Chapter 565
Chapter 565
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 565
>Chapter Title: Bureau within a Bureau
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Chapter 565: Bureau within a Bureau
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> Watching everything the National Advisor was doing before his eyes, and feeling his own body that seemed somehow different, Ji Lin looked panicked.
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> “What on earth is...” As soon as Ji Lin said this, he froze first—his voice was no longer a man's voice, but had turned into a slender woman's voice.
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> Immediately after, even more changes began to appear. The lines of his face softened, and the Adam's apple on his neck gradually flattened until it completely transformed into that of a woman.
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> Just as the grim-faced Huangfu Tiangang was heading toward the outside, Li Huowang, clutching his head, blocked his path. “National Advisor, don’t panic! There’s still a way to fix this! The root of Great Liang’s dragon vein hasn’t been severed yet!”
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> “You ignorant fool have no idea what’s happening! This isn’t just about the dragon vein! Hmph! You know nothing at all!!”
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> Suppressing the rage in his heart, Huangfu Tiangang strode quickly toward the hall’s exit.
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> Li Huowang was just about to open his mouth to stop him when he suddenly paused, staring at Zhuge Yuan with sluggish thoughts. “Brother Zhuge, what was that method you just mentioned?”
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> Zhuge Yuan closed his eyes and took a deep breath before slowly opening them again.
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> “Great Qi! We can borrow Great Qi’s royal bloodline to connect to Great Liang’s dragon vein. That way, the dragon vein will be linked.”
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> “Brother Zhuge, what nonsense are you spouting? Where’s any Great Qi bloodline now? Have you forgotten? I beheaded Great Qi’s last emperor myself!”
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> “He can’t die! Back then, the Great Qi Empress Dowager went so far as to defy heaven and alter fate to let her son ascend the throne, refining him into a body of a hundred souls scattered and reformed—he’s not that easy to kill! The Great Qi Emperor is now with you in Great Liang. Find him! Connect Great Liang’s dragon vein, and you can break Dice’s scheme!!”
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> “Really?! That’s fantastic!”
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> Clutching his head, Li Huowang started to chase after the National Advisor, but as he walked, his steps gradually halted. “Brother Zhuge, did you know about Dice’s scheme from the start?”
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> “Brother Li, we can talk about that later. Hurry and tell the Great Liang National Advisor!”
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> But Li Huowang didn’t chase after him. Instead, he continued, “Brother Zhuge, does finding the Great Liang National Advisor have to be so urgent? Or are you changing the subject? You know, I’ve always felt something was off before, but I thought I was overthinking it.”
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> “How could I suspect you? I was too paranoid. Zhuge Yuan, what a great guy—we’re sworn brothers!”
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> “But ever since I accepted Hongzhong’s memories, those suspicions I had before keep growing. For instance, it was you who told me to go to Supreme Bliss Cult’s Grotto to find Great Qi, and by sheer coincidence, I ran into the Great Qi Emperor? And by another coincidence, I brought him to Great Liang?”
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> “Then Dice’s scheme just happens to sever Great Liang’s root, and the Great Qi Emperor just happens to be able to reconnect it? How is it all so perfectly convenient? Convenient as if it was all designed that way!”
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> Hearing this, Zhuge Yuan sighed. “Indeed, I saw through Dice’s trick from the beginning.”
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> “Then why didn’t you stop it? Even if you’d just hinted at it to me earlier—there were eight other contenders for the throne back then! Even if two or three survived, we wouldn’t be in this mess!”
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> “Because I want to save Great Qi!!” This was the first time Zhuge Yuan had ever yelled at Li Huowang.
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> His lips trembled slightly as he said, “Do you know how many living people are in Great Qi? Do you know how many will die if Great Qi is utterly destroyed? Think about that little girl back then who cried herself hoarse while tugging at your clothes—those are all real, living people!”
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> “You have friends, people you care about—don’t I have any in Great Qi? Yes! I did all of this! When I said I was leaving a letter for a friend earlier, it was the letter left by Xunnian before. She’s my friend!”
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> “She’s my confidante. I had her lead the Great Qi Emperor to you. She played along with you in this act, ultimately finding a way to send the Great Qi Emperor to Great Liang. Dice’s scheme was just set, and that little emperor could break it perfectly—saving Great Qi in the process.”
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> “Don’t worry. Even if we use the Great Qi Emperor to connect Great Liang’s dragon vein, it won’t harm Great Liang at all. Great Qi is almost gone now. I just want to give the remaining people of Great Qi a way to survive...” Zhuge Yuan’s voice grew softer and softer until it was almost inaudible.
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> After a moment, Li Huowang laughed, but it was an utterly bitter laugh. “Why? Why not just tell me directly? Why go to all this trouble? Even if you’d told me straight up, could I have refused? I’d throw away my life for it! In this world, I don’t fully trust anyone but you, Zhuge Yuan! I truly saw you as a friend!!”
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> Zhuge Yuan said nothing, just stood there silently.
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> But Li Huowang guessed the answer. He stepped right up to Zhuge Yuan’s face, his bloodshot eyes glaring as he shouted, “Because you suspected I was Hongzhong? Or thought I was a madman? You didn’t breathe a word because you couldn’t trust me, right?”
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> “Yes.”
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> That single word struck Li Huowang’s chest like a sledgehammer. The pain in his heart swiftly turned to extreme fury. “I’m a madman! I’m Hongzhong! Then what about you? You might not even be Zhuge Yuan! You’re just a hallucination!”
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> As soon as he said this, Zhuge Yuan’s body began flickering in and out.
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> Yet in contrast to his body, Zhuge Yuan’s gaze grew ever more resolute. “Whether I’m the real Zhuge Yuan or not—does it matter? Whether I’m real or fake, what of it? In poverty and hardship, my resolve grows stronger, never abandoning my lofty aspirations!!”
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> Li Huowang gritted his teeth and jabbed a finger at his face. “Cut the damn bookish crap! I don’t understand it!! I’m telling you, I’ve put up with you for a long time!!”
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> “Brother Li!” Zhuge Yuan stepped forward, looking earnestly at Li Huowang’s face. “Brother Li, does it really matter who we are? So what if I’m an illusion? So what if you’re Hongzhong? What matters is our true hearts!”
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> “True heart... heh, true heart.” Li Huowang laughed bitterly and shook his head as he staggered back, crashing into the massive coiled dragon pillar behind him.
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> After a moment of silence, he looked at Zhuge Yuan again, his voice numb as he asked, “Brother Zhuge, since you suspected I was Hongzhong, what if I really am? Do you truly think this Sitting Oblivion Dao Hongzhong would help you sabotage Dice’s plan?”
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> At these words, the Zhuge Spinebone Sword on Li Huowang’s back moved on its own. It suddenly tore off the purple talisman on its head and pounced to the ground, using its bony fingers to carve words into the tiles, sinking three inches deep into the stone.
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> After a brief instant, the Spinebone Sword slammed its palm down on those words. The carved letters peeled from the floor and shot off with afterimages, racing swiftly in the direction the Great Liang National Advisor had left.
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