NCCnovel Chapter 1313 Cooperation
Chapter 1313 Cooperation
Xiao Ce sneered when he heard what the man in the cloak said.
He sneered inwardly, "I didn't come here for them!"
Of course, he wouldn't say these things out loud.
Because he wanted to know the purpose of the person in front of them.
"Alright, enough talk, just say what you want..."
After hearing Xiao Ce's words, the man in the cloak said calmly, "As expected of the famous Xiao Ce, indeed different from ordinary people... It's simple, put down your futile resistance and probing, and come with me."
Xiao Ce chuckled, his sharp gaze sweeping over the other man's cold, rigid mask. He addressed the man in the cloak before him, "Leave? Where to? Who to see? There needs to be an explanation. My head may be valuable, but it's not something you can just take with a casual call. I need to confirm one thing first..."
He paused deliberately, his gaze fixed on the other person.
The masked man in the cloak asked Xiao Ce, "Confirm something? What is it?"
Xiao Ce already had a decision and a plan.
He then spoke slowly and deliberately: "Let me see Eva and my child with my own eyes, and confirm that they are alive and safe. Otherwise, there's nothing to discuss. You can try to take action now and see if you can keep me here."
"Or, see if the chips you have can really threaten the decision of a dead man."
His words carried a cold, resolute air of mutual destruction, deliberately placing Eva and her child in a position of leverage to test their bottom line and true intentions.
The atmosphere froze instantly, with only the mournful sound of the murky river echoing in the air.
The gaze behind the mask seemed to be struggling violently with its weight after hearing Xiao Ce's words.
A moment later, the cold voice rang out again, carrying a hint of compromise, or rather, a temporary adjustment after the plan was disrupted.
“Prince Xiao, you are a smart man.”
The cloaked man's voice lowered, then he continued, "You should be able to sense that we don't want your life. There are some things that require your cooperation to resolve, and your wife and children are our sincere guarantee."
He deliberately emphasized the word "guarantee," seemingly implying to Xiao Ce that their safety depended on his cooperation, not pure malice. And their meeting wouldn't happen at this moment.
“But if you cooperate, I guarantee in the name of Shiva that they will not be harmed. When the time comes, you will see them.”
The name Shiva?
Xiao Ce's inward sneer deepened.
The other side even brought out Indian deities as props?
However, the information revealed in those words made him even more certain: the other party needed his help, and the request required his cooperation to be fulfilled.
This is by no means a simple trap or revenge.
Xiao Ce agreed almost instantly, his decisiveness causing the man in the cloak to pause slightly.
“Remember your vow of Shiva. Lead the way.”
His straightforwardness surprised them, but it perfectly aligned with their goal of controlling Xiao Ce.
Xiao Ce's idea was simple: he wanted to see the truth behind all of this.
Using oneself as bait is essential...
The cloaked figure said no more, but turned slightly to the side and made a gesture of invitation, pointing to a barely discernible path behind the shipyard, covered by garbage and shipwrecks.
Without any hesitation, Xiao Ce stepped forward.
Just as he was about to pass by the hooded man, another shadowy figure dressed in the same manner emerged like a ghost from the shadows of a wrecked ship, holding a thick black hood in his hand.
"Put them on." A short, cold command.
Xiao Ce glanced at the hood, did not resist, and even lowered his head slightly in compliance.
The two people in veils standing nearby were visibly even more surprised to see Xiao Ce so cooperative...
Clearly, they were prepared to put in some effort, but they never expected the team to cooperate so readily.
The moment his vision was completely swallowed by darkness as the hood covered him, the knowing, mocking smile on his lips deepened.
With a thought, Xiao Ce activated the auxiliary visual system in Lingxu.
Although his eyes were covered, Xiao Ce's world suddenly opened up on a spiritual level! A 360-degree "vision" unfolded instantly! The surrounding scenery was no longer the darkness and ruins that the naked eye could see, but a clear picture composed of energy and outlines.
It appeared in his mind...
The armored guide did not head towards the area outside the abandoned shipyard where Hu Yidao might be lying in ambush. Instead, he went straight towards the deep pool of garbage piled up by the river.
