Chapter 12: Spying in the Dark, Inner Struggle
On the other side of the valley, at the top of a cliff about three hundred feet away from the Shura field.
The deep night was like a statue that merged with the darkness, lying quietly behind a hideous giant rock.
This was the perfect observation point. The view was wide, allowing him to take in everything in the valley below. The terrain was steep, and the aura was hidden, making it difficult for even the most skilled experts to detect his presence.
He should have just watched from the sidelines and recorded all useful information, just like he had done in every other mission.
His identity is "Zhuying", the sharpest and most reliable sword of Tianji Pavilion. A sword does not need emotion, only the precise execution of orders.
The Pavilion Master had two orders: first, to assess the true combat effectiveness of the private army under Prince Ning's command, and to add a key piece of intelligence to the Tianji Pavilion's database; second, to confirm that the "Youquan" organization had been completely eliminated, clearing out a competitor that was not presentable but often disrupted the situation.
He was executing the first mission perfectly.
His gaze, like the most precise ruler, calmly analyzed the group of black-clad soldiers below.
"The standard horizontal sword is made of fine steel, extremely sharp, and superior to the border soldiers."
"Leather armor lined with soft hedgehog, medium defense, focusing on protecting the vital parts of the torso."
"They move in unison, in groups of three, with a well-coordinated formation. They excel at encirclement and strangulation. This is a variation of the military battle formation, more suitable for small-scale Jianghu battles."
"He has a cold heart and is decisive in his actions. He only wants to kill and leave no one alive. He is a death warrior who has undergone rigorous training."
His mind raced, categorizing the information he had observed and storing it deep within his memory. This would become the report he would submit to the Pavilion Master upon his return to the Tianji Pavilion. It was a perfect report, just like every mission he had ever completed.
The screams and wails from the valley floor were nothing but meaningless background noise to him. The splattered blood and scattered limbs were merely the necessary colors to complete this "assessment picture."
In his view, the assassins of "Youquan" were stupid, greedy, and crudely skilled. Their death was inevitable and unworthy of any mercy. Their demise would only benefit the Tianji Pavilion.
The second task is about to be completed successfully.
Everything is going as planned.
The Lightless Heart Sutra flowed steadily within him, like a frozen river, freezing all his emotions deep within. This technique was the foundation of every assassin in the Tianji Pavilion. It could restrain auras to the utmost, shield perception, and also... suppress human nature.
The deeper one's cultivation, the weaker one's humanity becomes. And Shen Ye was undoubtedly a leader in this field.
He was "Zhuying", not Chen Ye. Chen Ye was just a vague name that occasionally appeared in his memory.
Until his eyes caught a glimpse of a white figure twisting and turning amidst the flashing swords and shadows.
Scarlet Moon.
At that moment, his pupils shrank slightly without him even noticing.
The frozen river surface cracked silently into a tiny crack.
At the Yangzhou Canal Governor's Mansion, he fought for the account books, she for her life. He disrupted her rhythm in the shadows, and she memorized his movements amidst the chaos. It was their first exchange, silent yet unforgettable.
In the ruined temple of Luoyang, he was clearing the place out, she was extracting information. The moment the traitor detonated the gunpowder, the astonishing rapport they displayed remained vividly etched in his mind. He struck the throat with his sword, she struck the flint, their coordination seamless, as if they had practiced it a thousand times.
This woman is very special.
She is not like those fools in "Dark Spring" who only use brute force. She has brains, skills, and a rare quality of remaining calm even on the brink of life and death.
He had only seen this trait in himself.
His sight seemed to be firmly attracted by an invisible magnet, following the white color uncontrollably.
He watched her unleash the "Treading Snow Without a Trace" technique, weaving through a dense hail of arrows. Her movements were even more agile and resolute than in Yangzhou. He saw the "Cold River Snow" longsword in her hand, each swing like pear blossoms filling the sky, a dazzling display of murderous intent.
Her martial arts skills have improved further.
This thought popped up from the bottom of my heart without any warning.
Chen Ye's brow furrowed slightly. He shouldn't have such thoughts. The target's strength was just a piece of data that needed to be recorded, without any subjective evaluation.
He tried to tear his eyes away from her and refocus on his broader assessment of the battlefield.
But he couldn't do it.
An inexplicable feeling of irritation rose from the depths of my heart.
He immediately closed his eyes and forcibly circulated the Lightless Heart Sutra. The icy internal energy accelerated through his meridians, attempting to refreeze the surging emotions and repair the tiny crack in the glacier.
Reason was warning him frantically:
"You are 'Candle Shadow'!"
"The mission is to observe!"
"Emotion is poison to an assassin! It's the mark of a 'defective product'!"
