Chapter 188 - Conspiracy and Rebellion? Arrogance, Reversal of Events, Escape, Kill Without Mercy, Ranking Update

Ming Dynasty.

Border between the Ming Dynasty and Qing Dynasty

A towering stronghold stood.

Shanhai Pass.

The foremost stronghold of the Ming Dynasty.

It was defended by General Ling Luoshi, who enjoyed the utmost trust of Emperor Zhu Houzhao.

Not long ago, he had led an army to quell a rebellion and was at the height of his fame.

With Ling Luoshi present, the Qing Dynasty posed no threat to the Ming Dynasty.

Both the Yuan Dynasty and Qing Dynasty placed immense importance on Ling Luoshi.

They were constantly scheming to win him over.

They even employed petty tricks in an attempt to sow discord between him and the Ming Emperor.

If the reigning Emperor were not Zhu Houzhao, Ling Luoshi might have long since met a tragic end.

Within a grand mansion that rivaled Ling Luoshi's command center in scale and grandeur, Wu Sangui, a general under Ling Luoshi, held considerable power in Shanhai Pass.

He was known for his exceptional combat skills and was deeply trusted by Ling Luoshi.

At this moment, however, inside the secret chamber of Wu Sangui Mansion, several mysterious men clad in black had appeared.

Their presence was anything but ordinary.

"So, General Wu, have you come to a decision?"

"If things go as planned, Temujin of the Yuan Dynasty will grant you a royal title, one that will be hereditary and never revoked. How about that?"

"You don't want to remain under Ling Luoshi forever, do you? Never able to rise above him?"

"In terms of military prowess, how is he any better than you?"

"When the Khan sets out to conquer the Nine Provinces, he'll need battle-hardened commanders like you."

"Right now, you're stuck in this remote post, wasting your time and potential. Isn't that a pity?"

"The Ming Emperor doesn't know how to use talent. Are you really content with that?"

"Your future lies in the entire Nine Provinces. You shouldn't be confined to this tiny Shanhai Pass."

"You should be earning glory on the battlefield, attaining titles of nobility, maybe even royalty!"

"This is a great era of strife. You must seize the opportunity."

The black-robed man continued his persuasion.

Seated at the top, Wu Sangui appeared conflicted.

He seemed tempted, yet deeply hesitant.

"What you say is indeed appealing."

"Unfortunately, the Yuan Dynasty is far too distant from Shanhai Pass."

"You can't do anything substantial. All you can offer are cheap tricks."

"What benefit is there for me?"

"Even surrendering to the Qing Dynasty would be a better choice than aligning with you."

"Your empty promises are of no use to me."

"Give me something real!"

Wu Sangui shook his head and ultimately refused.

"We will help you kill Ling Luoshi and hand you complete control of Shanhai Pass. How does that sound?"

At that moment, a deep voice rang out.

"Who's there?" Wu Sangui was startled.

A burly figure stepped through the doorway of the secret chamber.

An overwhelming aura descended.

Wu Sangui's breathing became labored.

"A Land Immortal?!"

"Who are you?"

"Greetings, Hall Master!"

The mysterious men immediately bowed respectfully upon seeing the newcomer.

It was none other than Dong Tianbao, the new Yuan Dynasty's Golden Wolf Hall Master.

"I am Dong Tianbao, current Yuan Dynasty's Golden Wolf Hall Master."

"Let's skip the nonsense. We will help you eliminate Ling Luoshi so you can take full command of Shanhai Pass."

"Then you will unite with the Qing Dynasty forces and launch an assault on the Ming Dynasty."

"The more territory you seize, the greater your merit will be."

"When the Yuan Dynasty ultimately defeats both the Ming Dynasty and the Qing Dynasty, your contributions will be unmatched."

"A royal title will be nothing to speak of."

Dong Tianbao immediately painted a grand vision.

Wu Sangui's expression revealed desire.

"And what if I refuse?"

This was no small betrayal. It would mean offending both the Ming Dynasty and Qing Dynasty.

If this plan were ever exposed, he would be condemned by the world.

"Refuse? Hahaha!"

Dong Tianbao's laugh turned cold.

"Now that you know our plan, I can't rest easy unless you're dead."

Wu Sangui felt a chill in his heart.

He dared not act rashly and immediately said.

"I agree to this!"

"But you must deliver on your promises."

"Ling Luoshi must die. Only then can I gain complete military control."

"However, Ling Luoshi is not weak. Are you sure you can kill him?"

