Chapter 104 Sitting on his lap, a warm, soft body bumped into him.
Meanwhile, dozens of miles away from where Xi Yuan was captured, in a seemingly ordinary residential courtyard.
It was noon, and the blazing sun blew the earthen walls white. A few drought-resistant jujube trees cast sparse, dappled shadows in the courtyard.
Zhou Ling did not choose those conspicuous and spacious courtyards as temporary command posts, but instead placed himself in an inconspicuous and even somewhat low adobe house in a corner of the courtyard.
The intense sunlight slanted in through the only small window, and in the dust-covered beam of light, Zhou Ling could be seen sitting silently, his face appearing even more profound and unfathomable in the interplay of light and shadow.
Li Zuo stood bowing before him, his breathing unconsciously becoming softer, fine beads of sweat appearing on his forehead, whether from the stuffy heat of the room or from nervousness, it was hard to tell.
“My lord,” Li Zuo’s voice was deliberately low and hoarse, “our men have searched almost every possible oasis, sand dune, and abandoned village in the vicinity, but still… still haven’t found any definite trace of Aluheng’s main force. This man’s military tactics are like those of a ghost in the desert, coming and going without a trace.”
Zhou Ling did not respond immediately.
He sat on the only wooden chair, leaning slightly forward, one elbow resting on his knee, the fingers of his other hand unconsciously tapping slowly and rhythmically on the rough wooden table.
The "thump, thump, thump" sound was exceptionally clear in the quiet room, where only the faint chirping of cicadas could be heard outside the window.
The silence lasted for the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea before Zhou Ling slowly raised his eyelids.
Sunlight shone into his deep eyes, but it revealed no warmth, only a icy sharpness. "Not a single clue?" His voice wasn't loud, but it carried immense weight.
Li Zuo's Adam's apple bobbed as he spoke with difficulty, "There... there is a clue, but... it's difficult to verify, and somewhat... strange." He hesitated, seemingly choosing his words carefully, "One of my men risked his life to learn from the remnants of the Northern Di army that General Qi Yuan has an extremely secretive core team codenamed 'Sand Fox.' This team is small in number, but each member is a top-notch expert. It is said... it is said that they are most skilled at concealing their tracks in deserts and complex mountainous terrain. They can not only use quicksand, mirages, and even sudden storms as natural barriers, but their methods of transmitting messages are also quite different from the norm, rarely intercepted by us. Our spies, whom we have planted for many years, still... still haven't been able to fully understand their background and operating methods."
He raised his head, carefully observing Zhou Ling's expression, and continued, "I dare to speculate that Qi Yuan may have lent this 'Sand Fox' unit to A Luheng. If that's the case, it's not surprising that A Luheng could disappear from our sight like vapor. Our current scouts and intelligence agents are only adequate against ordinary troops, and they are simply... inadequate against such elite forces that specialize in stealth and deception."
Zhou Ling's fingers, which were tapping on the table, suddenly stopped.
The next second, he slammed his hand on the table!
With a loud bang, the pen holder on the table jumped, and the dust motes danced wildly in the sunlight.
"I don't care if he's a sand fox or a wild fox that's become a spirit!" Zhou Ling suddenly stood up, his tall figure casting a huge shadow in the narrow room. His overwhelming anger and pressure made Li Zuo hold his breath instantly. "Dig three feet into the ground! Dig three feet into the ground! Find that bastard A Luheng! Send three times, no, five times the number of scouts! Expand the search area another fifty miles! Any suspicious trace, even an unusual wheel track in the sand, or a bird taking off from the wrong direction, cannot be overlooked! Do you understand?!"
"Yes, sir! Your subordinate obeys!" Li Zuo's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly bowed and replied, not daring to be negligent in the slightest.
Just as he was about to turn around and make arrangements immediately, a series of extremely hurried footsteps suddenly came from outside the courtyard, accompanied by deep reprimands and the light sound of weapons clashing, breaking the afternoon silence as they approached.
