Clip-clop, clip-clop...
On the official road, two men in plain clothes rode forward, their horses kicking up clouds of dust. Passersby caught in the spray dared not block their way.
The timid hurried aside—after all, anyone who could afford a horse these days was either rich or noble. The bold only dared curse under their breath once the horses had passed.
A closer look would reveal that these two men, traveling at dawn in ordinary clothes, were none other than Ninth Royal Uncle Nolan and Serena Feng—the very pair Tyre City and the Lu Clan were desperately searching for.
In fact, not long ago, Nolan and Serena had even brushed past Tyre City's main army, which was busy searching the dense forest for the Ninth Royal Uncle's whereabouts and paid no attention to these two. No one would ever suspect that these dusty, nondescript travelers were the ones who had turned Tyre City upside down.
Not to mention the reinforcements—even Lord Tyre himself wouldn’t recognize them at a glance. In his mind, Serena had been locked in a cave for two days, injured and starving; even if she wasn’t dead, she’d be half-alive at best. How could she possibly be riding? Yet, as fate would have it...
The more impossible something seems, the more likely it is to happen.
Eager for blood, Tyre City and Lu Clan’s troops had charged into the forest at dawn to hunt down Nolan and Serena—unaware the pair had already escaped their reach.
Spotting an open clearing ahead, Nolan gestured to Serena to stop and rest for a moment.
Serena wasn’t one to act delicate—wounded as she was, she’d already pushed herself for an hour. As she dismounted, her legs buckled; if Nolan hadn’t caught her, she would’ve collapsed on the spot.
"How did you get so weak?" Nolan's brows furrowed, then furrowed deeper...
Serena leaned against Nolan, breathing lightly. "Try going two days on edge, no food, no water—see how you feel."
She’d rested overnight, but with all the blood loss and injuries, Serena wasn’t faking—it was all she could do to stay upright.
"What happened exactly?" Nolan's voice suddenly turned icy cold.
He’d thought Tyre City just neglected Serena’s wounds—he hadn’t realized they’d starved her too. Was she a hostage or a prisoner to them?
Sensing Nolan’s killing intent, Serena actually didn’t want to say more. She smiled at him: "Just teasing you. If I’d really gone two days without food, could I still be standing? Tyre City’s people didn’t torture me—they just ignored me. See, I’m fine now. As for Tyre City? I’ll settle that score sooner or later."
After leaving Tyre City, Nolan had plunged into the forest with the Black Riders, strategizing with his Eight Commanders and setting up the next moves. He barely had a moment to breathe. By the time he caught his breath, daylight had broken; seeing Serena battered but still in good spirits, he let the details slide and didn’t press her about what happened in Tyre.
Serena never brought it up either. They had to keep moving. Even knowing she’d suffered in Tyre City, there was no reason to turn back for revenge.
And now?
Serena figured telling him would only fuel Nolan’s anger—why bother? She wasn’t some delicate, soft-hearted flower. She hadn’t met Lord Tyre in person, but that wouldn’t stop her from putting the blame on him.
Nolan knew Serena wasn’t telling the whole truth, but seeing her so unwilling to talk, he didn’t press. He absolutely refused to let her ride alone, insisting on holding her in his arms as they rode together. It was slower, but better for Serena.
Serena didn’t object. After days of tension in that cave and the hard ride just now, she was truly exhausted. She fell asleep curled up in Nolan’s arms soon after mounting.
Seeing how worn out Serena was, Nolan’s eyes softened with pity. He held her tighter and slowed their pace considerably. Normally, this wouldn’t matter—but Nolan forgot how they looked at the moment...
Two men, in broad daylight, riding close together—those gestures, those looks... Tsk, tsk, tsk. It was impossible not to get the wrong idea, and the first to do so was Zuo An!
Guy-on-guy? Now that’s... just adorable!
While Nolan and Serena hurried quietly back toward Shandong, Lu Clan and Tyre City’s troops also entered the dense forest, one after the other. Nolan had chosen this forest for good reason: thick trees, deep layers of rotten leaves—perfect for muffling footsteps and erasing tracks.
Not long after entering, Lu Clan and Tyre City’s men realized they were lost. Both sides collided, and before they could sort friend from foe, a wave of black fog rolled in. Even the slowest among them understood what was happening.
They’d walked right into a trap!
But by the time they realized it, it was too late. Assassins surged out of the black fog like ghosts, hacking at everyone with heavy blades—friend or foe, it didn’t matter. Soon, both Lu Clan and Tyre City were tangled in a chaotic melee.
"Hurt me, will you? Kill them all!"
"Don’t get stuck fighting—break out! Just get out and sort it later!"
"Wang Er, you’re hitting the wrong guy—I’m Er Gouzi! Behind you, quick, behind you..."
"General, it’s me—your own man!"
"Protect the general! Quick, protect the general!"
"Wait—it’s you? I killed the wrong person..."
......
The black fog blocked all light, and no one in the forest could tell friend from foe. Mistaken killings were inevitable. The Black Riders, who’d set this up, seemed to have expected it—they only rushed in to kill a few and stir up chaos, then slipped out of the battle zone, leaving Tyre City and Lu Clan to slaughter each other...
Trying to ambush Nolan—neither Lu Clan nor Tyre City were quite up to the task. Nolan didn’t have many troops in Shandong, so why would he face them head-on?
Schemes, open or hidden—if they work, they’re good schemes.
In the forest, Tyre City and Lu Clan fought savagely. Even when Tyre’s men realized they’d attacked the wrong target, discovering it was Lu Clan only made them fight harder and more brutally.
Compared to Lu Clan, Tyre City hated them more. Lu Clan had walked right into their blades—unless Tyre wiped them out, their rage wouldn’t be satisfied.
The master in Lu Clan’s wooden hut never imagined that by pushing Tyre City out front to take Nolan’s wrath, Nolan would turn around and let Tyre vent their hatred on Lu Clan instead. The speed of this payback was chilling...
Soon after Nolan slowed down for Serena, he sped up again. Given the situation, they couldn’t afford to linger outside. There were only three of them—if they ran into an army, they’d be in real trouble.
They rushed nonstop and managed to reach Shandong before dark. The gate guards stared in disbelief at Nolan and Serena’s ragged disguises—no one expected the noble, imposing Ninth Royal Uncle to look so bedraggled. Third Young Master Lewis, learning that Nolan and Serena had made it back safely in disguise and without protection, was so furious he nearly coughed blood.
How could he miss such a golden opportunity?