Let's Blow Them Up

A'yi had repaired the road leading to Dingye City, a passage set deep inside a cavern. Standing at the cave's opening, A'yu instructed A'yi to shift the exit ninety-six li to the north. A'yi pulled open a stone door set into the rock wall. Behind it was a control console. She pulled down two levers and turned a valve open. *Hiss—* A cloud of steam vented out. Beneath the console, connecting rods rose and fell, and gears ground together. The entire cave shuddered for a moment, then began moving northward. A'yu frowned. "No good, that's making far too much noise!" A'yi cranked the valve back two turns. The noise lessened, but the exit's movement slowed considerably as well. A'yu shook her head. "Still too loud." A'yi closed it by another half-turn, but A'yu was still dissatisfied. "Close it another half-turn." "Another half-turn?" A'yi protested. "That wouldn't even be as fast as walking! It's ninety-six li—when on earth are we going to get there?" Zhao Xiaowan said to A'yu, "Elder Sister, moving too slowly won't do either. We need to reach their camp within an hour. A long delay breeds too many complications, which works against us." A'yu trusted Zhao Xiaowan's judgment. "I suppose an hour makes sense." A'yi operated the valve with exaggerated care. "Whatever Xiaowan says is always right. Why don't you swear an oath of brotherhood with her instead?" A'yu snapped, "You dimwit, she's not my own flesh and blood. How could I swear brotherhood with her?" A'yi retorted indignantly, "My dad isn't your own flesh and blood either! Why did you swear brotherhood with him?" A'yu said, "We're sworn sisters, and he and I are sworn siblings. How is that the same thing?" Jiu'er piped up, "Mother, did you give birth to us first, or swear brotherhood with us first?" A'yu grew even angrier. "She's an idiot, and you're an idiot too? Obviously I gave birth to you first before we could swear brotherhood!" Jiu'er shook her head. "That's not what you said when we kowtowed. You said our bond was predestined in a past life." A'yu thought it over and found that made a lot of sense. "Then we must have sworn brotherhood first." Hong Ying whispered to Li Banfeng, "I think my bond with Xiaowan was predestined in a past life too. Do you think she gave birth to me?" Li Banfeng looked at Hong Ying and said with utmost conviction, "I am not crazy. I've had a doctor check me. Say whatever you want, but I am definitely not crazy." *Clang! Dang!* The cavern jolted again. A'yu cursed at A'yi, "You wretched wench! I told you to take it easy! Are your ears painted on? Are you terrified Dingye City won't wake up?" *** Qiao Yi tossed and turned on his couch, unable to sleep. Critic had ultimately come ashore. Because Qiao Yi had never issued a clear order to intercept him, the naval forces hadn't dared attack an imperial commissioner's vessel, leaving them no choice but to watch him disembark at the harbor. "It was bad enough that the navy had no backbone, but the Ministry of Rites is just as spineless!" Qiao Yi pressed a hand to his forehead, grinding his teeth in fury. The Ministry of Rites had gone to welcome the imperial commissioner in accordance with protocol, and Qiao Yi had told them to stall Critic as best they could. Who would have guessed that Hou Yunchang, the Minister of Rites, not only failed to stop him, but actually prepared a dedicated mansion and comfortably settled Critic in? When Qiao Yi had berated the minister, Hou Yunchang hadn't shown a shred of guilt. *Stop Critic?* *Why didn't you stop him yourself?* *He's an imperial commissioner; obstructing him is an offense to begin with.* *He's a grandmaster of Disease Cultivation—what would happen if he brushed against you?* *Even without touching him, Hou Yunchang had gone home trembling.* *You, Qiao Yi, want to play the noble statesman, so why should someone else take the fall?