"What the Pavilion Master hates most is tools that lose control!"
He took a deep breath, and when he opened his eyes again, his look had regained some of its indifference.
He forced himself to analyze the situation with the most brutal logic.
Feiyue was from Youquan, a rival of Tianji Pavilion. Her death was in the interests of Tianji Pavilion and also in line with the goal of his mission.
He should not and cannot intervene.
Intervention would be a betrayal of the Tianji Pavilion. He knew the Pavilion Master's methods better than anyone. What awaited the traitor was only an endless hunt, a life-or-death struggle. Risking everything for an opponent he had only met twice was the utmost foolishness.
So, the best option is to do nothing.
Let her fend for herself.
Yes, that's it.
Chen Ye's eyes gradually hardened. He gripped the rock beneath him with his fingers, then slowly loosened them.
He turned back into the cold "Candle Shadow" again.
However, when his gaze turned to the valley again, the psychological defense he had just built up was instantly shattered.
In the valley, all the people of "Youquan" were killed or injured.
She was the only one left, surrounded by seven or eight black-clad soldiers.
Her white dress was splattered with blood, some from the enemy, some from her own. Her breathing became noticeably rapid, and the arm holding the sword was trembling slightly.
She can't hold on any longer.
This realization, like a red-hot iron spike, pierced Chen Ye's heart.
He saw a soldier leader give the order for a general attack.
He saw the encirclement suddenly tighten, and several steel knives came from all directions and slashed at her seemingly thin body at the same time.
He saw her gritting her teeth, summoning the last of her inner strength, and raising a desperate sword light.
At that moment, his heart suddenly stopped beating.
His body reacted faster than his thoughts. His crouched torso arched slightly, like a fully drawn bow, his muscles instantly tensed to the utmost. The "Momentary" dagger in his hand emitted a barely audible hum.
He wants to rush down!
This thought, like a black lightning, tore apart all the rationality and calculations in his mind!
Why?
He himself doesn't know why!
He just instinctively felt that an opponent like her shouldn't die in such a cowardly way at the hands of these nameless people. She should have died at the hands of a stronger opponent, or... at his own sword.
This is a pathological possessiveness unique to top predators.
“clang!”
The sound of metal clashing could be heard from afar.
He saw that she blocked most of the attacks, but her left arm was hit by a knife.
Blood stained half of her clothes red.
Chen Ye's eyes turned red instantly.
The wound seemed to have been inflicted on his own body. A violent, bloodthirsty killing intent could no longer be suppressed, gushing out from the deepest part of his heart!
The icy inner strength of the "Heart Sutra of No Light" was like ice and snow encountering magma in the face of this violent emotional torrent. It was instantly washed away, evaporated, and vanished without a trace!
He could no longer feel the calmness and indifference that belonged to "Candle Shadow." All he could feel was his own frantically beating heart and the scorching blood rushing through his limbs!
He is no longer a tool of the Tianji Pavilion.
He just sinks into the night.
A man dominated by inexplicable impulses.
However, he was still a step too slow.
Just when he was about to rush forward regardless of the consequences, an arrow that had been waiting to be fired seized the flaw left by Feiyue's severe pain.
The arrow, like a vicious black line, streaked across the night sky.
Chen Ye's pupils shrank into the most dangerous needle points.
He wanted to shout, to warn her, but the distance was too far, and his voice could not be faster than the arrow.
He could only watch helplessly as the arrow, accurately and cruelly, pierced her right shoulder blade.
He saw her tall body tremble violently, and the long sword she was holding fell to the ground.
He saw her stumble and almost fall to her knees.
He saw her raise her head, and for the first time... a hint of confusion and despair flashed in her eyes that were always as cold as stars.
That despair, like an invisible poisonous thorn, pierced through the distance of time and space and pierced deep into the soul of the night.
His heart ached uncontrollably.
The pain made it almost impossible for him to breathe.
Then, the soldiers raised their steel knives high, and the sharp blades reflected her pale and beautiful face.
Death is at hand.
Shen Ye's mind was blank.
To save or not to save?
The remnants of sanity screamed at the top of their lungs: Don't move! If you move, you will be doomed!
That strange, violent emotion was roaring madly: Save her! Now! Immediately! Right now!
His body froze in place.
His hand was tightly gripping the hilt of the "Setsuna" sword, and veins were bulging.
This was the first time in his career as an assassin that he was faced with a choice that he could not make.
Because no matter which side he chooses, he will lose the most important thing to him.
If he chooses rationality, he will lose the opponent that makes him feel "special" and kill the inexplicable but strong throbbing in his heart.
If he chooses emotion, he will lose... everything.
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