owlsbooks Chapter 12 Disciples
Chapter 12 Disciples
The disciples of the Thousand Silk Sect sat down on the second floor, towards the back, exactly three cubicles away from Lin Mo.
They didn't chat loudly like ordinary tea drinkers, but spoke in hushed tones. Their eyes, like those of hawks, subtly scanned their surroundings, lingering for a moment on those tea drinkers who sat alone or looked somewhat unusual.
Lin Mo could clearly feel that scrutinizing gaze, like a cold needle slicing through his skin.
He maintained his posture of drinking tea with his head down, his breathing was steady, his heartbeat was controlled at a slow but powerful rhythm, and his whole body muscles were in a state that seemed relaxed but was actually ready to explode at any time.
As a top assassin in his previous life, he was all too familiar with this method of hunting prey.
These people are indeed looking for something, or... looking for someone.
He focused most of his attention on his hearing, his internal energy flowing quietly through the meridians in his ears, separating the extremely low voices of the group from the noise of the teahouse.
"...Are you sure they disappeared in this area?" a man with a hoarse voice asked. He seemed to be the leader of the group.
"There's no mistake, the compass ultimately points to the area of Qinghe Town," another slightly high-pitched voice replied. "But once inside the town, the aura becomes extremely weak and mixed, making it difficult to pinpoint the location accurately."
"Hmph, that traitor is cunning, knowing how to conceal his presence. However, now that we've confirmed he's hiding in this town, we'll dig three feet into the ground to find him! Our sect's most precious treasures must not be allowed to fall into the wrong hands!" The hoarse voice carried a hint of ruthlessness.
"Senior brother, although Qinghe Town is not large, it is a mixed bag. The Canal Gang and the four great families all have influence here. Should we be more cautious in our actions to avoid alerting them or getting into unnecessary trouble?" The third voice sounded younger and carried some concerns.
"Troublesome?" The hoarse senior brother snorted coldly. "Why should our Thousand Silk Sect care about these local powers? As long as we find the traitor and retrieve the treasure, what does it matter if we turn this town upside down? As for alerting the enemy... that's exactly what we want! The traitor is seriously injured and eager to hide. Once he senses danger, he will inevitably slip up! We'll split up and focus our search on inns, restaurants, teahouses, and other places with high foot traffic. We can't overlook clinics and pharmacies either!"
"Yes!" the others replied in hushed tones.
Traitor? Treasure?
Lin Mo's mind raced with thoughts.
It seems that these Thousand Silk Sect disciples are not after him, but are hunting down a traitor within their sect, and it appears that an important treasure is involved.
This gave him a slight sense of relief, but he remained vigilant.
Regardless, the presence of the Thousand Silk Sect members here is a huge hidden danger. Could the "traitor" they speak of be related to Mo Yuan? Or what exactly is that "treasure"?
Just then, the hoarse senior brother's gaze swept across the entire room again, this time lingering on Lin Mo for a little longer.
Lin Mo felt a chill run down his spine.
Although he tried his best to conceal his aura and disguise himself as an ordinary person, certain things ingrained in his bones, such as the unique temperament that had settled after years of killing, might still seem somewhat out of place in the eyes of a true master.
Like a stone with its edges smoothed out, mixed among pebbles, it may seem unremarkable at first glance, but upon closer inspection, one can still feel its inherent hardness and coldness.
He turned his gaze out the window without making a sound, seemingly completely immersed in the river view. His fingers tapped lightly on the table unconsciously, the rhythm slow and gentle, blending in with the faint sound of a storyteller striking the table from inside the teahouse, further merging into the background noise of the environment.
The hoarse-voiced senior brother stared at Lin Mo's back for a few moments, his brows furrowing slightly.
The young man sitting alone gave him a strange feeling. His aura was weak, like a martial artist who had just started learning, or perhaps just an ordinary person with a strong physique. But his excessive calmness, the profile he had glimpsed in the blink of an eye, and the fleeting glimpse in the depths of his eyes...
Cold?
It made him feel a little strange.