* Hou Yunchang felt he had done the right thing by getting him settled quickly so he wouldn't wander about. Yet with Critic sleeping right there in Chaoge, how could Qiao Yi sleep at all? By two in the morning, weariness finally overtook Qiao Yi. Just as he drifted into a light doze, Nian Shangyou rushed in to report: "My lord, disaster has struck!" Qiao Yi snapped his eyes open, annoyance on his face. "What is causing such panic?" Nian Shangyou stepped forward to report, but Qiao Yi raised a hand, signaling him not to come too close. Nian Shangyou had embraced Critic during the day. Many people had seen it. Finding a suitable distance to stop, Nian Shangyou reported, "My lord, Haocheng has come under surprise attack. The unfinished altar may be in grave danger." Upon hearing this, Qiao Yi flared up in rage. "I ordered the Ministry of War to establish an airtight perimeter around Haocheng! Did they treat my orders as child's play?" Nian Shangyou looked closely at the dispatch. "The Ministry of War's deployments were quite thorough, actually. So far, they have prevented the enemy from penetrating Haocheng." Qiao Yi retorted, "So because the city hasn't fallen, their defense is thorough? If they had truly put their minds to it, the enemy wouldn't have appeared outside the walls in the first place!" This demand was patently unreasonable. Given the Inner State's unique layout and vast expanse of ocean, preventing the enemy from even approaching Haocheng was a near-impossible task. Furthermore, Haocheng's defenses were solid. Ma Junyang had led a force in an ambush and captured two warships, but following that initial strike, they had made no further headway, nor did they have any hope of breaching the city. The defending soldiers had performed almost flawlessly. Yet Qiao Yi cared nothing for that. The altar at Haocheng could not suffer the slightest mishap—that was his absolute bottom line. Besides, the raid on Haocheng had to be intimately linked to Critic's arrival. He immediately ordered the Ministry of War to reinforce Haocheng and instructed Nian Shangyou to keep a close watch on Critic's movements. Nian Shangyou looked at Qiao Yi. "My lord, I began my career as a military officer. I understand strategy. I can go to Haocheng as well." Qiao Yi refused. "There are plenty who can fight a battle, but few who can keep an eye on Critic. Puluo Province mixes truth with falsehood, and there's no telling what schemes they are playing. Critic must be watched by someone trustworthy." Nian Shangyou pressed on, "My lord, the Minister of War is a very reliable man. He should be more than capable of keeping watch on Critic." Just as Qiao Yi was about to lose his temper, he noticed something off about Nian Shangyou. Nian Shangyou was staring straight at him, his gaze unyielding, without the slightest hesitation. Ever since he returned from receiving Critic, Nian Shangyou had seemed off. At the moment, pushing him too hard appeared unwise. "Shangyou, I know how hard you have worked. Very well. Take troops to Haocheng, and send the Minister of War to see me." *** Ma the Fifth was aboard a captured warship, locked in battle with the defending forces near Haocheng. Lightbulb marveled, "Everyone says the Fifth Young Master is well-traveled and knowledgeable, but who knew you were so skilled at naval warfare too?" Ma the Fifth shook his head. "I'm not skilled at all. I don't even know how to steer this boat." While Little Chuanzi was still examining the ship's mechanisms, Pineapple brought word: "Enemy reinforcements are arriving soon." Ma the Fifth immediately ordered, "Retreat!" Little Chuanzi asked, "What about this ship?" "Abandon it! Fall back at once!" Ma the Fifth's decision was correct. If they tried to take the ship with them, they would never escape the navy's pursuit. Little Chuanzi hated to leave it behind; the craftsmanship was exquisite. He wanted to strip off a few components, but despite trying several craft techniques, he couldn't dislodge them in time. Ma the Fifth led the group back toward Tianyi City. Nectarine asked, "Is the battle over just like that?" "Hold on a bit longer," Ma the Fifth said to Pineapple. "Brother, let's make a few more sweeps around Haocheng and stall for as much time as possible." On a deck nearby, Nian Shangyou peered through a spyglass for a good while. "They're retreating already? Aren't they leaving a bit too quickly?" The commander sent by the Ministry of War was named Lu Tangsheng, originally a grass carp spirit, and a former comrade of Nian Shangyou. Lu Tangsheng said to Nian Shangyou, "Brother Nian, the moment they showed themselves, they ran. My guess is this