txolops 92. Investigation
92. Investigation
Since the attack on the celebration and the discovery of the Royal Guard token, the atmosphere throughout the alliance has been as tense as a taut bowstring. The number of patrolling disciples has doubled, each with sharp eyes, vigilantly scanning for any movement.
Inside the central council hall of the manor, candlelight flickered. Lin Mo sat in the main seat, his expression calm, but deep within his eyes churned with contemplation. Below him sat the Grand Elder of the Seven Absolutes Sect, Zhao Kun of the Golden Saber Sect, Hong Jiu, the leader of the Beggars' Sect, the head of the Diancang Sect, and other core leaders of the alliance, their faces shrouded in gloom. On the large pearwood table, several dark gold Golden Dragon Guard tokens lay silently, reflecting a cold gleam in the candlelight, a silent reminder of the immense threat they faced.
"Alliance Leader, this matter concerns the imperial court and is of utmost importance. Should we..." The leader of the Diancang Sect hesitated, his tone revealing obvious concerns. His Diancang Sect had a shallow foundation and was most afraid of getting involved in official trouble.
"Is Sect Leader Li afraid?" Zhao Kun sneered, his voice booming with dissatisfaction. "What do I care about inner and outer guards? They attacked first and killed our people. Are we just going to swallow our anger and disband the alliance?"
"Sect Leader Zhao has misunderstood," the Grand Elder of the Seven Absolutes Sect said slowly, his voice steady and reassuring. "Sect Leader Li is not afraid of war, but rather reminding us to act cautiously. The Imperial Guards represent the face of the royal family. If this matter is not handled properly, it could bring annihilation to the alliance. We need to find out whether this is a private action by the Imperial Guards, or... whether it truly represents the will of the imperial court."
This is the crux of the problem. If it's the former, there's still room for maneuver; if it's the latter, the alliance will face the crushing force of the entire national machinery.
Lin Mo tapped his fingers lightly on the table, making a soft, rhythmic sound that drew everyone's attention. "The Grand Elder is absolutely right. Fear and impulse will not solve anything. The most urgent task is to uncover the truth behind these tokens." His gaze fell on the tokens. "These tokens are our only clue."
He picked up one of them; it was still cold and heavy to the touch. "The token itself is undoubtedly genuine, but its origin may not be as straightforward as we think."
Hong Jiu stroked his messy beard, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his cloudy old eyes: "Does the Alliance Leader mean that someone is using the Inner Guard's name to act?"
"It's not impossible," Lin Mo said in a deep voice. "The Imperial Guards are strictly disciplined and their actions are certainly secretive, but such a large-scale, disguised attack on a newly established martial arts alliance is too ostentatious and too foolish. It's tantamount to openly tearing up the centuries-old tacit understanding between the court and the martial arts world, and it would be a losing proposition. I'm more inclined to believe that someone took advantage of their status as an Imperial Guard, or... that some members of the Imperial Guard acted on their own without the knowledge of their superiors."
This deduction put everyone present at ease. If it was just a portion of the internal security force, or an outsider impersonating someone, the pressure would undoubtedly be much less.
"How can we verify this?" the elder asked.
"The token is an identification credential for the Inner Guard. It's extremely difficult to produce and has a unique serial number and hidden markings to distinguish the holder's identity, rank, and branch." Lin Mo flipped the token over, pointing to an extremely fine, seemingly natural-looking engraving on the edge. "Look here, and this small symbol at the bottom. We need someone familiar with the Inner Guard's regulations to decipher this information."
The group exchanged bewildered glances. The Imperial Guard was shrouded in mystery, and its internal regulations were top secret. Even though the people present were big shots in the martial arts world, they knew very little about it.
"I know someone," the Qingcheng Sect elder, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up, "who might be able to help."
All eyes immediately focused on him.
Elder Qingcheng stroked his long beard and slowly said, "Do you all still remember 'The All-Knowing Scholar'?"
"That 'omniscient' gossip columnist?" Zhao Kun frowned. "This person is elusive, and his credibility... it's said he sells information for money, making it hard to tell if it's true or not."
"No," Elder Qingcheng shook his head, "Although Bai Xiaosheng makes a living by selling information, he has one rule: he never easily sells core secrets about the imperial court or the top powers. Even if he does, they are mostly true. He knows that false information will ruin his reputation and even cost him his life. He has been able to survive for so many years in the cracks between the martial arts world and the imperial court because of this caution and reliable sources. It is said that he has some dealings with some disgraced old eunuchs in the palace and knows a lot about the inner workings of the palace."
A glint flashed in Lin Mo's eyes: "Do you know where he is now?"
"According to information that my disciples obtained by chance a few days ago, Bai Xiaosheng should currently be at 'Tingfeng Xiaozhu', which is about 300 miles away from here," Elder Qingcheng said with certainty.
"Listening to the Wind Cottage... is one of his secret hideouts." The Grand Elder nodded. "This man is elusive; finding him there is a rare opportunity."
Without delay, Lin Mo immediately made a decision: "I will personally go to Tingfeng Xiaozhu. As for the manor, I would like to trouble everyone to strengthen vigilance, reassure the people, and refrain from any rash actions before I return."
Everyone knew that this matter was of great importance, and that it would be safest for the alliance leader to personally take charge, so they all nodded in agreement.
