PCA Chapter 143

Qi Lin held the rope with one hand and grabbed Qu Ling’er’s wrist with the other. The rope hanging on the cliff wall swayed violently for a few moments before finally stabilizing.

 

Qi Lin exerted force, pulling the person close to him. His hands were trembling, and he could feel that the body he embraced was also trembling.

 

So close, just so close, he had almost lost him.

 

“Brother Qi.” Qu Ling’er, as if still not recovered from his brush with death, called out again uncertainly, staring at the person before him without blinking.

 

Qi Lin tightened his grip: “I’ll settle accounts with you once we’re up.”

 

Those peach blossom eyes curved into a smile—it was indeed his Brother Qi.

 

But then he frowned, “How will we get back up? This rope can’t support both of us.”

 

Qi Lin found a foothold, used the rope to tie them together, and said: “Hold tight.”

 

Qu Ling’er’s arms were already firmly wrapped around Qi Lin’s waist; he wouldn’t let go even if asked.

 

Qi Lin tugged the rope, signaling those above to pull, but he didn’t rely solely on the rope. His toes touched off, and he soared upward. He had already identified several leverage points on the cliff wall and ascended several zhang in succession. Qu Ling’er was dumbfounded. Despite his own skill in lightness kung fu, he wouldn’t dare to ascend like this. One slip, one slight pause, could mean irreversible disaster. He didn’t know how his Brother Qi managed to move on the cliff wall as if walking on flat ground, as if already familiar with every stone, every exertion of force just right, neither too much nor too little, just enough to land on the next stone.

 

This way, they didn’t need to rely on the rope; the rope was just an extra safeguard, ensuring they wouldn’t plunge into the abyss if they missed a step.

 

Reaching a point where there were no more footholds, Qi Lin drew his sword and wedged it into the rock wall, creating a temporary foothold. They paused briefly.

 

Despite the rain pouring down, soaking both of them, Qu Ling’er was sure Qi Lin must be sweating. He pulled up his sleeve to wipe Qi Lin’s temples. “Brother Qi, I didn’t know your lightness kung fu was so good.”

 

Qi Lin shook his head slightly, his gaze upward, scrutinizing every critical point on the cliff wall, striving to ignore his unsteady breath and somewhat weak legs.

 

In his arms, he held his most precious burden, so he could only proceed with utmost caution.

 

The rope was being pulled up quickly, but it felt unusually light. A group of people had mustered their strength to pull up two people, but finding themselves exerting force into empty air, they nearly fell backward.

 

Su Cen lay at the edge of the cliff, looking down. His vision was somewhat blurred by the heavy rain, and the two people were pressed tightly against the cliff wall, making them easy to lose sight of in a moment of distraction. He feared that one careless mistake, one broken rope, and both people would be unable to return.

 

Fortunately, though their figures were fleeting, they were steadily ascending. Su Cen’s heart was somewhat relieved, but he didn’t dare relax, instructing people to be vigilant with the rope, in case the two needed it.

 

They made it up more than halfway without incident. When Qi Lin’s nimble figure could be clearly seen from the cliff top, and the last section of rope had no knots, Su Cen gradually breathed a sigh of relief. The tension in his heart finally eased a little.

 

Too many things had happened in one day, leaving him with a sense of powerlessness and physical exhaustion. Su Cen straightened up, took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled. The thick clouds overhead made it difficult for him to breathe, and his body had become somewhat numb from being washed by the heavy rain for so long.

 

He hadn’t expected that the case would ultimately involve the Secret Door again. If Xuzhou was like this, what about Suzhou? Yangzhou? Other places? How many locations were hiding beneath a seemingly calm surface, not yet revealing any clues?

 

What was the Secret Door using all that stolen silver for? And what role did Song Fan play in all this? Su Cen pressed his brow, as questions came one after another. He hadn’t realized how deeply entrenched the Secret Door was, yet it lingered like maggots clinging to bones. He felt a headache on Li Shi’s behalf.

 

“The two children are frightened. Let’s send them back first.” Seeing that matters here were mostly settled, Su Cen turned and said.

 

Uncle Cao held Er Ya’s hand with one hand and Huzi’s with the other, nodding to Su Cen, “I’ll personally thank that young man below for his kindness when I return.”

 

Su Cen nodded, but his gaze passed beyond Uncle Cao to look behind him. In the distance, the green mountains rose, and dense water mist emerged where they met the ground. Su Cen frowned slightly, his gaze gradually focusing. He felt as if something was slowly approaching through that mist, yet he couldn’t see clearly.

 

Just as he was about to turn his head, his pupils contracted sharply through the rain curtain.

 

Without warning, Su Cen pulled Uncle Cao, causing both children to stagger. The next moment, a whistling arrow brushed past their ears and disappeared into the void.

 

Everyone quickly turned to look.

 

“Hold the rope tight!” Su Cen commanded.

 

The officials had to turn back. Liang Fang handed over his current task and came closer, joining Su Cen and Uncle Cao in looking toward the source.

 

A group of people approached through the heavy mist—about a dozen, armed with crossbows, led by none other than Song Fan, whom they had just encountered!

 

Though not numerous, they all carried weapons, clearly different from their group who had come to rescue people. On their side, Qi Lin and Qu Ling’er were still below, leaving only Uncle Cao and Liang Fang with fighting capability. They not only had to protect Su Cen and the two children but also the officials holding the rope who couldn’t move.

 

The power disparity was enormous.

 

Uncle Cao drew his pipe from behind his back and stood protectively in front of the two children.

 

Song Fan approached step by step, smiling at Su Cen: “Lord Su, we meet again so soon.”

