A Top Scholar in Everything-Chapter 84: Black Night Conspiracy

After savoring a meal of Exotic Beast Meat, Baiyu felt the consumed Blood Qi instantly replenished.

He also took the opportunity while eating to learn a lot about the forest from Old Crowhead.

The entire forest is a gigantic exile ground.

Led by Crow, the criminals have rallied this gang of desperados, claimed the mountain as their own, and turned it into a living base.

Building camps, cultivating fields.

If you want to eat, you must work for Crow.

People like Old Crowhead, who haven’t joined, usually depend on the soldiers from the Armed Department for food delivery.

But it’s often a feast one day and famine the next.

Not everyone can get food from the delivery truck.

The feeding time is just half an hour.

If you miss it, you have to wait for the next meal.

Moreover, these days, the frequency of food delivery has decreased to once a day.

Old Crowhead hasn’t eaten this full in a long time.

"You’re only here for a survival test, just hold on for five days, there’s no need to mess with Crow’s gang.

They’re ruthless criminals, with blood on their hands.

People like me won’t dare to kill you because we still have a chance of getting out.

Those people have long put life and death aside.

If you provoke them, they might not care about the consequences and take action against you."

Old Crowhead spoke with a stern face, sincerely.

"Now that you mention it, it does make sense."

Baiyu contemplated.

After all, neither he nor Crow had any grudges, these criminals themselves don’t even know if they’ll be executed one day, no need to go hard against them.

He still had a long life ahead.

In other words.

Would you dive a tower just to kill a minion?

So.

The prudent man decided to play it safe, and first find a way to retrieve his backpack.

The two, full and satisfied, since they couldn’t return to the cave, could only sleep in a tree for the night.

The trees by the river were not dense.

Also, being near the river, once a tree-climbing beast was spotted, they could escape into the water.

Just like that.

Old Crowhead leaned against a tree, exhausted from the day, and quickly drifted into sleep.

While Baiyu took out a book from his bosom, quietly reading.

Learning... makes one relax.

...

On the other side.

In the center of the forest.

At nightfall, a huge bonfire was already blazing.

Torches burned outside the wooden palisades.

Ordinary Exotic Beasts wouldn’t rashly charge into such a large gathering area of living beings, not to mention the burning flames around.

Most Exotic Beasts aren’t afraid of fire, but they dislike it.

In the camp surrounded by the palisades.

Dozens of burly prisoners in tattered prison uniforms gathered around various bonfires, roasting meat and boasting.

The entire gathering spot was located in a small valley.

Simplistic huts built on both sides, roofed with palm and banana leaves.

The only wooden house in the valley was Crow’s domain, the leader.

At this moment.

The wooden house was closed, torches burning inside, casting a dim glow over the room.

Crow was a middle-aged man.

With short-cropped hair, a broad back and thick waist, a nasty scar on his face, a thin tight vest puffed out by his frame.

The muscles arranged on his body revealed the violent power beneath the man’s frame.

"You want me to kill this person?

Don’t think I don’t know, this person was arranged by Pang Fei himself, one of the top candidates in the Linjiang martial exam.

If I kill him, I’ll be fed to Exotic Beasts immediately.

Usually, I can help you deal with some other people, but this matter could cost me my head.

Following the regular process, I have at least a year before I’m executed."

Crow grinned, mockingly smiling.

Across from him sat a man in all black, face covered with a black mask, almost blending into the night.

The man sat on a wooden stool, his gaze as sharp as a knife sweeping across.

This kind of gaze.

Definitely belongs to someone who’s been on the battlefield, and taken many lives.

"Don’t look at me like that, even if you do, I’m not going. If you have the guts, kill me, see who else does your work in the future."

Crow was unphased.

The man withdrew his gaze, furrowing his brow: "Don’t you want freedom?

I’ve already arranged everything, by then, all the surveillance in the forest will be down, you can act with confidence.

Even if you kill him.

As long as you set up those prisoners.

Pang Fei won’t immediately execute you.

He’ll investigate the mole, questioning everyone, it’s a massive task.

And in less than two months, it’s ’Ruin Day’.

The entire Linjiang City will fall.

By then, who will care about a prisoner like you, we’ll get you out, give you the new life you want."

Hearing the man’s words, Crow’s expression gradually darkened: "You’ve connected with the Abyssal Ascetic Association?"

"Of course. A powerful figure behind the Ascetic Order has already deduced that the Legendary Ship docked above Linjiang is just strong in appearance but weak internally, the Ship Master of the Qiong Family is on the brink of collapse at any time.

The previous exchange class was them seeking a successor for the Legendary Ship."

The man in black replied coldly.

Crow’s eyes flickered continuously: "How much certainty do you have? What happens after taking Linjiang? Don’t think there’s only one Legendary Ship to deal with.

The Prison Warden of Hades, the Valkyrie of the Qiong Family, the one from the Anomaly Bureau Gunman Sequence... they’re all in the city.

The turmoil at the Shelter three years ago made the Imperial highly vigilant here."

A trace of sneering emerged in the eyes of the man in black, his tone relaxed and even: "I can only reveal some information to you.

Anomaly Bureau, Church, Armed Department, we have our people in all of them.

The lunatics from the Ascetic Order want to offer up a massive blood sacrifice to their half-dead deity, which will draw the major firepower of the entire Linjiang.

We just need to get what we want, rescue who we want.

And as for this kid.

The Ascetic Order specifically named him.

Our precondition for gaining the true trust and cooperation of the lunatics, is to use this kid’s head as a testament."

Confidence brimming in the eyes of the man in black.

Crow was visibly swayed.

He drank a large bowl of water, licking his lips:

"Even if Linjiang is really in chaos, where can you escape to?

The East Prosperity Imperial will react within a day, and the garrison of Maple Leaf County will rush to suppress the rebellion!"

The man in black shook his head: "Our clan has already paid a huge price to find a temporary passage to Linjiang bypassing the Shelter.

This passage exists for a short time, with limited capacity.

But it’s enough for our retreat.

Of course.

I’m telling you all this just to let you know, Linjiang today is merely a small boat amidst turbulent waves, two months from now, the tides will completely submerge it.

If you don’t want to kill the kid, forget it, we’ll find someone else."

The man in black stood up and headed towards the door.

"Wait!"

At this moment, Crow finally showed a change in expression, speaking in a steady voice:

"I’ve lived here for five years.

In these five years.

Pang Fei has treated me well.

Though every year I have to help him train some rookies, he’s fulfilled all his promises to me.

This time you want to kill someone who’s the descendant of his old friend, and I, Crow, am not a saint, but neither am I so callous and ungrateful..."

"What do you want to say?"

The man in black frowned.

After a brief silence, a short, forceful response came from Crow in the dim room:

"More money!"

...