Chapter 126

The next morning, the bugle call of the military camp roused the sleeping camp. Sheng Xuan, who had barely slept all night, followed the soldiers in drills with light dark circles under his eyes and a listless expression.

Sheng Chi seemed to realize that keeping Sheng Xuan confined in the mansion was not a solution. The boy had too much energy, and if he was kept cooped up for too long, he would be more likely to cause trouble.

So he simply took Shengxuan to the training ground and made him train with the soldiers. It was better for him to work up a sweat on the training ground than to have him daydream in the mansion.

Sheng Xuan was quite happy with this arrangement. He temporarily suppressed the matter of the Burning Heart Sect in his heart, and was so tired that he would fall asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow every day, so things went smoothly.

However, this apparent calm was completely shattered three days later!

That morning, before the bugle call from the military camp had faded, a weary and anxious deputy general rushed into Sheng Chi's central command tent!

"General! Urgent military intelligence!" The lieutenant knelt on one knee, his voice hoarse, filled with barely suppressed anger and grief. "Last night... last night, a border village... was attacked! The entire village... all 137 people... were slaughtered! Their houses were completely destroyed! And... and..."

The lieutenant's voice choked for a moment before he continued with difficulty, "...All the children in the village... a total of twenty-three... all... all missing!"

"What?!" Sheng Chi jumped up from behind his desk, his face instantly turning ashen! A chilling killing intent instantly filled the entire military tent!

Border village! Entire village massacred! Children missing!

These words struck Sheng Chi's heart like a heavy hammer! He immediately thought of Sheng Xuan's discovery at the pharmacy a few days ago—the Burning Heart Cult had purchased a large quantity of highly poisonous medicinal herbs!

Refining the "Holy Son"!

The thought instantly flashed into Sheng Chi's mind! They had been lying in wait for a long time, coveting Su Zelan's special bloodline, but had never been able to obtain it! Now, they had purchased a large quantity of poison, and then the tragic massacre of border villages and the disappearance of children occurred! This was no coincidence!

"They can't get Su Zhelan..." Sheng Chi's fists clenched so tightly they cracked, his eyes burning with boundless rage and icy killing intent, "so they want to use the flesh and blood of these innocent children... to reforge the 'Holy Son'! To create a substitute! What... desperate madness this is!"

An unprecedented sense of crisis and overwhelming rage surged within Sheng Chi! How dare they be so arrogant! They deserve to die!

"Issue the order!" Sheng Chi's voice was as cold as ice, carrying an undeniable killing intent. "All troops on high alert! Seal off all roads leading to the border! Send out all scouts and search! Dig three feet into the ground and find those cult leaders and the kidnapped children! Live or dead... find their bodies!"

"Yes!" The lieutenant clasped his hands in acceptance, his voice strong and clear, filled with deep-seated hatred!

Military orders are absolute, and the entire military camp instantly sprang into action like a tightly wound machine!

Sheng Chi stood rooted to the spot, his chest heaving. He forced himself to calm down. The cult's methods were so brutal; their schemes were likely far more extensive than this! This matter not only concerned the safety of the border and had to be reported immediately, but also… His Highness the Crown Prince had to be informed!

He immediately thought of Sheng Xuan. Sheng Xuan was still in the military camp. With such a major incident, the camp was about to enter a state of high alert, and Sheng Xuan could no longer stay there. Moreover… Sheng Chi also had a lingering worry, fearing that Sheng Xuan would rush out without regard for anything once he learned of this.

"Someone come here!" Sheng Chi ordered in a deep voice, "Go and fetch Sheng Xuan! Immediately!"

Soon, Sheng Xuan was brought over by his personal guards. He had just finished his morning training, his face still covered in sweat and dust. Seeing Sheng Chi's solemn expression and the tense atmosphere in the tent, he immediately realized that something serious had happened.

"Brother? What's wrong?" Sheng Xuan asked, his voice tinged with nervousness.

Sheng Chi did not answer immediately, but gave him a deep look and said in a deep voice, "Pack your things and come back to the manor with me."

Sheng Xuan was taken aback: "Back to the manor? Now? What happened?"

"Don't ask so many questions! Now!" Sheng Chi's tone left no room for argument.

