"Ending the night?" Lee said, though he couldn't help but wonder inwardly, 'what's with that badge-like thing the town lord sent? What does it mean?'
"Director, you speak as if you have control over everything, but you know full well you're not going anywhere unless we decide to let you," Han added, seemingly supporting the Lee's stance.
Han and Lee exchanged a brief glance, as if they were both thinking the same thing, Lee looked at the director and asked, "So, what did the lord send?"
"Indeed, what's the reason behind wanting to end the night so soon? We've only just begun to enjoy ourselves," Han said with a mocking expression.
"Hahaha! Well said, Brother Han. Maybe the lord's gotten himself into some trouble and is now looking for a little help," Lee said, probing the director's reaction.
The two sides, who had halted fighting when the town lord's messenger arrived, now stood a few steps apart, observing one another and contemplating their next move.
'They don't know the lord has begun his breakthrough. Even if anyone in the town center does, no one has come to inform Han and Lee yet.'
'Should I just tell them? Or should I let them figure it out on their own?'
Though the director knew that if he told them about the lord's situation, both Han and Lee would likely cease their attack on Lei To, he also knew he risked inadvertently feeding information to the enemy if the town lord's opponents hadn't yet learned of the breakthrough.
While the director thought about what to do, Han and Lee grew impatient.
"Director, I'm tired of waiting. If you're not going to say anything, then let's return to our fun," Han said, glaring at the director with a frustrated expression.
Han and Lee once again assumed combat stances. Without taking his eyes off his two enemies, the academy director leaned over to Lei To and whispered, "When they attack, leave this place."
"What! No!"
"I told you before—this is my home. I won't flee from those who attack it," Lei To said, aggressively rejecting the director.
"Now isn't the time for pride. There's no reason to prolong this fight tonight," the director whispered with a scolding look.
Having overheard them, Lee sneered, "What's this? Do you two think we can't hear you?"
With that, Lee launched himself toward the director. He didn't even look in Han's direction before saying, "Brother Han, I'll keep the director occupied. Don't let Lei To escape."
"Hmph. Leave him to me."
With Lei To still refusing to run, things returned to their starting point. The director, visibly weary, kept trying to shield the stubborn Lei To while internally lamenting, 'This fight lost its purpose long ago, and instead of figuring out our next move, I'm here wasting my energy on a bunch of madmen.'
The battle continued for a few more minutes in a back-and-forth, until a figure wielding a metal staff ran into Lei family's courtyard.
"Father! Martial Uncle!" the young man shouted, revealing himself to be none other than Han Fei, the Han family's young master.
Han and Lee paused, stepping back from their attacks on the director and Lei To.
While Lei To seemed reluctant to let them be, the director breathed a sigh of relief as though a savior had finally arrived.
Spotting the four of them standing in the courtyard, Han Fei sprinted over and, upon reaching them, said, "So here you are. I've been looking all over."
"Han Fei, where is Lee Zhong? Is he alright?" Lee looked at Han Fei with a worried expression.
Panting heavily, Han Fei took a few moments to catch his breath before saying, "Martial Uncle, don't worry. Brother Lee lost a bit of blood, so he's gone back to see the doctor."
"Good, good. And what happened with the town lord? He sent the director some kind of wooden badge." With relief easing his features, Lee continued with more questions.
"Hahaha!"
Hearing this, Han Fei burst into laughter. Both Han and Lee were momentarily stunned by his reaction but quickly assumed it was something in their favor, becoming visibly excited.
"Son, what's happened? Don't keep us waiting," Han said expectantly.
After taking a deep breath, Han Fei looked at both and said, "During our fight, the town lord began his breakthrough and fled."
"What!!"
Both Han and Lee shouted in astonishment. Meanwhile, Lei To, now understanding why the director had urged him to leave, wore a troubled expression.
"Are you sure? Did you manage to injure the lord?"
"What happened? Tell us everything, quickly!"
With questions bombarding him from both, Han Fei hesitated, unsure which to answer first. "Father, Martial Uncle, there's no point in staying here. Why don't we return? I'll explain everything once we're back."
Han and Lee stopped, looking at each other, then turned to face the director and Lei To. After a moment of silence, Han said, "As you said, director, let's end this here tonight."
With that, the two family leaders and Han Fei began to move toward the nearest door to leave the courtyard.
Though Lei To appeared reluctant, wanting to stop them, the director quickly restrained him with an arm. "Let them go."
"But this… Ahhh… Fine."
"Don't stop them. Let them leave," Lei To called out to his family members stationed near the door.
With that, the two family leaders and Han Fei passed through the door, disappearing into the dark. Director turned to Lei To, saying, "We should prepare as well. Let's go."
"To the lord's house?"
"Yes."
"Go on ahead. I'll tidy up around here and follow shortly." Lei To looked around at the aftermath in the courtyard as he replied to the director.
"Alright, but don't take too long, they might return. Here, take these blood and energy pills to help you recover." Director handed Lei To a few red and orange pills, then turned and left.
Meanwhile, as the three men approached the Lee family house, they agreed to continue their plans there at the Lee's suggestion.
As calmness settled over the town like the eerie quiet before a storm, in a secluded alleyway facing the east door of the Wu family house in the northeastern part of the town, Lu Yang hid among the piles of refuse, his gaze fixed intently on the eastern door of the Wu house.
'Why is the Wu family house so quiet?'
'Isn't this where the real battle is supposed to be?'
Feeling the eerie silence, especially compared to the chaos in the town center, Lu Yang found the absence of any fighting near the Wu house suspicious.
'Whatever. I'll wait until midnight. If nothing happens by then, I'll sneak in.'
Having made his decision, Lu Yang continued his vigil over the Wu family, hiding quietly among the piles of refuse.
Unbeknownst to him, the real battle he was waiting for would soon break out here, just as he anticipated.