Brocade Robe Unparalleled

Chapter 3 Heart-Eating
Lin Xuan's expression suddenly froze upon seeing the man in black robes sitting at the table.

The figure, shrouded in a wide black robe from head to toe, was like a dense, light-absorbing darkness growing out of the room.

The hood hung low, its depths unfathomable, emanating only a chilling sense of mystery.

The next moment, that elusive, strange, rough, and aged voice rang out again.

"Tell me, how did you manage to fool the Mirror of Inquiry?"

The voice was deliberately distorted, with a quality that seeped into the bones; every word was like a cold needle, piercing Lin Xuan's taut nerves.

It's him!

Lin Xuan's memories of the secret agents of Nanzhao!

He actually found his way here, and he clearly already knew everything that was happening in the Jingbian Division prison.

The dangerous aura emanating from this man in black robes was even greater than the pressure emanating from Commander Chen; it was definitely not something he could withstand.

Lin Xuan's mind raced, his voice dry and trembling, carrying the weakness of someone who had survived a close call and a perfectly measured bewilderment. He shook his head and said, "I... I don't know either. They asked me if I had leaked the operation, and when I said no, they believed me..."

"You said...no?"

A very soft sneer came from beneath the black robe, a laugh devoid of any warmth, only icy mockery.

The man in black robes slowly stood up, his movements silent and weightless.

As he approached, Lin Xuan saw a hideous demon mask under the hood. At the same time, an old, decaying scent, yet faintly carrying a barely perceptible floral fragrance, wafted over, almost suffocating Lin Xuan.

Lin Xuan could even feel two tangible gazes fixed on his face, scrutinizing every subtle change in his expression.

"Before the Mirror of Inquiry, one's thoughts are laid bare. Even a sixth-rank martial artist cannot keep a single secret. Countless elite spies of my Nanzhao have perished here..."

The black-robed man's voice was cold and slow: "You are just a lowly flag officer of the ninth rank of martial artist. Tell me, with your strength, how could you possibly deceive the precious treasure crafted by the elders of the Jiuli tribe?"

"I, I don't know..."

Lin Xuan truly couldn't answer that question!
He had only been in this world for a short time, and everything here was still an unsolved mystery to him. How could he possibly explain such a complex problem?
The man in black robes approached again, and Lin Xuan could feel a pair of sharp eyes staring intently into his own.

It's now!

Suddenly, Lin Xuan moved!
The dagger hidden in the wide sleeves of the banner officer's uniform suddenly shot out, its cold light aimed directly at the black-robed man's chest!

If we don't kill this Nanzhao spy, his identity could be exposed at any moment!
Lin Xuan himself was unaware that his thrust was extremely fast, so fast that the air itself made a sound like tearing silk.

However, the next moment, Lin Xuan felt a blur before his eyes.

The dagger, which had been thrust out, remained eerily suspended in mid-air.

The blade, sharp enough to cut through iron like mud, was gently held between the black-robed man's two fingers.

No matter how hard Lin Xuan tried, the dagger remained motionless.

A mocking voice came from beneath the hood: "The process of questioning your heart takes a toll on your mind. It seems you've forgotten something important, but it doesn't matter, I'll make you remember..."

With a casual flick of his fingers, the man in black robes sent the dagger flying from his hand, disappearing into the wall behind him with a "whoosh."

Then, he extended his hand again, the one gloved with black silk, palm up, and then—

He clenched his fist suddenly!

"Ugh—!"

The moment the man in black clenched his fist, Lin Xuan felt as if his heart had been gripped tightly by an invisible iron claw!
An indescribable, extreme pain instantly exploded from my heart, sweeping through my entire body!
He let out a miserable howl as his knees slammed heavily onto the ground, and large beads of cold sweat rolled down his forehead.

He felt as if something was gnawing at his heart!
Lin Xuan tried to struggle, but his body was as if bound by invisible chains, so stiff that he could not move an inch and could only watch helplessly as he endured this extreme pain.

The severe torture in the Jingbian Division prison was less than one ten-thousandth of the pain he was experiencing now.

