Chapter 29: Clash of Blades
Lin Wei regarded the somewhat absent-minded Lando, as if suddenly recalling something.
“Lord Lando, to increase my trust in you, I hope you’ll swallow this.” Lin Wei pulled a pale blue glass vial from his pocket.
“What is this?” An ominous feeling gripped Lando.
Lin Wei smiled, revealing his white teeth: “Poison.”
In his previous life, as a top biologist, Lin Wei had easily concocted some special medicines based on the properties of this world’s flora; calling them poisons was not an exaggeration.
Lando’s face instantly turned ashen, his confidence shaken, beads of sweat gathering on his forehead. “Mr. Lin Wei, is this really necessary?”
Lin Wei’s smile lingered, but a chill crept into his expression. He said nothing, simply fixing his gaze on Lando.
“Then... I suppose I must obey you, Mr. Lin Wei.” Lando took the pale blue vial.
He uncorked it and tipped out a lead-red, spherical pill. The pill’s surface was not smooth, but marked with irregular pits and bumps.
Lando swallowed hard, then gulped down the lead-red pill.
“Very good.” Lin Wei nodded. “You needn’t worry, Lord Lando. The effects won’t manifest for a month. As soon as our business is done, I’ll give you the antidote.”
Lando managed a forced laugh, nodding stiffly.
“Mr. Lin Wei, what do you think our chances of success are?” Now that the moment had passed, Lando suddenly felt a pang of regret at his decision. No matter how much of a genius Lin Wei was, he was still only a newly promoted knight. Compared to the count, he had no other forces at his disposal. Even if he could command a portion of the Tulip Guards, he’d still be at a disadvantage against the count’s champion, Nacken.
Lin Wei said nothing. Instead, he walked to the window.
It was deep night; the Tulip Manor was shrouded in darkness, save for the lanterns carried by patrolling guards, their footsteps echoing through the silence.
Suddenly, Lin Wei turned to Lando, his face calm and inscrutable. “What do you think the odds are for me—someone with the power of a Grand Knight?”
“Grand Knight?!”
Lando seemed struck by lightning: first stunned, then overjoyed.
...
The next morning.
Dawn had just begun to break, golden light on the horizon piercing the swaying shadows of the trees like blades.
Inside the room—
Lin Wei sat straight-backed on a chair, clad in light silver armor, a cruciform sword hanging at his waist.
Bang!
The door was suddenly kicked open!
“So you’ve finally come?” Lin Wei’s closed eyes snapped open, a cold, piercing gleam flashing through them.
A tall figure stepped in, several fully armed guards following behind.
“Lord Nacken.”
Lin Wei rose and offered a slight bow.
At that moment, Nacken’s expression was complicated, his eyes filled with undisguised regret.
“Lin Wei, you are a clever man.” Nacken’s voice was low.
He trailed off, but Lin Wei already understood what he meant. In the end, Count Lamo had chosen to act against him, sending Nacken himself to carry out the task.
Lin Wei glanced at Nacken, then swept his gaze over the Tulip Guards behind him. They were all knight attendants, and among them was a familiar face—Lant.
“Truthfully, Young Master Jon’s death shouldn’t have been your fault, but...” Nacken began, then stopped again.
Lin Wei revealed a relaxed smile. “Lord Nacken... this will be the last time I address you so. Must it really come to bloodshed? I’d rather not see it, especially between us.”
“There’s no help for it. It’s the Count’s order.” Nacken’s expression hardened as he gripped the massive sword slung over his back. “Come, young genius!”
“Core, display the data on Nacken and myself.”
Ding!
[Nacken Doton: Strength 7.9; Agility 7.3; Constitution 8.1]
[Lin Wei Nolan: Strength 15.9; Agility 15.9; Constitution 15.9; Skills: Fencing; Hammer Technique]
“Nacken, you’ve improved a bit since last year,” Lin Wei said, grasping the cruciform sword and drawing it from his waist, “but compared to me, the gap is still enormous!”
“Attack!” Nacken ordered.
The knight attendants sprang into action, leaping toward Lin Wei! Their swords gleamed with a cold blue light—poisoned, without a doubt.
In a half-circle formation, the knight attendants surrounded Lin Wei, pinning him in the cramped room.
Lin Wei ground his teeth audibly. “A few hatchlings—how could chicks threaten a tiger?!”
He moved—so fast that none present could track his motion!
The sword flashed!
Splat, splat, splat!
The attackers froze mid-air, blood spurting from their throats like fountains! Their bodies thudded heavily to the cold, hard floor.
In an instant, all life snuffed out!
Lin Wei glanced down at Lant’s wide, unseeing eyes, filled with confusion and reluctance.
He sighed, remembering how Lant had taught him fencing a year ago. “A pity, Lant. We needn’t have become enemies, but Count Lamo’s orders were never yours to refuse.”
His gaze lingered only a moment before shifting to the stunned Nacken.
“You... your strength...” Nacken swallowed hard. “You only just became a knight. How can you be this strong? This is power found only at a knight’s peak...”
Lin Wei walked toward him, his bloodied sword in hand, his face gentle and warm. “Let me correct you—this isn’t the power of a peak knight. It’s the power of a Grand Knight!”
As the words fell, Lin Wei burst into action!
A Grand Knight?!
Nacken’s scalp prickled with dread. So young—a Grand Knight! Even in the capital, the king would grant him a title for such talent. The commander of the Royal Legion was only a Grand Knight himself!
There was no time to think. Lin Wei was upon him like a loosed arrow, too fast to dodge—Nacken could only brace himself!
Barely managing to raise his greatsword, Nacken tried to block Lin Wei’s blade.
But—
Bang!
Nacken’s body shot across the room like a cannonball, slamming straight into the wall.
Crash!
The wall crumbled, and Nacken was hurled clean out of the house by Lin Wei’s blow.
With a guttural cry, blood gushed from Nacken’s mouth and nose.