Years turn into wind

Chapter 133 Liu Yuan

Ling Xiaotian nodded gently to the group, then bolted from the shadows, lunging at the guards inside the warehouse with lightning speed. Cheng Yuwei followed closely behind, clutching the small dagger in her sleeve, her heart pounding. She had never been so close to such a surprise attack before, and she felt a mixture of nervousness and excitement.

"Who!" A cry of surprise shattered the silence, and the guards inside the warehouse snapped to attention. However, Ling Xiaotian had already pounced like a tiger, striking the foremost enemy with a powerful palm strike, instantly knocking him down. The remaining guards raised their weapons, terror in their eyes.

Deep in the warehouse, a man wearing a silver mask heard the commotion, his eyes darkening instantly. He scanned the chaotic scene with a cold smile, "Looks like the Marshal and his wife are here."

Cheng Yuwei carefully dodged the incoming daggers, her eyes keenly searching for her target. She caught sight of the silver-masked man in the corner, and a shudder sank in her heart: It's him! Ling Xiaotian also spotted him, his eyes suddenly filled with rage. At his command, his elite troops charged in, and the scene immediately descended into a fierce battle.

The silver-masked man retreated calmly, his figure as light as a ghost. He said coldly, "It seems you're in a hurry to find me. I'll play with you tonight." As soon as he finished speaking, he waved his hand violently, and several flaming smoke bombs instantly hit the ground, filling the air with black smoke.

"Be careful!" Ling Xiaotian shouted, grabbed Cheng Yuwei and held her in his arms, avoiding the impact of the smoke.

When the smoke cleared, the silver-masked man was long gone, leaving only a few distant sneers echoing into the night. Ling Xiaotian's brow furrowed, his eyes gleaming with anger. Cheng Yuwei leaned into his arms, calming herself. She looked at the scattered blueprints and documents in the warehouse and suddenly found a drawing with a complex circuit marked on it.

"Xiaotian, look!" She handed him the drawing.

Ling Xiaotian glanced at it and his expression suddenly changed. "This is a map of the armory. He actually wanted to... Oops! We must return to the mansion immediately and strengthen our defenses!"

Cheng Yuwei nodded, silently praying. Although tonight's battle had forced the enemy back, it was clear that the real storm had just begun. The two quickly evacuated the warehouse. In the darkness, the outline of the city was shrouded in a layer of shadow, as if covering up the turbulent waves that were about to be set off.

Ling Xiaotian and Cheng Yuwei raced through the darkness back to the Marshal's residence. The night wind rustled Ling Xiaotian's cloak, urging them to quicken their pace. Cheng Yuwei felt her heartbeat quicken, not just from running, but also from the tension lurking in the air.

When they returned to the Marshal's Mansion, the lights were brightly lit and the guards were already on full alert. As soon as Ling Xiaotian arrived at the gate, he immediately issued an order: "Everyone, step up your guard and ensure the safety of the armory."

"Yes, Marshal!" The soldiers answered in unison, their voices resounding loudly in the night sky.

Cheng Yuwei and Ling Xiaotian entered the study, spread the blueprint out on the table, and studied it carefully. The intricate and interwoven lines on the blueprint clearly represented the detailed layout of the armory, while corners marked with special symbols hinted at secret passages or potential weak points.

"This means that the enemy has a good understanding of our arsenal and they must have prepared for the next move." Cheng Yuwei's tone was solemn and her brows were furrowed.

Ling Xiaotian nodded, a look of determination flashing in his eyes. "We can't wait for them to make a move. We must strike first. Wei'er, you've studied these blueprints. Can you tell how they might act?"

Cheng Yuwei examined it carefully and pointed to a location on the map: "Here, the southeast corner is relatively weakly guarded. If they launch a surprise attack from here, they are likely to break through the defense line in a short time."

Ling Xiaotian's eyes flashed, and he immediately summoned his military advisors and senior generals to discuss a new defense strategy. Soon, several key figures gathered in the study, each with a look of deep wariness and worry on their faces.

