The Thousand-Mechanism Guard is organized with one Commander, two Deputy Commanders, fifty Thousand-Household Commanders, and numerous Hundred-Household Captains. This hierarchy establishes a strict chain of command within the organization.
Beyond these ranks, there exists a special echelon who answer only to the Commander: the Four Secret Guards.
The Four Secret Guards are named for the divine beasts: Azure Dragon Guard, Vermilion Bird Guard, Black Tortoise Guard, and White Tiger Guard.
The Four Secret Guards hold the highest authority within the Thousand-Mechanism Guard, and their strength is universally recognized as the greatest—second only to the unfathomable Commander. No one else in the Guard dares challenge them.
In fact, ten days ago, Finn Yu had already learned that Eve Autumn was hiding in a mountain stronghold called Clearwind.
However, out of fear of that mysterious master, he hadn’t sent anyone to capture her. Instead, he reported to Commander Jason Duke and requested help from the Four Secret Guards. Ultimately, Azure Dragon Guard and Black Tortoise Guard responded.
Since the reputation of the Four Secret Guards was so intimidating, Finn worried that their presence would scare off the mysterious master. After discussing with Azure Dragon Guard and Black Tortoise Guard, they decided to suppress their auras and disguise themselves as ordinary Thousand-Mechanism Guards. If the master appeared, they would strike with overwhelming force.
Both Azure Dragon Guard and Black Tortoise Guard are top-tier Innate Ninth Layer experts—the strongest among the Thousand-Mechanism Guard aside from the Commander.
With these two joining forces, it’s said that not a single Innate expert in the world could withstand their saber and sword.
So, both were supremely confident: with this saber and sword strike, the mysterious master Finn Yu spoke of would surely perish.
But in this world, nothing is guaranteed.
Suddenly, a single finger appeared, moving with effortless grace to tap the saber light of Azure Dragon Guard and the sword light of Black Tortoise Guard.
Crack! Crack!
That finger seemed to become an artifact capable of breaking anything. With a gentle tap, the saber light shattered and the sword light splintered.
Instantly, Azure Dragon Guard’s eyes narrowed. He slashed with his saber, unleashing forty-nine consecutive strikes—each faster and more powerful than the last. By the forty-ninth strike, he believed even a mountain would be split apart by his blade.
Black Tortoise Guard was no slower. His swordwork was ethereal and unpredictable, his movements ghost-like. While Azure Dragon Guard unleashed forty-nine saber strikes, Black Tortoise Guard only thrust three times—not at Ian Song’s body, but at the air surrounding him.
But after those three thrusts, Ian Song felt the surrounding air currents twist chaotically, drastically affecting his movements and forcing him to meet Azure Dragon Guard’s saber head-on.
“Interesting! You two are definitely the most skilled Innate Ninth Layer martial artists I’ve ever encountered!”
Even facing such a dire situation, Ian Song found time to remark, "But that’s still not enough!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Ian Song slammed his right palm forward with a thunderous force.
The moment Ian raised his palm, the world changed in Azure Dragon and Black Tortoise’s eyes.
Boom! Boom!
They heard the roar of crashing waves. In the next instant, it was as if they’d been transported to a boundless, storm-tossed ocean.
Towering waves swept in, swallowing Azure Dragon’s saber and Black Tortoise’s sword, and finally engulfed the two of them as well.
A moment later—
Two battered figures tumbled out, crashing to the ground and kicking up clouds of dust.
Looking at the unconscious Azure Dragon and Black Tortoise on the ground, Finn Yu couldn’t find words for his own feelings. The two Secret Guards had joined forces, yet they’d been defeated so suddenly, so swiftly.
He couldn’t believe it was real. Only someone who’d reached the legendary Heaven-Man Realm should be able to defeat Azure Dragon and Black Tortoise so easily.
But the man before him was clearly so young...
The remaining Thousand-Mechanism Guards were equally stunned. The Four Secret Guards were their idols, their lifelong aspiration. Now, seeing their idols defeated by a mere mountain bandit, their faith shattered—and in its place, a wave of fear surged up from deep within.
"Everyone, stop!"
Finn Yu took a deep breath and shouted to the seven Hundred-Household Captains who were besieging Eve Autumn.
The seven Innate Fifth Layer Captains retreated; Eve Autumn didn’t pursue. By now, her true qi was nearly spent—ten more moves and she’d likely have been captured.
"Same old rules: leave all your gold and silver—and your clothes—then get lost!" Ian Song grinned at Finn Yu. "You’re a real good guy, you know. Last time I robbed you, and this time you’ve come all the way here to let me rob you again. Should I be grateful?"
"Senior, someone of your caliber—why bother toying with us?" Finn Yu forced a smile, trying to sound respectful.
"Who’s toying with you? This is a robbery. Get your clothes off. If you say one more useless word, I’ll start killing!" Ian’s expression turned cold, his eyes sharp.
"Senior...!"
"Still talking? You really think I won’t kill you!"
Thud!
Ian casually lifted his right hand, and suddenly a Thousand-Mechanism Guard had a bloody hole between his brows.
"No!" Finn Yu shouted.
Thud!
A Hundred-Household Captain now had a bloody hole between his brows as well.
"I said, every extra word means another death. You have ten breaths to strip down, leave your valuables, and get out!"
Finn Yu’s mouth worked in frustration, but in the end he dared not say another word. He nodded to the Thousand-Mechanism Guards.
At Finn Yu’s order, the Thousand-Mechanism Guards all stripped off their clothes, leaving only their underpants.
As for Azure Dragon and Black Tortoise, Finn Yu helped strip them himself.
"Get lost!"
Ian Song impatiently waved his hand.
"Let’s go!"
Finn Yu barked the order and strode down the mountain. Since joining the Thousand-Mechanism Guard, he had never felt so humiliated.
Once the Guards left, the government constables lost their nerve and tried to flee. But the Clearwind bandits, blood aroused, refused to let them go—chasing them down and hacking them apart. In less than ten minutes, every constable lay dead, while all eighty-one bandits survived with only a few minor injuries.
Word of the battle spread quickly: killing constables, defeating the Thousand-Mechanism Guard.
Clearwind’s reputation swept across Yuet Province in just a few days.
Hank Huo, the Fifth Chief of Blue Dragon Stronghold, had returned, bringing back a packet of colorless, tasteless poison from a friend.
"Boss, when are we going to drug Shawn Steele?" Hank Huo asked.
At his words, the other chiefs exchanged odd glances. Lone-Blade Gideon’s facial muscles twitched violently. He waved his hand, "We don’t need it anymore!"
"Why not?" Hank Huo was baffled. His friend was a wanderer; it had taken great effort to find him, and he’d paid a hundred taels of silver for the powder. Now the boss said it wasn’t needed—he was deeply frustrated.
Lone-Blade Gideon replied heavily, "Brother Hank, you don’t know. Two days before you came back, more than thirty Thousand-Mechanism Guards led two hundred constables up to Clearwind Stronghold."
"Did Shawn Steele get killed by the Thousand-Mechanism Guard?" Hank Huo asked.