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墨書 Inktalez
Shen Qianqi looked around at his two junior brothers, "Thousand Miles, Qianshan. Do you have anything else to announce?"
Seeing both of them shake their heads in silence, Shen Qianqi waved his hand and said, "Everyone is dismissed!" He then quietly told Unharmed, "Call the junior disciples here." With that, he turned and entered the hall.
Once Shen Qianqi stepped into the hall, Meng Qianli and Feng Qianshan each moved towards their respective training grounds on either side of the courtyard. Wuxing understood that it was time to select personnel.
At this moment, the crowd split into several groups. The younger disciples naturally had no chance to participate in this escort mission; only those who were officially part of the Shadow Guard were eligible.
Shen Qianqi's disciples chatted and laughed as they walked into the hall. Meng Qianli's disciples gathered towards the left corner of the courtyard while Wuxing stepped forward to approach his master, Feng Qianshan.
Several disciples had already gathered around their master, all eager after the announcement. "Master, how long will we be gone?" "Now we can finally see the outside world!"
"Master!" Wuxing bowed respectfully as he approached.
"Mm." Feng Qianshan nodded. He surveyed the surrounding disciples and said, "Everyone is here; let me decide on the personnel."
The crowd fell silent, their eager eyes fixed on Feng Qianshan. Wuxing knew that for the Shadow Guard, such escort missions were generally quite easy. Regular guard duties against assassination attempts were usually handled by ordinary guards; the Shadow Guard only patrolled at night to prevent any trouble from individual Demonesses. Usually, everyone found their nightly palace patrols dull and monotonous, so this opportunity to see the outside world was highly coveted.
"Yingying, you will accompany me on this trip!" Feng Qianshan said kindly as he looked at the first woman on his left.
Indeed, there was a senior sister among them. Wuxing envied her; she was currently the only woman serving in the Shadow Guard. Unlike typical women, Yingying was not Han but from a foreign tribe. Wuxing did not know which tribe it was; even their master had never mentioned her background. The brothers only knew that her full name was Gua'erjia Yingying and that she was the only one who joined the Shadow Guard after reaching adulthood outside. She had always been responsible for night patrols in the northern part of the palace.
Her stature was notably taller than that of an average Han woman; she wasn't stunningly beautiful but had a graceful charm about her. However, her personality was quite reserved; Wuxing had never seen her smile. She bowed her head and replied softly, "Yes, Master!" before standing quietly to one side with her hands down.
Feng Qianshan then turned to a handsome young man. "Wujie! You can go as well."
"Yes, Master!" Wujie bowed, unable to hide his excitement in his expression.
Er Second Brother also went, Wuxing thought to himself, wondering if it would be his turn. After all, Wuxing was ranked fifth under Feng Qianli.
"Old San, you were injured last time, so stay behind and watch the house this time," Feng Qianli said, looking at a short and stout young man.
"Master, I have already recovered! I can do it!" Short Fatty argued, his face turning red.
"Old San!" Feng Qianli gazed at Old San and slowly said, "There's no need to be stubborn. This journey is not as simple as you think."
"Master, I—"
"No need for more words. During my absence from the palace, you will manage the disciples and oversee the affairs of the palace!"
"Yes!" Short Fatty bowed respectfully.
"Fourth Uncle."
"Here!" replied a man with a Hu appearance. "This time when we head west, you should take the opportunity to visit your hometown. I have already informed Senior Brother that after this mission is completed, you can stay in your hometown for ten days before returning."
"Thank you, Master!" Wujing said joyfully, bowing in response.
At that moment, Feng Qianshan's eyes fell on Wuxing, causing Wuxing's heart to race.
"Wuxing," Feng Qianshan looked at the young man before him. This child was the most disciplined among his many disciples and also the most diligent. Sometimes he felt that Wuxing was as simple as a blank sheet of paper. He reminded him of his younger self; but was that really a good thing?
He slowly opened his mouth. "Wuxing, you will accompany me."
"Yes." Although he had mentally prepared himself, Wuxing still couldn't hide his emotions and responded with a trembling voice.
