The night in Beijing should have been peaceful and serene, with moonlight spilling onto the ancient city walls and rooftops, painting a picture of a bustling metropolis asleep. However, tonight, the tranquility was shattered by a sudden disaster.
Murong Xuan, leading a group of highly trained men, infiltrated the capital like ghosts. Dressed in black night clothes, they moved swiftly and stealthily through the city's streets and alleys, their target the water source. Murong Xuan's eyes gleamed with coldness and determination; the burning ambition within him drove him to carry out this sinister plan.
The capital's water source, located in the north-central part of the city, is a vast water conservancy facility combining man-made excavations with natural springs. It features enormous reservoirs, intricate irrigation canals, and numerous mechanisms to control the water flow. On ordinary days, clear spring water flows continuously from here, distributing through canals to every corner of the capital, nourishing the city's inhabitants and all living things.
Murong Xuan and his men arrived near the water source and quickly dispersed to begin their sabotage mission. His subordinates took out pre-prepared tools; some pried open the stone slabs of the reservoir, others damaged the connections in the irrigation canals, and still others poured a pungent black powder into the water. Upon contact with the water, the black powder rapidly spread, turning the once clear spring water black and emitting a nauseating odor.
Meanwhile, in the homes of ordinary people in the capital, everyone was fast asleep. Suddenly, someone was awakened by a strange sound—an unusual roaring sound of rushing water and shouts. An old man got up, opened the window, and looked out. In the moonlight, he saw that the water in the nearby canal had become turbulent and muddy, with black liquid constantly churning. He was alarmed, realizing something was terribly wrong, and quickly woke his family.
As the destruction of water sources worsened, more and more people noticed something was wrong. The clean water that was once easily accessible was now flowing from taps and wells as foul-smelling black water. Panic ensued as people rushed to their usual water sources with buckets and other containers to investigate. When they saw the filthy water, despair spread through the crowd.
"What are we going to do? How are we going to survive without water?" A woman held her child, her eyes filled with fear and helplessness, tears welling up in her eyes.
"Something must have happened! Let's go check it out!" a strong young man shouted, leading a group of people running towards the water source to find out what had happened.
However, they were unaware that the danger didn't end there. While sabotaging the water supply, Murong Xuan also orchestrated chaos throughout the capital. Some deliberately set fires in markets and residential areas, the flames spreading rapidly with the wind, engulfing houses and property. Thick smoke billowed, mingling with the chaotic crowds, plunging the capital into a sea of fire and panic.
In a bustling market, the fire spread rapidly. Merchants abandoned their goods and fled for their lives. Some stalls were destroyed by the fire, and valuable goods were reduced to ashes. People jostled each other in the narrow streets, shouts and cries rising and falling. An elderly man was pushed to the ground by the crowd, but those around him had no time to pay attention and could only watch helplessly as he struggled in the chaos.
In another residential area, some criminals took advantage of the chaos, breaking into unattended houses and stealing valuables. Residents were caught in a dilemma, trying to escape the fire while protecting their families and property. A young woman clutched her jewelry box tightly, cornered by several robbers. She cried for help, but her voice was weak in the noise.
The situation at the water source is worsening; black sewage has begun to overflow from the reservoir and flow into lower-lying areas. Some houses near the water source have been flooded, forcing residents to flee their homes. The sewage also contains unidentified harmful substances, causing skin irritation, redness, and itching in those who come into contact with it, further fueling public fear.
Upon learning of the floods and fires, officials in the capital were mobilized. Soldiers began maintaining order in the city, attempting to extinguish the fires and evacuate people. However, due to the suddenness of the events and the widespread destruction, they appeared somewhat overwhelmed.
General Li, in charge of maintaining order in the capital, led a squad of soldiers to the water source. Seeing the scene before him, he frowned. "Quickly, control this area first, and see if we can stop the sewage from spreading!" he shouted. The soldiers sprang into action; some went to close nearby sluice gates, while others tried to use sandbags to block the flow of sewage.