 

Su Cen coldly observed the brightly smiling person before him, offering no response.

 

Song Fan wasn’t offended and looked with interest at the two children hiding behind Uncle Cao. Raising one eyebrow, he smiled: “You’ve fished them up so quickly.”

 

“Then who’s down there?” Song Fan peered down the cliff. When Su Cen stepped forward to block his view, he reluctantly withdrew his gaze and said to Uncle Cao: “You’re not being fair. The two children suffered because of you, so why are you letting others take the punishment for you?”

 

Uncle Cao’s eyes widened in anger. Just as he was about to settle scores with Song Fan, Su Cen promptly blocked him.

 

Su Cen ignored Song Fan’s provocation and frowned calmly, asking with restraint: “What do you want?”

 

“Lord Su, you’re being so dull,” Song Fan wanted to spread his hands, but since one arm had been broken earlier by Uncle Cao and couldn’t be raised, he could only raise his eyebrows at everyone. “I don’t have any particular intention. I just came to greet everyone and say goodbye.”

 

Song Fan raised his hand, and the crossbows behind him were all raised, targeting Su Cen and the others.

 

Song Fan raised his lips in a smile: “Will you jump yourselves, or shall I help you on your way?”

 

Su Cen looked at Song Fan with furrowed brows, then suddenly smiled: “What a coincidence, I was about to say the same thing.”

 

Song Fan was taken aback and quickly turned around.

 

Behind them, a group of men had appeared unnoticed, each holding curved sabers, with powerful builds and bare chests revealing knotted muscles—these were Prince Ning’s three Tuoduo guards.

 

Qi Lin, bringing Qu Ling’er up from the cliff, took his curved saber from Wuchiha’s hand and fell into place.

 

The Tuoduo guards automatically made way, and a figure holding an umbrella emerged from behind the crowd, dressed in splendid clothing with an imposing presence. The umbrella lifted to reveal a pair of pitch-black eyes, deep as an unfathomable abyss.

 

It was the master of this pack of ruthless wolves—Prince Ning, Li Shi.

 

Su Cen smiled at Li Shi, then turned to look at Song Fan with rare amusement in his eyes: “Will you jump down yourself, or shall we help you on your way?”

 

Song Fan could finally no longer smile, his brow slightly furrowed: “You said you would let me go.”

 

“I also said I would catch you again,” Su Cen replied. “If you had left from the beginning, you would have been far from Qifeng Mountain by now, and no one could have caught you. But you had to come back and walk into the trap yourself.”

 

“You calculated against me again?!”

 

“It was you who couldn’t let go of the trap you’d set and had to come watch us fall into it. I merely turned your plan against you.”

 

Song Fan pressed his lips, knowing he was in the wrong. Making no needless struggle, he raised his hand to have his men lower their crossbows and smiled at Su Cen: “We surrender.”

 

Prince Ning slowly approached, pulling Su Cen under his umbrella as well. He looked down at Song Fan: “Execute them on the spot.”

 

“You can’t kill me,” Song Fan took two steps back, gripping his sword tightly, somewhat panicked. “Kill me, and you’ll never know where those six hundred thousand taels went.”

 

Su Cen frowned, looking troubled. Song Fan was a hidden danger, something Su Cen had long known. Apart from his mysterious identity, his extreme methods alone made him intolerable, and the heinous crimes he had committed warranted the death penalty. But as he said, to trace the whereabouts of the official silver, Song Fan had to be kept alive. From Huang Wan’er’s disappearance, he had planned the entire process of Xuzhou’s river repair funds. Even Uncle Cao, who was directly involved, might not understand all the links in the chain. And as for the whereabouts of the official silver, Song Fan wouldn’t tell anyone.

 

Li Shi, however, didn’t struggle with the decision as long as Su Cen did. “Mere six hundred thousand taels. If we can’t recover it, so be it.”

 

“I also know about the Secret Door!” Song Fan hurriedly said. “Don’t you want to know where the Secret Door’s headquarters is? Who’s really behind the Secret Door? I know all of it, and I can tell you!”

 

Su Cen suddenly understood Li Shi’s intention. “Your words are half-truths. How do we know what you’re saying is true?”

 

“I am the gate opener. I know the Secret Door’s most core secrets,” Song Fan, now without any imperial decree to protect him and with no effective leverage, could only offer sincerity with his life at stake. “That Qu Ling’er was hunted by the Secret Door back then, wasn’t it because he knew the secret of opening the gate!”

 

Everyone turned to look at Qu Ling’er, who was startled for a moment before slightly nodding.

 

It seemed that Song Fan indeed knew something.

 

Su Cen withdrew his gaze to look at Li Shi, seeking his opinion.

 

Li Shi turned his thumb ring, his eyes revealing a dangerous quality. After a long moment, Li Shi withdrew his hand and looked up to command: “Kill without mercy.”

 

Song Fan’s legs weakened, and he nearly collapsed to the ground.

 

Only after Li Shi had walked straight past him did he add: “Spare his dog life.”

 

It was a complete massacre. While the Tuoduo Guards were notorious, Su Cen had never seen them in action. But now only one phrase echoed in his mind—their reputation was well-deserved.

 

It all happened in an instant. Sharp blades sliced across necks, and many people didn’t even have time to wail before blood sprayed out, instantly staining the entire cliff red.

 

By the time everyone came to their senses, they only saw corpses scattered on the ground and the departing silhouettes of the Tuoduo Guards.

 

Song Fan stood frozen in place, his pupils slightly contracted, his legs trembling, unable to move at all.

 

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(advanced chapters available on kofi)