The Crimson Lotus Knight’s Gambit

Li Tianming’s sudden appearance did not surprise Marco in the least. The sniper rifle in his hands, ‘Eagle Soaring the Skies,’ was precisely the Crimson Eagle’s most potent weapon during the Eastern Expedition.

Though it could only fire a single shot, requiring a full day to recharge, the bullet’s power and speed neared the Duke-tier.

During the Eastern Expedition, at least six Marquis-tier warriors from the Sakura Nation had perished beneath the might of ‘Eagle Soaring the Skies.’

When Li Tianming had entrusted him with the weapon, Marco had initially assumed it was simply too heavy. Now, however, it seemed Li Tianming had intended to use it to monitor his movements from the very beginning.

“Have you betrayed the Kingdom?”

“That’s a question I should be asking you. How is Wendy, that traitor?”

“She’s fine, doing very well, in fact. And she’s not a traitor.”

“The evidence proving she’s not a traitor is conclusive.”

“What about you, then?”

“It seems… you’ve been turned.” Li Tianming shook his head with a sigh, then drew a crimson spear.

Upon seeing the weapon, Marco’s last shred of doubt vanished completely.

“Just as I suspected… you aren’t the true Crimson Eagle. You’re his deputy, the Crimson Lotus Knight.”

“This is merely the higher-ups’ method of protecting the Crimson Eagle. I don’t consider it deception.”

Marco couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Your ‘protection,’ you mean using him as bait?”

With that, Marco feigned a shot, turning abruptly. As he tossed the sniper rifle away, he simultaneously leaped from the building behind him.

He dared not fire the rifle; who knew what tricks Li Tianming might have prepared below? However, considering the opponent’s identity, he applied a distinct detonation spell to the sniper rifle.

As expected, Li Tianming’s first instinct wasn’t to pursue him, but to rush towards the sniper rifle. Only after dispelling the detonation spell, which was powerful enough to destroy the rifle, did he give chase.

Although a Marquis-tier warrior was far stronger than a Gold-tier, Marco had already landed and covered a significant distance after such a delay. He had also attracted the attention of passersby, making it impossible for Li Tianming to catch him under these circumstances, let alone strike at him.

Next, all he had to do was reach the Knight Order headquarters, report the incident, and someone would surely apprehend Li Tianming!

Of course, Li Tianming was equally aware that Marco could not be allowed to escape, which was why he hadn’t pursued him.

Instead, he aimed the sniper rifle at Marco.

“What? Has that lunatic gone mad?”

Noticing Li Tianming’s action, Marco’s face contorted in shock, and he immediately halted.

As Li Tianming pulled the trigger, unleashing a destructive firebird magic projectile, Marco, like a moth drawn to a flame, leaped into the air.

It was a desperate measure.

Area-of-effect attacks from Marquis-tier and above were akin to minor natural disasters, capable of effortlessly obliterating a large parking lot. This was an attack nearing Duke-tier power; if he didn’t actively intercept it, the civilians on the street would suffer catastrophic consequences.

Naturally, Marco wasn’t entirely bent on self-sacrifice; after all, he needed to preserve himself to expose Li Tianming.

His audacity stemmed from his use of a rare deflection spell.

It was a type of spatial magic, primarily used to deflect attacks. This was also why he bore the title “Undying General”—if an attack couldn’t hit him, it naturally couldn’t harm him.

Similarly, he could also make attacks that would otherwise miss strike their enemies. This was why he rarely used firearms himself, yet dared to undertake missions involving ‘Eagle Soaring the Skies.’

At this moment, his plan was to deflect the ‘Eagle Soaring the Skies’ magic cannon into the sky above the city, allowing it to detonate there. This would minimize casualties and damage.

Yet, as the sinister shadow magic projectile drew near, he found himself utterly paralyzed, let alone able to cast his deflection spell.

‘A trap?’

Marco’s heart sank.

No one had ever stipulated that ‘Eagle Soaring the Skies’ *must* fire Duke-tier magic projectiles. Especially since Li Tianming was a Marquis-tier, a full major rank above him; conjuring illusions to conceal the true nature of his magic would be child’s play.

