The news of a Foundation Establishment expert from the Black Dragon Stronghold being struck dead by heavenly lightning at the To Lich River ferry crossing was like a boulder thrown into the already turbulent lake of the Thang Long Imperial Capital. In the span of a single night, the tale was embellished into countless fantastical iterations, spreading like wildfire through every tavern and teahouse.
People did not merely speak of the Black Dragon Stronghold's audacity; they spoke of the emergence of a mysterious "Strategist" from the Six Gates. This person possessed an unknown background, yet could predict the culprit's movements, lay a flawless trap, and even "call the wind and summon the rain," borrowing the power of Heaven and Earth to punish the wicked. The name "Ve Nhan", overnight, transformed from a nameless nobody into an existence of profound mystery and authority in the eyes of the capital's denizens.
And while the outside world was in an uproar, the person at the very eye of the storm was in an incredibly unique state.
Within a secret chamber deep beneath the headquarters of the Six Gates.
Tran Kien sat cross-legged upon a meditation mat. He had been here for three days. Over these three days, Tao Chinh had not assigned him a single task, nor allowed anyone to disturb him. The man merely provided him with the finest healing medicinal pills and absolute silence.
He was "digesting."
The act of forcefully drawing the lightning had inflicted no small amount of damage upon his meridians. Yet it also brought an unexpected serendipity. That tyrannical bolt of heavenly lightning, after being neutralized and absorbed by the Primordial Chaos Qi and Dragon Qi within his body, had not entirely dissipated. It had condensed into a minuscule silver spark of lightning, quietly hovering beside his nine-petaled lotus Dao Foundation.
This spark of lightning was incredibly fierce and difficult to control. But it also harbored a terrifying, world-destroying power. Tran Kien knew that if he could fully refine it, it would become a new trump card—a surprise attack capable of deciding life and death in future battles.
On the morning of the fourth day, just as he finished a major circulation cycle and completely suppressed the lightning spark within his body, the door to the secret chamber slowly opened.
Black Crow, the frigid-faced man, silently stepped inside. But this time, his demeanor was entirely different. There was no probing, only genuine reverence.
"Congratulations, Lord Ve," he respectfully clasped his hands. "Lord Tao has officially appointed you as the Strategist of the Six Gates. Here are your command medallion and official robes."
He reverently presented a brocade box. Inside was a black robe bordered with silver, woven from the finest silk, looking both crisp and majestic. Accompanying it was a black iron medallion; the front was carved with a crossed sword and writing brush, and the back bore the character "Mưu" (Strategy), radiating a commanding aura.
Tran Kien showed no signs of joy. He merely accepted it calmly. He knew this was not a reward. This was a shackle, a beginning. From this moment onward, he had officially become a chess piece on the political chessboard of the Imperial Capital. A chess piece named "Ve Nhan."
"Lord Tao invites you to his study," Black Crow said.
In the study, Tao Chinh remained seated, his commanding aura immovable like a mountain. He wasted no time on pleasantries. He pushed a new stack of case files toward Tran Kien.
"These are the confessions of the two Black Dragon Stronghold lackeys," he said. "They have confessed everything. The disappearances were indeed the work of the Black Dragon Stronghold. But their objective was not merely a blood sacrifice. They were executing a transaction with a major figure."
"Marquis Vinh An?" Tran Kien asked, though he had already guessed as much in his heart.
"Correct," Tao Chinh nodded, a frigid light flashing in his eyes. "According to their confession, Marquis Vinh An promised to provide the Cave Master of the Black Dragon Stronghold with a secret elixir capable of aiding his breakthrough. In exchange, the stronghold had to do him a favor."
"What favor?"
"Create chaos," Tao Chinh growled. "He wants to turn the Imperial Capital into a boiling pot of porridge. He wants to create headless cases to frame Duke Dinh Quoc's Estate, to undermine the prestige of the Six Gates, and perhaps, to prepare for an even grander conspiracy."
Tran Kien remained silent. This chessboard was indeed far more complex and ruthless than he had anticipated. Marquis Vinh An didn't just want power; he wanted to shatter the very stability of Dai Viet.
"You performed excellently in the ferry crossing case," Tao Chinh suddenly changed the subject. "You managed to sever one tentacle of the octopus. But its head is still hidden very deep. I need you to help me sever another tentacle."
He brought out another map, pointing to a luxurious three-story building in the southern district of the city.
"The Gathering Treasures Pavilion. The largest gambling den, and also Marquis Vinh An's most critical money-laundering operation and intelligence hub in the capital. This place is a chaotic mix of dragons and snakes; officials, merchants, and all sorts of characters from the martial world are present. Its defenses are incredibly tight; even our Six Gates has been unable to plant a spy inside."
He looked directly at Tran Kien, his falcon eyes razor-sharp. "I do not need you to destroy it. Doing so would only beat the grass and scare the snake. I need you to find a way to infiltrate it within one month and find evidence of their illicit activities. And if possible..."
He paused, the corners of his mouth curling into a profound smile. "Transform it from the enemy's intelligence hub into our own."
A nearly impossible mission. A war without gunpowder, a true battle of wits.
Tran Kien did not show the slightest hint of fear. On the contrary, a gleam of intense interest flashed within his profound eyes. This was the exact stage he had been waiting for.
He clasped his hands and bowed calmly.
"This junior... accepts the command."
Leaving the headquarters of the Six Gates, Tran Kien, or Ve Nhan, did not return to his old inn. He had been allocated a small, quiet manor in the district for low-ranking officials. This was his new identity, his new life.
That night, he did not cultivate. He stood before the window, gazing toward the luxurious southern district, where the brilliant lights of the Gathering Treasures Pavilion shone. He knew this was not just Tao Chinh's mission. It was also his own opportunity.
Marquis Vinh An, you wish to play a game of chess? he thought inwardly, his hand slightly clenching. Then I, Ve Nhan, shall play a match with you. I just wonder, in the end, who will be the grandmaster, and who will be the chess piece.
The wind, once again, was rising in the Imperial Capital.