Infiltration

To the people of Valoran, Noxus was a powerful and dangerous empire. Yet the empire was no tightly bound rope. Having risen through expansion, it still contained many symbols of the old era across its vast lands: highly independent imperial administrative regions that had evolved from kingdoms defeated in past wars of expansion. To unite the surrounding nations as quickly as possible, the Noxian rulers of the time had not exterminated the old royal families. Instead, they had given them new titles and allowed them to continue ruling their lands. Aside from swearing allegiance to Noxus and paying an annual tribute, they still retained considerable control over their kingdoms. But such loose control inevitably left hidden dangers. The empire did not trust these so-called special administrative regions and constantly tried to tighten its grip. Naturally, the old kings also resorted to various covert and overt schemes to resist the empire. In the past, these power struggles had at least been hidden behind a veil of treaties. But after Swain Jericho, a dark horse who emerged from Noxus's civil war, ascended to power, the rulers of these independent kingdoms immediately threw down the gauntlet and rebelled openly. The reason was simple: the new Noxian Grand General was one of the generals who had once led expeditions against them. Those career soldiers had always regretted failing to eliminate their old enemies once and for all. Now they were eager to correct that mistake with their own hands.

On Noxus's western frontier, in the independent administrative region of Feritic. Two figures ran through the moonlit woods. As they passed a mound of earth, one of them suddenly let out a birdcall, then ducked down and lifted the "ground" beneath his feet. He slipped inside. Beneath the small mound was a hidden shelter, where more than a dozen figures moved about in the cramped space. Most wore the same hooded night clothes as the one who had just returned, with no insignia visible except for an inconspicuous dark-red feather sewn onto the edge of each hood. A few others wore black leather, with the faint outline of a rose visible on their chests. The markings seemed subtle and obscure, but anyone in the Noxian military would recognize them at a glance: the empire's elite assassin corps, the Crimson Elite, and the Shadow Walkers of the Black Rose.

"We've got a clear picture of the situation."

The black-clad scout who had just returned quickly took out a waterskin and took a sip, then addressed the teammates gathered around him.

"We slipped into the fortress. The rebels didn't completely destroy the Noxxstra gateway. The mason's assessment is that it can still be restarted."

As he spoke, the black-clad man glanced at the person who had followed him into the shelter. Though the newcomer also wore black, he had no dark-red feather, and a string of distinctly inconvenient-looking tools hung from his waist. This made him considerably slower than the others. But he was clearly much louder.

"Ha! Those damned savages have no idea how to deal with the empire's sophisticated teleportation devices. They only wrecked some of the external components. The gateway's magical core is still intact. If we can get to the gate, I can use the tools I have to get Noxxstra running at low frequency... for about fifteen minutes."

"Fifteen minutes..."

A man who looked like an officer stroked his chin and thought for a moment.

"That's enough to send through a team of more than ten. If we can bring over another group of masons to stabilize the gateway, we might be able to teleport the legion straight into the enemy's heartland without having to break through the rebel lines head-on."

"Ha, the Trifarian Legion aren't pushovers. They beat those frontier savages into the ground back then, and they can do it again now."

One of the Crimson Elite replied casually, his tone full of confidence in the imperial army.

"But those savages clearly aren't just going to let themselves be slaughtered."

The captain shook his head.

"They seized the empire's defensive line, the very one meant to stop them, early in the war. They must have powerful allies. Even if the Trifarian Legion goes into battle, there'll be casualties. Why do you think General Darius needs us to infiltrate behind enemy lines?"

The soldier fell silent. The captain turned to the scout who had just returned.

"Black Fox, what are the fortress defenses like?"

"There are quite a few. I saw several hundred at least."

Black Fox shrugged.

"But I didn't see any high-level combatants like mages. The rebel garrison also seems to be understrength. Their sentry posts are spread pretty far apart. At a glance, it looks like they're watching every direction, but there are blind spots between them. That's how I slipped in to scout. But if we're going to get Noxxstra running again... the noise will give us away unless they're both blind and deaf."

"That makes sense. They still have to send enough troops to reinforce the defensive line... If so, we might have a chance."

"Captain, I think we've got this. The Crimson Elite aren't cowards! We can hold off those rebels for an hour, not just fifteen minutes."

"Exactly! Each of us can take on at least ten of those rebels!"

"Ha! My hammer's been waiting for a fight!"

The group grew riled up. Even the War Stone Masons, who usually didn't fight on the front lines, shouted and raised their hammers. The captain pondered for a moment, then nodded.

"I'll contact General Darius now! If the plan is approved, we move in twenty minutes."

Feeling the cool night air on her face, Ling Ying made her way silently through the woods, accompanied by more than a dozen figures who moved just as quietly. Honestly, the thought of being surrounded by Noxians stirred complicated feelings in her. Noxus had a fearsome reputation in this world, and her own personal biases only added to her dislike of the country and its army. If she hadn't fallen into LeBlanc's hands, she would never have helped the Noxians.

