Merin looks at the entrance of the cave, guarded by two warriors.
They stand rigid at either side of the dark opening, armour dulled, weapons within easy reach, breaths steady and trained.
The mountain face behind them is rough and jagged, the cave mouth disguised naturally among broken stone and hanging roots.
Merin slides back into the foliage, branches brushing lightly against his shoulders.
He turns to Zhao Wenjie and Ye Ran.
Both wear the same solemn expression he feels settling in his chest.
"It would be difficult to raid the place," Captain Ye Ran says quietly.
Captain Zhao nods.
"And we don't know how many of them are inside the mountain."
Merin's gaze remains fixed on the cave entrance through the leaves.
"We have to capture one of them," he says.
"We need information about the cave."
Captain Zhao nods immediately.
"Yes. And they must also have another hidden exit or two."
Merin nods once.
"I'll search for other exits."
With his spirit sense—restricted but still sharp—he is confident he can trace unnatural airflow, hidden paths, or concealed passages carved through the mountain.
"I'll stay here," Captain Zhao says.
"I'll keep an eye on the entrance."
"If anyone leaves the cave, I'll capture them."
Captain Ye Ran glances between them.
"Then I'll go bring the rest of the team here."
Both Merin and Zhao Wenjie nod.
Captain Ye Ran turns and moves off, her figure quickly swallowed by the trees, her steps light and practised.
Merin looks at Captain Zhao.
"I'll also take my leave."
Zhao Wenjie meets his eyes.
"Be careful."
Merin nods and slips away into the forest, his presence fading into the mountain shadows.
—
Two days earlier, they had arrived at Yulan City.
They met the diplomatic envoy stationed there, exchanged formalities, and waited.
The next day, the envoy summoned them again.
That was when the truth was revealed.
The Holy Blood Organisation.
The Black Ice Guard—the kingdom's shadow intelligence network—had uncovered links between the Shen Family and the Holy Blood Organisation.
The kingdom itself did not care about the Shen Family's past crimes.
The inner court cared only about control.
The Shen Family was useful.
Through them, Yulan City could be influenced, pressured, and eventually bent to the Song Kingdom's will.
But for that to happen, the Shen Family's external support had to be severed.
The Holy Blood Organisation was that support.
The order was clear.
Cut the link.
Eradicate the Holy Blood Organisation's presence within the kingdom and around Yulan City.
Only then would the Shen Family have no choice but to rely entirely on the Song Kingdom.
This mountain stronghold—
This cave—
It was one of the organisation's hidden bases.
The envoy's command had been simple and cold.
"Leave no one inside."
Merin moves deeper into the forest, his spirit spreading outward, tracing the veins of the mountain, sensing unnatural hollows and faint currents of air that betray tunnels carved by hands that believed stone could hide all sins.
—
Back in Yulan City, Shen Ling sits in a quiet chamber.
Beside him is Ren Yao, her appearance flawless—
The face, bearing, and aura of Yu Diexin replicated without a single flaw.
Across from them sits Shen Ming.
Ren Yao speaks first, her voice calm and measured.
"The Organisation has supported many families before."
"They will support you as regent once the Elder Council convenes two days from now."
Shen Ling's brows knit together.
"Don't," he says.
"Tell them to remain neutral at the Elder Council."
Shen Ming frowns deeply.
"Son, why?"
"Wasn't this the plan from the beginning?"
"Everything has already aligned."
Shen Ling exhales slowly.
"If I become regent openly," he says,
"Then *Ren* must enter the Butterfly Holy Cave and bring out the Butterfly Crystal."
"Only then can she be acknowledged as the heir of Yulan City."
"And since Yulan City does not allow women to hold government positions—"
"I would act as regent in her place."
Shen Ming's eyes sharpen.
"Then let her enter."
Shen Ling shakes his head.
"She would die."
"Only those of the Yu bloodline, or those who have refined the Spiritual Butterfly Gu, can enter the cave."
Shen Ming turns sharply toward Ren Yao, anger flashing.
"You shouldn't have killed her."
Ren Yao's expression remains indifferent.
"She saw your son strike her father," she says coolly.
"Do you think she would have cooperated after that?"
Shen Ming snorts and looks away.
Shen Ling speaks again, firm.
"Father, don't worry."
"With the Song Kingdom's support, we can still control the city."
Shen Ming looks at him coldly.
"Do you really think the Song Kingdom will support us once they know someone is backing us from the shadows?"
Shen Ling answers without hesitation.
"They won't."
"But they will support us *enough*."
"Enough for us to secure a foothold."
"And from there, slowly turn the city into ours."
Shen Ming studies his son for a long moment.
Then he nods.
"Everything here is settled," he says.
"I will prepare to return."
Shen Ling rises.
"Don't worry."
"I will relocate the family here very soon."
"And make the Shen Family the true ruler of Yulan City."
They embrace briefly.
Shen Ming leaves the chamber.
The moment the door closes, Shen Ling's shoulders sag.