was a diversionary probe. Perhaps something big is about to happen elsewhere, and they came here deliberately to tie us down." Nian Shangyou shook his head. "Not necessarily. They might not be fleeing; they could be regrouping to launch a general assault." "Surely not!" Lu Tangsheng expressed deep doubt. "To launch an assault, they need ships. I dispatched six warships earlier to scout, and they didn't spot a single enemy vessel." Nian Shangyou said, "My guess is they've shifted toward Dongcheng. Order an immediate pursuit." Lu Tangsheng shook his head slightly. "Pursuing them toward Dongcheng might be a bit too risky." Nian Shangyou fixed his eyes on Lu Tangsheng. "Brother Lu, what would you suggest we do then?" Lu Tangsheng was a cautious man. "Step up patrols, reinforce defenses, and if nothing unusual happens, return to report our duty accomplished." Nian Shangyou asked, "And once you return, what if you are ordered to attend to the imperial commissioner?" Lu Tangsheng blurted out, "Why would I see him?" Nian Shangyou said, "Perhaps to have a little chat with his Excellency. Tell me, do you think this enemy raid has anything to do with that commissioner?" *Have a chat with the imperial commissioner...* Lu Tangsheng pondered for a moment, then spun around and barked, "Signal all ships! Pursue the enemy at full speed! Do not let a single one escape!" *** Ma the Fifth was just preparing to pull everyone back when Pineapple suddenly warned, "The enemy is chasing us!" Chu Er said, "Our feint was pretty obvious. Why is the Inner State getting so worked up?" Xiao Yeci felt a bit nervous. "Looks like they want a hard clash." He Yuxiu rolled up her sleeves. "Fine by me. I happen to love playing rough." *** Qiao Yi paced back and forth in his residence. In less than half an hour, he had issued three successive orders to tighten security across Chaoge. He felt Haocheng might not be the real target. He worried someone was planning to strike Chaoge itself, and if Critic took advantage of the chaos to unleash pestilence, the fallout would be catastrophic. With more and more soldiers taking to the streets, He Jiaqing found walking from the First Ring City to the Ninth Ring City increasingly difficult. When he reached the island of the Ninth Ring City, He Jiaqing heard a familiar voice: "You actually showed up." He Jiaqing said, "A deal agreed upon beforehand is not something I'd back out on." Old Train praised, "Good lad. You've got more guts than Xiao Laoqian. But mind our deal: since we're making a move, we need to take a decent piece off the Great Crucible. Don't think scraping a few copper shavings will do the trick." "Don't worry, there'll be plenty of weight!" He Jiaqing gritted his teeth and followed Old Train and Lian Buda into the Eastern Palace, heading toward the courtyard. The Great Crucible stood right in the center of the courtyard. He Jiaqing took out his ring, and Old Train pulled out his saw. Lian Buda kept his voice low. "Don't rush when you make your move. Wait until I pour the oil first." *** A'yi had shifted the cavern's exit ninety-six li north, placing it upon a hillside. The Bandit-Subduing Battalion's encampment was exceptionally well-concealed; A'yi couldn't even spot a glimmer of firelight. But after gazing outward for a moment, A'yu had already mapped out the entire layout. She took out a sheet of paper and drew as she spoke: "The camp covers over five hundred mu. Barracks are in the southwest, the armory in the northwest, the drill grounds in the southeast, granaries in the northeast, underground troop-hiding bunkers, and two workshops." Zhao Xiaowan asked, "How many people on the drill grounds?" A'yu's pupils dilated and contracted, her eyes slightly bloodshot as she scrutinized the grounds more closely. "No one on the drill grounds, no smoke from the workshops, and no one entering or leaving the bunkers. The soldiers should all be resting in their barracks." Zhao Xiaowan smiled. "This is the best opportunity for a surprise attack. We just need to focus our bombs on the barracks." Just as the group prepared to move, A'yu called out, "Hold on." A'yi snapped impatiently, "What are we waiting for now?" "Two workshops..." A'yu recalled the Shang State's military doctrine. "The people of