He and It Chapter 124: Utopia (20)

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Chapter 124: Utopia (20)

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: Karai

Gu Xingqiao walked, while whispering to Tian Yuan, “The target is very cautious, unwilling to give me all the maps at once, even if I ask him to return Ming Sheng’s favor.” 

“Then what are you going to do?” Tian Yuan asked.

“Actually, I don’t need too much detail about the route and locations,” Gu Xingqiao replied, “I just need to know what unit layouts Sissel changed, where the major changes were made, and where the minor changes were made… I can basically deduce where he really lives. Hate to admit it, but after all these years, just as he knows me, I know him.” 

“Even though he’s been pretending in front of you?” 

“Even if he has been pretending in front of me.” Gu Xingqiao said with certainty, “There is no seamless deception, even if he split his personality into another person, the details will not be able to hide from me.” 

On board the ship, Gu Xingqiao unfolded the information submitted to him by the architect’s lover.

“You see, he’s overhauled the banquet hall palace and streamlined the side halls of the council chambers.” Gu Xingqiao said, “His succession was ill-conceived, and no one knows where the old Emperor is yet. As a newly appointed ruler, he would certainly adopt a soft policy, emphasizing his simple style of government and his closeness to his subjects.” 

“So, in all likelihood, these newly remodeled, unmarked floor areas are studies, salons, small reception halls, dance halls, game rooms… Well, there must be a playing room, and the policy of ‘being as uninhibited as an ordinary big boy in private’ is definitely an important part of his image promotion.” 

Totally hit.

On his way to the palace, Tian Yuan actually saw the different new rooms that Gu Xingqiao described.

“He has also increased the number of guards,” Gu Xingqiao frowned slightly, “and must have expanded the number of personal guards as well.” 

“How do you know?” 

Gu Xingqiao twirled his three fingers, zooming in on a coordinate in the Royal Garden.

“Here, the old emperor had a well-known hobby of collecting antique vehicles, and this is the underground warehouse where he originally placed them… Sissel moved them to the surface, and claimed that it wouldn’t increase the military expenses of the royal family… Imagine a young monarch, early in his reign, when the stakes are highest, stating that he’s going to use his predecessor’s own troops.” 

“Thus, the 30 new tunnels have a clear answer, which ones are connected to the arsenal converted from this underground warehouse, and which ones are the real deal.” 

“According to this logic…” On the map of the palace, which was comparable in size to a giant city, he quickly drew a line, “These are the real range of his normal activities.” 

In the red line he drew, there was the study where Tian Yuan had quietly lurked and rendered the emperor’s blood.

Gu Xingqiao softly said, “I’m going to the drill ground to block him.” 

“You can determine the location of the drill ground.” 

“Do a simple logical reasoning,” Gu Xingqiao shrugged his shoulders, “His suspicion is not light, the place where the secret passage is connected, will not be his usual place to relax and rest. Like this location, close to the library, but may not be Sissel’s study, because the council room is on the left side of the adjacent palace, maybe this is a ballroom, maybe this is a drinking party, he is very concerned about his appearance of humanization.” 

He went on to speculate a bit, “The Imperial Emperor’s bedchamber has always been a secret location, but he used to tell me that the house he wanted to live in had to have a game room next to the bedroom, so that he could work out, and then run to the game room for an hour of gaming, and then go to bed, and then get a good night’s sleep.” 

Gu Xingqiao’s index finger, pressed down on an inconspicuous coordinate.

“Game room, drill hall, bedroom, three points, one line.” He says, “This is the spot.” 

Still a total hit.

His analysis, not far from what Sissel had done, was as if the same person had made the decision.

Tian Yuan whispered, “You do know him well.” 

“If you know your enemy and know yourself, you can fight a hundred battles without danger.” Gu Xingqiao said, “It’s time to go, let’s go.” 

.

Sissel, heavily armed in his combat gear, sat down in a side chair, took a sip of water, and sank down on his water bottle.

These days, he had a feeling that something wasn’t right.

A rigorous medical examination had reaffirmed his health; every inch of his deep memory had been searched, but he still couldn’t dig out the source of the uneasiness and trembling in his bones.

Sissel thought long and hard about this psychological anomaly, which had begun when he had fallen asleep on his desk after summoning the captain of his personal guards, Harden.

Why did I suddenly fall asleep? He frowned, and his face was no longer characterized by his signature warmth.

Moreover, I didn’t dream, nor did I feel asleep, as if a piece of that time had been cut out of me… So, have I really slept, or do I think I have slept? 

He knew that his suspicions were unscientific and unrealistic. As the leader of the largest force in the Galaxy, Sissel knew only too well where the current human technology was at its peak.

If there was really such a technology that could allow someone to sneak into the Imperial Emperor’s study, break through all kinds of sophisticated protection devices, and tamper with his memories despite his own resistance… Well, that’s the kind of technology that could be used to dominate the universe, and any Galaxy head would be scared shitless of it.

So, what’s going on? I’m sure it’s not just a case of self-doubt, it’s just that there’s a reason, and I haven’t found it yet.

In the midst of his ponderings, the high ranking general who was the Emperor’s personal tutor approached him and shared the same seat with him.

At the moment, Sissel was still playing the role of an enlightened king, who was not eager to show off his high position, but on the contrary, encouraged his subjects to show their closeness to him in private, so he did not feel disobedient, but rather moved aside, as if he were in a university stadium.

