Chapter 27: Shifting Strategies

The fire at the official residence caused quite a commotion. By the time soldiers rushed out from within, all the civilians had retreated indoors, too afraid to even peek outside. They had witnessed firsthand what these marauding troops were capable of since their arrival. Any defiant resistance had long been brutally extinguished.

“Commandant Zhu, none of General Fan’s trusted aides have emerged.”

This observation visibly troubled the leader’s expression.

“What…should we do next?” The group of soldiers gathered around Commandant Zhu, awaiting his instructions.

They understood well that with their skills alone, capturing such elusive enemies was beyond them. However, they needed to display determination before the general; otherwise, if he caught them slacking amidst his fury, there’d be no arguing against harsh punishment.

“Follow standard procedures and search thoroughly,” Commandant Zhu replied, casting a glance at the questioning captain. “Stay alert—our general is incensed right now, so avoid drawing undue attention.”

“Yes, sir.” Upon hearing Commandant Zhu’s orders, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

No one wants to die, and these soldiers were no exception. Their loyalty was genuine, but it depended on whom they served. If Prince Ning were present, their devotion would be unwavering, but with General Fan, the depth of their loyalty remained uncertain.

After dispersing, the soldiers swiftly began searching the streets.

Meanwhile, Chen Luo did not venture far after escaping the county yamen. Instead, he concealed himself in a nearby building, replenishing his spent inner qi while seeking another opportunity.

He was determined to assassinate General Fan today!

Without rescuing Shimei, how could he simply flee? His initial departure aimed to extricate himself from immediate danger, shifting his role from prey to predator. Exploiting one’s strengths against an opponent’s weaknesses is always the superior strategy. Charging head-on, single-handedly facing thousands, directly combating archers, poison arrows, and hidden weapons, was not his style - at least not yet in this stage of his abilities.

Once Commandant Zhu and his men left, Chen Luo swiftly changed direction and stealthily returned to the official residence.

Following the earlier assassination attempt, chaos had engulfed the official residence. General Fan’s alarmed subordinates conducted searches everywhere, lighting torches in dark corners to prevent further ambushes. However, this level of scrutiny posed no threat to Chen Luo.

As long as he wasn’t surrounded, there was no one within the residence who could match him.

After evading several hidden sentries, Chen Luo returned to the courtyard where General Fan resided.

This General Fan proved to be audacious, choosing not to leave his familiar surroundings—a wise move for someone intelligent. If he truly lost his mind and fled alone in the dead of night, that would have been sheer foolishness.

“Bring forth these women and arrange them on the platform according to their birth dates, without any mistakes,” commanded General Fan from below, referring to a book in hand while issuing orders to nearby soldiers.

Even Chen Luo sensed something amiss this time.

‘Could that book be some extraordinary secret manual?’ Chen Luo’s eyes flickered with curiosity.

The fact that General Fan refused to part with the booklet indicated it concealed significant secrets.

With this thought, Chen Luo swiftly moved to conceal himself at a corner near the wall.

At the corner of the courtyard stood a large tree, slightly away from General Fan’s central command platform. Only three soldiers were stationed here, each holding torches that brightly illuminated the area.

Crouched on the rooftop, Chen Luo lifted a roof tile with one hand. With a slight exertion of his fingers, the tile shattered into multiple pieces.

Puff! Puff! Puff!

Infusing these fragments with inner qi, they flew like hidden weapons effortlessly piercing the throats of the three soldiers. The men collapsed instantly, unable to utter a single cry.

“Who’s there?!”

Despite Chen Luo’s utmost caution, the falling torches caught the attention nearby.

Immediately, someone shouted loudly at the disturbance, alerting everyone present.

“It’s Ji Chun and the others.”

“They’re dead!”

The voices erupted into chaos, causing all to tense up instantly. Gripping their weapons tightly, they nervously scanned their surroundings. Under the pitch-black sky, it felt as though a demonic lord had opened its maw, creating an overwhelming sense of dread.

During the initial siege, this feeling was absent, but now, realizing the roles had reversed, everyone suddenly understood the terrifying prowess of a Bone Tempering Realm expert.

“Don’t panic! If that scoundrel dares to show himself, I’ll chop him up and feed him to dogs!” General Fan roared furiously, kicking aside one of his soldiers without concern for their reactions. Undeterred, he forcefully ordered them to continue with the mission.

The kicked soldier, feeling aggrieved yet不敢反抗, reluctantly followed General Fan back.

