Chapter Eighty: Ling'er

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Li Zisheng cautiously observed the changes around him. It was clear that this place had been arranged with care. More importantly, Li Zisheng realized that no one from inside the tunnel had come out yet. The small mechanism he had set up was quite special; it changed its form each time it was triggered. He had tested it before, and this appearance was unmistakably the first transformation, indicating that someone had entered but had not yet exited.

Who could possibly know about the existence of this tunnel? Not only was it extremely concealed and difficult to discover, but it was also constructed by the Three Flavors Residence, renowned for its unparalleled secrecy.

Li Zisheng pondered who might be aware of this tunnel. Could it be the Deng Qing faction or that mysterious Heavenly King? He was the first to dismiss this idea. If it had been members of those two factions, surely more than one person would have passed through the tunnel; it wouldn’t have been just a single individual.

Yet, judging by the peculiarity of the tunnel entrance, it was evident that only one person had used this passage. This strongly suggested that whoever entered must have known the tunnel well—most likely someone from the Three Flavors Residence. If that were the case, then Li Zisheng’s entry wouldn’t pose much of a problem.

“Young master, you don’t intend to go in, do you?” Eight Liang hurried forward, blocking Li Zisheng’s path.

Li Zisheng looked at Eight Liang, surprised at his sharpness. He had somehow already sensed that someone had entered the tunnel.

“Oh, Eight Liang, why won’t you let me go in?” Usually, Eight Liang acted brave but lacked wisdom. It was surprising that he noticed someone had entered the tunnel, which piqued Li Zisheng’s curiosity, prompting him to ask.

“Young master, I see you scrutinizing the tunnel entrance for quite some time. There must be something unusual inside; otherwise, why would you wait here so long?”

“Ha ha, yes, I suppose I was being absent-minded.”

Li Zisheng chuckled softly, realizing he had been so tense lately that he had been overly suspicious. Eight Liang’s reminder brought him back to reality—both of them had often overlooked the simplest things.

“Let’s go, Eight Liang. We shall enter.”

“Ah, young master, aren’t you afraid? What if there are villains inside? Wouldn’t that be walking right into a trap?”

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Eight Liang anxiously cautioned him.

“No worries. No worries. Will you come with me?”

“All right, young master, if you’re not afraid, then why should I be? After all, it’s just a matter of one head.” Eight Liang feigned boldness.

Amused by Eight Liang’s bravado, Li Zisheng stepped resolutely into the tunnel.

As they entered, a peculiar scent filled the air—a special fragrance that Li Zisheng found strangely familiar, as if he had smelled it somewhere before.

He pondered carefully, wondering whose it might be.

“Ling’er, is that you?” Li Zisheng asked inexplicably.

Eight Liang looked puzzled, unaware of who Ling’er was. When they had previously entered the second floor of the Three Flavors Residence, Eight Liang had not been by his side and was thus unfamiliar with Ling’er. The scent was unique—a rare spice that Li Zisheng had only ever detected on Ling’er herself. This confirmed beyond doubt that the person inside the tunnel was indeed Ling’er.

Though Eight Liang didn’t know who Ling’er was, Li Zisheng was fully aware that she was the true power behind the Three Flavors Residence in Lecheng. More importantly, the information possessed by the fat shopkeeper in the residence paled in comparison to what Ling’er knew. The knowledge she held far exceeded his imagination, and now she had appeared right here in this tunnel.

Li Zisheng continued to wait for a response, his tone filled with unwavering certainty—there was no doubt it was Ling’er.

“Zisheng, you’re quite sharp. I didn’t expect you to guess it was me so soon.”

A woman, veiled by a gauzy curtain, emerged from the chamber. Upon closer inspection, it was Ling’er from the Three Flavors Residence.

“Ling’er, thank you first for the aid of the Three Flavors Residence.”

Li Zisheng bowed deeply, a gesture of gratitude mixed with other unspoken sentiments.

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“Zisheng, you are indeed an alert person. You’ve had great fortune to survive these turbulent times. The Three Flavors Residence values those with such blessed fate; otherwise, we wouldn’t help you.”

Ling’er spoke plainly, yet her words carried hidden meanings, leaving one uncertain of her true intentions.

But Li Zisheng had never been easily taken advantage of. He understood well the implications behind Ling’er’s words. What was his value? Simply a disciple of Cheng Zhongliang, in possession of an item coveted by many factions.

If that was the case, Ling’er’s purpose was merely to obtain what he held. He could not imagine any extraordinary reason beyond that. Li Zisheng was self-aware enough not to believe that it was by his own brilliance or wild imagination that the Three Flavors Residence had taken such an interest in him—investing resources and even sacrificing their influence in Lecheng merely to protect him. Such a notion was utterly absurd.

“Ling’er, you are too modest. I’ve only been a bit lucky. I wouldn’t say I possess a deeply blessed fate. I wonder if you have some important matter here in Lecheng?”

Li Zisheng brushed aside the notion of a blessed fate with a simple mention of luck. Though the term implied great fortune, it also carried another meaning: those deeply blessed often became the greatest pawns of various powers. Though prominent, they were still mere pieces on the board.

Upon hearing Li Zisheng’s words, Ling’er ceased speaking. She had come to Lecheng with other pressing matters; recruiting Li Zisheng was only a secondary concern.

“Zisheng, do you realize the immense trouble you’ve caused?” Ling’er’s first words surprised Li Zisheng.

Trouble? The statement seemed strange. He had taken no direct action in recent days, merely hiding in the shadows and observing. How could that be construed as causing trouble?