Before night had fallen, a swift horse silently departed from Seven Absolutes Manor, disappearing into the deep darkness like an arrow released from a bow. On horseback, Lin Mo's gaze was resolute, the night wind fluttering his robes. The Taixu Ancient Sword at his waist seemed to sense its master's emotions, emitting a faint, almost imperceptible hum.
The journey of three hundred li was completed by Lin Mo at full speed, and they arrived at the destination by dusk the following day. Tingfeng Xiaozhu was nestled in a secluded valley, surrounded by bamboo groves and babbling brooks. It seemed to be a secluded retreat for a refined scholar, but in reality, it was one of the many information hubs for Bai Xiaosheng.
Lin Mo knocked on the bamboo door, and after a moment, a boy in blue opened the door and looked at him with a puzzled expression.
"Please announce that my old friend Lin Mo requests an audience with Master Bai Xiaosheng." Lin Mo clasped his hands in greeting, and at the same time flicked a small piece of crystal-clear jade from his fingertip. It was a small trinket containing pure primordial energy, which could be used as hard currency in the martial arts world and was also a "stepping stone" to see Master Bai Xiaosheng.
The boy took the jade and nodded, "Please wait a moment."
Before long, the boy returned and led Lin Mo into the inner room. The room was simply furnished, and a middle-aged scholar with a thin face and unusually bright eyes, dressed in a loose robe, was sitting behind a tea table. This was Bai Xiaosheng.
"It is an honor to have Alliance Leader Lin grace us with his presence." Bai Xiaosheng smiled slightly and gestured for him to sit down, but his gaze seemed to casually sweep over the ancient longsword at Lin Mo's waist. "The alliance has just been established and has already suffered a great change. Alliance Leader Lin is not at the manor to stabilize the people's hearts, but has come to see me, a free spirit. There must be something important to discuss."
Lin Mo didn't beat around the bush and directly took out a Golden Dragon Guard Token and placed it on the tea table. "Please take a look at this for me, sir."
Upon seeing the inner guard token, Bai Xiaosheng's smile faltered slightly, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure. He picked up the token, carefully examining and scrutinizing it, paying particular attention to the serial numbers and hidden symbols.
A moment later, he put down the token, let out a soft breath, and looked at Lin Mo with a more solemn expression: "Alliance Leader Lin, the trouble you've gotten into this time is quite serious."
"I would like to hear the details."
"This token is genuine, without a doubt," Bai Xiaosheng affirmed. "Moreover, judging from its serial number and the 'Dark Flame' mark on the bottom, the holders of these tokens are not ordinary guards, but belong to a very special department directly under the guard system—the 'Dark Flame Division'."
"Dark Flame Division?" Lin Mo frowned slightly. He seemed to have heard of this name in his previous life, but his impression was vague.
"Indeed," Bai Xiaosheng lowered his voice, "The Dark Flame Division is the sharpest and most clandestine blade among the Imperial Guards. They are mainly responsible for the most secretive and dirty missions: assassination, subversion, creating chaos... They use every means at their disposal and have a high degree of autonomy. Often, they only need to report to their division chief, and can even bypass the Grand Commander of the Imperial Guards. There are quite a few people in the court and the public who turn pale at the mention of 'Dark Flame'."
Lin Mo pondered for a moment. The name of the Dark Flame Division did indeed fit the characteristics of those attackers: fearless and ruthless.
"So, is it possible to trace this batch of tokens back to the specific person in charge?" Lin Mo asked the most crucial question.
Bai Xiaosheng pondered for a long time, dipped his finger in tea, wrote a character on the table, and then quickly wiped it away.
That was the character "晋".
"The current head of the Dark Flame Division is surnamed Feng, named Duan. But rumors in the martial arts world say that his true master is the powerful Prince Jin in the capital." Bai Xiaosheng's voice was almost inaudible, filled with deep apprehension. "Prince Jin is the current emperor's younger brother, in charge of part of the capital's defenses. He enjoys the emperor's favor and is meticulous in his thinking, with considerable ambition. In recent years, many of the Dark Flame Division's actions seem to have the shadow of Prince Jin's mansion behind them."
King of King!
A glint flashed in Lin Mo's eyes. The clues had finally pointed to the capital, to this power entrenched at the pinnacle of authority. Although it couldn't be completely confirmed that Prince Jin had orchestrated the attack, the connection between the Dark Flame Division and Prince Jin's residence undoubtedly clearly highlighted the focus of the investigation.
"Thank you for your guidance, sir." Lin Mo stood up and solemnly clasped his hands in a fist and palm salute. This news was of paramount importance.
"Alliance Leader Lin, you're too kind," Bai Xiaosheng waved his hand, saying meaningfully, "Since the Dark Flame Division has already attacked your alliance, I'm afraid they won't let it go so easily. The road ahead is fraught with danger, I hope you take care."
Lin Mo nodded, said nothing more, and turned to leave Tingfeng Xiaozhu. The afterglow of the setting sun cast a long shadow of him. He mounted his horse and gazed towards the capital, the center of the power struggle and the key to unraveling the mystery of the attack.
The Prince of Jin's residence, the Dark Flame Division… whoever has chosen to be his enemy and his alliance must be prepared to bear his wrath. He gripped the reins tightly, spurred the horse, and with a long neigh, the steed galloped back towards Seven Absolutes Manor. He needed to return as soon as possible to inform the alliance of this crucial clue and discuss their next course of action.