Then the man selling tea said: "As a unique customer like you, it is natural to treat you with something special, so that you can be deeply impressed."
Then he raised his hand slightly to dust his sleeves. His movements were casual, as if he was brushing off the dust on his sleeves, or as if he was trying to wipe away the pungent smell of blood in the air.
But following his casual movements, there were suddenly several very thin but low whistling sounds, and the sound was like the flapping of summer cicada's wings.
But in this season, where are the cicadas?
Gong Ziyu raised his eyebrows slightly and said with a half-smile, "With your business method, I guess there won't be many people coming here to drink tea, right?"
As he spoke, his shoulders shook slightly at the same time, and then he patted his hands lightly.
It was as if a breeze was blowing out of thin air in front of him.
The sound of the flapping wings of the cicada, whose sound was heard but not seen, suddenly became shrill and shrill in the strange breeze, as if those invisible "cicadas" were suddenly trampled to death by someone. Then it suddenly stopped and there was no movement.
Except for the two of them, no one would see four insects as thin as mosquitoes with unknown names quietly falling under the tea table at this moment.
The face of the tea seller couldn't help but change slightly, and the cold light in his two starry eyes couldn't help but become a little brighter.
Young Master Yu's expression remained unchanged, but he sighed slightly: "It seems that the tea you sell not only tastes weird, but also contains unclean things. Aren't you afraid that others will have diarrhea after drinking it?"
The man was silent for a moment, then suddenly burst into laughter. I don't know if he really wanted to laugh or if he wanted to use laughter to cover up the shock in his heart.
Gong Ziyu did not interrupt, he looked at the person opposite.
After the man finished laughing, he straightened his back slightly and stretched his head slightly to stare at Gong Ziyu. Only then did the latter realize that the person opposite had a very well-proportioned body and a very delicate but handsome appearance.
Although he was wearing a brocade robe, he was also wearing a Confucian hat. He didn't look like a man struggling to make a living by selling tea in the streets and alleys, but rather like a quiet scholar full of poems and books.
Although the alley was dimly lit and filled with blood, such a person sitting behind the tea stall exuded an air that made people feel clean and spotless.
Yes, this man is really clean all over, especially his face and hands.
The man looked at Gong Ziyu and said, "Gong Ziyu is really powerful. It's not unfair that Cui Chuang will die in your hands."
Gong Ziyu sighed: "Your Excellency, you think highly of me. Except for my ability to escape, my other skills are not worth mentioning. The reason why the master ranked sixth on the black list fell into my hands is because I was unlucky. It’s just a bad fate that shouldn’t be cut off.”
The man suddenly smiled coldly and said: "Gong Ziyu is not only cunning, but also a little hypocritical."
"That's true." Gong Ziyu nodded slightly and said, "In our line of work, how can we be aboveboard? Besides, I have never thought that I am an aboveboard person."
The man chuckled and said: "It seems like you are much brighter than those people in the world who are really upright on the surface but secretly sinister. Because nowadays, people with self-awareness like you are almost extinct."
Gong Ziyu frowned and said: "I really don't know whether your Excellency is really praising me or sarcastic when you say this. But I can also see that you are actually a very strange person."
"Oh?" The man seemed to be interested and smiled: "How do you say it?"
"A person like you shouldn't have appeared in such a dirty place. Because you are a person who loves cleanliness and has a mysophobia." Gongziyu said calmly: "But a person like you who has a mysophobia , but also likes to deal with those dirty insect poisons that kill people, doesn’t it make people feel strange?”
When the man heard this, there was no surprise on his face. He looked at Gong Ziyu calmly and said, "Not only are you good at calculating, but your eyes are also very sharp. So, do you already know who I am? ?”
