Chapter 78 - Disciple's Descendant

Mafan turned his attention to Xinyi and Qinfen.

How about using these two to kill the governor?   But I need someone to guide me to the mines. So killing him won't be a good solution. But I'm not sure if these two knows the location of the mines. If only that general took over this city, it would be easier for me to move around or to look over the governor's office. 

He gazed at the blushing Xinyi and thought the wife could be in love. If he'd use the wife, he could easily enter their sleeping chamber and grab a chance to control the governor.

In the end, he decided to befriend Ming and bide his time. He was within the enemy's territory. To act reckless could be his end.

"Hello, Governor. Nice to meet you," Mafan approached Ming. "I'm Chen Mafan. I've just arrived this morning. I'm a merchant from Ushval country. I'm on my way to Ninpu but the people I passed by said there was a war over there."

Ushval country was a neighboring country at the southeast of Youshi, and the only available road was between Fengfu and Ninpu. So, Mafan's excuse was valid.

He also didn't lie with his name. Chen Mafan was his name in Youshi. But he changed it in Goding into Saleh Mafan so that no one would know that he was the Chiangda imprisoned in Youshi. Most of all, after disappearing when the mass killing of his relatives happened years ago.

He was also proficient with Ushval's language and accent where some words were similar to Youshi. Ushval men were also common in Fengfu. So Ming had nothing to doubt from Mafan.

Thus, Ming only nodded and excused themselves all the way to the front gate. Mafan didn't insist his way but he would use Qinfen to his advantage, by acting as his host.

---- o ----

In the Goding camp, General Lofey walked around and saw himself alone in his elegant room in Flamefort City. However, he knew this was wrong. By the sound he heard earlier, he could tell they were in an illusion trap. 

"Darn, I hope this is not a deadly illusion." He stepped out from his room but there was no one around and feared the worst. "Shit. Is this trapping us separately?"

General Hester called out while walking in his mansion, "Anyone out there?" No one replied. "Who did this?" 

Each person tried to communicate with their comrades but they walked aimlessly alone in Flamefort City's streets. 

In reality, all of them collapsed on the floor the instant the humming sound reverberated and affected their brains. Half-n.a.k.e.d General Lofey lay on a blue carpet in his tent. General Hester's head laid on his bed but his feet hanging at the side. He was fast asleep.

The cook laid on the ground with a ladle in his hand beside the pot with simmering soup on the flame but in the illusion; He was cooking in his kitchen. 

A man facing a tree, pissing, slid down on the grassy ground with his trousers open and fingers holding his leaking rod. In his dream, he was in the public bath, n.a.k.e.d, and peeing in front of the pool.

A soldier who was scrubbing his flying horse's mane was now lying near the horse's shit. The horse leaked his master's face but couldn't wake him. Somehow, in the master's dream, both of them soared in Flamefort's sky, searching for people. 

The whole army was in a dreamlike state.

The only way to wake them was someone to pull out the buried stones. But who would do it for them when no one even knew where they were? In fact, if someone would dare step into the camp would also fall in the said illusion.

Mafan's two men left to tend to their wounded comrades in the village. They did their part, that was only to entrap the Goding army so that no one would meddle with Mafan's plans in the city. That was to locate the mines.

---- o ----

At this point in the Goding camp, the horses began communicating to other animals and informed Xionmao and Nianshi. 

When Nianshi heard of it, he was restless. This was disturbing. Illusion traps were common during wars but these were not taught openly, same as Lifen only taught Ming and his brothers. The formula was passed down from generation to generation. Some men took advantage and made it into a profession. But even so, only the wielder could decipher it. 

In other words, clans that existed for years held secret formulas of illusion traps. This trap performed was something Nianshi saw before from one of the late Sorceress' disciples. That meant, the one who did this trap at this time was one of the disciple's descendants. 

This what worried Nianshi and Xionmao. This person could be the one who received the legacy like Lifen and received the special item to be given to Xinyi. However, it was all but speculations. To test it, Xinyi had to go to the Goding camp for the person involved could still be around.

They hoped things would work out fine, but if the person was one of her enemies…