Ze Tian Ji (Way of Choices)

Chapter 401 The Final Move (II)

Mo Yu asked, “Why do you need Wofu Zhexiu to open his mouth?”

Zhou Tong replied, “Because no one believes that Chen Changsheng would work with the demons. Although the death of that Mount Li disciple could make people uncertain, it’s not enough to shake their faith, unless Zhexiu admits that they had done something together.”

As the youngest Principal of the Orthodox Academy in history, in the view of many people, Chen Changsheng was highly likely to become the next master of the Li Palace, the next Pope—in this world, there was no more glorious future. It was simply impossible for the demons to provide anything better, so there was naturally no basis for him to betray humanity and collude with the demons.

Mo Yu silently pondered this, then asked, “Do you believe it?”

Putting aside what sort of opinion the entire continent had of Zhou Tong, putting aside how cruel and terrifying Zhou Tong’s methods were, everyone had to admit that in the field of interrogation, Zhou Tong was unrivaled.

“To believe or not has never been important. The most important thing is evidence.” Zhou Tong continued, “So I will give that wolf youth another month of time. In truth, that month is also for me.”

Seeing his calm and serene eyes, Mo Yu asked, “Even if the army is very interested in this matter?”

The corners of Zhou Tong’s lips perked, which could be considered laughing for him. “Do you think I care?”

Mo Yu said a little mockingly, “I’ve always doubted whether, besides the Empress, you would actually care about anything else.”

Zhou Tong did not respond to these rather rude words. Changing the subject, he said, “In fact, there are some very interesting people and concerns that I care quite a lot about. For example, that Mount Li disciple that died. If it weren’t already confirmed that he really has died, I really would have liked to make him my successor.”

Mo Yu’s expression was a little odd. “Why?” she asked.

“It’s very rare that I see someone so filled with self-loathing. If he hates himself so much, then presumably he really has no love for this world. And this, is precisely a pre-requisite to be my successor.”

It was only natural that Zhou Tong had no love for this world, not even a hint of compassion. “Moreover, Liang Xiaoxiao’s judgment of the big picture and his inferences on the situation were exceptionally precise. He clearly understood that not even his own death was enough to drag Chen Changsheng and Zhexiu into the abyss, hence the act he played outside the Garden of Zhou right before his death. He clearly divided Mount Li and the capital into two lines. His entrapment of Chen Changsheng and Zhexiu was just something he could easily do on the way, but his true target was Mount Li, it was Su Li. Of course, it was also that little girl called Qi Jian.”

Hearing Zhou Tong’s words, Mo Yu suddenly felt somewhat cold. It turned out that Zhou Tong had known everything, understood everything. He knew Qi Jian was Su Li’s daughter, knew of the enmity in Liang Xiaoxiao’s heart, and knew that this had all been a plot.

“You’ve actually known all this the entire time…” She stared into Zhou Tong’s eyes.

Zhou Tong paid her no attention and continued, “Many people require that Chen Changsheng is colluding with the demons. Liang Xiaoxiao used the final move of the Mount Li Sword Style to kill himself. This truly is amazing.”

Mo Yu asked, “Then what do you think? Didn’t you say that you cared about evidence the most?”

Zhou Tong silently thought for a few moment, then suddenly said, “Chen Changsheng’s teacher is Daoist Ji. As for the relationship between Daoist Ji and Black Robe, no one knows, so why can’t Chen Changsheng collude with the demons? In addition, Chen Changsheng is still alive. Since the Garden of Zhou is already no more and no one saw him come out the front gate despite all the people there, just how did he leave the Garden of Zhou? Some other door? Don’t forget, only Black Robe knows where the Garden of Zhou’s other door is.”

Mo Yu was silent for a very long time. Finally, she said, “Originally, you really were suspecting him.”