With the kind of role he played, he could not violate the logic of that role’s behavior. If he wanted to portray a sincere and dear friend, he had really been a dear friend to the prey he had been eyeing for decades; if he wanted to portray a praiseworthy and virtuous king, he really acted in accordance with the style of the virtuous king.

“You seem troubled.” The general said, “May I be so bold as to inquire about the cause?” 

Sissel gave a bitter laugh.

“A trivial matter of no consequence.” 

“Is it because of marriage?” The general snickered, “Then you’re really worrying too much, after all, the people of the whole empire would go crazy for your favor.” 

Sissel laughed, without the slightest hint of amusement in his eyes, “I am only afraid that I will fail them.” 

The general stood up, and held out a hand to his emperor, encouragingly, “Come, don’t think too much, sweat it out, and all those nuisances will naturally flow away with the sweat.” 

Sissel thought for a moment, he stood up, reattached his holographic mask, and took a drill weapon from the weapons rack.

“Come on then!” He said, “This time, I’ll show no mercy to my teacher!” 

The environment around them was instantly simulated as a bloody battlefield, the fishy breeze contained the smell of corpses, and in the dense fog, the mentor’s figure loomed large, with only the sound of his hearty laughter remaining.

“Hey, this is really going to put people to death!” 

Sissel’s mind inevitably gave birth to a trace of subtle feelings of dissimilarity. In theory, the decision of the simulation environment was made by the two opposing sides, he did not pick such a background, listening to the other side’s meaning, it seems that he was not the one who made the choice…

He didn’t have time to think too much, but the particle sword that was as sharp as iron had already poked out from the fog, and struck him head-on, creating a clear spark.

Sissel was already very familiar with his combat style, so he turned his sword sideways and used his dexterous strength to fight against the enemy, cutting diagonally across the opponent’s chest, using the technique of winning in a dangerous way.

“Good!” Mentor loudly encouraged, chest suit flashed a gap of white light, this is the proof of a point, Sissel’s progress is very fast, recent sparring, mentor is rarely able to beat him.

Sissel did not follow up his victory, he just defended in the fog. Recently, he had been so depressed that he needed to win to free himself. He understood, and his mentor understood even more, that he just had to wait in place and see what he could do.

As the gray mist poured more and more eagerly, and the smell of blood became stronger, Sissel suddenly felt cold.

Not cold in his body, but cold in his heart, making him feel like he was on a glacier when he held his sword, as if every hint of fog was a hidden knife.

In his sight, the lightsaber suddenly placed in the tip of the nose, the sword body was wrapped in sticky fog, so that it was like a killing weapon appeared out of thin air. Sissel’s eyelids trembled, he was keenly aware that the mentor’s way of striking suddenly changed, from a wide-open and grandiose, turned into sharp as a ghost’s coldness.

Sissel was surprised, he quickly flicked away from the sword, and reflexively counterattacked himself. He had to fight back – if the person who stabbed him was not his mentor, but anyone else, the other person would be suspected of regicide.

He was like a willow leaf driven by the wind, spinning along his mentor’s body. Such a stance would be too slender for an emperor, but with his physical attributes, Sissel’s high speed of rotation was even greater than that of a circling Storm, and not only did he avoid each of his mentor’s thrusts, but he also attacked his opponent’s chest without a scratch.

The white light that symbolizes the score continues to light up, but Sissel’s heart is not happy. He felt the murderous intent, the unceasing murderous intent, the mentor’s movements were not reserved, and he did not care about the way back, so much so that it could be said that he was fighting for his life one on one.

… No, that’s not right! From the second blow, the opposite side was changed, and the one in front of him at the moment was not a mentor at all!

After realizing this, Sissel’s pupils tightened violently, the unknown assassin changed his stance at the same time, the particle lightsaber suddenly lengthened, the fog was unpredictable, the only thing that stood out was the spear-like beam of light, piercing to the heart.

When the swords and spears clashed, brilliant sparks hit both of their faces at the same time. Neither of them took a step back, and Sissel was finally sure that the assassin he had encountered was thinner than himself, a few inches shorter, and specialized in using long-handled weapons.

From memory, there seemed to be only one other familiar person, also thinner, shorter, and specializing in long-handled weapons…

Distracted for only a moment, the assassin had already seized the perfect moment–

He didn’t know how to retreat, he only knew how to advance, his two spears were like vipers interlacing with each other, their fangs were like snow, and the venom they spewed was like snow and fire, the only thing that was left was the sharpness of the spears, like an unceasing tidal wave, wrapped up in a Shura-like killing opportunity, and sweeping towards the Emperor of the Humans!

There is no way to describe such a worldly fury, as if erupting from a furnace of destruction, turning the virtual scene into a roaring inferno. The mist was a blazing fire, the clash of blades was a rain of swords, Sissel clenched his teeth, he faced this overwhelming fury, his heart was only in dismay.

In ancient times, if one wanted to describe the fineness of a person’s sword blade, they would use words such as “water can’t be poured into it” to describe how skillful the swordsman was. But in the present moment, “water can’t be poured into” is like an outdated joke, which can’t be compared to the current situation of the urgency of killing intent and the intensity of the exchange of blades.

Thousands of blows, a howling pop, and the particle sword’s generator shattered, along with Sissel’s long-simmering “Who are you?”

The Emperor drew back, and if he didn’t, the shattered hilt in his hand would be the next thing to happen to him.

“It’s been a long time,” the other man’s voice hissed in the thick, swirling fog, and finally the first words came out, “Are you surprised, Sissel?”