Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er were trapped in a cave in an abandoned mine, surrounded by a sudden burst of light and men in black, their situation extremely precarious. But at this moment, their minds were not solely focused on the battle before them. The complex markings, mysterious instruments, and the enemy's plot planned on the map swirled in their minds like wisps of fog, plunging them into deep thought.

As the enemy drew closer, Xiao Yichen gripped his sword tightly, his eyes still showing a thoughtful expression. Lin Wan'er stood close to him, her dagger gleaming coldly. She kept a wary eye on the enemy while glancing out of the corner of her eye at the map on the cave wall. The markings appeared even more eerie under the light; the lines connecting each mark resembled an invisible net, tightly enveloping the fate of the capital.

“General Xiao, these markings don’t seem to simply point to locations; there must be some deeper logic between them,” Lin Wan’er said in a low voice.

Xiao Yichen nodded slightly, his gaze shifting from the enemy for a moment to the instruments and containers emitting an eerie light in the center of the cave. "These things and markings may be part of a larger plan. Starting from the water source, they have been acting step by step, and these markings are the guides and clues for their actions."

The men in black had surrounded them, but did not attack immediately, seemingly waiting for an order. This brief stalemate gave Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er more time to think.

“The markings we found at the water source seem to be the beginning of this conspiracy. The symbols on the wooden barrels and the patterns on the metal objects all led us here,” Lin Wan’er continued to analyze. “And the markings and maps here may mean that they have follow-up actions, and that they involve a wider range, with the target not only being the water source.”

Xiao Yichen frowned, recalling the letters and plans he had seen at the valley stronghold. "That's right, their ambitions go far beyond this. Judging from the previous clues, they are connected to the royal family of a certain country, and this may be a conspiracy to overthrow the Rong Kingdom."

Just then, the leader of the men in black waved his hand, and the enemy launched an attack. Xiao Yichen quickly regained his senses; his figure moved like lightning, his sword flashing, blocking the enemy rushing towards him. Lin Wan'er was not to be outdone; she used her small and agile advantage to weave through the gaps in the enemy's defenses, her dagger occasionally stabbing at vital points.

Throughout the fierce battle, Xiao Yichen kept a close eye on everything inside the cave. He noticed symbols similar to the markings on the instruments, flashing on their control panels, seemingly controlling their operation. A thought struck him: could these instruments be key tools for carrying out their subsequent conspiracy?

Lin Wan'er also noticed something amiss. She discovered that the enemy seemed to be intentionally protecting a certain direction within the cave during their attack. She used her mind-reading ability to try and understand the enemy's thoughts, but the enemy's thinking was highly trained, and she could only sense some vague information, such as something extremely important being in that direction, preventing Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er from getting close.

"General Xiao, there's a problem over there!" Lin Wan'er shouted, pointing her dagger at the direction the enemy was heavily guarding.

Seizing the opportunity, Xiao Yichen unleashed his power, repelling several enemies in front of him, and then charged towards the direction Lin Wan'er pointed. The men in black, seeing this, swarmed to block his path, but Xiao Yichen's swordsmanship was incredibly sharp; he moved as if he were in an empty field, breaking through the enemy's defenses.

In the direction of the cave, there was an area shrouded by a thick curtain. Xiao Yichen used his sword to lift the curtain, and the sight inside made both he and Lin Wan'er gasp. A huge crystal container stood there, filled with a liquid that emitted a ghostly blue light, within which tiny particles seemed to be constantly swirling. Around the container were numerous pipes leading to various directions within the mine, some even extending above ground, their destinations unknown.

"What is this? It looks dangerous," Lin Wan'er said in surprise.

Xiao Yichen didn't answer; he carefully observed the crystal container and the surrounding pipes. He noticed markings on the pipes, slightly different from those he'd seen before—more complex and intricate. He had a premonition that this crystal container and the liquid inside were the core of the entire conspiracy.

At this moment, the leader of the men in black personally led a group of people to catch up. His expression turned extremely grim when he saw Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er discover the crystal container. "You shouldn't have come here. Since you're here, don't even think about leaving alive," the leader of the men in black said viciously.