Seeing the unprecedented solemnity and killing intent in Sheng Chi's eyes, Sheng Xuan felt a chill and dared not ask any more questions. She immediately turned around to pack her things.

Soon, Sheng Chi, accompanied by Sheng Xuan and escorted by a team of elite guards, rode back to the mansion at full speed.

Back at the mansion, Sheng Chi dismounted, tossed the reins to the groom, and without turning his head, instructed Sheng Xuan, "Go back to your courtyard and stay there. Don't run around without my permission! And don't leave the mansion!"

Looking at Sheng Chi's grim expression, which seemed to foreshadow a storm, Sheng Xuan felt a mix of questions and unease, but dared not disobey. He could only mutter a reply: "...Yes."

He walked towards his courtyard with his head down, his heart aching like it was being scratched by a cat. What had happened? Could it be...?

Sheng Chi watched Sheng Xuan walk away, his eyes filled with complex emotions. He stood there in silence for a moment, then summoned a trusted guard and whispered, "Quickly invite His Highness the Crown Prince to the study. Tell him I have something extremely urgent to discuss with him!"

The guards received the order and immediately left quickly.

Sheng Chi returned to his study, his face still as solemn as iron.

He quickly took a file marked "Top Secret" from the bookshelf. It detailed Sheng Xuan's discovery at the pharmacy a few days earlier, the subsequent surveillance report on the pharmacy, and the preliminary military intelligence report he had just received regarding the massacre in the border village. He had just spread the file out on the table when he heard footsteps outside the door.

Xiao Qiyun appeared at the doorway, still with his gentle and refined demeanor, but his eyes held a hint of serious inquiry. He walked in slowly.

"General," Xiao Qiyun's voice was calm, yet carried a barely perceptible sense of urgency, "What is so urgent?"

Sheng Chi immediately stood up and bowed solemnly to Xiao Qiyun: "Your Highness." He straightened up and, without any unnecessary pleasantries, went straight to the point, his voice low and serious: "Your Highness, something has happened."

He quickly and solemnly recounted the tragedy in the border village—the entire village was massacred and twenty-three children went missing—and the connection between this tragedy and the Burning Heart cult's purchase of large quantities of highly poisonous herbs, which Sheng Xuan had discovered a few days earlier.

"...This humble general deduces," Sheng Chi's voice was filled with suppressed anger and icy killing intent, "that the cult has been lying in wait for a long time, coveting Su Zhelan's bloodline but failing to obtain it. Now, they have taken a desperate gamble, attempting to use a large number of innocent children as materials to recreate the 'Holy Son'! The cruelty of their actions and the wickedness of their schemes are outrageous! This humble general has already ordered the entire army to be on high alert, block the roads, and do everything in its power to capture the cult members and the kidnapped children. However, this matter... is of great importance and cannot be resolved quickly by the forces of a single army. Moreover, it involves the core schemes of the cult, so I hereby report to Your Highness!"

After Sheng Chi finished speaking, he presented the dossier on the table to Xiao Qiyun with both hands: "This is a detailed dossier, including the pharmacy's surveillance records, the list of medicinal materials, and the preliminary investigation report of the tragedy. Please take a look, Your Highness."

Xiao Qiyun took the file, his expression remaining calm, but deep within his eyes, like an undercurrent surging beneath a frozen lake.

He didn't open it immediately, but instead gently stroked the cold cover of the file with his fingers. A silence fell over the study, broken only by the occasional crackling of the candlelight.

After a moment, Xiao Qiyun spoke slowly, his voice steady yet carrying an undeniable decisiveness: "The general handled the situation well and reacted swiftly. Blocking the roads and conducting a full-scale search are the top priorities."

He raised his eyes, his gaze sharp as he looked at Sheng Chi. "I am already aware of this matter. General, continue to proceed according to plan. You must spare no effort to find those children and eradicate the evil cult! Report any progress to me immediately."

He paused, gently closed the file, and held it in his hand: "I need to carefully consider this file. General, you have worked hard. Please return to your camp to take command and reassure the troops. I... need some time to think."

