PCTG Chapter 55

Chapter 55

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Before Li Jin could react, the tall and muscular man had already rushed forward in big strides, and the eagle claw-like palm suddenly struck Li Jin’s neck. His blood-red eyes shone brightly.

Even though Li Jin was calm and cultivated, he couldn’t bear such a change. His neck was choked until his face was red but he didn’t dare to disobey, only enduring in a panic stricken way: “Da….Daren?”

Thunder and lightning struck once again. The heavens and the earth flashed, the man in front of him suddenly changed color. He let go of him while looking like a madman. His ten fingers rigidly dug into his hair as if he was in severe pain, he yelled out mournfully, like a trapped beast!

Li Jin had not yet taken a moment to catch his breath from surviving just now when the tall man had already fallen heavily on the dirty ground with a loud thud, splashing water.

Li Jin was terrified, but he knew that this place was not suitable to stay for a long time, so he rushed forward to support Ni Lie before anxiously shouting out a few times.

The man closed his eyes, gritting his teeth rigidly, but there was no response at all.

Li Jin was anxious, he looked around the surroundings before putting two fingers in his mouth. A sharp whistle sounded, and very soon, the sound of horses’ hooves gradually approached. A tall fine horse ran to him within a few snorts. Li Jin put the unconscious man’s arm on his shoulder, gritted his teeth, lifted him up hard, and put him on the horse’s back with difficulty, then he turned over on the horse, and the two of them hurriedly left this crime place according to the planned route.

***

The sky was already dark, it was clear that it was not yet night, but it was as dark as night.

Cao Gang already sensed something was wrong. Even though he didn’t know what was happening, his keen intuition told him that Ni Lie was planning to do something.

What is it? Cao Gang’s heart was heavy.

The Lingnan Army had properly handled the aftermath, and was also following the designated route to the Xiling camp. He looked at the oppressive army in front of him, everything was in order, and there was nothing out of order.

However, the troops that went ahead brought back bad news. Because the original road was blocked by falling rocks, the army changed to the detour horse road when they encountered the remnants of the water bandits who came to rob the prisoners, but these bandits did not move much, and only caused a small rukus, injuring several people, without any major problem.

Cao Gang’s heart moved. He frowned, and immediately grabbed a familiar soldier and asked, “Have you seen Commander Daren?” 

The soldier pointed back, “Commander Daren is in the back.”

Cao Gang pondered for a moment before heading the opposite direction of the troops. 

All the way back to the Jiangjing camp, there were only a few lonely tents left on the vast flat land, the main tent had not yet been put away. There were several soldiers sorting things inside and out. He casually grabbed a soldier and asked about the whereabouts of Ni Lie.

“Oh, Commander had already left earlier. Why are you still here?”

Cao Gang frowned invisibly and said casually, “I dropped something just now so I had returned to look for it.”

That soldier also served with him in the main tent, so he was familiar with him. He teased: “I hope it’s not something from a woman, look at you being so worried!”

Cao Gang smiled, not intending to explain, only pretending to be moving back and forth. When others were not paying attention, he stealthily went into the main tent. 

The more he thought about it, the more strange it became. Several of Ni Lie’s personal guards swore that they had seen him, but he followed all their instructions, however not even half a shadow of the person could be seen. 

Although all this was done without leak, Cao Gang was very sharp. Coupled with his excessive attention to Ni Lie, naturally he could find some unusual signs – Ni Lie was no longer in the army!

He didn’t know what Ni Lie was planning, but it must not be a simple matter, his heart was really uneasy.

He was looking around to see what clues were there when a rush of horseshoes outside could be heard. It was as if someone was rushing to this side. Cao Gang was temporarily unable to get out of the tent, so he hid in the corner and opened a felt cloth to cover his body,

Through that narrow gap, Cao Gang saw Li Jin hurriedly walking in with a tall man on his back, and when he removed the coat that was draped over the other party, Cao Gang finally saw the familiar face clearly. He immediately took a breath of cold air, it was Ni Lie!