Xiao Yichen turned around to face the leader of the men in black and sneered, "Your conspiracy will not succeed. No matter what this is, we will stop you."

The leader of the men in black, wielding a curved blade, charged towards Xiao Yichen. His swordsmanship was unpredictable, each strike accompanied by a sharp whistling sound and tricky angles. Xiao Yichen engaged him in a fierce battle, their figures clashing before the crystal container, the sparks from their swords colliding appearing particularly dazzling under the eerie blue light.

Lin Wan'er, meanwhile, dealt with the other men in black, dodging their attacks while attempting to sabotage the pipes connecting the crystal containers. She slashed at the pipes with her dagger, but they were exceptionally hard, leaving only shallow marks on their surface.

During the battle with the leader of the men in black, Xiao Yichen gradually discovered some patterns in his swordsmanship. The leader seemed to be deliberately protecting his left side, instinctively returning to defend it after each attack. Xiao Yichen made a plan. He deliberately created an opening, drawing the leader's full-force attack. As the leader's curved blade slashed towards his right, Xiao Yichen dodged the attack and swiftly thrust at the leader's left side. The leader's expression changed, but it was too late to dodge; Xiao Yichen's sword slashed his left arm.

"Hmph, you think you can defeat me like this?" the leader of the men in black said through gritted teeth, his eyes becoming even more ferocious.

Xiao Yichen remained silent, knowing that now was not the time to relax. He continued his fierce battle with the leader of the men in black while keeping an eye on Lin Wan'er's situation.

After several attempts, Lin Wan'er discovered some weak points in the pipes, marked with lighter-colored patches. She focused her efforts on these points, and finally, she broke through one section of the pipe, causing the liquid inside to leak out. The liquid dripped onto the ground, making a hissing sound and corroding the surface.

"General Xiao, sabotaging these pipes might stop their plans," Lin Wan'er shouted.

Upon hearing Lin Wan'er's words, Xiao Yichen's heart stirred. He began to deliberately guide the leader of the men in black towards other pipes, attempting to find opportunities to destroy more pipes during the battle.

The leader of the men in black realized Xiao Yichen's intentions. He changed tactics, no longer attacking blindly, but maintaining a certain distance from Xiao Yichen, while directing the other men in black to protect the pipes and crystal container.

"Don't even think about ruining the master's plans, this is your burial ground!" the leader of the men in black shouted.

Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er are locked in a fierce battle as the enemy's defenses tighten. They face not only enemy attacks but also the core of a mysterious conspiracy—a crystal container and a complex piping system. Every mark, every instrument, every pipe is a puzzle, and they must unravel these mysteries in this life-or-death struggle to thwart the enemy's plot and save the capital.

Amidst the fierce battle and intense contemplation, Xiao Yichen suddenly recalled the stone slab with inscribed symbols he had found at the water source. The symbols on the slab bore similarities to the markings here. Could the information on the slab hold the key to unlocking the secrets of these pipes and crystal containers? He fought on while recalling the symbols on the slab in his mind, trying to find a connection between them and the situation before him.

Lin Wan'er was also trying to find a way to break through the enemy's defenses. She used her mind-reading ability again, attempting to find a flaw in the enemy's thinking. This time, she sensed a hint of panic among the enemy. It seemed that their protection of the crystal container and pipes was not foolproof, and there must be a weakness somewhere.

As the battle continues, will Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er be able to find the enemy's weakness and unravel the mystery behind the conspiracy? The fate of the capital hangs in the balance on their actions; every decision is crucial.

The sky over the capital seemed shrouded in a layer of gloom, a sorrowful cloud woven from disaster and suffering. The water shortage crisis, like the claws of a demon, tightly gripped the city's throat, filling every corner with an atmosphere of despair.

Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er temporarily escaped from the abandoned mine and returned to the streets of the capital. The scene before them struck them like a heavy blow. In the streets and alleys, people lined up in long queues, their eyes filled with exhaustion and anxiety. They held all sorts of containers in their hands, some were broken buckets, others were the last remaining pots and pans, all hoping to get a sliver of water from the dwindling water supply to survive.