Sheng Chi looked at Xiao Qiyun's calm and composed face. Although he still felt a heavy burden in his heart, he knew it was not the right time to say anything more. He clasped his hands in a fist and said in a deep voice, "This subordinate obeys! I will do my utmost!"

After speaking, he bowed again, turned around and strode out of the study, his back view carrying the resoluteness and heaviness of a soldier.

Xiao Qiyun watched Sheng Chi leave, leaving him alone in the study.

He stood there, looking down at the dossier in his hands, his eyes deep and unfathomable. The devastation at the border, the madness of the Burning Heart Sect, the fate of innocent children... and Su Zhelan, who was regarded by the cult as a substitute for the "Holy Son" and was currently in the mansion... all the information intertwined and collided rapidly in his mind.

He remained silent for a moment, then finally made his decision. He couldn't keep it from Su Zhelan. Su Zhelan had the right to know the truth, and she had to know the truth. This wasn't just about his background and hatred; it was about the lives of those innocent children!

Xiao Qiyun, carrying the dossier, did not return to his own courtyard, but went straight to the courtyard where Su Zhelan lived.

Su Zhelan was reading by the window, trying to dispel his vexation and anxiety while waiting for news from Shengxuan. He was somewhat surprised to see Xiao Qiyun push the door open and enter, especially when he saw the dossier in Xiao Qiyun's hand that clearly bore military markings, which gave him an ominous premonition.

"Your Highness?" Su Zhelan put down her book and stood up.

Xiao Qiyun walked up to him, without any formalities, and handed him the dossier directly. His voice was low and clear: "Zhelan, something has happened. A border village was attacked last night, the entire village was massacred, and twenty-three children... all of them are missing."

Su Zhelan's body stiffened abruptly! As if struck by lightning! The color drained from his face instantly, and his pupils contracted sharply! The child was missing! These words were like poisoned ice picks, piercing his heart!

He almost trembled as he took the file, his fingers icy cold. He forced himself to calm down and quickly flipped through it. When he saw the horrifying descriptions of the scenes, and... the accompanying record of the Burning Heart cult members purchasing highly poisonous herbs a few days earlier, he felt a chill run from the soles of his feet to the top of his head!

The idea of ​​creating a "Holy Son" gnawed at his mind like a venomous snake! If they couldn't have him... they would use these innocent children... and those deadly poisons... to forcibly create a substitute!

His fingers gripped the edge of the file tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force, and his body trembled slightly. He abruptly raised his head, looking at Xiao Qiyun, his eyes burning with raging anger and deep-seated hatred, his voice hoarse with extreme fury: "Where...are they?!"

Xiao Qiyun looked at the flames in Su Zhelan's eyes that seemed to burn everything, and calmly met his gaze: "General Sheng Chi has blocked the roads and launched a full-scale search. But you know... the cult is cunning and extremely well hidden."

He paused, his voice carrying a calm decisiveness, "Zelan, you need to calm down. Anger won't solve anything."

Su Zhelan stared intently at Xiao Qiyun, his chest heaving. He knew Xiao Qiyun was right, but the anger and pain that seemed to tear him apart were impossible to quell. He took a deep breath, then another, forcing himself to suppress his turbulent emotions. His gaze returned to the file, his voice cold and resolute: "...Show me all the clues. I want to see Sheng Chi..."

Xiao Qiyun looked at Su Zhelan in silence for a moment, his deep eyes revealing no emotion. Finally, he nodded slightly: "Okay. I'll go with you."

Su Zhelan glanced at Xiao Qiyun with some surprise, but at this moment his heart was filled with anger and urgency, and he didn't have time to think much, so he just nodded vigorously.

Xiao Qiyun said nothing more and turned to walk out first. Su Zhelan immediately followed behind.

The two walked out of the courtyard one after the other. Xiao Qiyun was composed and walked with a steady pace, but he was not slow. Su Zhelan followed closely behind, her face pale, her eyes sharp as knives, and her clenched fists betraying her inner anxiety.

With Crown Prince Xiao Qiyun accompanying them, their journey was unimpeded. The guards at the camp gate immediately saluted and let them pass upon seeing Xiao Qiyun. The two went straight to the main tent of Sheng Chi's army.

