The Villain Saint is my secondary account

Ye Xiao didn't believe that the Grizzly Bear Guild, or Tu Chou, had such a high profile.

A large player guild may have a significant number of members, but its leader doesn't even hold a noble title. Overtly, its influence on the imperial selection is practically zero; at most, it might engage in intelligence gathering and assassinations behind the scenes.

There's no reason why an organization of this caliber should receive such attention from the royal family.

Unless, of course, they value something else.

Ye Xiao first looked at Tu Chou's expression. This guy was also confused and didn't understand the situation. Obviously, the arrival of the Third Prince had nothing to do with him.

So Ye Xiao turned his gaze to the third floor of the mansion, and just then, he met the eyes of Dong Muge, who was looking at him from behind the window.

The other person gave a faint smile and then drew the curtains.

...Was the Third Prince summoned by Dong Muge?

Ye Xiao frowned.

He did not doubt that Dong Muge had the means to summon the Third Prince, after all, she was the divine messenger of the Mother of Life, and the Mother of Life was the deity who manipulated the Third and Fourth Princes behind the scenes.

But one thing is a bit strange. If Dong Muge is on Tu Chou's side and wants to stop Yu Tong from taking back the Sprout of Life and her sister, then why did she entrust the Sprout of Life to Yu Tong in the first place and choose Yu Xue as the divine messenger?

Surely they didn't recognize me and just wanted to annoy me?

"Lord Ba... Lord Bazel!?" The captain of the guard's voice trembled as he saw the chief archmage appear.

Why would a conflict between two lousy adventurer guilds lead to the involvement of a royal-marked letter and a figure of the caliber of a chief archmage?

“Captain Boren, I apologize for interrupting your work,” Bazel stroked his beard and said slowly, “However, could you please, for my sake, temporarily halt the search of this gentleman’s residence?”

Lewis nodded vigorously, though he had no sense of justice whatsoever. The scales in his heart had already been tipped over when the Archmage appeared.

The situation reversed, and a group of imperial guards suddenly became protectors to help the mansion guard against attacks.

"Hey! What's with this old man who suddenly appeared?!" Yu Tong was naturally anxious and argued with the guard captain, "This is a matter of life and death, why should we stop just because he says so..."

Before he could finish speaking, the imperial guards' swords were already pressed against his throat.

“I suggest you shut up, traveler from another world,” Lewis immediately displayed a textbook-level ability to turn hostile. “This is a count, and if you, a lowly commoner, dare to speak so arrogantly to him again, I can kill you on the spot according to the laws of the Empire!”

"You trespassed on someone else's property without legal permission. I haven't even said that arresting you and your accomplices is already being lenient."

Yu Tong stared at the cold, sharp glints pressed against his neck, his lips trembling.

Damn it... I was so close to finding my sister, if only these guys had arrived even a little later...

Akishima Nogi and his group were just stopped a step outside the mansion by the changed-faced imperial guards. Otherwise, if they had been allowed into the mansion, even if the guards outside said to stop, they could have taken advantage of the chaos to search inside.

Seeing Tu Chou's nervous appearance, Yu Tong had a premonition that his sister was being imprisoned in the dungeon beneath the mansion.

They were so close!

"Heh, did you hear that, Guild Master Yu?" Realizing that the situation had reversed, Tu Chou's face, which was covered in cold sweat, returned to a smug smile. "A bunch of lawless thugs. I told you I've never seen your sister. You just wanted to find an excuse to break into my guild's territory and rob it."

Tu Chou's smile made Yu Tong almost grind his teeth to dust, but Ye Xiao beside him smiled sarcastically.

If Yu Xue was indeed secretly killed in that dungeon, then the final step of letting Akishima Noko enter the mansion would indeed be impossible under these circumstances.

But... since no one can go in and find the body as evidence, why not just let the "body" come out on its own and let everyone see it?

"President!"

A shout suddenly came from the backyard. It was several members of the Akishima Wild Fox gang who had been stationed at the back of the mansion. They surrounded a carriage and several Grizzly Bear guild players who were being held at knifepoint, and slowly walked towards the front yard.

