I am the villain in the book

Lingzhou, Huailing City.

A crescent moon hung in the sky, casting a layer of white frost over the ground.

Half an hour later, just as the Liu family mansion was reduced to ashes in a raging fire, and the corpses of the two hundred people inside were turned to charcoal, the tightly closed door finally creaked open.

"Changtian."

Liang Zhen, who had been waiting outside the door, hurried to greet him, his eyes darting into the room.

Candlelight illuminated the scene, revealing two bodies sprawled on the ground. As expected, only one of the three envoys had survived.

"Uncle Liang, prepare a carriage. Lord Zhao is going back."

Standing before him, Wei Changtian's expression was calm, but his eyes held a hint of suppressed gloom.

The "Lord Zhao" he referred to was undoubtedly the "survivor" in the room.

Yes.

The latter had provided the answer to Wei Changtian's final question.

Moreover, Tang Chen had confirmed that what he said was true.

With that settled, Wei Changtian had kept his promise, and had also given him a Puppet Pill.

As for whether this Lord Zhao would survive after returning, that would depend on his own abilities.

"Alright, I'll have someone prepare the carriage immediately."

Meanwhile, Liang Zhen, not noticing the unusual look in Wei Changtian's eyes, nodded and said softly:

"By the way, Changtian, Miss Li said earlier that she had something to do, so I found her a quiet room."

"She also said to let her know when you were finished here, so I could inform her."

Liang Zhen quickly relayed Li Zimu's earlier instructions to Wei Changtian in their entirety.

Wei Changtian showed no surprise upon hearing this, suggesting he was indeed aware of the matter.

"Yes, I did ask her to do that."

"Uncle Liang, you don't need to send someone to inform her."

"Where is she now? Just take me there directly."

"Alright, I'll have someone take you there."

Liang Zhen agreed, but after a moment of hesitation, he couldn't help but lower his voice and ask:

"Changtian, did you find anything out?"

"..."

"Reporting to Young Master, this servant has already sent a message, informing him of your meeting with the envoys of the Qian and Hui nations."

"What did he say?"

"He didn't say much, only instructing this servant to try to find out the results of the negotiation."

"Mm."

Nodding and sitting down at the table, Wei Changtian sighed, his expression gradually becoming complex.

Seeing his appearance, Li Zimu immediately understood.

"Young Master, Chu Xianping, could it be that he is truly colluding with the enemy?"

"Colluding?"

Wei Changtian gave a wry smile: "I'm afraid it's no longer as simple as collusion."

"..."

The candlelight flickered, and Li Zimu's breath hitched.

Not just collusion... then wouldn't that be betrayal?

Such news was naturally shocking, but Li Zimu quickly regained her composure and asked softly:

"Young Master, shall we proceed according to the plan?"

"Yes, give the orders."

Wei Changtian slowly closed his eyes, his voice somewhat strained.

He seemed a little tired, and after saying those words, he leaned back in his chair and fell silent.

Li Zimu brought a cup of hot tea and gently placed it by his hand, then turned and walked out of the room.

"Miss Li, how is it?"

Outside the room, Zhang San, now the chief of the "Tianji Institute," looked anxious. Seeing Li Zimu come out, he quickly stepped forward and asked:

"What did the Young Master say?"

"Brother Zhang San..."

Li Zimu looked at Zhang San, and in the latter's astonished gaze, slowly replied:

"Send the message."

"..."

A quarter of an hour later.

Da Shu, Shuzhou City, the headquarters of the Gongji Society.

"Bang! Bang bang bang bang!"

"Everyone! Get out here now!!"

"Drop your weapons and you'll live! Resisters will be killed without mercy!!"

"Quick! Don't let anyone get away!"

"Ah!! The Imperial Guards! It's the Imperial Guards!!"

"No! Why are the Imperial Guards here?!"

"Damn it! How the hell would I know?!"

"Sir, sirs, these are all Young Master Wei's people, you, you are..."

"Stop talking nonsense! Kneel!"

"Tie them all up! Take them all back to the dungeon!"

"..."

The Gongji Society's headquarters, the residences of all hall masters and above, the residences of Chu Xianping and Song Li...

When the twenty thousand Imperial Guards left Weiyang Palace without warning, splitting into several groups and heading straight for the above locations, Shuzhou City, which had been quiet for a long time, suddenly fell into chaos.

Shouts, flames, command flags, horse neighs... Sounds and shadows intertwined in every corner, making the city's people even think that the armies of Qian and Hui had suddenly flown over from the Xin Feng battlefield.

In fact, it wasn't just Shuzhou City.

At almost the same time, all Gongji Society halls within the borders of Da Ning and Da Shu, except for Qingzhou, were raided by the Suspended Mirror Division.

The latter wasn't there to kill people, mainly focusing on capturing important figures.

Even so, the fact that the Gongji Society and the Suspended Mirror Division, two forces that everyone knew belonged to the Wei family, had suddenly turned against each other, caused a great shock in both countries for a time.

As for Qingzhou City, the only place that remained calm during this chaos, and the most important figure in this incident, Chu Xianping himself, what was he doing now?

[Xianping, the negotiations have ended, all six envoys are dead, Young Master probably didn't find anything out.]

[Aren't you going to find the sword tonight? Did you find it?]

[For some reason, I miss you a little today...]

[...]

The jade pendant in his hand still held warmth, and the Chixiao Sword beside him trembled slightly with the jolting of the carriage.

Echoing in his mind were the messages that Li Zimu had just sent. Chu Xianping smiled, then unleashed a trace of internal energy to grind the jade pendant into powder.

Crushing the jade pendant, burning the Gongji Society's "codebook," he straightened his sleeves and collar.

Chu Xianping quietly completed all of this, slowly closing his eyes as if waiting for something.

Then, the carriage slowly stopped.

"Young Master Chu."

The voice of the black-clad constable rang out outside the carriage, surrounded by silence.

Perhaps it was an illusion, but his tone seemed a little nervous, and along with it came a faint sound of drawing swords.

"Young Master Chu, we've arrived, please get out of the carriage."

Outside the carriage, the black-clad constable's voice rang out again, and light footsteps surrounded the carriage from all directions.

Even at this moment, Chu Xianping still didn't speak, nor did he open his eyes.

Although separated by the carriage wall, although these movements were light.

He didn't need to see or hear to guess what the scene outside was like.

He had even guessed it long before the carriage stopped, no, long before he set out for Shouyang Mountain tonight.

After all, what need was there to mobilize five hundred people for just the Liu family?

"..."

The night was deep, there was wind but no rain, there was a moon but no stars.

Chu Xianping kept his eyes closed until a sudden exclamation rang out in his ears, followed by the clash of swords, muffled thuds, and mournful howls...

Like an illusion, all the movements outside the carriage came quickly and went even faster, returning to silence after only a hundred breaths.

Then, another voice rang out outside the carriage.

"Young Master Chu, please get out of the carriage."

"..."

The same words, but from a different person.

Chu Xianping finally slowly opened his eyes and slowly stepped out of the carriage.

Around him, five hundred corpses wearing tiger-dragon uniforms lay scattered in the blood, not one more, not one less, with only a dozen black-clad figures standing before the carriage.

Chu Xianping glanced at the leading black-clad figure, didn't say a word, and strode off into the distance.

The dozen or so black-clad figures looked at each other, then immediately moved to follow.

In this way, the group quickly disappeared into the night, leaving behind only a lonely carriage stained with blood.

And in the carriage, the Chixiao Sword still lay quietly in the crimson moonlight, never changing.