However, he quickly dismissed this feeling. How could someone so young and with such a weak breath be connected to the cunning traitor they were hunting?
Perhaps he's just a scion of a prominent family who's come out to gain experience, or a newly promoted minor leader of the Grand Canal Gang, putting on a pretentious air.
He looked away and continued instructing his men: "Remember the traitor's characteristics: a scar about an inch long on his left cheek, left-handed, skilled in disguise, but rather thin, and with a chilling aura. All of you, be on your guard!"
"yes!"
The group whispered a few more words, then stood up, seemingly preparing to leave the teahouse and go their separate ways.
Just as they got up and passed through the passageway outside Lin Mo's cubicle, something unexpected happened!
A burly man with a bushy beard, who had just come upstairs and was about to find a seat, inadvertently blocked the path of the disciple of the Thousand Threads Sect with a high-pitched voice.
The disciple with the shrill voice leaned his shoulder against the burly, bearded man seemingly unintentionally; the movement was minimal, yet the speed was as fast as a ghost.
The burly man with the bushy beard reacted quickly, sensing the touch and instinctively lowering his shoulder to deflect the force, while simultaneously hissing, "Can't you watch where you're going?"
The disciple of the Thousand Threads took advantage of the situation and slid slightly backward, flicking his right hand discreetly from within his sleeve.
laugh!
With a barely audible sound, a thin, almost transparent shadow shot towards the burly man's ribs at a speed imperceptible to the naked eye!
It's not a fatal blow, but if hit, it's enough to instantly numb half of their body and render them unable to fight.
It is a form of punishment, as well as a display of strength and a warning.
It is also part of what they call the "beating the grass to scare the snake" strategy.
By creating conflict, observe the reactions of those around you.
Lin Mo was all too familiar with this hidden weapon technique!
It is the "probing needle" that forms the basis of the Thousand Silk School, used for probing, pressing acupoints, and creating minor injuries.
The key is to act silently, precisely, and insidiously.
Everything happened in the blink of an eye.
Although the burly man with the bushy beard was skilled in martial arts, he was clearly unprepared for such a strange and insidious hidden weapon. By the time he sensed the gust of wind hitting his body, it was too late to dodge, and a hint of shock and anger flashed in his eyes.
However, just as the "probing needle" was about to reach the body, in the next cubicle, a slender hand seemed to casually rise up, and the fingertips gently flicked in the air.
The movements were fluid and natural, as if he were simply raising his hand to brush away a speck of dust.
The swiftly fired "acupuncture needle" abruptly and precisely stopped between two fingers, its tip only an inch away from the burly man's clothes.
It was Lin Mo who made the move.
He didn't intend to save the burly man with the bushy beard; rather, at the moment the hidden weapon was launched, his skills and instincts as a core assassin of the Thousand Silk Sect from his previous life overwhelmed all rational considerations.
Faced with the hidden weapon techniques of his fellow disciples, and this familiar form of provocation, his body reacted instinctively faster than he could think.
Cut it off!
When Lin Mo felt the cool, fine needle between his fingers, his heart sank.
Oops!
Sure enough, the entire second floor fell into an eerie silence.
All eyes, including those of the burly, bearded man still shaken, and the few Thousand Silk disciples who were about to leave, were focused on Lin Mo, on his two fingers holding the fine needle.
The burly man with the bushy beard was initially taken aback, but then his gaze toward Lin Mo was filled with gratitude and astonishment.
He knew how dangerous that hidden weapon was; if it weren't for this young man's intervention, he would probably have been in serious trouble today.
The expressions of the several Thousand Silk disciples changed instantly.
Especially the hoarse senior brother, whose eyes suddenly sharpened like knives, staring intently at Lin Mo, the slight strange feeling from before instantly magnified into a huge warning sign!
To be able to catch his junior brother's "acupoint needle" so effortlessly and accurately is something that no ordinary martial artist could do!
Even many so-called masters of concealed weapons may not have such keen eyesight and skill!
More importantly, the way the opponent caught the hidden weapon, seemingly casual, revealed the subtle tremor in their fingertips and the effortless ease with which they caught the flying needle...
