Stealth and Assassination

Clockwork clicked and turned, brass gears spinning as the Clockwork Court Guard's neck rotated sharply. Its red-lit observation prism swung toward the birdcall.

Xia Lun gripped his Short Sword in reverse and vaulted silently over the railing.

The setting sun shone in from outside the cave. The flat of the blade reflected Xia Lun's dark eyes, while its edge pointed at the half-exposed clockwork gear on the guard's back.

"Click, click."

Xia Lun controlled his breathing and footsteps. The ticking clockwork drowned out his steps, his breath, and his heartbeat as he drew closer to the guard.

His heart gradually sped up. The thrill of stalking prey left his mouth dry. Just then, the Clockwork Court Guard's observation prism suddenly changed from red to green.

"Hum."

As the prism changed color, the brass gears reversed. Amid the clatter of gears and bearings, the Clockwork Court Guard's head turned backward like the hand of a clock—seemingly slow, but actually fast!

Xia Lun's heart sank. He was about to rush in for the kill when another birdcall, mimicked by Tina, sounded behind the guard.

The guard's gears stopped for a moment. Then it looked toward the sound again and saw a spot of light roaming across the wall.

Renee had used Light Control to create the spot.

"Click, click."

At the sight of the moving light and the sound of birdsong around it, the guard's decision-making module whirred and clicked. Its prism flickered rapidly between red and green, yet it did nothing. It seemed to have fallen into an endless loop. It had bugged out.

The next instant, Xia Lun grabbed the guard's wing, pushed off with his foot, and climbed to the base of the wing on its back. Before it could react, he swung his sword at the ticking gear.