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墨書 Inktalez
The dark clouds almost completely covered the sky, leaving only a white line at the western horizon. The mountains shrouded in mist turned black, and the branches that were once clearly visible were gradually enveloped by the thick fog, rendering the surroundings eerily quiet. Not even the calls of animals could be heard, as if the entire land had fallen into a deep slumber.
As the clear sound of a bell on a horse harness broke this silence, a hurried carriage suddenly appeared around the corner of the post road. It was trying to make as much progress as possible before nightfall, and the potholes in the muddy road did not affect its speed at all. Instead, the driver's urging voice mixed with the sound of hoofbeats created a rhythmic echo. A flock of birds was startled into flight, calling out as they vanished into the thick fog.
Hearing the noise from outside, a passenger inside the carriage, jostled by the bumps, hurriedly pulled back the curtain to look out. At this moment, visibility was limited, but he could vaguely make out what seemed to be a flock of pheasants taking flight.
The white line hanging at the edge of the sky had long since disappeared, replaced by a blanket of fog pressing down from all directions. It was currently the rainy season; otherwise, it wouldn't be so dark so early. It seemed another heavy rain was about to fall, Luzi thought to himself, shaking his head and letting go of the curtain to ponder quietly.
Rumors can be fearsome! Ever since a shaman claimed to be a spy for the Qin State, there was almost a consensus in every street and alley of the capital of Chu. Moreover, the rumors grew more sensational with each retelling, spreading like wildfire. It seemed this secret was no longer just a result of divination by the shaman but had become an official announcement from state inspection agencies.
This news was soon indeed learned by the Supervisory Agency, which began to intervene in investigations; staying any longer would surely lead to disaster! Now it was more important to guard against spies than thieves; being thrown into prison could lead to trouble even if one had done nothing wrong. Better to mistakenly kill a thousand than let one escape had become an unspoken rule among intelligence agencies across nations. Rumors are treated as facts; better to act first and ask questions later! What could wealthy tycoons do? Who would dare speak up when they were being skinned alive?
Alas! If it weren't for the rain, they could have covered more ground; it seemed even heaven had turned against them! What must come will come; there is no escaping it. Luzi sighed helplessly and simply closed his eyes to feign sleep.
Sitting beside the driver, the captain of guards leaned on his sword with his left hand, nervously watching the Official Road hidden in fog ahead. He occasionally listened intently for sounds behind them to determine if any cavalry were pursuing. He had made up his mind that he would protect his master’s safe departure at all costs. However, some things do not bend to anyone's will; all he could do was try his best in any situation.
Now, even if a soldier were to block a cavalry charge, it would be futile. The incoming cavalry only needed one charge and could leave a few men behind to stop him to achieve their goal of pursuit.
Luzi still had several skilled individuals accompanying him; however, this time they had left all personnel and supplies behind at the inn due to their hasty departure. It wasn't that he didn't want to notify his subordinates to leave together; rather, delaying even for a moment meant they might not make it through the city gates! Since he had been wandering among various nations, he had never felt so desperate before. Now it was too late for regrets; escaping from Chu safely was what mattered most.
If captured and taken back for trial, that would be manageable; at least there would be an opportunity for escape again. What worried him most was that existing unspoken rule—if captured, he might very well be executed on the spot. Death itself did not frighten him; rather, it was that generations of sovereigns had painstakingly built up their intelligence agency only for it to fall into disarray without leadership. If they wanted to reorganize and regain functionality, it would take at least ten or eight years—something that should not even be considered lightly. People say it's easy to find thousands of soldiers but hard to find one general; this is especially true for secret intelligence agencies.
The captain of guards noticed lights appearing along the roadside not far ahead. Upon closer inspection of the lantern swaying in the night and reading its inscription, he realized it indicated a resting place. He turned to look at the driver and then at three sweat-drenched chestnut horses pulling their carriage before calling out to those inside: "Master! There is an inn ahead."
Having set out in the morning and now nearing evening with hardly any breaks along the way, Luzi knew very well that both man and horse were exhausted. The only reason they could continue moving forward was sheer determination. This was already the fourth inn they encountered on their journey; if they kept going like this, they would surely have to sleep outdoors.
One can still hold on a little longer; the horse pulling the cart cannot die of exhaustion halfway! Since what is meant to come will eventually arrive, let's calmly await fate! With that thought, he lifted his hand to pull aside the curtain and looked ahead. Seeing that they were getting closer to the inn's entrance, he finally made up his mind and said to the driver, "Thirteen! I think we should stop here for today and stay at this inn. We can set off again early tomorrow morning to avoid sleeping by the roadside."
When it comes to fighting or literary skills, Thirteen is definitely not on the same level as the two on the cart. However, when it comes to understanding horses, he is an expert in that regard. Although all three horses are rare Superior Steeds, if they continue running like this, they will surely wear out!
