Chapter 654 468: When Will the Waiting End? (Part 2)

Zhou Kunshan's face grew increasingly pale.

In the past few months, his cultivation had advanced rapidly, as had the cultivation of the mining family's disciples.

The swift expansion of power gave him an illusion.

The Zhao Family.

Nothing more than that.

However, just as his ambition began to swell, Zheng Yi poured a cold bucket of water on it.

"But my lord..." Zhou Kunshan still retorted with some dissatisfaction, "Are we just going to wait here indefinitely?"

"Sooner or later, the Zhao Family will discover us."

"Especially the last time, I felt that the special agent looked at us suspiciously. Their people have already inspected the mine several times."

"Fortunately, we prepared in advance and coordinated our stories ahead of time, so they didn't find any issues."

"But I feel that this situation won't last much longer."

Zheng Yi nodded slightly: "You're right, your observations are sharp. I estimate that their patience is running thin."

"The death of the Zhao Family member is like the sky falling for those in charge of the investigation."

"The Zhao Family is pressing them eagerly, and they want to catch the culprit as soon as possible."

"At this time, our mine just happens to undergo special changes, making us the perfect scapegoat."

Zhou Kunshan also knew the matter was tricky, but only after hearing Zheng Yi's analysis did he realize how troublesome it was.

"My lord, that's why we should prepare in advance, right?"

Zheng Yi shook his head again: "The more prepared we are in advance, the more likely we are to be detected beforehand."

"Our best option now is to wait silently for the right moment."

Zhou Kunshan was utterly confused: "My lord, what exactly are we waiting for?"

Zheng Yi looked up at the sky: "Waiting for someone."

Southern State.

Another Fire Rock Ore mine.

In this Cangyan Realm, Fire Rock Ore seems to be everywhere; no matter how much is mined, more can always be dug up.

However, this Fire Rock Ore mine was several hundred times smaller than the one Zheng Yi and his group were at.

From time to time, dusty miners carried out a few pieces of Fire Rock Ore from small mining tunnels.

Not far from the cave entrance, an official-looking person sat under a parasol, impatiently watching the miners work.

"Damn these peasants, why are they so slow?"

"The bosses above only entrusted the mining task to our county because of my status as the County Magistrate of Zhenyang County."

"If this mine operates well, it will benefit our entire county. Don't they understand that?"

Beside him, a steward with a mustache respectfully brewed tea for the County Magistrate: "What you say is true, it's because of a noble official like you that Fire Rock Ore could be discovered here in Zhenyang County."

"This Fire Rock Ore doesn't run away, yet none of the previous magistrates ever discovered it. Only you came and found it."

It was clear the County Magistrate was quite pleased with the flattery, smugly raising his chin: "Indeed, I have been well-read since childhood, look at the mountain here..."

Before the County Magistrate could finish showing off, a sharp whip sound rang out.

Crack!

Both turned to look in the direction of the sound.

A soldier was angrily whipping a miner, who appeared to be in his forties.

"How many times has the master instructed you? The situation is urgent, you peasants had better hurry, don't delay the master's matters."

"Yet you lazy fools don't listen and dare to slack off. See if I don't beat you to death today!"

The surrounding miners looked on with pity, but dared not stop working.

After all, there were at least fifty soldiers around, watching them work.

If anyone was found moving a bit slowly, they would be whipped on the spot.

At this moment, a man who had just carried a Fire Rock Ore out of the mine dropped his bamboo basket and ran over to kneel, pleading: "Please be merciful, sir. He wasn't slacking, he accidentally caught a cold yesterday."

"Don't worry, we'll make sure it doesn't delay the work. I'll do his share of the work too."

The soldier wouldn't listen: "Who are you to tell me what to do?"

The soldier harshly whipped the pleading man across the head and face.

The man dared not resist, only trying to protect his brother by using his back to shield the blows.

Flesh and blood could not bear the cruelty of weapons.

Before long, his back was covered in bloody welts, and his clothes were torn to shreds.

Just as the two men seemed to be on the brink of death, a black shadow emerged from the forest.

A flick of the wrist sent a silver light flying, piercing the soldier's whip-wielding wrist instantly.

The soldier screamed in pain, dropping the whip to the ground.

"Enemy attack!"

Quick-reacting soldiers were already alert, raising their spears and charging towards the shadow's position.

But the shadow wasn't interested in entangling with them; rushing to the wounded soldier, grabbing his arm, and pulling out the dagger.

The soldier screamed even more like a slaughtered pig.

The shadow took hold of the soldier's arm and tossed him towards the pursuing soldiers.

In the blink of an eye, the shadow reached the County Magistrate.

All seemed to happen in an instant, but to the County Magistrate, it was as though it occurred in a flash.

A single assassin burst from the forest, a throwing knife pierced through the soldier's arm, reached him, and drew out the knife.

"Help..."

No sooner did he utter one word, the assassin's dagger was already on his neck.

Feeling the cold and sharp blade, the County Magistrate nearly wet his pants.

Forcing himself to suppress the fear in his heart, he pretended to be authoritative: "What do you want? Don't you know I'm an official of the Imperial Court? To attack an official is equivalent to rebellion, a crime punishable by the Nine Clans."

"I'm really sorry about that," the assassin's voice was warm, not at all like a ruthless person: "Because my Nine Clans is down to just me."

The County Magistrate was dumbfounded—was this even possible?

Meanwhile, the soldiers had surrounded them.

The steward, scrambling and crawling on all fours, finally ran a good distance away before looking back.

He saw the soldiers surrounding the County Magistrate and the assassin, with the spears pointed at the assassin, and sighed in relief.

Standing up, he nonchalantly dusted himself off, as if he hadn't been the one running desperately a moment ago.

"You audacious traitor, release the County Magistrate at once, or at my command, you'll be dead where you stand."

The assassin gently pressed the blade against the County Magistrate's neck, turning his face green with fear, and shouted: "Stop! Without my order, no one is allowed to move."

He then gave the steward a vicious glare.

There had been rumors that the steward wanted to take his place, which he had never really believed.

But now it seemed more than possible.

Otherwise, how could this guy provoke the assassin like this? It was as if he wanted the assassin to kill him instead.

The County Magistrate's harsh look left the steward on the verge of tears.

Heaven help him, he honestly hadn't harbored any such thoughts. Even if he once had, after knowing this County Magistrate had ties with a significant figure in the Central State, he had abandoned those thoughts entirely.

He only wished to complete his three-year tenure and see off this well-backed County Magistrate.

If lucky, he might even fill the vacancy afterward.

Having offended the County Magistrate, forget about filling any vacancies; he feared he'd be out on the street after today.

Utterly defeated and purposeless, the steward quickly faded into the background.

Among the soldiers, a fully-armored Captain coldly eyed the assassin.

"If you hurt the County Magistrate in the slightest, I swear you won't leave here alive today."