Xiao Qiyun stopped and said to the guards outside the tent, "Reporting to the general, His Highness the Crown Prince and Young Master Su Zhelan request an audience."

The guards dared not delay and immediately entered the tent to report. Soon, the tent flap was lifted, and Sheng Chi appeared at the door. Seeing Xiao Qiyun and Su Zhelan arrive together, a fleeting, almost imperceptible surprise flashed in his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure. He bowed respectfully to Xiao Qiyun: "This humble general greets Your Highness the Crown Prince!"

"General, you may rise." Xiao Qiyun's voice was calm, yet carried an invisible pressure. "I and Young Master Su Zhelan have important matters to discuss with you."

"Your Highness, Young Master Su Zhelan, please come in." Sheng Chi stepped aside.

The three entered the main tent. The atmosphere inside was heavy, with a huge sand table marked with symbols representing the army and search areas. Sheng Chi waved to dismiss the others in the tent.

The tent flap fell, shutting out the outside noise. Only three people remained inside, and the air seemed to freeze. Su Zhelan's gaze passed over the sand table and landed directly on Sheng Chi. His eyes, which had been burning with anger, now held a cold, almost desperate determination.

“General,” Su Zhelan’s voice broke the silence, carrying an undeniable resolve, “I have come to discuss with you how to completely eradicate the cult.”

Sheng Chi frowned, looking at Su Zhelan: "Su Zhelan, I understand your feelings. But this matter..."

Su Zhelan was not interrupted. He stepped forward, his voice clear and cold: "It's not just about rescuing those children. General, you know..."

He stared directly into Sheng Chi's eyes, making no attempt to conceal the deep-seated hatred and chilling killing intent surging within them. "I am the 'Holy Son' of the heretical cult."

His voice wasn't loud, but every word was like a knife, carrying a suppressed madness and an undeniable determination: "What I want isn't just to rescue the children and be done with it. What I want is—to eradicate them completely! To uproot them, to grind their bones to dust! To leave not a single one alive!"

Sheng Chi looked at the slender figure before him, yet exuding an astonishing aura, and listened to the deep-seated hatred and the determination to destroy everything in his words. His heart trembled violently! He knew all too well what Su Zhelan carried, and he understood that this hatred was enough to burn away all reason! But precisely because of this, he could not let Su Zhelan be in danger!

"Su Zhelan!" Sheng Chi's voice suddenly rose, carrying the authority of a military order and an unquestionable firmness. "I understand you! But that's precisely why you mustn't go! Their target is you! If you show up, you'll be walking into a trap! They will stop at nothing to capture you! In that case, not only will you fail to save those children, but you yourself will also..."

Sheng Chi's voice trailed off. The previous events flashed through his mind. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. His tone softened, but carried an even deeper resolve: "Last time… it was my negligence, I almost… This time, I will never make the same mistake again! I am here on imperial orders to patrol the border, commanding a large army; this is my duty! Leave this to me! I assure you, I will rescue those children and completely eradicate the Burning Heart Sect! You… stay here! This is an order!"

Sheng Chi's words were resolute, carrying an unassailable protective stance, as if he wanted to completely isolate Su Zhelan from danger.

Looking at Sheng Chi's unquestionable posture, as if he wanted to isolate him in a protective shield, and hearing the word "command," Su Zhelan felt the suppressed anger and powerlessness in his heart surge like a volcano! He clenched the dossier in his hand, his knuckles turning white from the force, and his body trembled slightly.

He didn't refute as fiercely as usual, nor did he emphasize his reasons again. He simply lowered his head slowly, his gaze falling on his hands, which were trembling slightly from the force of his grip. The fabric of his cuffs was crumpled into a ball, as if he wanted to crush all his resentment and despair in his palms.

Silence filled the military tent, broken only by the crackling of the candlelight and the slightly heavy breathing of the three men. Xiao Qiyun stood to the side, watching quietly without uttering a word, his eyes deep and unfathomable.

After a long silence, Su Zhelan slowly raised his head. His face was devoid of the anger and agitation from before, replaced by an almost deathly calm. He looked at Sheng Chi, his eyes vacant, his voice so soft it was as if he were talking to himself, yet it pierced the silence clearly, carrying a deep-seated weariness and despair:

“General…” Su Zhelan’s voice trembled slightly, like a dull knife slowly cutting into Sheng Chi’s heart, “…How much longer do you think I can…keep hiding?”