Behind several huge, oil-stained, and rotten ship planks, he skillfully moved aside a few pieces of seemingly carelessly discarded rusted iron sheets, revealing a dark opening just wide enough for one person to bend over and pass through!
The cave entrance reeked of a strong musty and damp smell, almost blending into the nauseating environment around it. It would be extremely difficult to discover without prior knowledge or special means of exploration.
Led by them, the group crawled into the cave one by one.
The cave was unusually narrow and low, filled with an indescribable stench and a damp, musty smell.
Xiao Ce's spiritual vision "saw" that this was an extremely rudimentary, man-made passage with slippery mud and embedded broken wooden planks on all four sides, sticky mud underfoot, and water dripping from above.
The passageway meanders and twists, seemingly utilizing natural terrain crevices and the supporting structures of garbage heaps to cleverly avoid the main alleyways of the slum.
The passage wasn't long; after walking for only a few minutes, a faint light appeared ahead.
The exit was also perfectly disguised, a crevice hidden behind a massive mountain of garbage, covered in discarded fishing nets and rags.
Emerging from the crack, the view suddenly opened up, but the environment hadn't improved much. It was just that we had moved from the filthy riverbank and garbage heaps to the edge of a more desolate landfill filled with industrial waste and scrapped vehicles.
This area is now far from the core of Shiva's Tears, closer to the outer perimeter.
What convinced Xiao Ce even more was that, in the shadows at the edge of this garbage dump, there were two carriages with no markings and their windows covered by thick black cloths, parked quietly!
The carriage was of ordinary design, but the wheels and axles were clearly reinforced, and the horses were of an exceptionally stamina breed, obviously prepared for long journeys.
"Get in the carriage." The armored man in the cloak pointed to the first carriage, his voice still icy.
Xiao Ce didn't ask any further questions and obediently boarded the carriage.
The carriage smelled musty and dusty, but the space was still adequate.
He was seated in a more secluded spot. The other woman, wearing a burqa, then got into the car and sat opposite him, motionless like a silent statue.
The armored man then walked towards the second carriage. The driver, who was also dressed in inconspicuous clothes, had his face covered with a cloth.
With the driver's short shouts and the crack of the whip, the two carriages began to bump along the rugged, rubble-strewn country road, heading in a clear direction!
Northeast!
The wheels rolled over gravel and garbage, making a monotonous and dull sound.
The carriage quickly left the landfill area and entered an even more desolate wilderness. Far from the main road, only faint wheel tracks indicated occasional human presence.
In the distance, the faint sounds of Hu Yidao's search and rescue efforts could still be heard from the direction of Fancheng, like muffled thunder, which only made the desolate wilderness seem even more deathly silent.
Xiao Ce leaned against the swaying carriage wall, a slight smile playing on the corners of his mouth beneath his hood.
The choice of the northeast direction further confirmed his guess.
This should be the direction of the Slavic countries. It seems the Slavic Empire is still not convinced...
Thinking of this, Xiao Ce frowned slightly...
Once we understand their purpose, if those Slavic empires really do want to rebel...
Xiao Ce was still thinking of making an example of someone, after all, he had heard Yin Weiyong say that they had always valued harmony over the years.
This has caused some of the federal states to forget where they came from...
A cold glint flashed in his eyes as he thought of this, and everything here gradually confirmed his suspicions...
...
Meanwhile, in a side hall of the Brahma Palace.
The flickering candlelight cast a long shadow of Yin Pan'er on the wall.
She sat upright on the soft couch, seemingly calm, but her tightly clenched hands, with slightly white knuckles, betrayed the turmoil within her.
The little mudfish curled up on the low stool next to it, its eyelids heavy, but it dared not fall asleep, glancing worriedly at the door every now and then.
Outside the palace, the sky was already beginning to lighten, and the morning star twinkled lonely against the deep blue sky.
A whole night has passed since Xiao Ce went to his appointment alone at midnight!
The palace door was suddenly pushed open, and Hu Yidao rushed in, covered in dew, mud, and a strong stench of blood.
His eyes were bloodshot, and his towering body trembled slightly from extreme anxiety and the tension of a sleepless night. The scar on his face looked even more ferocious in the dim light.
His armor was covered in mud and dew, indicating that he had been lurking around the Tears of Shiva all night.
