In a Fantasy World as Cannon Fodder, I Got Entangled with the Heroine - Chapter 71

Chapter 71: The Black-Clad Assassin

Translation by: Weebsread👹

Duan Yuqing paused mid-slaughter at the sound of the voice, his gaze shifting to the man striding toward him, robed in imperial purple.

“The Crown Prince? What are you doing here?”

It was none other than the Crown Prince himself—Chen Jianzhi.

Duan Yuqing found it odd. Why would the exalted heir to the throne appear in a place like this?

Chen Jianzhi offered a wry, easy smile as he drew closer. “Holy Son Duan, who’s gotten under your skin this time? You look like you’re about to torch the whole world.”

He stopped, his eyes glinting with mischief. “Let me guess—is it Jiang Qian? Again?”

At the mention of “Jiang Qian,” Duan Yuqing’s anger nearly boiled over, but with the Crown Prince present, he bit it back and forced himself to calm down. “Your Highness, may I ask what brings you here so suddenly?”

“Nothing in particular.” Chen Jianzhi’s smile deepened. “By the way, how’s your progress with the technique I gave you?”

“It’s going well,” Duan Yuqing answered promptly, before adding with some hesitation, “but… why is the beginning missing?”

“You noticed?” Chen Jianzhi shrugged, as though it didn’t matter. “I’m not sure myself, honestly. I bought that manual from an old hermit, and it was already incomplete.”

...

...

“Demonic arts are still demonic arts, no matter how you dress them up. Be careful—or you might end up being consumed by your own cultivation.”

He waved away further questions. “Come. I want to show you something.”

With that, he turned and led Duan Yuqing away.

Before long, the two arrived at the mountain cave where the Fire Phoenix Violet Immortal Monkey had once been imprisoned.

Chen Jianzhi’s eyes fell on the shattered iron cage. His brow twitched, veins bulging with suppressed rage. “What happened here?”

A Evil Blood Sect disciple dropped to his knees, shivering with fear. “Your Highness, please forgive us! The Fire Phoenix Violet Immortal Monkey has escaped!”

Fire Phoenix Violet Immortal Monkey? So the Crown Prince was behind the beast tide all along? 

Duan Yuqing’s suspicion sharpened, but given they now shared the same interests, he kept his thoughts to himself.

Chen Jianzhi wrestled his own anger down and turned to Duan Yuqing, wearing a carefully composed smile. “Holy Son Duan, you should return for now.”

“Understood.” Duan Yuqing nodded, about to leave when—

“Wait.” Chen Jianzhi took a step closer, leaning in to whisper something in Duan Yuqing’s ear.

Duan Yuqing nodded again, then turned and departed.

—

In Ercheng.

Chen Changfeng was seething. “I’m going to report this to His Majesty, no matter what!”

“I doubt it’ll make any difference,” Jiang Qian drawled lazily from a corner.

Chen Changfeng glanced at him, puzzled. “Why do you say that? What makes you so sure?”

“Do you really think you can impeach the Crown Prince? With your rank?” Jiang Qian’s tone was cool, almost mocking. “Don’t fool yourself. The Crown Prince’s faction will just twist things around and have you impeached instead.”

Jiang Qian had a point.

Virtually all the civil officials in court supported the Crown Prince. If things escalated, they could bury you under a mountain of accusations.

Chen Changfeng hesitated, the fire fading from his eyes. He muttered bitterly, “Damn it. If a man like Chen Jianzhi becomes emperor, I might as well rebel.”

It was a reckless thing to say, but that was just what kind of man Chen Changfeng was.

“I’m heading out,” Jiang Qian said, stretching and standing up, hands behind his head as he left the tent in long, lazy strides.

Three women hurried after him.

As Jiang Qian and his companions left the military camp and made their way back to their lodgings, they ran into Duan Yuqing, just returning from outside the city gates.

Jiang Qian’s eyes landed on Duan Yuqing, instantly noticing the fresh stains of Fire Phoenix Violet Immortal Monkey blood clinging to his boots.

He really did go to that cave.

“Duan Yuqing, where’d you run off to? Didn’t see you anywhere just now.” Jiang Qian’s tone was light, but his gaze probing.

Duan Yuqing ignored him without so much as a glance and strode past in silence.

Hu Murui puffed up her cheeks in irritation. “How can anyone be so rude? I must’ve been blind to ever like someone like that!”

Jiang Qian watched Duan Yuqing’s retreating back, then shrugged and yawned. “Ignore it. I’m exhausted. I’m heading to bed.”

He returned to his quarters.

Once inside, he flopped onto his bed, muttering, “Duan Yuqing definitely went to that cave.”

“And it has to be connected to Chen Jianzhi…”

“That guy’s using this beast outbreak to get rid of Chen Changfeng. After all, Chen Changfeng controls seventy percent of Longyan Kingdom’s military, and he’s a diehard supporter of Chen Shimin.”

“That makes him an obstacle Chen Jianzhi has to eliminate. But as things stand, I’m already at odds with Chen Jianzhi. There’s no way I’ll let things go his way.”

“But for now… sleep first.”

With that, Jiang Qian drifted off.

...

Night fell.

A black-clad figure crept into the camp, moving like a shadow toward Chen Changfeng’s tent.

Without a sound, the assassin slipped inside. From his robes, he took a small pouch, ready to blow its poisoned powder toward the slumbering Chen Changfeng—

“I’m curious,” Jiang Qian’s voice came from the dark corner of the tent, “why not just poison his food? Worried you’d be caught?”

Chen Changfeng, who had been “sound asleep,” abruptly sat up, fixing the intruder with an icy smile. “I’d like to know that too—why go to the trouble of breaking in here? Were you short on time, or just afraid of being discovered?”

Realizing his plot had been exposed, the assassin flung the poison aside and lunged for the exit.

“Men! Seize the assassin!” Chen Changfeng roared.

Soldiers swarmed in from all sides, forming a tight circle around the black-clad figure.

Chen Changfeng strode out, looking down at the assassin with scorn. “Trying to assassinate me? You’re still too green.”

“If I hadn’t woken you up, you’d still be snoring,” Jiang Qian said, exposing him mercilessly.

The truth was, Chen Changfeng slept like the dead—it had taken Jiang Qian over a dozen attempts to rouse him. Hard to believe this dozing general was the famed hero of countless battles!

Flushed with embarrassment, Chen Changfeng cleared his throat and muttered, “Hey, we’re both from King of Qin’s faction. Couldn’t you show me a little respect?”

The assassin, realizing that Jiang Qian was the one who ruined his plan, glared venomously at him.

With a furious snarl, he drew his longsword and swept it in a deadly arc. A surge of power exploded forth, sending nearby soldiers flying and forcing open a route for escape.

“Think you’re getting away? Dream on!” Chen Changfeng’s figure blurred—he appeared before the assassin in a flash.

He thrust his spear, the strike swift and deadly as a viper.

The assassin raised his sword to block, but in that instant, Chen Changfeng changed his angle. The spear drove straight into the assassin’s abdomen.

Blood spilled, soaking the night-black fabric.

“Get... out... of... my way!” the assassin howled, erupting in a violent burst of demonic energy as blood-red mist billowed from his body.

“A demonic cultivator!” Chen Changfeng’s pupils constricted in shock.