A crowd without a leader

The night was as dark as ink, and the silence was profound, broken only by the soft rustling of the night breeze as it brushed through the treetops. The sound of Qin Yi shattering the window pierced through the tranquil night, striking an unusually harsh note. Splinters of wood flew in all directions, tracing silvery arcs in the moonlight. Xuan Jian, leading a patrol of soldiers in the backyard, immediately became alert at the noise.

"Who's there!" Xuan Jian shouted sharply, his right hand already gripping the hilt of his sword, his knuckles turning pale from the force of his grip.

A group of soldiers quickly raised their torches, the orange-red flames flickering in the darkness and casting tense expressions on their faces. The sound of hurried footsteps shattered the night's silence as they rushed toward the source of the noise.

The moonlight poured down like water, cascading over the undulating rooftops. Looking up, the crowd saw two dark figures racing across the eaves as if they were walking on flat ground. The figure in front was slightly staggering but still maintained an astonishing speed; the pursuer behind moved steadily, each step precisely landing on the seams of the tiles, revealing a profound mastery of inner strength.

"Not good, it's the general being attacked by an assassin!" Xuan Jian's heart sank, his brows furrowing in concern. He immediately realized that Qin Yi might be in danger.

The ground troops, holding torches, tried to give chase but had to navigate the labyrinthine alleys, significantly slowing their progress. The flickering light of the torches cast wavering shadows on the cobblestone streets, forming a stark contrast with the two ghost-like figures on the rooftops.

By the time Xuan Jian and his men arrived at Qin Yi's residence, the place was deserted, leaving only the shattered window and scattered tiles on the ground. The sound of clashing blades, which had filled the air moments earlier, still seemed to linger faintly in the night, but there was no trace of anyone now.

"With General Qin's profound inner strength, the assassin would surely not succeed in a head-on confrontation," Xuan Jian analyzed calmly, his eyes sharp. "Perhaps some underhanded trick was used? This area is densely packed with civilian houses, with narrow and winding alleys. The assassin must have been wary of the general's formidable martial prowess on the battlefield and deliberately lured him into the alleyways. By doing so, the general would be forced to hold back his inner strength to avoid harming civilians, giving the assassin a chance to exploit any vulnerabilities."

"Immediately order a city-wide lockdown and search for the assassin!" Xuan Jian commanded decisively, his voice deep yet exuding undeniable authority.

His heart was filled with anxiety as he pondered, "With no clear leadership at the moment, the most urgent task is to find General Qin and urgently consult with the key generals stationed in Fan City." The night breeze swept past, fluttering his robes and dispersing the tension on his brow, but it could not dispel the worry in his heart.

As dawn broke, the outline of Fan City emerged faintly through the misty morning haze. The icicles hanging from the eaves glistened brightly in the sunlight, with occasional droplets of water sliding off their tips and making a soft "drip" sound, as if narrating the tranquility of winter. On the streets, the thin layer of frost gradually melted under the sun's rays, revealing the original color of the cobblestones. Early-rising vendors pushed their wooden carts, the wheels crunching over the stones with a "creak, creak" noise that shattered the morning's silence. Smoke rose gently from the chimneys of each household, slowly spreading in the cold air and intertwining with the sunlight.

"Out of the way, out of the way!" The sound of hooves thundered down the street, kicking up clouds of dust. Pedestrians, hearing the noise, scrambled to the sides of the road in a panic. Before they could catch their breath, a group of cavalry had already galloped past like a gust of wind, leaving behind only the "clip-clop" of hooves on the cobblestones and the lingering dust in the air.

"That direction... it's General Qin's residence!" An old man in the crowd squinted his cloudy eyes, looking at the direction the cavalry had gone, and muttered softly.

"Wow, such a rush of horses, so many soldiers. Could it be that Fan City is in trouble?" A middle-aged vegetable vendor, rubbing his red, frozen hands, spoke with a hint of concern in his voice.

