33: Chapter 33 Working Together to Resolve the Crisis

A gust of wind stirred the tattered lantern at the corner of the eaves. As its flame flickered, seven or eight dark figures lunged forward.

Chen Xuan held his blade before him. The wound on his right arm was still seeping blood, but his hand didn't tremble.

He barked a low command: "Form up!"

Before the words faded, Leng Shuang stepped forward, slamming both palms onto the ground. A surge of frigid Qi erupted, instantly coating the floor with a thin layer of ice. The two foremost black-clad figures slipped, their blade stances faltering. Seizing the chance, Zhao Hongling hurled a fire-thunder pellet. It exploded with a roar, blasting apart half a wall. Shards of brick flew wildly, forcing the enemies to retreat.

"Go! Don't let them encircle us!"

Chen Xuan leaped up, his short blade slicing across an enemy's shoulder. The man grunted and fell.

From the corner of his eye, he saw Liu Ruyan targeted by two guards who were lunging to seize the ledger. He immediately flashed into an intercept, pushing out a surge of True Qi with his left palm, sending one of them staggering back three steps. But a sudden tightness gripped his chest, and a thin line of blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

"Can you hold on?" Zhao Hongling jumped to his side, casually stuffing her last fire-thunder pellet into his hand.

"Won't die," Chen Xuan wiped his mouth. "How many do you have left?"

"None. Threw them all."

"Then stand back. Don't cause trouble."

"Who's causing trouble!" Zhao Hongling glared, but still retreated half a step, drawing the soft sword from her waist to guard their flank.

Dugu Xue dropped from the roof beam, her sword light like snow, aimed straight for the archers in the back.

Her movements were lightning-fast. One sword sealed a throat, the next severed a bowstring. Before three archers could react, two had already fallen.

The remaining one turned to flee, but Leng Shuang raised a hand and pointed. An ice spike shot through the air, piercing his calf. He screamed and fell face-first.

"The mechanisms are moving again!" Liu Ruyan suddenly cried out.

As soon as she spoke, the entire study began to tremble.

Bookshelves flipped, revealing hidden compartments only to snap shut again. Cracks split the floor, poisonous spikes springing up one by one. An iron net crashed down from the ceiling, threatening to trap the five of them on the spot.

"Forget the things, save yourselves first!" Chen Xuan roared. "Leng Shuang, freeze the hub! Zhao Hongling, blow the left wall! Dugu Xue, cut the ropes! Liu Ruyan, don't run around, wait for me there!"

The moment the orders were given, the four sprang into action. Leng Shuang charged toward the western wall's corner, pressing her palms to the ground. Frigid Qi spread along the brick seams, quickly freezing a set of bronze gears.

The iron net's descent immediately slowed.

Zhao Hongling fished out the last packet of gunpowder from her bosom, gritted her teeth, and hurled it at the left wall. With a deafening blast, bricks and stones crumbled, revealing a gap large enough to pass through.

Dugu Xue soared into the air. A flash of sword light severed the dangling mechanism ropes, and the iron net went completely limp.

As she landed, her foot slipped on the edge of a poison spike pit. She nearly tumbled in, but Chen Xuan reached out and yanked her back.

"Thanks," Dugu Xue steadied herself.

"Aim your jumps better next time," Chen Xuan grinned, then his face darkened. "Liu Ruyan! Hurry! The compartment is closing!"

Liu Ruyan had already rushed to the western wall. She dug her fingers into a brick seam and pried with all her might. The hidden compartment there was slowly shutting.

Ignoring her scraped palms, she forcefully pulled out half of the ledger. The pages were yellowed, the corners charred, but the handwriting was clearly legible.

"Got it!" she gasped, holding it up.

"Retreat!" Chen Xuan grabbed the ledger and stuffed it into his robe, turning to leave. "Take the well passage!"

"Which well?" Zhao Hongling asked while running.

"The abandoned well in the backyard!" Liu Ruyan followed behind. "When I was a kid, I used to climb out from there to sneak a peek at the lantern festival. I remember there's a hidden channel leading outside the city."

The five burst out of the study, dashed through the collapsed corridor, and headed straight for the backyard. Behind them, the footsteps of pursuers grew closer, torchlight flickered, and shouts of battle rose on all sides.

At the well's edge, Chen Xuan peered down into a pitch-black abyss. "Who goes first?"

"I'll lead!" Liu Ruyan made to jump down without a second thought.

"Not you," Leng Shuang stopped her. "There might be poisonous gas or traps below. I'll go first."

She leaped in. A moment later, her voice echoed up: "It's safe. Come down quickly!"

Zhao Hongling jumped in right after, followed by Dugu Xue. Chen Xuan gave Liu Ruyan a push. "You last. I'll bring up the rear."

"Don't you dare cover the rear alone!" Liu Ruyan grabbed his wrist. "Together!"

Chen Xuan looked at her, then nodded. "Alright. Together."

They leaped down simultaneously. The moment they landed, a rumble sounded overhead. A massive stone slab slid down from above, sealing the well mouth perfectly. Darkness instantly swallowed everything.

"Where's the fire striker?" Zhao Hongling asked urgently.

"It's wet," Dugu Xue said quietly.

"I have a night-luminous pearl here," Liu Ruyan retrieved a thumb-sized pearl from her hairpin. A faint glow illuminated a narrow water channel.

"Let's go," Chen Xuan patted her shoulder. "It's alright. We made it out alive."

