Chapter 467: 467. Gu Ling’s Decision
Translator: 549690339
Feng Ming tried to remain calm, but when he pursed his lips slightly, Sheng Yue noticed it.
“No need to worry, I won’t kill you,” Sheng Yue said. “If you’re really Su Liang’s person, you should know that I’m not the enemy. Of course, Su Liang sending you back and having you hide your identity from me means that she thinks I’m an enemy too.”
Feng Ming shook his head. “Young Master Sheng is overthinking it. I am not a subordinate of that Divine Doctor Su.”
“It’s alright if you don’t want to admit it,” Sheng Yue shook his head. “It doesn’t make much difference to me. Go back and rest, we can discuss other matters later.”
“Yes, thank you, Young Master Sheng, for helping me with the Island Master.” As soon as Feng Ming finished speaking, he lowered his head and left.
Sheng Yue gazed at Feng Ming’s retreating figure and lightly tapped the table with his fingers.
Leaving Sheng Yue’s courtyard, Feng Ming hurried back to his former residence on the island, which was the same as when he had left the year before, dusty and uncleaned.
It wasn’t until he entered the room and closed the door that Feng Ming’s expression relaxed a bit, and he took a long breath.
Sheng Yue discovering his secret as soon as he returned was something Su Liang had warned Feng Ming about, so he was mentally prepared for it.
He knew that Sheng Yue’s words were a firm belief that he was now loyal to Su Liang, whether he admitted it or not. But he still chose to deny it, because if he admitted that he was Su Liang’s man, he would have to explain more things in front of Sheng Yue, such as how he became loyal to Su Liang and what Su Liang had told him to do on the island. Although Sheng Yue could guess most of it, his guesses were different from the truth.
Although Su Liang had said that even if Sheng Yue discovered Feng Ming was a spy, he wouldn’t kill him, Feng Ming still broke into a cold sweat under Sheng Yue’s piercing gaze and questioning, because Sheng Yue’s oppressive aura was too strong.
The reason why Su Liang believed Sheng Yue wouldn’t kill Feng Ming was that Sheng Yue obviously still needed to cooperate with Su Liang and Gu Ling to achieve his goals, which required Feng Ming to be alive as a demonstration of his sincerity.
He had passed the first test upon returning to the island, but Feng Ming did not truly relax. Su Liang’s task for him was to watch Sheng Yue, but he had been exposed on the first day. As such, the things Sheng Yue let him see from now on might be intended to mislead him, making his task more difficult.
A few days later, Mo Yan still hadn’t seen Feng Ming again, and Sheng Yue hadn’t given him any trouble. He had only arranged for him to be in charge of patrolling the coastline. This was a position with actual power and authority, allowing him to command all the masters on the island below the elder level. After the incident on New Year’s Eve, nobody dared to cause trouble again.
Therefore, in the eyes of everyone on Xingluo Island, Sheng Yue was Mo Yan’s confidant, and Feng Ming was Sheng Yue’s confidant. However, Feng Ming knew this wasn’t the truth.
One night, Feng Ming personally led a young master to patrol along the coast. Although Mo Yan and Su Liang had agreed to meet on the first day of March, they were still on high alert for potential attacks on Xingluo Island.
The young man was called Xie Jun, who had come to the island the same year as Feng Ming. They had a good relationship at first, but Xie Jun had chosen to side with the He Family, was willing to be ordered around by He Peng, and had thus distanced himself from Feng Ming and Zhu Zan.
“There’s no movement. Let’s go,” Feng Ming said, patting Xie Jun on the shoulder.
Xie Jun seemed frightened, and the lantern in his hand shook violently.
Feng Ming felt something was wrong. “I’ve been meaning to ask you, ever since I came back, I noticed that you’re always jumpy. Is it because of the He Family’s misfortune? There are many people on the island who were close to the He Family, and they’re all fine. Even if the Island Master wants to settle scores, it won’t be with you.”
Xie Jun shook his head. “I’m fine.”
Feng Ming looked around and led Xie Jun in another direction, lowering his voice and saying, “You know me, if you have any problems, just tell me. We are brothers; if I can help you, I definitely will.”
Xie Jun looked up at Feng Ming and asked, “Some people say that you killed Zhu Zan.”
Feng Ming laughed when he heard this, “You believe that? Why would I kill him? You might even see him again after you leave the island. It’s fate that brought all of us orphans together.”
“Is he really alive?” Xie Jun asked.
Feng Ming nodded, “I swear, he’s alive, he just doesn’t want to come back.”
