if splashed with cinnabar. The window paper of the study was silently pierced. Zhan Zhao flicked his finger, and a sleeve arrow accurately struck the candlestick. The moment the light vanished, he vaulted through the window.

"Young Lord, there is movement from the Black Wind Stockade side." Zhao Gao pointed to the moving red dots on the panel. "They have indeed come out in full force, bringing scaling ladders and battering rams. It looks like they really intend to make a profit tonight."

Jun Xiaoyao pulled up the profile of the Prefect of Qingzhou. This person was most greedy for merit; just last month, he had received an imperial commendation for suppressing a small group of bandits.

"Have Old Seven set a fire in the City Lord of Qingzhou's mansion. Burn the side room next to the study, but do not damage the secret agreement." He paused, then added, "Also, have the archers of The Net lie in ambush on the city gate tower. When the bandits approach, fire three volleys and then retreat. Leave some survivors for the Prefect of Qingzhou's men to deal with."

On the crystal panel, Zhan Zhao had already vaulted over the back wall of the City Lord of Qingzhou's mansion with the secret agreement in hand, his red robes like a startled swan gliding through the night. Meanwhile, the bandits from the Black Wind Stockade had just reached the foot of the city gate.

Suddenly, arrows rained down from the city gate tower, startling them into scattering and fleeing in all directions, unaware that the archers in the shadows had long since vanished without a trace.

At the third quarter of the hour of the Tiger, when the personal guards of the Prefect of Qingzhou arrived, they only saw the City Lord of Qingzhou's mansion engulfed in flames, and the bandits busy plundering grain carts outside the city. Old Seven knelt "in panic," weeping and accusing the City Lord of Qingzhou of colluding with the bandits, claiming he had barely escaped the sea of fire with his life.

The Prefect of Qingzhou looked at the scorched side room and then received the secret agreement anonymously delivered by Zhan Zhao. He immediately made a decision: "Search the whole city! The City Lord of Qingzhou is colluding with bandits; the evidence is conclusive. This Prefect will report this to the imperial court and investigate this matter thoroughly!"

As dawn approached, the red dots on the crystal panel gradually returned to their positions. Zhan Zhao had already delivered the secret agreement to the Prefect of Qingzhou's desk and was currently standing outside the secret chamber window.

His red robes were stained with some night dew: "Young Lord, the secret agreement has been delivered. Old Seven is 'gravely injured' and unconscious as instructed. The Prefect of Qingzhou has ordered him to be sent to a medical clinic, but in reality, he is being cared for by people from The Net."

Jun Xiaoyao nodded and tapped his finger on the panel, transferring the authority over Qingzhou's defenses to the branch leader of The Net: "Brother Zhan, you have worked hard. This credit will be attributed to you, and you will receive a thirty percent bonus on your monthly allowance at the end of the month."

Zhan Zhao cupped his hands in thanks, but his gaze fell on the flickering red dot on the panel—that was the lair of the Black Wind Stockade, marked with "Grain and Fodder Storage" next to the coordinates. "Young Lord, the remnants of the Black Wind Stockade have fled back to their home base. Should we..."

"No need." Jun Xiaoyao closed the panel, and the light in the secret chamber dimmed. "Keep them for now. Next month, the Prefect of Qingzhou will need political achievements, and it will be perfect for him to go and exterminate them."

Zhao Gao tidied up the scattered secret reports and suddenly said: "Young Lord, just received news. The Inquirer of All Matters from Luoyang wishes to join The Net, claiming he can provide secret gossip from various Schools, with an asking price of five hundred taels of gold per month."

Jun Xiaoyao raised an eyebrow. The intelligence network of the Inquirer of All Matters was known to everyone in the Jianghu. If he could be brought under his command, it would save a lot of effort.

"Have him send three pieces of secret gossip first to see the quality. If they are truly valuable, the gold will be doubled."

Outside the window, the sky turned a fish-belly white, and Zhan Zhao's red robes gradually faded in the morning light.

Jun Xiaoyao looked at the defense authority of the Qingzhou region that had been brought under his control on the crystal panel, and suddenly remembered when Zhan Zhao sneaked into the City Lord of Qingzhou's mansion last night.

The faint sound of the sleeve arrow grazing the candle wick—that sound was very light, yet it was like placing a key piece on the chessboard, making the entire game come alive.

"By the way," Jun Xiaoyao suddenly said, "When Old Seven 'wakes up' in the medical clinic, remember to have him say that the Black Wind Stockade's grain store is hidden at Eagle Beak Cliff."

Zhao Gao smiled knowingly: "Understood, I will go pass on the message now."

When the door of the secret chamber closed again, on the crystal panel, the location of Eagle Beak Cliff was marked with an eye-catching red circle. Jun Xiaoyao picked up his cold tea.

Gazing at the brightening sky outside the window, he rubbed the rim of the cup with his fingertips—this game of chess had only just begun; the subsequent pieces would need to be placed more steadily.