On the ancient and aromatic imperial road, a full moon hangs high in the night sky, casting its gossamer, pristine light upon the forest path, now riddled with wounds of destruction.
Collapsed trees,
Overturned carriages,
Corpses of guards strewn across the ground,
And the mud, soaked with fresh blood.
This was an ambush, akin to bandits blocking the way.
Only this time, the damage to the terrain was more extensive, and the culprits were not lawless madmen but several government officers in maroon robes from the Secret Investigation Department.
Accompanying a streak of white light piercing through the dense woods, a fierce explosion sent shockwaves that made the earth tremble.
When all returned to silence,
"Thud..."
A muffled sound suddenly emerged from within the overturned carriage by the side of the road; the door latch was kicked open from inside, and a figure in a brocade robe struggled to climb out.