The Ambush

Two days later, the relentless rain finally stopped, and the sodden county seat of Linhe could finally breathe again.

Beneath the deep blue sky in the east, not yet fully dark, a moon the color of clotted blood slowly crept above the horizon.

It dyed half the sky a heart-stopping shade of crimson.

The main tent at the dock was packed with people, and the atmosphere was tense.

Besides Yue Shan's squad, several other sharp-eyed, battle-hardened teams were there too, about thirty or forty people in all. Every one of them held their breath, their eyes fixed on the figure at the center of the tent.

Yue Changkong stood with his hands behind his back, straight as a pine. Today, he wore a dark teal martial outfit cinched with a leather belt, giving him an even leaner, more capable look.

The gentle smile he usually wore had vanished, replaced by a stillness as cold and sharp as a blade.

His gaze slowly swept across every face in the tent. An invisible pressure made the air seem to congeal.

Chen Mo stood just behind Yue Shan's shoulder. He could clearly hear his companions breathing a little harder and catch the faint scent of medicinal herbs.

He, too, quietly regulated his inner breath. A trace of the scorching heat from refining the Red Sun Blood Crystal still seemed to linger in his palm.

The second stage of cultivation, tempering the bones into steel, was excruciating, and progress was slow. Still, the subtle feedback of his bones growing sturdier brought him some comfort.

"Everyone's here." Yue Changkong's expression was grave, and even his voice carried a murderous edge. "I'll get straight to it. Tonight, at midnight, fifteen li west of the city, at the Mass Grave Mound."

He paused. The tent fell so silent that one could hear a pin drop, with only the faint wind outside to break the quiet.

"Those Moon-Worship Cult bastards have chosen the moment when the earth's yin energies converge to set up a Life-Force Extraction Ritual Array at the Mass Grave Mound. They intend to steal the blood and life force from hundreds of li around and pour it into that Life-Force Cauldron, helping some old ghoul of theirs cling to life." Yue Changkong's tone was even, but his words dripped with icy killing intent. "We won't let them run rampant across the three counties of Linhe."

"We have two objectives." He raised two fingers. "First, once their array reaches its most critical moment, I'll personally break it and seize the cauldron. That cauldron and the life force gathered inside will be of great use to us."

A feverish gleam flashed in many eyes.

The Life-Force Cauldron was clearly an extraordinary treasure. The immense vitality it contained would be a great boon to cultivators, and might even provide an opportunity to break through to a new realm.

As for the ordinary people whose blood and life force had been stolen, everyone present instinctively ignored them.

"Second," Yue Changkong said, lowering his hand as his tone abruptly turned colder, "once the array is broken, the core disciples sustaining it will suffer a backlash and lose much of their strength."

"Your task is to form a perimeter and stop them from escaping."

He pointed to several sections marked out in the tent, each corresponding to a different squad. "Yue Shan, take your people to the east. Zhao Meng, the west. Qian Shaokun, the south. Sun Yisheng, the north."

"Each squad, take up your assigned position and lie in ambush. Wait for my signal."

Yue Changkong's voice was sharp and unyielding. "Remember, tonight's operation has only one principle: eight words."

His gaze swept over the crowd again, and he enunciated each word: "Root them out, leave no survivors."

That meant every Moon-Worship Cult disciple present—from the heart of the array to the outermost sentry line, regardless of rank or strength—would be slaughtered to ensure not a word of this got out.

Chen Mo's heart gave a slight jolt. He had always thought the two sides were working together. He hadn't expected the Bureau of Strange Suppression to have this in mind.

It seemed Yue Changkong's real target was that Life-Force Cauldron.

"Move out. Tonight, I want not a soul left alive at the Mass Grave Mound."

"Yes!" The people in the tent answered with a low, unified roar. The canvas muffled their voices, but their grim, bloodthirsty resolve still rang through.

The crowd filed out, each person returning to their squad's camp.

After giving a few instructions, Yue Shan led several people toward the western side of the city.

By then, darkness had fully fallen. A blood moon as large as a round platter hung high in the sky, bathing the earth in an eerie, dark-red glow.

The night wind carried the earthy, decaying stench peculiar to the Mass Grave Mound, adding to the foreboding atmosphere.

They avoided the main road, moving through the abandoned streets and field paths west of the city, light on their feet and careful not to make a sound.

Yue Shan led the way, clearly familiar with the terrain.

After about fifteen minutes of running, they had left the bustle of the dockside camp behind. Only the wind and their footsteps remained.

Only then did Yue Shan slow down and fall into step beside the others, beginning to quietly assign their tasks.

"Listen up. We're responsible for securing the eastern perimeter." His voice was barely above a whisper. "The ground east of the Mass Grave Mound is relatively flat. There are a few abandoned funeral homes and piles of rubble. Those are likely spots for them to break out in different directions or set up outer sentries."

"Zhao Tie, leave the squad early and circle around behind that small rise to the east. Set up the Yin-Locking Pulse-Severing Array and the Lost-Track Illusion Smoke Array!"

"You don't need a large area. Cover the fifty paces in front of our eastern line."

"Did you bring enough materials?"

Zhao Tie nodded firmly and patted the bulging bag at his side. "Plenty. I surveyed the local earth energy. The ley lines near that rise to the east are fairly even, so the arrays should work well there. Once they're set, I'll monitor them from the array's eye. If a powerful enemy tries to break through, I'll activate the Dragon-Trapping Stake to hold them off briefly and send a signal."

"Good." Yue Shan continued, "Zhou Ling, take the small hill on the higher ground to the east."

"You'll have a clear view from there, overlooking our entire eastern line. Prioritize the enemies who pose the greatest threat to us."

Zhou Ling licked her slightly chapped lips, excitement flickering in her eyes. "Understood, Captain. I won't let a single one slip through!"

"Wu Tong." Yue Shan turned to Wu Tong, whose face was still somewhat pale. "Your injuries haven't healed. You shouldn't fight for long."

"Protect Zhao Tie and Zhou Ling. If the enemy has the upper hand, retreat immediately and regroup with us."

Wu Tong tightened his grip on his long saber. "Don't worry, Captain."

Finally, Yue Shan looked at Chen Mo. "You'll stay with me as mobile support."

"Okay." Chen Mo nodded without objection. He'd be safer with the captain.

"Get to work." Yue Shan waved to the others, then gestured for Chen Mo to follow.

The two left the main road and crept along a narrow path almost swallowed by weeds, heading for the assigned pile of stones.

The night wind brushed through the grass, rustling softly. The ominous feeling coming from the Mass Grave Mound grew stronger with every step.

Only after everyone else had disappeared from sight did Yue Shan turn to Chen Mo. "That Paper Doll at the Mass Grave Mound a few nights ago was you, right?"

Chen Mo's heart gave a sudden leap!

He hadn't expected anyone to notice him that night.

He steadied himself and admitted frankly, "It was me."

Yue Shan didn't seem inclined to press him on it. Instead, he nodded. "It's good to be cautious. But what you saw was only the tip of the iceberg."