A guard dressed in black, with sharp eyes, rushed into the room without even waiting for an announcement. He knelt on one knee, his voice slightly raised with excitement: "Sir! We've caught him! Our brothers on patrol outside have just apprehended a suspicious person who was trying to sneak into the courtyard!"
Zhou Ling frowned, his hostility still evident: "Who is it?"
The guard looked up, a hint of excitement on his face as he reported, “My lord, it’s He Ruo! He Ruo, the former sheriff of Carle City!”
Soon, two soldiers escorted in a man dressed in the clothing of a commoner from the Northern Barbarians, who appeared somewhat thin. The man had his head down, his hair was disheveled, and his face was covered in dust and dirt from his journey.
Zhou Ling stood up and walked closer step by step, the powerful sense of oppression making the air in the room almost freeze.
He walked up to He Ruo, reached out, and suddenly lifted the other's chin, forcing the other to raise his head.
It really is him! The traitor who deceived him, let Aluheng go, and may even have colluded with Qi Yuan!
Zhou Ling suddenly reached out and slammed Fang Ru against the wall. The force was so great that she groaned and her back ached from the impact.
Zhou Ling gritted her teeth, forcing out cold words, each syllable carrying a bloody accusation:
"He Ruo! You traitor! It was you...you who killed my guards! They died because of you!"
Fangru was held captive by him, and she had some difficulty breathing, but she did not struggle. She simply raised her eyes and looked directly into Zhou Ling's furious gaze.
Her eyes held pain and guilt, but even more so, a resolute calmness born of desperation.
“I did not betray you, Lord Zhou.” Her voice was hoarse from the pressure on her neck, but unusually clear. “I was kidnapped by Aluheng. During my time with him, I overheard important information!”
She did indeed betray Zhou Ling.
After entering Tuyu Village, out of gratitude for past favors, she secretly wrote Zhou Ling's plan on a piece of paper and passed it to the gatekeeper. At the same time, she staged a bed scene with Aluheng, hoping that Aluheng could use this as an excuse to escape. However, she did not expect that it would indirectly lead to the death of three imperial guards.
This guilt gnawed at her heart like a venomous snake. Now that the debt of gratitude had been repaid, she could no longer stand by and watch more Xia soldiers die, nor could she allow Zhou Ling to die at the hands of the Northern Di. The terrible consequence that could lead to a restart of time and space, and the beginning of everything again, was something she absolutely could not bear.
So she came. Bringing intelligence, she stood before him once more, choosing to stand with the Xia Kingdom.
"Important intelligence? Tell me. If a single word is false..." The unfinished words contained an undisguised threat.
Fangru endured the pain in her jaw and the difficulty in breathing, speaking extremely quickly, afraid that if she was even a moment late, it would be too late:
"On our way here, starting from the direction of Carle, the tree trunks and rocks along the way have been marked with red paint! Qi Yuan is personally leading an elite force, chasing after us along these marks! They could find us here at any moment! If you don't want more of your loyal soldiers to die, and if you don't want to be trapped in a desperate situation yourself, act now!"
"A red lacquer mark?" Zhou Ling's eyes suddenly sharpened. He didn't immediately believe the woman with the suspicious identity, but the information was too specific. Moreover, if it was true, it meant that there was a traitor among them. The person who made the mark was likely among them, and the red lacquer might not even have time to be disposed of!
He abruptly released his grip on her, turned to face everyone in the room, and spoke with a resolute voice, carrying an unquestionable command and an oppressive pressure:
"Listen up, everyone! Check yourselves immediately! Sleeves, lapels, linings, purses, amulets—everything you brought from Carlow City, even the soles of your boots and the under your fingernails! Turn them inside out and examine them carefully! Pay special attention to whether there are any red paint stains! Quickly!"
He emphasized the words "red paint," his sharp gaze sweeping over the faces and movements of everyone present like a searchlight.
Upon receiving the order, Li Zuo and his core confidants did not hesitate and immediately began to efficiently search their own clothes, their actions swift and thorough.
A rustling sound came from inside the room. The few men who had been temporarily transferred from the Carle City military camp to supplement the guards also began to move.