Zhou Tong stood up and walked to the doorway of the main hall. Gazing out into the vast sky of stars in the night, he said, “The accusation made with Liang Xiaoxiao’s death is very powerful. By lucky coincidence, many people in the capital need Chen Changsheng to be colluding with the demons. By lucky coincidence, Chen Changsheng’s ability to leave the Garden of Zhou indicates that he might be colluding with the demons. So it’s only natural that I want to find out if he’s really colluding with the demons or not.”

Mo Yu walked behind and said with a hint of warning in her voice, “His Holiness will trust him.”

Zhou Tong’s expression suddenly became somewhat strange. “If the Pope will still insist on trusting him in this sort of situation, then is the Pope deserving of trust anymore?”

Mo Yu suddenly felt that the sinister Qi arising from below the courtyard in front of them had come to pervade the air around them. The atmosphere around their bodies became abnormally cold. In this sort of situation, she didn’t know what else there was to say.

“You should first make clear just what the Empress thinks about this.”

“Then, what do you think?”

Zhou Tong held his hands behind him as he looked up into the night. His voice was like the air after rain, and his slim figure seemed somewhat melancholy in the night. He really seemed like some grief-ridden poet.

“Me? Think about what?”

“What you think about Chen Changsheng.”

“Do you want to die?” Mo Yu angrily shouted.

Zhou Tong’s expression did not change at all. He flatly said, “On that day when the news that Chen Changsheng is alive was relayed to capital, it was rumored that the flowers of the Orange Garden bloomed in the middle of the night. It seems that your mood is not bad.”

The anger in Mo Yu’s eyes became murderous.

Zhou Tong did not turn around, almost like he didn’t feel her stare.

Mo Yu left, and Zhou Tong began to take a walk.

The entire capital and even the entire continent knew that Zhou Tong did not like much, besides walking and personally torturing someone.

He was strict when treating others, and was even more so with himself. He had never indulged himself in sensual desires, much less abandoned all restraint, even in his youth. He lived a very disciplined and strict lifestyle, which could also be described as dry and monotonous. Of course, he also wrote poems, poems that expressed his grief and concern for the country. He also wrote memorials to the emperor, essays on how old ministers were plotting against the country. He lived his life like a great scholar. Before the Divine Empress, he would absolutely not be one of those ministers that slandered others, but rather a minister that would frankly speak his mind. Moreover, he was the least corrupt official in the history of the Great Zhou Dynasty, because he was in no way lacking money and also because nobody dared to bribe him.

In the Zhou Courtyard, Zhou Tong had raised fifteen black-colored Cerberuses. This sort of powerful monster which could only be found deep in the land of demons possessed a terrifyingly abnormal appearance and was also incredibly skilled in scouting and fighting. The black saliva that flowed down from its mouth could corrode even the firmest of metals. It was most likely for precisely this reason that Lord Zhou Tong had never been corroded by money—those who wanted to bribe him could never approach his home. If they attempted to sneak into his Zhou courtyard, they would become food for those black Cerberuses. Many human bones lay in the fields and forests surrounding his home.

In the late hours, ten-odd Cerberuses stood in the night. The black skin shining under the light of the oil lamp, when also illuminated by the starlight, gave off a very weird sensation. Under the claws of these black demon dogs was a prison.

Zhexiu was jailed in this prison. Fifty-five extremely fine metal chains passed through his body. His skin was covered in blood, dried and fresh. In many places, it was even possible to make out eerie white bone.

After an unknown span of time had passed, he woke up. Feeling the outside air that came through the air vent, he somewhat painfully lifted his head. He looked over at that place and hurriedly took in a few breaths.

It was possible to see a little bit of the night sky through that air vent, along with a few stars. He opened his eyes and looked at that place, as if he was somewhat greedily taking in the sight. The truth of the matter was that he actually couldn’t see a single thing.

In the depths of his pupils was a smear of lemony yellow.

That was the color resulting from the Peacock Plume poison mixing with his blood.

It was somewhat sour.