Chapter 126– Warm-Up Battle Drill (3)

"Then it's settled. The countdown begins tomorrow night. The challenge will last three days, and the location is set at the Western Outskirts Camp. I will lead one thousand elite soldiers to guard it. Whoever manages to steal the wooden box from the camp first shall be deemed the victor."

Su Ren suddenly noticed that Gu Yun was completely distracted. Her eyes were fixated on the paperweights atop the desk, a look of deep contemplation on her face.

He lowered his voice and asked, "Qing Mo, do you have any objections?"

"None." Gu Yun replied absentmindedly as she walked to the desk and picked up a pair of rectangular paperweights. They were carved from a single piece of obsidian, dark with a faint blue hue, heavy in the hand. Though unadorned in form, the front bore an unusual engraving—one that felt strangely familiar. She had seen it somewhere before.

Gu Yun held the paperweights tightly, reluctant to let go. Su Yu glanced up and chuckled, "So you do have an eye for quality. That paperweight is no ordinary item."

After a while of examining them, she placed the two paperweights side by side. Together, they formed a perfect square, and in doing so, revealed a Bagua pattern. Her heart skipped a beat—it was the exact same design as the golden Bagua disk they had held before their mysterious arrival here. Those precise diagonal etchings, those clean yet dynamic lines—she couldn't possibly be mistaken.

She had spent days pondering how they ended up in this world. Back then, it was while holding that Bagua disk, then a flash of red light—and when they awoke, they were here. After witnessing the wonders of ice tempering, and now seeing this symbol again, she couldn't help but suspect the Su family harbored some arcane power—and perhaps that power was the very reason she was brought to this place.

Still staring at the paperweights, Gu Yun said nothing. Su Yu tilted his head, puzzled. "What are you doing? Staring at it like you've lost your mind?"

Snapping out of her thoughts, Gu Yun met Su Yu's gaze and raised the paperweight. Feigning curiosity, she asked, "This symbol is quite unique. Why was it chosen to be engraved here?"

Su Yu was the easiest to coax among the Su siblings—he might just have the answers she needed.

He glanced at the carving and replied, "That is the Su family crest."

"Family crest?" Gu Yun blinked. What exactly was that?

"Like an emblem?" she asked.

Su Yu pondered for a moment. "You could say that. More precisely, it is the symbol and mark of the Su clan."

Could the family crest be the same as the golden Bagua disk she had seen? She pressed further, "Such an extraordinary artifact—do you keep it in the General's Manor? Could I take a look?"

"No—" Su Yu was about to refuse when Su Ren's slender hand came down firmly on his shoulder. Taking over smoothly, he smiled and said, "Matters concerning the family crest are better understood by our eldest brother. As the firstborn of the Su clan, he's entitled to knowledge most of us are not. If you're curious, you should ask him."

Seeing her fascination with the Bagua disk, Su Ren thought this was the perfect chance to nudge her toward Su Yu. What a considerate man he was.

Gu Yun clenched her teeth in secret. Damn Su Ren, always ruining her plans! But now that she knew the disk was connected to the Su family, she would find another chance to speak with Su Yu alone. He couldn't possibly interfere every time.

Annoyed by Su Ren's meddling, Gu Yun's expression darkened. Su Yu, noticing this, asked with concern, "What's wrong with you today? You seem... absent-minded."

His simple, sincere worry gave her pause. Despite his brashness, his heart was in the right place. Compared to the scheming Su Ren, Su Yu was infinitely more endearing.

A gleam flickered in Gu Yun's eyes. Perhaps she had just found a way to meet Qing.

Bracing herself against the desk, brows knitted, she finally replied, "It's nothing. Just a headache."

Seeing her visibly enduring discomfort, Su Yu exclaimed, "How can a headache come out of nowhere? I'll send for a physician!"

Grabbing his sleeve, Gu Yun shook her head and whispered, "It's no use. I've always been frail since childhood."

"You? Frail?!" Su Yu's voice rose in disbelief. He had seen her eat more than most in a single meal, and she could parry his blade with one stroke. If she wasn't healthy, who was?

Gu Yun cursed him silently. Typical brute—couldn't even let her finish!

Though... it was true. She had been remarkably strong since youth.

Suppressing her irritation—she still needed him after all—she continued with a sigh, "That's why my parents had me train in martial arts, to strengthen my body. My sister even studied medicine extensively for my sake. Over the years, thanks to her care, I've gotten much better. Still, once or twice a year, I fall ill—and only she can treat me."

Su Yu's brows furrowed. Though skeptical, he offered, "Nonsense. The world is full of renowned physicians, especially in the capital. I'll find you someone who can cure you once and for all."

He turned to leave, but Gu Yun caught his sleeve again, putting on a recovered look. "No need now. When I'm not having an episode, no one can find anything wrong. I'm feeling much better already. Wait until the illness flares up—then you can find a doctor for me. If they can't help, you must take me to the Prime Minister's estate to find my sister, or I won't survive."

"Won't survive?" Su Yu stared at her earnest face for a long moment, visibly anxious. "Don't exaggerate!"

Gu Yun said nothing more. Her goal had already been achieved. Whether it was an exaggeration or not—time would tell.

Su Ren looked on in silence. He knew full well Gu Yun wasn't trying to fool him—she knew her acting wouldn't pass his scrutiny. It was Su Yu she intended to deceive. But why? Was it truly just to see her sister?

In the thick forest, five hundred soldiers stood in perfect formation. At their head was the same slender woman in black. Yet unlike half a month ago, the scorn and derision on the young soldiers' faces had been replaced with genuine admiration and loyalty. Their stances were taller, their bodies stronger, their spirits unbreakable.

All of this, they owed to the cold, stoic woman before them.

This time, they would not lose the night raid.

If they had once doubted, today, they believed—they would emerge victorious.

Gu Yun raised an eyebrow, bemused by the soldiers' near-manic energy. While she appreciated their fighting spirit, wasn't this a bit excessive?

Wasting no time on a speech, she stated plainly, "After much discussion, the time and format for the night raid trial have been finalized. It will take place at the Su clan's garrison camp on the western outskirts, guarded by Su Ren and a thousand elite troops. The challenge is simple: within the camp, Su Ren will hide a wooden box in a room of his choosing. Inside the box is an item. Whoever retrieves the box wins. The time limit is three days. But if either I or Su Yu obtains the box, the challenge ends immediately."

She finished her announcement and scanned the crowd. Strangely, there was no fear or hesitation in their expressions. But Su Ren and a thousand seasoned soldiers were guarding the place—shouldn't that have raised some alarm?

Gu Yun frowned. "Do you all think it's that easy?"

A long silence followed, until Ge Jingyun spoke up from the side, frowning in disapproval. "You intend to attack head-on? That's far too risky. Those elite soldiers are battle-hardened veterans. Even with shields and firearms, storming the camp is next to impossible. We'd only suffer needless losses."

Leng Xiao scoffed, unimpressed. "Did I ever say we'd attack directly? With shield cover and the cover of night, the sentries on the high platforms won't know how many are approaching. If they shift their forces to defend the walls, the inner camp will be left vulnerable. That's when we slip in from the rear with a few squads—"

He gestured toward the map.

"—and find the box using the layout you just mentioned..."