However, amidst the slightly noisy rustling sounds, one person stood out as an oddity.
His movements were noticeably stiff and slow, and fine beads of cold sweat were visibly forming on his forehead. His eyes darted around, and he dared not make eye contact with anyone.
When his hand touched a worn-out leather pouch with slightly frayed edges at his waist, his fingertips even trembled slightly uncontrollably.
He dawdled, his movements as slow as if he were stalling for time. Only when most of his colleagues had finished checking and their questioning and scrutinizing gazes began to fall on him did he finally have to steel himself, his hands trembling, and prepare to turn the inside of the purse inside out.
Zhou Ling's gaze, like a cold probe, had already locked onto this person behaving strangely, paying particular attention to the purse in his hand and any traces that might remain on his fingers.
Just as the purse was about to be turned inside out and its inner contents were about to be exposed to everyone, in that split second...
The man's eyes flashed with ferocity, and the last trace of hesitation on his face was replaced by ruthlessness!
He suddenly pulled out a short dagger with a cold, gleaming blade and an eerie blue hue from a seemingly ordinary compartment in his purse. His figure was like a venomous snake that had been suppressed to the extreme, and he suddenly sprang up, the tip of the dagger pointing straight at Zhou Ling's unprotected back!
This turn of events was extremely sudden, and the distance was so close that the dagger was about to be stained with blood!
"Be careful, sir!" Li Zuo, who had been keeping a close eye on his surroundings, especially the newly transferred personnel, was on high alert. Upon seeing this, he was terrified and almost instinctively lunged forward, forcefully pushing Zhou Ling aside while simultaneously using his arm to block the attack!
"Sizzle!"
The sharp tip of the dagger tore through Li Zuo's clothes, leaving a bloody mark, but the force of the blow also shifted, grazing past Zhou Ling's clothes.
"Take him down!" Zhou Ling steadied himself, his face ashen, and shouted sharply.
The guards inside the tent reacted swiftly, swarming forward in an instant. Using scabbards, fists, and feet, they quickly pinned the assailant to the ground, seized his dagger, and bound his hands tightly behind his back.
Before the initial shock subsided, a strange commotion and the sound of clashing weapons could be faintly heard from afar outside the tent, rapidly approaching! The shouts of the Northern Di soldiers were already clearly audible!
"Protect the master!" Li Zuo shouted hoarsely, ignoring the pain in his arm, and drew his waist knife. Several guards immediately formed a protective formation, shielding Zhou Ling and the still bound Shen Fangru in the middle.
"Go!" Zhou Ling decided immediately, glancing at the subdued spy. "Take him with you! I want him alive!"
The group quickly rushed out of the tent and, taking advantage of the complex terrain of the camp, fought and retreated.
Li Zuo commanded decisively, leaving some men to cover the rear while the main force escorted Zhou Ling to the designated safe evacuation point. During the process, Shen Fangru's hands were bound, making movement difficult. Although Zhou Ling did not personally help her, he kept her at the core of the protective circle, with guards assisting her as she ran.
After a perilous breakout, they finally managed to shake off their pursuers and arrived at a secluded mountain hollow where several simple stone houses had been prepared.
Upon entering the relatively safe stone house, Li Zuo immediately took the captured spy to the next room. As he closed the door, Zhou Ling's icy voice came: "Find out who ordered it and how many accomplices there are. Use the most severe torture, don't hold back."
Only Zhou Ling and Shen Fangru remained in the room, and the atmosphere became tense once again.
After the life-or-death race, Shen Fangru was still breathing heavily, and her bound hands ached even more from the strain of running. She looked at Zhou Ling, her voice tinged with exhaustion and earnestness:
"Lord Zhou, can you untie me now? I have proven what I said."
Zhou Ling walked up to her, his face still cold and stern in the sunlight.
He looked at the red marks on her wrists from the rough rope, his expression complex and unreadable, a mixture of scrutiny and lingering anger. He didn't untie the ropes; instead, he gave a cold laugh.
