Chapter 41: Imperial Generals – Section 8
The meeting with Duke Ziyuan took place on a relatively small warship—a vessel only a few kilometers long. It was entirely crimson in color and spindle-shaped, very similar to human Shuifish-class pirate ships. In the dark universe, its elegant hull resembled that of a swordfish, with its red body glowing like raging fire.
Among the Empire’s ship types, Hei Fa had never seen such a vessel before. Yet that didn’t stop him from evaluating Duke Ziyuan’s ship. Clearly, it was a super-high-speed warship designed more for survival than actual combat. Unsurprisingly, Hei Fa even suspected it might possess stealth capabilities.
The shuttle moved at great speed. In just three hours, Hei Fa arrived at the reception room of that red warship and met Duke Ziyuan. As before, the old man, who seemed on the verge of death at any moment, was still plagued by illness, coughing nonstop upon seeing him.
At his gesture, the people in the reception room quickly left, leaving only the two of them. The lights on the surrounding walls illuminated the entire room brightly. The luxurious furniture and elegant murals reflected the host’s refined taste, giving Hei Fa a completely different feeling from their last meeting.
“Sit down… cough… young man. We meet again.” Duke Ziyuan waved his hand while coughing, signaling for Hei Fa to sit in front of him. Though he continued to cough severely, he seemed to be in slightly better health.
Hei Fa frowned but still sat down as Duke Ziyuan requested. In fact, he had rushed here right after receiving news from Xigait and had no intention of wasting time here. So he hadn’t greeted Duke Taro. But now, it seemed Duke Ziyuan wanted to chat casually with him, which made Hei Fa feel extremely uncomfortable.
Ever since he guessed that Duke Ziyuan intended to use him as a sacrifice, Hei Fa’s opinion of the old man had become extremely negative. If possible, he really didn’t want to waste a single moment on him. But he had no choice. He had already realized this was a very important meeting—likely the last one before the emperor’s award ceremony. Duke Ziyuan would surely seize this opportunity to plant evidence against him, and he had to cooperate.
It was like acting. Even though the man in front of him intended to use him as a scapegoat, Hei Fa still had to engage in polite conversation. The hypocrisy was truly unbearable. Yet he still had to go through with it, at least until the emperor’s award ceremony. He couldn’t afford to offend this old man.
This old fellow has at his disposal hundreds of imperial warships at any moment. If he turns against us now, Black Hair won’t even have a chance to resist. It’s like being crushed like a fly, right? Black Hair sneered inwardly, though outwardly he remained extremely respectful.
“It’s great to see you again, Duke Ziyan. I’ve been busy with competitions these days and didn’t notice that you look much better than last time.” While exchanging pleasantries lazily, Black Hair snatched a bottle of red wine from the coffee table beside him and popped the lid open.
Duke Ziyan’s red wine was top-quality—Black Hair still remembered it vividly. If he didn’t take a few bottles now, he might never get another chance.
Seeing his behavior, Duke Ziyan wasn’t bothered. Instead, he smiled faintly. He was always lenient toward those who were going to die. To him, Black Hair was just such a person now.
“If you like it, uh… take a few bottles then. Though it’s rare, I do have some in stock. Uh… young man, I heard from Xigait that you’ve been standing out this time…”
“It’s all thanks to your grace. I always remember that you told me to perform well.” Black Hair smiled lazily, slipping in a compliment back seamlessly.
Hearing his flattery, Duke Ziyan couldn’t help but smile, somewhat satisfied. As far as he knew, although this Beck had a good reputation, he rarely complimented others. Even his direct superior, Duke Taro, probably didn’t get such treatment. With this thought, Duke Ziyan’s mood improved further—though with a hint of regret.
It was a shame that such an outstanding talent was about to die. It was just unfair fate—why didn’t it let you meet me earlier? If that had been the case, maybe I could have found another scapegoat. But now, it was too late. It was a pity that such a great man would be sacrificed—though it was inevitable for a new empire.
While pondering these things silently, Duke Ziyan showed no outward reaction. He simply clasped his hands and sat quietly in the recliner, observing the young man before him—watching him sip the wine gracefully, his calm and deep eyes. The entire room fell silent, so quiet that one could hear a needle drop. After a long while, Duke Ziyan slowly raised his right hand and waved it gently.