On a street corner, an old woman squatted on the ground, a small basin of murky water in front of her, emitting a foul odor. With trembling hands, she held a tattered cloth, trying to filter the impurities. Her eyes were empty and helpless, and she muttered, "What am I going to do? How can I drink this water?" A small child beside her tugged at her clothes, crying, "Grandma, I'm thirsty, I want water." The old woman hugged the child tightly, tears streaming down her face, the murky tears leaving bitter streaks on her wrinkled features.

The bustling market not far away was a far cry from its former glory. Stalls lay overturned, goods scattered everywhere. Merchants no longer hawked their wares; instead, they sat by, sighing and lamenting. Some fruits and vegetables, unwashed, had begun to rot, emitting a foul stench. What were once fresh and tempting goods had become a feast for flies and mosquitoes. A fishmonger, looking at the dead, rotting fish on his stall, collapsed to the ground in despair. His livelihood had vanished with the drying up of the water source, and his eyes were filled with utter hopelessness for the future.

Inside the residential area, the situation was even more dire. Many families had already emptied their water tanks, and people were arguing and even fighting over water. In a small courtyard, two families were locked in a heated argument over a bucket of dirty water. A strong young man roared, "Our child is dying of thirst! We must have this bucket of water!" An elderly man opposite him retorted, "We're out of water too! Why should we give it to you?" Neither side would back down, and in the ensuing scuffle, the bucket was overturned, spilling the meager amount of dirty water onto the ground. It was instantly absorbed by the parched earth, leaving only a dark stain, as if mocking their despair.

The hospital was overflowing with patients, their wards packed with those who had fallen ill from drinking contaminated water. Patients groaned in pain, some clutching their stomachs, others vomiting uncontrollably. The medical staff were frantically trying to keep up, but it was all in vain. A doctor, looking exhausted, emerged from a ward, shook his head at the anxiously waiting families, and said helplessly, "We've done everything we can, but there's no clean water, and we don't have enough medicine. Many patients..." Upon hearing this, the families collapsed to the ground, their cries echoing through the hospital corridors.

As Xiao Yichen witnessed these scenes of human suffering, his anger burned like a raging fire. He clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white. "These people should be living in peace and prosperity. It's all because of those behind-the-scenes manipulators, who, for their own ambitions, have caused them such misery." His voice was low and hoarse, filled with boundless rage.

Tears welled in Lin Wan'er's eyes. She bit her lip, struggling to hold back her sobs. "General Xiao, we must find them as soon as possible and make them pay for all this. We can't let the people suffer any longer." Her voice was soft, but it was filled with unwavering determination.

They continued their patrol through the city, each step feeling like a chasm. Passing a school, the place, once filled with laughter and the sound of reading, was now eerily silent. Inside the classroom, children slumped listlessly at their desks, their lips cracked, their faces flushed from dehydration. A teacher paced in the courtyard, and seeing Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er, hurried over. "General, young lady, what can we do? The children haven't had a proper drink of water for days, if this continues..." The teacher's voice was filled with worry.

Xiao Yichen felt a pang of pain in his heart as he looked at the children. He turned to Lin Wan'er and said, "Wan'er, we can't delay any longer. No matter how difficult it is, we must unravel this conspiracy and restore the capital's water supply as soon as possible." Lin Wan'er nodded. She knew that time was life, and every moment of delay could cause more people to lose hope.

In a shantytown on the outskirts of the city, the situation was even worse. These were the poorest people in the capital, already living on the margins of society; the water shortage was a devastating blow. In their makeshift shacks, people huddled together, their eyes filled with the fear of death. A young mother, cradling her unconscious infant, knelt on the ground, pleading with the heavens: "God, save my child! Give us some water!" Those around her wept; their fate was like a candle flickering in the wind, poised to be extinguished at any moment by this disaster.

Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er entered the shantytown. Seeing them, a glimmer of hope ignited in the eyes of the people. "General, have you come to rescue us?" an old man asked, his voice trembling. Looking at these pitiful people, Xiao Yichen felt a pang of guilt. "We will definitely find a way. Please hold on a little longer." His voice was firm, but he knew it was just words of comfort; truly solving the problem would require tremendous effort.