Gong Ziyu shrugged and said calmly: "It is not difficult to guess from Cui Chuang's words that you are also a member of the Red Mansion. Cui Chuang is ranked sixth on the black list and has a high status in the Red Mansion, but he seems to be very afraid of you. , it can be seen that your status in the Red Mansion is higher than him, at least you are ranked high on the Black List. Since the appearance of the Red Mansion, it has used cold-blooded and ruthless killing methods to intimidate the world, especially the top ten killers on the Black List. It is even more mysterious and terrifying. It is said that as long as it is a killing business that requires the action of the top ten killers, they have never failed. Therefore, the black list killer who scares countless people is the foundation for the survival of the Red Mansion in the world. But in recent years, although the black list killer Most of them are famous in the world, but they have only heard of their names but not known them, and not many people have actually seen them."
The man sat quietly and calmly, touching the white jade ring on his finger. Although his expression did not show any fluctuation, the corner of his mouth showed a smile that seemed to be both appreciation and surprise from time to time.
"There are many people who use poison in the world, but there are not many people like you who are so skillful in using poison but have mysophobia." Gong Ziyu continued with a smile: "So even though I have never seen you, At this moment, you can roughly determine your identity from the pieces of information."
The man's brows moved slightly, but he still didn't speak. He was waiting for the next step.
Gong Ziyu looked at the person sitting across from him and said quietly in a calm tone: "Your Excellency is the third-ranked killer on the Red Mansion Black List - Mu Xiaoxiang!"
The man who looked like a scholar couldn't help but feel slightly moved when he heard this.
After Gong Ziyu finished speaking, he looked at the person opposite him calmly.
The man was silent for a moment, then suddenly raised his eyes and looked directly at Gong Ziyu, saying, "You guessed it right, I am indeed Mu Xiaoxiang."
Gong Ziyu nodded slightly and smiled.
Mu Xiaoxiang looked at Gong Ziyu without blinking and said, "Since you already know who I am, you should understand that I am a very powerful person, especially when it comes to killing people."
"I know." Gong Ziyu sighed: "The Red Mansion is ruthless in killing, cold-blooded and cruel. It is the most terrifying existence in the world. And the top ten killers on the black list are the top characters in the Red Mansion. As long as they are targeted, No one will have a good life. As for the top three killers on the black list, you don’t need to think about it to know what terrible people they are."
Mu Xiaoxiang sneered, looking at Gong Ziyu like a hunter observing his prey. He said: "But you are still sitting in front of me now. Should I say that you are courageous or stupid?"
"You think I should escape as soon as possible." Gong Ziyu shook his head and said, "But I heard Cui Chuang say that as long as you take action, I will definitely die. So since I can't escape, I might as well sit directly opposite you. Have fun."
"Gong Ziyu is not only clever and clever, but also eloquent." Mu Xiaoxiang sighed softly: "Cui Chuang is not a very smart person, so how credible do you think what he said is? At least you are now You're sitting in front of me alive and well, aren't you?"
Seeing that Gong Ziyu remained silent, Mu Xiaoxiang continued: "I know you are scheming again, because Cui Chuang died in your scheme. But I am not him, so your scheme means little to me. "
"Your words are wrong." Gong Ziyu showed a somewhat helpless expression and said, "Can't you see that I am Cui Chuang's opponent in terms of martial arts? If it weren't for my good luck, I would have been dead on the spot right now. "
"You and I are both sensible people, so it's meaningless to say these words." Mu Xiaoxiang said coldly: "I know you still have some strength left. The reason why you deliberately show weakness is because you already know that I am here, so you You deliberately exposed your flaws and even took the risk to take a blow from Cui Chuang, just to lure me into taking action, and then you can kill two birds with one stone. So all your plans are actually to plot against me. It's a pity that although Cui Chuang is very skilled in martial arts, he can't kill two birds with one stone. But his brain is not very flexible, and he was tricked until he lost his life without even realizing it."
He suddenly sighed softly and said: "But it's not a pity to say it. They are all people who lick blood with their swords. If he kills others, others will kill him. This is how the world is. Since he has served this bowl of rice, he can't blame anyone. .”
Hearing this, Gong Ziyu finally put away his indifferent expression.
