Torn

The distinguished guests were each flanked by bodyguards—some with seven or eight, others with thirty or forty. Lei Ni's eyes darted around before she simply gathered the different parties into one group. People naturally loved crowds, and seeing so many gathered, the other visitors tagged along as well. The entourage quickly swelled to over three hundred people, marching in a grand procession toward Qingyun Road. He Lingchuan had already temporarily entrusted the affairs of the Suoding Island docks to Lei Ni, Guan Ke, and the others. While the rest of Suoding Island was turned upside down with frantic activity, they were heading toward the tranquil center of the island. The farther they moved from the docks, the fainter the voices grew, and the quieter their surroundings became. Night had fallen, and no stars shone. Qingyun Road climbed steadily higher, and everyone praised the auspicious name of the path. Looking back after walking several hundred paces, the docks were brightly lit, figures flitting back and forth. Here, everyone had their assigned place. The wind and waves out at sea were growing fiercer. Wang Xingyi gazed at the forested hills of Suoding Island and remarked, "The wind on Suoding Island is quite strong as well." Ever since coming ashore, they had felt only a gentle breeze on their faces, the roadside branches swaying lightly—as if it were an entirely different world from the sea. Yet gazing out from this vantage point, while only a mild breeze ruffled the docks, the woods along the outer bay whipped violently back and forth, and waves crashing against the reefs threw up white spray three feet high. Separated by merely a peninsula, how could the conditions be so starkly divided? Fang Canran said thoughtfully, "A formation?" If he had deployed a windbreak formation, He Lingchuan had truly spared no expense on Suoding Island, given its considerable size. He Lingchuan smiled. "Indeed. We had to prioritize the docks and the guest lodging area. Rest assured, gentlemen, the Hot Springs Retreat is protected by a formation as well." Uninhabited areas, such as the southern and western reaches of Suoding Island, had no protective barriers. Anyone who insisted on heading there would be treated to the full hospitality of the raging wind and rain. Wang Xingyi and Fang Canran exchanged a glance. He Lingchuan was personally hosting them with impeccable etiquette, yet they both felt something was off, even if they couldn't quite put their finger on it. Wang Xingyi said considerately, "The seas are getting rougher, and the docks are growing livelier by the minute. Why don't you stay behind to oversee things? Songyuan can accompany me." In an hour or two at most, the hurricane would make landfall. The Yangshan Archipelago was in a frenzy of preparation, yet He Lingchuan, as the island master, had cast aside his urgent affairs just to escort them to the Hot Springs Retreat. "National Preceptor Wang is far too polite," He Lingchuan replied breezily. "Usually, wherever I go, that's where the excitement is." *** The Bailong people were concealed in the woods of Suoding Island, less than a hundred feet from Qingyun Road. Lanterns lined Qingyun Road every thirty feet. Instead of storm lanterns, they used the fluorescent spores native to burrow spider nests. Yet the brighter the road shone, the darker it made the bordering forest seem by contrast. Rain began falling from the sky, carrying the pervasive scent of fresh grass and damp earth. The Bailong people lay motionless in the tall grass. No one was impatient; they had at least this much discipline. Moqi Song stared intently at Qingyun Road, his expression somber. Moqi Feng crept over from a distance leading more than a hundred men, quietly converging with him. Everyone was accounted for, unexpectedly smooth. "Are our men at the docks in position?" "All set. No one suspected a thing, no one questioned them," Moqi Feng whispered. "He Lingchuan has arrived on Suoding Island too. Our men saw him disembark with their own eyes." "What about the explosives in the dock warehouses?" "They're placing them now." Tonight's loading and unloading at the docks was not just busy but chaotic. Who would notice a few extra crates or a few missing ones? "Once we give the signal from here, they'll detonate them on the spot!" This operation focused on striking