But for some reason, he was unconscious! Cao Gang’s heart became more and more anxious.

Then there was another rush of footsteps, followed by several soldiers, all of whom were Ni Lie’s trusted confidants, with worries on their faces.

“What happened to Daren?”

Li Jin put Ni Lie on the bed and shook his head worriedly: “I don’t know, he suddenly fainted in the forest when we were retreating, and I almost …”

He remembered Ni Lie’s unusual and frightening behavior earlier, his heart was anxious. He did not continue to speak, but only commanded: “Quickly send someone to invite the military doctor over. Make the movement tiny, the less people know, the better.”

“Yes!”

When the people left, one of them asked Li Jin again: “Is everything still going well?” 

Li Jin nodded: “All traces have been erased, there is no trouble, feel rest assured.”

The general who asked the question breathed a sigh of relief.

Cao Gang listened and became more and more suspicious, even more than that he did not dare to make any sound, even his breathing slowed down a lot, but the general who asked the question seemed to see some traces. With a sigh, Cao Gang hurriedly covered the gap.

As if there was a tacit understanding, the tent was quiet for a while, and Cao Gang’s heart was carried up to his throat, thinking not good.

Almost instantaneously, with the strong wind in front of him, the felt cloth was suddenly lifted. Several broadswords were across his neck. How could there be simple people around Ni Lie? With just a bit of clues, they had already pulled him out. 

Li Jin frowned: “Cao Gang? ”

Cao Gang hurriedly said, “I just came inside to look for something.”

Li Jin glanced up and down at him, and his eyes cooled down: “Not to mention if your words are true or not, just by your sneaky behavior… I’m afraid it will be hard to get away.”

He slowly drew his sword from his waist with his fierce colors when a shout rang in his ear: “No! ”

Everyone turned back in unison, the unconscious youth on the bed slowly sat up.

Li Jin was overjoyed, hurriedly putting away his sword. He made eye signals to the personal guards on the left and right to tie Cao Gang up.

A group of people gathered around the bed on standby. The tall man rubbed his eyebrows, his hair slightly disheveled, his complexion heavy, which could not be distinguished between delight and anger.

A long while later, the man looked up Li Jin was shocked in his heart, his heart was pounding and jumping wildly. Obviously it was still that same face, but it seemed that something was different, the man had an invisible pressure on him. There was a dark air all around him, he couldn’t describe what it felt like, but he couldn’t breathe.

“Him,” the man raised a hand, pointed to Cao Gang, and said lightly, “Let him go.”

“But—” Seeing the sudden cold color on the man’s face, Li Jin took a breath of cold air, his heart beating like a drum. He rushed forward to personally untie the rope on Cao Gang’s body.

Cao Gang’s brain roared, his face was as white as paper, his body weak all over. He looked at the person in front of him in disbelief that even his breathing stopped for a few moments.

The man’s sharp as electricity eyes swept across his face for a moment, his eyes became colder. He quickly turned his gaze and said in a deep voice to Li Jin and the others: “Do what you have to do.” 

Everyone looked at each other. Li Jin swallowed his saliva, barely allowing himself to sound as usual in such a coercive pressure: “Daren, the matter has been completed. If your body is not hindered, it is inevitable that others will find out that we’re late so we can no longer delay. We need to immediately catch up with the troops.”

The man on the bed listened, pondered for a moment, and responded.

All day long, Cao Gang was like he was in a dream. Sometimes he was eager to scream to the sky, sometimes worried, and all kinds of emotions rushed into his heart, making him excited in a way that was difficult to sustain himself.

Since that glance, they had tacitly said nothing and he only followed behind the main troops as usual. 

At night, the Lingnan army at the back finally arrived at the Xiling camp.

The rain has slowed down, but it was still pouring down on the ground, soaking the world with the night.

Tonight, the entire Jiangbei camp was shrouded in a shadow of trepidation. Wei Yan had already sent more personnel to search comprehensively, but still had not found the figure of Governor Xie. The more there was no news, the more bad news was possible. He did not dare to report the news of Xue Zaixing’s disappearance, but the movement of the search for the person was so great that presumably it will reach the high officials in a few days. Once it gets started, there’s no stopping it. He’s afraid the situation will be hard to get away from. Now, all he can do is find the person before the news spreads—dead or alive.

