In the small square, the chill gradually dissipated, and the cold words whispered in the wind slowly faded away.
Ellie, however, was far from at ease. Her heart pounded; she couldn't predict how the person who had spoken would deal with her next. But one thing was certain: her secret was no longer a secret. The best course of action now was to quickly find an excuse to escape, just as she had done before.
But when Ellie looked at the three little heads peeking out from the stairs, she suddenly lost the courage to leave. That wonderful feeling she had just experienced was so beautiful that she had become so engrossed in it that she couldn't tear herself away.
Ellie slumped against the door and sat down on the floor, feeling utterly helpless. Besides considering her own feelings, she also thought about how to protect the three girls. Now that Yun Zhe had implicated them, she figured this kind of situation would only increase. Ellie couldn't help but worry; what would happen to the three girls if she left?
For the first time, Ellie felt that her abilities were still too weak.
Urgent shouts rang out, and the patrolling guards discovered the situation in the small square. A dozen or so Aruru soldiers, lined up in neat rows, immediately blocked off the two entrances and exits.
Gidding stayed by Yun Zhe's side in place of Cyrus. At this moment, he looked at the scene before him: the corpses on the ground, Ellie lying dead at the door in the distance, and the four guards with their throats slit at the door.
Gidding walked over to Ellie, who had already struggled to her feet. She shielded the three girls behind her and told Gidding what had just happened.
After hearing Ellie's story, Gidding gasped. Someone actually dared to kidnap the Baron's family?! What a bold and insane act!
Gidding recalled what Cyrus had told him during their meeting about the conflict between Yun Zhe and some underground organizations in the capital. But he still couldn't believe they would dare to be so audacious.
"There was another woman among the group, a magician," Ellie added.
Upon hearing the word "mage," Usa trembled. Usa was actually quite regretful; in the heat of the moment, she had forgotten she was a mage. All she could do was brandish the short sword.
After thinking for a moment, Ji Ding ordered his men to drag the bodies away, and then sent a soldier to the barracks to inform Yun Zhe.
When he received the news, Yun Zhe had just finished arranging the evening's shifts and was about to lead the first batch of soldiers to patrol the well.
After listening to the soldier's words, Yun Zhe took a deep breath and nodded. He looked at Gao, who seemed worried, behind him. "Tonight will definitely be a turbulent night. You lead the second squad on patrol now." Then he turned back to the soldier who had brought the message. "Tell Gidding that the guards over there are in his hands. I can't go there yet. The activities and celebrations will proceed as usual; traditions shouldn't be canceled because of these things. But we need to be quick, as quick as possible."
After saying that, Yun Zhe took a helmet, put it on, and led the soldiers to inspect the wells and some important points.
The castle's defenses were suddenly reinforced. Hundreds of Aruru mercenaries surged to the castle's heights and began patrolling the castle grounds. Gao, Morrison, and Jelock, each leading a small team of thirty to fifty men, patrolled the granaries, wells, and the main roads surrounding the castle.
A loud bang heralded the start of the Winter Solstice celebrations. Because the area around the castle was mostly inhabited by refugees, and this year they had indeed relied heavily on elven provisions, the ceremony was exceptionally simple. After the procession, the crowd lit straw figures symbolizing a year of bad luck, and amidst cheers, the brief ceremony concluded.
Yun Zhe was watching the huge fire rise from the area where the refugees lived, in the area with the most concentrated wells. The soldiers who had come with Yun Zhe to guard the area were not in high spirits. Yun Zhe looked at them and said slowly.
"I understand that everyone is in a bad mood. But ladies and gentlemen, isn't it also a great sense of accomplishment to see those people able to carry out the ceremony with peace of mind?"
Clearly, this statement wasn't effective. The soldiers obviously didn't have that level of awareness yet. Yun Zhe didn't say anything more; his presence was the best statement he could give.
As the ceremony ended, so too did their duty period. However, the troops to relieve them were nowhere to be seen. The soldiers grew restless. They were newly recruited soldiers, had never fought alongside Yun Zhe, and there was a significant emotional distance between them. To these soldiers, it was nothing more than a baron setting an example, leading them through a very unpleasant performance art piece.
Sensing something amiss, Yun Zhe became alert. He quickly counted the number of soldiers; all fifty were present. However, not a single soldier appeared on the road at the end of the well.
Two women carrying buckets came to fetch water, and the outermost soldiers let them pass without a second thought. Yun Zhe narrowed his eyes; he had already issued orders that no one was allowed to fetch water after sunset. But what he found even more incomprehensible was that the soldiers had let them pass without even asking.
Yun Zhe walked towards the two women, and soon he sensed the intense killing intent emanating from them. He didn't even need to read their minds; these two women were indeed trained assassins. And their target for tonight was him.
Moreover, in order to ensure the assassination succeeds, they have even blocked the soldiers who came to relieve the garrison.
"What a grand gesture!" Yun Zhe thought to himself, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.
The surrounding soldiers were unaware of what was about to happen. A few nearby soldiers idly sized up the two women, whispering amongst themselves about their figures and appearances.
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