Crackle, pop.
The bamboo burned, letting out sharp snaps from time to time.
Mark sat beside the campfire, carefully smoothing a Bamboo Flute. The bamboo soon became a beautiful flute in his hands. He even had the leisure to carve two turtles into it and add an inscription.
"Let me try it."
Once Mark had finished, he blew the bamboo dust off the flute.
Then he closed his eyes and began to play. The gentle melody flowed through the bamboo grove like water, slowly soaking into every corner.
Shadowy figures approached swiftly through the darkness. The instant they entered the grove, Nameless opened one eye, and the others woke as well.
"They're not here with good intentions."
Ye Wenlu slowly sat up and picked up a burning piece of bamboo to light his cigarette.
Just then, dozens of black-clad men rushed out of the darkness. Mark kept playing the Bamboo Flute. Delia and Ni Hongye moved first, drawing their blades to meet the attackers. Within two exchanges, the two women had cut them all down.
"Such powerful swordsmanship! They spotted our men's openings at a glance!"
In the shadows, the leader of the Ashura Guard, the Great Ashura, narrowed his eyes and decided to stop testing them.
He led his men straight at Nameless and the others. Though they served the imperial court, the Ashura Guard had to dispose of the emperor's dirty secrets in the shadows. For that reason, they never used the bows and crossbows the court forbade commoners to possess.
Seeing the masked men charge, Nameless rose to meet the one who appeared to be their leader. The two engaged in an instant.
And it truly was hand-to-hand combat!
Nameless blocked the leader's blade with his hand, then slashed at his neck. The leader could only raise