ragginovel Chapter 60: You'd better run away quickly, Master Zou!
Chapter 60: You'd better run away quickly, Master Zou!
"Answer me, Zhang Liang!"
Zou Yun was unmoved by Zhang Liang's frankness; on the contrary, his anger intensified because of the other party's calmness.
"What do you take these common people of Pingqiu for? Your stepping stones? Sacrifices to your ambition?!"
Zhang Liang remained firmly standing at the bow of the boat, his blue robe fluttering in the river breeze.
Faced with Zou Yun's stern questioning, the smile on his face gradually disappeared, replaced by an almost cold solemnity.
Zhang Liang straightened his back and met Zou Yun's gaze with composure.
"Great Master, since ancient times, extraordinary achievements have always required extraordinary sacrifices. For every general's success, ten thousand bones lie buried."
Zhang Liang's voice was just like when they first met.
It was still as clear and steady as ever, but now it carried a resounding force that seemed to cut everything off.
"To overthrow the tyrannical Qin dynasty and recreate the world—how could such a great undertaking be accomplished without bloodshed? These common people of Pingqiu Village..."
As soon as he finished speaking, Zhang Liang paused slightly, a faint hint of pain flashing across his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by a deeper resolve.
"That is the price of success, and also the sin that Zhang Liang had to bear in his life."
"Though my conscience is filled with reluctance and guilt, for the greater good of the world and for the hopes of the people of the six former states, this is something I must do!"
Zhang Liang's words were resolute and forceful, each word like a cold iron nail hammering into the heavy river wind.
It was as if he was trying to persuade the other person, and also as if he was trying to persuade himself.
"Screw your self-righteousness!!!"
Zou Yun could no longer suppress the surging anger in his chest.
He pointed at Zhang Liang and cursed him in the most vulgar and direct language.
The image of the three heroes of the early Han Dynasty who shone brightly in history books, and the gentle and refined scholar whose talent he once admired, was now shattered in Zou Yun's heart.
It has only transformed into the coldest and most ruthless anti-Qin machine before our eyes!
"Great Master..."
Faced with this vulgar insult, Zhang Liang did not get angry. Instead, he slowly shook his head, a faint sneer appearing on his lips.
"...We're all the same."
In his view, Zou Yunyi was nothing more than a fraudster who deceived Ying Zheng with magic tricks in order to seek glory and wealth.
Hou Sheng was no different from the other two, Lu Sheng and Hou Sheng, who were secretly taken in by the remnants of the six kingdoms.
And what right does such a person have to stand on the moral high ground and criticize himself?
"Liang, I advise the Grand Master to leave this place as soon as possible!"
Zhang Liang was disheartened, clearly feeling that it would be futile to say another word to Zou Yun.
After saying that, he didn't look at the shore again, and turned around and disappeared into the small boat's awning.
Only Zou Yun remained, as if nailed to the riverbank.
His eyes were bloodshot as he stared intently at the small boat, which drifted further and further away in the turbid Yellow River until it became a black dot at the edge of his vision.
Hatred and a sense of powerlessness surged within Zou Yun's heart.
If it weren't for this damned river separating them, Zou Yun would have loved to stab this guy to death with his sword.
Just a few days ago, he admired and respected Zhang Liang, but now he loathes him just as much.
As the sun gradually rises, the reeds sway in the wind like waves, emitting a mournful rustling sound.
-----------------
The sun was high in the sky, bathing the secluded courtyard left by Zhang Liang in bright light.
The courtyard was suffocatingly quiet.
Only a few stubborn, withered grasses swayed gently in the wind.
Feng Zhixue, Zheng Ze, Meng Xuande, and Wei Shuqing stood there silently, like frozen statues.
"Great Master, aren't you going to speak?"
Feng Zhixue secretly raised his eyelids and quickly glanced at the silent figure under the eaves.
Ever since the group returned from the riverbank, Zou Yun had remained in this state, standing there like a stone statue.