However, Murong Xuan's men were secretly hindering the soldiers' movements. They hid in the shadows, attacking the soldiers with concealed weapons or creating small disturbances to distract them. General Li noticed the enemy's presence, drew his sword, and shouted, "The enemy is causing trouble in the shadows! Everyone be careful!"
In the fierce battle, although the soldiers were well-trained, they were struggling to cope with the enemy's sneak attack and the chaotic surroundings. While fighting the enemy, General Li wondered to himself, "Who are these people? Why are they sabotaging the capital's water supply?"
Meanwhile, Xiao Yichen, Lin Wan'er, and the man in white were chasing the black-robed leader through the underground passage. They overcame the discomfort caused by the poisonous smoke and relentlessly pursued him. When they reached the surface, they found the capital city engulfed in chaos.
"Oh no, the flooding in the capital is already so severe, we have to stop them immediately," Xiao Yichen said anxiously.
Looking at the suffering people around her, Lin Wan'er's eyes were filled with heartache: "These people are too hateful. They must be made to pay the price."
The man in white observed the surrounding situation. He saw the soldiers fighting fiercely with the enemy near the water source and said, "Let's go support the soldiers first, and then find the leader in black robes."
They rushed towards the water source and joined the battle. Xiao Yichen's swordsmanship was incredibly fierce; each strike repelled an enemy. Like a war god descended to earth, he moved freely through the enemy ranks, foes falling one after another beneath his blade. Lin Wan'er used her mind-reading ability to sense the enemy's movements, promptly alerting Xiao Yichen and the man in white. She also assisted in the battle with her dagger, attacking the enemy's vitals. The man in white's soft sword was as agile as a serpent; he skillfully evaded enemy attacks while delivering fatal blows.
With their help, the soldiers' pressure was immediately relieved. General Li was delighted to see Xiao Yichen and the others: "General Xiao, you've come at the right time. These people have appeared out of nowhere and have been sabotaging the water source."
While fighting, Xiao Yichen said, "General Li, let's deal with these people first, and then we'll figure out how to repair the water source."
As the battle continued, Murong Xuan's men gradually found themselves at a disadvantage. But they did not give up; some began to run into the crowd, attempting to escape under the cover of civilians.
"Don't let them get away!" Xiao Yichen shouted. He and his soldiers quickly gave chase, engaging the enemy in a pursuit amidst the chaos of the crowd.
On the other side, some civilians spontaneously organized themselves to try to help the soldiers fight the fire and rescue the wounded. Women carried buckets and fetched water from distant water tanks to extinguish the fire, although this water was only a drop in the ocean compared to the raging flames, they did not give up. Young people helped the elderly and children escape from the danger zone and carried the injured to safety.
However, the damage caused by the floods and fires in the capital was already devastating. Many houses were destroyed, and countless people were displaced. The contamination of the water sources left people in a desperate situation with no water available, and diseases began to spread among the population. Some people suffered from poisoning symptoms after drinking small amounts of contaminated water, experiencing vomiting, diarrhea, and extreme weakness.
Murong Xuan stood atop a tall building in the distance, watching the capital descend into chaos, a smug smile playing on his lips. He seemed to already envision his plan succeeding, the Rong Kingdom plunged into crisis, and him profiting from it all. But he was unaware that Xiao Yichen and his group were drawing ever closer, about to expose his conspiracy.
After a fierce chase and battle, Xiao Yichen and his men finally captured or killed most of Murong Xuan's subordinates. However, the black-robed leader escaped in the chaos, which annoyed Xiao Yichen.
"We must find the leader of the black-robed group; he definitely knows more about this conspiracy," Xiao Yichen said.
Looking at the disaster-stricken people around her, Lin Wan'er said to Xiao Yichen, "General Xiao, the most urgent task now is to solve the water problem. These people are so pitiful."