"Caw, caw."

The point man let out a sound like a crow's caw and stopped. The entire squad halted at once. The captain at the front parted the dense foliage. A short distance away, a wall came into view. Ling Ying knew they had reached the fortress guarding the gateway. From this distance, she could see many rebels moving around inside the stronghold and along the walls. The faint glow of bonfires flickered within.

"There are quite a few of them."

As Ling Ying studied the fortress, she also checked the Shadow Vortex in her mind. They were about to fight, and she didn't want anything to go wrong.

"Only seventy percent fused..."

She muttered to herself. Ever since Mother Spider had ambushed her, her Void Power had remained in this state. According to LeBlanc, Mother Spider's shadow was far superior to her Void energy in terms of "level," which was why it had backfired so badly. Even after a month of effort, Ling Ying had only just managed to control the energy around the vortex's outer edge. She was stuck in an awkward position: the shadow blocked her from using her Void energy, but she couldn't fully bend the Shadow Power to her will, either. It had greatly weakened her combat abilities. Ling Ying suspected that LeBlanc had sent her out this time to see if she could "measure up." If she failed to meet LeBlanc's expectations, she guessed the consequences would be unpleasant.

"Forget it. Whatever happens, no one's getting in my way this time!"

Having made up her mind, Ling Ying focused and continued sneaking toward the fortress with the squad.

The fortress was brightly lit beneath the night sky. More than half of the guards without assigned duties had already gone to bed, while those on watch patrolled the walls and the grounds, alert for any Noxians who might show up. Of course, there were also a few restless souls who had come out looking for trouble.

"Hey!! Harry! Come have a couple of drinks!"

A soldier staggered up the stairs to the wall and waved his wineskin at the comrade standing guard with a spear. The other man gave him a scornful look.

"It may be your time off, but you've had too much to drink. You should worry about an enemy cutting your throat when you least expect it."

"Ha! You're such a coward."

The drunken soldier waved a hand impatiently.

"Noxians? They're still several lines away. If you ask me, we used to be scared of those Noxians, but they're not what they used to be! They couldn't beat Demacia, they couldn't beat Ionia, and now they're fighting among themselves. If you ask me, our commander—pah! Our king was right! It's time to drive the Noxians off our land! They don't deserve to be here! Ha!"

The soldier's breath reeked of alcohol. Harry kept a stern face, watching the outside of the wall with unwavering alertness, no matter what the other man said. Before long, the soldier lost interest and left, grumbling.

"Tch, coward!"

The drunk came down the stairs and turned into a dark corner untouched by the lamplight. He glanced inside without thinking. The next second, terror flooded his face. A writhing shadow was hurtling straight at him.

"Gho—"

"Shhk!"

Before the man could cry out, Ling Ying sprang from the shadows. The shadow on her wrist had taken the shape of a Short Sword, and it sliced across the soldier's neck. His head dropped instantly, and his metal helmet struck the floor with a sharp clang.

"What was that?"

The guard named Harry on the wall was instantly alerted. He turned toward the ground below, but before he could make out what had happened, he toppled stiffly to the ground. An arrow with red fletching had pierced his skull, killing him instantly. A figure darted out behind Harry as he fell, dragged his body inside the wall, and vanished without a sound. The whole thing took no more than two seconds. Though she couldn't see the person, Ling Ying knew it was—

Ling Ying silently melted back into the shadows. A moment later, she emerged from another patch of darkness and killed another sentry who had been watching the outside of the wall, then vaulted over it.

"This is Dark Claw. The wall is clear. Everyone, proceed as planned. Group One, prioritize destroying the communication array. Groups Two and Three, escort the mason to the gateway. The rest of you, set traps outside the barracks. Hold off as many rebels as you can and buy the mason time."

The short-range communication spell of the Crimson Elite captain rang in their ears. Their entire operation was a risky one. They had too few people, and the enemy outnumbered them dozens of times over.

"Captain, this is Group Three. You should come take a look. We found some rune cannonballs while clearing the armory..."

A few minutes later, everyone gathered in a large building piled high with weapons and supplies of every kind. But the most eye-catching thing—quite literally—was the neat rows of rune cannonballs in their crates, each glowing faintly with magic.

"Ha, looks like we can make this a lot more interesting."

The War Stone Mason picked up a cannonball the size of his head and smiled with satisfaction, as though he were holding a precious gem. The others instinctively took a step back.

"Careful. That thing could blow us all to kingdom come."

"Tch, what are you afraid of?"

The mason glared at the one who had spoken.

"It could blow those savages to kingdom come, too! And even though it's activated, it won't explode unless you fire it or slam it hard against the ground."

