Chapter 2 Part 2: Poison and Power Struggle
Outside Mechanism City:
"The gates are open Lin'er has succeeded."
"We're going in." Wei Zhuang led the way. Suddenly, a shadow darted from the cliffs, their eyes met silently, and the shadow dashed past, into the forest.
A cold snort followed Bai Feng had already rushed after the shadow, both vanishing into the woods. Wei Zhuang kept walking toward the city.
"Lord Wei Zhuang, the poison hasn't dispersed yet." The Quicksand group ignored him.
Gongshu Chou, with mediocre skills, didn't have the guts to enter the poison mist.
"Hmph, it's full of mechanisms inside; you'll suffer plenty."
Even this group outside the city wasn't united.
"General, the enemy's gate is open, glory awaits. Why not go in, but instead stay here with me, an old man?"
"Mr. Gongshu jests. I lack the skills of the Quicksand leader, and there are still remnants one just rushed out. Killing is for Quicksand; protecting Mr. Gongshu is my job. You're an imperial pillar; the city depends on your expertise, and if any harm befell you, I couldn't bear it."
He was thinking of Meng Tian's instructions: "Upon going to Mechanism City, taking it or not is their business; but if the city falls, Qinglong must belong to the Empire."
"You honor me, General." Gongshu understood perfectly this man was there to supervise, but picking fruit isn't so simple.
…
"What does Miss Rong wish to know?" Duanmu Rong looked at the young man before her handsome, vigorous, a rare talented youth, but now engaged in beastly acts.
"Why are you here, and why would you do… such things to us?"
Thinking of her own violation, she wished to give him a dose of poison to rot his organs for days.
Shaoyu dared not admit he acted out of lust, but now he understood these two Mohist leaders were obviously tricked, and to cover up would probably silence him. His life was at risk.
"Honestly, I don't know why I'm here. When I woke up, I was with you two. I'm the Young Master of the Xiang family, now allied with Mechanism City; how could I do such things?"
"At first I meant to wake you both, but somehow, approaching Miss Duanmu made me lose control…"
Mention of the Xiang family didn't change their expressions; Shaoyu cursed quietly these martial wanderers always despise clans, but mentioning the alliance made them somber.
Duanmu Rong blushed, realizing her secret of an aphrodisiac scent had been discovered.
But she quickly turned cold. "My body may have that scent, but it shouldn't be so strong; this boy's bold to try and trick us."
Seeing her face cloud over, Shaoyu panicked, but with no escape, decided to bluff live or die, it was all or nothing.
"You think I can't find out? Using such tricks?" Shaoyu's heart skipped could the medical immortal's skills really be that frightening? Aphrodisiacs aren't medicine, supposedly undetectable.
Truth is, Duanmu Rong was also distressed aphrodisiacs can overdraw one's potential. Examining Shaoyu's body could tell truth from lies, but his vitality was strong and, just frozen by Xue Nu, even her skills couldn't reveal anything.
"If Miss Duanmu discovers anything, it will clear my name. Later, when we catch the real villain, they'll be skinned alive."
Duanmu Rong placed her fingers on Shaoyu's wrist.
"Who captured you, then?"
"A Mohist disciple ambushed me from behind."
"What did he look like?" Shaoyu randomly described a disciple. She got nothing conclusive, but still decided to test him.
"You didn't take aphrodisiac." She watched him.
"Does Miss Duanmu mean to silence me?"
"When I woke, your eyes were clear, not confused, showing you were fine." Xue Nu coldly interjected.
…
"I was indeed conscious, but in that situation, I'm not some Confucian gentleman."
"So you admit it. Now you can die."
"What's that smell?" Just as Xue Nu moved to kill, Duanmu Rong sniffed the air.
"It's coming from outside." Her nose, more sensitive than theirs, detected the scent first, startling Xue Nu into pausing. Opening the door, Duanmu Rong nearly collapsed from cold.
"Jinyu Qianye." She weakly moaned. Xue Nu was also shocked by the sight gray fog everywhere, not at all the norm for Mechanism City.
Duanmu Rong's skills let her identify the poison instantly; she understood the city's desperate predicament, while Xue Nu, unaware, was ironically calmer.
As Duanmu Rong revealed the secret of Jinyu Qianye, Xue Nu went cold all over.
Shaoyu was shocked by such a terrible poison, but since Mechanism City wasn't dear to him, he stayed calm, thinking how to use this to escape.
"Ladies, it's dangerous now; you should be thinking about rescuing others."
Shaoyu didn't truly care for rescue, but if they decided to act, the Mohists' predicament would surely require his help his life secure.
"You're right, but we're too unsettled; if you have ideas, what should we do?"
Duanmu Rong knew he was young, but as Xiang clan's heir and a military genius, he must not be underestimated.
"In my view, Mohists are not doomed yet; if all sincerely cooperate, there's still hope."
The women, though he was just a boy, found his words inspiring.
"This time, Quicksand came in force, but really only Qin's army came as a facade. Now, I'm certain Qin's troops won't storm Mechanism City; our true enemies are just the Quicksand gang."
"But military action prizes speed; Mohism is exhausted why would Qin not attack?"
"First, the enemies used poison Quicksand can't give the antidote to Qin's army, so with the poison still present, Qin won't risk entering."
"Second, in military affairs, benefits unite, lack of benefit divides. Quicksand and Qin united to breach the city. Now that it's done, it's time to split the spoils; both sides must part ways."
"Third, the city's unfit for large armies; mechanisms everywhere mean reckless entry would mean heavy casualties. It's a battlefield for martial experts, not soldiers. As a commander, I'd advance step by step wait till strength built and Quicksand weakened by attrition, then swallow the city whole."
"Nice story, but when our Juzi returns, will you have any chance?"
"Once Juzi returns, the army will be ready. Would Juzi dare charge into the array?"
"So you're saying Mohists should just hand over the city?"
Shaoyu shook his head. Martial folk, after all.
"There's a way to save the city."
"Quicksand is overconfident; now is the time to defeat them. Win, and we control the entrance. The city is easy to defend, and we can keep Qin out."
"Each moment wasted means greater loss. Miss your chance irreversible."
"Fine, we'll find Master Ge for help; Shaoyu, you'll rescue the disciples."
"Leave Ge Nie to me; Miss Rong and Xue Nu know the mechanisms go start up the city system, buy us time."
The women paused, sensing Shaoyu's logic truly a military prodigy, and his arrangement was reasonable.
"Miss Rong, things are critical; if you have any means, use them without mercy."
Duanmu Rong's face changed, realizing he meant poison. Medicine and poison go hand in hand. She was kind by nature, and even now, wouldn't resort to poison against ordinary soldiers, but for Mohism, what choice was there…
Called a medical immortal, Duanmu Rong acted decisively ordinary Qin soldiers fell in droves, unseen.
Those who managed to stand retreated, leaving only small groups to scavenge safely.
…