Lin Wan'er walked to the young mother's side, and tears welled up in her eyes as she looked at the unconscious baby. She poured out the last bit of water from her water pouch and fed it to the infant. The baby moved slightly, and a trace of color returned to its lips. Seeing this, the young mother quickly kowtowed to Lin Wan'er in gratitude. Lin Wan'er helped the mother up and said, "Sister, don't be like this. We will make sure everyone has water to drink as soon as possible."

After leaving the shantytown, Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er quickened their pace. Returning to the water source, they looked at the still-polluted pools and broken irrigation canals, a sense of urgency filling them. They knew that to fundamentally solve the problem, they had to continue tracking the clues behind those mysterious markings, find the mastermind's lair, and completely destroy their conspiracy.

At the water source, the craftsmen were still working hard to repair it, but progress was slow. An old craftsman said helplessly to Xiao Yichen, "General, without clean materials, this polluted water keeps corroding our tools and the newly laid bricks. At this rate, I don't know when we'll be able to finish repairing it." Xiao Yichen looked at the old craftsman's weathered face and said, "Master, you've worked hard. I will solve the water pollution problem as soon as possible. You do your best to maintain it for now."

Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er carefully examined the area around the water source again, leaving no possible clue unchecked. They discovered strange footprints where sewage had flowed, footprints similar in shape to those of the men in black they had seen in the abandoned mine. The footprints extended eastward toward the capital, seemingly guiding them in a new direction.

"It seems the enemy is still active in the east. Let's follow the footprints and take a look," Xiao Yichen said. Lin Wan'er nodded, and they followed the footprints. Along the way, they saw more people suffering. The cracked earth, withered crops, and dried-up wells seemed like silent accusations, urging them to quicken their pace.

Near a warehouse to the east, the footprints disappeared. The warehouse looked ordinary, but there were men in black patrolling around it. Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er hid nearby, observing. They knew that this place must be hiding enemy secrets. The warehouse door was tightly closed, and the surrounding area was heavily guarded. To enter and investigate, they had to be extremely careful.

“We need to find a way to sneak in or find another entrance,” Xiao Yichen said in a low voice. Lin Wan’er closed her eyes and used her mind-reading ability to try to sense the situation inside the warehouse. But the enemy seemed to have set up some kind of barrier around the warehouse, and she could only sense some vague emotions, like tension and anticipation.

“General Xiao, there’s definitely something important inside, but I can’t sense it accurately. We must proceed with caution,” Lin Wan’er said. Xiao Yichen nodded, and they began searching for a way to enter the warehouse. The suffering of the people of the capital weighed heavily on their hearts, leaving them no room for complacency.

Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er hid in the shadows near the warehouse, their eyes fixed on the patrolling men in black. Their hearts were filled with a thirst for the truth and anger at the root of the suffering of the capital's people. Each step taken by the men in black seemed to weigh heavily on their anxious hearts, for they knew that this seemingly ordinary warehouse might very well hold the key secret that had plunged the capital into flooding.

"Wan'er, we can't wait any longer, we must get in as soon as possible," Xiao Yichen said in a low voice, his eyes revealing a firm determination. Lin Wan'er nodded slightly, concentrating again, trying to break through the mental barrier set up by the enemy and obtain more information about the inside of the warehouse.

After some effort, Lin Wan'er frowned slightly and said to Xiao Yichen, "General Xiao, I sense that there are many people inside, and the atmosphere is very tense. They seem to be waiting for some order or guarding something important. But I'm still not quite sure what it is."

Xiao Yichen glanced around and spotted a small drain on one side of the warehouse. It might be their only chance to get inside. "Let's try the drain," he said softly.

The two moved cautiously towards the drain, trying to make as little noise as possible. When they reached the drain, they found it was partially blocked by debris, but still wide enough for one person to pass through. Xiao Yichen went in first, followed closely by Lin Wan'er.

The drain was wet and slippery, and emitted a pungent odor. They crawled laboriously through the narrow passage, their bodies covered in filth. After much effort, they finally made it through the drain and into the warehouse.

The warehouse was dimly lit and filled with boxes and barrels of various sizes. Several men in black were bustling about, unaware that Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er had infiltrated. Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er hid behind a pile of boxes, observing the situation inside the warehouse.

