Chaotic World Book-Chapter 260 - 255: Behind Enemy Lines

Inside the tavern, Cui Yuanyong treated Zhao Changhe to a meal. He had intended to discuss some serious matters, but the broadcast from the Chaotic World Book naturally shifted the topic.

"It’s unimaginable that someone from the Earth List actually perished here. Without the broadcast of the Chaotic World Book, I’m afraid no one would have known. Such a powerful person died silently." Cui Yuanyong expressed some regret, "What was he doing in the Central Plains? Without saying, nobody would know." ƒгeewёbnovel.com

Zhao Changhe said, "He came to the Central Plains to stir up trouble, hoping to provoke the Wang Family into direct rebellion. It would not only create more chaos in the Central Plains but also draw the troops from Yanmen. For the barbarians, this must have been an important act of sabotage during the war, but then an accident happened..."

"What accident?"

"The Wang Family still distinguished right from wrong. Wang Daozhong personally inflicted injury on He Lei, who, realizing his efforts were futile, returned."

Cui Yuanyong stared at him expressionlessly while Zhao Changhe casually drank his wine.

Cui Yuanyong was not without information, and he quietly sorted through his thoughts, secretly amazed.

It seemed, in fact, that Zhao Changhe had dissolved a looming crisis invisibly. Pinning the blame on Wang Daozhong was nothing short of a masterstroke; a casually uttered comment with profound, far-reaching effects, derailing not only the barbarians’ plans but also preventing any potential collusion between the Wang Family and the barbarians.

Indeed, Zhao Changhe also disrupted the connection between the Wang Family and the Maitreya Sect by killing the Maitreya Sect Envoy right at the Wang Family’s doorstep...

In Sword Lake City later on, was He Lei’s exposure also due to Zhao Changhe?

Saying that the barbarians’ plots fell apart entirely at Zhao Changhe’s hands, that the Seventh of the Earth List died by his mere word—seemed plausible.

A bit eerie... On the surface, what he did doesn’t seem like much, but the impact is bizarrely significant, something sect doctrines often associate with fate, not something ordinary people can handle.

No wonder his father had become more and more attentive lately, insisting on personally reviewing every detail about Zhao Changhe’s intelligence. Others might think he’s just looking out for a son-in-law, but it’s probably more than that... Did Xia Longyuan have such fate-defining moments?

But Zhao Changhe continued to reflect, "What I sigh about is that, the impressive Seventh of the Earth List died without any glory, no different from a common shrimp."

"...There is a difference. The Chaotic World Book wouldn’t announce just anyone’s death. Besides, how do you know the circumstances weren’t heroic? Maybe Vermilion Bird also struggled hard, and even expressed a reluctant respect for a tenacious foe in the end."

Zhao Changhe teased, "Read too many storybooks?"

Cui Yuanyong stubbornly replied, "What’s wrong? I think I would have felt respect if it were me!"

Zhao Changhe snorted dismissively, "You’re you, but Vermilion Bird taking a second glance at his corpse would mean I lose. That old woman..."

Cui Yuanyong also teased, "I know you understand old women very well."

Zhao Changhe: "...Damn it."

In fact, Zhao Changhe hadn’t yet recovered from the aftereffects of meeting Xia Longyuan, viewing members of the Earth List as mere ants. Cui Yuanyong naturally could not comprehend such feelings.

However, hearing this kind of sigh from Zhao Changhe, Cui Yuanyong couldn’t help but be somewhat affected and sighed, "You’re right. If the Seventh of the Earth List can die so easily, what about us? It always feels like no matter how long we train, we’re still like duckweed, helplessly bound to train."

Zhao Changhe said, "Don’t worry, brother, I know you’ve reached the Ninth Layer of the Mystical Gate. Even among your peers, the pressure on me is heavy."

"You talking about pressure? Our generation feels way more pressure than you! Since when did you know I’ve reached the Ninth Layer?"

"Just a guess. I felt you wouldn’t fall behind. You and Yue Hongling are neck-and-neck, how could you stand her being on the Human List while you’re still a Hidden Dragon? It must have been over a year since you reached the Eighth Layer; stepping into the Ninth isn’t surprising. So, when are you planning to join the Human List?"

"This still requires finding an opportunity to prove myself... According to the judgement of the Chaotic World Book, Xue Canghai was placed on the list instead of me, clearly suggesting they think I can’t beat Xue Canghai. I’m not convinced, I better not run into him."

Zhao Changhe couldn’t help but laugh and sympathize, believing Sect Hierarch Xue was indeed unlucky.

The most embarrassing moment in Xue’s life was being challenged and defeated by Yue Hongling, a humiliation that people still don’t let him forget. Obsessed with overcoming this previous disgrace, he probably cares about nothing else, desperately cultivating, planning to catch Yue Hongling off guard the next time they meet. Thus, the Blood God Sect has been lying low for months, most likely because of this.

Yet, now that the Chaotic World Book has reported this, he must be so angry he could spit blood. His strength has not been concealed, cutting its effectiveness in half. Not only that, but this also invites doubt and fighting spirit from Cui Yuanyong and other candidates for the Human List, shining as conspicuously as fireflies in the dark night.