Those deep eyes were churning with indescribable emotions.
Was it shock? Was it anger? Was it fear? Or something deeper?
Feng Zhixue didn't know that if things continued like this, he might not even be able to leave in the future.
At this moment, even Wei Shuqing seemed to feel the invisible pressure emanating from Zou Yun and dared not step forward to speak.
He just squatted silently in the corner of the yard, fiddling with the weeds on the ground.
The usually clever Feng Zhixue would never dare to step forward and provoke Zou Yun at this moment.
that's it.
The light in the courtyard grew increasingly slanted, and shadows silently spread from the corners of the walls and under the eaves.
After hesitating for a long time, Feng Zhixue licked his dry lips, his Adam's apple bobbing with difficulty, and finally mustered up the courage to break the silence.
"Great...Great Master, shall we pack up too?"
As he spoke, he would occasionally glance at Meng Xuande, who was standing on the other side.
Meng Xuande's expression was equally grim, his gaze shifting between Zou Yun's retreating figure and Feng Zhixue's with complex emotions.
He moved his lips a few times, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he just sighed, turned his gaze to the ground, and chose to remain silent.
And this silence itself is a form of silent agreement.
"Great Master, I also feel that we should leave first."
Even Zheng Ze, who had been expressionless, bowed deeply.
"For no other reason than the Grand Master's special status; if discovered, I'm afraid..."
Zheng Ze didn't say what he meant directly after that, but everyone understood what he meant.
The descent of a celestial star is a sign of a monarch's moral failings, but now the words "The First Emperor will die and the land will be divided" have appeared on the celestial star, and this is compounded by the presence of this highly sensitive Grand Master.
It's hard for Ying Zheng not to think that Zou Yun was behind this.
Therefore, staying here would be tantamount to putting oneself in the tiger's den. Even Meng Xuande remained silent and did not voice any objection.
However, Zou Yun, standing under the eaves, seemed oblivious to everything around him.
He remained silent, only staring blankly at the sky.
"A Grand Master?!"
Seeing that Zou Yun had no reaction, Feng Zhixue was about to urge him on, but at this moment Zou Yun finally spoke.
"Get ready, pack your things and let's go."
That hoarse voice sounded as if it were being squeezed out from the bottom of a dried-up well.
Of the group, he was probably the only one who knew the final outcome of the Tianxing incident.
"only!"
Feng Zhixue responded almost immediately, his face beaming with excitement as he pulled Zheng Ze and the others to pack their belongings.
The sound of hurried footsteps suddenly broke the tranquility of the courtyard.
Zou Yun was left alone, still sitting under the eaves, looking particularly lonely.
After a long while, a very soft self-mocking laugh escaped from his lips.
"Ha! The First Emperor was enraged and ordered the extermination of all the people living near the stone..."
Zou Yun chuckled to himself. He had once arrogantly believed that with supernatural powers at his disposal, what could even Ying Zheng do?
As long as we are not besieged by a large army, there is nowhere in the world we cannot go.
But now...
As a person with average physical abilities, he can fight against ten, a hundred, or even a thousand people, but could he possibly fight against ten thousand?
At least for now, despite his personal bravery, he is as insignificant as an ant in the face of the absolute state's violent machinery.
Therefore, the profound sense of powerlessness was like a slap in the face, shattering Zou Yun's arrogance.
Simply put, his current mindset is similar to swinging from one extreme to another. Perhaps not quite that extreme, but it's pretty close.
Soon, Feng Zhixue and the others returned to the courtyard with their luggage, their eyes all fixed on Zou Yun.
He slowly stood up, glanced at the group of people who were all ready to go, and sighed dejectedly.
"Let's go."
The group walked silently through the courtyard and pushed open the creaking, simple wooden door.
However, the moment the door opened, they unexpectedly bumped into a familiar figure.
It was indeed Old Man Li!