Chapter One, Prologue

The black piece, held between Tan Cheng's fingers, finally landed on the chessboard. This piece was plain and unadorned, clearly not from the same set of pieces. In the fading light of the setting sun, two faintly engraved characters appeared on the piece: Zhenlong

The young master suddenly realized: "Does the adoptive father mean to use Eunuch Xue as bait?"

A little girl around ten years old curled up motionless on the carpet. Her delicate, snow-white, frail body was covered with numerous bloodstains, her eyes tightly closed, and blood oozed from the corners of her mouth

A Yi, do you know that in the previous dynasty, Liu Zhongfu encountered a celestial woman at Lishan and played chess, resulting in him spitting out three pints of blood

He clutched his throat in agony and collapsed to the ground, only to see his attendant standing there in a daze, a sharp blade protruding from his throat.

In the lakeside pavilion of the back garden, the faint sound of a girl's piercing cries could be heard. However, after a short while, those sounds gradually diminished. Like a timid little kitten that has just begun to meow, the cries became increasingly faint, almost imperceptible, and were soon scattered by the breeze from the lake

With the lanterns hanging under the eaves and the unextinguished lights within the house, one can faintly discern the magnificent architecture of the Salt Transport Commissioner’s residence in the Two Huai regions, along with its exquisite pavilions and towers

The whip crackled through the air, landing on the little girl. The whip's body gently sprang back up

The child remembers. The world refers to that incomplete game of chess as Zhenlong... Zhenlong is now the most famous and mysterious assassin in the martial world. No one knows who he is. After Zhenlong makes his move, he will surely leave behind a chess piece as a token.

The trachea was instantaneously severed, causing him to experience chest tightness and shortness of breath, making his eyes bulge painfully. The sound of his attempt to call for help escaped from his severed throat, resembling the hissing noise produced by a damaged bellows.

The hand that holds the chess piece is exceptionally well-maintained. The fingers are long, and the nails exhibit a healthy light pink hue. A black piece is nestled between the middle and index fingers. Against the faintly bluish veins on the back of his hand, there is an indescribable beauty.

The exquisite game may not be unbreakable. The exquisite game may not necessarily refer to a single person. The Chief Eunuch of the Imperial Sacrificial Office, Tan Cheng, the supervisor of the Eastern Depot, stared at the chessboard and murmured: "From Xuzhou to Huai'an. Huai'an..." He softly instructed, "Let Eunuch Xue make a trip to Yangzhou. The Dragon Boat Festival in Yangzhou is sure to be lively."

Lord Luo glared at him fiercely, his sorrow, anger, and indignation transforming into waves of blood that surged into his eyes. He wanted to ask who he was, but the breath in his throat became increasingly short, and finally, he unwillingly let out his last breath

Two individuals rushed in from outside, swiftly rolled up the blood-soaked carpet along with the little girl, and quickly departed.

Amidst the white walls and black tiles, this water pavilion is adorned in a magnificent manner. The newly laid crimson carpet is illuminated by the three-foot-tall glazed eight-treasure palace lanterns, resembling a pool of fresh blood on the ground

The setting sun casts its light through the intricately carved wooden window, and the chessboard made of yellow pear wood radiates a brilliant and dazzling aura

The attendant beside him flattered as he supported the man's hand into a side bathhouse: "Lord Ji, the salt transport commissioner, is thoughtful in honoring the elder. This place is arranged quite cleanly."

Looking at the white pieces traversing the chessboard, Tan Cheng smiled faintly: "Since the beginning of the year, six people have been assassinated in the Eastern Factory. From the capital to Tongzhou, from Xuzhou to Huai'an. Following the Grand Canal southward, isn't the next stop Yangzhou?"

The stones were placed one by one on the board

The sharp blade was slowly withdrawn, and the knife fell to the ground with a thud, revealing the figure of a man in black standing behind him. He was completely wrapped in black clothing, with even his hair tightly covered by a black scarf, leaving only a pair of exceptionally bright eyes visible.

The little girl was completely still, not even a whimper could be heard.

The man in black leisurely wiped the dagger clean, looking with disdain at the vacant eyes of the eunuch Luo. With a flick of his finger, a black chess piece landed on his forehead, resembling an eye filled with mockery.

Whoosh

The white cloud, resembling a great dragon, slants across the chessboard, dividing it into two halves. The surrounding black pieces are scattered haphazardly, as if placed carelessly by the player without any strategy. Upon closer inspection, one notices that the black pieces are interconnected, seemingly laying a trap to encircle the white pieces.

The young gentleman standing beside him looked somewhat puzzled and asked, "Adoptive father, how did you know that Zhenlong would appear in Yangzhou?"

The black piece has yet to fall.

The white pieces are as warm and gentle as jade, while the black pieces are as lustrous as lacquer. The edges are tinged with a layer of sapphire blue halo. This is a rare treasure offered as tribute by YN

The night sky is clear, with scattered stars resembling fragmented jewels. The starlight is faint, and after the curfew in Huai'an City, the houses gradually fade into darkness.

The man wielding the whip was dressed in a stone blue embroidered robe adorned with cloud and dragon patterns, his snow-white hair neatly tied within a net cap. The excited flush gradually faded from his narrow, thin eyes. He casually tossed the blood-soaked horsewhip onto the ground, took a towel, and gently wiped his hands, softly saying: "Let us bathe"

At that moment, a breeze stirred in the bathroom where the doors and windows were tightly shut. It felt as if someone had blown a cool breath against his neck. Master Luo tilted his head slightly. When he opened his eyes, he saw a stream of blood spraying into the basin, instantly diffusing into a brilliantly colorful red flower.

Lord Luo's lips curled into a faintly arrogant smile as he closed his eyes and extended his arms, allowing the attendants to assist him in removing his outer garments