Chapter 109: Human Nature Is Inherently Greedy, Making Our Task Difficult

Song Jiang, the "Righteous Protector of Justice," anticipated that the chaos in Tokyo would be severe. He had dispatched the "Double Spear" Dong Ping and the "Featherless Arrow" Zhang Qing to lead a thousand armored cavalrymen to wait outside the city, ready to provide cover as soon as the group broke out of the gates.

Dong Ping thrust his spear through Zhou Ang and charged to the city wall. Reining in his horse before the moat, he bellowed, "The heroes of Liangshan are all here! Surrender the city now, and we shall spare your lives!"

The officers tasked with pursuing them were Dang Shixiong and Niu Bangxi. Gao Qiu had long since been whisked away under the protection of Xu Huai, Hu Chun, and Cheng Ziming, carrying Zhao Gou’s corpse to the imperial palace to beg for mercy from the Daoist Emperor.

Neither Dang nor Niu possessed much courage. Seeing the formidable might of the Liangshan cavalry, they dared not sally forth. They ordered their soldiers to raise the drawbridge, stand guard, and hold their position with archery. For them, merely repelling Dong Ping’s forces was victory enough.

Zhang Qing and the others had brought several riderless horses. They invited Song Jiang, Yang Ye, Zhao Min, and the others to mount up and return to Liangshan. Everyone else could ride, save for Wang Qing, whose wounds were too severe to sit in a saddle.

Li Zhu glanced at Yang Ye, but Yang Ye responded only with a bitter smile. The "Life-Giving Creation Pills" he had seized in the *Hulu Brothers* world were long gone; he had no miraculous medicine left to instantly mend such grave injuries. In truth, those pills were special items from a legendary battlefield. Had Yang Ye not challenged a superior foe and slain a veteran "Chosen One" in the previous world, such items would never have appeared in a brutal theater like the *Water Margin* world.

With no other choice, Song Jiang arranged for Wang Qing to travel separately, ordering the "Red-Haired Demon" Liu Tang, "Unrestrained" Mu Hong, "Little Tyrant" Zhou Tong, and the "Magic Traveler" Dai Zong to escort him to Liangshan on foot. Li Zhu, still uneasy, volunteered to join the four heroes in escorting Wang Qing.

Song Jiang, a man of profound insight, saw through Li Zhu’s hidden motives. To pacify the former Huai-Xi generals and demonstrate his own lack of suspicion, he immediately consented.

Before departing, Li Zhu instructed his remaining Huai-Xi subordinates—Mi Quan, Yuan Lang, and Liu Mi—to draw closer to Yang Ye during his and Wang Qing’s absence, and to seek his counsel should any difficulties arise.

Following the battle at Tokyo, the heroes of Liangshan and Huai-Xi parted ways with heavy hearts. Meanwhile, in the region of Dangshan in Jiangnan, there lay a small ridge known as Flying Dragon Ridge. Stretching over a hundred miles, the land was barren and sparsely populated, located not far from the bandit-infested Cold Beauty Mountain.

On this day, a strange, profound black light suddenly manifested atop Flying Dragon Ridge. As it faded, three figures emerged from within.

The first two were twin brothers, looking no older than twenty-five or twenty-six. Both wore long, glossy black braids and brand-new yellow horse-hoof jackets, their expressions radiating intense arrogance and petulance. The third was a remarkably handsome youth of perhaps eighteen or nineteen; his face was like powdered jade, his lips like cinnabar, his voice clear as a phoenix, and his skin as white as snow, with the powerful build of a warrior.

The twins looked at the youth with strange eyes, jeering, "Wan Nianqing, you’ve truly turned from a molting crow into a phoenix today. A middle-aged man reborn in a single night, now a beauty of such peerless quality."

It was a sight to blind anyone: this snow-white, stunning beauty was none other than the shameless traitor of the Renegade Alliance, the newly adopted son of the Destiny Khan, and the man who had murdered Zhao Min’s husband—the wretched Ji Dalong, who had defected to Fengtian City and renamed himself Wan Nianqing!

The body Ji Dalong had possessed belonged to none other than a main character from the *Sequel to the Water Margin*, a remnant of the Zhu Family Manor, and the biological brother of Zhu Chaofeng: the "Jade-Mountain Lad," Zhu Yongqing, who was destined to marry Chen Liqing. Zhu Yongqing was a student of Luan Tingfang, the brother of the "Iron Staff" Luan Tingyu. He had mastered martial arts, excelled with the Fangtian halberd, and surpassed his master in skill. He was a man of both literary and martial talent, well-versed in strategy and calligraphy.