"We found it!"

When Tu Chou saw those players from his own guild, his eyes almost popped out of their sockets.

ha? ? ?

Could it be such a coincidence?!

Tu Chou was dumbfounded, staring at the bulging cloth bag placed behind the freight wagon, he was on the verge of collapse.

Are these guys idiots?! If they had gone out the back door a little earlier to dump the body, they wouldn't have been surrounded; if they had gone a little later, they would still be in the dungeon and wouldn't have been discovered.

Of all times, I was caught halfway through using the back door!

How can such absurd thing happen in this world?!?

Chapter 124 Deadly Quack Doctor

Tu Chou felt this was the most unlucky coincidence he had ever encountered in his life, little did he know that this so-called coincidence was actually a trap that had been set up long ago.

Although the captain of the guard was somewhat dissatisfied that these barbaric people were still intercepting other people's carriages even though he had already ordered the mansion to be guarded.

But no one else actually broke into the mansion, so he couldn't say anything.

As for the members of Akishima Wild Fox trying to untie the burlap sacks on the carriage, he couldn't care less.

If anyone's to blame, it's the person in charge of the garrison, for trying to sneak a carriage out at this crucial moment.

Therefore, Tu Chou could only watch helplessly as the group cut open the cloth bag on the guild's carriage, revealing a girl who was bound like a rice dumpling with hemp rope, covered in blood and bruises.

"Yu Xue!!!" Yu Tong was furious and rushed to the carriage like a madman, ignoring the people around him who were trying to stop him.

All eyes were drawn to this scene. The body was found on a carriage guarded by Grizzly Bear Guild players on Grizzly Bear Guild territory, which was considered conclusive evidence.

Ruined……

Tu Chou's nearly paralyzed brain was still trying to organize words of defense, but in front of this blood-soaked girl, all explanations seemed pale and powerless.

No, it's not like there's absolutely no way!

"Who...who is framing me?!"

"You bunch of bastards! I've treated you all well, and you've committed murder and robbery... and you still want to blame it on the guild!"

In desperation, Tu Chou pointed at the players from his own guild standing by the carriage and angrily cursed them.

As long as he insists that it wasn't his instruction and was the players' unauthorized action, even if the corpse was found on his territory, he can exonerate himself.

"It's unbelievable that such villains have appeared in my guild, Lord Boren! Please bring them to justice immediately!!"

"Ah... I, it wasn't us..." Several players were sweating profusely. "It was clearly you, Guild Leader..."

"What are you talking about, Dr. Cai?? Did you think about your sister when you did these things?!"

"I..." The player's words seemed to be stuck in his throat; he opened his mouth but dared not speak again.

A smile appeared on Tu Chou's lips. There was still hope. As long as he could find something to hold over these people and make them take the blame, he would still have a chance!

Since the corpse can't speak or identify the perpetrator's motive, this matter has nothing to do with him...

"Brother...brother?"

Just then, the girl covered in blood in Yu Tong's arms opened her eyes in a daze and whispered.

ha? ? ?

Tu Chou's expression froze on his face.

Wasn't that woman dead?!

Tu Chou's almost murderous gaze fell on the doctor player surnamed Cai not far away.

The other party also looked completely bewildered, which only made Tu Chou even angrier.

If this was a setup, and this guy was actually an undercover agent, then Tu Chou could say that this was his own miscalculation and that his opponent was more cunning.

Judging from his appearance, it seems he simply made a misdiagnosis by accident?

No way, are you some kind of barefoot doctor?! How come you can still diagnose a pulse wrong even though you learned it systematically?!

Tu Chou was about to collapse. If he had known this woman was alive, he would have just tied her up in the dungeon and left her there, and all this trouble would have been avoided!

If they hadn't thought she was dead, why would they need these people to dispose of the body?

If they hadn't disposed of the body, how could the carriage have been caught by Akishima Nogi and his gang of bandits?

If it was a matter of cunning and he was tricked into this mess, he could at least sigh that he was not as skilled as the other person, and at least have the face to seek that person's help.

As it turns out... it all seems to be simply because his teammates and he himself were making stupid mistakes, leading to his current utter defeat.