Xiao Yichen nodded: "Let's go check the condition of the water source first and see if we can find a way to repair it."
They arrived at the water source, a scene of utter devastation. The reservoir was riddled with holes, and the irrigation canals were broken in several places. Black sewage was still flowing, emitting a nauseating stench. Soldiers and some craftsmen knowledgeable in hydraulic engineering were inspecting the damage, their faces grim.
“General Xiao, the damage this time is too severe. It will take a lot of time and manpower to repair the water source. Moreover, we don’t know if this sewage has affected the groundwater.” An old craftsman said worriedly.
Looking at the scene before him, Xiao Yichen pondered a solution. He knew that the safety of the capital and the lives of the people depended on the restoration of the water source; they had to find a solution as soon as possible, or the consequences would be unimaginable.
In this chaotic and perilous capital city, Xiao Yichen and his companions shoulder a heavy mission: to find hope amidst adversity, save the capital from disaster, uncover the conspiracy, and bring the mastermind to justice.
Thick smoke and chaos shrouded the capital, as if the end of the world had arrived. Looking at the devastated scene before him, Xiao Yichen felt an even stronger sense of mission. Just then, a messenger from the palace rushed in, bringing with him an urgent order from the emperor—to thoroughly investigate the cause of the capital's flooding.
Xiao Yichen accepted the imperial edict, his expression solemn and resolute. He knew the weight of this mission; the capital was the heart of Rong Kingdom, and water was its lifeline. Now, with the floods raging, not only were the lives of the people in danger, but the entire country was also in danger of falling into turmoil. Lin Wan'er stood beside him, her eyes also flashing with the same determination. She understood that this was a battle against time.
"We must find the mastermind behind this as soon as possible and restore the capital's water supply," Xiao Yichen said to Lin Wan'er and the man in white, his voice deep yet powerful.
They first arrived at the water source, where the situation was even worse than before. Sewage flowed freely, emitting a pungent odor, and the surrounding vegetation withered rapidly under its erosion. Soldiers and craftsmen were working hard to clean and repair the site, but progress was slow.
Xiao Yichen found the official in charge of the daily management of the water source and inquired about the situation at the time of the incident. The official, looking terrified and exhausted, trembled as he said, "General, the incident happened suddenly last night. Our guards were attacked without our knowledge. Those men in black acted swiftly and ruthlessly. Before we could even react, they had already begun to sabotage the water source."
"Have you noticed any suspicious signs? Such as unusual markings or strange items?" Xiao Yichen pressed.
The official thought for a moment and said, "There is one thing, though. We found this by the reservoir." As he spoke, he took out a piece of black cloth from his pocket, on which was embroidered a blurry pattern, like the symbol of some mysterious organization.
Xiao Yichen took the fabric fragment, examining it closely with a furrowed brow. He had never seen this pattern before, but his intuition told him it was an important clue. Lin Wan'er leaned closer, looking at the fragment, and said, "This pattern looks so complex. Could it be related to the enemies we encountered before?"
The man in white also came over. He glanced at the fragment and said, "Possibly. We can start with this pattern and see if we can find any relevant clues."
They decided to split into two groups. Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er continued their investigation in the capital, searching for clues that might be related to the pattern, especially information about the men in black who had damaged the water source. The man in white, on the other hand, went to assist the craftsmen in repairing the water source while keeping an eye out for any signs of another enemy attack.
Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er traversed the streets and alleys of the capital, which was now in chaos. People gathered at makeshift aid stations, their eyes filled with fear and helplessness. Children cried from thirst, and the elderly lay on the ground, groaning weakly. Lin Wan'er watched all this, her heart heavy with sorrow. She secretly vowed to resolve this crisis as soon as possible.
They first went to the underground intelligence trading market in the capital. It was a melting pot of all sorts of people, and all kinds of information circulated there. Xiao Yichen, relying on his prestige and some connections, found several well-known intelligence dealers.
