Wandering Swordsman |

Liu Xiaorong listened quietly, her fingers unconsciously stroking the hilt of her sword at her waist, as if pondering the true intentions behind Wang Daniu's words. The stone chamber was quiet, save for the occasional crackling of the oil lamp flame, which, along with the breathing of the others, created a solemn atmosphere.

Seeing Liu Xiaorong deep in thought, Wang Daniu leaned forward slightly, clasped his hands in front of his chest, and became even more sincere. "Heroine, there's no need to worry too much."

He said softly, "If Miss Seven inherits the Murong family in the future, it will be alright if she forgets what happened today."

He paused for a moment, glanced at Liu Xiaorong, and noticed a hint of hesitation in her eyes. He continued, "My decision to provide information for free is intended to show the Beggars' Sect's attitude to the future heir of the Murong family. Therefore, regardless of what the future holds, there is no loss for the heroine in accepting the Beggars' Sect's information now." His voice was low and gentle, attempting to ease the tense atmosphere in the room.

Liu Xiaorong slowly raised her head, shifting her gaze from Wang Daniu to Murong Qing. Her eyes held both thoughtful decision-making and concern for her disciple. After a moment, she turned her gaze back to Wang Daniu, giving him a slight nod to indicate that she understood his meaning.

"In that case," Liu Xiaorong's voice remained calm, but no longer carried the questioning tone of before, "we will accept the Beggars' Sect's kindness. I will remember this act of the Beggars' Sect on behalf of the Murong family."

Upon hearing this, Wang Daniu's face showed a relieved expression, as if the heavy burden on his shoulders had instantly lightened. He then respectfully led the three to a room in the corner of the underground space. The room was simply and practically furnished, with an antique tea table in the center, and five empty seats neatly arranged in front of it, clearly prepared for the guests.

"Please have a seat, all three of you," Wang Daniu said gently, gesturing with his hands in invitation. After everyone was seated, he slowly began to share information about the Black Wind Gang with them.

He began by recounting the Class C and Class D intelligence, his voice soft yet clear, each word as if meticulously crafted. He started with Class D, seemingly engrossed in the story. He detailed how Deng Er and Yang Wu, members of the Black Wind Gang's mountain road guard, both fell for the daughter of Old Zeng, the coffin maker in Yimen County; how a groom named Ma Li within the Black Wind Gang had an affair with the wife of guard Zhou Xiang; and how a former hedonistic disciple of the Black Wind Gang, who had recently turned over a new leaf and undergone a drastic personality change…

Seeing this, Liu Xiaorong frowned slightly and interrupted, "Alright, just give a brief overview of the information regarding Category D; there's no need to go into such detail."

Wang Daniu paused for a moment, nodded, and then briefly mentioned the remaining Category D intelligence, continuing with the Category C intelligence: the Black Wind Gang added three new members yesterday, and two branch leaders returned to the Black Wind Gang... However, Liu Xiaorong reiterated that this information did not need to be too detailed, emphasizing, "The important things are Category B and Category A intelligence."

Realizing Liu Xiaorong's intentions, Wang Daniu quickly adjusted his pace, briefly summarized the Class C intelligence, and then got to the point, beginning to report on the Class B intelligence.

His voice grew more serious, each word carrying undeniable importance. "The leader of Qilin Village will arrive at the Black Wind Gang with Qilin Village's experts in four days; Situ Meng was recently secretly imprisoned in the Black Wind Gang's dungeon... Luo Wangchen and Qu Yifan are also currently imprisoned in the Black Wind Gang's dungeon."

Upon hearing Luo Wangchen's name, Shen Mo's expression shifted slightly, a hint of urgency flashing in his eyes. He immediately inquired, "Senior, may I ask where the Black Wind Gang's secret prison is located?"

Wang Daniu paused slightly, his gaze involuntarily shifting to Liu Xiaorong, as if seeking her opinion—whether he should answer the question posed by the unidentified youth. Liu Xiaorong noticed this and nodded gently, indicating that Wang Daniu could answer the question.

Wang Daniu shook his head and said helplessly, "Young man, even if we know the location of the secret prison, there's no way to sneak in."

"Why?" Shen Mo pressed, his brows furrowed.

Wang Daniu sighed, a hint of helplessness and heaviness in his eyes. "Nowadays, the secret prison is personally guarded by the Azure Dragon Saint Lord and the White Tiger Saint Lord. To sneak in is as difficult as ascending to heaven." He tapped his fingers lightly on the coffee table, as if emphasizing the weight of each word. "The two Saint Lords are highly skilled in martial arts, and the secret prison is surrounded by traps and mechanisms. A slight mistake could lead to certain death."

Shen Mo's face darkened, his brows furrowed, but his eyes still gleamed with an indomitable light. "Is there any other way to rescue them?" His voice was slightly urgent, carrying an undeniable determination.

Seeing this, Murong Qing gently patted Shen Mo's shoulder, trying to offer him some comfort. "There must be other ways." Her voice was gentle yet firm. This gesture not only warmed Shen Mo's heart but also gave Wang Daniu a slight jolt—the Seventh Miss's concern for this young man clearly went beyond ordinary affection.

Liu Xiaorong keenly noticed the concern and heartache in Murong Qing's eyes, and she immediately said, "Shen Mo, don't rush, let's discuss the rescue later." Her tone was calm and reassuring, and at the same time, she gestured to Wang Daniu to continue recounting the Black Wind Gang's top-level intelligence.

Wang Daniu nodded, his expression turning serious. "Regarding the Class A intelligence, according to the Beggars' Sect's investigation, there is a mysterious force hiding behind the Black Wind Gang leader," his voice was deep and powerful, "We haven't yet figured out the background of that force, but it seems to be extremely powerful and has intricate connections with the Black Wind Gang."

After listening, the three remained silent for a moment. Then, Liu Xiaorong stood up and said softly, "Thank you for the information, Chief Wang. We'll take our leave now." With that, she led Murong Qing and Shen Mo away from the Beggars' Sect branch. The lights in the stone chamber seemed to dim as they left.

After watching the three leave, Wang Daniu slowly turned around to face the Beggars' Sect disciple standing to the side. The dim light cast deep shadows on his face, making his expression appear even more solemn. He whispered, "Notify the other branches, and notify headquarters. Investigate that man named Shen Mo immediately."

The Beggar Clan disciple was slightly taken aback, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes. "Why investigate him?" he asked softly, his voice tinged with confusion.

Wang Daniu's gaze deepened and became distant, as if he could see further beyond the wall in front of him. "Because the Seventh Miss is very fond of him." He paused, his tone becoming more serious, "According to the intelligence gathered by our Beggars' Sect, the head of the Murong family has rejected many marriage proposals and intends to groom Murong Qing as the successor of the Murong family."

Wang Daniu walked to a table and tapped his fingers lightly on the surface, seemingly contemplating how to express himself. "Most importantly, if Murong Qing is interested in him, then his intelligence will be extremely useful!" His voice was deep and powerful, each word sounding as if it had been carefully considered.