A corner of the room suddenly began to move. After the invisible space twisted a few times, the naked girl reappeared before the black-haired man. She still held a tray in her hands. But this time, instead of red wine, it contained a statue of strange design. It was a statue of a man, exquisitely crafted from the rare purple gold—a material that already signified nobility in the Moor Empire. The man’s posture was also full of momentum; he was leaping mid-air, one hand forward and the other backward, as if at the start of a rapid spin or the end of a grappling move. Though his opponent was invisible, one could easily sense his immense attacking power. Looking at the statue, it seemed possible to see his sudden burst of strength—a fierce aura that was almost suffocating. Seeing this statue, the black-haired man was stunned. It was too familiar. Utterly too familiar. If it were someone else, they might not understand the man’s posture, but for him, it was like a mark etched into his soul—something he could never forget. Because that posture was exactly his finishing move from his fight with Siget, and also part of his numerous combat techniques. And that man, judging by his appearance and clothing, was none other than himself! What did the Duke of Purple Rock mean by bringing out this statue at this moment? Was it a gift for him? His mind raced, and he immediately became puzzled. Indeed, before coming here, he had already thought that the Duke of Purple Rock might try to manipulate him to leave evidence proving he was the assassin of the emperor. But in his opinion, such actions would likely be carried out secretly. Even if it were in the form of a gift, it would probably be something offensive like a dagger, firearm, or small ship—not this harmless, exquisite statue! What exactly was the Duke of Purple Rock planning? As he pondered this, the black-haired man did not speak right away. He carefully admired the statue for a long time before turning his gaze back to the Duke of Purple Rock. “Respected Duke, what is this…” “Ahem, kid, don’t tell me you don’t even recognize yourself…” “Oh, no, of course I do. But that’s exactly why I’m puzzled. How do you come by this statue?” The black-haired man frowned, pretending to be very confused.
Seeing him in that state, Duke Ziyuan laughed. He laughed so happily that it triggered even more severe coughing. His emaciated body trembled violently before finally calming down. Wiping his mouth with a clean handkerchief, the old duke replied with a smile, “It’s actually quite simple. I didn’t create this statue.” “Oh?” Hei Fa raised his eyebrows but didn’t press further, knowing there must be more to come. Sure enough, Duke Ziyuan, not expecting him to say anything, continued on his own. “It was made by Xigait himself. Ever since he was defeated by you last time, he’s had great admiration for you. That kid always thought that anyone who could defeat him head-on must be an extraordinary warrior, and he’s always respected warriors. To show his respect for you and remember that defeat, he created this statue himself. Ahem… Unfortunately, I happened to see it.” “So this statue ended up here?” “Yes. Don’t you think it’s a very exquisite gift? Ahem… You performed well this time. I was worried about what reward to give you, and Xigait delivered it right to my doorstep. How could I pass up such a good thing…” … Hei Fa was speechless. It was only then that he realized Duke Ziyuan still had a somewhat childish side when he didn’t resort to schemes. Did his subordinates really admire and trust him so much? Perhaps in their eyes, this old man was still a decent friend? But now… Hei Fa sneered inwardly—this “friend” had turned into the most dangerous enemy. As expected, during the subsequent conversation, Duke Ziyuan subtly hinted that the emperor was paying increasing attention to Hei Fa. Especially after Hei Fa had personally defeated Xigait, the emperor’s interest grew even stronger, and he had mentioned Hei Fa several times to those around him. As an important veteran minister to the emperor, Duke Ziyuan had naturally received such inquiries. So if the emperor saw this statue, it might very well be added to his collection… After all, it was the final scene of Hei Fa defeating Xigait, and the emperor would surely be very interested. Even after leaving Duke Ziyuan’s room, Hei Fa still remembered the old man’s indifferent demeanor back then. It seemed as if those subtle hints hadn’t even come from him at all. Thinking of this, Hei Fa couldn’t help but sneer.
Is it exploiting human psychology? If Black Hair is indeed a Moorish officer eager for promotion and seeking the Emperor’s attention, then he would likely give this statue as a gift to the Emperor. The most appropriate time for that would undoubtedly be on the day of the award ceremony! And now, it’s even more certain that… this statue is the weapon used to assassinate the Moorish Emperor!