Shang place immense value on crafts. Typically, one workshop is assigned per ten thousand men. Could this camp only hold twenty thousand? "That doesn't make sense. There are nearly ten thousand barracks rooms here. If ten men share a room, there should be a hundred thousand soldiers." Zhao Xiaowan said, "The Bandit-Subduing Battalion is made up entirely of royals. They wouldn't cram ten men into one room; two per room would be far more plausible." A'yu thought back to her past clashes with the battalion. She hadn't seen their quarters back then, but she had seen their rations—they consumed the finest oils and the most delicate grains. The battalion's living standards were indeed far more lavish than those of ordinary soldiers. Li Banfeng said, "The Bandit-Subduing Battalion has far more than twenty thousand men. The last batch sent over was fifty thousand alone. Counting their earlier numbers, there must be at least seventy to eighty thousand." A'yu closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. In the faint trace of smoke drifting through the air, she detected an almost imperceptible layering. She swiftly identified the source of that nuance: "Thirty-eight li to the north, there's another camp." A'yi said, "So there are two camps. That complicates things." A'yu drew another breath and pondered with closed eyes. The layering shifted again. "No, not two. Twenty-two li to the east, there's yet another camp." A'yi was stunned. "Three camps? Then there's no way we can pull this off!" A'yu looked at Li Banfeng. Li Banfeng's expression turned grim. This fell within his expectations; Qiao Yi was likely to scatter the Bandit-Subduing Army across several encampments. Yet anticipating it didn't mean having an easy solution. Li Banfeng produced two test tubes from his robe. "These are Critic's disease strains. One is highly contagious but not lethal; the other is extremely lethal but poorly contagious, likely capable of killing only a few hundred people." A'yi asked, "You mean we should infect one of the camps?" Li Banfeng nodded slightly. A'yu asked, "Is there a strain that's both highly contagious and lethal?" Li Banfeng shook his head. "That kind of pathogen requires Critic to deploy it in person." Zhao Xiaowan looked at Li Banfeng. "Husband, that won't work." Neither strain possessed enough lethality. Not only would they fail to do the job, but they would also alert the enemy. Jiu'er looked at Zhao Xiaowan. "How about we visit all three camps in turn to plant the explosives? Once they're all set, we head back to Hulu Village and detonate them all together." It sounded like a good idea, but Zhao Xiaowan shook her head repeatedly. "That's too risky. Planting explosives across three camps means that if our traces leak in even one of them, we won't get the chance to detonate anything." A'yi said to Jiu'er, "Little Sister, returning to Hulu Village to detonate them isn't possible." A'yu didn't actually know much about A'yi's explosives. "Do you have to stay on site to set them off? Couldn't you make a timed fuse or something?" A'yi shook her head. "Eldest Sister, have you been looking at too many bombs from the Outer States over the years? This is the Inner State. The probability of triggering explosives here is even lower than in Puluo Province. Only Old Seven and I can detonate them using Mad Cultivator techniques. When it's time to set them off, one of us has to be there in person." A'yu had never intended to let A'yi trigger the explosives, nor had she wanted A'yi to enter the camp at all. "You have so many Mad Cultivators in your village—wouldn't it be fine to let them do it?" A'yi shook her head. "Mother, Hulu Village isn't the City of Fools. Their cultivation isn't high enough, so they might not be able to set the explosives off. And I will never send them into the Bandit-Subduing Battalion to die." Mother and daughter glared at each other. Meanwhile, Zhao Xiaowan studied A'yu's sketch, calculating their next tactical move. Seeing this, A'yu joined Zhao Xiaowan in running the numbers. "We can pick a rendezvous point first, then split into three teams. We'll deliver everyone one by one to plant the explosives. Once I give the signal, all three teams detonate at once. After that, everyone gathers at