To the south of Chang'an City lies an abandoned cellar that was personally expanded by Lei Zhen. Its interior is reinforced with a special clay formula and filled with intricately woven bamboo strips, each one engraved with the name of a powerful figure in Chang'an.
Liu Bingyi stood in the centre of the cellar. In the dim light, he activated God-Level Mimicry: The Mastermind Behind the Scenes.
'Boss, the 720 beggars in the south of the city, the waiters from the 30 taverns and the eight men who collect chamber pots are all on the list.' Han Zeng respectfully handed over a secret letter, his eyes gleaming with fanatical admiration. 'System notification: Underground intelligence network (prototype) activated! Current monitoring range: South of Chang'an City and the outskirts of Changle Palace.'
[Core functions: rumour spreading, targeted monitoring, hostile warning.]
'Remember, don't let them think you're spying on military secrets.' Liu Bingyi traced the map of Chang'an City with his finger, his eyes cold. 'What I want...' 'These are just trivial matters of daily life.'
'Whose cook bought two extra pounds of mutton? Which official took three extra attendants with him? Which mansion's maid is crying at the back gate?' Han Zeng paused, then asked, 'Boss, are these petty things useful?'
Liu Bingyi sneered. 'A clean official suddenly buying two extra pounds of expensive mutton means he has a distinguished guest in secret. Taking extra attendants means he is afraid. The maid crying means someone in the mansion is throwing a tantrum. Put together, these fragments reveal political movements that even Huo Guang couldn't hide.'
[Ding! Host detected building an intelligence network. Reward issued: Special code: simple flag signals and thief slang.' Liu Bingyi taught Han Zeng this encryption logic. From then on, beggars tapping their sticks, singers pausing and hawkers' cries on the streets of Chang'an became real-time broadcasts to Liu Bingyi's ears.
[Real-time monitoring feedback]: 'Clang—clang—clang!' (Knocking sound from a door in a southern alley).
System translation: 'Zhang Hong, the strategist of the Huo family, is secretly meeting with an inner palace eunuch.'
On the third night after the intelligence network was established, Lei Zhen rushed into the cellar, his expression tense. 'Brother! The brothers reported that Huo Yu, the second young master of the Huo family, broke his whip at the horse farm this afternoon. Upon returning home, he immediately mobilised thirty assassins, and their target is none other than the 'blacksmith's shop' where we take in orphans!"
Liu Bingyi remained calm, a playful smile playing on his lips. 'Thirty assassins? Huo Yu must be driven mad by my fighting cock. Since he has delivered himself to our doorstep, we will accept him. Han Zeng, instruct the Beggars' Gang to place modern, high-strength rat traps around the alleyway near the blacksmith's shop.
"Lei Zhen, your special crossbow team will see blood tonight. That night, thirty black-clad assassins crept silently into the blacksmith's shop. However, instead of a sleeping boy, they were greeted by death itself. As they stepped into the dark alley, the once dry ground suddenly became incredibly sticky — the 'modern industrial-grade super adhesive' that Liu Bingyi had obtained through the system.
In the darkness, Lei Zhen led ten specially trained orphans armed with special composite crossbows. They fired simultaneously from rooftops, manhole covers and chimneys. There was no fighting, only a one-sided slaughter. [Ding!] [Annihilate the entire Huo family assassin squad. Reputation +1200.]
[Gained loot: Huo Family Private Army Deployment Token.]
At dawn, Huo Yu discovered the heads of thirty assassins neatly arranged in his stable to form the character '杀' (kill).
Meanwhile, Liu Bingyi had reverted to being the down-on-his-luck grandson of the emperor, sitting against a wall eating rice crusts. As he listened to the rumours circulating in the streets about the 'ghostly revenge', he looked at Han Zeng and whispered, 'Next, we need to extend our intelligence network into Weiyang Palace.'
