The Predicament

(Today is the first day of the 13th year. I wish everyone peace and health in the new year, and may you surpass yourselves. Let's work hard together!)

The Goth youth finally understood why the princess had told him to back down yesterday.

A hundred veteran regular troops, numbering over two hundred, possessed terrifying combat power. Even advanced warriors would struggle to escape if trapped in a killing formation.

While they weren't without their own trump cards, being on Golden Leaf Dynasty territory and carrying out an important mission meant it was better to avoid unnecessary trouble. However, the Goth youth felt quite displeased.

Goths were naturally cunning and brutal. They would always find a way to retaliate after suffering a loss.

The Goth youth, Misi, was in exactly that mindset, but he dared not show it to the respected Goth princess.

And so, the Goth caravan led the way, followed by Qi Bei's disguised caravan. They traveled through over a dozen cities along the route, and were on the verge of leaving the Central Province.

Once they left the Central Province, they would be outside Emperor Hanmos's core sphere of influence, and Qi Bei could essentially relax.

On this day, the two caravans arrived at Green Leaf City, the last city in the northwest of the Central Province.

The bright moon flickered in the sky, appearing quite dim.

The wind picked up, rustling the trees by the roadside with a whoosh.

"It's going to storm," Qi Bei said, pushing open the window of his inn room. He looked at the gathering storm clouds in the sky, feeling an inexplicable restlessness.

"Let it storm. We're not sleeping out in the open anyway," Phantom said from behind him.

"I'm feeling uneasy. Come here and let me hold you," Qi Bei reached out, grabbed Phantom's small hand, and pulled her into his embrace.

Phantom let out a soft protest, struggling a little before allowing herself to be held. After all, the two of them had never been shy about kissing and cuddling.

"I feel much better now," Qi Bei chuckled, inhaling the faint fragrance of Phantom's hair.

As the night deepened, the brewing storm finally broke. The entire sky was a dense curtain of water, obscuring anything more than a few meters ahead.

Qi Bei sat cross-legged on the bed when a sudden palpitation struck him. He abruptly opened his eyes and called out, "Xiao Jiu, Thirteen."

"Master." Xiao Jiu and Thirteen appeared instantly, as if they needed no rest and were always hidden in Qi Bei's shadow.

"Go check on the Goth caravan. I have a very bad feeling," Qi Bei said.

Xiao Jiu and Thirteen vanished silently from the room. Not long after, they reappeared.

"Master, the Goth caravan departed overnight. Those carriages outside are just empty shells," Thirteen reported.

Qi Bei stood up abruptly, his sense of unease growing stronger. He pushed open the door and roused Vajra in the next room.

"Go, have all the brothers prepare to depart. Call Huo Lie and Tie Tou over," Qi Bei ordered.

Vajra acknowledged the command and left. A short while later, Huo Lie and Tie Tou followed him to Qi Bei's room.

"My Lord, what's happened?" Huo Lie asked.

"Didn't I tell you to monitor the Goth caravan? They've left empty shells and have already departed Green Leaf City," Qi Bei said.

Huo Lie and Tie Tou immediately looked ashamed, bowing and asking Qi Bei to punish them.

"Enough. We'll settle this later. Now, get the men ready to depart immediately," Qi Bei waved his hand.

"Yes, my Lord." Huo Lie and Tie Tou responded. Even if it were raining knives, they would have carried out the order without hesitation.

Just then, Xiao Jiu's figure flashed ghost-like through the window, saying urgently, "Master, it's the Dragon Armor Army! Thousands of them, fully armed with magic weapons, are encircling us."

The Dragon Armor Army! Emperor Hanmos had tracked his movements.

Suddenly, Qi Bei thought of the Goth caravan. It had to be them. But how did they know his identity, and how did they know Emperor Hanmos was intercepting him?

The thought flashed through Qi Bei's mind, but this was no time to investigate.

"Pass my order: immediately abandon the carriages and cargo, break into smaller groups, and hide in the nearby residential houses. We'll regroup in Kaqi City. Vajra, Xiao Jiu, Thirteen, you three will come with me to draw the Dragon Armor Army's attention. Huo Lie, Tie Tou, I'm leaving Phantom in your care," Qi Bei calmly commanded.

"My Lord, no! Let us draw the Dragon Armor Army's attention..." Huo Lie and Tie Tou's eyes turned red with urgency. How could they let Qi Bei risk himself?

"This is an order. Execute it immediately," Qi Bei said sternly.

"Yes, my Lord." Huo Lie and Tie Tou trembled and quickly left with Phantom.

Phantom looked back at Qi Bei, biting her lower lip. For the first time, she hated herself for being useless, not only unable to help him but also becoming a burden.

"Let's go." Qi Bei was the first to rush out the window.

Xiao Jiu and Thirteen flickered and disappeared from the room, while Vajra stomped hard on the windowsill, his massive body shooting out like a cannonball.

Clank, clank, clank... A line of heavily armored soldiers, clad in thick golden armor, holding golden shields in their left hands and golden battle sabers in their right, advanced in unison through the torrential rain, their unstoppable momentum crashing towards them.

Behind the heavy infantry were two rows of crossbowmen armed with magic crossbows, and further back, two mages provided support.

"Qi Bei. Nord is here." As soon as Qi Bei leaped out the window, he roared. His black longsword flashed with golden light as he charged at the foremost Dragon Armor Guard.

With that shout, Qi Bei drew the attention of the Dragon Armor Guards from all directions. He did this naturally to allow his other brothers to escape safely.

Emperor Hanmos was blocking him; he wouldn't care about anyone else.

Qi Bei's Battle Qi struck the armored soldier, and instantly, the soldier's golden helmet and chest plate split open to the sides, revealing his terrified face. A trickle of blood began to seep from his forehead.

Immediately after, two more screams were heard. Two black shadows flashed like ghosts, and the two mages behind them were decapitated.

"Fire magic!" A commander of the Dragon Armor Guard roared.

The crossbowmen around them raised their magic crossbows, and a torrent of crossbow bolts shot into the sky.

The crossbow bolts, carrying streaks of magical light, intertwined in the air, forming a massive spell meant to trap Qi Bei within.

"You think such trash magic can trap me?" Qi Bei sneered, suddenly merging his inner force with his Battle Qi and slashing at the spell in mid-air.

"Zzzzap!" The spell tore open a gap, but immediately began to repair itself.

Just then, Vajra charged forward like a mountain, shoving his hands into the gap in the spell. In an instant, both his arms swelled to twice their size, and thick veins pulsed with immense, mysterious power.

"ROAR..." Vajra let out a sky-shattering roar, and pulling outwards on both sides of the spell, he ripped open a huge gash.

Qi Bei instantly shot through the opening, but his body immediately froze, his gaze turning incredibly grim.

At this moment, over three thousand Dragon Armor Guards had formed a massive circle, completely surrounding him. On the other side of the circle, a white-haired man stood with his arms crossed. Before him was a snow-white longsword, like jade, its body trembling slightly, emitting rings of misty white cold light.