However, despite his brilliance, the Jade-Mountain Lad was morally bankrupt—cruel, vicious, and base. He was a master of the "Thick-Black" theory, specializing in shameless deeds. His ultimate life goal was to "reach for the moon and spread ripples through the ages," making him a true kindred spirit to the soul of Ji Dalong.

Hearing his companions' mockery, Ji Dalong showed no sign of offense, instead fawning, "A lowly servant like me, even possessing this body, is far inferior to the dragon-like spirit and imposing air of you two brothers. A crow is a crow, after all; even with cosmetic surgery, there is no hope of becoming a true phoenix."

The twins laughed heartily. "You old man have some self-awareness. Serve the princes of Fengtian City well, and who knows? Perhaps one day we will make you a real phoenix."

Zhu Yongqing prostrated himself, trembling with feigned fear. "This servant thanks my masters for their great grace. I shall look to you both for guidance."

The twins walked on without looking back. "Say no more. As long as you remain loyal to our Great Qing, Fengtian City will never treat you unfairly."

Zhu Yongqing muttered a submissive acknowledgment, but as he raised his head and watched their retreating backs, his eyes ignited with an irrepressible, bone-chilling killing intent, as venomous as a viper from the depths of hell.

Though the nominal ruler of Fengtian City was the Destiny Khan, Nurhaci, he was a God of War and could not descend to the Heavens of the Thirty-Threefold Realm to manage affairs personally. The actual leader of the Manchu "Chosen Ones" was the "King of Fighters," Feiyanggu. Though he had not yet ascended, his true power far exceeded that of ordinary veterans. Like Nalan Chongguang, he was considered a prime candidate for a future God of War.

Feiyanggu had one fatal flaw: he was a fanatical believer in racial supremacy, convinced that only Manchu blood was noble within the Creation Space. Since he took charge, the oppression of Yan-Huang "Chosen Ones" had become brutal and arbitrary. While the Destiny Khan had at least maintained a veneer of civility, Feiyanggu had abandoned all pretense of shame. Conversely, he showered rare Manchu "Chosen Ones" with grace, gifting them currency, top-tier equipment, and even assigning Yan-Huang servants to protect them.

The twins were among Feiyanggu’s favorites, adopted by the Destiny Khan himself: one named Fu Erkang, the other Fu Ertai. From the day they entered the Creation Space, they had been coddled, completing every mission in an environment tailored to their success. Yet, fools remain fools. Despite Feiyanggu’s protection, they lacked the ability to complete "Saint Tasks" or ascend to the higher realms.

This was their tenth attempt at a brutal battlefield mission. If they failed again, they would be cast out as Renegades. Feiyanggu had no choice but to beg the Destiny Khan for a solution. The Khan waved his hand, sending them to the *Sequel to the Water Margin* world with Ji Dalong to gain experience. This world was a long-standing Manchu stronghold, housing the golden elixir manifestation of the Imperial Preceptor Huilai. If they succeeded, the brothers might finally secure their promotion.

Feiyanggu had truly done all he could for his clansmen.

As the three climbed the ridge, they passed an ornate archway. Beyond it stood a few small, haphazard shops, and at the far end, a well-appointed inn. Beside the inn stood a towering locust tree. Underneath sat a dark, obese man, his chest bared to reveal long, coarse hair. A massive, festering sore on his leg, covered by a plaster, was oozing blood and pus.

Seeing the three approach, the man rejoiced, thinking he had found easy prey. "Welcome, travelers! Forgive me for not rising—my leg makes it difficult."

Fu Erkang glanced at the festering sore, felt a wave of nausea, pinched his nose, and walked on without a word. Fu Ertai followed suit, ignoring the man entirely. Only Zhu Yongqing remained polite, thanking the innkeeper for his greeting.

A woman emerged from the inn, around thirty years old, with broad features and seductive eyes. Though not a beauty, she possessed a certain wild, floral charm. She wore a red silk blouse and a green gauze skirt, her face heavily powdered.

"Travelers, follow me," she said, leading them inside, leaving the festering man to stare hungrily at Zhu Yongqing’s back, drool leaking from his mouth.

"What a delicate, exquisite chrysanthemum!"

Halfway in, the Fu brothers, stirred by lust, flirted with the woman. "Madam, are you the owner of this inn?"

"I am," she replied.

"And who is that man?" Fu Erkang asked.

The woman smirked. "That is my father-in-law."

"Where is your husband?" Fu Ertai asked.

The woman giggled coyly. "He’s been gone for many years. Why do you ask so many questions, travelers? Are you trying to seduce me?"