"Have you ever seen this pattern before?" Xiao Yichen asked, taking out a piece of fabric.
A one-eyed intelligence broker glanced at it, his expression shifting slightly, but he quickly regained his composure. "Never seen it before, General. The pattern is too ordinary; there's nothing special about it," he replied dismissively.
Xiao Yichen saw through his lie. He slammed his hand on the table and shouted, "Don't try to play tricks on me. This concerns the life and death of the capital. If you know anything, you'd better tell the truth, or don't blame me for being impolite."
The one-eyed intelligence broker shuddered in fright. He glanced at Xiao Yichen's imposing eyes and knew he couldn't hide it any longer. "General, I'll tell you. All I know is that this pattern seems to be related to a mysterious martial arts organization. This organization specializes in taking on shady missions and uses extremely cruel methods. But I really don't know the specifics. I've only heard that they've been active near the capital recently."
"Is there any other information? For example, their strongholds or places they frequently appear?" Xiao Yichen pressed.
"This... I really don't know, General. This is all I know. If I had more information, I would definitely tell you," the one-eyed intelligence broker pleaded.
Knowing he couldn't get any more information from him, Xiao Yichen left with Lin Wan'er. They then visited some taverns and inns frequented by martial arts figures, hoping to find more clues.
In a tavern called "Drunken Immortal Pavilion," they overheard some interesting rumors. A drunken wanderer exclaimed, "Did you know? Things in the capital lately are definitely not simple. I heard there's a mysterious organization colluding with people in the imperial court to bring down the capital!"
Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er exchanged a glance, then Xiao Yichen walked over and asked, "Is the mysterious organization you mentioned related to this pattern?" As he spoke, Xiao Yichen took out a piece of fabric.
The wandering swordsman glanced at it and nodded: "Yes, that's them. I heard their stronghold is in a valley outside the capital, heavily guarded, and it's difficult for ordinary people to get close."
"Do you know the exact location?" Lin Wan'er asked anxiously.
"Well... I'm not quite sure, I only know it's roughly northwest of the capital," the wandering swordsman replied.
Having obtained this clue, Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er decided to head northwest of the capital to find the mysterious organization's stronghold. They spurred their horses and galloped northwestward.
Along the way, they saw many villages ravaged by floods. The villagers stood helplessly by the roadside, their eyes filled with a desperate longing for help. Xiao Yichen felt a pang of pain in his heart, and his resolve to resolve the problem as quickly as possible strengthened.
After a long and arduous journey, they arrived in the mountainous region northwest of the capital. The area was characterized by rolling hills and dense forests, providing easy cover. They carefully searched along various paths, looking for possible locations where the mysterious organization might be operating.
Suddenly, Lin Wan'er pointed to a valley ahead and said, "General Xiao, look there, there's smoke rising from a chimney. These deep mountains are rarely inhabited; could this be it?"
Xiao Yichen looked in the direction Lin Wan'er pointed and saw wisps of smoke rising from the valley. He nodded: "Let's go take a look, but be careful, there might be traps."
They cautiously approached the valley, trying to make as little noise as possible. As they drew nearer, they discovered that it was indeed heavily guarded. Several men in black were patrolling at the valley entrance, and there were also some hidden sentries stationed around the area.
Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er hid behind a boulder, observing the enemy's movements. Xiao Yichen whispered, "We need to find a way to sneak in, or find another way into the valley."
Lin Wan'er closed her eyes and concentrated on using her mind-reading ability. She tried to sense the enemy's thoughts to see if she could find a way to break through. After a while, she opened her eyes and said, "General Xiao, I sense that they change shifts every now and then, and there might be an opportunity during those shift changes. Also, there is a cliff on the west side of the valley, where the defenses are relatively weak. We can try to get in from there."
Xiao Yichen nodded. They decided to wait nearby for the changing of the guard. If that didn't work, they would try to enter from the western cliff.