"But those rune cannons are fixed to the walls. There's no way to turn them."

Captain Dark Claw stared silently at the cannonballs for a while. Then, as if struck by an idea, he turned to the mason.

"Is there a way to detonate these cannonballs safely without using the cannons?"

"Huh? Sure. Just blast one with magic. Oh, the Explosive Feather Arrows you're carrying should work, too."

"I see..."

Dark Claw paused again, then let out a soft laugh.

"I've got an idea. Maybe we can make sure these rebels never get out of bed to stop us."

"Vmmmm..."

After lying dormant for a long time, Noxxstra lit up again. With a deep hum that made the ground tremble faintly, the magical Light Screen rippled within the stone gateway, which stood over ten meters tall. At last, the energy gathered in the lower right corner of the frame, forming an oval two or three meters high.

"It worked!"

The mason poked his head out of the maintenance room beside the gate and called to the nearby Crimson Elite guard.

"We've got fifteen minutes starting now!"

"Something's happening!"

Just as they had predicted, the enormous commotion of the gateway restarting roused the entire fortress. Alarms rang out, and the rebel soldiers sat up groggily in their beds. Before they could react, a torrent of explosions and fire swallowed them whole.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Explosions erupted one after another throughout the barracks. Most of the unfortunate rebels hadn't even figured out what was happening before they were sent flying into the air. To pull off this massive attack, the Crimson Elite had placed no fewer than fourteen rune cannonballs around the barracks, and twelve had gone off. Why had the other two failed? Because the Crimson Elite beside Ling Ying had missed with his Explosive Feather Arrow.

"Damn it!"

Clearly nervous after missing the first shot, the Crimson Elite drew his bow again and fired. This time he hit the mark, but for some reason, the runes on the cannonball suddenly dimmed, and it reverted to its locked state. Without the cannonball, the Explosive Feather Arrow alone didn't have enough force to seal off the barracks. The rebels charged out, weapons in hand, filled with the fury of a rude awakening.

"Son of a—!!!"

He cursed, no longer caring about staying hidden. Pulling out two short curved blades, he leaped from behind cover, hoping to kill a few more in the chaos. But after only a few steps, he ran into several rebels wearing breastplates over their nightclothes. They stared at one another for a few seconds before one of the rebels suddenly shouted.

"The Noxians are here!!"

The Crimson Elite guard was startled. He swiftly slashed the man across the throat, and the rebel fell, choking on blood. But his shout had already drawn the attention of the other rebels. Several soldiers quickly surrounded the area. Seeing that things had turned against him, the guard could only throw down a smoke bomb and turn to flee.

"Shit! Even if I don't get punished for this, I'll be in for it when I get back!"

The guard thought as he ran. On the rebel side, now that they knew who they were facing, the mindless panic began to ease. A rebel who looked like a leader drew his sword and raised it, rallying the others.

"Brothers! Charge out! Fight the Noxians!!"

His shout helped restore a little order among the panicking rebels. Led by their leader, they charged toward the barracks' main gate. But before they could reach it, a shadow seemed to peel away from the night and appear before them. The figure didn't advance, simply facing them from where she stood. The night wind lifted her hem, and the black mist swirling around her made her body seem faint and indistinct, as if she might vanish at any moment.

Ling Ying stood alone against an army. It was an army in chaos, but the hundred-to-one odds were still an insurmountable gulf for someone so badly outnumbered. Yet Ling Ying showed no fear. Even the enemy commander couldn't help feeling uneasy.

"Charge past her!! Kill him!!!"

After several seconds of deadlock, the rebels finally made the choice anyone would expect: charge through and tear their obstruction apart with sheer numbers. Ling Ying moved, too. She strode toward the rebels, holding two long swords of different designs.

"Sorry."

Ling Ying whispered so softly that only she could hear. The next instant, she flashed into the rebel formation. Swordlight surged, and in a blink, several heads fell, limbs scattered, and blood gushed like a fountain.

"Ahhh!!! My arm!!"

"Kill him!! Hurry, kill him!!"

"Over here!! Ah! Now she's over there!!"

Ling Ying's charge threw the rebels, who had only just regained some semblance of order, back into chaos. The blood, severed limbs, and even heads of their comrades stirred terror deep in their hearts. Whenever they screamed and swung their weapons at Ling Ying, all they hit was a wisp of drifting black mist.

"Splurt!"

The rebel leader stared in shock at the sword piercing through his chest. It was an exquisite weapon, engraved with runes that gave off a faint glow. But once its blade was smeared with blood and bits of shattered viscera, all its beauty vanished—especially since those things had come from him.

"When?"

That was the last thought he had before Ling Ying swept her sword upward. The Hextech Alloy blade easily cut through flesh and bone, splitting the leader's body in two like a sandwich. Foul, multicolored "filling" spilled across the ground.

