A gale howled through the valley, carrying a faint buzzing sound. A massive patch of light tore through the night, moving slowly across the ink-dark river.
Looking up, one could vaguely make out a small black dot hovering in the distant sky. It was a helicopter flying in violation of the ban.
On a distant hilltop, silver-haired Angers lowered his binoculars, his gaze sharp behind the lenses. "Yours?"
"No." The reply came from an Elder in Tang Suit, his voice steady and naturally commanding. "Besides, this stretch of river has been completely sealed off. Civilian vessels and aircraft are strictly forbidden. Anything that appears here... should not be here."
"A third party." A young girl's clear voice came from beside them. She was staring intently at the laptop on her lap, its screen flickering with the unmistakable interface of a game.
The girl wore an exquisite Tang-style dress, its skirts spreading over the rocks like drifting clouds. Her long hair was unbound and casually draped over her shoulders. She wore no makeup, yet possessed a lively, ethereal charm. Her small, rounded face was framed by skin so pale it seemed nearly translucent, while her delicate features resembled those of a beauty stepped out of an ancient painting. The phrase "features like a painting" could not have suited her better.
Beside her sat a bronze box wrapped in layer upon layer of chains. Strange dark-red patterns covered its surface, as though it imprisoned something deeply ominous, radiating a faintly unsettling aura.
"Should we intercept it?" The Elder in Tang Suit turned to the girl, his tone respectful.
"No need." Without looking up, the girl's fingers danced lightly across the keyboard. "Let them go. We have only two responsibilities: ensure that the Dragon Raja's secrets are not exposed, and guarantee the absolute