Changing of the granary guard
Tiaotiao and Mujin rushed through the maze-like corridors, and finally hid beside a huge bronze door with a huge word "grain" engraved on it.
"Over there at the granary! Send two people over! Quickly!" Someone roared an order in the chaos, and two figures stumbled out.
"Listen," Tiao Tiao spoke rapidly, her voice low but every word clear. "We were originally on four shifts, but the poisonous insects just took two of them away. We're switching shifts immediately. After the handover, we'll go over and say, 'The boss wants to take over.' Got it?"
Mu Jin nodded vigorously, trying her best to calm her rapid breathing.
Soon, two yawning guards arrived and handed over the task to the guard at the gate. Mu Jin focused her attention and clearly caught the whisper of the guards before they left: "Red flames burn the sky."
"Did you hear that?" Tiao Tiao tilted his head.
"Red flames burn the sky." Mu Jin repeated.
After the shift changer disappeared, the two men stepped calmly out of the shadows and walked straight towards the two remaining guards in front of the door.
"The boss asked us to take over." Tiao Tiao imitated a gruff voice.
A guard looked him up and down suspiciously: "Password?"
"Red flames burn the sky." Tiao Tiao said without hesitation.
The guard frowned and asked, "What's the password today?" His hand quietly pressed on the hilt of the knife.
Mu Jin's throat tightened, and Tiao Tiao's muscles beside her tensed up. Both of them tightened their hands on the knife handles at the same time.
Tiao Tiao's expression remained unchanged, but his tone was filled with deliberate impatience: "Red Flame Burning the Sky! What else could it be!"
The two guards exchanged a quick glance. The taller one, lips trembling, lowered his voice and said, "The command wasn't changed until evening, so it hasn't spread yet. 'Red Flame Burning the Sky' is correct... The boss often changes shifts at short notice, so it's better to be more involved..." He quickly winked.
The shorter guard's face lingered with doubt, but inertia finally tamed it. "Alright, alright, alright! Thank you for your hard work, brother!" He impatiently slapped the key and badge into Tiaotiao's hand. "Hurry!" The two men turned and scurried off.
The faint sound of the night watchman's drum in the distance pierced through the darkness, and the hour of Xu had arrived!
Mu Jin's scalp tingled. Ding Kui had arrived at Huichun Hall. The coldness in Tiao Tiao's eyes instantly froze like ice, no more playfulness, only pure, inhuman calmness. Only the light tap of his knuckles on the hilt betrayed the anxiety suppressed by absolute rationality.
The sound of the night watch drum seemed to pierce the night, reaching the outside of Huichun Hall. Ding Kui sat high on his horse, clutching the empty reins, and said in a gruff voice, "Doctor Su, the time has come. Let's set off."
Su Baiwei stood quietly at the steps, her pale green skirt fluttering in the night breeze. Her fingertips traced the silver-threaded hibiscus embroidery on her sleeves. As she mounted her horse, a glint of silver shone from beneath her sleeves. She glanced back at the tranquil Huichun Hall, then turned her horse and disappeared into the thick night.
In front of the granary, Tiaotiao turned to Mujin and lowered his voice to a whisper: "As soon as the chaos starts, blend into the crowd immediately and rush out along the route. Once you get out, fire the signal flare. Understand?"
"I understand!" Mu Jin nodded vigorously.
"Also," Tiaotiao said gravely, "after you escape, you must not return to Huichun Hall. It's a deadly place. Find a safe place to hide and wait for Shuang'er to contact you." He glanced quickly inside the door. "The kerosene is in the secret compartment behind the third left pillar. I'm going to destroy the reservoir."
Mu Jin nodded heavily, took a deep breath, and held out her hand. Tiao Tiao slapped the key into her palm. The heavy, sharp edges rubbed against her skin, the slippery, grimy touch mixed with the fishy smell of rust, and her stomach couldn't help but churn.
"Okay!" She gritted her teeth and tightened her fingers suddenly, causing the sharp edges of the key to dig deep into her flesh.
A tumbling figure vanished into the shadows. Mu Jin stood alone beside the massive bronze gate. Torches crackled on the stone walls, casting a swaying shadow that enveloped her frail form. She forced herself to straighten her back, imitating the stance of a guard. Her palms, clinging to the hilt of her sword, were damp with sweat. She could hear the pounding of her own heartbeat, and the sticky, shattering feel of shells beneath her feet. She instinctively pressed the stiff badge at her waist.
Time slowly crawled by in the dead silence. In the distance, the regular sound of patrol footsteps rose and fell.
Sudden--
A team of patrolling guards came out from the corner. The leader instantly locked eyes with the solitary Mu Jin and asked sharply, "Why are you alone? Where's your partner?"
Mu Jin's heart was pounding, cold sweat soaking through her tunic, clinging to her back. She forced herself to meet that sharp gaze, imitating a vulgar tone. Her voice, trembling at first, became hoarse, "Captain! That guy...had a stomachache and just ran to the toilet, clutching his butt. Lazy donkeys grind for shits and piss!" She curled her lips in disgust.
"Tell me your name! Which team are you from?" The captain's eyes were like knives and he took a step closer.
Mu Jin's hand holding the knife suddenly slipped due to sweat, and the rope wrapped around the handle cut into her fingers. The sudden pain made her muscles tense instantly. Her five fingers tightly gripped the handle, and her knuckles turned pale.
"Wang Tiezhu from Team C7, this kid is new here and can't even find the toilet!" The voice was almost squeezed out from between teeth.
The air seemed to freeze for a few seconds.
The captain snorted and said, "Waste! Wang Tiezhu, right? Wait for him to come back and tell him that if he dares to leave without permission again, I will break his legs!" After that, he led the team away.
Only after the footsteps faded completely at the end of the corridor did Mu Jin dare to loosen her grip on the knife handle. Deep red blood marks were visible on her palm. She leaned against the cold bronze door, gasping for air. A wave of nausea shot up her throat, but she forced herself to swallow it down. The sharp edges of the key she was holding dug into her flesh, slicing her palm. Blood oozed along the grooves of the key, yet she was completely unaware.
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