Chapter 223: All is Revealed
Translated by Gumihou
Please read this at kitchennovel dot com
Sweat popped up on Su Dong Lou’s forehead, and he gritted his teeth. He was about to throw himself forward to stop Feng Gu when a sharp [Shi!] sound cut through the air. In a flash, the ball of fireworks that Feng Gu had tossed to the air fell to the ground in two pieces.
At the same time, a figure from several meters away dashed into the small clearing. Without so much as a word of greeting, the newcomer ran forward and immediately engaged Feng Gu into a battle.
“Stop this!”
Lu Feng Yu yelled. Suddenly, the two figures stopped fighting, apparently in deference to his words, but then Feng Gu’s body fell forward. A line of fresh blood seeped from a deep cut on her forehead. Her beautiful eyes were wide open in shock, as though she could not believe that she had died so quickly.
Duan Tingxuan flicked the blood off his blade and slipped the sword into its scabbard. It was only then, that he finally felt his own heart beginning to settle into a more natural rhythm.
As to why he had killed this woman so mercilessly. Well, this Feng Gu person had threatened to kill Su Nuan Nuan. If Su Dong Lou had not managed to rescue Su Nuan Nuan, the little marquis knew that he would have exposed himself earlier in order to save her. Nothing would have been able to stop him. Not even for the sake of the mission.
“So, it really is you.” Lu Feng Yu did not appear anxious at all. He even slow clapped twice, laughing, “Did I not say this to you before? If you are to one day achieve greatness, the thought of you having waited on me so respectfully and calling yourself my servant would serve to entertain me like nothing else.”
Duan Tingxuan’s eyes narrowed dangerously, but he did not answer the enemy immediately. Instead, he looked over at Su Nuan Nuan to ask, “Are you alright?”
“Hahaha, what kind of joke are you making, surely your eyes are working…” Lu Feng Yu stopped, something made him uneasy. It was clear to everyone that Su Dong Lou could easily take Su Nuan Nuan hostage, but… why did Duan Tingxuan not charge forward and rescue his lover, but had chosen to kill Feng Gu in that split second instead?
He was no fool. In that instant, a cold feeling rose from the bottoms of his feet. He quickly cast his eyes over at Su Dong Lou and found the other pointing his sword at him. When Su Dong Lou caught him looking over, a slow smirk took over his face, “Even after all my efforts, I nearly fell prey under your venomous fangs, you snake. However, it looked like all my efforts have not been in vain. You have finally fallen into my hands.”
[Gumihou: … er, why is Su Dong Lou making such a villain-ish speech?]Lu Feng Yu looked blankly at Su Dong Lou, as though he could not accept what his eyes were telling him. Finally he muttered, “How? How can this be? No, no… it can’t be. I can’t have seen it wrongly.”
This time, it was Su Dong Lou’s turn to be bewildered, he smiled coldly, “What do you mean ‘how can this be?’ Wu! Well, it’s true that for the sake of earning your trust, I have put in incredible effort. I’ve even killed that fake Long Pingzhang without hesitation and revealed Duan Tingxuan’s true identity to you. If even all this can’t earn your trust, then there’s really something wrong with this world.”
“Humph! Hahaha…” Lu Feng Yu suddenly laughed out loud. There was a tinge of hysteria in his laughter, and it was a long time before he could finally stop. He flashed cold eyes at Su Dong Lou and said mockingly, “I have always been a paranoid one. Aside from His Lordship, I never trusted anyone in my life. I have no friends, only acquaintances. Why do you think I finally trusted you?
It all came down to two irrefutable facts. It’s because of these two facts that I was able to bring myself to trust you. However, even that level of trust was not enough for me to come to Immortal’s Range with just you. I still had Hong Luo and Lu Qi escort us here. Don’t congratulate yourself just yet.”
“Lu Qi and Hong Luo? Wu, you mean to say they are your backup?” Su Dong Lou’s brows twitched. After being suppressed by this venomous snake for a whole year, to be able to get the upper hand was incredibly satisfying. Finally. Finally, he could stomp on this cunning, venomous snake as much as he liked. Humph, soon he would be able to torture this fellow however he wished. With this thought in mind, he did not bother to argue too much with Lu Feng Yu.