The group moved along the hidden channel, knee-deep in water thick with the smell of mud. After walking for roughly the time it takes half an incense stick to burn, a faint light appeared ahead. The exit was by the edge of a wild forest, partially obscured by a few crooked trees. Outside was an unused path, with no one in sight.

Chen Xuan was the first to scramble out of the hole, then turned and offered a hand to pull Liu Ruyan up.

Leng Shuang emerged next. As her hands touched the ground, they trembled slightly—clearly a backlash from using her cold Qi. But she made no sound, only silently took a position to Chen Xuan's left, watching the forest's movements.

Zhao Hongling was the last out. She sat on the muddy ground, panting heavily. "Exhausted... Those people were truly reckless, like a pack of mad dogs."

"They were after destroying evidence," Chen Xuan leaned against a tree trunk, pulling out the ledger for a look. "This thing is more precious than life."

"You're looking at it now?" Dugu Xue squatted by the stream, washing mud from her hands. "What if there's a trap?"

"There won't be," Liu Ruyan shook her head. "With old records like this, at most they'd use some developer fluid. There won't be hidden mechanisms. When my mother hid things, she focused on 'unseen,' not 'untouchable.'"

Chen Xuan nodded but didn't rush to open it. Instead, he scanned their surroundings. "Is this place safe?"

"For now, it's fine," Dugu Xue stood up, sheathing her sword. "The forest isn't large, the view is open. We can spot anyone approaching early."

"Then rest a bit," Zhao Hongling plopped onto a tree stump. "Let me catch my breath. That last blast nearly sent me off myself."

Leng Shuang remained standing, gently rubbing her palms to disperse the cold Qi within her. She glanced at Chen Xuan, seeing the blood still wet at the corner of his mouth, and her brow furrowed slightly. But she said nothing.

Chen Xuan noticed her gaze and smiled. "Don't worry, I'm fine. But you, your hands have gone pale."

"It's nothing," Leng Shuang withdrew her hands. "Just overexertion. Rest will fix it."

"You two are both as stubborn as mules," Zhao Hongling rolled her eyes. "Acting all high and mighty when you can barely stand straight."

"You shut up," Chen Xuan laughed and scolded. "Keep talking and I'll toss you back there."

"You wouldn't dare!" Zhao Hongling jumped up. "Have you forgotten who blew the wall? Could you have gotten out without me?"

"Without me, you'd all be frozen popsicles by now," Leng Shuang added coolly.

"Oh my, oh my! Has the sun risen in the west?" Zhao Hongling put her hands on her hips. "The ice queen actually learned to claim credit?"

"I'm merely stating facts," Leng Shuang said expressionlessly.

Dugu Xue lowered her head to inspect her blade, speaking softly: "Are you done arguing? I hear the birdsong has changed."

Everyone fell silent immediately.

From the distance beyond the forest came the sound of hoofbeats, growing closer. It seemed a night patrol was searching the area.

"We can't stay long," Chen Xuan put away the ledger, tucking it inside his robe. "Head north. Find a hidden spot before looking at it."

"I'll carry Liu Ruyan," Dugu Xue volunteered. "Her foot is injured."

"I can walk on my own," Liu Ruyan shook her head.

"Don't be stubborn," Zhao Hongling grabbed her arm. "I saw you limping when we climbed the well. Less talk, get on her back."

Liu Ruyan hesitated, then climbed onto Dugu Xue's back. Leng Shuang took the lead to scout the path, Chen Xuan covered the rear, and the five slipped silently through the forest.

As the sky began to lighten at the horizon, they reached an abandoned hunter's cabin. The wooden hut was leaning, light leaked through the roof, but the four walls were still intact, enough for concealment.

Chen Xuan pushed the door open and swept a glance inside. "It'll do."

"I'll block the door," Zhao Hongling dragged a few rotten planks to barricade the entrance.

Leng Shuang checked the corners and under the bed, confirming there were no hidden objects before letting Liu Ruyan sit down. She herself stood leaning against the doorframe, still vigilant.

"Can we look at it now?" Zhao Hongling crowded close. "I've been holding it in the whole way."

Chen Xuan took out the ledger from his robe and gently opened the first page. The paper was brittle and yellow, the ink blotched, but a line of small characters was faintly discernible:

"Chunhe Ward, Number Thirty-Seven. Annual income: eighty thousand taels of silver. Source unknown. Recorded in the private accounts of the Purple-Robed Guest."

All five held their breath simultaneously.

Chen Xuan's finger traced over the line of text. He looked up at Liu Ruyan. "The seal your mother left behind... does it also bear this address?"

Liu Ruyan nodded, her voice very soft. "Yes. I always thought it was just an ordinary embroidery workshop... Turns out it's a money bag."

"The Purple-Robed Guest..." Zhao Hongling muttered. "At court, those who wear purple robes are all officials of the third rank or higher."

"It seems this path won't be easy to walk," Dugu Xue said quietly.

Leng Shuang suddenly spoke: "Whoever it is, since we've already made our move, there's no turning back."

Chen Xuan looked at her and smiled. "Right you are."

He closed the ledger, gripping it tighter. His gaze swept over the four. "What comes next might be even harder. If anyone wants to back out now, I won't blame you."

No one spoke.

Zhao Hongling simply lay down on the floor. "Enough talk. I need to sleep. There'll be more fighting tomorrow. Better conserve my energy."

Leng Shuang leaned against the wall, closing her eyes to regulate her breathing. Dugu Xue walked to the window, gazing at the rising sunlight. Liu Ruyan hugged the ledger, her fingertips lightly stroking the cover.

Chen Xuan took one last look outside the window and said softly, "Then sleep. Before dawn, we'll move to another place."