Chapter 127: Night Raid – Offense and Defense (Part I)

Western Outskirts, Military Encampment. Main Barracks.

Inside the spacious barrack hall, only two men sat opposite each other. Neither spoke of strategy nor discussed terrain. Strangely, in the sweltering summer heat, a brazier burned between them, and a small earthen kettle crackled atop the coals.

The leaner of the two men leisurely retrieved a small tea sachet and delicately unwrapped the fine paper encasing it. A subtle, fragrant aroma began to waft through the room. He gently poured the tea leaves into a nearby Yixing teapot, then carefully removed the clay kettle from the flames and poured the boiling water with grace.

The moment the water met the tea leaves, the faint fragrance blossomed into a rich and intoxicating scent, as though it sought to invade every sense of the body. It didn't resemble the aroma of ordinary tea, yet it was tea—named "June"—and it happened to be Su Ren's favorite.

The reddish-brown brew was slowly poured into a white jade cup. With slender fingers, he pushed the cup across the table toward the burly man opposite him, before lifting his own cup and taking a slow, appreciative sip.

Han Shu curled his lips in disdain, grabbed the jade cup, and downed the contents in one gulp. He couldn't understand why drinking tea needed to be so ceremonial. Why not just toss the leaves into a big mug, fill it with water, and drink as you please? That would be refreshing. This tiny cup didn't even moisten his throat.

Setting the empty cup down, Han Shu chuckled, "You certainly know how to enjoy yourself."

Su Ren looked regretfully at the now-empty cup. Poor June—such fine tea shouldn't be wasted on someone so incapable of appreciation. Savoring the lingering aroma that seeped into his heart and lungs, Su Ren replied casually, "Likewise."

Idle, they both were. Su Ren had set aside his own tasks just to watch the spectacle unfold.

Han Shu was speechless. He really was just here for the show.

"Report!"

A loud call rang from outside the door.

Su Ren, still focused on his tea, replied absentmindedly, "Speak."

"Suspicious individuals have been spotted near the perimeter of the camp."

Han Shu's eyes lit up. He had expected the real action to start after nightfall, yet here it was already—conflict loomed.

Unfortunately, Su Ren dashed his hopes. As he added more boiling water to the teapot, he replied offhandedly, "Hold your positions. Let them make their move."

"Yes, sir."

Han Shu was clearly displeased, his voice rising, "You're deliberately going easy on them. Not only is it unfair, but the night raid I was looking forward to won't even be exciting now."

He had rushed here just for this! If the fight was going to be this uneventful, what was the point?

Su Ren chuckled with cryptic amusement, "It's all part of my plan. Trust me, you won't be disappointed."

Is that so? He'd wait and see.

As Su Ren poured himself another cup of tea, Han Shu passed his own cup over. Su Ren glanced at him, then called toward the door, "Someone fetch a large bowl of tea from the kitchen!"

Han Shu froze, torn between laughter and exasperation. He'd merely rushed his tea a little!

You Hour (Dusk). Five Li Pavilion, Western Outskirts.

Within the stone pavilion, a modest stone table held a hand-drawn map. Though hastily sketched and lacking refinement, it was detailed enough to reveal the layout of the military camp.

Gu Yun stood at the center. Beside her, Ge Jingyun pointed to the edge of the map and said, "Within one li of the camp, the land is open. Beyond that lies dense forest and underbrush. After nightfall, our troops can lie in ambush here—it's the closest point to the camp and heavily wooded, making it difficult to detect movement."

Gu Yun nodded. Ge Jingyun continued, pointing to the densely marked center of the map. "There are sixty-seven rooms inside the camp. Most are clustered toward the rear. The front contains the main hall, three side chambers, two study rooms, and small rest quarters behind the main gate. As for the deployment of troops, it's estimated that three hundred soldiers guard the gate, with about a hundred stationed on each of the walls in other directions, forming a tight defense with archers. The only weak point is near the soldiers' rest courtyard—it's less guarded and could serve as an entry point."

He circled a section on the map, then confidently declared, "Therefore, I believe the wooden box must be hidden in this area."

Gu Yun took one glance and committed the map's layout to memory. She folded it and handed it back to Ge Jingyun. "Have your men memorize this terrain until they can navigate it without a map."

"Yes, Commander."

Ge Jingyun exited the pavilion.

Gu Yun turned to Leng Xiao. "How's the equipment?"

"We've prepared three hundred shields, five thousand fire arrows, and everything else you requested."

Satisfied, Gu Yun looked at the dimming sky and gave the order in a clear voice, "Prepare yourselves. We move out in one incense's time."

"Yes, Commander!"

Their resounding reply echoed with confidence and vigor. However, after lying hidden in the grass for two full hours, that enthusiasm quickly faded into restlessness. They had taken their positions as soon as darkness fell, but none had expected such a long wait.

Gu Yun gave no explanation, no further orders—just silence.

If it weren't for their endurance training, many of the soldiers would have snapped from the tension.

Watching his increasingly agitated comrades, Ge Jingyun crawled over to Gu Yun and whispered, "Boss, what now?"

In stark contrast to their impatience, Gu Yun remained composed. Her sharp eyes scanned the darkness. She replied coolly with a single word: "Wait."

Wait? Wait for what?

Ge Jingyun was baffled.

Gu Yun squinted toward the horizon and answered, "Wait for Su Yu."

Wait for Su Yu? That made even less sense.

Ge Jingyun asked, "The night raid lasts for three days. How are you so sure he'll come tonight? It's already the third watch. If he does come, shouldn't we strike first?"

"You were all worried how five hundred of us could face a thousand. I'm waiting for Su Yu's five hundred."

In the distance, the faint rustle of grass caught Gu Yun's attention. Her eyes narrowed—he was here.

Leng Xiao leaned in. "You mean to ally with him?"

Ally? Exploit, perhaps.

Gu Yun gave an awkward smile. "Something like that."

Ge Jingyun was still confused. "But isn't he our opponent? How can we ally with him?"

Wasn't this whole night raid a competition to test each other's military training? If they joined forces, what was there left to compare?

Gu Yun's gaze turned cold as she looked at Ge Jingyun and Leng Xiao. Her voice was low and firm, "On the battlefield, there are no eternal enemies, no eternal allies. Everything we do serves one goal—mission success."

So that was the truth. Mission first. Everything else was just a means to that end.

Leng Xiao and Ge Jingyun exchanged glances, the weight of her words settling deep into their minds.

Far off, flames ignited, catching the attention of the camp's defenders. Gu Yun smiled. He had arrived. The game had begun.

Following Gu Yun's gaze, Leng Xiao and Ge Jingyun spotted the rising firelight in the distance. Squinting, they saw orderly columns of soldiers advancing steadily. Every third row bore blazing torches, illuminating their path.

From afar, the firelight pierced the night sky, while the dark blue uniforms marched in disciplined unison. The display was formidable—intimidating even.

To distinguish between teams, Gu Yun had suggested uniforms: her unit wore black, Su Yu's wore blue. Unfortunately, in the dead of night, unless under direct torchlight, the difference was barely visible.

As the army neared, the defenders on the walls scrambled into action. Bows were drawn, arrows nocked...