Chapter 275 - 126: Lord Saint Monarch, Your Most Loyal Subordinate Has Found You

Chapter 275: Chapter 126: Lord Saint Monarch, Your Most Loyal Subordinate Has Found You

The atmosphere in the cabin was deathly silent.

Zhao Ci watched Liu Yang with a mocking smile, mentally giving a thumbs-up to the quality of his Lucky Talisman.

’The law of causality is invincible!’

’This method of just casually tossing some copper coins to pinpoint a location feels so damn good.’

Of course.

This was only a top-grade lucky talisman, so its success rate wasn’t one hundred percent. But the Hanling Waterway was only so long, and this was a sand table map where the river channel itself was a groove. Finding a single point within a linear area increased the probability of success several times over.

’He wasn’t sure if the Lucky Talisman would actually work. After all, it wasn’t a one-hundred-percent guarantee. No matter how heaven-defying it was, it was still a matter of probability.’

’But judging from Liu Yang’s reaction, he had hit the mark.’

"This..."

Liu Yang quickly regained his composure. "To be honest, Your Highness, we have actually searched this section of the waterway before and found no trace of the Carp Spirit."

[Liu Yang’s Current Wish]: Ensure the Carp Spirit escapes capture. Reward for completion: Insight +1000, Carp Pill x1.

Zhao Ci scoffed. "Oh? Was it the ’dig three feet deep’ kind of search?"

Beside them, Xue Zhili quickly chimed in, "Your Highness! The Hanling Waterway is not short, and there aren’t many experts within the county who are proficient in the water. Every dive carries significant risk, so we only deploy all our forces to dive in key areas predicted by the Cao Bang. This section of the waterway was indeed checked, but we didn’t send many men."

He shot a pointed glance at Liu Yang.

Liu Yang’s expression remained unchanged. "Water Demons are incredibly cunning and naturally excel at hiding. It’s normal for us to have missed it. But rest assured, Your Highness, this humble one will now take our best swimmers to capture the Water Demon. As long as it stays put, we will certainly apprehend it."

He heavily emphasized the two words "stays put."

He was obviously laying the groundwork for an excuse. The Carp Spirit wasn’t stupid; how could it possibly stay put?

By warning it like this, he would have an explanation ready when he returned empty-handed.

But unexpectedly, Zhao Ci said with a smile, "Don’t worry! This Water Demon definitely won’t move. The most dangerous place is the safest place. You said the Water Demon is incredibly cunning, so it’s impossible for it not to know this principle.

Foreman Liu, you can go without any worries. It’s impossible that you’ll return empty-handed.

Even if you do return empty-handed, it will only prove that there’s a traitor here in this cabin.

Lord Xue, are you the traitor?"

A smile immediately appeared on Xue Zhili’s old face. "I have been an official in Hanling County for eighteen years and treat the young people of the county as my own children. Your Highness, you shouldn’t make such jokes!"

Zhao Ci then looked at Feng Kucha. "Old Feng, are you the traitor?"

Feng Kucha slapped his thigh. "Old Zhao, are you still half-asleep? We’re on the same side!"

Finally, Zhao Ci turned to Liu Yang. He stared for a moment without saying a word.

Liu Yang: "..."

He felt humiliated.

’What?’

’You think you can force me to catch the Water Demon with just empty words?’

Suppressing his anger, he forced a smile. "Your Highness! I’m an old-timer in the Cao Bang. I’ve been here for many years, diligently protecting the peace of these waterways. How could there be any danger in this cabin? It’s just that the Water Demon is indeed cunning, and this is only divination..."

"What about it?"

Zhao Ci chuckled. "Is Foreman Liu doubting the divination Divine Skill taught to me by my grandfather-in-law?"

Liu Yang frantically waved his hands. "I wouldn’t dare, I wouldn’t dare! It’s just that I’ve heard a saying that even divine calculations are not absolute, that there’s always a variable left to chance. Even the most supreme Divine Skill..."

"No matter!"

Zhao Ci shook his head. "A ninety-eight percent probability is more than enough for you to go. Even if you fail, I can just perform another divination! Then I can use the process of elimination to root out the traitor among the four of us. Not only will we catch the Water Demon, but we’ll also uproot its protector for good.

Of course, no need to be too nervous. This protector most likely doesn’t exist. After all, the four of us are all good people.

This so-called protector is just a hypothetical in case of an accident.

Don’t you agree?

Foreman Liu?"

Liu Yang: "!!!"

’Protector?’

’Are you calling me out?’

His sense of humiliation intensified.

But the three words "process of elimination" sent a chill down his spine.

There was no other reason.

’Zhao Ci’s coin-tossing divination method was simply terrifyingly strange.’

’This Carp Spirit... I can’t protect it anymore.’

’If I dare to let it escape this time...’

’Next time, he’ll exclude me from the divination, and if the people from Hanling County then catch it, it will undoubtedly be a catastrophe for me.’

’That Carp Spirit is so stupid it deserves to die.’

’Before capsizing someone’s boat, it didn’t even bother to find out who was on board.’

’It serves it right for getting killed!’

Liu Yang took a deep breath. "Rest assured, Your Highness! I will not fail this mission!"

With that, he turned to leave.

But Zhao Ci stopped him. "Foreman Liu, this Carp Spirit has been causing trouble for years. This time, it even capsized a boat full of the Emperor’s Disciples. This is undoubtedly a provocation against His Majesty himself.

Now the Emperor is shamed and the common people are filled with resentment. If we merely kill it, I’m afraid it won’t be enough to quell the anger from both above and below.

The Cao Bang has many skilled members. You may not be experts at searching, but if you all enter the river at once, it shouldn’t be difficult to capture it alive.

You must capture it alive!

Then bring it back to the town where those Child Scholars lived and flay it alive, one slice at a time!

That... shouldn’t be too difficult, right?"

Liu Yang: "!!!"

’Killing it wasn’t enough?’

’He wanted to break its spirit too?’

’If word of this got out, what would the other Water Demons think?’

’It would probably cause an uproar throughout the entire Cao Bang.’

’All the pressure would probably fall on his own head.’

’But if he didn’t do as Zhao Ci said...’

Liu Yang gritted his teeth and left, his face ashen.

Feng Kucha looked on in shock and doubt. "Old Zhao, when did you learn to do this?"

Xue Zhili was half ashamed and half admiring. "Your Highness! Your art of divination is truly peculiar; I have never seen its like in my entire life. I am ashamed. I originally thought I was quite well-versed in the principles of the I Ching, yet I couldn’t understand a single word of what Your Highness said. I wonder if Your Highness would be willing to offer a little guidance..."