General Liu stood at the edge of the training grounds, watching his soldiers go through their drills. His mind, however, was far from the routines before him. His thoughts were consumed by Chen Ming's sudden disappearance and the troubling news about Jianyi.The mission to find the hidden sect had been crucial, but Liu had hesitated to let Chen Ming go. He trusted Chen Ming's capabilities, but something had felt off. Now, with Chen Ming missing and Jianyi revealed as a traitor, Liu couldn't shake the feeling that he had made a grave mistake."General," a voice called out, breaking through his thoughts. Liu turned to see Zhen, his most trusted scout, approaching with a grim expression. "We have news from the field."Liu nodded for him to continue, his heart heavy with dread."Our scouts found traces of a struggle near the cliffs," Zhen reported. "There are signs that Chen Ming and Jianyi were there, but..." He hesitated, searching for the right words. "It seems Jianyi betrayed Chen Ming. He was seen meeting with demonic cultivators before disappearing. There's no sign of Chen Ming. It's possible he was taken or..." Zhen's voice trailed off, unable to finish the thought.Liu's heart clenched at the news. He couldn't believe Jianyi, whom he had trusted, would turn against them. And the thought of Chen Ming being in the hands of demonic cultivators was unbearable."Keep searching," Liu ordered, his voice tight with worry. "We need to find Chen Ming. Send more scouts if necessary. We can't leave any stone unturned."Zhen nodded. "Understood, General. We'll do everything we can."As Zhen hurried away to relay the orders, Liu's mind raced. Chen Ming had been missing for days, and with each passing moment, the chances of finding him unharmed diminished. Liu's thoughts were plagued with images of what could be happening to Chen Ming at that very moment, each more terrible than the last.He had always admired Chen Ming's bravery and determination, even if the young lord was a bit headstrong at times. There had been a change in Chen Ming lately, a maturity and resolve that Liu couldn't quite place. It was almost as if he were a different person. But now was not the time for those thoughts.Liu's jaw tightened with determination. He would find Chen Ming, no matter what. The young guard had become someone important to him, though Liu couldn't quite understand why. He had to be sure Chen Ming was safe.Suddenly, a shout from behind interrupted his thoughts. Liu turned to see a soldier running toward him, breathless."General! We've found Jianyi," the soldier panted. "He's been captured near the cliffs."Liu's eyes narrowed. "Bring him to me at once."Within minutes, Jianyi was dragged into the camp, bound and bruised. His eyes darted around nervously as he was thrown to the ground in front of Liu."Jianyi," Liu said coldly, staring down at the man he once considered an ally. "You betrayed us. You led Chen Ming into a trap, didn't you?"Jianyi trembled under Liu's gaze, his eyes wide with fear. "I-I didn't mean for this to happen," he stammered. "They made me do it! The demonic cultivators—""Where is Chen Ming?" Liu demanded, cutting him off. "What have you done with him?""I don't know!" Jianyi cried, his voice desperate. "I swear, I don't know! They took him, but I don't know where!"Liu's anger flared, and he grabbed Jianyi by the collar, lifting him off the ground. "You better pray he's still alive, Jianyi. If anything happens to him, you'll wish you had never crossed me."Jianyi nodded frantically, his eyes filled with tears. "Please, General, I'll help you find him! Just don't kill me!"Liu threw Jianyi to the ground, disgusted. "You'll tell us everything you know," he ordered, turning to Zhen. "Lock him up and keep a close watch on him. He doesn't leave your sight."Zhen nodded and pulled Jianyi to his feet, dragging him away. Liu watched them go, his mind a whirlwind of emotions. He had to find Chen Ming. He couldn't let anything happen to him.But deep down, a part of Liu was troubled by the depth of his concern. Why did he care so much about Chen Ming's safety? He had lost soldiers before—good men and women who had died in the line of duty. Yet, this felt different. Chen Ming felt different.Liu pushed the thoughts away, focusing on the task at hand. There would be time to figure out his feelings later. Right now, all that mattered was finding Chen Ming and bringing him home safely.As Liu prepared to set out with a search party, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was racing against time. He had to find Chen Ming, no matter what it took. And when he did, he would make sure Jianyi paid for his betrayal.But as Liu mounted his horse and rode out of the camp, a nagging thought lingered at the back of his mind. Why had Chen Ming been acting so differently lately? And what was it about him that made Liu feel this way?Liu didn't have the answers, but he knew one thing for certain: he would do whatever it took to find Chen Ming and bring him back. And when he did, he would figure out the rest.