Chapter 199 - 176: The Boundless Mortal World, Where All Is But Passing Scenery (Part 2)

Jin Tong’s gaze deepened, but he said nothing.

To Jiang Wu, he looked just like a pathetic wretch, betrayed by his own man and utterly powerless to do anything about it...

The thought brought her a strange sense of satisfaction.

Jiang Wu raised an eyebrow and waved a hand. "Bring him in. I want to see this ’sincerity’ of his!"

Soon, Lin Shan was brought in. His gaze landed directly on Jiang Wu. "City Lord Jiang, this is the roster of all of Jin Tong’s soldiers. I’ve brought the men outside as well. You can count them one by one."

Jiang Wu shot Ruo Xu a look, signaling him to take the item from Lin Shan’s hands.

After looking over the roster, she sneered. "So this is your sincerity? It doesn’t look like much."

Lin Shan said in a cold tone, "I can also personally help you eliminate Jin Tong!"

The words had barely left his lips when something went CLANG.

Jiang Wu had tossed him a dagger. "Go on."

Lin Shan picked up the dagger, strode toward Jin Tong, and then, with a sickening THUD, mercilessly plunged it deep into his chest, right over his heart.

He drove the blade in with savage force, and Jin Tong’s brows knitted together in pain.

Just as Lin Shan was about to push the blade deeper, Jiang Wu’s cold voice cut in. "Enough!"

Expressionless, Lin Shan pulled the dagger out and tossed it aside. Throughout the entire process, his eyes were like stagnant pools, without a single ripple of emotion.

He looked every bit the part of a treacherous villain, murdering his master without a shred of conscience.

Jiang Wu glanced at the blood gushing from Jin Tong’s chest and smiled triumphantly. "So this is the subordinate you trusted most. How does it feel to be betrayed?"

Jin Tong gritted his teeth against the pain. "It feels like nothing. This isn’t the first time I’ve been blind to someone’s true nature. It doesn’t matter."

Hearing his sarcastic, biting tone, Jiang Wu’s expression darkened.

She strode over and viciously kicked him in his wounded chest, sending him flying. "Lock him up! And no one is to go near him without my order!"

Ruo Xu nodded and had him taken away.

Jiang Wu glanced over at the still-standing Lin Shan. She tossed him a pill and said coldly, "Swallow it. Now get out."

Of course, she didn’t trust Lin Shan completely, but she’d never paid much mind to small-fry like him anyway.

Lin Shan swallowed it without a moment’s hesitation and turned to leave.

’He breathed an inward sigh of relief. It seemed Su Mo was right; for now, Jiang Wu didn’t truly want the Sect Leader dead.’

A short while later, Ai Ci came in, his tone somewhat resentful. "City Lord, why didn’t you just kill Jin Tong?"

Jiang Wu shot him a displeased look. "I don’t need you to tell me what to do."

Ai Ci frowned. "He’s still the special one in your heart, isn’t he?"

Jiang Wu’s icy gaze fell on him, a clear warning that he had said too much.

Ai Ci pressed his lips together. "If the City Lord doesn’t wish to hear it, then I will say no more."

He massaged Jiang Wu for a while. After she fell asleep, he quietly took her command token and went to the dungeons to find Jin Tong.

Just as he was entering, he ran into Ruo Xu, who was on his way out.

Ruo Xu frowned. "The City Lord said no one was to go near Jin Tong."

Ai Ci replied, "She won’t know if you don’t tell her."

Ruo Xu’s frown deepened. "Don’t do anything physical," he warned. "The City Lord will be displeased."

"Hmph!" Ai Ci snorted and strode past him.

Jin Tong was sitting in a corner, looking like a stray dog that had lost its home.

Ai Ci looked down on him condescendingly. "I really don’t know what’s so great about you. You went through nine lifetimes with her and never once managed to form a bond! What could she possibly see in you that’s worth holding on to!"

Jin Tong looked at him, his expression empty, then a flicker of mocking pity entered his eyes. "And what does forming a bond even prove? Whether she holds on or not has nothing to do with me. What, did you come all this way just to show off your stupid little trophy? A pity. I have no interest in the accomplishments of fools."

’He had died for Jiang Wu nine times. In all those nine times, she had never once shown remorse, let alone saved him in time.’

’And now that he had finally seen the truth, finally come to his senses, she wanted him to love her all over again?’

’It was the biggest joke in the world.’

’Jin Tong figured it wasn’t attachment at all. She was simply thrown off by his sudden awakening!’

’Jiang Wu had always used the successful formation of a bond to measure the depth of a person’s feelings for her. But if his willingness to die for her without hesitation couldn’t prove his love, then how in this world was so-called ’true love’ ever supposed to be proven?!’

’After his awakening, he could never understand why the bond had failed. But recently, it dawned on him: the problem wasn’t with him. It was with Jiang Wu.’

’She simply wasn’t someone worthy of anyone’s true heart.’

’A person like Jiang Wu... even if you ripped your own heart out and held it before her very eyes, she would never believe it was love!’