"I see. Shall we go then? We wouldn't want to keep the kingdom waiting," Lady Xiulan whispered.
"Please coordinate with your subordinates first. We need to make some final preparations before we can leave."
"We understand."
As the ten left, Imperian Qiang turned to his nieces and asked, "What do you think?"
"There's probably more than one traitor in the group," Ming stated. "Up to half, I think."
"Huh? Then what should we do? Didn't we tell them our plans?" Xiuying was flustered.
"We've accounted for that already. Before coming here, I had compiled the information from the kingdom's intelligence network and our own sources to determine where the Imperial Council would most likely be. The information that Lord Zhugong and the others provided were supplementary to that. The routes and locations that I marked earlier were half truth and half lie," Ming explained.
"Still, there's a chance that the information they provided was accurate, so we're investigating those locations too. Yongtein is simply too big and there're too many places to hide. We don't have much time," Qiang added. "However, we won't be following them. Prime Minister Pon-Wai is most likely at… Liutianhe Pagoda."
"The Six Heavens' Harmony Pagoda… I know this place too. Isn't this the tallest pagoda in Yongtein? But from what the others said, there's little military presence around here. Would the prime minister really be hiding in such a place? Wouldn't it be too dangerous for him?"
"Hiding in plain sight is the best disguise. Liutianhe Pagoda gives a sweeping view of the entire region, making it one of the best ways to monitor and lead a battle from relative safety. Furthermore, there are few ways to enter and exit. It's the perfect location. The likelihood Prime Minister Pon-Wai is there is extremely high." Looking at the commander-in-charge of the kingdom's forces, she asked, "What will the Alzar Kingdom do?"
"As planned, one thousand soldiers will accompany your collaborators, three thousand will act independently, three hundred will infiltrate the Imperial Court, two hundred will head to Liutianhe Pagoda, and the remaining five hundred will remain here to guard our exit."
"Please do not harm or interfere with the locals here. That is all that I ask for."
The man gave her a sideways glance and ignored her. "Our deadline from General Petra is one hour, and we must complete our objectives by then. If we don't return-"
"We won't let it come to that."
"As long as you understand. Let the operation begin!"
Thousands of soldiers soon dispersed in every direction like a rising flood. The sudden appearance of five thousand enemy soldiers in the middle of the city would have been a shocking sight, and one that would have surely disrupted the enemy's morale had they noticed. Yet, they did not, though not because they were too slow or too blind to notice. The kingdom wanted to keep this operation as inconspicuous as possible to catch the Imperial Council off-guard. Why would they scare away their prey before they began?
To that end, these soldiers were trained in stealth and infiltration for city-based environments. They were a special trump card brigade. Using the clothes that Lord Zhugong and the others acquired, they assumed the appearance of normal civilians. They then dispersed like grains of sand and disappeared into the crowds. Half-assassins and half-soldiers, their prowess was frightening! No one noticed a thing in the process. No one would have suspected a huge threat lurked amongst them! All blades converged on the Imperial Council. As Ming and her sister travelled towards the pagoda, she could not help but feel a strange foreboding.
Liutianhe Pagoda. As the name implies, it was a six-sided wooden pagoda with thirteen floors, the tallest in Yongtein and likely the entire Xingyuu Empire. It offered a nearly unobstructed view of the capital city and beyond. Built to symbolize the emperor's connection with the heavens, harmonizing heaven and earth into one, it was called the Six Heavens' Harmony Pagoda. The pagoda itself sat at the center of a small walled-off forest in the Inner City to further emphasize its untainted and unblemished status. Normally, only monks or caretakers were permitted to enter except on very special occasions.
And it was on this very special occasion that two hundred soldiers converged on the pagoda from every direction. They detained any workers and closed off the area. It now transformed into the biggest cage for their prey. Imperian Qiang and the Imperial Princesses looked up at Liutianhe Pagoda with determined gazes. One could say that Prime Minister Pon-Wai was the cause of everything. Under his command, the Imperial Council attacked the Li Family and restarted the Second Great Kingdom War. He was the one who began this mad war, caused hundreds of thousands of deaths, and inflicted pain to millions more. No… His sins might have stretched even into Emperor Lianghu's time. He was a great evil that had to be defeated. Peace was finally within sight!
"Do you see anyone, Cardinal Hui?" It was natural to ask him, he who was famed for his superior eyesight even amongst Perception Realms.
Yet, the man shook his head. "No one noteworthy."
"I see… It looks like things won't be so simple after all." Ming clicked her tongue.
The platoon captain then stepped up. "Squadrons one and two will lead the charge in. Find and capture anyone from the Imperial Council. Kill anyone who resists. Go!" On their command, a hundred soldiers stormed in, leaving Imperian Qiang and the Imperial Princesses to wait outside. The sounds of conflict and an eerie silence soon followed. The platoon captain smiled and said, "It looks like your guess was right. There wouldn't be soldiers here unless there was someone important to protect. Look, they're coming out now."
Everyone looked over to see people shuffling out of the entrance when Cardinal Hui roared, "Your Highnesses!"
He grabbed Xiuying and dove to the ground. Similarly, Protector Chang grabbed Ming, while Lady Mingyu grabbed Qiang. All three of them hit the ground at the exact same time! Less than a fraction of a second later, a sharp whistling sound blew through the air where they were. Blood splashed! The platoon captain looked down at his chest in a daze, which was now stained in a deep crimson red. The man's speech slurred as his body splattered to the ground. He died before he knew it! Everyone's eyes widened seeing that there was no obvious cause of death. However, Imperian Qiang and the Imperial Princesses simultaneously grimaced. Only one thing came to mind… A flying strike! Martial Energy! It was the worst-case scenario! Their fears were realized when foreign soldiers exited the pagoda. Cardinal Hui, Protector Chang, and Lady Mingyu felt sweat rolling down their cheeks. That was because an endless swarm of Perception Realms came filing out the pagoda! It seemed like a repeat of the Battle of Liguang!
"We're retreating, Protector Chang, Lady Mingyu!" Cardinal Hui shouted.
He knew a losing battle when he saw one. They needed to get out of here as quickly as possible! Without waiting for an answer, he slung Xiuying over his shoulder and bolted. Despite his appearance, he was strong enough to not only lift and carry a teenage girl, but also run at high speeds without the slightest misstep. He was a Perception Realm, after all, someone who transcended mortal limits! Protector Chang and Lady Mingyu mirrored him without hesitation. Everything happened in a few short seconds. That was how fast they were at recognizing and responding to the situation. Unfortunately, it was not fast enough. Dozens of screams echoed across the small forest as more enemies emerged. They found themselves surrounded! Liutianhe Pagoda became a cage that trapped them instead. What was worse was that everyone they saw was a Perception Realm too! What an excessive welcoming party! The original two hundred soldiers dwindled down to a mere quarter as escape became increasingly unlikely.
"Put me down, Cardinal Hui," Xiuying exhaled.
"I apologize for my rudeness, Your Highness."
"No, it's alright." She threw away her robe, unsheathed her sabre, and assumed a stance.
"Prime Minister Pon-Wai outsmarted us this time," Ming sighed as she reached for her spear. As it turned out, this was her bad premonition. The Dragon and Tiger Divisions guarding the Imperial Court, the potential traitors amongst Lord Zhugong and the others, the absence of military around Liutianhe Pagoda… Everything was specifically crafted to guide her to this spot. She should have expected it from the start. This was one of the prime minister's methods after all!