Time ticked by, and finally it was time for the enemy to change shifts. Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er seized the opportunity, taking advantage of the brief gap in the men in black's shift to stealthily slip into the valley. Carefully avoiding the sight of the other enemies, they made their way deeper into the valley.
There were some simple houses and tents in the valley, which seemed to be the stronghold of the mysterious organization. They hid behind one of the tents and heard voices coming from inside.
"The operation in the capital went relatively smoothly, but I didn't expect that Xiao Yichen would interfere," a hoarse voice said.
"Hmph, so what if he's Xiao Yichen? Our plan won't change because of him. As long as we control the capital's water supply, Rong Kingdom will fall into chaos, and then we can profit from it," another voice said.
“However, we still need to be careful. I’ve heard that Xiao Yichen is very difficult to deal with, and he also has a woman with mind-reading abilities by his side,” the person with the hoarse voice warned.
"Don't worry, they won't find this place. And even if they do, we have ways to deal with them," another person said confidently.
Hearing this, Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er were even more furious. They decided to continue their investigation and find more evidence about the organization and their conspiracy.
They quietly left the camp and headed deeper into the valley. There, they discovered a huge warehouse, guarded by several men in black. Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er hid nearby, observing the warehouse.
"With such tight security here, there must be something important inside," Lin Wan'er whispered.
Xiao Yichen nodded: "We need to find a way to get in and take a look."
After observing for a while, they noticed that every so often, one of the men in black would leave to patrol, leaving the remaining men with a brief moment of relaxation. Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er decided to seize this opportunity.
As yet another man in black left to patrol, Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er dashed out like ghosts. They quickly dealt with the remaining men in black and then entered the warehouse.
The warehouse was filled with various supplies and some strange items. In a corner, Xiao Yichen found some things that resembled tools used to sabotage the water source, as well as some papers filled with plans. He picked up the papers and read them; they detailed the steps they would take to sabotage the capital's water source and the subsequent conspiracy.
"So that's how it is. Their goal isn't just to sabotage the water source, but also to take the opportunity to instigate internal strife and overthrow the imperial court," Xiao Yichen said angrily.
Lin Wan'er found some letters on the other side. The letters mentioned a mastermind, but did not have a specific name. All that was known was that he was a very ambitious person who had connections with the royal family of a certain country.
"It seems there's an even bigger force manipulating things behind the scenes," Lin Wan'er said, frowning.
Just as they were about to leave the warehouse, they suddenly heard an alarm sounding outside. It turned out they had been discovered entering the warehouse.
"Oh no, we've been discovered. We need to get out of here right now," Xiao Yichen said.
Clutching the evidence they had found, they rushed out of the warehouse. At that moment, enemies from the valley swarmed around them, and a fierce battle was about to unfold. Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er knew they had to break through the enemy's encirclement, bring the evidence back to the capital, expose the conspiracy, and save the capital and Rong Kingdom.
Surrounded by enemies, Xiao Yichen wielded his sword with unparalleled skill, each strike repelling an enemy. Lin Wan'er, using her mind-reading ability, sensed the direction of enemy attacks, nimbly dodging them while simultaneously counterattacking with her dagger. Back to back, they coordinated their attacks, charging towards the valley's exit.
As the enemy numbers increased, they gradually became overwhelmed. Just then, the man in white suddenly appeared, leading a group of soldiers who charged in from one side of the valley. It turned out that while assisting in the repair of the water source, the man in white had discovered some enemy tracks and followed them to this place.
"General Xiao, Miss Lin, I'm here to lend you a hand," the man in white called out.
With the help of the men in white and the soldiers, Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er finally broke through the enemy's encirclement and sped towards the capital. They knew that time was of the essence; they had to present the evidence to the emperor as soon as possible, stop the enemy's plot, restore the capital's water supply, and allow the people to return to a peaceful life.
After breaking out of the enemy stronghold in the valley, Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er rushed back to the capital's water source. At this time, the capital's water source was still in a state of chaos. Soldiers and craftsmen were trying their best to repair it, but progress was difficult. The stench of sewage permeated the air, as if it were a heavy sigh left by the disaster.
