With Jiang Chen's approval, Ye Rong naturally dropped his insistence on a full city lockdown. These past few days, Crown Prince Ye Rong had weathered pressure from all sides—it hadn't been easy.
Memorials and impeachment charges from every faction had snowed down upon the King. Fortunately, His Majesty chose not to comment or take sides, opting instead to let the whole matter cool on its own.
He neither pressured Ye Rong nor reviewed any of the memorials.
It wasn't until Ye Rong ordered the city lockdown lifted that the pressure from all quarters gradually subsided.
When Lü Wuji learned that Ye Rong had cancelled the lockdown, he was a little surprised. Yang Zhao had warned him not to visit too often, but Lü Wuji couldn't help rushing over to Yang Zhao's residence.
"Uncle, it looks like Ye Rong couldn't hold out against the pressure. The lockdown is cancelled—this is our chance." Lü Wuji's expression was as venomous as a viper's.
"Hmph, I actually wish he'd held on a bit longer. The longer he dug in, the worse everyone's impression of him would be. This Ye Rong—he does know when to back down." Yang Zhao was genuinely disappointed. He had been itching to use this opportunity to impeach Ye Rong, perhaps even topple him entirely.
He hadn't expected Ye Rong to give up the lockdown after only a few days, robbing them of their best pretext.
But Lü Wuji said, "Uncle, as long as we eliminate Jiang Chen, what is there to fear from Ye Rong? Without Jiang Chen's support, Ye Rong is a tiger with no claws or fangs—nothing but a sick cat. When that time comes, bringing him down will be child's play."
Yang Zhao sighed. "This kid Jiang Chen is certainly important to Ye Rong. You could even say Ye Rong's rise to the position owes at least ninety percent of the credit to him. But Ye Rong is the Crown Prince now, and even without Jiang Chen, moving against him will require careful planning. It won't be easy at all. Wuji, you really need to temper that impatient temper of yours."
When Lü Wuji got carried away, Yang Zhao was quick to rein him in.
Lü Wuji chuckled. "Uncle's lesson is well taken. But the priority right now is dealing with Jiang Chen—wiping him out once and for all!"
On that point, Yang Zhao didn't object, merely nodding. "Wuji, the grand plan is already in motion. You need to guide the Chasing Fate Dark Gate carefully. And above all, remember—don't let yourself get dragged in."
"Heh heh, don't worry, Uncle. Once bitten, twice shy. Last time I played the tip of the spear for Ye Dai and it cost me dearly—why would I make the same mistake twice? Now the Chasing Fate Dark Gate will do the dirty work. Borrowing a knife to kill—what's not to like?"
Yang Zhao nodded. "Borrowing a knife to kill—exactly. That's the key. The Chasing Fate Dark Gate boasts they always settle their grudges. This time, let's watch them and Jiang Chen go at each other like dogs. Wuji, with the lockdown lifted, this is a golden opportunity for the Chasing Fate Dark Gate. But Jiang Chen is no ordinary opponent. Unless they're absolutely certain, they'd better not act rashly. It has to be a single, lethal strike—or else they should lie low and wait for the right moment. They must find the perfect chance to kill him in one blow. If they fail, getting rid of Jiang Chen will only become harder and harder."
"When it comes to killing, the Chasing Fate Dark Gate should be better at it than us, shouldn't they?" A sinister smile crept across Lü Wuji's lips. "They call themselves the strongest assassin organization in the Sixteen Kingdoms Alliance. Now with our intel and support, if they still can't handle some nobody like Jiang Chen, they might as well shut their doors for good!"
Lü Wuji had zero doubts about the Chasing Fate Dark Gate's assassination capabilities.
Jiang Chen might be freakishly talented and riding a wave of fame, but in the end he was just some lucky kid. All his little tricks and good fortune—before absolute power, Lü Wuji didn't believe Jiang Chen could survive the Chasing Fate Dark Gate's hit.
"Uncle, now that the lockdown's been lifted, I should go notify them and make some arrangements," Lü Wuji said.
Yang Zhao thought for a moment, then said, "If you go, you must be careful. Don't let anyone tail you. Otherwise, once word gets out, the entire favorable situation will crumble, and we'll be the ones dragged into the abyss."
Lü Wuji laughed. "Uncle, what line of work is the Dragon Tooth Guard in? We're the ones who tail others—getting tailed ourselves? I don't think that's something to worry about."
"Better safe than sorry. Every step we take now demands caution. One slip and the whole game could be lost." Yang Zhao, being the seasoned veteran he was, was naturally more cautious.
Dragon Tooth Guard operatives all knew each other's tricks inside and out—following one another unnoticed was essentially impossible.
Moreover, with the handful of people under Jiang Chen's command, tailing Lü Wuji was clearly out of the question. As for Ye Rong, even with his new status as Crown Prince, his network still couldn't rival that of a veteran Deputy Commander of the Dragon Tooth Guard.
In short, when it came to the caliber of his subordinates, Yang Zhao wasn't worried about Ye Rong. At least for now, he had nothing to fear.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have let Lü Wuji run around so freely. At this critical juncture, allowing Lü Wuji to meet with the Chasing Fate Dark Gate's people showed he was absolutely confident that in the intelligence game, he could completely outmatch Ye Rong's forces.
Lü Wuji wasn't stupid. After leaving Yang Zhao's residence, he didn't rush out right away. Instead, he waited half a day before setting off.
Once on the move, he didn't head straight to his destination. He wandered through the streets of the Royal Capital in circles, and only after confirming that no surveillance was trailing him did he make his way toward the Chasing Fate Dark Gate's hideout.
This time Lü Wuji was truly cautious—visible sentries and hidden watchers provided cover all along the route, clearly a precaution against being followed. He was the picture of vigilance.
When Blood Three saw Lü Wuji appear, he was mildly surprised. "You again? Don't tell me you really can run wild with impunity inside the Royal Capital of the Tiangui Kingdom?"
Blood Three didn't want Lü Wuji showing up so conspicuously.
"Is every assassin as paranoid as you?" Lü Wuji smiled. "I wouldn't come without good reason. This time, I've brought good news."