"Ahhh!! A ghost! A ghost!!"

At last, one of the soldiers couldn't bear the sensory assault of Ling Ying's bloody slaughter. He dropped his weapon and ran, crying for his mother. The others quickly followed suit. What was the point of fighting when she could kill a man with a single stroke, while they couldn't even touch her? The black mist concealed Ling Ying's form, then abruptly expanded, blanketing the area in front of the barracks. A soldier, not understanding what was happening, charged straight into it. Before long, he stumbled back out, clutching his throat, and collapsed dead on the ground. Ling Ying, who had disappeared moments ago, slowly emerged from the mist and flicked the Doran's Blade in her right hand, flinging a streak of blood across the ground. The sight terrified everyone. More men rushed into the mist, trying to escape, but they never imagined that although the exit was right before them, no matter how they ran, they could not pass through that thin veil of black mist. Every one of them returned to where they had started. Ling Ying still stood in the same spot, her eyes beneath her mask devoid of joy or sorrow, as though the people before her were nothing more than lifeless objects.

"She's going to kill us all!! Brothers!! Fight her!!"

The unbearable fear and despair finally boiled over. The deserters who had been running only moments before realized they couldn't escape. One by one, they seemed to become fearless warriors ready to fight to the death. Without a moment's hesitation, they picked up the weapons they had dropped and charged at her with a roar. Ling Ying watched without expression. As the first man reached her, she nimbly twisted aside, avoiding his powerful but clumsy swing. Her twin swords swept around her in a full 360-degree spin, and the soldier's body was instantly split into three pieces, which thudded to the ground.

"I'll kill you!!!"

A furious roar rang out. A burly soldier leaped several feet into the air, his long blade wrapped in a pale yellow glow as he brought it down toward Ling Ying's head. Ling Ying glanced at him, then abruptly used Shadow Leap to move behind him and swung the Sword of Death at the soldiers caught off guard. Her twin blades moved like a pair of butterflies, every stroke graceful and agile, yet each delivered death with precision. In a mere few dozen seconds, the last soldier before her lost his head. The ground beneath her feet was soaked with blood, and when she stepped on it, it made a sickening squelch that made anyone who heard it blanch.

"Ahhhhhh!! I'll kill you!!!"

A near-hysterical roar came from behind her. It was the man who had just missed with his leaping strike. His face was twisted beyond recognition, the blade in his hands glowing brightly. Ling Ying watched him charge like a raging wild boar, then raised her hand and pulled the trigger of the Hextech Gunblade.

"Bang!"

An energy bullet fired from the opening beneath the gunblade. The man's head exploded like a smashed watermelon, and his headless body carried on from its momentum before crashing into the ground with a thud right in front of Ling Ying. The last rebel had died. They had been lucky enough to escape being blown into the air, only to meet an even more horrific end. Ling Ying surveyed her "masterpiece," sighed, and waved away the black mist surrounding her.

"She's coming out."

Beyond the mist stood several figures: Crimson Elite captain Dark Claw and a few of his men. They must have come to help when their cannonball failed to detonate. They had been trapped outside by the black mist.

"Did you... take care of all of them?"

One of the men approached uncertainly. Ling Ying recognized him as the unlucky fellow beside her earlier who had missed twice. Before she could answer, he glanced at the scene inside the barracks behind her. His face immediately changed, and he covered his mouth before turning and running off to the side. Captain Dark Claw and the others didn't look much better. The Crimson Elite weren't squeamish about blood, but killing was one thing. Ling Ying had left the place looking like a slaughterhouse, a sight that challenged even the ordinary person's senses. The Crimson Elite specialized in assassination and were accustomed to killing their targets with as little commotion as possible. Sometimes they wanted no one to know that a target had died at all. They weren't used to anything like this. It made them look at Ling Ying with a hint of unease. As for Ling Ying, she hadn't meant to make such a bloody mess. But once she started fighting, the smell of blood had stirred the Void Creature within her subconscious. By the time she came to her senses, the scene before her had already become what it was.

"Ahem."

Seeing them instinctively move a step away from her, Ling Ying simply put on a cold expression.

"The original objective has been achieved. Yes, they're all dead."

At the same time, out in the wild, a figure stood at the very top of a towering tree, face hidden beneath a hood, silently watching the fortress that had once again changed hands not far away. He wore a deep-blue cloak, and a bulky Metal Bracer encased half his arm. A faint metallic glint showed through a gap at its tip. The night breeze stirred the strangely shaped cape behind him, making it float around him like a blade.

"General, the fortress has fallen. They restarted the gateway... Understood. Proceed according to plan."

After speaking as if to the air, the man spread his arms like an eagle unfurling its wings and leaped straight down from the treetop. Just before he hit the ground, he flickered and landed on another branch, then continued in the direction of the fortress.