“Now that Duan Tingxuan has appeared, and you’ve exposed your true allegiance, how could you just let Hong Luo and Lu Qi get away? If they still have any strength to retaliate, would I have really spoken their names out loud to remind you of their existence?”
Lu Feng Yu’s voice was steady, but remote. Lu Qi and Hong Lou had entered the bamboo hut with him, but until now they haven’t shown themselves. Who knows what kind of underhanded trick Su Dong Lou had employed to incapacitate them. It was entirely possible that they were both dead by now.
“I am really curious, you told me that if not for two irrefutable facts, you’d never have trusted me to this point. Just what are those two facts? How about you let me know them?” Su Dong Lou smirked as he stared at Lu Feng Yu’s indignant face. For some reason, this fellow’s misery seemed to bring him a lot of joy and happiness.
“If you had not fallen for me, I would never have treated you as a trusted aide in this lifetime.”
Lu Feng Yu laughed coldly, his clear eyes narrowed into their characteristic crescents as the apples of his cheeks plumped up. However, despite the obvious mirth, there was nothing but disdain in his eyes. At Su Dong Lou’s startled look, he said flatly, “Well? You never thought I’d realise this, do you? I have already discerned your regard early on. It was this, in addition to the two missions you have completed so beautifully that I was able to allow myself to feel safe in your hands. However, it looks like I have really been too blind and stupid. Having forgotten that too many people in this world value high positions and great wealth over sentimental feelings.”
Su Dong Lou was really shocked. He really had thought that no one would ever know these shameful feelings of his. He had even exerted special effort to conceal his feelings from Lu Feng Yu, but who would have thought that he was so easily seen through by the other party? Just how keen and sensitive was this man’s insight? It was almost too frightening to imagine.
The only other person more shocked than Su Dong Lou was Duan Tingxuan. As for Su Nuan Nuan, she was merely a little stunned, before shrugging off the fact. She thought to herself: Did I not say right at the beginning that this Dong Lou brat sounded odd whenever he bring up Lu Feng Yu? Well? Looks like I was right!
“Dong Lou, what he said… surely it’s not true, ba?”
After a long silence, the little marquis finally ventured this question. Su Dong Lou calmly looked at him and nodded, “He’s right. I really have fallen for him. Tingxuan, are you going to look down on me for this?”
“This is not a matter of looking down or not looking down. This is something that shouldn’t and couldn’t happen. Especially with this kind of man. You… you of all people should know how despicable and treacherous he is. You… very well, it’s not like there are no cases of men being with men, but those are merely temporary entertainment only.
For you to really fall for this kind of man… no, there is no way that anyone would allow it. Not only will I not permit it. I believe even the crown prince and His Majesty would not permit it. You had better just give up this stupid line of thought.”
Su Dong Loud did not argue with him. He swiftly changed the subject, “The three Lao Shan brothers should be here soon. We had better enter the bamboo hut and talk. That’s right, we better clear up this place too in order not to arouse their suspicion.”
With more urgent matter at hand, Duan Tingxuan could only nod in agreement. He watched as Su Dong Lou seized Lu Feng Yu by the arm and marched him into the bamboo hut. Then, he and Su Nuan Nuan brought Feng Gu’s body into the hut with them. Because she was so stabbed precisely on the forehead and died instantly, there was hardly any blood. Therefore, it was a moment’s work to clean up the area and conceal the scent of blood.
When they both entered the bamboo hut. Lu Feng Yu had been forced to sit on a chair with an ashen face. Lu Qi and Hong Lou were lying on the floor in a dead faint. The two of them had been drugged by Su Dong Lou at the tea stall earlier. It was by good luck and chance that both made it all the way to the bamboo hut before fainting dead away.
Because of his hypervigilance and lack of opportunity, Lu Feng Yu’s tea was not drugged. However, since Su Dong Lou had no fear against a feeble scholar, he had not really worked at drugging him.
[Gumihou: I have complicated feelings about this chapter. I know that I should support MC and ML, but Lu Feng Yu is so pitiful now… ]
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Translated by Gumihou from kitchennovel dot com.
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