'Han Zeng, remember: the best intelligence agents aren't martial arts masters who leap across rooftops. They're the beggars you'd turn away from at first glance; the sweaty porters; the wrinkled old women selling groceries.'
Liu Bingyi stood up, activating his God-Level Mimicry: Cold and Rational Spy Chief ability. He casually picked up a tattered silk scroll and drew a honeycomb-like structure on it. 'From today onwards, our organisation is officially named "The Hive".'
It will operate on a three-tiered, single-line communication system. The lower-level 'young bees' are only responsible for observation — for example, noting who bought how many loads of grain today and where a carriage parked — and then passing the information on to the 'worker bees'. The 'worker bees' are responsible for integrating the information and passing it on to you 'drones'. Finally, all the threads will converge here with me.'
Liu Bingyi's voice carried a sense of control that transcended eras, sending chills down Han Zeng's spine yet also making his blood boil.
'Boss, there's some strange news.' Han Zeng pointed to a newly delivered bamboo slip. "Zhang, the tofu seller in West Market, said that for the past three days, the swill bucket at the back gate of the Huo residence has been filled with large amounts of expensive medicinal herb residue, and there's a faint smell of sulphur." Liu Bingyi's eyes flashed.
[System Brain: Activate Logical Deduction.]
Analysis: Expensive medicinal herbs are associated with serious illness or treatment, while sulphur was commonly used in ancient times for refining elixirs or large-scale disinfection. Considering the current situation — the emperor, Liu Fuling, is weak and Huo Guang has been searching for miraculous medicines — he might be covering up the beginnings of a plague.
"That's the power of intelligence." Liu Bingyi patted Han Zeng on the shoulder. "Keep an eye on it. Especially check if any unfamiliar doctors have recently entered or left the Huo residence." "
[Ding! Host has successfully constructed a closed-loop intelligence network. Reputation +500."
[Reward: Special Black Technology – Sound Wave Reflection Listening Needles (three in total; insert into a wall to receive sounds within a 10-metre radius).' Liu Bingyi looked at the three hair-thin, jet-black steel needles in his hand and smiled elegantly and cunningly.
'These should be given to Huo Guang as a gift.' He stood up and beckoned to Lei Zhen. 'Lei Zhen, take me to the Huo residence tonight. There's no need to kill anyone; just 'pass by'." "
Late at night, on top of the high walls of the Huo mansion, Lei Zhen gripped the edge of the wall with one hand while supporting Liu Bingyi steadily with the other, like a nimble giant ape. Using the [Imperial Guard Combat Technique – Lightness Technique] granted by the system, Liu Bingyi used his momentum in mid-air, his figure flashing like a ghost across the corridor outside the study of the Huo mansion.
A barely perceptible 'ding' sounded as Liu Bingyi flicked a listening needle, embedding it deep within the trunk of the century-old locust tree outside the study. From inside the study, the faint sounds of powerful Minister Huo Guang's heavy cough and several low conversations could be heard. Liu Bingyi didn't linger; the instant the patrolling private soldiers turned their heads, he vanished into the night.
At dawn, he was once again the down-on-his-luck emperor's grandson, carrying a tattered basket and buying breakfast on the streets of Shangguan Lane. He argued heatedly with his neighbours over a single coin.
'Old Zhang, why has this flatbread shrunk again?' 'Your business is thicker and more cunning than the walls of the Weiyang Palace!' Liu Bingyi chuckled, chewing on a pancake.
The neighbours roared with laughter — no one doubted this street-smart young man. However, lines of golden text were scrolling continuously across his retina:
[Real-time monitoring: Huo mansion study].
'No matter what, keep an eye on Liu Bingyi. The man in black that night is definitely connected to him.'
'Don't worry, Master. The Second Young Master has already arranged for assassins.' Liu Bingyi swallowed the last bite of his pancake, brushed the crumbs off his hands and a mocking glint flashed in his eyes. 'Watching me? Fine, then I'll put on a big show for you.'