multiple points simultaneously to keep the Yangshan Archipelago stretched thin and overwhelmed. Moreover, the explosives had been supplied by Bailie; Lu Zhensheng wished for nothing more than to see them wreak havoc across Suoding Island. Remembering tonight's grand setup, Moqi Song bared his teeth in a grin. Everything was going smoothly, except for the problem right before their eyes— He pointed toward Qingyun Road. "The hurricane might not be able to help us. That He fellow set up a windbreak barrier. Old Yu was right—this island master is filthy rich!" The four hundred-odd men were drenched inside and out, their hair whipping wildly alongside the tangled grass around them. Yet on the tree-lined path, both the trees and the fluorescent spores swayed only slightly. While they gritted their teeth against the violent gusts in the wild brush, Qingyun Road enjoyed nothing more than a gentle breeze. A mere hundred feet apart, yet like two completely different worlds. A windbreak formation wasn't particularly difficult to cast; what made it hard was covering such an expansive area during a hurricane, and the sheer energy consumption required. How many profound crystals would He Lingchuan burn through tonight just to sustain it? That amount of wealth would be enough to feed the families of the Bailong people like kings for countless meals. Now, stripped of the hurricane's cover, how could they exploit the "chaos" to strike He Lingchuan? The guests traveling back and forth along Qingyun Road were laughing and chatting in relaxed spirits, not to mention the guard patrols passing by every few minutes. "Then we won't wait for the hurricane to make landfall. The moment He Lingchuan passes by, we strike." With circumstances changing, Moqi Feng adjusted their tactics. "Where is that Beijia fellow, Wang Xiang?" Acting on Yu Zecheng's orders, Wang Xiang had been embedded with the Bailong force to facilitate communication between the two parties. "Said he had to take a dump. He'll be back shortly." Moqi Feng shook his head. "The Beijia folk have their own means of communication. He just doesn't want to expose them in front of us." Moqi Song rolled his eyes. These Beijia operatives had sought them out for a joint operation, yet still didn't trust them. Such arrogance. Tsk. Just then, a forward scout stole back through the darkness to report: "The target is approaching, but the group numbers over three hundred—and the National Preceptor of the Mou Kingdom is with them!" The Bailong fighters immediately went on high alert. The Moqi uncle and nephew were stunned. "The National Preceptor of the Mou Kingdom?" This boded ill. The arrival of a high official meant— "Our men heard it at the docks! The National Preceptor of the Mou Kingdom paid an unexpected visit, and his escort includes over a hundred elite guards!" "At a time like this?" Moqi Feng frowned. "Is he outside help invited by Island Master He?" "Doesn't look like it; Island Master He seemed very surprised too. From their conversation, the other party just happened to land right before the hurricane," the scout reported rapidly. "Also, our brothers spotted that Burrow Spider Queen near the docks." Moqi Feng's heart sank upon hearing that. "The Spider Queen is on the island?" "We've never seen such a massive spider demon—it's like a small house. It was strolling down the street, and neither the locals nor the shopkeepers seemed frightened." Then it had to be her. Who else in the Yangshan Archipelago had such a colossal spider demon aside from the Burrow Spider Queen wanted by Beijia? "What is it doing?" "It looks like it's patrolling the docks." Moqi Feng mused, "If anything goes wrong on the island, that spider demon will likely rush over." "That's Beijia's target," Moqi Song said heavily. "If it comes, the Beijia operatives will intercept it themselves." Soon after, a large contingent marched down the tree-lined path, numbering at least two to three hundred. "So many people?" With the sharp eyesight of the Moqi uncle and nephew, they quickly picked out He Lingchuan among the crowd. The target was right, the location was right, but their hearts sank. Moqi Feng had originally planned to act early, cutting He Lingchuan down the instant he appeared. Yet now there were over three hundred people on the road, while they only had about four hundred here—two