"A mere Ling Luoshi is nothing in my eyes."

"You have three days. We act immediately."

"This time, we will not only kill Ling Luoshi but also eliminate every general loyal to the Ming Dynasty."

"We will work together!"

"I look forward to your performance."

"After this operation, you'll officially be one of us, a member of the Yuan Dynasty."

"Marshal Wu, don't disappoint me."

Dong Tianbao laughed heartily, then left the secret chamber with the other black-robed men.

From the moment he arrived, Wu Sangui had become his pawn.

By manipulating this pawn, a single move could deal a devastating blow to the Ming Dynasty.

He might even incite conflict between the Qing Dynasty and Ming Dynasty.

In the end, one side would be destroyed, the other left severely weakened.

Even if the Ming Dynasty emerged victorious, they would stand no chance against the rested and reorganized cavalry of the Yuan Dynasty.

Dong Tianbao began indulging in grand fantasies.

As Dong Tianbao and his men disappeared from sight, Wu Sangui's eyes grew darker.

Indeed, he had great ambitions.

He was not as loyal to the Ming Dynasty as people believed.

In fact, he often dreamed of replacing Ling Luoshi.

Unfortunately, in the eyes of the Ming Emperor, he could never compare to Ling Luoshi.

If he wanted to rise, Ling Luoshi was his greatest obstacle.

Although he deeply resented Dong Tianbao's threats, this might be the opportunity he had been waiting for.

With proper planning, he could rise to fame throughout the Nine Provinces.

In the future, if a Nine Provinces General Ranking were released by the Heaven Dao Ranking, he would surely be included.

Clenching his jaw, Wu Sangui made up his mind to act.

Life only offered so many chances.

With Dong Tianbao, a Mythical Realm, by his side, Ling Luoshi posed no threat.

Seizing the position of Supreme Commander of Shanhai Pass would be effortless.

After that, he would open the gates to the Qing Dynasty forces, and together they would attack the Ming Dynasty.

Before the Yuan Dynasty fully invaded the Ming Dynasty, he could carve out his own territory and act as a local Emperor.

He would use that time to expand his forces and strengthen his army.

Preparing thoroughly for the future battle for supremacy across the Nine Provinces.

As these thoughts filled his mind, Wu Sangui's eyes gleamed with ambition.

Unfortunately, all his plans were nothing more than delusions.

For someone like Wu Sangui, where did he get the courage to attempt such a thing?

This could no longer be called foolishness.

It was pure madness driven by insatiable greed for power.

==========

Three days later.

Ling Luoshi Mansion.

The surrounding area was littered with corpses, all slain on the spot.

Inside the main hall, Ling Luoshi and his personal guards were surrounded by Wu Sangui's troops and Dong Tianbao's men.

The situation was extremely dangerous.

It was a planned ambush against the unsuspecting.

Combined with the overwhelming strength of Dong Tianbao and his men, Ling Luoshi was caught completely off guard.

"Wu Sangui, how dare you betray me?"

"You even colluded with foreign forces to rebel against the Ming Dynasty!"

"Your crimes are unforgivable!"

Ling Luoshi shouted angrily.

"Commander Ling, my apologies, but you were standing in my way."

"As long as you are alive, I will never have my day."

"As long as you live, His Majesty's eyes will only be on you. No matter how much credit I earn, he will never acknowledge it."

"Tell me, what else could I do?"

Wu Sangui responded with a look of false grievance.

"Hahaha, how amusing!"

"Wu Sangui, I really underestimated you."

Ling Luoshi was briefly stunned, then suddenly burst into laughter.

He no longer looked at Wu Sangui, instead turning his gaze toward Dong Tianbao and the others.

"Are you from the Qing Dynasty's Flying Guillotine Division? Or spies from the Yuan Dynasty's National Master Mansion?"

"Ling Luoshi, you truly do not know what is good for you."

"The Khan personally sent envoys to recruit you, and you dared to refuse. Since that is the case, we decided to make your subordinates betray you."

"Since you are about to die and were once a renowned general, I may as well tell you."

"I am Dong Tianbao, Golden Wolf Hall Master."

Dong Tianbao spoke calmly, his tone full of arrogance.

"Golden Wolf Hall! Interesting, so the many rebellions within the Ming Dynasty were all your doing?"

"Indeed, your Golden Wolf Hall is not weak."

But in the next moment, Ling Luoshi's tone suddenly shifted.