His tone immediately became serious, and he snorted in his nostrils, saying, "But you didn't fall into the trap. That's why I'm sitting across from you now."
"Because you still want to know who I am after all." Mu Xiaoxiang said: "After you and I fought twice just now, I know that with your martial arts skills, if you really want to kill Cui Chuang, he should be killed by you. It’s just ten moves.”
"You are indeed much smarter than Cui Chuang." Gong Ziyu said: "Your judgment is very organized. But have you ever thought about whether your judgment is also a calculation that I deliberately let you know?"
Mu Xiaoxiang fell silent, as if he was carefully trying to figure out the meaning of the other party's words.
Gong Ziyu was also silent.
"Great wisdom is like foolishness, and one step can be calculated ten times. Hidden potential is as deep as nothing, and it is unfathomable." After a long time, Mu Xiaoxiang concentrated and said slowly: "Everyone in the world calls you a planner. I thought it was strange when I first heard this name. , why would a middleman in the world be called such a title. Now I finally understand that your strategies and calculations are more important than your martial arts. This is the most terrifying thing about you and the true meaning of this title. So despite the fact that you are a middleman in the world, There are many people in the world who want your life, but you can still live well."
"I have never felt that there is anything superior about this kind of title." Gong Ziyu said with disdain: "You and I are just meeting for the first time, so we have no friendship at all, but you feel like you know me very well. Don't you think Is this a dangerous thing?”
"Conversing with you is the most dangerous thing." Mu Xiaoxiang frowned and said, "Because every word that others say to you may become a tool for you to use a knife to kill people. Isn't such a calculating heart more powerful than anything else in the world? Are martial arts more terrifying?"
"When it comes to the scheming city, how can you make more concessions?" Gong Ziyu smiled and said: "You would rather sit back and watch Cui Chuang die in front of you than help. How can such a hard-hearted person be comparable to others? I am very curious. Do the people in the Red Mansion really have no comradery other than profit?"
Mu Xiaoxiang suddenly laughed. He looked at Gong Ziyu's face as if he were looking at a monster. Said: "Both of us are making a living at the edge of the knife, and who can survive is the most important. Something as nihilistic as friendship has no value at all compared to life. Those who can keep friendship in their hearts are martial arts masters. A hero, but not a killer."
Gong Ziyu raised his eyebrows lightly, and he suddenly felt that Mu Xiaoxiang's words were very familiar. He also discovered that this terrifying killer, who was ranked third on the black list and was good at using poison, was somewhat similar to himself.
When people live, whether they are ordinary people or people in the world, they should understand one thing, and that is how to keep themselves alive. As for the way of living, sometimes it is not that important. At best, it is just the opinion of others.
Because this is reality, a reality more cruel than Jianghu.
But Gong Ziyu remained calm. Because he didn't get the answer he wanted from Mu Xiaoxiang's words.
He had doubts in his mind. As fellow members of the Red Mansion, although they are all shady killers, Mu Xiaoxiang is so cold-blooded that he refuses to save anyone. This shows that there must be some problems within the Red Mansion, at least in terms of their relationship. There shouldn't be a deep friendship between the big killers.
Gong Ziyu is a person who is good at finding big problems from small details. Once you can grasp the key points of these issues, you can turn them into advantages that you can take advantage of.
Know yourself and know the enemy, but there are many ways to know the enemy.
But now it seems that Mu Xiaoxiang is very cautious, so his answer is very cautious.
To be ranked among the top three on the black list, he is certainly not an ordinary person.
Gong Ziyu sighed: "As a killer, you are indeed very thorough. But I am still very surprised. Now that you have shown up, why don't you take action? Since I am already your business target in Red Mansion, whoever kills me? Is there any difference?"
Mu Xiaoxiang said leisurely: "To be honest, I must be 100% sure when I kill someone. If not, it means there is a possibility of a mistake. You are also a fellow traveler, so you should know that if a killer is likely to miss, , which means that he may be killed. And I am a person who is afraid of death, so I will not do anything I am not sure about easily. "
Gong Ziyu was a little surprised at his honesty, and then he nodded and said: "So you are indeed here to see the excitement tonight. Because you have to prepare for a rainy day, and you need to find out my details."
