"If you're counting on me to do this, can you at least change your tone?"
Min Ning felt his scalp go numb, his face flushed red as blood, and he forced out a few words:
"…Let's talk this out… what do you want?"
Chen Yi smiled and asked:
"You want to kill me, huh? You've been tailing me for some time, haven't you?"
The resolute woman grew even paler. Then, as if realizing her end was near, she suddenly sneered and said viciously:
"That's right, I do want to kill you! You threatened my sister, and I have to kill you!"
Chen Yi's face remained expressionless, devoid of sorrow or joy.
"What if I told you… your sister would willingly offer herself up?"
"Impossible! She's not that kind of person," Min Ning exclaimed, momentarily stunned.
"If it's for you, she'd become that kind of person."
Chen Yi said coldly.
"You… enough with the nonsense. Kill me if you must!" Min Ning shouted angrily.
With that, she craned her neck, as if readying herself for the blade. Chen Yi, however, turned and instead severed the heads of two corpses, wrapping them up in clothing.
"What are you doing?"
Seemingly responding to Min Ning's question, Chen Yi said boldly:
"Min Ning, a young hero with unparalleled martial arts skills and exceptional cunning, only pretended to surrender earlier to lull the Demon Sect into complacency. At the critical moment, he turned the tables and fought three at once, killing the Demon Sect scum Liu Shi and Ma Deng with his Dragon-Slaying Blade Technique. Only Song Shengbao managed to escape with his life to spread the word."
As he spoke, Chen Yi slowly approached and placed the wrapped heads in front of Min Ning.
Min Ning realized in an instant what this meant.
"The blade kills, the sword spares. Right now, I hold the sword, so I won't kill you."
Pointing at the two heads, Chen Yi said indifferently:
"When the drug wears off later, take these two heads to the Eastern Factory. This way, the Eastern Factory and the Demon Sect will turn against each other completely."
Those wide phoenix eyes stared in disbelief as Min Ning looked at Chen Yi.
"By doing this, the remnants of the Demon Sect will be utterly exterminated. Isn't that what you want to see?"
Chen Yi's voice carried an almost hypnotic allure.
Min Ning swallowed hard and reluctantly nodded.
Could it be that… he really wasn't part of the Demon Sect? That he did all of this just to wipe out its remnants? And in doing so, he even dragged both the Demon Sect and the Eastern Factory into his schemes?
Min Ning felt as though she didn't understand this man at all!
"What if… I don't take them?" Min Ning asked on impulse.
"In a little while, I'll be heading to Baihua Building to drink some wine and enjoy some music..."
Min Ning could clearly hear the veiled threat in those words.
Though resentful and reluctant, Min Ning still spat out a single word: "Fine."
Timing the drug's effects precisely, Chen Yi returned to the Capital City.
He didn't go to Baihua Building but instead entered a deserted alley and drew the Brocade Spring Blade.
"Hoo…"
Chen Yi took a deep breath.
With the Dragon-Slaying Blade Technique, he aimed the blade at his side, away from vital organs, and stabbed sharply!
Blood gushed forth, his face drained of color.
Liu Shi was dead, Ma Deng was dead—if he were the only one to return unscathed, who would believe him?
He had to create some injuries, and they had to appear inflicted by the Dragon-Slaying Blade Technique.
Lost in thought, Chen Yi inflicted cuts on his arm, leg, and other parts of his body.
.........…
"The Eastern Factory intends to escort the Saintess' emergence… Where did this information come from?"
Xue Youge's face was stormy as he spoke.
"The rumors spread everywhere overnight, and there are even some audacious folks singing a ditty. Something like, 'Ming'an Divine Sect led by Eastern Factory's master, Demon Sect Saintess guarded by Eastern Factory'… What should be done about this?"
Hundred-Chief Li couldn't help but feel nervous.
As a secretive spy organization, compounded by the fact that the governor of the Eastern Factory was a eunuch, its reputation in the Capital City had always been poor. It had long been at odds with the civil officials, and disparaging comments from the public were not unusual.
In the past, the Eastern Factory typically ignored such rumors. But this time was different, as they truly had dealings with the Demon Sect.
"Where was the leak?"
Xue Youge muttered to himself,
"Could it be that those Demon Sect fools thought they could blackmail us into protecting them by starting these rumors?"
At those words, Hundred-Chief Li, recalling what Chen Yi had said, felt a chill run down his spine and replied hastily:
"I think that's entirely possible!
The Demon Sect wants to ensure the Saintess' emergence, so they're borrowing our reputation as a shield."
Hearing this, Xue Youge's expression grew even darker.
"Idiots.
These Demon Sect fanatics must have worshiped the Great Ming Venerate Buddha so much it's scrambled their heads!"
Furious, Xue Youge rose to his feet. After a moment of composure, he said coldly:
"For now… sever some of our ties with these Demon Sect fools and give them a warning.
Also, send someone to investigate the Saintess' emergence closely. If it's true… the Eastern Factory must act first to gain the upper hand."
At that exact moment—
Min Ning, carrying a bloodied bundle, appeared in the main hall of the Eastern Factory.
.........
After dressing his wounds and returning home, Chen Yi stood before a water tank and washed his face.
It was difficult to outright turn the Eastern Factory and the Demon Sect into enemies. The two still shared a cooperative relationship, to some extent. So Chen Yi's goal was to sow doubt between them, to create a rift—injecting enough suspicion to make them hesitant. Over time, the distrust would grow, and eventually, the two sides would completely turn on each other, allowing him to reap the benefits as a bystander.
The greater the doubt between them, the more advantageous the situation would be for him.
Besides…
He still had Min Ning as an excellent pawn.
Chen Yi opened the door and stepped into his home.
"…Master."
Yin Tingxue sat in the foyer, hesitated for a moment, then stood and spoke softly.
Chen Yi smiled warmly at her.
Yin Tingxue felt a faint sense of unease.
Then, she saw Chen Yi enter the study, take something out, and place it in front of her.
Yin Tingxue froze for a moment, then felt a wave of terror.
"Sign this death contract."
Chen Yi spoke gently, his words laced with cruelty.
A servant's indenture could either be a life contract or a death contract. The first had a fixed term, which, under Great Yu law, could not exceed eight years. Afterward, unless re-signed, the servant would regain their original status.