"However, do you really think so little of our Ming Dynasty?"

"Especially in a place as important as this stronghold?"

"If every random outsider could succeed in their schemes, the Ming Dynasty would have fallen countless times already."

His eyes no longer held anger, hatred, or panic. Instead, they were filled with disdain, mockery, and cold amusement.

Both Dong Tianbao and Wu Sangui felt an ominous chill.

Something wasn't right.

Swoosh!

At that moment, a shadow suddenly appeared.

Moving at lightning speed, it appeared in front of Dong Tianbao.

Dong Tianbao saw only a blur.

In the next instant, a searing pain struck his chest.

Faced with this deadly threat, Dong Tianbao instinctively twisted his body, barely dodging a fatal blow.

Even so, the ambush left him severely injured.

"Ah!"

Splash!

A mouthful of blood sprayed into the air.

Dong Tianbao was sent flying, crashing heavily into the courtyard outside the hall.

A deep trench was left in his wake.

"This is bad!"

"It's a trap!"

Without hesitation, Dong Tianbao leapt up and fled into the distance.

In the blink of an eye, he vanished without a trace.

To save himself, he abandoned all his subordinates and fled alone.

His decisiveness was truly unexpected.

Although Dong Tianbao was indeed powerful and far more ruthless than Phagpa, when it came to handling people, he was far inferior to Phagpa.

The Ming Dynasty's Dark Guard Leader, Dark One, revealed his presence.

He watched Dong Tianbao disappear into the distance but did not pursue him. Instead, he wore a thoughtful expression.

He had already received intelligence.

From now on, Dong Tianbao of the Golden Wolf Hall will replace Phagpa of the National Master Mansion.

This man's methods were far more venomous than Phagpa.

But in terms of threat level, he might not surpass Phagpa.

Dong Tianbao only cared about short-term gains.

In contrast, Phagpa had long-term vision and was more focused on the bigger picture.

Compared to Phagpa, this so-called Dong Tianbao was easier to deal with.

Just like this time, if it had been Phagpa, he wouldn't have been so easily exposed.

He certainly wouldn't have allowed so many military traitors to be identified at once.

Fortunately, His Majesty had granted him Dragon Essence, greatly increasing his strength.

He had also gained countless years of life.

Though he had not yet broken into the God Demon Realm, he had reached the Half-Step God Demon Realm.

Even compared to Yuan Tiangang of the Tang Dynasty, he had nothing to fear.

That was how he had easily injured Dong Tianbao in the earlier ambush.

In the past, even with a sneak attack, he would never have achieved such a result.

"Commander, please spare me!"

"I was forced by those Yuan Dynasty barbarians! If it weren't for them, I wouldn't have dared betray you, not even with ten times the courage!"

In the blink of an eye, all of Dong Tianbao's men from the Golden Wolf Hall were slain, including his trusted aides.

Wu Sangui was finally terrified.

He dropped to his knees and begged for mercy.

"Wu Sangui, I once thought you had potential. What a pity!"

"Even if I wished to spare you, the laws and military code of the Ming Dynasty would not."

"Men, take this traitor away and execute him publicly!"

"Pass down my command. Anyone involved in Wu Sangui's rebellion is to be executed without exception."

Ling Luoshi was a decisive man.

He immediately issued one order after another.

He was determined to conduct a thorough purge.

To prevent anything like this from happening again.

If it weren't for the Emperor's Dark Guard, he might really have fallen to a despicable traitor like Wu Sangui.

As it turned out, everything had been under His Majesty's watchful eye all along.

How laughable that Dong Tianbao believed he was in control, when he was merely a pawn in the Emperor's hands.

In that instant, Ling Luoshi felt an even deeper reverence for the Ming Emperor.

From now on, he would not dare harbor a single improper thought.

Otherwise, his fate might not be much better than Wu Sangui.

At that moment, the ranking in the sky was refreshed once again.

What was about to be announced was the ranking of those at the God Demon Realm and above!

Line after line of glowing words began to appear.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

List of Characters:

Tai Chi Master ( 太极张三丰 )

・Dong Tianbao ( 董天宝 ) — Hall Master of Golden Wolf Hall

Four Great Detectives ( 四大名捕 )

・Ling Luoshi ( 凌落石 ) — General of Ming Dynasty

Deer and Cauldron ( 鹿鼎记 )

・Wu Sangui ( 吴三桂 ) — Traitorous General of Ming Dynasty