He sits down heavily.
The confidence he showed his father drains away.
Inside, doubt coils tightly.
His men never found Yu Diexin's body in the river.
If she returns—
Everything collapses.
The Organisation's plan.
His position.
His life.
Ren Yao slides closer and gently caresses his arm.
"Shen Ling," she murmurs,
"Don't worry."
"I've already sent word to headquarters."
"They will send me the Blood Transformation Technique."
She leans closer, her lips near his ear.
"With it, I'll transform my blood into that of the Yu Family."
"I'll refine a Butterfly Gu."
"And I'll retrieve the Butterfly Crystal myself."
She sits on his lap, fingers tracing his face.
"Then," she whispers,
"You can be regent without worry."
Shen Ling nods slowly.
He lifts Ren Yao in his arms and carries her toward the bed, seeking release from the fear gnawing at his chest.
--
A day later, Merin returns to the previous position and meets with everyone.
He reports calmly.
"There are two other exits," he says.
"Both are concealed by natural rock formations and old growth."
He explains their locations precisely, sketching lines on the ground with a branch.
The plan forms quickly.
Merin, the strongest among the three captains, will strike the visible entrance.
Zhao Wenjie will take part in the team and a contingent of military guards to the first hidden exit.
Ye Ran will lead the second team to the other hidden exit.
The strike will begin at first light.
Most of the military guards will follow Merin.
Before night fully settles, Merin personally leads the two teams through the forest, guiding them to their respective hidden exits.
He confirms their positions, their timing, and the signals.
Then he returns alone to his own team.
They wait.
The sun sinks.
The forest darkens.
The moon rises, pale and cold, drifting between jagged peaks.
No one speaks.
No one moves.
Merin sits on a thick branch overlooking the cave entrance, eyes closed, breathing steady.
Time passes.
Then—
Light.
The faintest touch of sunlight brushes the treetops.
Merin opens his eyes.
He drops silently to the ground.
"Now," he says softly.
Everyone stirs.
Weapons are readied.
Breaths are controlled.
They stride forward together.
Merin breaks into a run.
He bursts from the forest edge and moves like a shadow across the rocky ground.
Two guards stand at the cave entrance, half-asleep, leaning on their weapons.
Merin's hands flick.
Two short knives fly.
They sink cleanly into the guards' throats.
The men jolt awake for a heartbeat, clutching uselessly at the wounds—
Then collapse.
Zhang Shan stares, eyes wide.
"Wow," she whispers, unable to stop herself.
"Captain, you're awesome."
Merin does not answer.
He steps over the bodies and gestures forward.
They enter the cave.
The stone corridor stretches inward, narrow and uneven, its walls damp and cold.
Rough wooden pillars stand at intervals, wedged between floor and ceiling, holding up slabs of rock that bear old cracks and tool marks.
Torchlight flickers weakly, casting long shadows that sway as the team advances.
Boots crunch softly over gravel.
The air smells of blood, metal, and old incense.
They move in formation.
Then—
A faint *click* echoes from somewhere ahead.
Merin's eyes narrow.
Hidden alert devices.
Thin threads snap.
Runes carved into the stone walls glow faintly, then fade.
The cave awakens.
Shouts erupt deeper inside.
Footsteps pound against stone.
Figures rush forward.
Spiritual refiner cultivators.
Qi bursts from their bodies in visible streams—
blades of light, burning fists, condensed waves of force tearing through the narrow corridor.
"Hold formation!" someone shouts.
Merin does not slow.
He does not speed up either.
The warriors of the Divine Guard surge forward, meeting the first wave head-on.
Flesh meets Qi.
Steel meets energy.
The warriors rely on their bodies—dense muscles, reinforced bones, blood qi surging with each movement.
Qi strikes slam into them, tearing skin, cracking armour, but they do not fall easily.
One warrior takes a blast to the chest and stumbles, then roars and drives his spear straight through a cultivator's throat.
Another smashes through a glowing shield with brute force, snapping the enemy's neck with a single twist.
Merin walks through the chaos.
An attacker leaps toward him, palm glowing with condensed qi.
Merin steps aside.
His sword flashes once.
The cultivator collapses before realising he is dead.
Another fires a beam of qi straight at Merin's head.
Merin ducks, closes the distance in two strides, and drives his blade into the man's heart.
He keeps moving.
He does not shout orders.
He does not cover mistakes.
He is not their nanny.
Those who can fight, fight.
Those who cannot, fall.
Merin only intervenes when an attack comes for him.
Every strike is clean.
Every movement is precise.
Behind him, his team pushes forward, using his steady advance as an anchor point.
Whenever pressure mounts, Merin's presence stabilises the line—not through command, but through inevitability.
The corridor grows wider.
Bodies litter the ground.
Blood pools between stones.
Merin steps over the fallen and continues deeper into the cave, eyes scanning ahead, spirit brushing the walls, already sensing more movement further within.
The team follows.
Deeper.