“Proof? You’ve only proven that the Northern Di people wanted to kill me, and that there were spies in the army. But that doesn’t clear you of suspicion.” His gaze was sharp as a knife, as if trying to cut through her disguise and pierce her heart. “I know what you did in the Tuyu tribe. That gatekeeper, that note… Don’t think I can’t find out.”
He leaned closer to her, his voice low and laced with cold mockery: "Even if you later changed your mind for some reason, like your precious son He Xiyuan is now in my hands, and came to warn me, even at the cost of exposing yourself... how can I believe you after all this back and forth? Hmm?"
His breath brushed against her ear, carrying an undeniable sense of pressure: "Until I figure out what you really want, let's keep you tied up. That way, it'll be 'safe' for both of us."
Fangru took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in her heart caused by Zhou Ling's words. The pain in her wrist and the anxiety in her heart prevented her from calming down, but what she cared about most was still the safety of that child.
“Lord Zhou,” she spoke again, her voice trembling slightly, “you keep saying my son is in your hands… so how is he now? Is he… is he alright?”
Zhou Ling, with his back to her, placed the water glass back on the table with a light tap. He didn't turn around, his tone carrying an air of absolute certainty, even a subtle, almost imperceptible, deliberate attempt to reassure her, though he himself probably didn't realize it:
“Don’t worry, your son, He Xiyuan, is doing very well.” Cai Shan looked at him. “I know Cai Shan’s personality. She is… well, soft-hearted, and especially can’t stand seeing a teenager suffer. At most, she’ll put him in a wooden shackle to keep him from running around. She will never let him lose an arm or a leg, and she certainly won’t use any severe punishment.”
He paused, as if to make his point, and added, "I haven't heard the information I want from you yet, so I won't touch him."
Hearing this, Shen Fangru felt slightly relieved, but then her heart tightened again. She knew she had to show even greater sincerity. She remained silent for a moment, as if making a decision, then raised her head and looked calmly at Zhou Ling's retreating figure:
“Alright. Since you’ve brought up the Tuyu tribe… I admit it. Back then, I deliberately let Aluheng go.”
Zhou Ling suddenly turned around, his eyes sharp as knives. Although he didn't speak, the chill in his gaze could almost freeze a person.
Shen Fangru met his gaze and continued, her speech steady yet carrying a desperate frankness: "Aluheng... he did me a favor many years ago, saving my life in the desert. I, Chen... I, He Ruo, am clear about gratitude and resentment. I have always remembered that kindness. When I learned of your plan, I struggled, but in the end, I chose to repay him. I know that you see this as betrayal, and I have nothing to say about it."
Her tone shifted, her eyes hardening with determination and clarity: "But now, the debt of gratitude has been repaid, and we owe each other nothing! More importantly, I personally overheard Aluheng colluding with Qiyuan. They not only want to deal with you, but also want to take this opportunity to severely damage the northern defense line of my Great Xia! I, He Ruo, am a citizen of Xia, with Xia blood flowing in my veins! Perhaps I have selfish motives, and I may be confused at times, but I would never betray my country, surrender to the enemy, or aid and abet evil! I wouldn't have done it before, I won't do it now, and I certainly won't do it in the future!"
She took a small step forward, her back ramrod straight despite her bound hands: "Lord Zhou, I've said what I should and shouldn't have said. Now, can you untie me? We can settle our scores later, but right now, the threat from the Northern Barbarians is imminent!"
Looking into her clear and resolute eyes, Zhou Ling's mind raced.
Her words were half true and half false, and her sincerity didn't seem fake, but... he had been burned once before and would never easily believe her again.
He strolled back to her, a half-smile playing on his lips, tinged with a hint of mockery:
"What a passionate speech, truly moving, Mr. He." He deliberately emphasized the word "Mr." His gaze swept penetratingly over her slender neck, the curves that couldn't be concealed even under the coarse robe, and her face, which, though smeared with dirt, still revealed its delicate features. "No, perhaps I should call you... Miss He? Or something else?"
