Chapter

The next day, preparations were supposed to be made for seating the new arrivals on the mountain. However, news arrived that Lin Zhong had made a breakthrough in his martial arts and was currently in seclusion, so everything had to be postponed for a few days.

Of course, to Chao Gai and his faction, this was merely a flimsy excuse. They believed that Lin Zhong had certainly realized that Song Jiang's faction was too powerful and was dragging his feet because he could not decide how to handle the arrangements. Still, now that they had reached Liangshan, there was no way Lin Zhong could drive them away.

While maintaining friendly relations with Chao Gai's faction, Song Jiang’s group gathered information about the surrounding area and the status of Lin Zhong’s loyalists within the stronghold.

Looking at the map in his hands, Song Jiang set it down and rubbed his temples. Liangshan faced a critical issue: there were many commanders but few soldiers, and those they had were far from elite. He had tried to replicate the state of the Liangshan forces during the attack on Jiangzhou, but he realized the core strength lay entirely with the individual commanders. A capable leader could take several hundred men and bring out the combat effectiveness of veteran soldiers.

Was he truly destined to follow this path forever?

As Song Jiang pondered how to change this situation, Hua Rong’s voice sounded from outside.

"Brother Gongming, it is I, Hua Rong!"

Song Jiang went to open the door. "Brother Hua Rong, is something the matter?" Since the seating arrangements had not been finalized, the new commanders were not yet authorized to drill their own personal troops, so it was understandable for them to be feeling restless. However, why was Hua Rong not with Yang Zhi?

Hua Rong said, "Brother Gongming, after returning last night, Sister Zhi mentioned she felt uneasy. Early this morning, I inquired and learned that Brother Yang Zhi is not on the mountain. I suspect he went down the mountain last night. I want to send men to look for him; after all, this matter wasn't entirely his fault, and there is still a bond of brotherhood between us."

Song Jiang looked at Hua Rong sharply. "You say Brother Yang Zhi left last night?!"

Hua Rong nodded. "Yes! His personal guards told me he never returned after coming to see me last night! None of the other brothers have seen him either!"

"This is bad!" Song Jiang frowned. "Come with me. Let’s go see how Sister Yang Zhi is doing!"

He had previously discovered that individuals with the same star fate would see a rapid, short-term increase in power if their counterpart died. After meeting Yang Zhi, he realized that he and his sister shared the same star fate—one was the General Star, and the other was the Demon Star.

Although Song Jiang had not stopped Yang Zhi from leaving the mountain yesterday, he had asked the Ruan brothers, who were in charge of the water forces, this morning whether Yang Zhi had truly left the stronghold. After all, the key points along the banks of the marsh were guarded and patrolled by the water troops; it was impossible for them to have missed Yang Zhi’s trail.

Since they had not seen him, and he was not on the mountain, Song Jiang could not help but fear the worst.

They walked quickly, and Hua Rong, full of doubt, followed closely behind.

The two arrived at Hua Rong’s residence, where they could feel an aura of rapidly increasing power from afar.

Song Jiang sighed; the situation was developing in the exact direction he had hoped to avoid.

Hua Rong looked toward his home in confusion. "Sister Yang Zhi said she had hit a bottleneck in her cultivation. How did she break through so suddenly?"

"I fear Brother Yang Zhi has already passed away," Song Jiang replied. They stood outside the door, waiting for an hour until the fluctuations within the room finally stabilized.

Entering the room, they saw Yang Zhi’s sister, Yang Zhi, who had just completed her breakthrough.

"Do you feel anything unusual?" Song Jiang asked.

Tears streamed down her face. "I don't know why, but my heart aches uncontrollably, yet there is nothing physically wrong with me."

Hua Rong stepped forward, embraced her, and patted her back comfortingly. "Brother Yang Zhi’s injuries weren't that severe last night. Who could have killed him?"

He was deeply puzzled. Logically, even in an ambush, Yang Zhi’s strength should have allowed him to put up a fight; he shouldn't have died so silently.

Song Jiang was about to speak but only sighed. Giving Hua Rong a meaningful look, he said, "I will get to the bottom of this as soon as possible. Rest assured." He had almost mentioned that there were indeed people with such strength, but he reconsidered—Sun Meng might not be here, and he had no apparent reason to target Yang Zhi.