"Everyone, this is the enemy's possible plan," Ling Xiaotian explained, pointing to the blueprint. "We must strengthen this weak defense line and set a trap before they act."

A deputy general frowned and asked, "General, won't this disperse our forces and make the defense lines in other directions more vulnerable?"

Ling Xiaotian responded calmly, "The enemy's goal is clear; it's their style to attack when they're unprepared. We need a more flexible defense, not just more manpower, but also hidden sentries and traps to keep them from falling into their traps."

Cheng Yuwei added: "Also, we can create some illusions to make them mistakenly believe that the real target is somewhere else."

Everyone nodded and discussed the details when suddenly a sharp whistle shattered the quiet of the night. A guard hurried over to report, "General, a suspicious individual has been spotted approaching the southeast corner!"

The air froze in an instant. Ling Xiaotian grabbed his sword, his eyes blazing with anger. "All troops, prepare for battle!"

Upon hearing this, everyone quickly stood up. The sound of resounding footsteps echoed throughout the Marshal's residence, and a tense atmosphere permeated the air. Soldiers rushed out of the tents and lined up in neat rows, their eyes revealing a tense yet determined look. Cheng Yuwei stood at the doorway of the study, gazing at Ling Xiaotian's calm and majestic back, her heart trembling slightly.

"Wei'er, stay in the mansion and don't come out. Be sure to protect yourself." Ling Xiaotian tilted his head, with an unquestionable concern in his eyes.

Cheng Yuwei opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but in the end she just nodded: "You have to be careful."

Ling Xiaotian smiled faintly, a smile that was like a touch of warmth in the cold night, fleeting. He resolutely turned and rushed to the southeast corner with a group of elite soldiers.

Shadows whispered in the night wind. Outside the mansion, the lurking figures of the enemy loomed, the moonlight casting a cold gleam on their masks. Leading the charge was the man in the silver mask, a cruel smile in his eyes.

"Action, before they fully react." The man with the silver mask waved his hand, and the men in black behind him moved quickly, like ghosts in the dark night, approaching the armory silently.

However, just as they touched the heavy door, a sudden whistle sounded all around them. Soldiers who had been ambushing in the dark suddenly rushed out, torches lit, and the entire area was instantly illuminated.

"Kill!" Ling Xiaotian roared, and the long sword in his hand chopped down like thunder. The moment he fought with the enemy, the swords and shadows crisscrossed, and murderous aura was overflowing.

The enemy was caught off guard by this sudden ambush, but the silver-masked man remained calm, a sneer flashing in his eyes. He raised his torch and hurled a black smoke bomb into the air. Smoke once again enveloped the battlefield, creating chaos.

"Disperse them and act separately!" The voice of the man in the silver mask penetrated the smoke.

Cheng Yuwei heard the sounds of fighting from her study, her heart pounding with anxiety. She hurried to the window, her fingers clenching as she watched the chaotic scene unfold. Just then, a dark figure suddenly crept in from the side door of the study, a knife flashing as it charged towards her.

She reacted quickly, dodging sideways. The opponent's attack missed, and a fierce look flashed in his eyes: "Cheng Yuwei, today is the day you die."

Cheng Yuwei's heart was beating like thunder, but she didn't dare to show weakness: "Do you think I'm not prepared?" She quickly pulled out the hidden dagger from the table and pointed it at the person who came.

The shadow snorted coldly, and the blade attacked again. Just as the two men engaged in close combat, a sharp shout suddenly came from outside the door: "Stop!"

Ling Xiaotian had returned, his eyes blazing with murderous intent. He swung his sword, forcing the shadowy figure back. Seeing the situation was dire, the shadowy figure quickly retreated, but Ling Xiaotian wouldn't give him a chance. He took a few steps forward, his longsword precisely piercing the enemy's shoulder. The enemy groaned and fell to the ground.

"Tell me, who sent you!" Ling Xiaotian's eyes were burning with anger.

The shadowy man clenched his teeth, blood flowing from the corners of his mouth, but he showed a strange smile: "Do you think you win like this? The real game has just begun..." After that, he suddenly bit the poison hidden in his mouth and fell to the ground and died.