Xue Canghai must be stomping and swearing inside the Blood God Sect headquarters right now, thinking, "Who the hell wrote this crappy book? Can’t they write properly?"

Cui Yuanyong then said, "Talking about being obsessed, aren’t you the most obsessed of all? It hasn’t even been a year since you started practicing martial arts, look how many people you’ve left behind... Can you even count how much peaceful rest you’ve actually had?"

Zhao Changhe thought for a moment and realized that he really couldn’t calculate it—it probably amounted to just about ten days or so, the time spent with Tang Wanju in Gusu.

Even then, he was organizing sword techniques and learning the qin. Being this obsessed, he’d probably need to enroll in Qingbei if he were in the modern world.

He took a sip of wine and laughed at himself somewhat self-mockingly, "Yeah, I’m just like a cabbage, all wrapped up in myself, just as you said."

Cui Yuanyong burst out laughing, spitting out a mouthful of wine, "You’re really amusing when you talk... If you’re a cabbage, then everyone else is just melons. What’s the origin of this term ’obsessed’? I’ve never heard it, yet it somehow fits perfectly."

"Zhao Mansion dialect," Zhao Changhe suddenly asked, "Hey, technically shouldn’t Your Majesty also sometimes slip into Zhao Mansion dialect? Haven’t you all heard it?"

"No, His Majesty doesn’t speak with as many weird expressions as you do, and he’s not from Zhao Mansion, so why would he use Zhao Mansion dialect?"

Zhao Changhe wondered how Xia Longyuan managed this. He had conquered the lands without pushing for any industrial transformations like other transmigrators would. He lived completely like a native—perhaps only happy to reveal some modern phrases in private.

Most of the time, to avoid sounding strange, he consciously controlled his speech; now, almost a year since he transmigrated, the modern terms he used were becoming fewer. But still, some words he was so used to seemed the most fitting, and it wasn’t easy to find substitutes at times—like this term "obsessed." It was quite hard trying to be like Xia Longyuan.

It showed Xia Longyuan must have been quite young when he transmigrated, probably a teenager; his adaptability and malleability were much higher than his own, which also explained why his meridians weren’t as useless as his own. If they had met in the same era, that guy would be like a younger brother; now he was a father-in-law. You could only say the concepts of "time and space" were too mystical.

Alright, his mind was still full of Xia Longyuan; this time the emotional impact was too great. Zhao Changhe shook his head deliberately trying to get back on track: "You mentioned you had a task for me, what is it?"

"At our Hero Camp, basically, all members are volunteers from the Worldly Society; each has their tasks. Some have enlisted directly, while others form elite teams to harass the enemy from behind, playing perfectly to the strengths of members of the Worldly Society. Of course, as I mentioned, some operate solo; the number who’ve died is unknown."

Zhao Changhe nodded, "Hmm, I think I’m also suited to be a special forces member harassing the enemy from behind. Why don’t you give me a map marking the power and troop distributions, and I’ll have a go at it?"

Cui Yuanyong said, "We have environmental maps, but don’t expect any maps of power dynamics and troop strengths; that changes too frequently. Don’t change the subject. Recently, one of our squads went missing, their fate unknown. We are organizing a team to scout in that direction. If they are lucky enough to be alive, it’d be a great fortune to rescue them."

"Do you intend for me to join the search and rescue operation?"

"I think it’s very suitable for you. You’re fast on horseback, alert, and smart—not like those recklessly charging members of the Worldly Society." Cui Yuanyong said as he pulled out a leather map and pointed to a spot, "This is a topographical map of that area. There’s a water source there, and a tribe was stationed nearby. The intelligence suggests they aren’t many in number; it’s unclear why they would fall without a single survivor... It may not be a defeat, so we need someone clear-headed to check."

Zhao Changhe took the map, studied it for a while, and then cheerfully tucked it into his chest, "Alright, I came here to find some concrete action; I knew coming to the Hero Camp was a good choice."

Cui Yuanyong earnestly said, "Don’t you die out there like He Lei."

Zhao Changhe responded, "Now that you’ve mentioned that, I’m worried about something..."

"What?"

"Where is Yue Hongling?"

Cui Yuanyong’s expression slightly changed, "Surely not..."

"With He Lei being so strong and still perishing in the Central Plains, what’s not possible? There’s no shortage of strong combatants on the grassland."

Cui Yuanyong looked uneasy, "Now that you mention it, it’s been a really long time since we saw Yue Hongling..."

"Damn!" Zhao Changhe lost all appetite, stood up abruptly, and paced downstairs, "Boss, prepare some dry food for me... Right, and make it for ten days!"

Cui Yuanyong reluctantly followed him down, "Why the rush? Even if you took a hundred days’ worth of dry food, could you actually find anyone?"

"..."

"There’s a place marked on the map as Yellow Sand Market; it’s a trading spot for various tribes on the grassland. If you have the chance, you might gather some information there and resupply. It’s better than blindly searching around like a headless fly. Just remember, be very careful. The mixture of good and bad people there far exceeds that of Sword Lake City."

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