"I-I'll go with you!"
Huang Shan's fingers turned slightly white around her sword from the force of her grip. Though tension filled her cool, beautiful face, a stubborn resolve shone in her eyes.
Mo Yun rubbed his brow, feeling rather helpless.
He knew that although Huang Shan seemed cold and distant, she was actually warmhearted.
But after a moment's hesitation, he still shook his head. "No. You're the strongest person here besides me. You have to protect Zhao Gang and the servants. If we both go inside, who'll protect the people out here?"
He paused, his tone softening. "I'm not going in alone to throw my life away. I'm just checking the situation. If things look bad, I have my own way of getting out. Keeping them safe would be the greatest help you could give me."
Hearing this, Huang Shan bit her lower lip and remained silent for a long while. Finally, she slowly loosened her grip on her sword hilt and answered quietly, "A-all right. You must be careful."
Mo Yun nodded without saying anything more. He drew a deep breath and turned toward the Earthen Fortress's gate.
The thick, iron-clad wooden gate stood ajar, leaving a gap just wide enough for one person to slip through sideways. Mo Yun squeezed inside.
Deathly silence filled the Earthen Fortress.
This was not the ordinary hush of a quiet night, but a chilling, tomb-like stillness.
Not even insects or birds could be heard. Only Mo Yun's footsteps and breathing echoed through the empty Earthen Fortress.
The ground beneath his feet was hard-packed yellow earth, giving off a faint, sandy rustle with each step.
The Earthen Fortress was much larger inside than it appeared from outside.
A straight passage led inward from the entrance, lined on both sides with stone rooms