He took a step forward, his breath close, carrying a sense of oppressive knowledge that seemed to know his secrets: "First, she disguised herself as a man and infiltrated Carletown, then there was betrayal, followed by a 'sudden awakening'... This transformation is too rapid, making one suspicious. Let me guess, was it a surge of maternal instinct, a desperate act for her son? Or, seeing that Evergrande's fortunes had declined, did she want to find a more secure backer?"
Fangru was shocked. She hadn't expected him to bring this up so suddenly. Her cheeks flushed uncontrollably, a mixture of embarrassment at having her identity exposed and anger at the content of his words.
She forced herself to remain calm, avoiding the topic of "womanhood," which put her at a greater disadvantage, and steered the focus back to the original argument, retorting even more sharply:
"Is Lord Zhou judging others by his own standards? In your eyes, everyone's actions must be based on weighing pros and cons and calculating gains and losses? Can't there be any sense of national righteousness, right and wrong?"
Seeing her deliberately avoid the topic, Zhou Ling's gaze grew even colder, but he stopped pressing the issue of gender and sneered, following her words: "National righteousness? When you leaked military intelligence for 'personal favors,' causing the deaths of three of my brothers, where was your 'national righteousness'? And now you want to talk to me about that?"
"You!" Fangru was speechless for a moment, her cheeks flushing even more with anger and grievance. "That was a moment of confusion on my part! No one is perfect! I have already admitted my mistake and brought crucial intelligence to make up for it! Has Lord Zhou never done anything... out of necessity or against his conscience?"
"Forced to do something?" Zhou Ling took a step closer, almost nose to nose with her, their breaths mingling, his voice low and dangerous. "Your 'forced to do something' came at the cost of three lives! Brothers who have risked their lives with me! He Ruo, you think you can just brush this all aside with a casual 'I admit my mistake'? You think I'll believe you right now and untie you? Do you think I'm too easy to talk to?"
"I have no intention of letting this go!" Fangru glared at him defiantly. "I said, we can settle the score slowly! Whether you want to kill me or torture me, we'll talk about it after I've helped you resolve the current crisis! Are you, Lord Zhou, just going to hold onto the past and watch even greater losses happen? Or are you actually afraid to let me go, afraid that a weak woman like me, tied up, can still pose any threat to you?"
Her last sentence was clearly meant to provoke.
Zhou Ling narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing her flushed cheeks and fiery eyes. This woman, even when at a disadvantage and bound by ropes, remained sharp-tongued and unwilling to yield.
"Provocation?" He scoffed. "It won't work on me. You know in your heart whether you're a weak woman or not. As for threats... I sleep more soundly with you tied up."
"Get out! You're completely unreasonable!" Shen Fangru trembled with anger, her hands tied behind her back making her feel incredibly aggrieved.
Seeing Zhou Ling calmly sit back down on the only wooden chair, even leisurely adjusting his cuffs, she felt a mix of anger and helplessness in her chest. In a moment of impulsiveness, she raised her foot and kicked him in the shin!
Her intention was merely to vent her anger, and her strength was not particularly great. However, her hands were bound, her balance was poor, and she tripped on the uneven ground. Not only did she miss her target, but she also cried out in surprise, lost her balance, and fell straight towards Zhou Ling, who was sitting in the chair!
Zhou Ling clearly hadn't expected her to suddenly "throw herself into his arms," and it was a completely subconscious reaction as he reached out to catch her.
A warm, soft body collided with my arms.
Shen Fangru almost fell onto his lap. To steady herself, she instinctively braced one hand (though it was tied) against his chest, and her cheek was unexpectedly buried between his neck and chest.
In an instant, a cool, masculine scent, tinged with a faint hint of gunpowder and leather, enveloped her, carrying a strange sense of familiarity that left her mind blank.
Zhou Ling's body also stiffened for a moment.
The softness and slenderness of the body in his arms, and the warmth emanating from it through the coarse robe, clearly reminded him that this was a frail woman.
He lowered his eyes and met her gaze, which was suddenly raised and filled with panic and helplessness.