This statement contains no questioning, no accusation, only a suffocating calm, yet it is more powerful than any vehement words.

Sheng Chi opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but found his throat tight and he couldn't utter a single word.

Just then, Xiao Qiyun, who had been silently observing, spoke. His voice remained calm, yet carried an undeniable composure and power, instantly shattering the frozen atmosphere:

“I understand the General’s concerns. I have also seen Young Master Su Zhelan’s determination.” Xiao Qiyun’s gaze slowly swept over Sheng Chi and Su Zhelan, finally landing on Sheng Chi, his eyes deep and sharp.

“This matter is no longer a simple border bandit suppression operation. The Burning Heart Sect dares to massacre villages, kidnap children, and refine evil artifacts. Their sinister plot has endangered the very foundation of the nation. As the Crown Prince, I have an inescapable responsibility.”

He stepped forward, his voice not loud, yet clearly echoing within the tent, carrying the authority and decisiveness of a superior: "I will immediately use the Crown Prince's decree to mobilize all resources of the local government to thoroughly investigate the cult's strongholds, personnel movements, and the flow of supplies! All suspicious clues, no matter how small, must be investigated to the end! At the same time, I will use... some special channels to deeply investigate the core movements of the Burning Heart Cult."

Xiao Qiyun paused, then turned his gaze to Su Zhelan, his tone both reassuring and solemn: "Young Master Su Zhelan carries a deep-seated blood feud and has profound ties to the cult; his intelligence is irreplaceable. I believe that Young Master Su Zhelan's involvement in the plot and the provision of clues are crucial. But..." His gaze returned to Sheng Chi, carrying an undeniable assurance, "I will personally oversee Young Master Su Zhelan's safety. I will never allow him to risk his life and repeat the same mistake."

Sheng Chi looked at Xiao Qiyun and listened to his calm, powerful, and well-organized arrangements, his heart filled with mixed emotions. The Crown Prince's personal involvement, mobilizing local officials and even more covert forces, undoubtedly greatly enhanced the intensity and scope of the investigation.

He couldn't refute the Crown Prince's decision, especially after the Crown Prince clearly stated that he would personally take charge of Su Zhelan's safety. The phrase "repeating the same mistakes" was like a needle, piercing his deepest pain and worry.

His gaze swept over Xiao Qiyun's calm yet powerful face and Su Zhelan's still pale profile, which held a faint glimmer of hope. Finally, his clenched fist slowly loosened, and his shoulders seemed to slump slightly.

He took a deep breath, clasped his hands in a fist salute to Xiao Qiyun, and said in a low voice with a hint of barely perceptible fatigue: "Your Highness... has thought things through. This humble general... obeys."

Sheng Chi looked at Su Zhelan again, his eyes filled with complex emotions, and finally said in a deep voice, "Su Zhelan, you... assist His Highness, you must be careful." He still couldn't completely put his mind at ease, but the Crown Prince's authority and promise left him with no choice but to back down.

“Alright,” Sheng Chi straightened his back, regaining his soldierly bearing, but the seriousness between his brows remained undiminished. “Military affairs here are complex, and I must remain to oversee the search and arrest. Your Highness, Young Master Su Zhelan, please return first. After handling the urgent military matters, I will immediately return to my residence to discuss the follow-up strategies with Your Highness and Young Master Su Zhelan!”

Xiao Qiyun nodded slightly: "General, you have worked hard. Young Master Su Zhelan and I will be waiting at the manor."

Su Zhelan looked at Sheng Chi, then at Xiao Qiyun, and finally just nodded silently. The anger and despair in his heart had not dissipated, but Xiao Qiyun's intervention and promises, as well as Sheng Chi's compromise, gave him a glimmer of hope and temporarily suppressed his impulse to fight to the death.

Xiao Qiyun said no more, turned around and walked out of the tent first. Su Zhelan took one last look at the dense markings on the sand table, took a deep breath, suppressed her turbulent emotions, and turned to follow Xiao Qiyun.