hundred had remained behind at the docks. They had no numerical advantage. What was worse, of the three hundred people on Qingyun Road, half were burly, battle-ready men. The scout's intelligence had been accurate: over a hundred elite guards surrounded He Lingchuan and the so-called noble guest from Mou. If the man conversing and laughing with him truly was the National Preceptor of the Mou Kingdom, what were their odds of success if they rashly charged in? The Moqi uncle and nephew looked at each other, and Moqi Feng shook his head. No matter how hotheaded Moqi Song was, he knew their chances of winning a head-on clash were dismal. He could only close his eyes, bow his head until his forehead rested against the grass, and let out a quiet sigh. He Lingchuan's foremost fierce general, Qiu Hu, also attended at his side. The man was formidable, sitting tall and valiant upon his horse. Moqi Song muttered coldly, "Once we capture He Lingchuan, let's see if he can still strut around like that." These past few days, Qiu Hu had been conducting training for the guards. He had spoken from above while the Moqi uncle and nephew had been forced to listen from below. Moqi Feng said, "That man does possess genuine skill." The crossbowman beside Moqi Song had been quietly keeping his weapon aimed at He Lingchuan. While Moqi Feng hesitated to give the order, Qiu Hu's gaze suddenly swept their way! His eyes seemed to glance casually toward the tall roadside grass, locking gaze with the crossbowman! True to his name, his eyes held the fierce gleam of a tiger. Moqi Feng slapped a hand down onto the crossbow and snapped at his subordinate in a hushed voice, "Turn away! Don't look him in the eye!" Some people were born with spiritual perception, or possessed cultivation that made them extraordinarily sensitive to the gazes of others and the approach of danger. Fortunately, Qiu Hu did not discover them. The next second, he pulled back his gaze and rode past that stretch of the tree-lined path. Winding another three and a half li westward would bring them to the Hot Springs Retreat. Uncle and nephew let out a breath of relief. The road was too bright, the crowd too large, and the guards too numerous. Right now was definitely not the right time to strike. Moqi Feng immediately said to his uncle, "No chance tonight. Let's pull back." Moqi Song's face betrayed his reluctance. Such a golden opportunity, gone just like that. Alas. Just then, the Beijia operative Wang Xiang rushed over, hurriedly asking the two upon arrival: "I heard He Lingchuan just passed by?" "Over three hundred people, and the National Preceptor of the Mou Kingdom was in the ranks." Moqi Feng eyed him sideways. "Would you dare charge in?" "The National Preceptor of the Mou Kingdom?" Wang Xiang was startled, asking the very same question Moqi Song had: "Is he a helper the target brought in?" "Doesn't seem like it; it looks like an unexpected arrival." Moqi Feng turned to his uncle. "Let's go. The hurricane hasn't made landfall yet; we can still leave by boat now." Wang Xiang was taken aback. "What? You're getting cold feet now?" This uncle and nephew were a crucial piece of Master Yu's plan—how could they back out at the crucial moment! Moqi Feng pointed toward Qingyun Road. "The opportunity is gone. What's the point of lingering here?" There was an unspoken thought he kept to himself: *Stay here just to let you use us as cat's-paws?* "If you leave now, there definitely won't be any chance. Why not wait a little longer?" Wang Xiang urged immediately. "You've already waited half the night; what difference does a little while longer make? If another chance comes, strike; if not, then forget it." These words spoke directly to Moqi Song's heart. He hadn't wanted to leave in the first place. "What's the harm in waiting? Will you lose a piece of flesh?" Seeing Moqi Song waver, Wang Xiang added more fuel to the fire. "We've just confirmed that the Emperor's Flowing Dew will descend tonight without fail. You know full well what that means. The moment it arrives, our opportunity will arrive with it." The wind couldn't be counted on, but the Emperor's Flowing Dew could. Whenever that treasure fell upon the mortal realm, it signaled the onset of utter chaos. Moqi Feng began, "Uncle..." Moqi Song raised a hand. "Let's wait a little longer. Just a little longer!"