Inside the main camp, the lamp light dimmed.

Cao Gang knelt down with a plop in front of the man, with tears in his eyes. He did not dare to shout the word “Majesty” loudly, only knelt deeply on the ground. Just like in his previous life, he performed a great courtesy to the monarch.

In this life, he finally got his true lord whom he would serve for life back!

“Speak,” The man with a calm face had completely accepted the reality he was facing,”What really happened? ”

Candle lights flickered in the tent.

Ni Lie, no, it should be said that he has the soul of the Red Tiger King. His expression was already very ugly.

“Zhen….” As soon as the word exited, his face darkened. He paused, and changed his word: “The tragedy of my fate was changed by that spoiled beauty of Sima Yu?”

Cao Gang’s heart was stagnant, there was something he didn’t dare to talk about. So he could only indirectly say: “Red Tiger King, do you really not remember what has happened during all these years?”

The Red Tiger King’s eyes were filled with anger, he said coldly, “These are just some of the memories that have been cultivated by that filthy intersex. What is there to recall, just forget it.”

Cao Gang was really uneasy, he pursed his lips, wanting to stop talking.

The Red Tiger King glanced at him and said disapprovingly, “When did you learn to hold something back? Speak!” 

As if he was uneasy and nervous, Cao Gang finally replied, “Reporting to Daren….that King Guang’an….is also Emperor Chaoyuan. His affection for you isn’t shallow…..I have seen his deep and genuine sincerity.”

The Red Tiger King laughed as if he had heard some big joke, his cold face full of resentment, “Sincerity? Ha! If it is really sincerity, how can he change my fate of my ascension to the extreme? I am afraid he’s just worried of having to live another life of being forced to commit suicide again in this life that’s why he grasped me like this.” 

He had never seen the other party, only remembering the flesh and blood blurred face of the previous life. His heart was filled with hatred and gloom: “This account…I have to settle it properly! ”

Cao Gang’s heart was beating violently, he was waiting to explain more but the Red Tiger King waved his hand impatiently, “You don’t need to say more about this person, I have my own ideas in my heart but how did Xue Zaixing die?”

Cao Gang didn’t know it.

The Red Tiger King’s brow was deeply locked. In the previous life, he had been lying dormant under Xue Zaixing for several years until he finally found an opportunity to pull Xue Zaixing off his horse and take his place as the governor of Liangjiang. As for Xue Zaixing, he took off his protection of his high position, so naturally there was no good end. Even without him intervening personally, someone had already made their move and ended him for good.

However, in this life, he was placed by that spoiled beauty to Lingnan County garrison. Although the army was under the jurisdiction of the Governor’s mansion, the real power controlling it was from the Xuntai Government. It was said that he himself did not have much genuine contact with Xue Zaixing, so it was unlikely for him to end up cruelly under his hand like this. For what reason this was the case, he really couldn’t understand. 

He couldn’t ask too many questions in front of Li Jin and the others but in only a few words he roughly understood the matter. This matter was done cleanly and neatly, so there was no need to worry too much. These few subordinates seemed to be quite useful.

His heart eased a little.

Fortunately, although he was stripped of his backbone by that spoiled beauty in this life, in the end he still retained his ability and cultivated a group of die-hard loyal confidants. He could see people extremely accurately, he could also see the loyalty of Li Jin and the others.

This Red Tiger King in the past only took one day to completely adjust his mentality back. Before finding a way to go back, he will handle things as they come. There were all kinds of dangers in his previous life, but he still got the last laugh. Although this life has been maliciously distorted a lot, it was not to that kind of deadend, there was still a way to turn around.

At present, all he can do is to follow this trajectory for the time being and plan again for the future.

Cao Gang looked at his face with a familiar look, and somehow, his mood was a little heavier than in the morning.

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