Shhhf.

A flash of black light streaked through the air.

With a sudden ‘pfft,’ just two steps away, a soldier’s throat was pierced, spraying General Fan’s face with hot blood. Simultaneously, several other soldiers met the same fate. Strangely, despite being numerous, not a single person could locate the attacker throughout these incidents. Each time they rushed over, they found only empty corners.

“Come out and fight fair and square, you cowardly sneak!” The voice echoed loudly, reaching beyond the official residence walls.

Even Wang Dajiang, hidden nearby from Sha Lake Gang, heard it.

‘Truly a formidable master, striking fear into those imperial hounds, reduced to mere barking impotently. Xiao Min might have a chance now,’ Wang Dajiang thought excitedly, contemplating whether it would be appropriate to find a suitable match for his niece once this crisis passes.

This ‘Senior Brother’ certainly impressed him; as Master Ma’s disciple, his martial prowess was truly formidable.

Thud! Thud!

In the courtyard, two more bodies collapsed to the ground.

Identical technique, identical hidden weapon.

The surrounding soldiers grew increasingly fearful, abandoning their defensive formation and huddling together for safety. Even General Fan felt helpless, deeply regretting not taking the risk earlier, which now left them at a disadvantage.

His only recourse was to taunt their opponent relentlessly, hoping to force them out into the open.

“A mighty Bone Tempering Realm expert, reduced to cowardly ambushes from the shadows? Is your martial path that of vermin?”

However, Chen Luo had always been remarkably composed, and after surviving those perilous moments, he had emerged transformed. Stability above all else! There was no way General Fan’s few words could provoke him into revealing himself.

Ten minutes later.

Several more men had died, leaving only a handful alive in the courtyard, including both overt forces and hidden sentries. The rooftops and houses were nearly destroyed by General Fan’s group, yet they still failed to capture the assailant.

Their opponent seemed like a ghost, with not even a trace of shadow visible.

Now, everyone gathered in the spacious courtyard, having cut down nearby trees to eliminate potential hiding spots. Without any cover, another surprise attack would be far less likely.

Shunk!

Yet again, another soldier fell to the ground.

“It’s a sleeve dart!” The soldier examining the fallen body grimaced.

Despite their efforts to create a secure area, it was rendered useless by a single sleeve dart. They had protected against rocks but not these hidden weapons!

“General, it matches your sleeve dart markings,” someone recognized, causing General Fan’s expression to darken further.

The group hastily returned to his room and found it thoroughly ransacked. Not only were the silver notes missing, but even General Fan’s favorite sleeve darts had vanished.

Thud!

More sounds echoed as soldiers at the rear collapsed lifelessly.

‘Only seven left: four with concealed weapons, three with swords.’

Hidden in the shadows, Chen Luo scanned the remaining seven individuals like a venomous snake ready to strike. Among over a hundred brains, the one specialized in observing enemies swiftly provided feedback.

“Stay vigilant.”

General Fan’s grip tightened on his iron spear, palms growing sweaty. With few men left around him, he gazed into the dark night sky, feeling regret for the first time. If they hadn’t come to Qingya County, would this calamity have been avoided? Simultaneously, anger surged within him—when had a prestigious imperial general ever been pushed to such desperation by a mere jianghu wanderer? Determined to hold out until dawn, he vowed to capture this rogue and exterminate his entire family lineage once daylight broke.

In response, another body thudded to the ground.

The oppressive force unleashed when a Bone Tempering Realm expert discards all shame was truly formidable.

Now, with only a few remaining defenders in the courtyard, they could no longer hold off their assailant. Even if the enemy were to openly confront them, they would not stand a chance. However, the hidden adversary remained cautious, refusing to reveal themselves even at this stage, opting for relentless sneak attacks instead.

“Kill one and break even; kill two and it’s a profit! If you don’t show yourself, I’ll slaughter these women.”

Under the threat of death, the remaining soldiers finally lost their minds.

No longer concerned about the general’s attachment to the women, their sole aim became forcing the lurking viper out into the open. Two soldiers brandishing swords swiftly charged towards the unconscious He Min and her companions.

Shwip, shwip, shwip.

More sleeve darts flew forth. Before the three charging soldiers had taken more than a couple of steps, the arrows pierced through their throats.

Their eyes widened dramatically as blood streamed from their necks. Even in death, they never saw where their attacker was concealed.