Their noses almost touched, and their breaths could be heard.
At such close range, he could clearly see her slightly trembling eyelashes, her bloodless lips parted in astonishment, and his own reflection in her always stubborn eyes.
Her breath became rapid and hot, spraying onto his jaw and neck, bringing a slightly tingling, itchy sensation.
Shen Fangru's heart was pounding so fast it felt like it was about to burst out of her chest. Blood rushed to her head, and her cheeks, ears, and even neck turned crimson.
The overly intimate contact made her stiffen and her limbs go weak; she even forgot to break free for a moment.
Just as their eyes met and the air seemed to freeze.
“My lord…” Li Zuo’s voice rang out with a slight push of the door, but stopped abruptly the moment he saw the scene inside, as if he had been choked.
Li Zuo stared dumbfounded at the two people almost piled on top of each other on the chair. The "thin" Mr. He was sitting on His Majesty's lap in an extremely intimate posture (although it looked rather strange with his hands bound), while His Majesty's arms... were still wrapped around the other woman's waist (albeit to prevent her from falling)...
"Your subordinate deserves to die!" Li Zuo reacted extremely quickly, his face instantly turning red. He retreated swiftly, almost slamming the door shut behind him, leaving the room in complete silence.
"Come back!" Zhou Ling's deep voice rang out, carrying a hint of calm that he had suppressed with great effort.
He used a little force in his arm to help the person in his arms, who was as stiff as a stone statue, to stand up. He then stood up as well, quickly creating some distance between them. His expression had returned to its usual coldness, but there seemed to be a faint, almost imperceptible redness at the base of his ears.
He straightened his slightly wrinkled robes, as if the fleeting beauty and loss of composure from just moments before had never happened.
Shen Fangru's cheeks were burning hot enough to fry an egg. She hurriedly retreated several steps until she reached the wall, lowered her head, and wished she could hide herself inside the wall. Her heart was still pounding wildly and could not calm down for a long time.
Li Zuo then sheepishly re-entered, his eyes darting around, staring intently at the ground, not daring to look at Shen Fangru again, as if she were some kind of monstrous monster.
"What is it?" Zhou Ling asked in a normal tone, as if everything that had just happened was just an illusion.
Li Zuo immediately composed himself, forcibly banishing the chaotic images from his mind. His face lit up with excitement as he reported rapidly, "Sir, good news! The spy couldn't withstand the torture and confessed! Although he doesn't know Qi Yuan's exact hiding place, he revealed a crucial piece of information: Qi Yuan has an extremely beloved illegitimate daughter named Xiang Na, only fourteen years old, studying at the largest 'Minglun Academy' in Carle City! This girl is deeply favored by Qi Yuan; it's said that even when Qi Yuan is busy with military affairs, he still finds a way to communicate with her. She must know how to contact her father, and might even know Qi Yuan's backup hiding place!"
Standing by the wall, Shen Fangru's heart skipped a beat upon hearing this! Xiangna? That name… wasn't that the bright and clever classmate Xi Yuan had occasionally mentioned in his letters home, the one who was highly praised by her teacher at school? Xi Yuan had also said that the girl's background seemed rather pitiful… She was actually the illegitimate daughter of Qi Yuan, the general of the Northern Di?! This… this was truly unexpected!
A cold glint flashed in Zhou Ling's eyes. Without the slightest hesitation, he acted decisively: "Immediately send someone to Minglun Academy to 'invite' that Xiangna over! Be quick, be discreet, and don't alert too many people!"
"Yes!" Li Zuo accepted the order and immediately turned around to make arrangements.
The command was executed swiftly.
Despite the war that has ravaged Carlow, Minglun Academy, a renowned institution of learning in the North, continues to do its best to survive.
In just over an hour, a beautiful but deathly pale girl, dressed in a faded blue school dress, was silently brought in. Her eyes were filled with terrified tears, her long eyelashes were adorned with teardrops, and her body trembled slightly with fear. It was Xiangna.
Li Zuo was in charge of the interrogation.