A player who is just one move behind still has value, but a clown who only makes stupid moves can only be discarded.

Even if the chess player did commit murder and was arrested, he believed that the other party would have a way to get him out.

But if you become a pawn to be discarded, then you're completely finished.

Tu Chou always believed that he was just let down by his incompetent teammates and bad luck.

His legs went weak, and he saw Yu Xue, who had woken up in Yu Tong's arms, pointing at him. The imperial guards around him also stepped forward to support his arms.

At this point, the Yu Xue had been replaced by Ella as the real Yu Xue, and the bruises and blood on her were just simple makeup techniques.

After all, Ella had no interest in hugging or cuddling with any man other than Ye Xiao.

As for Ye Xiao... Ye Xiao also had to offer a grapefruit and lemon flavored cake as tribute.

Of course, before the switch, Ella also cast a spell on Miss Yu Xue. It wasn't anything complicated; it was just a painless replay of the scene in the dungeon where the guards beat people and Tu Chou ordered the body to be disposed of.

Everything seemed to have settled down.

With irrefutable evidence and the victim's accusations, even with the backing of nobles, the imperial guards had no choice but to put Tu Chou in shackles.

But at that moment, the chief archmage, Bazel, who had been silent all along, suddenly tapped his staff.

His figure moved like flowing water, and in the blink of an eye he was beside Tu Chou.

"Is there...is there anything else that can help you, Lord Bazel?" Lewis, who was holding Tu Chou hostage, trembled when he saw the archmage suddenly appear in front of him.

This was, after all, the supreme mage of the empire; even a mortal like him could hardly withstand the invisible pressure emanating from his mere gestures.

If the other party insists on violating the law to obstruct the process, Lewis really has no way to do anything about it.

But without a doubt, doing so would give others grounds for criticism and tarnish the reputation of the Fourth Prince's faction.

Therefore, Ye Xiao was also observing whether Tu Chou was worth the cost of sacrificing factional reputation to protect.

After all, this happened in public, with many curious onlookers gathered on the surrounding streets.

"Rest assured, Mr. Bolun, as the Empire's chief mage, I would never violate the Empire's laws or tarnish my reputation."

Bazel seemed to have only come to take a look, and then stepped aside, letting the imperial guards escort Tu Chou away.

Ye Xiao, who was hiding in the crowd, watched this scene, then looked up at the third floor of the mansion, pulled up his collar, put his hands in his pockets and left.

Tong will clean up this mess, but he has something more important to do.

……

Half an hour later, on a street in Xicheng District.

The sky was clear and the sunlight shone on the bluestone bricks in the alley, casting a soft, diffused light.

A river meanders through the alley, and a girl in black, carrying a cane that looks like a tree branch, walks alone along it.

Even in the bustling Xicheng District, there are occasionally secluded and quiet places like this.

This was supposed to be a pleasant and relaxing journey, until a man wearing a black trench coat walked out from the alleyway in front of her.

This person was Ye Xiao, and the girl he stopped—

"Miss Dong, it's been so long! Aren't you going to catch up with your old classmates before you leave?"

Chapter 105 The Tree Shepherd

"Ye Xiao." Dong Muge looked at the man in front of her expressionlessly. "Long time no see."

"Let's talk about you and your Mother of Life?"

"After all this time, you still have such an unpleasant way of speaking."

"What makes someone likable?" Ye Xiao laughed, her hand resting on the hilt of her knife. "How about I sing you a little song, 'Miss Dong, you're not just a girl without a story'?"

“That works too.” Dong Muge’s usually calm face suddenly broke into a smile. “Anyway, I’m quite interested in you.”

Ye Xiao narrowed his eyes. As the girl's voice echoed in the alley, he vaguely felt a chilling aura enveloping him.

To be honest, he wasn't 100% confident he could win against his opponent.

Perhaps having Ella play would be more reliable, but currently we know almost nothing about Dong Muge.

If Ella arrives but fails to capture the opponent and lets them escape, or if the opponent has some secret means of transmitting information, Ye Xiao's biggest trump card will be exposed, which would be a greater loss than gain.