Cheng Yuwei was still in shock as she looked at the body on the ground. Ling Xiaotian came over and hugged her tightly in his arms: "With me here, no one can hurt you."

Cheng Yuwei felt the warmth of Ling Xiaotian's chest in his embrace, and the familiar sound of his heartbeat made her forget her fear for a moment. Her fingers trembled as she touched his arm and whispered, "Xiaotian, are you okay?"

Ling Xiaotian released her, his eyes scanning her face. He breathed a sigh of relief after confirming she was safe. The coldness and severity in his eyes gradually gave way to tenderness. "I'm fine, but you must be scared."

Cheng Yuwei pursed her lips, a hint of determination flashed in her eyes: "I won't be afraid, as long as you are here."

The moment their eyes met, time seemed to freeze. Ling Xiaotian gently caressed her cheek and said in a low voice, "I swear, no matter what happens, nothing will happen to you."

At this moment, the guards inside the palace hurried over, breaking the moment of warmth: "Marshal, the enemy has retreated, but they have lost several soldiers, and part of the armory has been damaged."

Ling Xiaotian frowned slightly, his eyes becoming fierce again. "Count the losses and make sure to track down how these people got in. Tonight, there's no room for slacking off."

"Yes!" The soldiers took the order and left.

The smoke of battle cleared, and darkness enveloped the Marshal's Mansion once again, but an invisible sense of crisis still lingered in everyone's heart. Ling Xiaotian took Cheng Yuwei's hand and said in a gentler voice, "Come with me, we need to talk."

The two walked to the back of the study, and Ling Xiaotian whispered, "Wei'er, what happened tonight made me realize that the enemy has begun to penetrate every corner. Our security needs to be further strengthened. I will arrange for you to move to a safer place."

Cheng Yuwei looked up, a hint of uneasiness and stubbornness in her eyes: "Are you going to hide me? If we keep running away like this, when will it end?"

Ling Xiaotian's expression was filled with helplessness and heartache: "This isn't an escape, it's protection. I can't risk putting you in danger."

Cheng Yuwei took a step closer, held his hand, and looked at him firmly: "Xiaotian, I am not the one you need to protect unilaterally. I am your wife, and the one who fights alongside you. I will cooperate with your arrangements, but please allow me to participate."

Ling Xiaotian's heart trembled. He looked at the determination in Cheng Yuwei's eyes. That fearless brilliance filled him with admiration. He sighed softly and embraced her in his arms: "Okay, we'll face this together."

However, in the distance of the Marshal's Mansion, a pair of eyes lurking in the shadows stared at the mansion, a sneer in their eyes. He quickly passed the information to the person behind him: "Send the message to the master, the operation has failed, but the plan is not over yet."

The dark shadows in the distance disappeared into the night, and an undercurrent of turmoil permeated the entire city. Ling Xiaotian and Cheng Yuwei cuddled together in the Marshal's Mansion, enjoying a rare moment of peace, but both knew that this was only the calm before the storm.

The next morning, sunlight streamed into the courtyard, bringing a momentary warmth. Cheng Yuwei strolled through the garden, savoring the coolness of the morning dew. Suddenly, her eyes fell on a cluster of blooming roses, and a thousand thoughts filled her mind. Since traveling to this era of war and political intrigue, her life had changed. She was no longer the female doctoral student in the laboratory, solely focused on chemistry research.

"What are you thinking about?" A deep voice interrupted her thoughts. Cheng Yuwei looked up and saw Ling Xiaotian standing not far away, dressed in military uniform, with a gentle light in his eyes.

"Nothing, I just remembered something from the past." Cheng Yuwei smiled lightly, with a hint of complexity in her eyes.

Ling Xiaotian approached her and held her hand: "What happened in the past is in the past. Now you are my wife, the only person I care about in this troubled world."

Cheng Yuwei's heart trembled slightly. Just as she was about to speak, a soldier came hurriedly with a serious expression: "General, there is news from the east of the city that an unknown armed force is gathering and seems to be planning an invasion."