the rendezvous point, and we use Hulu Village to bring us all back together." This was the most logical approach, and an optimal gathering point could indeed be calculated. Yet after a moment's reflection, Zhao Xiaowan rejected the idea. "Anywhere else, that method would work. But in Dingye City, the Indestructible Rock separating the grids is unyielding. After the blast, how would we escape the camps? How would we reach the rendezvous point? It's far too difficult. "Furthermore, Dingye City's layout shifts constantly. If the rendezvous point moves, we might not find it, or we might not be able to reach it, ultimately leaving everyone trapped. "Besides, the Bandit-Subduing Battalion spans a vast area. Splitting into three teams leaves us thin on hands, which could lead to poorly placed explosives—we might fail to take out even a single camp. "Most crucially, only my husband and A'yi can detonate the explosives. Even if we split into three teams, one team won't have anyone capable of setting them off." A'yu asked Zhao Xiaowan, "What is General Zhao's idea then?" Zhao Xiaowan tapped the map. "We split into two teams. My husband and I will take Jiang Ling'er to the camp right in front of us. My husband is swift, Ling'er moves stealthily, and I understand mechanical arts, so planting the explosives shouldn't pose much difficulty. "While we plant ours, A'yi can take Hong Ying and Jiu'er to the eastern camp. Jiu'er excels at concealment, and Hong Ying is deadly in battle; both are fast on their feet and can support A'yi. A'yi is an expert, so the three of them should plant their explosives even faster than we do." A'yu said, "And what about me? You don't trust me again?" Zhao Xiaowan shook her head. "It is precisely because I trust Elder Sister that I need you to stay at the entrance. Once we've planted the explosives here, I will send word to you. I am a Sound Cultivator, and you are a Scry Cultivator; even across a distance, you will certainly have a way to stay in contact. "Once you receive my message, have A'yi detonate her explosives. After the blast, take A'yi and immediately come to this camp to bring us back." A'yu thought it through, though she remained somewhat concerned. "Once A'yi sets off her bombs, the enemy will inevitably tighten their guard. While we are en route to you, your situation will become exceedingly perilous." Zhao Xiaowan said, "We trust Elder Sister. When the time comes, it'll simply be a race between the enemy and you." A'yu nodded slightly; she deemed it feasible. Li Banfeng asked, "What about the third camp?" Zhao Xiaowan said, "We'll rely on luck. Once we regroup at the entrance, we'll head to the third camp together. If their defenses aren't mounted in time, we'll find a way to take it down." Li Banfeng shook his head. "How could their defenses not be mounted in time? Qiao Yi poured so much blood and sweat into the Bandit-Subduing Battalion. If two camps blow up back-to-back, could the enemy really fail to respond?" Zhao Xiaowan said, "Husband, if the third camp is already on high alert, we simply won't attack it." Li Banfeng said, "Then won't we have failed to wipe out the Bandit-Subduing Battalion completely?" "Husband, it doesn't have to be wiped out to the last man. Every soldier in the battalion comes from the imperial clan. Eliminating two camps means wiping out forty to fifty thousand of them, which effectively snaps the battalion's spine." A'yu agreed, "Sister Xiaowan is right. Take out two camps, and the Bandit-Subduing Battalion won't recover for a decade or two, nor will the Inner State be able to stand back up." Everyone looked at Li Banfeng; the final call rested with him. Li Banfeng glanced back at Zhao Xiaowan and Jiang Ling'er, then gave the word: "Let's go." A'yi divided the explosives and handed a share to Li Banfeng. A'yu touched Zhao Xiaowan's arm, fastening a small hook to it. "Be careful. If the enemy numbers more than ten, avoid engaging them directly. Ten of them are enough to form a Thousand-Man Power Formation." The hook was for communication, and A'yu quickly taught Zhao Xiaowan how to use it. The three vaulted out of the entrance and vanished into the night in an instant. A'yi marveled, "Xiaowan might not be a Travel Cultivator, but she runs no slower