Just as he suspected, the firebird quickly dissipated. It transformed into a long spear, piercing his chest and pinning him to the ground, where his breath soon faded.

****

A short while later, Li Tianming arrived at the scene. Citing the capture of a ‘Sakura Garden fiend’ as his reason, he dispersed the arriving guards.

After the Knight Order personnel arrived to collect the body and Li Tianming had returned to headquarters to recount the events, he stepped back onto the street, where the sky was already ablaze with countless stars.

“Truly… what a colossal waste of my time.”

Li Tianming sighed and walked alone into the shadowy streets. Each night, he would wander, looking for the Saintess who sometimes roamed the streets, and making contact with Shogunate Faction informants to gather intelligence on the Western Faction.

However, as it was still too early for the Saintess’s usual activities, he headed directly for the Shogunate Faction’s closest hidden outpost to headquarters.

Yet, just as he reached the exterior of the outpost’s residence, Li Tianming sensed something amiss.

The air inside was thick with the scent of blood, and there was no trace of living presence.

He swiftly retreated, then scanned his surroundings.

“As expected of the ‘Crimson Lotus Knight.'”

Beneath a roadside streetlamp, casting a dim yellow glow, a mass of black slowly swelled within the elongated shadows. It continued to grow until it coalesced into a human form.

“What business does someone from the Western Faction have with me?”

Seeing no hostile intent from the figure, and with no sudden ambushers appearing around him, Li Tianming immediately understood that the other party sought communication, not combat.

“Naturally, it’s to invite you to join us.”

The shadowy figure bowed.

“Are you joking?” Li Tianming drew his crimson spear. “You don’t seriously think my cooperation with the Shogunate Faction is for the sake of friendly relations with you, do you?”

“Of course not… but we can discern that you hold little loyalty to the Kingdom.”

“If you intend to threaten me with today’s events, I advise you to give up now.”

“We certainly don’t doubt the extent of the Kingdom’s high command’s trust in you… but your dissatisfaction with the Crimson Eagle is also something we’ve all observed.”

“Is it the Empire that grants you such confidence? You can’t possibly believe I’d abandon my current standing to join a rogue organization like yours, can you?”

“You don’t need to join us. You merely need to represent the Kingdom of Slovenia.”

The amused expression on Li Tianming’s face vanished instantly.

–What do you mean?

–And if I do?

–It changes nothing. However, as far as we know, the Kingdom’s high command, especially the Duanmu family, places immense importance on the true Crimson Eagle.

–And? Does that affect me?

–If you are content with being exiled to the border, then painstakingly returning only to be used as bait, then consider everything I’ve said as unsaid.

–You shadowy figures, hiding your faces, you expect to be trusted?

–This is merely a regrettable necessity when dealing with outsiders. Once you agree to join us, there will naturally be no more secrets between us.

–I will consider it seriously.

–We will await your arrival at any time—

Before the shadowy figure could finish speaking, Li Tianming’s spear pierced straight through its body.

****

In a villa several kilometers away, a subordinate was forced to cease their spellcasting. They looked with a helpless expression at Sakamoto Gyuma, seated at the head.

“It’s fine. Our message has been delivered. All that remains is to await his decision to join us,” Sakamoto Gyuma stated calmly.

“Your wisdom is profound, Lord!”

The others chorused their flattery.

“Let’s put the matter of the Crimson Lotus Knight aside for now. Next…”

For everyone present, inviting Li Tianming was merely a minor interlude. The true focus was how the organization should proceed once Sakamoto Gyuma arrived in the capital.

However, it wasn’t long before an alarm blared.

Just as they assumed it was the Kingdom’s guards mistakenly stumbling upon their location, and prepared to cast concealment spells to escape through the back door, they suddenly discovered the entire sky was enveloped by a dense swarm of summoned birds.

‘Duanmu Yun? What’s going on? How were we exposed?’

Sakamoto Gyuma, the leader of the distant organization, quickly understood after his initial moment of stunned silence.

“Damn it, that Crimson Lotus Knight! He used our magic network for remotely controlling the shadows to track our location!”