Midnight Phantom
At midnight, all was quiet. The lights of Yaotian's residence flickered in the cold autumn night wind, casting long, thin shadows of the ginkgo trees in the courtyard, like a giant spider web spread across the ground.
A dark figure landed silently in the center of the courtyard, like a feather falling to the ground. The newcomer was dressed in tightly fitted night clothes, and half of his face was covered by a silver mask, revealing only a pair of eyes that gleamed sharply in the darkness. He was not tall, but he gave off a nimble, cat-like agility, as if he could blend into any shadow at any moment.
"The bandit leader, Bai Ya, has arrived as promised." His voice was slightly hoarse and nonchalant as his gaze swept over Ming Shiyin and Yi Xing, finally settling on the map drawn by Mo Heng. "Is this the route map for the 'Dragon's Pool and Tiger's Den' you mentioned?"
Ming Shiyin handed over the blueprints: "Thank you for your trouble. The situation underground is unknown, so please be careful."
Bai Ya took the blueprints, quickly scanned them, and lightly traced his finger over several key nodes: "Interesting... the drafter is an expert. However..." He suddenly chuckled, "This third energy node is marked too ideally; it should be offset by at least three inches during actual construction."
Mo Heng was taken aback upon hearing this, then leaned closer for a closer look, and suddenly realized, "Indeed! It was my oversight! Thank you for pointing it out." His eyes were filled with admiration as he looked at Bai Ya, "Your profound knowledge of mechanisms is truly admirable."
Yi Xing quietly observed the scene. Bai Ya's keen observation reassured him somewhat, but Mo Heng's genuine humility and focus made him feel more confident about the trip.
"After an incense stick has burned, I will leave a mark beside the dry well in the southeast corner of the villa." Bai Ya put the blueprint into his pocket. "If the mark disappears, it means I have infiltrated. If no new mark appears after three hours..." He paused, and the corner of his mouth beneath the silver mask seemed to curl slightly, "then erect a cenotaph for me."
Before he finished speaking, his figure flickered and disappeared into the night like a ghost, leaving only a few ginkgo leaves that had been lifted up by his energy and slowly drifted down.
Pei Qinhu stared in the direction the man had disappeared, scratching his head: "That kid's pretty arrogant!"
"Those with ability naturally have the right to be arrogant." Ming Shiyin turned to look at the crowd. "Now, all we have to do is wait."
Waiting is often more agonizing than taking action.
Yi Xing was pushed back to the warm pavilion by Yang Yuhuan. The unfinished game on the chessboard remained, but he had no heart to make a move. Every subtle sound startled him, and every howl of the wind seemed like a mournful cry from the depths of the earth.
"Don't worry." Gongsun Li placed a freshly brewed calming tea beside him. "That Bai Ya seems quite reliable."
Yi Xing forced a smile and accepted the teacup. The warm porcelain pressed against his palm, but it couldn't dispel the chill in his heart. He recalled Mo Heng's focused profile as he drew, and Mo Heng's unperturbed composure when Bai Ya pointed out his mistakes—how could such a person be...
He shook his head, dismissing the absurd idea.
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