Upon hearing his master's command, he secretly let out a sigh of relief. As he pulled the reins to stop the cart, he glanced back at the dark road for a moment. He knew what was behind them; otherwise, there would be no need for such a desperate escape. But he also knew that if the three horses did not get a rest soon, they would only manage a few more miles before reaching their limit. It was just a matter of time. However, he could not voice these thoughts due to his position. If his master ordered him not to stop, he would still drive the cart forward without hesitation.
Luzi knew what he was looking back at and leaned down to pat Thirteen's shoulder as he stepped out of the carriage. "We're all tired! Let's settle them first and then come to the front hall for dinner." After saying this, he jumped down with the help of the captain of the guards.
The groom Thirteen agreed and jumped down as well. The horses were too tired; he couldn't bear to let them carry even a little more weight. He gently patted the Hequ Horse, which was snorting intermittently, feeling its muscles tremble under his palm. Moving in front of the lead horse, he took hold of the reins and softly reassured it, "Easy now! Easy now! I'll take off your saddle right away!"
A flash of lightning suddenly illuminated the ground, casting an extremely fierce shadow over the originally lush mountains. Large raindrops began to fall, splashing into mud puddles left by the cart's tracks and creating bursts of mud that were instantly crushed by the hooves that followed.
"Go! Go!"
The shouts mixed with thunder echoed back and forth. Over twenty armored Soldiers urged their warhorses to gallop forward, ignoring the steam coming from their mouths and noses. They were desperately chasing after a lost target—one that absolutely must not escape. If this pursuit failed, everyone involved would meet a dire fate. It was either you die or I die; there was no other option!
...
The captain of guards followed closely behind Luzi as they reached the inn's entrance and swiftly lifted the hanging curtain. Before he could speak, a strong smell of fermented liquor hit him, causing him to frown involuntarily. He knew his master liked cleanliness and had a particular aversion to such foul odors. Hesitating for a moment, he asked, "Master... should we..."
To his surprise, Luzi didn't care at all; he waved his hand dismissively as if it were nothing. Stepping inside, he muttered to himself, "Hmm! It seems like it's been a long time since I've felt this kind of rotten atmosphere; thinking about it now really brings back some memories!"
Hearing this, the captain felt relieved. If his master found this place too dirty and chaotic, they would likely have to spend the night cramped in their carriage outdoors. The so-called Expedient refers precisely to this situation; if one were still concerned about such unpleasantness now, it would only lead to unnecessary discomfort. However, thoughts aside, it wouldn't interfere with his responsibilities. Given how complex things were at present, it was better to step inside first. As Luzi entered through the door, he quickly moved into the hall.
The noisy shouts and laughter abruptly ceased as those engaged in drinking games turned their heads toward these two unexpected guests. The entire scene fell into an extreme silence in an instant.
A loud thunderclap echoed overhead, causing the earthenware bowls on the dining table to jump a few times. Realizing that their drinks were nearly spilled, the diners finally came to their senses. They shouted loudly to continue, ignoring the two newcomers.
"Two guests? Please come inside! We have private rooms!" The waiter draped a towel over his shoulder and approached.
No need for a private room; it was likely moldy inside. Luzi pointed to a table against the wall and asked the waiter if it had been reserved.
The innkeeper, sharp-eyed, quickly assessed that these were wealthy patrons. With a beaming smile, he walked over and replied, "Given this weather, you two are the last guests we’ll have today."
There were fewer than ten tables in the hall, yet seven of them were filled to capacity. Even without being involved in the underworld, one could tell from the weapons leaning against the tables that no one here was harmless. The men with bare arms surrounding animal hides were more than just hunters!
The captain of the guards approached the table and pulled out a cloth to wipe it down. He quietly advised, "Master! I think it would be better for us to buy something to eat on the road."
Luzi quietly sat down, signaling that since they were here, they might as well settle in; what was there to fear? The world of martial arts wasn’t as complicated as one might think!
The captain finally nodded and said to the innkeeper, "Whatever specialties you have, please bring them out. Also, clean up three of your best rooms for us."
"Sure thing!" Upon hearing this, the innkeeper's face lit up with joy. He urged the waiter to hurry and introduced that they also had excellent rice wine. This was a family recipe that couldn’t be found outside.
If someone was overly fatigued, a bit of wine could easily put them to sleep. Just as the captain was about to refuse the wine, he heard Luzi say they could start with a pot to taste. Since the master had spoken, he felt it inappropriate to say anything else. After nodding at the innkeeper, whose eyes were squinting with delight, he planned to take out his own bowl and chopsticks from his bag.
In such a mixed environment, it was better to keep a low profile. Luzi hurriedly waved his hand and flipped over two large bowls on the table to pour tea.
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