Mu Xiaoxiang raised the corner of her mouth and was noncommittal.
Gong Ziyu said: "Now that you have seen me, how sure are you that you can kill me if you really want to take action?"
Mu Xiaoxiang did not hesitate, shook her head and said: "I don't know. But I can be sure that you are indeed not a person who can be easily killed by others."
It seems that he didn't say this. But the meaning expressed is not that simple.
But Gong Ziyu said: "It is not a bad thing for a person to have a flexible mind, but thinking too much means worrying too much, and the result will be counterproductive. If I tell you, if you attack with all your strength now, you may really be able to kill me."
Mu Xiaoxiang's face twitched. He had begun to waver in his heart. Because Gong Ziyu's words were tantamount to reminding himself that he was spreading doubts.
But the person in front of him was like a mist and a cloud, making it impossible to see his true face at all.
Therefore, Mu Xiaoxiang did not dare to act rashly.
Then he shook his head and said: "I have never seen anyone so eager to have others kill him."
Gong Ziyu sighed: "If you don't take action, wouldn't we have wasted so much time in vain?"
Mu Xiaoxiang also sighed: "Yes, after talking so much, my mouth is dry. It is indeed a waste of time."
"Then what?" Young Master Yu rolled his eyes.
"Drink tea." Mu Xiaoxiang smiled.
Gong Ziyu suddenly turned his head slightly, made a gesture of listening, and then smiled lightly.
He said: "But for a clean person like you, wouldn't it be too much of a sight to drink tea next to this pile of corpses?"
Mu Xiaoxiang smiled and said: "You are right. Drinking tea under such circumstances will not be a pleasant thing for anyone."
Then Mu Xiaoxiang suddenly gave a high-five, and four people suddenly appeared from the shadows in the alleyway. Their movements were quick and neat, almost silent, and it was obvious that they had great martial arts skills.
Gong Ziyu, however, looked calm. Even if there were dozens of people in the alleyway at this moment, he would not be surprised at all.
Because although those four people were well hidden, Gong Ziyu had already noticed them.
Mu Xiaoxiang stopped talking after the four people appeared. His face was quite calm. Then he took out a dry tobacco pipe from his body, loaded the pipe with tobacco gracefully, and then took out the fire stick and lit the cigarette.
The dry tobacco pipe is completely transparent and curved in shape. It is actually made of glazed material, which is rare in the Central Plains.
Gong Ziyu didn't seem to care about those four people. He only looked at Mu Xiaoxiang.
Mu Xiaoxiang lit the cigarette and took a deep breath. He looked like he was enjoying it.
He blew out a puff of white smoke with a gentle "whoosh" sound, and then a faint scent of tobacco filled the air.
Tobacco pipes and cut tobacco are rare and good things. There was smoke in front of Mu Xiaoxiang, and his expression was relaxed and calm. At this moment, he didn't look like a top killer who killed without batting an eye, but a young man who enjoyed life very much.
Gong Ziyu frowned slightly.
The four people who suddenly appeared were obviously from the Red Mansion, but they were not here for Gong Ziyu.
None of those four people spoke, they only acted.
The two men held oilcloth bags in their hands, and they put the mutilated corpses of Cui Chuang and the Six Evils of the Red Mansion as well as the useless silver wires into their bags. The other two men actually brought four buckets of water from nowhere. They poured the water on the ground, and the blood on the ground was washed away with the water, and then flowed into the gutter.
The four people had a clear division of labor and moved quickly, but in a moment, the originally bloody alley returned to normal, and there was not even a trace of blood left on the ground.
It seems like nothing happened here.
Then the four people retreated into the darkness and disappeared.
Seeing this, Gong Ziyu couldn't help but feel a little emotional: The Red Mansion Killer was not only great at killing people, but he also did the aftermath so quickly and deftly. He was really well-trained.
