Chapter 103: The Assassination of the Bride

The carriage continued to jolt, and the mood inside rose and fell with each bump.

If there were to be a second He Yijun, a second Ghost Shadow Longkong, a second Jin Mailang, or a second Qi Shiqi in this martial world, there would absolutely never be a second Zhang He.

His intelligence and wit were truly unmatched by anyone.

Though he couldn’t see what was happening outside, he still had his ears. From the sounds he discerned, he analyzed the ever-changing situation.

In the wedding procession, the dozens of players at the front were joyously blowing horns and beating drums, but suddenly the sound of suona, flutes, and gongs rose sharply, as if a weary traveler who had journeyed hundreds of miles through the wilderness suddenly spotted a village with smoke curling from chimneys—instantly invigorated and quickening their pace.

Even without seeing it, one could imagine the outline of the town of Happy Forest appearing in every player’s sight. The wedding procession from the Famous Sword Manor was about to merge with the welcoming team from the Beggar’s Sect.

The time Zhang He had to act was running short, yet the bride still leaned motionless against the couch. Her silence was unnerving, as if she had no intention of rising.

By this point, the back of the Flowing Cloud Blade pressed against the muscles of his chest, causing a dull ache, yet Zhang He still endured, as if he were an ancient ice statue frozen in the darkness.

No one understood the essence of endurance better than him. Life itself was a process of patience; the game even more so. The maddening waiting and silent suffering were all for the one dazzling strike, for that moment of glory and bloom.

Of course, the reason Zhang He could still endure now was his firm belief that the timing wasn’t right, and perhaps the “mysterious figure” hiding in the shadows was even more anxious than he was.

Then, the carriage finally stopped jolting. It seemed to have come to a halt, and Zhang He’s heartbeat quickened—his opportunity had arrived.

At that moment, no matter how hard he tried, Zhang He couldn’t guess what was happening outside.

On the main road approaching the town of Happy Forest, three mounted players blocked the way. This group of two men and one woman struck the steward Yan Jiu as peculiar, especially since he couldn’t understand a word of what they were saying.

Woman: “Boss, how do you feel riding this horse? We spent 300 taels of silver renting it, and it costs 25 taels daily for upkeep. The merchant said it’s a BMW.”

Big Brother: “BMW? Can you buy a BMW engine for 300 taels? I think this horse is at best like a Jetta.”

Man: “Boss, if this horse really is like a Jetta, wouldn’t it be embarrassing to ride it to Famous Sword Manor?”

Woman: “Why?”

Man: “Sister Gong, you don’t get it. We’re visiting Famous Sword Manor to seek apprenticeship. If our ride is too shabby, we lose face. They won’t take us seriously.”

Woman: “That makes sense!”

Big Brother: “You two are just talking nonsense, with no sense of the bigger picture or political direction.”

Both: “Why?”

Big Brother sneered: “Are we officials? Obviously not. We’re ordinary folks going to join a sect and find an organization. If you show up in a BMW or Mercedes to apprentice, do you think they’ll accept you? They might think you’re some rich second-generation heir and even try to extort money from you.”

Woman: “Boss, you’re right. Now I realize I’m not embarrassed at all.”

Man: “Yeah, it’s thoughtful of you, boss. We have no reason to change our ride.”

Big Brother: “Heh, the three of us siblings united, working together, will surely succeed in this rural ten-thousand-yuan income increase survey.”

...

Hearing such familiar voices and strange talk, no one needed to look to know who had arrived—damn impressive, the three leaders had gathered again.

Yan Jiu and his party stood dumbfounded, utterly unable to understand the nonsense these three lunatics spouted.

But at that moment, Zhang He’s heart sank. He could now firmly conclude that the arrival of these three leaders was not orchestrated by the “mysterious figure,” for apart from Yan Yishan and Bai Shuangfei, no one else knew of Zhang He’s relationship with the three.

This was clearly an unexpected event. No matter how intricate the plan, accidents were inevitable.

I say, three leaders, why don’t you focus on resolving your first-level administrative staffing issues instead of coming here to meddle in rural income surveys?

But then again, Zhang He himself did not quite understand what this so-called “rural ten-thousand-yuan income increase survey” was all about.

While Zhang He grew secretly anxious, the three leaders began to “clash” with Yan Jiu and Miss Fourth.

Vice Chairman of the Trade Union: “What? You’re from Famous Sword Manor? Don’t joke. Is this what Famous Sword Manor looks like?”

