Chapter 129: Fake Genteel Lord
Ling Yu almost laughed out loud.
Safe?
Hope?
She had already seen through the gilded mask of this fortress. The divine anchor at its center. The soldiers are bound by runes. The quiet disappearances of the strong and able-bodied.
And here stood Xu Mochen, playing the part of the benevolent lord while tightening the noose around everyone’s necks.
Looks like there is a reason for that ridiculous cosplay.
Did his divine sponsor demand that he wear ancient costumes like this?
[System Window:
Xu Mochen
Title(s): Lord of the Fortress City (A) – Charisma-based influence over civilians; grants loyalty bonuses among weak-willed refugees.
Beloved by the Masses (B) – Boosts reputation when acting in public speeches or symbolic gestures.
Serpent in Silk Robes (Hidden Title: S-) – When betrayed or betraying, gains temporary buffs to persuasion and manipulation.
Divine Collaborator (SS – Bound) – Contracted with a minor divine being; grants him protection and certain powers in exchange for offerings.]
[Race: Human (Altered)
Class: False Governor (Unique – Hybrid Class)
Level: 52]
[Skills:
Silver Tongue (A), False Benevolence (A), Snake’s Mask (Passive – S), Divine Pact: Anchor’s Bond (B+), Borrowed Radiance (B+), Sacrificial Exchange (Hidden – S)]
[Inventory: Silken Lord’s Robes (Epic), Jade Seal of the City (Unique), Divine Token (A – Bound).]
[Evaluation: A man in silk robes who hides venom in his sleeves. He thrives on manipulation, sacrifices the strong for his own survival, and basks in false glory. Without his anchor, he is but a frail pretender, but as long as the masses remain blind, he rules them as a god.]
Her lips curved into a cold smile.
’Fake genteel lord indeed.’
No wonder the Silver skill book over his head was shining so much. Her mind flicked back to her past life as she remembered the first time she had been introduced to Xu Mochen by her adoptive family. He had worn the same smile then, charming, refined, gentle. He spoke sweet words of admiration, calling her beautiful and promising her a life of peace beside him. She had believed him foolishly.
But when the tide turned, when whispers of her curse mark spread, when she lost everything she thought she had, Xu Mochen hadn’t hesitated for even a second before tossing her aside. Not only that, he had embraced Jiang Meng openly, as if mocking Ling Yu for ever thinking she was worthy of standing by his side.
And now, this man stood before her again, cloaked in false benevolence, harvesting lives in the name of safety.
As the crowd continued cheering, Ling Yu’s eyes swept over the soldiers flanking Xu Mochen. Their stances were rigid, their gazes blank, their movements almost mechanical. She noticed it now, the faint shimmer of the divine runes glowing at their temples.
So that was it.
Xu Mochen wasn’t just the townlord. He was collaborating with divine beings at the same time. He can never be a real kind person, which meant only one thing.
He was scheming something different, worse than what normal monsters can do.
Whether he was a pawn or a willing traitor, Ling Yu didn’t yet know. But the thought of her ex-fiancé handing over human lives like cattle to the gods for his own rise in power made her stomach churn with disgust.
"Figures," she muttered under her breath, her voice laced with derision. "That man always did enjoy standing on someone else’s back."
When Xu Mochen’s speech ended, he descended from the platform, offering kind smiles to the children and clasping hands with elders as though he were a benevolent sage. The crowd surged forward, grateful and hopeful, clinging to him like moths to a flame.
But Ling Yu’s gaze didn’t waver.
Her system pinged softly in her mind.
[Hidden Quest Unlocked: "The Snake in Silk Robes"]
[Objective: Uncover the true role of Xu Mochen in the divine anchor’s creation.
Optional Objective: Decide his fate. The reward varies according to the method of execution.]Ling Yu’s smirk deepened, though her eyes were as cold as winter frost.
"Guess enemies always cross paths on the same rails of fate, huh?" she whispered to herself, her voice dripping with venom.
This time, though, she wasn’t the broken girl abandoned in the dust.
This time, she was the hunter.
The crowd in the fortress square buzzed with restless energy. Refugees huddled in groups, whispering about the scarcity of rations, the curfew bells, and the lofty lord who oversaw it all from behind golden-trimmed walls. Soldiers with rune-etched spears patrolled like mechanical watchdogs, their eyes scanning every movement with thinly veiled disdain.
And then, his gaze fell upon her.
Ling Yu felt it instantly, the way a predator senses another predator staring from across the grassland. Xu Mochen’s eyes, dark as ink yet glossed with warmth, landed on her slender frame. For a moment, silence stretched taut in the square. And then his lips curved, that practiced smile, gentle, genteel, a smile that had charmed countless refugees into blind loyalty.
He moved through the crowd like an emperor descending from a throne, silken robes whispering around him, guards bowing in deference as he passed. Refugees parted before him, heads lowering in reverence, as though he were some messiah instead of a serpent in disguise.
"Yu’er."
The sound of that name, spoken with such ease, as if he had every right to it, snapped her spine taut.
Her system pinged coldly.
[Warning: Emotional Manipulation Detected. Skill "Silver Tongue" in effect.][System recommends: Maintain rational clarity.]
Fluffy hissed in her mind, ears pressed back.
[This bastard has guts calling you like that. Do you want me to scratch his eyes out, Yu-jiejie?!]
[The Unknown Cosmic Deity’s voice rumbled like amused thunder through the direct message sent by sponsoring 1000 gold coins.]
「How quaint. The serpent pretends to know the wolf. But little does he realize... this wolf now carries dragon’s blood.」
Ling Yu’s smirk curved at the corners of her lips, subtle enough not to be noticed by the adoring masses.
Xu Mochen finally reached her as he stood tall before her.