Gamers Are Fierce

A carriage traversed the bustling city streets.

The horse was a tall and robust steed with lustrous black fur and spirited eyes.

The carriage was made of ebony, a high-top model that was costly yet understated in its luxury.

Seated inside with eyes closed in contemplation was a middle-aged man in a white robe, his face somber.

This man's surname was Bai, his given name Yongyan, a Guest Elder at the Shu Palace who excelled in alchemy, pharmacy, and geomancy, thereby gaining the deep trust of the Shu King.

Beyond this, he held another identity—he was the deputy leader of the Holy White Lotus Harmonious Sect in Lvzhou City.

CLOP, CLOP, CLOP.

The crisp sound of hooves could not be muffled, even on the noisy streets.

Suddenly, Bai Yongyan opened his eyes and spoke in a low voice to the Coachman through the lifted curtain, "Stop at Jilin Hall up ahead."

Jilin Hall was the name of a pharmacy, where Bai Yongyan, as a Necromancer, would periodically visit to procure medicinal materials.

The carriage slowly came to a halt. Bai Yongyan stepped out, glanced at the yellow gourd hanging under the Jilin Hall signboard, and casually ordered the Coachman to wait outside for a moment while he stepped into the pharmacy.

The pharmacist, seeing this frequent customer, was exceptionally enthusiastic. He directed his assistants to attend to other patrons while he quickly stepped out from behind the counter. Approaching respectfully, he said, "Mister Bai, you've come! What medicine would you like to gather today?"

Bai Yongyan's face remained expressionless as he simply said, "Saposhnikovia root, Goutweed Leaf, poria, and three-year-old Tiger Blood Vine..."

After all the medicinal herb names were listed, the pharmacist frowned in recollection, then hesitated. "Unfortunately, we've sold out of the three-year-old Tiger Blood Vine. How about I take you to the storeroom to see? We have a few two-year-old vines there."

Bai Yongyan nodded. Led by the pharmacist, he ascended to the second floor and entered an empty room.

With no one else around, the pharmacist bowed respectfully to Bai Yongyan and said in a soft voice, "Mister Bai, Leader Song Jie is inside waiting for you."

"Open the door," Bai Yongyan said indifferently.

This Jilin Hall was a property of the Lvzhou Branch of the White Lotus Cult; the pharmacist and the assistants were all followers of the faith. Usually, they conducted regular business, providing medical relief and selling medicine to save lives. However, if the Holy White Lotus issued an order, they could also zealously poison the medicine or even release toxins, contaminating Lvzhou's entire water supply.

As a Guest Elder of the Shu Palace, Bai Yongyan's identity was sensitive and could not be exposed. Consequently, whenever his superiors wanted to contact him, they would subtly change the size, color, or pattern of the gourd hanging outside Jilin Hall, signaling a meeting in its secret chamber.

The pharmacist took a key from his waist and opened a concealed door, which led to another room where several people were already seated.

Song Jie, leader of the Lvzhou Branch of the Holy White Lotus, several deputy leaders of Bai Yongyan's rank, and... two young women in white?

A flicker of recognition sparked in Bai Yongyan's mind; he felt as though he had seen these two women somewhere before.

He stepped through the hidden door. As it closed behind him, he recognized the two women—they were attendants of the Saint Heir.

Why would they be here? Bai Yongyan wondered, somewhat confused. The White Lotus Cult forces in Lvzhou City were mostly the private army of a certain protector, exceedingly loyal. That protector and the Saint Heir did not get along; they had clashed several times and harbored significant enmity. How could the Saint Heir's attendants appear in Lvzhou? And from the looks of it, Song Jie, the Lvzhou leader, was conversing quite amiably with them? Wasn't Song Jie afraid someone would report to the protector, resulting in his dismissal? Or had the protector already given up competing with the Saint Heir, opting for peaceful coexistence?

Bai Yongyan's mind raced, but his face remained expressionless.

Upon seeing Bai Yongyan approach, Song Jie stood up and greeted him with a beaming smile. "Mister Bai has arrived! Please, take a seat."

Sitting down, Bai Yongyan cupped his hands in a salute and glanced at the two maidservants, feigning ignorance as he asked, "Leader, who might these two be...?"

Song Jie introduced them, "These two sisters from the Holy Church are maidservants to the Saint Heir. They have come to Lvzhou this time to discuss the matter of the Annam Diplomatic Corps' Auspicious Beast with our Lvzhou branch."

"But... hasn't this matter already been settled?"

Bai Yongyan hesitated. "After the Annam Diplomatic Corps enters Lvzhou, they will stay at Yongling Temple. The following day, the Shu King will host a banquet at the Shu Palace to welcome them. At that time, we will coordinate from inside and out, and as the banquet concludes, we will launch a surprise attack on the Shu Palace and forcibly seize the iron cage imprisoning the Auspicious Beast."

This plan was highly prioritized by the upper echelons of the White Lotus Cult, and preparations had begun several months in advance. To increase the chances of success, the protector from the Holy Church had spared no effort in providing resources to the Lvzhou branch, aiming to arm those involved in the plan to the teeth.

"That was the original plan, indeed."

Song Jie nodded, exchanging a glance with the two maidservants. "It's just that now a special circumstance has arisen..."

Bai Yongyan furrowed his brow and asked, "What circumstance?"

"We want to be even closer to where the events will unfold," Song Jie said slowly. "It's not that I don't trust you, but being at the actual scene would certainly increase the probability of the operation's success. So, could you possibly arrange a spot for us at the banquet?"

"What?"

Bai Yongyan's brow furrowed. He stood up and said in a low voice, "Impossible! The Shu Palace is heavily guarded. Even I, as a Guest Elder who has served the Shu Palace for ten years, only have a chance to attend the banquet. There's absolutely no hope of arranging extra seats."

He took half a step back, his dissatisfied and suspicious gaze darting between Song Jie and the two maidservants. "Leader Song, is this the protector's will, or your own idea?"

"It's my own idea."

Song Jie sighed. After exchanging a glance with the maidservants, he said, "Since we can't arrange seats, we'll have to resort to the second plan."

"The second plan?"

Bai Yongyan had an uneasy feeling. In the cramped room, all eyes were fixed on him—cold, indifferent, seemingly ready to devour him.

"Yes," Song Jie nodded. "Look, could you willingly give up this guise of yours and let us take your place to enter the Shu Palace..."

As he spoke, Song Jie's face was silently changing.

The forehead, eyes, nose, mouth, ears, hair...

By the time the last word was spoken, Song Jie's face had become identical to Bai Yongyan's.

"You!"

Bai Yongyan sprang up from his chair, looking at Song Jie in alarm. "You've copied my face?"

"Oh, it's not just about copying your entire face," Song Jie shook his head, a sinister, strange smile playing on his lips. "Since you're unwilling to cooperate properly with me, then I'll have no choice but to invite you to hell."

From him, the two dignified and pure maidservants, and the other deputy leaders of the Lvzhou branch, dense green plant fibers continuously emerged.

Endless vines cascaded to the ground, spreading rapidly along the floor and filling every crevice in the room. They sealed Bai Yongyan's screams, along with the bolts of lightning and bursts of fire he unleashed, completely within the narrow secret chamber.