The night wind, carrying the distinctive reek of the steppe, whipped the large tent's canvas, making it snap and flutter like the growls of a wild beast. The young man lifted the heavy tent flap, and a thick, metallic scent of blood assaulted his nostrils, causing his brow to furrow slightly. In the center of the tent, the young woman stood motionlessly, as if a butterfly frozen in amber.
With a single glance, Qin Yi confirmed her identity. Her exquisite face, almost translucent in its paleness, was further accentuated by a touch of sorrow between her brows, making her appear all the more poignant. His heart gave a violent lurch, as if gripped by an invisible hand, and a pang of indescribable bitterness surged through him. He had witnessed countless partings of life and death on the battlefield, yet never had he felt such a powerful wave of pity and heartache. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to remain calm, reminding himself of the purpose of his mission.
A flash of sword light, like a lightning bolt tearing through the night sky, was too swift for the eye to follow. The Hunnic soldier leading the way didn't even have time to utter a cry before his head was severed from his body, blood erupting and splattering onto the maiden's plain white dress, resembling scarlet plum blossoms, a shocking sight. The tent erupted into chaos, screams of terror echoing like a swarm of disturbed bees scattering in all directions. Qin Yi moved with ghostly speed, dodging the spraying blood, and instantly arrived before the maiden.She still stood there, unresponsive to the chaos around her, her empty gaze seemingly unfocused.
Qin Yi's heart sank. He reached out, gently placing a hand on her cold shoulder, softly calling her name: "Yu Yan…" He could feel her body trembling slightly, a fear that seemed to penetrate to her very bones.
"Waaah…"
The instant Qin Yi's fingertips touched her shoulder, she recoiled as if from a nightmare, letting out a cry that had been held back for too long. Like a frightened fawn, she threw herself into Qin Yi's arms, clutching him tightly, as if trying to merge into his very being.
"I…" Qin Yi was completely taken aback, feeling the fragile form and violent tremors of the maiden in his arms. A mixture of emotions surged through him. His raised arms finally descended, gently encircling her, lightly patting her back as he murmured comforting words: "Don't be afraid, it's all over now. I'm here…" His voice was deep and gentle, yet carried a hint of barely perceptible choking.
The maiden clung tightly to Qin Yi, burying her face in his chest, her tears soaking his tunic. She choked out the words: "Qin Yi… it's really you… I thought… I would never see you again…" Her voice was barely audible, yet struck Qin Yi's heart like a heavy hammer blow.
"Alright, enough, let's go." Qin Yi gently lifted the maiden from the ground; her lightness made his heart ache. Just as he was about to turn and leave, a chilling voice, like a serpent's hiss from the darkness, instantly dropped the temperature in the tent to freezing.
"General Qin, you have a great deal of courage, daring to venture alone into the heart of my Hunnic camp." A figure cloaked in black slowly emerged from the shadows, the cowl obscuring his face, revealing only a pair of eyes like cold stars, gleaming with a dangerous light. "It seems that the brute was thoroughly fooled by you, nothing more than a smokescreen." A meaningful sneer curled his lips as his gaze pierced Qin Yi like a blade. "Such boldness and wisdom, truly worthy of the title 'Divine General Qin,' the one who dared to rout ten thousand Hunnic cavalry! But…" He paused, his voice becoming low and hoarse, like a whisper from the depths of hell. "Does General Qin still recall… the 'Night of the Blood Moon,' outside the walls of Xianyang, that city wall stained crimson with blood?"
"The Night of the Blood Moon?!" Qin Yi's heart felt as if gripped by an icy hand, a chill shooting from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head. The arms holding the maiden trembled slightly, nearly causing him to drop her. He abruptly looked up at the man in black, his pupils contracting, his face instantly paling, as if he had seen something utterly terrifying. "You… you are…" His voice was hoarse and trembling, his mind a whirlwind of confusion. Long-buried memories surged forth like a tide, fragmented images flashing through his mind, yet refusing to coalesce into a coherent picture.
At this moment of extreme tension, when the atmosphere was thick enough to cut with a knife, the Second Prince, who had been hiding in the shadows behind the man in black, his eyes flashing with a sinister light, suddenly lunged forward, his target the ox-horn bugle hanging in the corner of the tent! He intended to sound the alarm, summoning all the Hunnic soldiers!
However, just as his fingers were about to touch the bugle's cord, a black shadow materialized like a phantom, a cold blade instantly pressed against his throat. Any further movement would mean instant death! It was Xuan Jian! He had appeared behind the Second Prince as if from thin air, the expressionless eyes behind his black iron mask devoid of all emotion.
"My lord, as you commanded, all the hostages have been rescued and are retreating towards the city." The man in the black iron mask reported to Qin Yi, breaking the suffocating silence.
Qin Yi cast a deep look at the man in black, a look filled with shock, doubt, and deep apprehension. He knew that this matter was far from over. Holding the maiden, he turned and strode out of the tent without looking back. Behind him, the man in black remained standing there, like a messenger from the underworld, watching their departing figures, the smile on his lips growing ever more eerie… He murmured to himself, barely audible: "The Night of the Blood Moon… everything is just beginning…"
Qin Yi, a battle-hardened general, had formulated a meticulous plan the moment he decided on the rescue operation. His trusted subordinate, the taciturn Xuan Jian, would lead a dozen elite soldiers, clad in black attire and wearing cold black iron masks, to secure the area outside the tent and silently seize control of the stables, preparing the escape route. The most dangerous task, Qin Yi unhesitatingly reserved for himself – he would enter the heavily guarded tent alone, facing unknown dangers, using himself as bait to buy precious time for Xuan Jian and Zhang Han. As for Zhang Han… He commanded an elite cavalry unit, lying in wait, a crucial element in ensuring the operation's ultimate success.