Elsewhere, Wu Yong arrived at Lin Chong’s home. Lin Chong, having just finished a letter, smiled upon seeing him. "Strategist, you’ve come at just the right time. I have been feeling uneasy these past few days and was thinking of bringing my wife here. I hope you can help me arrange it."

Wu Yong glanced at the letter on the desk and smiled. "Consider it done. However, Instructor Lin, I have come to see you today for another matter."

Lin Chong said, "Please sit, Strategist. If there is anything I can do to help, just say the word!" He was aware of the friction between his younger brother and the Chao Gai faction. Now that the even larger Song Jiang faction had arrived, the competition would likely become even more intense. He did not want to see these brothers turn their blades against each other, but his brother seemed to have become a different person, and he was at a loss.

"Instructor Lin, are you worried about the Chieftain?" Wu Yong asked with a smile.

Lin Chong sighed. "I will not hide it from you, Strategist. My brother was not like this before. If possible, I would like to persuade him to give up his position, but he refuses to listen to a word I say now!" Lin Chong felt that ever since he had been framed, his brother had drifted further and further away from his ideals.

Wu Yong said, "Chieftain Lin possesses peerless martial arts and naturally would not easily bow his head in defeat. But you have seen it yourself, Instructor—it was fine when it was just the two sides. Now that Song Jiang and his men are here, let alone the Chieftain’s desire to command all the forces of Liangshan, I fear that the day of the seating ceremony will be the day they initiate a revolt!"

Wu Yong leaned in closer to Lin Chong and whispered, "Song Jiang’s people are already spreading rumors that the Chieftain is jealous of talent and using 'seclusion' as an excuse to avoid arranging the seats! Furthermore, I discovered that Brother Yang Zhi went to pick a fight with Brother Hua Rong last night!"

"If we wait a few more days, Song Jiang’s faction may force the issue directly! Even if the Chieftain steps down then, his future will be grim." Wu Yong sighed and took a sip of water. "We all trust your character, Instructor, but the Chieftain’s past actions... alas!" Wu Yong sighed again. "I hope you can persuade the Chieftain, Instructor, to prevent the stronghold from falling into discord!"

With that, Wu Yong stood up and bowed to Lin Chong.

Lin Chong, with his temperament, could not bear such a gesture. He quickly helped Wu Yong up. "Strategist, say no more. I will go find Brother Yang Zhi, and together, we will surely be able to convince my brother!" Had he been alone, he might not have been able to make up his mind even when the time came for a confrontation between Lin Zhong and Chao Gai, but spurred by Wu Yong’s goading, Lin Chong agreed.

A faint smile touched the corner of Wu Yong’s mouth. For a man like Lin Chong—soft-hearted but righteous—this method of provocation was the only way to achieve the desired result.

After Wu Yong left with the letter, Lin Chong did not wait any longer and went straight to Yang Zhi’s residence, only to be told that Yang Zhi had not returned all night.

Frowning, Lin Chong was genuinely worried that Yang Zhi had been won over by Lin Zhong. However, he had no choice but to go see Lin Zhong himself.

Arriving outside Lin Zhong’s residence, he noticed that the guards at the door were gone. These were Lin Zhong’s personal troops; how could they be absent?

Pushing open the door, Lin Chong immediately sensed an energy fluctuation emanating from the well in the courtyard. This energy seemed to hold a strange attraction for him—a sensation that by absorbing it, he could rapidly increase his own power.

He walked to the well and looked down, but he saw no water, nor anything else. It was as if something was blocking his vision; he would have to go inside to see what was there.

He leaped into the well and quickly reached the space beneath it.

Before him, two figures stood in front of a stone tablet floating in mid-air, and it was from that tablet that the energy radiated.

"Brother Yang Zhi? Ah-Zhong!" Lin Chong recognized the two, Yang Zhi and his younger brother, Lin Zhong.

Lin Zhong opened his eyes, glanced at Lin Chong, and closed them again without a word.

Filled with confusion, Lin Chong walked to the other side, and his expression changed instantly.

Yang Zhi was dead.