As the man in black slowly withdrew his hand, the pain in Lin Xuan's body gradually disappeared.

Although only a brief moment had passed, it felt incredibly long to him. The man in black robes asked mockingly, "Remember now?"

Lin Xuan suddenly looked up, his eyes bloodshot.

He remembered that this man in black robes had used this method to control the original Lin Xuan and force him to work for Nanzhao.

This level of pain is unbearable for ordinary people.

He was soaked in sweat, and his voice was extremely weak: "What...what do you want?"

“Continue to do what you are supposed to do.” The black-robed man’s voice was flat. “You will continue to be your junior officer, keep a close eye on the Jingbian Division’s every move, and report any important intelligence to me in a timely manner.”

Lin Xuan's voice was hoarse, filled with desperate resistance: "After this incident, they probably won't trust me anymore."

The man in black robes said with amusement, "Don't worry, after this incident, they will trust you even more than before. After all, who would have thought that a lowly ninth-rank officer like you could deceive the Mirror of Inquiry? This is something that no amount of elite spies in my Southern Zhao could do..."

Lin Xuan fell silent. He was extremely unwilling to serve Nanzhao, but now he was at their mercy and could only pretend to comply first before trying to extricate himself.

"Ah……"

A cold, mocking laugh interrupted him. The man in black robes seemed to see right through him: "Trying to deal with me first, then figure out how to escape? Don't forget what you've done. Think about how the Jingbian Division deals with traitors. What you've done deserves even the death by a thousand cuts..."

Every word spoken by the man in black felt like a heavy hammer blow to Lin Xuan's heart.

After the initial intimidation, the man in black softened his tone: "Don't worry, as long as you work wholeheartedly for me, I will not treat you unfairly. In the future, I will not only help you get rid of the Heart-Eating Gu, but also bring you wealth, riches, gold and silver, and stunning beauties... whatever you want."

"Heart-Eating Gu..."

Lin Xuan memorized those three words and couldn't help but say, "Didn't you say you'd let me go after this...?"

The man in black robes let out a hoarse laugh: "If you were dead, that would be the last time, but you... you're not dead."

Lin Xuan had already cursed the black-robed man's ancestors countless times in his heart.

Those damned Nanzhao spies are not only ruthless, but also have absolutely no credibility!

Beneath the black robe, a faint voice continued: "Remember what I said. On the first and fifteenth of each month, I will come to find you. Gather intelligence properly, and don't try any tricks, or you will know what the agony of being devoured by a thousand poisons is..."

As the words faded, the figure of the man in black robes also vanished before Lin Xuan's eyes.

Lin Xuan stood alone in the dilapidated house, closed his eyes, forced himself to calm down, and analyzed the situation before him.

Although he himself did not know why he was able to deceive the Mirror of Inquiry, he should not have to worry about the Jingbian Division in the short term.

Hong Tian has already taken the blame for Lin Xuan, and he has passed the test of the Mirror of Inquiry. The Jingbian Division will no longer suspect him.

The Nanzhao spies still have a use for him, so they probably won't let him die easily.

The most important and urgent thing right now is to remove the Heart-Eating Gu from his body, and then—

That man in black robes must be eliminated!

Only by eliminating him can we cut off all future worries.

Moreover, we cannot ask Chen Baihu for help with this matter.

Once the man in black robes reveals his identity, the Jingbian Division will certainly not let him go.

Lin Xuan suddenly opened his eyes, the despairing darkness deep in his eyes was forcibly dispelled by an extremely tenacious will to survive.

Having barely escaped death, he must do everything in his power to survive!

at this time.

When the man in black robes emerged from the slum and arrived at the bustling streets of Sizhou, his black robes had completely disappeared, revealing a captivating figure hidden beneath the wide robes, as well as a breathtakingly beautiful face.

Thinking of that lowly flag officer she had already abandoned, a faint smile appeared on her face as she murmured, "According to the mother Gu's perception, he doesn't seem to be lying. Interesting. A mere flag officer actually managed to deceive the Nine Li tribe's Heart-Questioning Mirror. With a little training, he'll definitely be of great use in the future..."

(End of this chapter)