At first, he tried to coerce and entice her with words, but Xiangna just lowered her head, bit her lower lip, and remained silent, tears falling like beads from a broken string.
Seeing her stubbornness, Li Zuo had no choice but to resort to some punishments. They were not so cruel as to cause disability or death, but for a fourteen-year-old girl who had been protected by her father since childhood, the physical pain and inner fear were the limit.
Shanna cried out in pain, her slender body curled up, yet she still bit her lip tightly, refusing to utter a single word about her father, only repeatedly choking out, "I don't know... I don't know anything..."
Zhou Ling stood to the side, his face as cold and hard as iron. He looked at the girl's shoulder trembling with pain, his eyes showing no emotion, only cold calculation.
He spoke indifferently, his voice devoid of any warmth: "Since she refuses to talk, then we'll increase the torture. Pry her open, by whatever means necessary."
"No!" Shen Fangru couldn't bear it any longer. She rushed forward, spreading her arms to block the trembling Xiangna, glaring at Zhou Ling. "She's just a child! Look at her! Such a beautiful and delicate girl! Even if you have no pity for her, how could you use such methods on such an innocent person?! Do you have no humanity at all?!"
"Innocent?" Zhou Ling seemed to have heard the biggest joke in the world. A cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth, and his gaze pierced Shen Fangru like an ice pick. "Tell me, her father, Qi Yuan, possesses a source of poison that can trigger a large-scale plague! The assassination attempt on Princess Anyang was merely a smokescreen he released to distract us and facilitate the distribution of the poison! If we cannot find him quickly, seize or destroy the source of the poison, and stop his plan, the northern border of our Great Xia, and even the heartland of the Central Plains, will face an unprecedented catastrophe that will devastate the land! At that time, tens of thousands of unarmed Xia citizens will die! Do you think her safety is more important, or the lives of millions? Hmm?"
Shen Fangru was so shocked by the terrifying information revealed in his words that she took a half step back, her face turning pale. A plague… that was a disaster far more terrifying than war. However, seeing Xiangna's pitiful, helpless state, like a frightened fawn, her maternal heart prevented her from hardening her heart.
“But… there must be another way…” she tried to argue.
"There's no other way! Time waits for no one!" Zhou Ling interrupted her sharply, his tone resolute and brooking no argument. "Every moment of delay increases the risk!"
Shen Fangru looked into Zhou Ling's unwavering eyes, then glanced back at the crying girl on the ground, her heart torn between two conflicting emotions.
Finally, she took a deep breath, as if she had made up her mind, and turned to Zhou Ling, her tone filled with a do-or-die determination: "Let me try to persuade her! Maybe I can talk to her." She thought of Xi Yuan, and that perhaps she could use this opportunity to get closer to the girl.
Zhou Ling looked at her scrutinizingly, his eyes sharp, as if assessing the sincerity in her words and the likelihood of success.
Shen Fangru raised her hands, still bound by rough ropes, her wrists already chafed and swollen: "You at least have to untie these ropes for me first. If I go in like this, like a prisoner, how will she believe I'm here to help her? How will she be willing to believe me?"
Zhou Ling's gaze lingered on her injured wrist for a moment, his eyes deep and unreadable.
Silence spread through the air, carrying an invisible pressure.
Finally, he nodded slightly to Li Zuo beside him.
Li Zuo understood, stepped forward, took out a dagger, and neatly cut the rope on Shen Fangru's wrist.
As the rope hit the ground, Shen Fangru immediately felt her arms lighten. She moved her sore and stiff wrists, and the glaring red marks made Zhou Ling's brows furrow almost imperceptibly.
She glanced at Zhou Ling, said nothing more, turned around, lifted the curtain of the cubicle, and went inside.
Zhou Ling and Li Zuo waited outside.
Time passed slowly. At first, only Xiangna's low sobs could be heard from the cubicle, but later they gradually turned into Shen Fangru's gentle whispers, the specific content of which was indistinct.
Zhou Ling stood with his hands behind his back, his expression calm, but the occasional unconscious rubbing of his fingertips betrayed his inner turmoil. Li Zuo, on the other hand, paced back and forth anxiously.
