novelSusiti Chapter 12 Letter
Chapter 12 Letter
When Shen Bai arrived at the entrance of Zhou Bazi's courtyard, the door was closed.
Locked.
He stood in front of the door, looking at the lock, which was covered in rust, as if it hadn't been touched in a long time.
He raised his hand and knocked twice, but no one answered.
I knocked again, but still no one answered.
"Stop knocking."
A voice came from behind.
Shen Bai turned around.
The man in the white robe stood at the alley entrance, arms crossed, watching him. His eyes narrowed into slits as he smiled, still with that same smug look.
"Zhou the Scarface is gone."
"I know."
He told me to wait for you.
The man in the white robe took out a letter from his pocket and waved it.
"Here you go."
Shen Bai took the letter and opened it.
---
Shen Bai:
I have to leave. Someone is investigating me.
I didn't finish telling you that person's name last time. I'll write it down for you now.
The Cui family. The Cui family has connections in the imperial court. Cui Heng is in the Ministry of War, and above him is a head of the Cui family. These people joined forces to accomplish the destructive act of using the Body-Corroding Soldiers.
Your father discovered this. Their use of the Corpse-Eating Soldiers to guard the border was a ruse; their real purpose was to seize military power. Whoever has the troops calls the shots. Your father was in his way, so he died.
The account book is with your father. He left it. It's hidden in the Shen family ancestral home; you know where it is. Remember it, go get it.
Without evidence, we can't touch them. The ledger records all transactions. Only after we get the evidence can we expose them.
I'm leaving, and I might not come back. Take care of yourself.
周老
---
Shen Bai stared at those lines of text for a long time.
The handwriting is messy, as if it was written in a hurry. But the content is very clear.
He tucked the letter into his pocket and turned to walk towards the alley entrance.
He took two steps and then stopped.
The man in the white robe followed behind.
Shen Bai turned around and looked at him.
What are you doing following along?
"On the way."
The man in the white robe smiled.
"You're going this way too, aren't you?"
Shen Bai remained silent.
The two stared at each other for a while.
"Okay."
The white-robed man shrugged.
"You don't believe me. That's normal."
He took two steps forward, walked to Shen Bai's side, and stood shoulder to shoulder with him.
"Zhou the Scarface told me to follow you. He said you'll need people."
"And you?"
Shen Bai asked.
What do you think?
The man in white turned his head and looked at Shen Bai.
"I have nowhere to go."
He spoke casually, as if he were simply saying that the weather was nice today.
"Didn't you have someone investigate me? The Lin family is gone. Zhou the Scarface is gone too. I'm just wandering around outside; I'll get killed sooner or later. With you, at least I have food to eat."
"I don't support idlers."
"I'm not a nobody."
The voice in the white robe changed; it was no longer a joking tone.
"You even led men to ambush and kill me before."
Shen Bai looked at him.
"I want to see if you're worth it. Those people are the bandits I hired. If they're dead, they're dead."
The white-robed man spoke in a low voice.
Shen Bai didn't ask any more questions. He stared at the white robe for three breaths, then spoke:
"What's your name?"
"Lin Yu."
"The Lin family?"
"Um."
Lin Yu looked at Shen Bai, something moving in his eyes.
You doubt me?
"No doubt."
Shen Bai's voice was very flat.
"Just confirming."
Lin Yu didn't speak. He looked into Shen Bai's eyes, and Shen Bai looked back at him.
After a while, Lin Yu suddenly smiled.
"You're so direct."
"Speak your mind."
"Unlike me."
Lin Yu shook his head.
"I like taking things in circles."
He turned his head and looked at the road ahead.
"But there's one thing I need to make clear to you."
"What?"
"I'm not here to take advantage of you."
Lin Yu's voice changed; it was no longer a joking tone.
Shen Bai stared at Lin Yu for a while before speaking.
"You can follow me, but only on one condition: betray me."
Shen Bai paused for a moment
I'll kill you.
"You'll kill me if I say I'll betray you?"
"Um."
"OK."
Lin Yu nodded.
"I would never betray a friend."
His voice was flat, but there was something in his eyes.
Believe it or not, it's up to you.
Shen Bai looked at him.
"good."
Just one word.
Lin Yu paused for a moment, then smiled.
"You're really interesting."
He turned around and continued walking forward.
"Let's go. Don't stand here."
Shen Bai followed behind.
The two walked out of the alley, one after the other, towards Shen Bai's residence.
After taking a few steps, Shen Bai spoke.
"What's wrong with you?"
"What?"
Shen Bai pointed to Lin Yu's chest but didn't say anything.
Lin Yu smiled, but the smile was somewhat bitter.
Not everyone is born with a corrosive constitution like you.
Why?
"Because I want revenge."
Shen Bai looked at Lin Yu without saying anything more.
After walking a little further, Shen Bai suddenly spoke.
"What did you mean when you said you didn't have much time left?"