than one." A'yu urged her, "Stop gawking! Move toward the eastern camp at once!" *** With Zhao Xiaowan resting across his left shoulder and Jiang Ling'er tucked under his right arm, Li Banfeng sprinted toward the encampment. When they were still three li away, he sensed something was wrong. The camp's position had shifted. Viewed from the mountain, the camp had been to the northwest. But along the way, it had kept creeping northward, until it now lay due north. "Have no fear, Old Seven!" the companion dwelling chimed in. "We won't lose our way!" Two li from the camp, Li Banfeng encountered a patrol. It numbered over thirty men, all possessing three heads. They carried various odd weapons, yet wore identical armor. Li Banfeng had seen this armor in Baisun Commandery—it could fly, navigate water, and be ridden like a steed. He neither dodged nor attacked. Relying on his Dwelling Cultivator innate talents, he slipped directly past them. Not one of the thirty-odd sentries noticed Li Banfeng, nor did they spot the two women with him. Reaching the perimeter wall, Li Banfeng invoked Unimpeded Passage to phase through the stone barrier with both women. Just as they crossed, an eye the size of a watermelon snapped open on the wall, locking onto Li Banfeng. The instant its gaze settled on him, Jiang Ling'er flicked a steel needle, driving it straight through the pupil. Though pierced, the eye stubbornly remained open, glaring at Li Banfeng. Silk threads darted in and out along the needle, tearing the eye to shreds. Right beside it, a massive mouth gaped wide, as if to swallow someone whole. If Li Banfeng didn't move away from the wall, that mouth could truly devour a person—a bite would not only inflict a wound, but also inject deadly poison. Yet if he moved away from the wall, the mouth would immediately howl to raise the alarm. Jiang Ling'er worked her needles and threads, stitching the enormous mouth shut in a single breath. *Mmph—!* A muffled rumble still managed to escape the maw. Zhao Xiaowan caught the silk thread and gave it a sharp tug; a low-frequency sound wave below the audible threshold rippled along the thread, shattering the vocal cords inside the giant mouth and reducing its lips and teeth to pulp. Having dealt cleanly with the giant eye and mouth, Li Banfeng headed southwest, searching for the barracks. Yet after just two steps, he lost his bearings. The camp's position had shifted, and its internal layout had changed too, differing substantially from A'yu's sketch. "Old Seven, head left," the companion dwelling said, producing the Chart of the Fixed Dial. Before they had even left the cavern entrance, it had already locked onto the barracks' location. Following the dwelling's guidance, Li Banfeng carried his wife and held Ling'er under his arm, proceeding leftward. Numerous patrolling soldiers crossed the grounds, but none noticed the trio. Zhao Xiaowan reminded Jiang Ling'er from time to time, "Hold on tighter. The closer you stay to my husband, the better." High as Li Banfeng's cultivation was, the range of his Dwelling Cultivator concealment was quite limited. Passing the drill grounds and workshops, Li Banfeng arrived at the barracks. The area was densely packed with two-story buildings, each containing a dozen or so rooms. The Glove spat out a sack of explosives. Zhao Xiaowan surveyed the layout and selected a spot to bury them. Li Banfeng pulled out an iron spade, dug a hole in the blink of an eye, and set the explosives inside. The Scythe handled refilling the dirt, while the Glove swept away any traces. Once the bomb was buried, the ground looked completely undisturbed. With over ten thousand rooms across a thousand buildings, one sack was far from enough. As Li Banfeng moved forward with Xiaowan and Ling'er, Xiaowan suddenly whispered, "Husband, wait." She emitted a low hum inaudible to normal ears. Reading the echoes, Zhao Xiaowan detected something amiss. "Husband, there are traps ahead." "Where are they?" Zhao Xiaowan listened to the echoes once more, then shook her head. "There are too many; I can't tell them apart right now." Li Banfeng said, "If the ground is no good, I'll fly across." Zhao Xiaowan shook her head. "Flying is too conspicuous. There's no telling how many high-grade