"Tut, tut, tut, don't talk nonsense!" A woman with a basket on her arm glared at him. "Our General Qin of Fan City is renowned throughout the land. Who doesn't know him? With the general here, who would dare to cause trouble in Fan City?"

Her words resonated with the crowd, and everyone nodded in agreement, their anxious expressions easing. A young scholar, adjusting his sleeves, added with a smile, "Exactly! General Qin is a hero who can take on a thousand enemies. Such a formidable reputation is not something ordinary people can shake."

Reassured, the crowd dispersed, returning to their daily routines. The street quickly regained its calm, with only the sound of hooves still faintly echoing in the air.

The first light of dawn pierced through the mist, illuminating the council hall of the general's residence. The usually majestic hall was now shrouded in an inescapable gloom.

Zhang Han, Wang Ben, and Meng Tian—generals who were rarely seen together—were all present, their faces etched with anxiety and gravity.

"Xuan Jian, tell us in detail about the circumstances surrounding General Qin's disappearance," Zhang Han spoke first, his voice deep.

Xuan Jian stepped forward and bowed. "Last night, while I was leading the patrol, I suddenly heard strange noises from General Qin's residence. By the time we arrived, we found the window broken and the room empty."

He paused for a moment, then continued, "There were no signs of a struggle, only the broken window and scattered tiles. In my opinion, this doesn't seem like a typical military assassination method. It's more like... the way of the jianghu (martial world)."

Wang Ben's thick brows furrowed as he spoke gravely, "Jianghu people? How dare they target General Qin?"

"That's precisely what puzzles me," Xuan Jian shook his head. "General Qin is a formidable warrior. Ordinary martial artists are no match for him. Unless..."

"Unless what?" Meng Tian pressed.

A flash of cold light crossed Xuan Jian's eyes. "Unless the attacker had been plotting for a long time and knew General Qin's martial arts style inside out. And they must have used some despicable means."

Zhang Han's fingers lightly tapped the table, producing a dull sound.

"Xuan Jian, you've traveled extensively in the jianghu and have seen much. In your opinion, who could be behind this?"

After a moment of contemplation, Xuan Jian replied, "To infiltrate Fan City silently and have the capability to make General Qin disappear—such people are few and far between in the entire jianghu."

He raised his head and slowly uttered a few words, "Perhaps it has something to do with those hidden forces lurking in the shadows."

"Hidden forces..." Zhang Han murmured, a flicker of concern crossing his eyes.

"No matter who it is, we must find General Qin as soon as possible!" Wang Ben slammed his hand on the table so hard that the teacups jumped.

Meng Tian nodded in agreement. "Indeed. General Qin is the pillar of our army. If anything happens to him, the consequences would be disastrous."

Zhang Han took a deep breath and said gravely, "There are two urgent tasks at hand. First, we must search for General Qin with all our might and leave no clue unexplored. Second, we must strictly seal off the news and prevent the Xiongnu from learning that General Qin is not in the city."

"General Zhang's words are wise," Wang Ben and Meng Tian responded in unison.

Zhang Han turned to Xuan Jian. "Xuan Jian, the search for General Qin is entrusted to you. You are the most familiar with the jianghu affairs, and you are the best person for this investigation."

Xuan Jian bowed in acceptance. "General Zhang, rest assured. I will do my utmost to find General Qin."

"General Wang, General Meng," Zhang Han looked at the other two. "Starting now, the two of you will join me in strengthening the city's defenses and guarding against any Xiongnu attacks."

"Yes, sir!" Wang Ben and Meng Tian replied in unison, their voices resounding.

The first light of dawn broke through the mist, and the sky began to turn fish-belly white. A new day had begun, but an invisible storm was quietly brewing.

Xuan Jian tightened his grip on his sword. He seemed to have a faint idea about the organization the assassin might belong to and needed to confirm it personally.

He turned, leaped into the air, and disappeared into the morning mist like a dragonfly skimming the water.