Chapter 364: Undercurrents Rising

Marshal Zhao's voice fell.

Now it was Zhou Huai's turn to be somewhat surprised.

"Expected?"

"Marshal, you guessed it long ago?"

Zhao Qingcang shook his head, and that weathered face didn't show much emotion.

"It doesn't quite count as guessing."

He picked up the cup of tea on the table that had long since gone cold, but didn't drink it, merely stroking the rim of the cup with his fingers.

"These past few days, I've looked at all the information about you sent by the military intelligence department."

"Including your various performances during the National Examination and at the Imperial Capital Academy."

"I had deduced that your 'Gandalf' might very well just be something similar to a Puppet."

Zhou Huai's heart tightened slightly, and he didn't speak.

Zhao Qingcang continued: "This also explains why Zuo Daolin, who is skilled in manipulating the Soul during the National Examination, was helpless against you."

"The skills of that brat Wei He likewise had no effect on you."

"A Puppet without a Soul naturally won't be affected by these mental-level skills."

"Therefore, I concluded that behind Gandalf, there must be a powerful Puppeteer."

"At least an SS-Rank Professional."

"Although it differs somewhat from the Clone you mentioned, it's mostly pretty close."

Zhao Qingcang's gaze landed on Gandalf, as if he wanted to see right through him.

"The reason you were so anxious to have Gandalf return to Donghai City must be because your main body is right in Donghai City, right?"

Zhou Huai was rendered speechless for a moment.

Yet he never expected that the other party would actually deduce seven or eight tenths of the truth on their own based on some seemingly unrelated clues.

As expected of the pillar that holds up the sky of Great Xia Country.

This insight, this mentality, were truly terrifying.

Marshal Zhao looked at his shocked expression, and his demeanor softened slightly.

"In fact, from the very beginning, I didn't have much suspicion towards you."

"Let me ask you, how could someone who just colluded with an enemy country and slaughtered fellow compatriots and comrades anxiously run off to save a perilous city deep within a beast tide?"

"These two things are inherently contradictory."

"Hearing your explanation today happens to match my previous thoughts."

"Therefore, I can trust you eight tenths."

Speaking to this point, Zhao Qingcang stood up, walked over to Gandalf's side, and heavy calloused large hand heavily patted his shoulder.

"You've been wronged these past few days."

The giant stone that had been hanging in Zhou Huai's heart finally slowly fell to the ground at this moment.

He secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Thinking to himself that as expected of the pillar that holds up the sky of Great Xia Country, this insight and courage were far beyond what others could compare to.

He hurriedly said: "Whether I've been wronged doesn't matter, but Principal Lin Zhu and all the members of the exploration team cannot die in vain!"

"And the Pendulum of Life! It must also be snatched back!"

Mentioning Lin Zhu, the exhaustion on Zhao Qingcang's face grew heavier, and he let out a bitter smile.

"How could it be that easy?"

He slowly leaned back against the sofa, his whole person seeming to age a lot more in an instant.

"Now Lin Zhu is dead."

"The only SS-Rank Professionals on the surface of the entire Great Xia Country are the two of us left."

He paused, and his voice became increasingly heavy.

"It won't be long before they make a move against you."

"However, the good news is that they don't know Gandalf is just a Puppet. I've already had all information regarding Gandalf destroyed. As long as your main body doesn't actively expose itself, you're safe for the time being."

Zhou Huai keenly captured the key information in his words, his eyes instantly narrowing.

"Them?"

"Who are they?"

He was currently within the borders of Great Xia Country; even if people from the enemy country wanted to make a move against him, it would by no means be an easy matter.

Unless…

Marshal Zhao quickly gave the answer, his voice revealing a deep sense of exhaustion.

"Today, Great Xia Country is teetering in the wind and rain, and the military department has long ceased to be an iron bucket."

"In secret, quite a few high-ranking military officials have actually defected to the enemy country."

"Before, they might still have been hesitant, but now that Lin Zhu is dead, this is equivalent to sending a clear signal to them."

"Now, as long as they kill you, the Archmage hailed as the rising star of Great Xia Country…"

"By then, with only me left, I'm afraid I truly wouldn't be able to prop up the single pillar and would be left at the mercy of others."

Zhou Huai understood in his heart.

No wonder Marshal Zhao appeared so exhausted at this moment.

With powerful enemies lurking outside and internal borers making trouble.

What this old man was carrying on his shoulders was the fate of the entire country.

In such a situation of internal and external troubles where he couldn't even look after himself, how could one speak of taking back the Pendulum of Life and avenging the exploration team?

But all of this was built on the premise that Zhou Huai only had one Gandalf Clone.

Compared to Zhao Qingcang's deep worries.

Zhou Huai's heart wasn't that heavy.

Since someone wanted to deal with him.

Then wouldn't it be fine to just find out the people who wanted to deal with him and kill them all?

Simple, direct.

"Marshal Zhao… Do you know which people have defected to the enemy country?"

Marshal Zhao slowly nodded, then powerlessly shook his head.

"Currently, some clues on certain people have been grasped, but they're all inconsequential small fry."

"The real big fish are still hidden behind the scenes, hiding very deeply."

"For a short time, I still cannot make a move against them, so as not to startle the snake and cause the other party to completely hide away."

Hearing this, the corners of Zhou Huai's mouth suddenly curled into a meaningful smile.

"Marshal Zhao, why don't you leave the matter of dealing with the traitors to me?"

Marshal Zhao looked at Gandalf suspiciously.

"Leave it to you?"

He frowned.

"Currently, this Gandalf Clone of yours still has suspicion on him; even if I trust you, the others in the military department won't trust you."

"How can you possibly deal with the traitors?"

He looked at Gandalf, suddenly thinking of something.

"Could it be that you have other SS-Rank Puppets?"

As soon as these words left his mouth, Zhao Qingcang first negated this conjecture in his own heart.

"The profession of Puppeteer is inherently rare and bizarre."

"Even if you are the top SS-Rank Puppeteer, wanting to create an SS-Rank Puppet is already a miracle that can only be achieved by exhausting one's lifelong efforts and expending countless Heaven And Earth Treasures."

"If you could create a second SS-Rank Puppet, that would simply be an Arabian Night, something never heard of."

Hearing this, Zhou Huai shook his head instead, correcting him: "Marshal Zhao, I never said I was a Puppeteer."

"And Gandalf is indeed just my Clone."

He slowly stood up, calmly gazing at the deeply confused Old Marshal, saying word by word clearly.

"Furthermore, such powerful Clones…"

"I still have many of them."

The moment the voice fell.

The shadow beneath Gandalf's feet began to twist and wriggle violently.

Like a pool of thick ink that had come alive.

The next second.

A white-haired man silently and slowly rose from within that shadow, appearing inside the office.

It was precisely Moria.

Zhao Qingcang looked at the suddenly appearing Moria, a look of surprise appearing in his eyes for the first time.

Prior to this, he hadn't even noticed that Gandalf's shadow actually concealed another Professional.