Just as Zhou Ling's patience was about to run out and he was about to force his way in, the curtain of the cubicle was lifted.
Shen Fangru came out, her face pale, her eyes complex, and a hint of weariness barely perceptible, but her tone was unusually certain: "She said. In the west of the city, in Camel Alley, the twelfth house from the east, there's an abandoned mud-brick house with a half-broken water vat at the door, and a cellar underneath. Qi Yuan should be hiding there."
A glint flashed in Zhou Ling's eyes, and without the slightest hesitation, he immediately ordered: "Assemble all our forces and set off immediately! Be quick, and be sure to keep the news under wraps!"
"Wait!" Shen Fangru called out to him, rubbing her still aching wrist, and met his questioning gaze. "I want to go too. And I want the treatment of a commander, at least... give me a short blade for self-defense." She paused, her tone carrying a stubborn insistence, even a hint of defiance, "I've done so much today, helping you find the traitor, uncover the tracking, and now I've extracted crucial intelligence. You can't still treat me like a prisoner or a burden, can you? One more person means one more force."
Zhou Ling paused, turned to look at her, and in the dim light, her eyes shone with an astonishing brightness, carrying an undeniable stubbornness.
His lips twitched almost imperceptibly, and he finally uttered only two words: "Approved. Li Zuo, give her a dagger. Keep up, don't fall behind."
Under the cover of night, the group quietly arrived at Camel Alley in the west of the city.
The area is mostly inhabited by poor people and artisans. It was nearly night, and the alley was quiet except for the occasional bark of a dog.
Following Xiangna's description, they quickly found the large, abandoned adobe house with a half-broken water vat at the entrance and swiftly surrounded it.
Zhou Ling personally surveyed the terrain, arranged several key locations for ambush and sniping, ordered Li Zuo to lead a group of men to guard all possible exits on the perimeter, while he himself selected several of the most elite soldiers to personally lead the attack.
Li Zuo, Shen Fangru, and several other guards stood guard on the perimeter to provide support and intercept any reinforcements or escapees that might appear.
The atmosphere was extremely tense, with a sense of impending doom filling the air.
All eyes were focused on the dilapidated wooden door that looked as if it could be opened with a single push.
Zhou Ling made a swift gesture, his figure leaping out like a cheetah, leading several of his men to approach the door silently like ghosts, about to break in.
At this critical moment!
A soldier dressed in ordinary Xia Kingdom uniform, with an extremely unfamiliar and ordinary face, appeared out of nowhere. Like a shadow, he walked straight to the unsettled Shen Fangru, quickly stuffed a folded piece of paper into her hand, and then, without waiting for her to react, retreated as abruptly as he had appeared. His footsteps were so light that they made no sound, and he instantly disappeared into the dark shadows of the narrow alleyway next to him. The whole process was so fast that it was like an illusion.
Shen Fangru's heart skipped a beat, and an ominous premonition gripped her instantly! Instinctively, with trembling fingers, she quickly unfolded the note.
By the dim light from afar, she could make out the handwriting—it was the very familiar handwriting of her son, Xi Yuan! However, the strokes were crooked and distorted, trembling noticeably, clearly written under extreme fear and coercion:
[Mother, save Qi Yuan, or my life is over.]
The signature was "Xi Yuan," written heavily and messily.
Next to the name, there was a dark, glaring red mark that had dried up – blood!
Shen Fangru's heart felt as if it had been gripped tightly by an icy hand, suddenly stopping its beating before it began to pound wildly again. Her blood rushed backward, making her dizzy and her limbs icy cold!
She suddenly looked up and anxiously looked around, trying to find the soldier who had delivered the message and to find out where Xi Yuan was and how he was doing... But apart from Li Zuo and the others who were on high alert, there was no trace of that ghostly figure around.
That person... that elusive and silent style... could he be the member of the terrifying team codenamed "Sand Fox" under Qi Yuan's command that Li Zuo mentioned before, skilled in stealth and communication?
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