In the center of the warehouse stood a high platform, upon which rested a massive sand table. The sand table meticulously depicted the topography of the capital, including important locations such as water sources, the imperial palace, and military camps, each marked with a small flag of a different color. Xiao Yichen immediately recognized this sand table as a crucial tool used by the enemy to plot their schemes.

“Look, those little flags have markings that are very similar to those we’ve seen elsewhere before,” Lin Wan’er said softly.

Xiao Yichen carefully observed the markings and the distribution of small flags on the sand table. He noticed that some red flags were concentrated near the water source and several main water supply channels in the capital, while green flags surrounded the palace and barracks. This seemed to be the enemy marking the areas they had already destroyed and their next targets.

Just then, the warehouse door suddenly opened, and a beam of light shone in. A familiar figure walked in—it was Murong Xuan. He was dressed in a magnificent black robe, his face was cold and stern, and his eyes revealed an arrogance and smugness.

"Is everything ready?" Murong Xuan asked loudly.

“Master, everything is ready. We can proceed with the next step of the plan as soon as you give the order,” replied a man who appeared to be the leader of the men in black.

Murong Xuan walked to the sand table, looked at the small flags, and a slight smile appeared on his lips. "Very good. This flood in the capital is just the beginning. Once we control the palace and the barracks, the Rong Kingdom will be ours."

Upon hearing these words, Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er's anger burned even more fiercely. They were finally certain that Murong Xuan was the mastermind behind this disaster.

"Murong Xuan, you demon! For your ambition, you have caused such a calamity for the people of the capital!" Xiao Yichen couldn't help but roar in a low voice.

Lin Wan'er held Xiao Yichen's hand tightly, signaling him not to act impulsively. They knew that now was not the time to expose themselves; they needed to gather more evidence to completely thwart Murong Xuan's conspiracy.

Murong Xuan lingered in front of the sand table for a while, then walked towards the other side of the warehouse. Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er quietly followed behind. On the other side of the warehouse, there was a secret room. The door to the secret room was tightly closed, and two men in black guarded the door.

Murong Xuan walked to the door of the secret chamber, and the guard respectfully opened it. After he entered, the door was closed again. Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er exchanged a glance; they knew that the secret chamber must hold an even more important secret.

They waited for their chance, preparing to deal with the two guards and enter the secret chamber. After a while, one of the guards left to patrol, leaving only one guard at the door. Xiao Yichen seized the opportunity, rushing out like a ghost and instantly subduing the guard without making a sound.

They opened the door to the secret room and quietly went inside. A mysterious atmosphere filled the room, and the walls were adorned with ancient maps and calligraphy, all appearing to be quite valuable. In the center of the room was a table with letters and documents on it.

Xiao Yichen picked up a letter, opened it, and was greatly shocked by its contents. The letter was a correspondence between Murong Xuan and the royal family of a mysterious country, detailing their conspiracy. It turned out that Murong Xuan was colluding with this mysterious country, attempting to incite internal strife by sabotaging the capital's water supply, then seize power in Rong Kingdom and turn it into a vassal state of this mysterious country.

"This Murong Xuan is truly heinous!" Lin Wan'er said angrily.

Besides the letters, there were also detailed documents on the table regarding the capital's water sources, including their distribution, the routes of the irrigation canals, and methods for sabotaging the water sources to make the pollution difficult to remove. These documents all contained annotations by Murong Xuan, clearly indicating that he had meticulously planned this conspiracy for a long time.

“We must take this evidence out and let everyone know about Murong Xuan’s conspiracy,” Xiao Yichen said.

Just as they were about to leave the secret room, they suddenly heard an alarm sounding from inside the warehouse. It turned out that the guard they had subdued had been discovered, and the enemy had begun searching the warehouse.

"Oh no, we've been discovered!" Lin Wan'er said anxiously.

Xiao Yichen quickly put away the letters and documents, then pulled Lin Wan'er and ran towards a corner of the warehouse. They found a staircase leading to the warehouse roof and hurriedly ran up it.