They knew that to completely solve the flooding problem in the capital and thwart the enemy's subsequent plots, they had to find more clues around the water source. Every tiny trace could be the key to uncovering the conspiracy, so they immediately threw themselves into an intense search.
Xiao Yichen's eyes were sharp as he carefully examined the edge of the reservoir. The stone walls bore numerous signs of damage; the jagged cracks seemed to tell the story of the fierce battle of the previous night. He crouched down, gently touching the stone walls to feel the force and direction of the enemy's attacks, attempting to reconstruct the scene. In a relatively hidden corner, he discovered some strange scratches. These scratches didn't seem to be caused by ordinary weapons; they looked more like marks left by some special tool.
"Wan'er, come and see." Xiao Yichen called softly to Lin Wan'er. Lin Wan'er hurriedly ran over and looked in the direction Xiao Yichen was pointing.
“These scratches look very regular. Could they be some kind of mark left by the enemy?” Lin Wan’er said, frowning.
Xiao Yichen nodded: "Very likely. Let's follow the direction of these scratches and see."
They searched the area around the water source following the direction of the scratches. On one side of the irrigation canal, there was a patch of muddy ground, extremely slippery from the sewage. Lin Wan'er walked carefully, when suddenly she felt her foot step on something hard. She bent down, groped in the mud for a while, and pulled out a small metal object. The object was triangular, with intricate patterns on its surface, some of which resembled the designs on the planning documents they had seen in the valley warehouse.
"General Xiao, look at this." Lin Wan'er handed the metal object to Xiao Yichen.
Xiao Yichen took the metal object and examined it carefully. He gently stroked the patterns with his fingers, thinking to himself, "This thing must have been accidentally left here by the enemy. It might be related to their organization or operational plans in some way."
Just as they were examining the metal objects, shouts from soldiers came from nearby. They ran over and saw that the soldiers, while clearing debris from the sewage, had discovered some wooden barrels with special markings. Some of these barrels were broken, containing black powder similar to the pollutants found in the water source earlier. On the outside of the barrels, a strange symbol was branded with a red-hot iron; this symbol bore some resemblance to the pattern on the black fabric fragments found at the water source.
"Gather these barrels together, making sure not to damage the markings," Xiao Yichen ordered.
The soldiers sprang into action, neatly arranging the discovered barrels aside. Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er carefully examined the barrels, attempting to decipher the meaning of the markings. Lin Wan'er closed her eyes, using her mind-reading ability to try and sense whether the markings contained any enemy information. However, the markings simply remained there silently, conveying no thoughts or emotions.
“These markings look like encrypted information and may require specific decryption methods,” Lin Wan’er said.
Xiao Yichen agreed: "Let's continue searching the surrounding area to see if we can find more marked items, which might provide clues for deciphering the information."
They expanded their search area, traversing the woods near the water source. The trees in the woods were partially submerged due to the spread of sewage, and their leaves were beginning to yellow and curl. Under a large tree, Xiao Yichen discovered several footprints, half-buried. These footprints varied in size and depth, indicating that several people had stopped there. Around the footprints were some broken branches, the ends of which were fresh, as if hastily broken.
“There must have been enemies here, and they didn’t leave long ago.” Xiao Yichen squatted down and carefully examined the footprints.
Lin Wan'er found a piece of clothing in the nearby bushes. The material and color of this piece of clothing were the same as the clothes worn by the men in black she had seen in the valley. She picked up the piece of clothing and said, "General Xiao, they really were here. Maybe they discussed some plan here, or left other clues."
They continued their search, following the footprints and some bent grass. Deep in the woods, they found a makeshift camp. A campfire still burned, and food scraps and empty water bladders were scattered around. Xiao Yichen carefully searched the camp and found a stone slab engraved with strange symbols in a corner. The symbols on the slab were slightly different from the markings they had found before, but they seemed to share some kind of inherent logical connection.
