Sudden Attack

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Shortly after. Lu Yan's room.

Lu Yan, Fei, Da Huang, and Song Er stood around the table, and Hong sat down to watch. All of them seriously looked at the dagger still in its sheath as if it were a strange object. While Hong thought it was just an ordinary dagger.

Lu Yan stroked his chin.

"Emm, did you guys mean, that none of you can pull it out? Only Young Master Hong?"

Fei nodded.

"Yeah. That's why, Brother Yan, can you try it?."

Lu Yan looked at Fei and Da Huang. Is the young man just testing him or is he really serious with his words just now?

He reached for the dagger, trying to pull it out, but he couldn't as if it was glued with the sheath.

"It's stuck"

He tried his best, then finally gave up and thrust the dagger at Song Er beside him.

"Young Master Song, do you want to try?"

Song Er glanced at the dagger. The length is not more than thirty centimeters, and it's quite light. The grip is so fit in hand, a perfect size for someone like Hong who couldn't do martial arts.

He was doubtful if the warriors with profound strength and martial arts skills much higher than him couldn't take out the dagger, what about him? He glanced at Hong Er, Could Hong Er who was so gentle pull it out so easily?

"Don't you guys find anything strange here? If only Hong could pull the dagger out of the scabbard" said Song Er.

It was. Especially Hong, who didn't find it difficult at all to pull out the dagger. But he doesn't know any martial arts, this might be just a coincidence.

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The horses galloped fast approaching the big house away from the crowds. There were no local houses around only a large gate with almost no lighted entrance leading to a very large building at the end of the road.

The tall gate resembled a fortress where several men dressed in black stood by with weapons in hand.

The guards opened the gate to let in a man in a black veil who had been rushing his horse to enter.

Heavy steps climb the stairs directly to the side hall next to the fish pond complete with lotus flowers.

Inside the room, there is a man dressed in shiny black, slightly stocky body, grey beard, and long hair with a little grey hair. High eyebrows that rose like a war general, high cheek jaws, and sharp eyes. From clothes and hairpins that were quite adequate and good, he seemed to be the boss or owner of a big house. The man who had just entered greeted him.

"Report!"

The man headed to his seat, having finished feeding the little fish.

"Any news yet? Such a useless!"

"Report boss, actually we almost got the item but, a group of the expedition came and took it"

A while ago, when the black-veiled man was perched on top of a tree with his bow. He looked at the group where there was Fei and the others who had also arrived just as the man carrying the box fell on top of another young man. They were too late.

"Don't let anyone else take it, I want it to be here before morning. The customer will come to collect it tomorrow"

The man bowed his head.

"Yes, Chief! We will act tonight!"

The man who was called the chief waved his hand. The man in black got up and retreated out of the room.

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A quiet night at the Willow Inn. The resident inn is quite large. It has more than ten rooms for guests. The front area and the inner at the back of the inn complex.

Everyone had fallen into a deep sleep. Da Huang shared a room with Hong occupying a comfortable couch in the room. Hong on his bed was sleeping peacefully with a golden dagger beside his head.

"Bruk"

There was a rather loud sound outside the room.

Da Huang, who was born alert even in any condition, immediately woke up. His sword was right next to him, his eyes were sharp, and his ears were alert, what sound made him wake up earlier? He was sure to hear it, but now, there was nothing.

Slowly. Da Huang stood up. Grabbed his coat on the chair, and put it on quickly. There wasn't any sound at all. It was even more strange. Usually, there was a faint whisper of the inn housekeeper at the end of the door. Da Huang approached the door and opened it slowly.

"Sreeet"

He peeked out, there was no movement, only the sound of the wind. And the guards sitting near the inn's door were also nowhere to be seen. Where are they?

Da Huang looked behind him. There was no way he would go out to check and leave his young master alone, he had to stay with him.

Da Huang was about to close the door tightly again but...

"Bruukk!!!"

A strong slap pushed the door hard until it slipped off its hinges.

The young guard was pushed hard backward, he stood with his one leg behind in alert position.

Sudden attack but Da Huang's weapon was always at hand. He warded off about two men who stormed into the room, two men in black clothes and face coverings.

Hard sounds of body blows were inevitable. Da Huang kicked one of the men who wanted to advance toward the bed and pushed him toward the door. The other one still standing tall drew his long sword at him with the intent to kill.

The commotion made Hong woke up. For a moment he still felt dreamy, until his vision and ears clear, he saw Da Huang who was facing a black-clothed man.

"Brother Da Huang!" Hong grabbed his dagger,

"Young Master, stay where you are, don't move!"

Hong nodded.

"Yes"

While outside the room.

Some men of Jie guards suddenly had to deal with dozens of men dressed in black who pushed into the inn. A flock of black-clad managed to paralyze the innkeepers and attack silently at night when every body was out of guard.

Lu Yan cast his sword on a few people at once. Some of the furniture in the room was wreck from the assailant who force to getting in.

Fei approached after incapacitating several attacks.

"Brother Yan! Where did these people come from?"

Lu Yan shook his head.

"Don't know, Young Master. I saw a lot of people pouring in and out, sneaking. These people raid in all of sudden"

Fei crippled another man who was advancing towards him. Those people are ordinary, Fei thought. They have no knowledge of great martial arts but attacked in large numbers. Oh no, this bad, he almost forgot about Hong.

"Brother Yan, I leave this for you!"

Fei rushed to the back, the room on the other side of the inn. He was so annoyed that his brother's room had to be a bit far from him. He should have shared the same room with Hong. But they thought Da Huang was more powerful than him to protect Hong if anything happened, and it did!

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