The wind whipped across the sandy steppe, a lonely crescent moon hanging in the sky, casting a cold, pale light. Bao Yu Xing paced restlessly outside his tent, a sense of unease gnawing at his heart. The scouts he had sent out had been gone for a long time, and their continued absence only heightened his anxiety.
Suddenly, the silence of the steppe was shattered by the urgent beat of hooves. Bao Yu Xing snapped his head up, seeing a lone rider galloping towards him, covered in dust and with a look of panic on his face.
"Great King! Disaster has struck!" The rider shouted, his voice hoarse, even before dismounting.
Bao Yu Xing's heart sank. A premonition of ill fortune washed over him. He strode forward and asked in a low voice, "What has happened?"
"Great King… we… we have been tricked!" The rider gasped, his face as pale as a sheet. "The Qin soldiers… they were not a large army at all… only two thousand men… they used branches dragged behind their horses to create the illusion of a vast force…"
"What?!" Bao Yu Xing roared, his fury erupting. He seized the rider by his collar, shouting, "Are you saying we were fooled by a mere two thousand Qin soldiers?!"
The rider trembled under Bao Yu Xing's wrath, stammering, "I… I wouldn't dare deceive the Great King… it's true… I saw it with my own eyes…"
Bao Yu Xing shoved the rider away, his face ashen. He looked into the distance, where he could just make out some moving dark specks on the horizon—the retreating Qin soldiers. He clenched his fists, his nails digging deep into his palms, his heart filled with humiliation and rage.
"Pursue them! Pursue them to the ends of the earth! Bring them back to me!" Bao Yu Xing bellowed, his voice filled with murderous intent.
However, when he led his army to where the Qin soldiers had retreated, they found only a scene of chaos, scattered with discarded branches and ropes. Several Hunnic soldiers had been injured after accidentally triggering traps left behind by the Qin.
Just as Bao Yu Xing believed the Qin had completely escaped, another scout came galloping back, bearing news that utterly shattered him.
"Great King! The Qin soldiers… the banners of the Qin soldiers… were embroidered with the words 'Fan Cheng Qin'!" His voice was filled with terror and disbelief.
"Fan Cheng Qin?!" The words struck Bao Yu Xing like a thunderbolt. His eyes instantly turned bloodshot, a wave of uncontrollable fury washing over him. He threw back his head and roared to the heavens, a heart-wrenching, mournful cry, like a wounded beast howling in despair. The sound echoed across the empty steppe, the very air seeming to tremble with his anguish. His eyes were bloodshot, veins throbbing in his temples, as if he wanted to devour Qin Yi alive. He leaped onto his horse, spurring it onward in the direction of the retreating Qin forces, his Hunnic warriors following close behind, raising a cloud of dust that billowed across the plains like a surging flood.
However, they were destined not to catch Qin Yi. Zhang Han's cavalry had already ridden far ahead, and Qin Yi, carrying the weakened maiden, had taken a hidden path, leaving no trace. Bao Yu Xing could only watch the dust clouds gradually dissipate into the distance, his heart a bitter mix of powerlessness and rage.Meanwhile, on the other side, Qin Yi, carrying the frail maiden, was escorted by Xuan Jian and the others, galloping all the way back to Fan Cheng. The city gates slowly creaked open, welcoming them with the fervent cheers of the city's inhabitants.Far away, in the Hunnic camp, the man in black, observing the Second Prince's ashen face, let out a low, chilling laugh that reverberated through the tent, sending shivers down the spine. "Second Prince, there is no need for such anger. This was merely a small interlude," he said slowly, his tone filled with disdain and mockery. "The important thing is that half of our plan has already succeeded."The Second Prince gritted his teeth, saying, "But that woman… she already knows our plans!"The man in black waved his hand dismissively. "Hmph, who would believe the words of a weak woman? Moreover, the Qin court is already teetering on the brink of collapse, barely able to manage its own affairs. Even if she were to send word back, I doubt anyone would pay attention to the words of a mere city lord." He paused, a cold glint flashing in his eyes, adding meaningfully: "Besides… whether she even returns to Qin alive remains to be seen."Hearing this, a flicker of viciousness crossed the Second Prince's eyes, but he quickly asked with some doubt, "But… why did we let them go? Wouldn't it be cleaner if we had simply killed them all?"The man in black shook his head, replying with a profound tone, "No, killing them would be too dull. We need Bao Yu Xing to know that it was Qin Yi who took his woman. This way, he will undoubtedly hate Qin to the bone and attack the Qin borders with even greater ferocity. We will use his rage to serve our grand scheme." He paused, his tone growing even more sinister. "We will plunge all of Qin into the flames of war, let them tear themselves apart, and ultimately lead them to their ruin!"The Second Prince shuddered at the man in black's words. Looking at his chilling smile, a sense of inexplicable fear arose in his heart. He suddenly realized that the man before him was far more terrifying than he had imagined.After the Second Prince left the tent, filled with doubt and fear, the man in black remained silent for a moment, then looked up, gazing through the tent flaps at the distant, pitch-black night sky. A strange smile returned to his lips as he murmured to himself, "Ying Zheng… I await you… Great Qin is doomed."