“These symbols are getting more and more complex. There must be some kind of connection between them, but we haven’t found the key yet,” Xiao Yichen said, frowning.
Lin Wan'er picked up the stone slab, looked at the symbols on it, and suddenly her eyes lit up: "General Xiao, look at this symbol. Its shape is somewhat like the outline of a certain area we see on the map of the capital. Could these symbols be indicating a certain location?"
Xiao Yichen's heart stirred. He took out a map of the capital and placed the stone slab on it for comparison. After careful comparison, they discovered that the symbols on the stone slab matched the location of an abandoned mine in the northern suburbs of the capital.
"Could the enemy be planning something else at the abandoned mine in the northern suburbs?" Xiao Yichen muttered to himself.
They decided to investigate the abandoned mine in the northern suburbs. On their way, they discovered some new clues. On a large rock by the roadside, there were arrows and markings carved into it, echoing the markings they had seen on the wooden barrels and metal objects earlier. The arrows pointed directly towards the abandoned mine in the northern suburbs.
“It seems our guess was right; there must be something wrong with the abandoned mine,” Lin Wan’er said.
As they approached the abandoned mine, darkness gradually fell. A sinister atmosphere permeated the area; the dilapidated buildings and rusty minecarts looked particularly eerie in the twilight. Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er cautiously approached the mine, trying to make as little noise as possible.
At the entrance to the mine, they spotted two men in black standing guard. The men were alert, constantly glancing around. Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er hid behind a pile of scrap wood, observing the enemy's movements.
"We need to find a way to deal with these two guards, and then go in and take a look," Xiao Yichen said in a low voice.
Lin Wan'er nodded, closed her eyes, and used her mind-reading ability again. Through this ability, she learned that the two guards would change shifts in a short while, during which they would be briefly relaxed.
Sure enough, not long after, two new men in black approached and took over from the guards. During the handover, all four focused their attention on each other. Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er seized the opportunity, quietly circled behind the guards, and swiftly subdued them without making a sound.
After dealing with the guards, they entered the abandoned mine. The mine was pitch black and filled with a pungent odor. Xiao Yichen took out a tinderbox and lit some torches around them. The torchlight illuminated part of the mine, revealing some newly excavated tunnels with fresh marks on the walls, indicating they had been recently dug.
“There must be some secret inside. Let’s go in and take a look,” Xiao Yichen said.
They proceeded cautiously along the newly dug passage. The passage was very narrow, allowing only one person to pass at a time, and the ground was uneven. After walking for a while, they heard some low voices.
"This flood in the capital is just the beginning; the master's plan will soon be realized," a voice said.
“That’s right. As long as our presence here remains undetected, everything is under control,” another voice replied.
Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er slowed their pace, quietly approaching the source of the sound. At a bend in the passage, they saw a spacious cave, inside which several men in black were busy at work. In the center of the cave were some strange instruments and containers, the containers filled with an unidentified liquid that emitted an eerie glow.
"What are these people doing? These instruments and liquids look dangerous," Lin Wan'er whispered.
Xiao Yichen made a shushing gesture and carefully observed the situation inside the cave. On one side of the cave wall, he saw a huge map, which marked various important locations in the capital, including water sources, the imperial palace, and military camps. Each location had some special markings and connections.
"They seem to be planning a larger-scale sabotage operation, and this map is their plan," Xiao Yichen said in a low voice.
Lin Wan'er looked at the map, a chill running down her spine. She knew that if the enemy's plan succeeded, the capital would be plunged into utter ruin. They had to stop the enemy and thwart their plans as soon as possible.
Just as they were preparing to act, suddenly all the lights in the cave came on; the enemy had discovered their presence. The men in black grabbed their weapons and surrounded Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er, making a fierce battle inevitable. At this crucial moment, could they once again escape danger and thwart the enemy's plot? Everything remained to be seen.
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