"Backlash, you know that."
Shen Bai stopped in his tracks.
"Come with me."
He turned and walked toward Iron Shield's residence.
Lin Yu followed behind.
---
Iron Shield was still lying in bed with his left arm in a sling, and his complexion was better than a few days ago.
Shen Anning was packing her medicine kit on the side.
She nodded when she saw Shen Bai enter. Then, when she saw Lin Yu following behind, her expression changed.
"What's wrong with him?"
"Corrosion. Acupuncture is needed."
Shen Anning glanced at Lin Yu but didn't say anything.
She walked to the table, opened the medicine box, and took out a row of silver needles.
"Lie down."
Lin Yu glanced at Shen Bai, and Shen Bai nodded.
Lin Yu lay down and closed his eyes.
Shen Anning inserted the needles very quickly. Every needle was precise and deep.
Lin Yu's body was trembling.
Sweat beaded on his forehead, his face turned pale, and his lips turned blue, as if he were enduring immense pain.
But he didn't say anything.
He gritted his teeth and remained silent.
Shen Bai stood to one side, watching.
His eyes were moving.
After a while, Shen Anning put away the needles.
When she pulled out the last needle, Lin Yu's body trembled violently.
Then he opened his eyes and gasped for breath.
"Who are you--"
Lin Yu suddenly said two words.
Shen Anning paused.
She looked up and glanced at Lin Yu.
His eyes were cold, as cold as ice.
Lin Yu's voice abruptly stopped.
He shut his mouth.
Shen Anning put away the needles, turned around and walked to the table, her back to them.
"Acupuncture can only temporarily suppress the symptoms."
Her voice was flat.
"It won't last long."
"how long?"
"One month. At most, one month."
Lin Yu sat up in bed, his face still a little pale, but he was already able to walk.
"What should we do then?"
Shen Anning did not turn around.
"Find a way to get your hands on the Mystic Stone."
Shen Bai clenched his fists.
"Mysterious Stone."
"right."
Shen Anning turned around and looked at them.
"There are only two ways to suppress the corrosive energy. One is to endure it yourself, and the other is to rely on the Xuan Stone to suppress it. You can't endure it yourself. You can only rely on the Xuan Stone."
"That blacksmith shop in Hefei."
Shen Bai suddenly said this.
Shen Anning's eyes flickered.
"That shop is related to my father."
Shen Anning's voice changed.
"Before my father left, he left an address and a keepsake, saying that if he didn't come back, it should be given to the Shen family."
Shen Bai remained silent.
He remembered what Zhou Bazi had written in his letter: the matter of the corrosive soldiers, the matter of the mysterious stone, and the matter of the Cui family.
That blacksmith shop is a clue.
It's also an opportunity.
---
Shen Bai stopped in his tracks as he left the courtyard of the Iron Shield.
Lin Yu followed behind, his face still a little pale, but he could walk now.
Shen Bai remained silent.
He looked at the alley entrance, watching the people coming and going.
After a while, he spoke.
"The blacksmith shop is located in the East Market of Hefei, it's called Kangji Blacksmith Shop."
Lin Yu didn't say anything.
He looked at Shen Bai and waited.
"you go."
Shen Bai turned around and looked at Lin Yu.
"Go to Hefei and find that blacksmith shop. Take this with you."
He took out a piece of silver from his pocket and tossed it to Lin Yu.
"A token. Given to me by Shen Anning."
Lin Yu's eyes flickered.
"You believe me?"
Shen Bai looked at him.
"I told you."
His voice was flat.
"Betray me, and I'll kill you."
Lin Yu was stunned for a moment.
Then he laughed.
"You..."
He shook his head.
"OK."
He turned and walked towards the alley entrance.
"I'm going to pack my things. We're leaving today."
His figure disappeared at the alley entrance.
Shen Bai stood still, looking in that direction.
He knew who Lin Yu was.
He knew that Lin Yu had his own purpose.
But he also knew that Lin Yu would not betray him.
Why?
Because Lin Yu is also someone who wants revenge.
Both were wiped out, both have body-corroding ailments, and both are searching for their enemies.
Such a person would not betray their own kind.
Shen Bai turned around and walked towards the Iron Shield's courtyard.
He still has things to do.
---
When Shen Bai got back to his front door, he saw someone.
He was dressed in civilian clothes, with a knife hanging at his waist, looking like a government official.
Upon seeing Shen Bai, the man bowed.
"Young Master Shen?"
"What is it?"
"A summons from the Ministry of War."
The man took a piece of paper out of his pocket and handed it to Shen Bai.
"Report to the Ministry of War at Chenshi (7-9 AM) tomorrow."
"knew."
The man bowed, turned, and left.
Shen Bai stood at the door, watching the person's back disappear into the alley.
Tomorrow, Ministry of War.
He was in the same place as Cui Heng.
---
(End of Chapter Twelve)