CHAPTER 39 — "SURPRISE AMBUSH : SHADOWS DON'T SCREAM"
Night settled over Blackfang Desolation like a lid closing over a coffin.
The moon hung low—Pale.Cold.Watching.
Inside the concealed shelter, the Azure Dragon team slept in shifts.
The fire pit glowed faintly, carefully masked.Illusion veils blended the camp into the forest.Everything was… quiet.
Too quiet.
Ling Yifan's eyes snapped open.
No sound.
No movement.
Just a wrongness in the air.
His hand closed around his spear instantly.
"…Thirty meters," he murmured."West."
At the same moment—
Long Hao opened his eyes.
"…Forty degrees elevation," he whispered."Tree canopy."
They didn't look at each other.
They didn't need to.
Both moved silently.
Black shadows slid through the forest.
Five figures.No torches.No killing intent leaked.
Professionals.
A faint whisper echoed.
"Shadowveil Spirit Academy.Silent elimination protocol."
A blade descended—
CLANG—!
Ling Yifan intercepted it mid-air.
The impact sent a shockwave through the trees.
"What—?!"
Before the attacker could react—
Long Hao appeared behind him.
One palm strike.
THUD.
The shadow cultivator crumpled without a sound.
"…Too slow," Long Hao said calmly.
"ENEMY CONTACT!"
Ling Yifan's shout shattered the night.
Ouyang Xue'er burst awake, frost exploding outward.
"AMBUSH?!"
Bai Qianlan rose instantly, illusion petals flooding the area.
Chen Wulian cracked his neck.
"Oh?Someone came to visit?"
From the trees, figures leapt out—Ten total.
Their leader snarled.
"Kill them! No survivors!"
Mist thickened.
Shadows multiplied.
"Shadow clones," Bai Qianlan said calmly."False density. They're panicking."
One enemy charged Chen Wulian.
Chen smiled.
"Bad choice."
BOOM—!
One punch.
The attacker flew backward like a broken doll.
"Captain Chen Wulian reporting," he yelled happily."ONE DOWN!"
Ouyang Xue'er slammed her foot down.
"Freeze."
Ice surged across the forest floor, locking three enemies in place mid-step.
Their eyes widened in terror.
Ling Yifan moved.
One thrust.Two.Three.
Clean.Efficient.
No wasted motion.
"Shadow techniques rely on fear," he said coldly."Remove fear—remove advantage."
Two shadow cultivators attempted to flank.
They never reached him.
Long Hao stepped forward.
Void rippled.
CRACK.
One collapsed instantly.
The second tried to retreat—
Long Hao caught his collar and slammed him into the ground.
"…You chose the wrong camp," he said quietly.
The enemy coughed blood and passed out.
Bai Qianlan snapped her fingers.
The illusions shattered.
"Now."
Jin Roulan's blade flashed.Han Duwei's lightning roared.Zhao Lanyue's arrows pierced the darkness.
In seconds—
Silence.
Bodies lay scattered.Alive—but defeated.
The Shadowveil captain crawled backward, eyes wide.
"This—this wasn't supposed to happen…"
Chen Wulian squatted in front of him.
"You attacked us while we were sleeping."
He grinned.
"That's rude."
BONK.
The captain fainted.
The forest calmed.
Only the wind moved.
Ouyang Xue'er folded her arms.
"Pathetic."
Bai Qianlan looked at Ling Yifan.
"You woke up first."
He nodded.
"…I don't like disorder."
Long Hao glanced around.
"No casualties. Minimal noise. Good counter."
Chen stretched.
"Captain Chen approves this outcome."
Wang Junxie dropped from a tree.
"I'll mark Shadowveil Spirit Academy as hostile."
Ling Yifan planted his spear into the ground.
"This island isn't forgiving," he said."Next time, it won't be amateurs."
Long Hao looked at the moon.
"…They'll remember this."
The defeated academy would spread the word.
Azure Dragon Academy wasn't prey.
They were hunters.
[CHAPTER ENDS]
SIDE POV — "UNDER THE SAME MOON" Bai Qianlan's POV
The forest was quiet again.
Too quiet.
Bai Qianlan stood a little apart from the others, illusion petals slowly dissolving into the night air. Her heart… still hadn't slowed down.
She looked toward Ling Yifan.
Moonlight spilled over him as he stood with his spear planted into the ground, posture straight, eyes calm and sharp. There was no blood on him. No panic. Just… control.
So precise… she thought.
When he fought, every movement had been clean. Efficient. Perfect.
No wasted strength.No unnecessary cruelty.
Just absolute certainty.
Her fingers curled unconsciously.
He didn't hesitate at all…He protected everyone… without even thinking about himself.
Her cheeks warmed.
"…Idiot," she muttered softly, not sure whether she meant him or herself.
She remembered the way he had moved earlier—stepping in front without words, spear flashing under moonlight like a line drawn by fate itself.
When did he start looking like that…?
Strong.Reliable.And frustratingly handsome when he wasn't trying to be.
She quickly looked away, illusion petals fluttering faster.
Focus, Bai Qianlan.This is not the time.
And yet—
Her lips curved just slightly.
Ouyang Xue'er's POV
Ouyang Xue'er sat on a rock, hugging her knees, pretending very hard not to stare.
She failed.
Her eyes followed Long Hao without permission.
He stood quietly near the edge of the camp, back straight, gaze fixed on the dark forest like nothing there could surprise him anymore. The faint moonlight outlined his sharp features, calm eyes, and the quiet confidence in his posture.
Why does he always look like that…? she thought, annoyed.
Not flashy.Not loud.Not trying to impress anyone.
And yet—
When the ambush came, he had moved first.
No panic.No hesitation.
Just… certainty.
He didn't even look afraid, she realized.Not even a little.
Her chest felt strange.
Earlier, when shadows had rushed in, she had felt safe without even knowing why.
Because he was there.
"…Tch," she whispered, cheeks heating up.Why am I thinking like this during a fight?
She remembered the way he had spoken—calm, steady, like the outcome was already decided.
'Too slow.'
That single sentence echoed in her mind.
Her grip tightened around her knees.
He's annoying.And quiet.And doesn't explain anything.
Then why—
Why did her heart beat faster every time he stepped forward?
She glanced away quickly, frost mist curling unconsciously around her.
"…After this," she muttered, "I'm going to make him talk more."
From across the camp, Long Hao suddenly looked in her direction.
Their eyes met for a brief moment.
Ouyang Xue'er flinched and immediately looked away.
"…Why did he look at me just now?!"
Her face burned.
Somewhere between them…
Ling Yifan adjusted his grip on his spear.
Long Hao scanned the darkness once more.
Neither of them noticed—
Two pairs of eyes watching them with thoughts far louder than the night.
The moon hung silently above.
And something gentle, dangerous, and completely unavoidable had begun to grow.
[SIDE POV ENDS]