Yan Jiu scowled: “Then what do you think it should be like?”

Director of the Finance Bureau solemnly said: “Look at you, banging drums and blowing suonas and flutes. Though this is a small county town, you should know that beyond this point is the city center. Your noisy racket disrupts the city’s appearance and creates noise pollution. Believe me, I’ll notify the Comprehensive Management Office immediately.”

Yan Jiu had expected these three to seize the opportunity to cause trouble, but he didn’t expect such a stern reprimand from the director. He nearly fell off his horse in shock.

Miss Fourth surprisingly kept her composure. Though these three were insane, the procession was about to enter the city, a critical moment not to be messed up.

This was a point where Miss Fourth and Zhang He shared common ground: extraordinary circumstances required extraordinary words.

“I say, friends, we’re a wedding procession. Our girl is getting married. Please step aside, won’t you? Don’t block the road. I’ll give you a red envelope later.” Miss Fourth hoped this would stump them.

But she was dead wrong—terribly wrong. Trying to talk politics with leaders was naive. Could she possibly win?

The Discipline Inspection Committee Secretary wore an expression of utmost sincerity: “Even if you’re getting married, you should have gone to the Jiangdu Civil Affairs Bureau first. That’s basic knowledge. Seems like you have other motives coming to Happy Forest. Confess—what unit are you from?”

Miss Fourth was instantly overwhelmed.

Zhang He on the carriage could barely suppress a laugh, but dared not, for he already sensed the opportunity was near.

Because with leaders like these blocking the way, Yan Jiu and Miss Fourth might be puzzled, but Jin Mailang would never allow them to be impeded for long.

Sure enough, in less than a minute, the Vice Chairman of the Trade Union exclaimed in shock: “I always knew you lot were troublemakers. How dare you attack? After all, we’re administrative staff—”

Her words were cut off by the sound of rapid impacts. Clearly, some melee players in the procession had launched an assault.

At this moment, Zhang He could no longer judge the battle’s outcome. He heard the Secretary shout, “Watch my unyielding golden spear!” Then Miss Fourth cried out, followed by the director shouting, “Call the police!” Chaos erupted outside with the clashing of weapons.

Zhang He’s breath nearly stopped. He had finally waited for the perfect moment to strike, for he saw the bride move at last.

Miss Third slowly stood, as if to lift the curtain and see what was happening outside. The most suffocating sight was that she seemed to recall something, and thought the bright red bridal veil covering her head was a hindrance. While preparing to remove the veil, she walked toward Zhang He, seemingly to hang the veil on the wall before stepping out.

This was the only chance, and the only way to act without breaking down the door or alerting those outside, for she was now just a wall away.

Zhang He knew he could wait no longer. If he missed these few seconds, the chance would be gone.

At this moment, his internal energy and martial arts had already converged. His entire focus fixed on the bride’s chest.

Suddenly, with a flick of his wrist, the Flowing Cloud Blade spun upward. He thrust it forward, and with a sharp “snatch” sound, like a woodpecker pecking a tree, the keen blade finally pierced through the wooden board...

The scene appeared ordinary, far less spectacular than most player duels.

It wasn’t flashy, but it was precise and effective, for the Flowing Cloud Blade had pierced the bride’s heart.

True killing techniques never look elegant—just as true assassins never become famous.

Indeed, it was a critical strike. Fortune finally favored Zhang He after his long endurance.

Critical yellow damage:

“-622!”

Due to the wooden board’s obstruction, the damage was reduced, but it was enough.

The bride let out a muffled groan, her whole body convulsing.

Zhang He retracted his blade, and she slowly collapsed onto a pile of red bridal quilts, not even having time to remove her red veil before falling.

This strike might not have been fast, but Zhang He’s timing was flawless—perfect.

Yet as she fell backward, Zhang He suddenly sensed something was wrong.

He realized the bride seemed much taller than usual. When she rose and faced him earlier, his keen perception should have noticed, but he was like a drawn bow, all his focus on the heart, unable to pay attention to other details.

Only now, after the strike landed and his mission was seemingly accomplished, did he realize this crucial oversight.

Sometimes, even a seemingly insignificant detail can lead to ruin.

Zhang He stopped caring about the chaos outside or the danger of being inside the carriage.

The Flowing Cloud Blade sliced open a few cuts in the wooden boards with a “shhh” sound. Then he stepped out of the secret compartment, approached the body, and reached for the red veil covering the corpse’s face.

He would never have imagined whose face lay beneath that red veil, nor who he had just killed.