The Tiger Awakens

The city was bathed in silver moonlight as Yue Rin, Liang Wei, and Zhen Xiu disappeared into the labyrinthine alleys of the western district. Every step they took echoed against the stone pathways, their shadows slipping through the darkness like whispers of a storm yet to come.

"We need to move quickly," Yue Rin said, her breath steady despite the adrenaline coursing through her veins. "Minister Zhao will realize what we've taken soon enough."

"We need to secure the ledger before he sends his men after us," Liang Wei added, adjusting his robe where the stolen documents lay hidden.

Zhen Xiu exhaled sharply. "We should split up. If we travel together, we'll be easier to track."

Yue Rin glanced at him, reading the flicker of unease in his expression. Trusting him was still a gamble, but for now, their objectives aligned. "Fine. Liang Wei and I will head to the safehouse. Zhen Xiu, make sure no one is tailing us."

Zhen Xiu gave a curt nod before slipping into the shadows, his presence vanishing as if he had never been there.

Minister Zhao's WrathMeanwhile, within the Golden Serpent Pavilion, Minister Zhao sat rigid in his private chamber, his fingers digging into the lacquered wood of his chair. His jaw was tight, his expression unreadable—but his fury burned beneath the surface.

"They stole from me," he murmured, his voice dangerously calm. The guards knelt before him, heads bowed in fear.

A lone figure stood beside him, cloaked in deep red robes. His presence was unsettling, his face shrouded in the dim candlelight. "It seems Yue Rin is more resourceful than we anticipated," the man said, his voice smooth yet laced with venom.

Zhao's eyes flickered toward him. "Lord Bai, you assured me that the girl would not be a problem."

Lord Bai smirked. "All obstacles can be removed. You only need to give the order."

Zhao exhaled sharply, running a hand over his beard. "I want that ledger retrieved. And I want Yue Rin captured—alive. I want her to understand what happens when she crosses me."

Lord Bai inclined his head. "Consider it done."

Within moments, silent assassins melted into the night, their blades hungry for blood.

The SafehouseYue Rin and Liang Wei arrived at an abandoned tea house tucked between two unassuming merchant stalls. Inside, the air was thick with the scent of old wood and dried herbs, remnants of a business long forgotten.

Liang Wei wasted no time, unrolling the stolen ledger on a low wooden table.

"Look at this," he said, pointing to the pages. "Zhao isn't just smuggling artifacts—he's funding mercenaries, bribing imperial officials, and even working with underground factions outside the empire."

Yue Rin's eyes narrowed as she scanned the documents. "This is more than we expected. If we expose him now, the court will have no choice but to act."

Liang Wei hesitated. "That's assuming we survive long enough to expose him."

A faint sound outside made them both freeze. The hair on the back of Yue Rin's neck stood on end. Someone was watching them.

Liang Wei's hand instinctively reached for his dagger. "We have company."

Yue Rin's fingers tightened around the hilt of her concealed blade. "Get ready."

A sudden crash shattered the silence as the front door burst open. Figures clad in dark robes flooded the room, their blades glinting in the dim light.

Yue Rin moved first, ducking low as a dagger sailed past her ear. She twisted her body, sweeping her leg in a fluid motion that knocked an assassin off balance.

Liang Wei lunged forward, slashing at another attacker, his movements quick and precise. The room became a whirlwind of steel and shadow, the clash of blades ringing in the confined space.

One of the assassins broke through their defense, aiming straight for Yue Rin's heart.

But before the blade could strike, a blur of movement intercepted it.

Zhen Xiu.

With deadly precision, he disarmed the assassin and drove his own dagger deep into the man's throat. Blood sprayed across the wooden floor as the attacker crumpled.

"You're late," Yue Rin said, breathless.

Zhen Xiu smirked. "You'd be dead if I wasn't."

More assassins poured in, their attacks relentless. The battle was far from over.

"Liang Wei!" Yue Rin called, parrying a strike. "Get the ledger out of here!"

Liang Wei hesitated, torn between staying and protecting her.

"Go!" she ordered.

With a reluctant nod, he grabbed the documents and slipped through a side passage.

Yue Rin turned her full attention back to the battle. If Minister Zhao wanted war, she would give it to him.

And this time, she wouldn't hold back.