Calamity Messenger

Chapter 131 - 104: The First Wave of Ambush_2

At that moment, Shang Xuanwen heard rapid footsteps from behind; it was the Mouse Monk running. He thought the Mouse Monk was afraid, seeking protection, or borrowing a sword, but what he didn’t expect... was the Mouse Monk suddenly hugging his neck from the back.

This action caused him no harm, but it trapped him in a deadlock. His body was off balance, unable to break the iron chains. The chains would soon strike like hammers on steel, shattering the seven layers of the Heart-Protecting Mirror’s defense, followed by his flesh.

Suddenly, Shang Xuanwen had a flash of clarity; the route from the Imperial Palace back to the Shang Family was decided on a whim and wasn’t the shortest route. There shouldn’t be anyone able to ambush him precisely. The only explanation was... there was a mole from the enemy side near him.

And who else could it be, the person closest to him these days, knowing him the best, acting with him at all times?

How ridiculous, living so cautiously all his life, no one truly gaining his trust, no one staying by his side for long, yet he couldn’t escape betrayal... even facing death from it.

He relied too much on past experiences, trusting his judgment, leading to the most brutal betrayal. Skilled swimmers drown, and skilled riders fall; perhaps that’s what this is about?

In this world, who else can I trust?

"What—"

"Don’t interfere!"

The surroundings echoed with urgent shouts.

Wide-eyed, Shang Xuanwen saw the martial soldier in front of him suddenly draw two iron chains from his chest. As he pulled them out, the chains fiercely rubbed against his armor, likely coated with black oil, instantly igniting, the chains turning blisteringly red-hot. He easily killed the martial soldier beside him, but when he looked back at Shang Xuanwen, he found him being abducted by the Mouse Monk.

Turns out, instead of four Self-Burners, there were five!

But even realizing this, the situation didn’t improve. Ten scorching chains closed in from all directions, trapping them within, seemingly leaving them with the outcome of blood blossoming.

"Great Monk, you—" Shang Xuanwen wanted the Mouse Monk to let him go; even in a deadly situation, he wanted to fight for a slim chance.

However, the Mouse Monk suddenly stopped, holding Shang Xuanwen’s neck with his left hand, gripping his collar with the right, his upper body slightly leaning back like a bowstring gathering force. Shang Xuanwen’s pupils constricted, he struggled violently, but the Mouse Monk’s Qi Blood was unexpectedly strong for a mortal... or rather, his Qi Blood was too weak. As a scholarly member of the Shang Family, he focused on spirit cultivation over Qi Blood since youth. Years of governance and lack of exercise left his Qi Blood debilitated, preventing him from breaking free immediately.

So, the Mouse Monk could effortlessly throw him out.

For the first time in his life, Shang Xuanwen was thrown like a package. In the air, he couldn’t see behind, but his ears caught every sound clearly. He heard the chains immediately change direction, trying to sweep towards him mid-air. However, chains, weapons relying on inertia, weren’t that easy to control; only two or three chains managed to redirect and hit him, while the rest struck their initial targets...

The monk, who wasn’t even a messenger.

Shang Xuanwen never imagined the sound of chains hitting flesh could be so loud, so piercing, so heart-wrenching. He tumbled to the ground, looking back at the alley first thing, but he only saw Self-Burners rushing out from within.

And a body trampled beyond recognition by them.

In that moment, Shang Xuanwen heard nothing, only his nearly-stopped heartbeat. It felt like the world’s most venomous, shameless serpent pierced his heart, crawling up his spine, polluting every bone and drop of blood into foul black mud.

All his life, he’d scorned the world, believing everyone to be hypocrites with moral facades and filthy minds, only to find himself worse... just a deluded fool.

Deluded in trust, deluded in suspicion. In his heart, there was no anger or shame, just overwhelming disgust—Once, he despised himself for hearing Yue’Er’s inner voice; now, he despised himself for hearing his own.

Perhaps the ugliness wasn’t in others, but in himself all along.

Climbing up, Shang Xuanwen’s eyes turned red, his heart-shredding pain driving him to madness, leaving only the mangled body in the distance in his sight. Instead of fleeing, he headed towards the Self-Burners!

The Self-Burners were ecstatic seeing this, charging with painful roars:

"Don’t let him escape!"

"Old Thief Shang, the vengeful souls from Zhenze are here for you!"

"Tonight is your burial ground!"

Shang Xuanwen felt no surprise in his heart. He had opposed the Taihu Rebel Bandits numerous times, forming an endless feud. He’d encountered revenge like this countless times, never regretting his actions, seeing it as a fight between officials and bandits, life or death. He used to think revenge was foolish, survival above all, but when it came to his turn, he was no smarter than the others.

Perhaps only tonight, he understood what hatred truly meant.

"What?" The rearmost Self-Burner stumbled, seeing his foot gripped.

By the body battered by most chains, flesh torn, resembling a mess of flesh grabbing him.

Shang Xuanwen’s pupils widened at this scene, wanting to shout something, but his throat felt mute, unable to produce any sound, for he saw the Mouse Monk looking at him too.

In those eyes, there was no pain, no fear, no resentment; even in the night, they were clear and bright. Shang Xuanwen enjoyed speaking with him, not without reason; anyone seeing those eyes couldn’t help but share their troubles... He was naturally a good monk.

Why go to such lengths? Clearly, in a few days, he could report to the Military Town and start a new life. Being a messenger or a monk was better than wasting life here... I haven’t even lent you the Heaven-Swaying Sword.

By this point, words were unnecessary. The opportunity he exchanged with his life was not one I’d waste.

Shang Xuanwen turned and ran wildly, regardless of the Self-Burners’ curses or whip lashes, with no intention of looking back. Near Jiangtai Avenue lived messengers, but they immediately retreated upon seeing Self-Burners, realizing that quietly waiting for them to burn out was the best strategy.

They were as fragile as moths, but if Shang Xuanwen dared to turn and stab, ten chains would immediately bind him; the stabbed Self-Burner would hold him tightly like a moth to flame. They weren’t afraid of death, longing only for a chance to incinerate themselves.

If Shang Xuanwen turned to fight, he would certainly kill two or three Self-Burners, but the consequences would be unbearable for him.

When Shang Xuanwen finally shook off the Self-Burners, the Heart-Protecting Mirror had already been broken once. He no longer took the main roads, afraid of other assassins, instead taking familiar paths, absorbing the Spiritual Jade to recover his strength as he went.

Then, he met two beauties under the moon.