Night Raid

PS: One more chapter, coming later.

The Cultist who had been singled out was tall and thin. Beneath his mask, his face went slightly pale.

But he did not dare disobey orders. He could only steel himself and step forward, standing beside Shen Chu as he said in a low voice, "Squad Leader, I'll go with you."

Shen Chu nodded, tightening his grip on the long saber in his hand. Together with the tall, thin man, he silently made his way toward the post station under cover of night.

Shen Chu and the tall, thin man climbed over the post station's earthen wall one after the other without making a sound.

When Shen Chu's feet landed softly on the ground, the courtyard was utterly still. Only the crickets in the corners chirped one after another.

Dim light seeped from the windows of several rooms, and faint, even snores could be heard coming from one of them.

Of the four men keeping watch, two were dozing against the corridor pillars, their heads bobbing as the weapons in their hands nearly slipped to the ground.

The other two sat beside the goods piled in the middle of the courtyard. Though their eyes were still open, their eyelids were fighting each other; they were clearly exhausted.

The tall, thin man craned his neck for a look. Seeing how silent the courtyard was and how drowsy the night watchmen had become, he let out a sigh of relief and smiled at Shen Chu.

"Squad Leader, looks like the sleeping smoke has taken effect. These people are practically sleeping themselves to death. This job is as good as done."

He rubbed his hands together, then edged closer, piling a fawning smile onto his face.

"Squad Leader, from now on, I'll follow you. Whatever you need, just say the word. I'll climb mountains of blades and plunge into seas of fire without even furrowing my brow!"

Shen Chu glanced at him through his mask and chuckled. In a mild tone, he said, "Easy, easy. Brother, I appreciate the sentiment. Don't worry, I'll take good care of you."

The tall, thin man felt delighted, believing he had latched onto a rising star.

He turned toward the nearest room and reached out, preparing to push open the door and check inside.

The instant his hand touched the door panel, a tremendous force suddenly came from behind him.

Shen Chu drove a kick into his lower back, vicious and precise!

The tall, thin man lost his balance completely. With a startled cry, he slammed through the wooden door with a bang.

He tumbled and scrambled into the room, rolling twice across the floor. Dazed and battered, he sprawled there with a blank look on his face, still unable to figure out what had happened.

The commotion inside immediately alerted the night watchmen in the courtyard.

The two men who had been dozing jolted awake, snatching up their weapons and charging over. The two beside the cargo pile also sprang to their feet and shouted harshly, "Who's there?!"

The tall, thin man tried in a panic to rise and draw his saber, but the watchmen had already rushed before him. A staff swept sideways and struck his wrist squarely, knocking the half-drawn saber back into its sheath.

Another staff immediately smashed into the back of his knee. The tall, thin man cried out and dropped to one knee. Two men forced him to the ground together, twisting his arms behind his back and tying him up tightly.

"Thieves! There are thieves!"

One of the watchmen shouted loudly.

Right after that, the door of a nearby room was yanked open. Xu Zhibao rushed out with a saber in hand, his clothes disheveled.

He had clearly been jolted awake from sleep, but his eyes had already regained their clarity.

After swiftly sweeping his gaze over the courtyard, he asked in a deep voice, "What happened?"

"Constable Xu! We caught a thief who climbed over the wall!"

The watchmen reported.

Xu Zhibao strode over, glanced at the tall, thin man bound on the ground, then raised his head and swept his sharp, eagle-like gaze around the courtyard.

Rather than relaxing his guard, he tightened his grip on his saber and said in a low voice, "Stay alert! There may be more than one!"

At that moment, Shen Chu had already activated [Breath Concealment], completely concealing his presence.

He pressed himself close to the shadows in the courtyard, like a lifeless stone merging into the darkness.

Outside the courtyard gates, the black-masked leader heard the startled cries and sounds of fighting from within the post station. His expression changed at once.

He knew the scout had been exposed. Without further hesitation, he yanked the long saber from his waist and shouted sharply, "We've been exposed! No more waiting! Everyone, charge in with me! Leave none alive!"

Dozens of Red Lotus Sect Cultists shouted in unison and surged toward the post station like a tide!

The first to break through the gates were four or five Cultists wielding long sabers. They kicked open the already tottering wooden doors and rushed into the courtyard with shouts, only to run headlong into Xu Zhibao, who had long since readied his blade.

Xu Zhibao's gaze flashed like lightning. Instead of retreating, he advanced. His saber carved a fierce arc through the dimness.

Before the leading Cultist could even swing his blade, Xu Zhibao's saber cleaved into his shoulder. Blood sprayed, and the man screamed as he collapsed to the ground.

Xu Zhibao then shifted aside, evading another man's thrust. He swept his blade backward, striking the man squarely beneath the ribs. Another Cultist fell.

"Form up! Hold every entrance!"

Xu Zhibao shouted.

Though the four yamen runners were terrified, years of training made them instinctively form a back-to-back formation. Their long staffs thrust out together, temporarily forcing back the Cultists trying to rush into the rooms.

The two guards also stood before Li Chengwen's door, gripping single-edged sabers as they stared tensely into the darkness ahead.

Footsteps, shouts, and the clash of weapons filled the darkness.

Torchlight flickered wildly amid the chaos, stretching every shadow into something twisted and vicious.

Li Chengwen hid inside the room, clutching a door-bar in his hands. Hearing the earth-shaking cries of battle outside, his face turned deathly pale and his whole body trembled.

He wanted to rush out and help, but his legs felt as heavy as if they had been filled with lead. Even standing up took all his strength.

Yet amid the chaos, one figure moved through every corner of the courtyard like a ghost.

Shen Chu had activated [Breath Concealment], completely suppressing his presence. His whole body seemed to have melted into the night.

He wore a gray mask and the clothing of a Red Lotus Sect Cultist. Shielded by darkness and confusion, almost no one noticed his existence.

Without a sound, he circled behind a Red Lotus Sect Cultist who was locked in combat with a yamen runner.

All of the Cultist's attention was focused on the opponent before him. He did not notice in the slightest that someone had appeared behind him.

Shen Chu extended his long saber in a flat thrust. The tip pierced precisely into the Cultist's back, through his heart, then withdrew cleanly.

The Cultist's body stiffened slightly. Before he could even cry out, he crumpled limply to the ground.

Then [Incense Offering to All Living Beings] activated!

[Incense Offering to All Living Beings absorption progress: 10/100]

Hm?

The absorption progress had sped up a little this time?

Looks like that was a benefit brought by leveling up!

Shen Chu had no time to think further. His figure flickered, and he once again melted into the darkness.

On the other side of the battlefield, a Red Lotus Sect Cultist was raising his saber to strike at a guard's back.

The guard was doing all he could to fend off the enemy in front of him, completely unaware of the danger behind him.

Just as the blade was about to fall, a hand reached out from the darkness and firmly gripped the Cultist's wrist.