"You four will stay behind; everyone else will return to Base," Feng Qianli announced loudly.
"Yes!" The other disciples reluctantly departed, while a few familiar with Wuxing quietly approached to express their envy in their own ways.
Wuxing winced in pain, but when he turned around, he noticed that only four disciples were gathered around Second Master as well. It seemed that results had emerged there too, and among them was Regretless, who was familiar to him. Coincidentally, Regretless was also looking this way. Wuxing smiled, only to realize that Regretless's gaze was directed beyond him.
Turning his head, Wuxing's heart sank; it turned out Regretless was looking at the Senior Sister. Both Unharmed and Regretless had feelings for Yingying, which everyone knew. However, Yingying remained indifferent and polite towards both of them. Even when Feng Qianshan inquired about her, Yingying brushed it off by citing palace rules that required female guards to leave the palace after marriage. Feng Qianshan, being quite fond of this female disciple, chose not to press further.
How pitiful. Wuxing suddenly thought of Yuyan. Does this mean I like Yuyan? If Yuyan were to marry me, wouldn’t she be forced to leave the palace? At this thought, Wuxing's face flushed; he realized he was overthinking things.
At that moment, Feng Qianshan cleared his throat, and Wuxing immediately snapped back to attention, turning to look at his master. He heard him speak softly, "This mission is extremely dangerous. General Pei has decreed: According to confidential reports, Persia and the Persian Black Robe will collaborate with Turkic, Goguryeo, and Wa Country to send assassins after the Persian Prince, aiming to disrupt our Tang Dynasty's relations with the White-Clad Great Food and incite chaos for their own gain."
The crowd exchanged glances, surprised by the intricate web of connections involved. Feng Qianshan continued in a low voice, "This escort mission concerns the safety of our Tang Dynasty and its people; we must not let anything go wrong. You all must stay alert and maintain strict vigilance. There are many troops on the road; I doubt anyone would dare attack our forces in broad daylight. However, once night falls, the situation becomes unpredictable. Therefore, you must prepare accordingly. Additionally, to prevent the Demoness from infiltrating us, each of you should bring along a team of familiar palace guards."
Feng Qianshan paused for a moment as if holding back something he wanted to say before adding, "Tonight is July 16th, during the dark night; it’s best to keep your wits about you."
He looked over the group again and saw everyone listening attentively before eagerly saying, "Alright then, return and prepare. We will gather here at noon sharp to head out with our leading senior brother to the military camp outside the city."
"Yes!" everyone replied in unison.
As Wuxing left, he noticed that Second Master and Grandmaster were still engaged in their discussions. It seemed this mission was indeed more complicated than he had initially thought.
After exchanging greetings with a few fellow disciples, Wuxing returned alone to Base and began packing his belongings. He had already decided on bringing Mariko's team of ten from yesterday’s patrol; they were trustworthy after having just worked together. Once he finished packing, he promptly went to Mariko’s quarters to inform him about leaving the palace. As expected, Mariko was thrilled; having spent nearly five years in the palace with only four outings—each within the capital—this trip promised new sights and experiences far beyond what he had known.
Once everyone was ready and donned their armor and gear after an early lunch, they followed Wuxing to Piqing Courtyard. The courtyard was bustling with people; senior brothers and sisters had gathered their respective teams and were waiting for departure—over a hundred individuals stood ready.
Before long, three leaders appeared in front of the hall. Unlike in the morning when they had conducted thorough checks, Shen Qianqi simply announced their departure this time.
After receiving their horses at the Palace Exterior, the group hurried towards the military camp located on the western side of the city. The camp was situated not far from the Foot of the Mountain, where the Sergeants had already set up tight defenses around the area. Shen Qianqi and a patrolling Zhonglangjiang exchanged fish tokens before leading Wuxing and the others into the Camp.
The Camp was divided into three layers: the outer layer housed the Sergeants, the middle layer was where Wuxing and his companions stayed, and the innermost layer contained several large tents belonging to General Pei and the Persian Prince. The distance between the innermost and middle layers was about fifty paces, forming a circular arrangement that provided ample space for Wuxing and his companions to defend themselves.