Xie Jun frowned, “I can’t figure out why you came back. You’re the smartest among us; Zhu Zan knows that this place is a trouble zone, and coming back wouldn’t end well for anyone. Why did you...?”
Feng Ming glanced around, and the two reached an open area by the sea where no one could eavesdrop. He sighed and said, “I’ve thought about not coming back before, that’s why I dragged my feet for so long. But in the end, I decided to return because I have no other home to go to. I honestly didn’t know where else to go.”
“Young Master Sheng is looking for me?” Feng Ming narrowed his eyes, his voice respectful. At this moment, he suspected that perhaps his conversation with Xie Jun had been overheard by Sheng Yue. It wasn’t that Xie Jun had betrayed him, nor that Sheng Yue had eavesdropped; perhaps Sheng Yue had simply guessed it. His mind had always been terrifying.
“I gave you a chance last time, and you didn’t take it.” Sheng Yue approached Feng Ming, “Tonight, I’ll give you another chance to admit that you’re Su Liang’s man.”
However, Feng Ming shook his head firmly, “I really have nothing to do with that Su Divine Doctor. I did talk to Xie Jun about some matters tonight, but only because the atmosphere on the island is strange, and I don’t understand why.”
Sheng Yue looked at Feng Ming, and suddenly said something inexplicable, as if talking to himself, “Even if you were to swear your loyalty to me, I wouldn’t believe you. In this world, I only believe in myself.”
Feng Ming saw the coldness in Sheng Yue’s eyes, icy like the snow in the north during winter, utterly devoid of warmth. Instinctively, he wanted to run, but it was already too late.
Sheng Yue waved his hand, and Feng Ming’s body stiffened, losing consciousness. Before he blacked out, he thought about the fact that Sheng Yue had used poison. It was obvious that Sheng Yue had been watching him all along, proving just how important this matter was to Su Liang and making Sheng Yue extremely wary...
The next day, Xie Jun discovered that Feng Ming had disappeared. He didn’t dare to ask about it, and he was soon appointed by Sheng Yue to replace Feng Ming’s previous position.
Mo Yan didn’t pay attention to Feng Ming, but the two elders beside him informed him that the island was missing a person.
So, when Mo Yan played chess with Sheng Yue again, he asked about it.
Sheng Yue answered calmly, “He’s not dead; he’s in the dungeon.”
Mo Yan frowned, “Why?”
“He’s a spy sent by Su Liang,” Sheng Yue said.
Mo Yan’s hand holding the chess piece paused, “How did you find out?”
“Last night, he was inquiring about Master’s magic treasure with Xie Jun, and then he tried to escape to pass on the information,” Sheng Yue replied.
Mo Yan’s face darkened, “No wonder he returned so late.”
“After I caught him, he tried to win me over and wanted me to cooperate with him,” Sheng Yue said, “When he failed to win me over, he threatened to tell Master that I had been colluding with Su Liang. So, I locked him up in the dungeon.”
Mo Yan snorted coldly, “My granddaughter really doesn’t have any sincerity to talk peace.”
“It’s quite normal, considering all the incidents that happened before. Knowing Master’s intentions, they would naturally be on guard,” Sheng Yue replied.
“Interrogate him thoroughly to find out what Feng Ming’s purpose was in returning to the island, and see if you can get any useful information.” Mo Yan instructed, without any intention of bringing Feng Ming to him.
So, after leaving the forbidden area, Sheng Yue went to the dungeon.
Feng Ming had awakened and hadn’t shouted to denounce Sheng Yue, remaining quiet. He knew that if he made any rash moves, Sheng Yue might really kill him.
Sheng Yue waved his hand, driving everyone else out, leaving only him and Feng Ming in the dungeon.
“If you confess something useful, it’ll be easier for you,” Sheng Yue said indifferently, “As long as my Master doesn’t ask for your life, I won’t kill you.”
Feng Ming shook his head, “It’s all a misunderstanding; Young Master Sheng, you’ve overestimated me. I’m not some kind of spy.”
Sheng Yue looked at Feng Ming with deep and mysterious eyes, “So loyal to her? I can understand people like you. However, that matter really can’t be known to her; you shouldn’t have inquired about it.”
Seeing Sheng Yue about to turn away and leave, Feng Ming asked, “What’s Young Master Sheng’s purpose, then?”
Sheng Yue didn’t respond, disappearing from Feng Ming’s sight.
Capital city.
In late February, the matter that hadn’t been settled before was brought up again.
“We won’t show our faces,” Gu Ling had already thought it through, “We’ll have Qiao Jing pretend to be me instead. In case something happens, I’ll save him.”