There was a rhythm that felt incredibly familiar to them, yet also carried a deeper and more subtle meaning!
That's definitely not just a coincidence!
The hoarse senior brother stepped forward, emanating a chilling aura. His voice was like the scraping of ice: "Who are you? Why are you interfering in the affairs of my Thousand Silk Sect?"
The disciples behind him also dispersed instantly, forming a subtle encirclement, their cold eyes locking onto Lin Mo.
There seemed to be a faint glimmer of light between their cuffs and fingers, indicating that more concealed weapons were ready to be unleashed.
The other tea drinkers in the teahouse sensed the tense atmosphere and their expressions changed. Some quietly retreated, while others held their breath and dared not make a sound.
The storyteller also stopped giving the dictate and looked nervously in this direction.
Lin Mo slowly stood up and casually tossed the "acupoint needle" in his hand onto the table, making a soft "ding" sound.
His expression was calm as his gaze swept over several disciples of the Thousand Silk Sect, finally landing on his hoarse senior brother's face. Although he knew trouble was imminent, a long-suppressed, chilling killing intent quietly rose within him at that moment.
He spoke softly, his voice low but clear enough to reach everyone's ears: "Just passing by, having some tea."
"As for intervening..." He paused, a faint smile curving his lips, a smile devoid of warmth, only a detached indifference, "I simply couldn't stand by and watch."
"Can't stand it?" The hoarse senior brother's eyes grew even colder. "So you can't stand it! Your skill in catching hidden weapons isn't something you can learn just by 'not standing by'! Speak! What is your connection with my Thousand Silk Sect? Or... are you the person we're looking for?"
His last sentence was almost a stern question, an attempt to intimidate Lin Mo and observe his reaction.
Lin Mo sneered inwardly. Origins? Does a blood feud count as an origin?
But he remained expressionless, merely straightening his robes, which were slightly wrinkled from standing up.
"The Thousand Threads Sect? Never heard of it."
His tone was calm, with a just-right sense of detachment and doubt, as if he were just a stranger who had seen injustice and was quite skilled.
"As for who I am... Qinghe Town, the Canal Gang, Lin Mo."
He revealed his current identity.
Since a peaceful resolution is impossible, there's no need to deliberately hide it anymore.
His identity as a minor leader of the Grand Canal gang could actually serve as a cover at this moment, explaining why he had good skills and why he was in this teahouse.
"The Canal Gang?" The hoarse senior brother frowned, scrutinizing Lin Mo as if trying to determine the truthfulness of his words.
It's unbelievable that a minor leader of the Grand Canal Gang could possess such exquisite skills in using concealed weapons.
But Lin Mo remained calm and composed, showing no panic in the face of their pressure, and indeed had the air of a key member of a large gang.
Is it a coincidence? Or is the Canal Gang a place rife with hidden talents and powerful figures?
Or... is this person in front of me just pretending?
In any case, the move he just made has aroused their absolute vigilance and suspicion.
Better to kill the innocent than let the guilty go free!
Especially at the crucial moment of pursuing the traitor!
A cold glint flashed in the hoarse senior brother's eyes. Without further ado, he said sternly, "No matter who you are, since you've revealed your presence, come back with us and explain yourself! Take him down!"
Before he could finish speaking, two disciples of the Thousand Silk Sect beside him had already made their move!
The two worked in perfect harmony, one on the left and one on the right, their sleeves simultaneously flashing with cold light!
The person on the left fired three jet-black darts, forming a triangular shape, aiming directly at Lin Mo's upper, middle, and lower body. The sound of them piercing the air was sharp and ear-piercing!
The person on the right then flung out a shower of fine needles, like a sudden storm, covering Lin Mo's major acupoints and sealing off all his space to dodge!
One is hard and one is soft, one is bright and one is dark.
It is the classic combined attack technique of the Thousand Silk Sect – "Net Style"!
The cold glint of the hidden weapon illuminated the horrified faces of everyone in the teahouse, as well as Lin Mo's eyes, which had suddenly become deep and cold.
The storm finally arrived.