From the rooftop, they saw that the warehouse was surrounded by men in black. Murong Xuan stood at the warehouse entrance, his face grim. "Xiao Yichen, I knew you'd come to cause trouble, but I didn't expect you to actually find this place. However, today is your death day," Murong Xuan shouted.

Xiao Yichen stood on the rooftop, looking at Murong Xuan without fear. "Murong Xuan, your scheme has been exposed. You will not succeed."

"Hmph, you think you can take them all? Get them! Kill them!" Murong Xuan waved his hand, and the men in black began to climb onto the roof.

Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er stood back to back, preparing to meet the enemy's attack. Xiao Yichen's sword gleamed coldly in the sunlight, his eyes filled with fighting spirit. Lin Wan'er gripped her dagger tightly; though somewhat nervous, her gaze was equally resolute.

More and more men in black surged towards the rooftop like a black tide. Xiao Yichen brandished his sword, each strike repelling an enemy, but the enemies seemed endless. Lin Wan'er used her mind-reading ability to sense the direction of the enemies' attacks, promptly alerting Xiao Yichen and skillfully dodging their attacks while simultaneously counterattacking with her dagger.

During the fierce battle, Xiao Yichen discovered that these men in black were well-trained, but they seemed to share a common weakness: they relied too heavily on teamwork when attacking, and their individual adaptability was somewhat lacking. He seized upon this weakness and began to target the enemy with specific attacks.

He deliberately created an opening, drawing a group of men in black to attack him simultaneously. As the men surrounded him, he dodged their attacks with a swift movement, and taking advantage of the chaos caused by their assault, he launched a counterattack, defeating the group of men in black in one fell swoop.

Lin Wan'er also found her own rhythm in combat. She weaved through the gaps in the enemy's attacks, striking their vital points with her dagger. Her movements were swift and agile, making her difficult for the enemy to anticipate.

However, the enemy's numbers were simply too great, and they were gradually becoming overwhelmed. Just then, the sound of horses' hooves came from afar. It turned out that Xiao Yichen's reinforcements had arrived.

"General Xiao, we've come to your aid!" the leader of the reinforcements shouted.

Seeing the reinforcements arrive, Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er were invigorated. With their help, they finally repelled the men in black and began charging towards Murong Xuan.

Seeing the situation was dire, Murong Xuan tried to escape. But Xiao Yichen wouldn't let him get away so easily; he used his lightness skill to chase after Murong Xuan.

"Murong Xuan, don't even think about running away!" Xiao Yichen shouted.

Murong Xuan fled to a courtyard behind the warehouse. He took out a black sphere from his pocket and threw it at Xiao Yichen. The sphere exploded in mid-air, releasing a plume of black smoke. The smoke contained a nerve-numbing poison, and Xiao Yichen quickly held his breath, but still inhaled some.

He felt a wave of dizziness, but with sheer willpower, he continued chasing after Murong Xuan. Murong Xuan, seeing Xiao Yichen still pursuing him, felt a pang of panic. He ran to a corner of the courtyard where a horse was. He mounted the horse, preparing to flee.

Xiao Yichen gritted his teeth, and with his last ounce of strength, hurled his sword at Murong Xuan. The sword flew towards Murong Xuan like lightning; he couldn't dodge in time and was slashed on the arm. He screamed in pain, and his horse, startled, bolted away.

Xiao Yichen collapsed to the ground due to excessive exertion. Lin Wan'er and the reinforcements arrived, and Lin Wan'er helped Xiao Yichen up. "General Xiao, how are you?" she asked anxiously.

Xiao Yichen shook his head: "I'm fine. Don't let Murong Xuan get away."

They mounted their horses and chased after Murong Xuan in the direction he had fled. They knew that as long as Murong Xuan was still alive, the capital would remain under threat, and they had to capture him completely to end this disaster and save the people of the capital.

During the chase, Xiao Yichen gradually regained some of his strength. Following the hoofprints and other clues, they tracked Murong Xuan. They crossed the outskirts of the capital and arrived at a desolate wilderness. The hoofprints stretched endlessly across the wilderness. But Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er did not give up; they held only one belief in their hearts: to capture Murong Xuan and make him pay for his actions.