Chapter Seventy-Four: Hidden Mysteries

Chapter Seventy-Four

The sky gradually darkened, and under the night’s veil, the Emerald Wave Lake shone even more brilliantly. Because the stars were distant and splendid, their reflection in the water appeared even more dazzling and magnificent.

Starlight draped over Zhang He like a silken shawl. His eyes seemed brighter and clearer than the stars themselves, while the gaze of the Disciplinary Committee Secretary had noticeably lost its luster.

After searching once more, his terrain investigation had again turned into a mere formality, failing to grasp the truth of the situation—resulting in nothing gained.

The Disciplinary Committee Secretary glanced at the two figures in the center of the lake: two masters, one standing, one sitting. Throughout this time, neither had moved, as if they’d become stone statues.

“Duels are exhausting. I’d rather walk circles like this than stand there like them. Don’t they care about their monthly pass?” the Finance Bureau Director grumbled, “Comrade Wu really knows how to do business—earned thirty taels of silver for nothing.”

Zhang He couldn’t help but laugh. “How can you say I earned that for nothing?”

“Why not?” The Vice-Chairwoman of the Union immediately resumed her admiration. “Those two are worthy of being called upright masters. Even severely wounded, neither would take advantage of the other, and they paid for your medicine. Truly exemplary figures of the martial world—we should promote them widely.”

The Disciplinary Committee Secretary sighed, “Indeed, comrades as honest and clean as them are rare now. They deserve to be promoted... Well, Comrade Wu, it seems you disagree with our assessment?”

Zhang He’s smile faded as he gazed thoughtfully at the two “statues” far away. “I don’t think they’re necessarily upright men. At least, that Yan Yishan certainly isn’t.”

The Union Vice-Chairwoman argued, “How can that be? I saw clearly: that Brother Bai lost more than seven hundred points of constitution—his wounds were heavier than Yan Yishan’s. Yet Yan Yishan willingly admitted defeat. Isn’t that broad-mindedness?”

Zhang He sneered. “Don’t forget, Brother Bai crippled him with a single bare-handed strike, taking away over five hundred points of constitution. What if Brother Bai had a weapon in hand? What then?”

The Vice-Chairwoman was stunned; she hadn’t considered this.

She really should have. Even the force of a palm from afar could boil the lake water. Such power was likely not below a fourth tier, at least not below the Realm of Subtle Transformation in internal energy.

The Finance Bureau Director hesitated. “Maybe... maybe Brother Bai’s strength is far greater than just his bare hands...”

Zhang He glanced at him. “Exactly. Yan Yishan didn’t know the true depth of Brother Bai’s strength, so he didn’t dare continue his attack. Without absolute certainty, a reckless move could easily fall into the opponent’s trap. If he were counterattacked, a mere serious injury would be the least of his worries.”

The Vice-Chairwoman couldn’t help but say, “I still don’t understand...”

Zhang He interrupted her leisurely. “When your strength reaches their level, you’ll understand.”

The two fell silent, evidently pondering Zhang He’s words. But the Disciplinary Committee Secretary said, “Comrade Wu, what you’re saying is just conjecture. There’s no solid evidence, is there?”

Zhang He continued, “Suppose, as Yan Yishan claimed, Brother Bai was distracted because we arrived. But Yan Yishan was the first to say this. That proves Brother Bai sensed us, and Yan Yishan sensed it as well. By saying so, he was simply afraid Brother Bai would turn on him, risking mutual destruction, which would benefit no one. He voiced it first so Brother Bai knew he wasn’t a fool. Thus, the two faced off. As for their words of humility and admitting defeat...”

Zhang He suddenly fell silent. He didn’t finish his thought, for he knew well: not all “Dynasty” players put martial world ethics and heroic spirit above all else. Isn’t PK, equipment, and martial arts more real and immediate?

“But them standing off like this isn’t a solution, is it?” the Disciplinary Committee Secretary pressed.

“Indeed, it’s not,” Zhang He said. “Because they have no medicine.”

The three suddenly realized: they’d forgotten both masters were marked in red. Coming here all the way from Qudi, even if not completely out of supplies, their remaining provisions must be scant.

Yet Zhang He didn’t tell the three that his deduction wasn’t just guesswork but based on their behavior after being wounded. Brother Bai immediately sat cross-legged, eyes closed, likely relying on some mental technique or martial art to recover. Yan Yishan, however, stood motionless. That meant he probably had neither a method of recovery nor any medicine.