weapons are kept in this camp. Even with your Dwelling talents, you could easily be spotted. Besides, some traps are set in the air to begin with." Left with no other choice, Li Banfeng prepared to risk it with his Steps and Good Fortune Divination, but Jiang Ling'er beat him to it. She released a vast web of silk threads from her sleeves, letting them creep gently along the ground level. The threads draped over the terrain like a garment. Using this shroud, Jiang Ling'er probed the subterranean layout. Cloud-tier Garment Cultivator technique: Rainbow Raiment Peering through Gaps. This was an investigative technique. If gold were buried beneath the soil, Rainbow Raiment Peering through Gaps wouldn't detect it. But if mechanical traps lay below, the passing threads would lightly stimulate their sensors without exerting enough force to trigger them, revealing their exact locations. The spread-out threads gradually converged into a single silk cord. Jiang Ling'er looked at Li Banfeng. "Step on the cord as you walk, and you won't set anything off." Zhao Xiaowan praised softly, "Fine skill, Ling'er." Carrying his wife and holding Ling'er, Li Banfeng moved forward. A sentry patrolled near the barracks; he didn't see Li Banfeng, but he caught sight of the silk cord on the ground. The Bandit-Subduing Army was well-trained. Spotting the anomaly, the sentry opened his mouth to raise the alarm, but a strand of silk sprang up, winding around all three of his necks. Tier 3 Garment Cultivator technique: Fate Returning to Silk. The technique was low in tier, but exceedingly practical. With a flick of Jiang Ling'er's wrist, the threads tightened. All three of the sentry's heads hit the ground at once, without a single sound escaping. Zhao Xiaowan drew out a key, took a stylus from her sleeve, and with a swift flick, whisked the corpse into the companion dwelling. The Glove and Scythe darted in to clean up the traces. Following the silk cord, Li Banfeng wove his way through the barracks, burying explosives at six locations in succession. According to Zhao Xiaowan's estimates, planting six more bundles would be enough to wipe out this entire expanse of barracks. With more than half the plan accomplished, the three let out a breath of relief. Suddenly, the hook on Zhao Xiaowan's arm buzzed, and A'yu's voice crackled through: "Xiaowan! Hurry it up—things have blown on our end!" *Blown?* Zhao Xiaowan's face drained of color. According to their plan, they were supposed to plant their explosives first and signal A'yu before A'yi detonated hers. Why had A'yi's side blown so early? Li Banfeng felt danger closing in as the entire camp erupted in blinding light. *** A'yu stood at the cavern entrance, staring toward the camp. She had heard the blast, yet saw no smoke or dust. She shouted into the hook at A'yi, "You fool, what kind of stunt are you pulling? Why did you detonate now?!" A'yi had no time to answer. She hadn't detonated the explosives at all. Moments earlier, several dozen sentries had spotted them. The guards hadn't made a fuss; instead, they quietly rallied over a hundred more men and surrounded them. To break out, Hong Ying had stomped her foot with Tread Over Ten Thousand Rivers, slaughtering the sentries before their formation could take shape. Jiu'er fumed, "Why did you act so rashly? I could have trapped them in a formation!" Hong Ying hadn't been rash in the least. "Trapping them wouldn't help. The moment they spotted us, they dispatched someone to report. We've been completely exposed." She was right—their cover was entirely blown. If Hong Ying hadn't struck first before they could assemble a Thousand-Man Power Formation, breaking out would have been vastly more difficult. Across the encampment, drums thundered and horns blared. Jiu'er grew flustered, momentarily unsure whether to run or stay. A'yi, on the other hand, was brimming with excitement. Clasping her explosives, she asked Hong Ying, "What do you want to do?" Hong Ying remained remarkably calm. "I'll carry you on my back, and Jiu'er will follow close behind. Hold onto those bombs, and we'll blow our way through!" A'yi burst into wild laughter and leaped onto Hong Ying's back. "Yingying, you and I are two peas in a pod! Let's blow the bastards to hell!"