In the afternoon, several royal carriages slowly entered the military camp, signaling the arrival of General Pei and the Persian Prince. Wuxing thought to himself. However, all the windows on the vehicle were tightly shut, making it impossible to see who was inside. Among the mounted attendants accompanying them, one familiar face caught Wuxing by surprise!
Yuyan! After his initial shock, Wuxing felt a wave of joy, though he was puzzled as to why she was here. There was also a Phoenix Guard accompanying Yuyan, but neither of them noticed Wuxing. As he stood at the entrance of the tent, staring blankly at the procession passing through the middle Camp, a voice rang in his ear.
"Wuxing Shidi, stop staring; that's a Phoenix Guard—different from us." Wuxing turned around sharply to find his senior sister standing behind him, speaking calmly.
"Senior Sister!" Wuxing felt a bit embarrassed.
"It is said that the Persian Prince's wife was bestowed upon him by Empress Wu. She is also a Phoenix Guard, and a Vice Commander at that," Yingying remarked as she watched the carriage pass by.
"So, does that mean the Persian Prince is taking his wife back for mourning?"
"Are they really going to leave her behind while he returns alone?" Yingying replied with a hint of sarcasm.
Wuxing chuckled but didn't respond further. He always felt a sense of awe towards this usually aloof senior sister. Especially when his gaze fell upon the large iron mace strapped to her back; few people wielded such weapons, especially women. Yet she had chosen this very weapon—its surface adorned with many protruding iron spikes, each forged personally by their master. It was designed for killing and destruction without fail.
"Shidi, have you ever considered why you became a Shadow Guard?" Yingying suddenly asked.
Wuxing paused in surprise. "Senior Sister, why do you ask this? Wasn't it Master who took us in and taught us survival skills? Moreover, protecting the royal family and serving our country is what we as Brothers should do."
Yingying remained silent for a moment before turning her gaze towards the mountains not far from the camp, letting out a soft sigh.
At the hour of lamp lighting, the deployment notice had been issued. The Second Master led his subordinates to guard the military camp's outer defenses, while Wuxing and his team were responsible for the area between the outer and middle layers. The Grandmaster's group was in charge of the innermost defense.
An hour into A Squad's watch, Wuxing's shift was during the midnight hour. The previous watch was held by the Senior Sister, and Wuxing along with Mash Chief had already settled down in their tent, dressed and lying down, waiting for the Senior Sister to call them for duty.
Amidst the sound of snoring from everyone, Wuxing drowsily drifted into sleep. He lost track of time until he suddenly woke up, realizing that the tent was much quieter. Sitting up, he looked around and found that he was alone in the entire tent!
“Mash Chief!?” No one responded. Had everyone gone on night patrol without calling him? Wuxing felt a bit annoyed as he hurriedly exited the tent and chose a direction to begin his patrol.
The surroundings were eerily quiet, with fewer torches lit than before. After walking for a while without seeing a single Sergeant, Wuxing grew increasingly suspicious. When he reached a remote area, he noticed a figure standing by a tent in the darkness illuminated by his torchlight. Instantly on guard, Wuxing drew his dagger and cautiously approached. Once close enough, he whispered, “Who goes there?”
There was no response. He tightened his grip on the dagger and took another step forward, only to realize that this silhouette looked incredibly familiar. Wuxing's heart raced as he recognized it—wasn't that Yuyan's figure? Why was she standing there so strangely, completely still?
As this thought crossed his mind, panic surged within him. He quickly stepped forward and placed his hand on Yuyan's shoulder. Just then, as he touched her shoulder, Swallow slowly turned around.
What met his eyes was a face devoid of color; Swallow's eyes were wide open, blood streaming from her seven orifices, with two lines of blood tears still hanging on her face. Suddenly, she grinned eerily and reached out towards Wuxing!
Wuxing screamed!
(To be continued; more exciting developments await tomorrow!)
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