Mu Xiaoxiang's expression was indifferent, as if he was used to this kind of thing.
At the end of this lane is another small street. There is a locust tree on the street facing the exit of the lane, and a carriage is parked under the tree.
There was no one around the carriage, only the horses snorting from time to time.
And just when the four people from the Red Mansion appeared, there was a man on the carriage under the locust tree who opened the curtain of the window and looked into the alleyway with a pair of cold eyes through the curtain.
Those eyes were as cold and sharp as an eagle. Although he was sitting motionless in the carriage, there was a faint air flowing throughout his body. The aura was like a bow stretched like a full moon, ready to shoot out extremely sharp arrows at any time. Like an arrow.
His body is like a bow and his momentum is like an arrow, but the momentum is directed towards the alley.
But at this moment, a carriage was slowly approaching from the corner opposite the carriage.
The carriage was very ordinary, driven by a groom dressed in ordinary clothes.
The sound of hoofbeats tickled as they slowly came to a stop at the entrance of the alley.
As soon as the carriage stopped, it was only a few feet away from the carriage diagonally opposite under the locust tree.
The groom sat in the car and turned his head to look into the alley.
From a distance, you can see a few people in the dark alley, who seem to be cleaning.
The groom's face darkened slightly, and then he turned his head again and looked at the carriage under the locust tree.
The people in the carriage under the locust tree were also looking at the coachman from a distance.
In the dark night, under the dim light, the two of them looked at each other in the air, and with one glance, the air suddenly seemed to freeze.
The groom suddenly put down the reins in his hands, looked at the locust tree, and placed his hands flat on his thighs.
He was just sitting on the carriage casually, with an ordinary appearance and ordinary dress, with almost no features worthy of others' attention.
An ordinary groom like him could find a lot of them just by walking around the street.
But the person in the carriage under the locust tree suddenly retracted his eyes and lowered the curtain.
Outside the carriage was a silent dark night, and inside the carriage was an equally silent space.
The people in the car restrained their surging anger and lowered their eyes. And the strong Qi that had not been released was gathering towards his body, turning his whole body into a sharp arrow.
Although the bowstring is drawn back, the edge remains.
Although his eyes could not see what was happening outside the car, he could clearly sense that there was a mountain standing outside.
Mountains, mountains as deep as Mount Tai, mountains as motionless as mountains.
Of course, it's not really a mountain, but a mountain-like momentum.
That momentum came from one person, that groom.
The driver in the car raised his eyes and looked under the locust tree where there was no movement at all.
In the space of several feet between the two carriages, there was absolute silence.
Outsiders cannot sense that the invisible momentum emerging from the groom's body at this moment is like a giant peak, pressing down on a locust tree from a distance.
The leaves on the locust tree fell without any wind.
When the leaves fell beside the carriage under the tree, they turned into powder instantly.
In the alleyway.
When Mu Xiaoxiang saw that the four people had retreated, he exhaled a puff of smoke, then sniffed it with his nose, and then said: "To be honest, although I am a killer, I hate the smell of blood. So every time I kill, We will try our best to prevent the target from bleeding easily."
Gong Ziyu raised his eyebrows and said, "If you want to kill without blood, there are many ways. And you chose the most useful one, which is to use poison."
Mu Xiaoxiang smiled and said, "It seems that Gong Ziyu is also an expert at killing people."
Gong Ziyu shook his head and said, "You are wrong. You don't like the smell of blood. In fact, I don't like killing people either."
Mu Xiaoxiang blew out another puff of smoke and said, "It's very disgraceful to talk about killing people while drinking tea." Then he actually picked up the teapot and poured two bowls of tea, then smiled at Gong Ziyu and said, "No Sorry for keeping you waiting."
The tea in the bowl is very ordinary tea, but it is steaming.
Mu Xiaoxiang stretched out his hand and said, "Gong Ziyu, please have tea."
