Deep into the Royal Court, Encountering Obstacles Again

The hoofbeats came to an abrupt halt at the street corner. Before the dust had settled, Chen Wuya had already leapt from the saddle. He raised a hand and wiped the blood from his neck, his fingertips coming away wet and warm, but he did not spare it a glance. A hundred paces ahead, the high walls of the royal court loomed, studded thick with bronze nails. Guards patrolled back and forth atop the gate tower, their shadows stretched long by torchlight.

"They're here," Bai Zhi murmured, her fingers settling on her sword hilt as her gaze swept the alleys on either side.

Chen Wuya nodded, keeping his voice low. "No more hiding. We go in through the front gate."

The remnants of their force swiftly dispersed, slipping into the narrow alleys to either side as ordered. The firelight was deliberately disturbed; windows in several homes flickered bright and dim, creating the illusion of multiple forces advancing. The defenders indeed fell into unrest. Gongs rang out sharply as a large force poured from the flanks, trying to block the supposed "main force."

"Move!" Chen Wuya barked, pushing off with the tip of his foot and shooting from cover like an arrow loosed from the bowstring.

Bai Zhi followed close behind. The two raced along the base of the wall. When they drew within fifty paces, the ground beneath them changed from blue bricks to stone slabs, and their footsteps began to echo. Chen Wuya suddenly stopped and pressed his right palm to the ground—vibrations came through. Not footsteps, but people moving through an underground passage.

"There's an ambush." He withdrew his hand. "They're not here to stop us. They're here to keep us from retreating."

Bai Zhi's eyes sharpened. "They're waiting for more people to close in around us."

"Then