It was the same as when Zhang He observed Sword Silent on Qingluan Peak. Players’ first habit after injury is to replenish medicine. Yan Yishan didn’t—so Zhang He immediately judged he was out of medicine.

Now the Disciplinary Committee Secretary understood much more. Yan Yishan, after leaping from the lake, had charged toward their group with such momentum that it seemed he might kill them all. But perhaps he was probing for weakness. Upon discovering Zhang He was an alchemist, it gave him an opportunity for resupply.

The Union Vice-Chairwoman couldn’t help but ask, “Boss, if he’s in the red anyway, why not just kill Comrade Wu and loot the medicine?”

The Finance Bureau Director also looked at Zhang He in confusion. “Yes, wouldn’t it be simpler to kill you and take your medicine directly?”

Zhang He smiled without answering, but this time the Disciplinary Committee Secretary understood completely. He suddenly recalled the conversation between Zhang He and Yan Yishan:

...

“How much of this medicine do you have?”

“Not many pills left. I need to find materials and refine more.”

“How many do you have on you now?”

...

Such simple words contained immense danger and extraordinary skill. Had Zhang He answered directly with a number, calamity would have followed. By saying he needed materials to refine more, he gave Yan Yishan hope—meaning Zhang He would be gathering and refining medicine here, so the supply would increase. If Yan Yishan killed Zhang He now, it would be killing the chicken for its eggs—not wise.

That’s why he asked, “How many do you have on you now?”

Yan Yishan clearly intended to buy. Zhang He was clever, neither answering nor causing trouble. In the end, he sold Yan Yishan fifteen pills—a masterstroke.

Given Yan Yishan’s strength, he could guess that Zhang He’s constitution was high. Fifteen pills were barely a tease—like a starving man finding only a leaf of cabbage. But something is better than nothing, so he paid a high price.

Thinking of this, the Disciplinary Committee Secretary broke into a cold sweat. How dangerous it had been! If not for Comrade Wu’s quick thinking, they’d be playing Chengdu mahjong by the Three-Life Stone in the city now.

The Union Vice-Chairwoman said, “Why did he ask that we not leave?”

Zhang He replied calmly, “It’s simple. If we leave, he can’t buy any more medicine. If he and Brother Bai continue their standoff, the one to suffer might not be him, but his chances would be much smaller. A master like him wouldn’t gamble like that. Better to spend some silver to reduce risk—money to ward off disaster.”

Now the three truly understood: the mutual respect and admiration between the two masters was all a façade, meant to conceal their weaknesses and guard against each other.

The dangers of the martial world and the unpredictability of human hearts—without sharp eyes and keen insight, one might die without ever understanding why.

The Disciplinary Committee Secretary said, “There’s one more thing I understand. Since the two are evenly matched and both wounded, why not retreat and seek supplies, rather than remain locked in stalemate on the lake?”

The Union Vice-Chairwoman immediately replied, “I know! Because they won’t lose face, lose in fists, or lose in drink—but never lose in style.”

The Finance Bureau Director nodded in agreement. “That’s the master’s demeanor—acting cool to the end.”

“None of that!” Zhang He laughed softly. “They’re holding the center of the lake for a reason.”

“What reason?” the three asked in unison.

Zhang He said, “We’ve circled the Emerald Wave Lake twice now.”

The three all nodded.

“Did you search carefully?”

They nodded again, but with such confusion they looked like three fools.

“Did you find anything?”

Finally, all three shook their heads helplessly. Not a trace of the treasure was found.

Zhang He’s gaze returned to the two “statues” in the lake’s center. Now everyone understood: the treasure was likely in that area, which was why neither would yield an inch.

Just then, Brother Bai opened his eyes once more after such a long time, and spoke: “Brother Yan, tonight is a perfect night, beautiful scenery and a full moon. We brothers have been here a day already—since fate brought us together, why not make it a night of drinking?”

Yan Yishan laughed. “Brother Bai, I have hurried here for days, stumbling all the way, and my purse is light. I am truly ashamed.”

Zhang He and his companions understood: the two seemed to have recovered, and might start fighting again at any moment.

Sure enough, Brother Bai suddenly laughed aloud, his voice shaking the surroundings. Even the lake rippled again, and the moon’s reflection shattered on the water.

All four changed color—this time, Brother Bai’s internal energy was far greater than before. Such power was astonishing.

“Brother Yan, I have a fine jar of wine. If you don’t mind, I invite you to drink and enjoy the moon with me. What do you say?”

With his laughter, a brown wine jar appeared on the water, spinning rapidly toward the stone pillar where Yan Yishan stood, like a shooting star chasing the moon.