Li Wei crouched behind a tree, his heart pounding as chaos erupted around him. Poisoned darts whizzed through the air, punctuated by the shouts of confusion from the Heavenly Tide Sect. He hadn't planned on becoming a part of this mess, but he could see the disciples struggling against their attackers.
Just moments ago, he had been bound and surrounded, the leader of the group that captured him debating whether to kill him. Now, with masked assailants charging at the sect, he knew he had to act. If he didn't help them survive this ambush, they could all end up dead—including him. The unnamed attackers didn't seem like the type to spare him, so he had to help his capturers for the sake of his own survival.
He dodged to the side as a dart sailed past him, narrowly missing its mark.
The leader of the sect was locked in combat with two attackers at once. Li Wei took a moment to assess the situation; the attackers were fast but clearly inexperienced. He could see openings in their movements.
Decision made, he charged into the fray.
Li Wei sidestepped an attacker lunging at him, then grabbed the assailant's wrist and twisted it, using their own momentum to throw them to the ground. The masked figure hit the ground with a thud, and Li Wei quickly turned his attention to the leader, who was still fending off her two opponents.
As he fought, he moved with precision, taking down another attacker with a swift kick to the chest. Adrenaline coursed through him. The attackers hadn't counted on him being so strong.
Li Wei spotted a fallen sword nearby, gleaming in the low light. Without a second thought, he dove for it, rolling across the ground and snatching it up in one fluid motion. He was back on his feet in an instant, the blade now in hand.
"Get him!" one of the attackers shouted, turning to face Li Wei, but it was too late. With a quick flick of his wrist, he swung the sword, catching the assailant off guard. The blade struck true, and the enemy staggered back, falling to the ground.
"Stay down!" Li Wei shouted, but there was no time to relish his victory. He turned to find the leader still battling her foes, her movements becoming more labored. He could see the effects of the poison starting to take hold.
Li Wei rushed back to her side, ready to lend assistance. "We can't let them get the upper hand!" he called out, slicing through another attacker who tried to flank them.
Suddenly, the enemy leader stepped forward to engage him, his eyes narrowing as he assessed the threat. Li Wei recognized him as a peak 2nd-rate fighter, and he knew this was going to be a challenge.
With a fierce battle cry, he lunged at him, sword flashing in the air. Li Wei barely managed to block her strike, the impact sending vibrations through his arms. "You're strong," he said, a hint of surprise in her voice as they began to circle each other.
"Guess you're not as clever as you thought," Li Wei retorted, his breath steady. He swung his sword, aiming for her shoulder, but he ducked just in time, countering with a swift kick that nearly knocked him off balance.
The two exchanged blows, their swords clashing in a flurry of strikes. Each hit felt like a test of endurance as they pushed against one another, both aware that this battle would determine the outcome of the ambush. Li Wei focused on finding an opening, studying his movements for weaknesses.
After a grueling exchange, Li Wei feigned a strike to his left before quickly pivoting to the right, slicing at his side. The enemy leader barely managed to block the attack, but he could see the surprise in his eyes.
"You think you can take me down?" he taunted, breathless but determined.
"Let's find out," Li Wei shot back, pressing the attack.
With a series of quick movements, he engaged his in a relentless dance of blades. He was good, but Li Wei was better. Li Wei could feel the tide of the battle turning in his favor. With a sudden burst of speed, he spun low, slicing his legs and forcing his to stumble.
In a final surge, he struck again, his blade glinting in the fading light. The enemy leader fell to his knees, defeated and gasping for breath.
In the aftermath of their leader's defeat, the remaining attackers hesitated, exchanging panicked glances. With their commander down, they turned to flee into the woods. "Fall back!" one of them yelled as they scrambled to escape.
"Don't let them get away!" Li Wei shouted, but the enemy leader's defeat had shaken the morale of the remaining attackers. They fled into the woods, fear driving them as they vanished into the shadows.
As the dust settled, Li Wei leaned against a tree, catching his breath. The sect members were recovering, but their losses were evident.
Hours later, the scene shifted to a dimly lit room deep within a hidden base.
A shadowy figure stood, his face obscured by darkness, surrounded by flickering torches that cast eerie shadows across the stone walls. "What a failure," he said, anger lacing his voice as he surveyed the reports of chaos. He had just received word of the ambush's defeat from the escapees.
"You were supposed to eliminate every last one of them. Now the intel will reach the orthodox sects," he snapped, fury bubbling beneath the surface as he turned toward his subordinate.
"Who is this new person?" he demanded, pointing at a report detailing Li Wei's involvement. "Why did he help them?"
The subordinate stepped forward, uncertainty evident on his face. "He was in the tavern. He suddenly joined them for whatever reason. We thought he was a nobody. We underestimated his strength."
"Find out who he is and why he intervened. Eliminate him," the shadowy figure ordered, his voice a low growl, the air thick with tension. Shadows flickered ominously as he turned away, his presence casting a looming threat over the room.
The atmosphere grew colder, the flickering lights revealing glimpses of twisted, dark decorations that lined the stone walls, giving the space an unsettling aura.