Chapter 21: Decision

A city's Prefectural Governor and a Deputy General were suddenly killed, it wasn't a small matter, even the King of Guangyun couldn't suppress it. It would shock the Imperial City, leading to a detailed investigation by the Secret Guards, and even a Great Grandmaster might come here.

"Father, why did it have to come to this?"

Song Lingxue found it somewhat difficult to understand. The consequences of killing an official were too severe, this was a provocation of imperial power.

"Yuan Xingcai has been in office for these years, I don't know how many benefits I've given him, yet now he has kicked me while I'm down, he is seeking his own death."

Song Tonghai's hands didn't stop moving, completely ignoring the wounds on his body that were still bleeding, his gaze was cold:

"One step back, and then stepping back again and again, in the end, there's only the path to death. Might as well blow things up, and then deal with whatever comes next."

It was only three Grandmasters who came today, next time, it might be a Great Grandmaster who arrives.

And after killing the City Lord, if the imperial envoy from the Imperial Capital really does come, then all the people in the Martial World will lay low for a while.

Nobody would dare commit crimes against the wind, the consequences of challenging the power of the Great Zhou were not something any Grandmaster, let alone a Great Grandmaster, could bear.

By doing this, before the matter could be investigated thoroughly, it could actually bring a brief moment to catch one's breath and might provide a chance to make arrangements for what is to come.

"There were clearly other options."

Song Lingxue blocked the doorway, her expression slightly dim, "Perhaps the King of Guangyun..."

"Shut up!"

Song Tonghai shouted angrily, a rare loss of control in his emotions, his tone became even colder, "If you dare to make decisions on your own, I will strip you of the Song surname and expel you from our house, you will be cut off from our ancestral graves!"

"Do you think those people today, who were they instructed by?! Open your eyes and see the people who died in our house today! How many were uncles who used to escort with me, is your statement fair to them?!"

If it could be said that before tonight, there was still room for maneuver, from this moment on, it was a fight to the death.

Grandmasters were not common figures, three of them appeared all at once today, if Zhao Yunheng knew nothing at all, nobody would believe it.

Song Lingxue bowed her head and remained silent. After a long while, she silently made way.

Song Tonghai walked slowly to Song Lingxue, reached out to touch her head, and heaved a sigh:

"Take out all the remaining gold and silver from the Mansion's Treasury, let those who are willing to take the money and leave, go."

Frankly speaking, in the present Song Family, only Song Tonghai and Song Lingxue were blood relatives, then there were Song Tonghai's two concubines. Most of the Escort Masters were just doing their job for money, there was even less need to mention the servants and maids.

A hereditary family that had lasted for more than three hundred years, after this battle, was ultimately about to collapse.

"I understand."

Song Lingxue agreed, "I'll wait for father to come back."

Whoosh—

Before her words fell, the door swung wide open, and Song Tonghai's figure was no longer in sight.

Outside the house, the snow began to fall again, the wintry wind howled, permeating the biting coldness, piercing to the bone.

......

......

The next morning.

In front of the Mansion's Treasury.

Chu Zheng, who had just finished his Circuit of Qi, sat beside the table, munching on a steamed bun fresh out of the pot, gazing at the sun overhead, lost in thought.

To go or to stay was a very difficult choice to make.

"Are you full? Do you want to add a bit more? If there's anything else you'd like to eat, let me go and tell the kitchen to make it for you."

Song Lingxue sat beside him, supporting her chin with one hand, the corners of her eyes curved, a smile seemed to be spilling out from the bottom of her eyes.

Chu Zheng swallowed the bun in his mouth and shook his head, a light sigh in his heart.

With Song Lingxue's attitude, how could he harden his heart and run away?

Although Song Lingxue had said the night before that she would grant him his freedom, he owed her a favor and couldn't just run away to save his own life, that wasn't something Chu Zheng could do.

The most basic moral concepts were constraining him, and when it came to life and death, he actually didn't take it too seriously.

People were bound to die, but whether death had any value, that was another matter altogether.

Chu Zheng just didn't want to die too soon, after all, the world he saw was far too small.

To travel through a different world and then die without achieving anything felt like a major loss, no matter how he looked at it.

Maybe...

He could take Song Tonghai and Song Lingxue with him, running alone was still running, and having a few more people seemed inconsequential.

The moment this thought surfaced, Chu Zheng shook his head, clearly realizing it was not viable.

Currently, all the points of conflict were due to Song Lingqing, with Song Tonghai and Song Lingxue at the vortex's center.

To take these two with him would mean constant assassination attempts; events like last night would become endless.

It was just a matter of time before something went wrong; the risk was too great and escape would be nearly impossible.

Thinking about last night, Chu Zheng suddenly wondered if he had forgotten something.

Song Lingxue brought over a bowl of soup, scooped a spoonful, and brought it to Chu Zheng's lips, "This Deer Bone Soup has been stewed for nearly two hours, I specifically instructed them not to waste it. Finish it, it's good for your health."

Chu Zheng was still deep in thought about what exactly he had forgotten when suddenly, there was a noise in the room.

Crack—

Watching the scene unfold before him, Song Yunyi felt a numbness in her heart as she stood by the door, hearing a crisp sound as if something had broken.

Seeing Song Yun stumbling out of the room, Chu Zheng finally came to his senses, his face showing a sudden realization; he had completely forgotten about this matter.

The shock of killing one after another was a bit too much, causing him to inadvertently push the existence of Song Yun to the back of his mind.

For a moment, Chu Zheng felt somewhat guilty, as Song Yun, with his gravely injured body, had come to save him, yet he had nearly forgotten about him, leaving him to spend the night under the bed.

Looking at Chu Zheng, Song Yun felt a moment of disorientation. The cruelty of this world made him confront once more the disparity between people.

But when he glanced over at Song Lingxue, he felt that none of that mattered anymore.

"Miss..."

Song Yun fell to his knees, covering his face and sobbing.

At least the young miss was still alive, the sky hadn't fallen yet.

Waking up alone under the bed, he felt as though the sky was collapsing. Now, with the dramatic turn of events, he could hardly suppress his emotions.

"Song Yun?" Seeing Song Yun, Song Lingxue was startled, "Why are you here?"

Last night, those people hadn't even breached the middle courtyard, where Song Yun was located. It hadn't been entered by outsiders and had remained sealed off.

Seeing Song Yun now, she couldn't help but be surprised.

......

......

The prefectural governor of Luofeng City and the defending generals were dead; their heads hung in front of the City Lord's Mansion.

This news spread quickly throughout the city, causing immense panic. As the saying goes, when the wind sweeps the tower, everyone fears for their own safety.

This was entirely different from the heads displayed on the city wall the day before.

The Great Zhou was like the heavens, and the Imperial Family like gods shepherding the people. No matter how ferocious demons and heretics were, they would be captured and imprisoned by the government, a consensus previously held in everyone's mind.

But now, even the officials were dead.

Suddenly, in Luofeng City, the credibility of the Great Zhou Official Government suffered an unparalleled blow, almost crumbling to pieces.

Within less than a day of the news, residents began to flee with their families, scattering towards neighboring cities.

The news spread like a gale, expanding rapidly, and within two days, it had crossed tens of thousands of miles, reaching the Capital of the Great Zhou.