Wandering Swordsman |

The instant the blade struck—

"Buzz!"

A silver arc of light appeared out of thin air, like a ring of judgment descending from the dome of a cathedral, striking Night Owl's wrist precisely. The short blade clattered to the ground, and his entire arm instantly became paralyzed.

Night Owl turned around in horror and saw a person slowly walking out of the shadows by the window—Hua Tianyou, his silver robe spotless, his face gentle and refined, but his eyes devoid of any compassion.

Seeing the exceptionally powerful aura emanating from Hua Tianyou, Night Owl turned to flee, but was bound by an invisible force. Hua Tianyou pointed his fingers like a sword and lightly touched Night Owl's brow. In an instant, Night Owl trembled violently, the light in his eyes quickly faded, and he finally collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

Adrian collapsed to the ground, blood streaming from his shoulder, yet he stared intently at the unconscious assassin, his eyes churning with pain, rage, and an indescribable sorrow. He murmured, "Reinard, as my brother, someone I grew up with... how could he really be so cruel..."

Hua Tianyou knelt down, tore off a corner of his silver robe, and with gentle yet swift movements, tightly wrapped it around Adrian's shoulder wound. The cloth was quickly stained red with seeping blood, but he didn't care, only whispering, "Young Master Adrian, now, do you believe me?"

Adrian closed his eyes, tears streaming down his face, mingling with blood as they dripped onto the floor, blooming into a dark red flower.

"I believed it... I believed it completely."

Outside the window, the moonlight remained cold and clear. The brotherhood of Silvermane City had died completely tonight.

Meanwhile, Leonard, anxiously awaiting news of the Night Owl's successful assassination in his room, grew increasingly excited as time ticked by. He was imagining the glorious moment when his brother was dead and he alone would inherit the title.

However, after the agreed time passed, no word from Night Owl came. At this point, Leonard couldn't sit still any longer and decided to go and see for himself what was going on.

Adrian closed his eyes, his eyelashes trembling violently, tears silently streaming down his face, mingling with cold sweat on his forehead and bloodstains on his shoulder, one drop, two drops... falling onto the oak floor, blooming into dark red plum blossoms.

It wasn't just simple pain, but the excruciating pain of having one's heart torn apart by one's own hands—one's own younger brother actually wanted him dead.

"It's the truth, I have no choice but to believe it..." His voice was so hoarse it was almost inaudible.

Outside the window, the moonlight, like frost, coldly blanketed the courtyard, making the portraits of saints on the stained-glass windows seem as if they were covered with a layer of ice.

A night breeze swept by, swirling a few withered leaves that tapped against the glass with a soft "tap, tap," like the rhythm of fate knocking at the door. And tonight, the brotherhood between Adrian and Leonard was severed completely by a poisoned dagger.

Meanwhile, Leonard's bedroom was brightly lit with candles.

He paced back and forth, his blond hair disheveled. "Damn it... damn it!" he muttered, but his eyes gleamed with fanaticism.

He fantasized about pushing open Adrian's door to find a cold corpse; he fantasized about his father, tears streaming down his face, handing him the seal of the family head; he fantasized about the entire city kneeling and chanting "Lord Leonard"...

Titles, power, glory—they should all be mine!

He glanced at the hourglass on the wall; most of the fine sand had already flowed away.

As agreed, the owl should have reported back before the hour of Chou (1-3 AM). But now, the hour of Chou is approaching, and there has been no news at all.

"Could it be... that I messed up?" He clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging into his palms. "Impossible! Night Owl's strength is far beyond that of those seven useless guys. Adrian is just a sick man; how could he possibly defeat Night Owl..."

But the unease in his heart grew like a poisonous vine. He recalled Adrian's words, "Let them go," from earlier that day; he remembered Hua Tianyou's meaningful glance as he left; and he remembered Shen Mo's unwavering, silent gaze...

"No! We can't wait any longer!" Leonard grabbed the sable cloak hanging on the back of the chair, his knuckles turning white from the force.

His eyes were bloodshot, and his breathing was rapid like a bellows, like a trapped beast driven to the brink of despair.

He needed to confirm with his own eyes—if Night Owl succeeded, he would immediately gather his trusted guards, seal off Silvermane City, and then pin the blame on those two "missionaries"! If Night Owl failed… then he would personally deliver the final blow, letting Adrian die under the warm facade of "brothers visiting in the sick"! And then pin the blame on those two "missionaries"!

He pushed open the door and stepped out. The night wind was like a knife, making him shiver, but it couldn't extinguish the burning jealousy in his heart.

The corridor was deserted, except for the crackling of the torch in the hands of a guard in the distance, the flickering light casting long and short shadows, like the capricious mockery of fate.

He strode through the corridor, his boots echoing rapidly on the stone bricks, each step a testament to the ambition he had woven with lies and cunning schemes—the bloody path to the throne, which he had to complete tonight.

Soon, he stood in front of Adrian's bedroom door.

The door was ajar, letting in a sliver of dim candlelight. He held his breath and slowly pushed it open—the scene inside was like a bucket of ice water being poured over him.

Night Owl lay sprawled on the floor like a dead dog, his iron mask askew, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, his fate unknown.

"Reinhard." A deep yet clear voice came from the shadows.

Leonard shuddered and whirled around—Adrian had somehow gotten behind him, leaning against the window frame, the moonlight outlining his cold profile.

In the shadows of the corner of the room, Hua Tianyou had already vanished without a trace, as if he had never existed. Leonard mistakenly believed that only his brother was in the room, and even thought that Adrian had personally taken down Night Owl!

Although Adrian's shoulders were wrapped in blood-stained bandages, his back was straight, and his eyes were clear as swords; he showed no trace of weakness. His voice was calm, yet every word was like a nail: "Why did you do this?"

His pupils contracted sharply, his face turned from red to green, then from green to white, as if all pretense had been stripped away. In that instant, years of pent-up resentment, bitterness, and jealousy erupted like a volcano, completely shattering the dam of reason.

"Why?" He suddenly burst into maniacal laughter, the sound shrill and piercing, appearing particularly mad in the quiet night. "You're asking me why?!"

He abruptly ripped off his cloak, his eyes bloodshot, and approached Adrian step by step, his voice hoarse and trembling: "From childhood to adulthood, just because you are the eldest son, your father has given you all his love! You were awarded the family sword at ten, while I was still practicing with a wooden stick at fifteen! You patrolled the border in your father's stead, while I was counting copper coins in the accounting office! You commanded the iron cavalry, while I listened to merchants boast in the tavern!"

He pointed to his chest, his voice almost a sob: "In what way am I inferior to you? Strategy? Decisiveness? Courage? The people of the city all say in private that Leonard is the true lion of the Mason family! But just because you were born two years earlier, the title, the power, the glory... it's all yours! Is that fair?!"

Madness intensified in his eyes, and his voice suddenly rose: "I am more decisive than you! More intelligent than you! More suitable to rule Silvermane City! But everyone says: 'I am the second son, that's the rule!'—Rules?! Rules are meant to be broken!"

Before he finished speaking, he launched a sudden attack! His right hand flashed as he drew a short dagger hidden at his waist, its cold light aimed straight for Adrian's heart—this strike was imbued with all his hatred and despair, as swift as a viper's tongue!