Fatal to Pretend With a Cheat | Chapter 24 | Unearthing the Past | Novela.app

Over the next few days of travel, I forced myself to stay sharp, absorbing every scrap of intelligence I could coax out of them and filling dozens of pages with dense notes. As I understood it, the current martial world was divided into three major currents. One power was led by the Zhongli Court, which dominated the Central Plains, with Changluo Studio and Jinguan Pavilion acting as its left and right arms. Another power spanned the East and West, led by the aggressive Qilian Fort and Taihang Stream; Tianshan Valley and Wild Goose Pass were also quite active there. Additionally, there were stable entities like Helan Terrace, Wuyi Hill, and Suyang Autumn Villa, collectively known as the Horizontal Alliance. The third power connected the North and South, led by Qingcheng and Taibai Tower. The Wushui Sect was feared for its ruthless and eerie methods, while the Confucian-Taoist Renzong Temple, Nanling, and the Qin Mausoleum were also part of this group, known as the Vertical Alliance. The Qin Mausoleum had grievances with various sects, the most severe being with Taihang Stream, followed by the Wushui Sect, Taibai Tower, Suyang Autumn Villa, and so on... "Master?" Night Tan asked with concern, seeing my expression falter. "I want to unify these sects." Night Tan was startled. "What did you say?!" "There are too many of them. I can't remember them all." After traveling for several days, Night Tan seemed to have worked through some things and had settled down considerably. As we drew closer to the Qin Mausoleum, the carriage entered a forest of white poplars one evening and finally came to a halt. Qin Chenyuan’s external injuries had mostly healed. He was the first to jump down, gauging the distance between the nearby river and a long pavilion before stopping under a white poplar tree. Yun Jiangli tied the horses nearby and brought over several square shovels from the back of the carriage. Qin Chenyuan took a deep breath, muttered something under his breath, and gripped the handle firmly. Night Tan helped me down. He surveyed the surroundings, his eyes losing focus as a trace of bitterness gradually crept into his expression. It really was this place. "Young Master Qin, how did you learn of this location?" I asked. Qin Chenyuan gave a brief, two-word answer: "Day Workshop." Seeing the cloud of doubt on my brow, Yun Jiangli kindly explained, "The Day Workshop is a place of hidden dragons and crouching tigers, filled with many extraordinary individuals. Most are elusive bounty hunters with unpredictable temperaments and prices that fluctuate wildly. However, information from the Day Workshop is never wrong." Qin Chenyuan added, "Actually, I sent a request for help to the Day Workshop three years ago, but it was like a stone sinking into the ocean—no reply. I suppose there were too few clues, and they only just managed to track the location down." I thought to myself that it made sense. I grabbed a shovel to help, but Night Tan reached out to stop me, shaking his head slightly. "Let me do it," he said. He did not hesitate. His movements were swift, though his face was pale. I knew that no matter what lay beneath, it was a secret he had once been willing to give his life to keep. I couldn't help but feel a pang of heartache for him. I suddenly began to doubt whether unearthing this long-buried past was a good or bad thing—whether it would help him or harm him. For a moment, I was deeply wavering. I crouched nearby, watching tensely, my palms slick with sweat. The three of them dug deeper and deeper until soon, the sound of metal striking a hard object rang out. Qin Chenyuan cried out, "A broken sword?" He picked it up and wiped the dirt away with his sleeve. Though this shattered blade had been buried for three years, it hadn't rusted at all; its edge remained sharp, its cold glint like condensed frost. Qin Chenyuan saw it clearly and said excitedly, "This is it! I recognize it! It’s the 'Spring and Autumn Succession' that Seventh Brother gifted to Ye Cha!" Qin Chenyuan tossed the broken blade up and immediately felt around to find tattered scraps of clothing, accessories, Qin Qi’s own sword, and then—stark white bones. "Seventh Brother," Qin Chenyuan said softly. "I’ve come to take you home." Only three years... A vibrant life turned into a pile of bones... it happens so quickly. Qin Chenyuan and Yun Jiangli carefully moved the remains and funerary objects into the simple coffin they had brought. Night Tan, however, stood frozen like a statue, his expression one of pure horror. "How... is that possible?" he whispered to himself. He knelt on the ground, searching frantically through the dirt, occasionally picking up handfuls of soil to sniff them carefully. Then he returned to the coffin, staring at the white bones, the look in his eyes becoming increasingly dazed. He murmured, "He died... of a sword wound." "Well, yes. What else would it be?" Qin Chenyuan asked, puzzled. Yun Jiangli saw that Night Tan looked strange and performed his own inspection. "Only the ribs near the heart were cleanly severed. It was indeed caused by a sword, and there are no other fatal injuries on the bones. The spine is intact, so it wasn't death by hanging. The color of the bones is healthy and the surrounding vegetation is fine, so there are no signs of poisoning... though it’s hard to say for sure. What if he drowned?" Night Tan closed his eyes and said nothing more. I called his name several times, but he didn't snap out of it. After years of searching, Qin Chenyuan had finally achieved his goal, yet the bitterness between his brows only grew heavier. He knelt before the coffin, motionless. Only Yun Jiangli remained physically and mentally functional. He loaded the three of us listless souls into the carriage and ordered the driver to head toward the Qin Mausoleum. It wasn't until we checked into an inn that evening that Qin Chenyuan’s spirits improved slightly under Yun Jiangli’s constant coaxing, managing a few forced smiles. Night Tan remained in a trance, his movements sluggish. I wasn't as silver-tongued as Yun Jiangli; I could only crouch anxiously beside him, watching him silently. I suddenly hated myself for being so clumsy with words, unable to bring anyone comfort. After smoothing the bedding and tucking me in, Night Tan actually turned to the door to leave. "A-Tan, where are you going?" I asked in a panic. "I am a shadow guard. Naturally, I should return to the shadows," he said. Given his current expression, those words made it look as if the "The End" credits were about to roll across his face. It scared the wits out of me. "Don't! Don't go!! Just stay in the room!" Thinking that wasn't enough, I added, "Somewhere I can see you!!" "Yes," he complied obediently, kneeling formally before the couch. I was so shaken by him that I didn't dare sleep. My mind kept replaying his words: "He died of a sword wound?" His tone had been so confused. Qin Qi had been pierced through the heart by Night Tan’s own sword; if it wasn't a sword wound, what else could it have been? I gripped the corner of the quilt and crouched at the head of the bed, watching him, terrified he would fly away if I blinked. He knelt in the darkness without a word. The moonlight, filtered through the window lattice, climbed onto his shoulders, leaving only the curve of his jaw visible. Those familiar shoulders were trembling incessantly. A-Tan. Are you crying? I didn't even have the courage to ask him. As I stared at him, I suddenly... Entered the Modifier interface. ...Eh, wait. Does this mean I fell asleep after all...? ***