Seeking Truth with a Sword-Chapter 551 - 494: Same Fate

Chapter 551: Chapter 494: Same Fate
CRACK.
Li Leqing’s fingertips split open simultaneously. A large number of purplish-red nodules burst, oozing tainted blood with a foul odor. The plague nodules on her body also ruptured, black, congealed blood flowing freely. Beneath the wounds, countless Mo Si shuttled back and forth, stitching up the damaged blood vessels and muscles. The cracks on her fingertips sealed perfectly, and the scars on her body healed completely. Li Leqing lay quietly on the bed, her sleeping face peaceful and serene.
It was done.
Li Ang sank heavily back into his chair, his arms hanging limply, blood dripping from his fingertips.
DRIP, DRIP.
Li Ang lifted his palm and saw many long scars on his own arm, all held together by the now much sparser Mo Si beneath the skin, preventing the wounds from splitting open further.
If there were a mirror now, would my reflection be terrifying?
Li Ang smiled bitterly and shook his head. Previously, when he used the Mo Si to parasitize insects like the Red-eyed Purple Lady Bee, it was a matter of control and domination. The parasitized insects would lose their own will and become mindless puppets. Even if Li Ang withdrew the Mo Si, the parasitized insects could not return to their original state, and their lifespan would be significantly reduced.
Now, he had carved a large piece from the original dark gold Mo Si and implanted it into Li Leqing’s spine. Under the effect of the Mo Si, Li Leqing’s plague and myocarditis healed quickly. Her innate heart diseases were also cured incidentally, and she was no longer constantly threatened by death.
Li Ang rummaged through the medicine box in the corner of the room and found a bandage, which he wrapped around his cracked arm, allowing the weakened Mo Si to heal slowly. He himself sensed a subtle difference. He closed his eyes, vaguely sensing Li Leqing’s presence, which gave him a premonition, as if guided by fate. The Mo Si had not split in two; rather, they remained a whole. If either Li Ang or Li Leqing died, the other would suffer greatly. Their fates were now bound together, inseparable.
Li Ang’s gaze softened. He tied a knot in the bandage on his arm, then took out a Water Talisman. He cleaned the residual tainted blood from the floor and the bedding and changed Li Leqing’s sheets. He shook the bell on the table, calling in a maid to continue watching over Li Leqing. He instructed her to call him immediately if Li Leqing woke up. He leaned weakly against the wall as he slowly walked back to his room and sat down in the chair.
The sequelae of the Mo Si separation continued, sending wave after wave of stabbing pain through his brain, making Li Ang wish he could just sleep and never wake up.
But he couldn’t sleep.
Li Ang punched his thigh, forcing himself to stay alert.
He had to wait for Li Leqing to wake up to confirm once more that the Mo Si were effective.
BUZZ—
The intense vibrating sound of insect wings suddenly arose from under the table.
Li Ang paused briefly, pulled open a drawer, and took out the Nearby Worm. He owned this Nearby Worm as an Academic Palace Patrol, so he didn’t have to it to the garrison. Normally, he used this Nearby Worm to communicate with the Great Ming Palace and the Academic Palace. At this moment, however, the arrangement of the antennae on the Nearby Worm’s body indicated something different. The number it displayed did not originate from the Academic Palace or the Great Ming Palace. Not even from the Chang’an Court or the garrison.
Li Ang hesitated for a moment before, as if driven by some unknown force, he decided to answer the call. "Hello."
The other end of the Nearby Worm was exceptionally quiet. Li Ang leaned in to listen closely. With his hearing enhanced by the Mo Si, he barely made out the sound of a raging blizzard in the background.
Was it a call from the Northern Land?
"...Tomorrow, at Chenzheng Hour, under the great willow tree in Yuan’an Square of Taiyuan Prefecture, there will be a gift for you," the voice from the other end of the Nearby Worm said. It was exceptionally hoarse and obscured, as if generated by voice-distortion software from a memory of the Otherworld. "Remember to pick it up."
"Who are you?"
Li Ang’s mind raced. This Nearby Worm was issued by the Academic Palace. The confidentiality level of its contact number was very high, known only by a very few people. Moreover, the other party directly mentioned the location in Taiyuan Prefecture, indicating that they knew his identity and that he was currently in Taiyuan Prefecture.
Who could it be?
An instructor from the Academic Palace? That wouldn’t make sense. If they had something to say, they could just speak directly. Why be so secretive?
People from Zhao Ming? They knew that his streptomycin could cure the plague, which ruined their plan to exchange Situ Zhi. Humiliated, had they decided to disrupt Taiyuan Prefecture again?
But the problem was, Situ Zhi wasn’t in Yu Country’s hands at all. During the upheaval at Chang’an, Situ Zhi had already gone missing.
Considering what the Wang Family had said before, it was very likely that Situ Zhi had been abducted by a third faction, of which even Zhao Ming wasn’t aware.
Li Ang spoke gravely, "Are you here for Situ Zhi?"
He wasn’t sure if the person on the other side was from Zhao Ming. He also couldn’t directly reveal that Situ Zhi wasn’t in Yu Country’s possession, as this would cost Yu Country a significant bargaining chip. Therefore, he could only ask if they were here for Situ Zhi.
"No," the voice on the other end of the Nearby Worm remained hoarse and obscured. "I know Situ Zhi isn’t with you."
He knew?!
What did that mean? In the whole of Yu Country, fewer than ten people knew of Situ Zhi’s disappearance.
If it was neither Zhao Ming nor someone from Yu Country, could it be the one from the Qixi upheaval who had abducted Situ Zhi?
But why contact him and claim to want to give a gift?
"Who exactly are you..."
Before Li Ang could finish his query, the connection on the Nearby Worm was terminated, leaving only the buzzing of wings.
Li Ang stared at the now silent Nearby Worm, his brow deeply furrowed. A sense of foreboding ominously welled up inside him.
「An hour later.」
The Mo Si’s parasitic effects were very successful. Li Leqing slowly woke up. Most of the plague nodules on her body had receded, and her palms had completely lost their purplish-red hue. Li Ang claimed it was the effect of streptomycin and suggested she remain in Taiyuan Prefecture for long-term observation. Seeing her sister’s improvement, Li Hui was overjoyed and naturally agreed. She quickly used the Taiyuan Government’s Nearby Worm to inform their parents in the Great Ming Palace, far away in Chang’an, of the good news—Empress Xue nearly drove a motorcar herself to Taiyuan Prefecture to visit her daughter.
While Li Hui was contacting the Great Ming Palace, Li Ang drew close to Li Leqing. The girl knew nothing of what had happened to her. Her internal Mo Si, due to its small quantity and Li Ang’s command, remained dormant. It would only become active if Li Leqing encountered a life-threatening danger.
Li Ang heaved a sigh of relief. Li Leqing was safe and sound, and even fortunate to have her heart ailment cured by this misfortune. Everything could be said to be moving in a positive direction. The only thing he needed to worry about now was that unknown call.