Seeing him come alone, without anyone following behind, Yin Pan'er vaguely guessed what was going on...
"Princess!"
Hu Yidao's voice was hoarse, filled with barely suppressed panic: "The Prince... the Prince hasn't come out yet! Not a single word! This humble general and his men have been lying in ambush around 'Shiva's Tears' all night long! We haven't dared to blink! We sent three groups of our most skilled scouts to risk going deep into the vicinity of the abandoned shipyard in the river bend to investigate... there wasn't a soul in sight! There were only... only some messy footprints that disappeared at the riverbank! They must have escaped by water or some secret passage we don't know about!"
He suddenly knelt down on one knee, his huge fist slamming heavily onto the hard ground with a dull thud!
He cried out in remorse, "This humble general has failed in his duty! This humble general is incompetent! Please punish me, Your Highness! But now... now the most urgent task is to save him! We can't wait any longer! His Highness is all alone, his fate unknown!"
He suddenly raised his head, his eyes burning with a desperate madness. "Your Majesty! Give the order! This humble general will immediately mobilize the army, seal off the entire 'Tears of Shiva,' and search every house and every home! Turn the place upside down! Even if we have to drain the Varanasi River and dig three feet into the ground, we will find the Prince! We will drag out those sons of bitches and tear them to pieces!"
His voice echoed in the silent palace, carrying a desperate roar.
Lock down the slums and conduct a forced search!
This was the most direct and likely way he could think of to alert the enemy and even cause large-scale chaos and bloodshed, but at this moment, the fear of Xiao Ce's safety and the torment of waiting all night in vain had overwhelmed all reason.
He was like a raging lion trapped in a cage, wanting nothing more than to tear apart everything that stood in his way of finding his master.
Yin Pan'er's body swayed almost imperceptibly, and her face instantly turned ashen.
After a night of torment, the devastating news brought by Hu Yidao struck her heart like a heavy hammer.
A blockade and search?
What a horrific scene that would be! Places like Shiva's Tears are densely populated like anthills, with environments as harsh as hell. A forced search would inevitably trigger large-scale panic, conflict, and even stampedes!
Putting aside the casualties of innocent people, if the prince is truly in their hands, this action would be tantamount to putting him in real danger! It would also completely disrupt any plans Xiao Ce might be undertaking!
She took a deep breath, a breath that was cold and resolute, forcibly suppressing the excruciating pain in her heart and the almost-spoken agreement.
She slowly stood up and walked to Hu Yidao.
Her figure appeared slender in front of Hu Yidao's imposing kneeling posture, yet at this moment she exuded an undeniable majesty.
Yin Pan'er's voice was unusually calm, so calm that even Hu Yidao's madness faltered!
"General Hu, get up. Do not blockade the slums, and do not send troops to attack them."
"Miss!"
Hu Yidao suddenly looked up, his eyes filled with astonishment and confusion, even a hint of anger at being rejected: "Why?! The Prince... he might..."
"Because His Highness wouldn't want us to do that!"
Yin Pan'er interrupted him, her gaze cold and resolute as she stared directly into Hu Yidao's bloodshot eyes: "Hu Yidao, you've served the Prince the longest. Tell me, is the Prince the kind of person who would be easily manipulated and captured? Is he the kind of reckless fool who would knowingly rush into a dead end? Is he the kind of person who needs you to risk the safety of all the innocent people in the slums to save him?!"
Hu Yidao was taken aback, and subconsciously replied, "Of course not! Your Highness is incomparably brave, resourceful, and cares deeply for the people..."
"That's it!"
Yin Pan'er's voice was resolute, with a sharp insight: "The prince knew it might be a den of dragons and tigers, yet he still went alone. Do you really think he was coerced into having no power to fight back?"
If he truly wanted to escape, given his methods, he should have acted at the shipyard last night! Since he chose to go with them, there must be a reason! There must be a plan we don't know about! He's playing a game we can't yet see through! He's deliberately venturing into the lion's den!
She stepped forward, her small frame now carrying an undeniable authority in her voice: "What did the Prince specifically instruct you to do before he left? He told you to lie low, remain still, and wait for a signal! If he needed us to launch a full-scale attack to rescue them, he would have given you the signal last night! The fact that he didn't means the time isn't right! It means he's still in control!"