nashuaworldcup Chapter 569
Chapter 569
Just as Dongfang Wan'er was poised to strike, the roof tiles shattered suddenly, and shards of gray porcelain, accompanied by dust, crashed down. Ying Yi, like a black panther in the night, touched the ground without making a sound, his dark armor fluttering in the draft. In the instant their eyes met, no words were needed. Dongfang Wan'er spun half a meter to the side, her soft sword drawing a silver arc, while Ying Yi, like a ghost, approached the man in black, his dagger gleaming with a cold, eerie blue light.
The sounds of fighting erupted in the cramped study, startling Zhao Ze, who turned ashen-faced from the flying splinters. He stumbled, knocking over a table, the overturned candlestick igniting a ghostly blue flame on the map, but he paid no heed to salvaging this deadly piece of evidence. As he staggered towards the door, a cold glint was already pressed against his throat—Dongfang Wan'er had appeared like a ghost, her sword tip piercing the cloud-patterned embroidery on his official robe, leaving a bloody gash on his neck.
"Speak! Who else is involved?!" Dongfang Wan'er's voice was so cold it could freeze ice. She stared at Zhao Ze's trembling Adam's apple, recalling the fake smiles on the faces of those in the court over the years, and her soft sword unconsciously advanced another half inch. Zhao Ze slumped to the ground, the stench of urine mixed with the acrid smell of burning filling the air. His teeth chattered, and he scrambled to his feet, rattling off a string of names, finally bursting into tears: "Spare me... the King of Northern Frontier promised to make me... to..."
On the other side, Yingyi's dagger was already pressed against the black-clad man's throat. Though subdued, the man continued to laugh wildly: "You think you can rest easy just because you've captured a few lackeys? The Northern Frontier Iron Cavalry..." Before he could finish, Yingyi had already sealed his vital points and hoisted him up like a sack of potatoes. Dongfang Wan'er tore off Zhao Ze's sleeve to bind his hands, her gaze sweeping over the mess on the ground: "Return to the General's Mansion immediately! Leave two people to guard the scene; the rest of you, come with me to search!"
As Dongfang Wan'er stepped into the basement carrying an oil lamp, the musty smell mingled with the pungent odor of gunpowder assaulted her senses. Cobwebs hung from the beams and pillars, and over twenty black wooden crates were neatly arranged, their lids revealing dark red fuses like lurking venomous snakes. She crouched down to examine them closely and discovered that each crate of explosives was connected to an intricate mechanism; pulling the main switch would detonate them in a chain reaction. "Send the order down to the craftsmen of the Ministry of Works to come and dismantle them immediately!" As she stood up, she knocked over an oil lamp, causing a flame to leap up beside the fuse, instantly sending a cold sweat down her back.
At the third quarter of midnight, the dark clouds resembled torn cotton. The instant lightning illuminated the sky above the capital, Dongfang Wan'er stood atop the highest point of the western granary. The Xuanjia Army soldiers, torches in hand, had established three layers of defense around the granary, the torchlight forming a crimson galaxy. She watched as the last crate of explosives was moved out of the city, listening to the distant sounds of carriages and horses, and suddenly remembered her father's words: "The true battlefield is not on the battlefield, but in the hearts of men."
The instant the thunder roared, Dongfang Wan'er drew her soft sword, its blade kicking up a speck of dust. Those schemers lurking in the shadows might never understand, even in their dying moments, that from the moment she requested permission to lead the expedition, she had already laid a trap across the northern frontier. As the second lightning bolt illuminated the corner tower of the imperial city, Dongfang Wan'er gazed at the dispersing clouds and finally revealed a relieved smile—this meticulously planned upheaval had ultimately become the bargaining chip in her hand, allowing her to turn the tide of battle.
Dongfang Wan'er leaned against a vermilion pillar in the General's Mansion, her fingertips tracing the still-dry bloodstains on her soft sword. The night wind carried the distant sound of the night watchman's clapper, three long and two short beats—it was the third quarter of the hour of Chou (1-3 AM). Just as she was about to return to her room to rest, a dark figure leaped down from the wall. The guard knelt on one knee, his armor still damp with the night dew: "General, the King of Northern Frontier is not in the city; he seems to have fled."
These words struck her like a hammer blow. Dongfang Wan'er gazed at the waning moon on the horizon, recalling the mastermind who had never appeared on the list Zhao Ze had provided during the day. The Northern Frontier King's birthmark flickered in her memory; she suddenly remembered the edge of the map in the study, where half a snow wolf totem was faintly visible—the mark of the Northern Frontier King's personal jade pendant.
"Prepare the horses!" She turned and rushed into the stables, where the elite cavalry of the Xuanjia Army were already waiting in ambush. Moonlight shone on the soldiers' silver armor, giving it a cold, sharp gleam. Dongfang Wan'er leaped forward, her whip lashing down fiercely: "Head north along the official road, and catch up before dawn!" The sound of hooves thundered across the cobblestone path, startling the birds on the city wall. With a flapping of their wings, the black iron cavalry disappeared into the thick darkness.
In the darkest hour before dawn, they reached a valley. Morning mist veiled the jagged rocks like a thin veil, and fresh hoofprints were faintly visible beneath the decaying leaves. Dongfang Wan'er raised her hand, signaling the group to halt. She took a deep breath, catching a faint scent of blood in the wind. "Form a wedge formation, remain vigilant!" Before her words were finished, a sharp horn blast suddenly echoed from the cliffs on both sides, and countless dark figures emerged from behind the rocks, the whirring of taut bowstrings reverberating through the valley.
The moment the arrows pierced the air, Dongfang Wan'er spun and swung her sword, the soft blade weaving a silver net of light in the air. She caught a glimpse of a scarlet cloak flashing on the cliff face—the unique attire of the Northern Frontier King. "Shadow One, charge with me! The rest of you form a shield formation and hold the flanks!" she shouted, spurring her horse into the rain of arrows. The warhorse neighed, shattering the morning mist. Amidst the flashing blades, Dongfang Wan'er's soft sword felled three enemy soldiers in succession, the splattered blood blooming like red plum blossoms on her pale face.
In the midst of the chaos, Yingyi suddenly grabbed her wrist, her sword tip pointing high above—the Northern Frontier King stood atop a protruding boulder, bow in hand, a sinister smile playing on his lips. Dongfang Wan'er exchanged a glance with Yingyi, and the two simultaneously unleashed their power, their soft swords and daggers transforming into streaks of cold light as they leaped up, stepping over the enemy's shields. Seeing the situation was dire, the Northern Frontier King turned to flee, but was caught by a chain thrown by Yingyi, which ensnared his ankle, causing him to fall heavily to the ground.
As Dongfang Wan'er's soft sword pressed against the Northern Frontier King's throat, the sky was already turning a pale white. The arrogance in his eyes had long since vanished, replaced by terror; cold sweat mingled with blood as it streamed down his face. "Why?" Dongfang Wan'er's voice echoed through the silent valley. The Northern Frontier King suddenly burst into maniacal laughter: "You Central Plains people will never understand! How could an eagle of the grasslands willingly be confined in a gilded cage!"
"Unfortunately, your eagle has broken its wings." Dongfang Wan'er flicked her wrist, and the sword's edge sliced through the skin of the Northern Frontier King's throat. In the distance, the sound of the rising sun piercing through the clouds could be heard, and the first ray of golden light fell on her blood-stained armor, forever freezing this all-night battle at the moment of dawn.