"Who's there?"
Monkey cursed and charged out of there. He would be a goner once Perception Realms showed up! The various people in the corridor were startled to see someone charge past them. Most of them were non-combatants, and they were confused about what was happening, leaving only a few soldiers to pursue him from behind. He skillfully darted through the crowds, wove between the soldiers, and navigated the building with ease. No one could catch up! Monkey was an appropriate nickname for him! He made sure no one saw him before slipping into a secret passage. This building had escape routes for important individuals in the event of an enemy attack, which was how he, Ox, and Rat could infiltrate. Naturally, the Alzar Kingdom did not inherit this knowledge when they seized the Yunyun Stronghold from the Imperial Council.
When he finally emerged outside, everyone was frantically searching for him. It was pure chaos! That secret passage was a blessing because it would have been next to impossible to escape otherwise, even if he was a Perception Realm. It was far too dangerous! As for Ox and Rat, he could only pray for their good fortune. Monkey then headed towards their rendezvous point, while taking many detours along the way. There was always a chance that someone was still following him after all. He could never be too careful! His overly cautious behavior was precisely why he was chosen for the riskiest job! After a long while, he arrived at an abandoned building on the fringes of the stronghold. The Alzar Kingdom's siege meant that many of the inhabitants fled, leaving most of the stronghold abandoned, which made it the perfect spot to hold clandestine meetings.
The next task was notifying the Imperial Council about what he learned. It was too important to delay! He jotted down a quick encoded message, tied it to a messenger pigeon, and released it. They had several messenger pigeons here that could travel directly to the capital city to report in. It was one of the very few ways they could send and receive messages in hostile territory. Watching the bird disappear, he felt a rush of relief. Regardless of what happens to him now, the Imperial Council would still receive the message. The Alzar Kingdom would lose! He grinned like an idiot imagining how the council would reward him for his efforts. It should be a substantial reward!
No one else was here yet, since he came earlier than expected, but he was not particularly worried. Their plan might appear crude, but it was months in the making. The chances of success were quite high. All that was left then was to wait for the good news and escape the stronghold. This mission would end at long last. Rabbit, Goat, and Snake were the first to arrive, followed by the people Rat tasked with starting the fires. They reported their successes, having burnt down every single warehouse at the port! Without any supplies to last them through the winter, it was a fatal move towards the Alzar Kingdom. It seemed like the kingdom's days were numbered. Although Ox and Rat took more time, they eventually made it back safe and sound, though neither were happy about Monkey's slipup.
Ox marched towards Monkey and grabbed him by the collar. "What did you do? They locked down the building, so no one could enter or exit without a thorough inspection! Without that secret passageway, we would have been goners!"
"I instructed you not to attract any unnecessary attention. You shouldn't have taken any unnecessary risks. It will be that much more difficult to leave," Rat sighed.
"At least, all our goals have been met and we made it back here. Isn't this a success?" Goat tried to mediate.
"Let's leave before they catch onto us," Rabbit said.
"Monkey, why did you decide to take such a risk anyways? I always thought you were more of a coward… I'm seeing you in a new light," Snake mused.
Monkey rubbed his nose with obvious pride. "You'll never believe this, but guess who I saw in General Petra's quarters? It was…"
"That's enough."
"Who said that?"
He swerved around angrily to whoever interrupted his shining moment in the spotlight when his jaw dropped and the same went for everyone else. That body that radiated indescribable power, that iconic white plate armor under his cloak, and that unmistakable ferocity of his aura… They had seen him before, and that encounter left a lasting impression. There was no mistaking it. It was unbelievably Sir Winstin, the Leader of the Royal Guards! Although he only stood there, the sheer power of his presence crashed into everyone, threatening to drown them underneath the waves! Everyone could instinctively feel that Sir Winstin was a true phoenix among chickens and a monster among men! This was the strongest knight in the Alzar Kingdom, a Perception Realm Master! Monkey and the others lost the will to fight and the urge to think. Only one thought clouded their minds remained: run!
Monkey was the fastest to run away. He might be a Fundamental Realm Master, but he had no interest in tangling with Sir Winstin. It would be certain death! He ran straight for the door when it opened to reveal another person. This time, Monkey did not recognize who this was. It was a depressing-looking woman with a weak presence like someone killed her dog. Her unkempt appearance, frail body, and strange personality seemed to suggest she was any other ordinary person, but Monkey felt his body grow cold. He could not move past her! To show up with Sir Winstin, he would be a fool not to connect the two. He could instinctively feel that she was another monster in human skin!
"Lady Mingyu Loon!" Rat exclaimed.
"What?" Monkey almost peed his pants in fear. Lady Mingyu from the famous Loon Family was rumored to be the Leader of the Four Dragons, a group of the strongest combatants under the Li Family. She was another a Perception Realm Master!
"If you know who we are, then lay down your arms and surrender," Sir Winstin said, his presence dominating the room. Lady Mingyu stayed silent and inert, but everyone could tell that she was watching. One wrong move, and it would be over!
"Damn it, Monkey. What did you do to us?" Ox roared.
"It's not my fault!" he cried in return.
Rat glanced at Sir Winstin, noticed his lack of an arm and his famous glaive, and felt a glimmer of hope. For whatever reason, the legendary knight had been crippled, meaning he might be a paper tiger currently. There was a chance to break through! Rat gestured to his companions, who had the same idea. Compared to Lady Mingyu, Sir Winstin seemed like a better bet. They unsheathed their daggers and dashed towards the man. They might be Fundamental Realms, but the odds were more than twenty-to-one! Their confidence bubbled to the surface. Sir Winstin grimaced since his deterrence had waned. Although he might not brag, he had his own pride and their actions spat in his face. He released his aura at full strength, magnifying his presence a dozen times over. In their mind, he grew to a towering giant that threatened to crush them with a single finger. Despite being crippled, he was still a Perception Realm Master! He could not be toppled by insects like them!
The weaker-willed individuals were too terrified to move because they realized this was the suppression of a superior being! Only death awaited! However, the main six: Monkey, Ox, Rat, Rabbit, Goat, and Snake advanced. They knew their situations were hopeless once they were captured. They needed to fight! Sir Winstin unsheathed his sword and unleashed a rudimentary sword art. His moves were simple, but powerful and precise, fully utilizing the sensory awareness of a Perception Realm. With one swing, he attacked four people simultaneously! Thankfully, he was using the blunt side of his sword, rendering them unconscious instead of dead, but he failed to hit the remaining two. Sir Winstin cursed inwardly. Since he lost his arm, his body was thrown off balance, and any exertion of power would come up short. Even with his perception increased, he was fighting his own instincts built up over decades of combat experience. It was impossible to change in the short term.
He was about to follow up when Lady Mingyu made her move. She dashed across the room at ridiculous speeds, intercepted the two stragglers, and attacked them in a split-second. Before the dust even settled, the six were defeated. It was over before they knew it! Sir Winstin and Lady Mingyu looked at the others, who were frightened off by Sir Winstin's aura. They raised their hands and immediately surrendered, counting their blessings that they were smart enough to avoid disaster. An example of the consequences was displayed before them! With this, everything was neatly wrapped up and they captured everyone. Sir Winstin's eyes drifted to the messenger pigeons in the room. The main problem was intercepting the messages that Monkey sent to the Imperial Council. They likely contained vital information about the Alzar Kingdom, which would be detrimental if leaked. Yet, he was not worried. It was that person's speciality after all.