A shock!
Time: Night. Location: The Forbidden City, Commandery of the Black-Clad Guards.
Location: Inside the Commandery's office, there is a secret room shrouded in heavy black cloth. The atmosphere is more oppressive than the chill of deep winter.
The left commander, Zhou Chengying, sat upright behind a large black lacquered desk. His knuckles were slightly white from gripping the newly arrived secret report.
A man in his forties, he was always dressed in dark black robes and had a lean face and eyes as sharp as a hawk's. He seemed able to see into the deepest secrets of people's hearts. Within his jurisdiction, nothing escaped his notice, from the mobilisation of the Imperial Guards to the private affairs of officials.
However, at that moment, he felt slight displeasure at the mention of a name in the report: Xiao Wuchen.
'A mere palace guard with no connections has managed to solve two far-reaching cases, slaying several vicious criminals. His achievements are remarkable, his tactics decisive... exceeding our initial assessment.' Zhou Chengying's voice was deep and calm yet carried an undeniable authority.
The secret report detailed Xiao Wuchen's rise from an unknown guard to his recent meteoric rise to fame. Each bloody detail proved that Xiao Wuchen's martial arts skills were extraordinary and, more importantly, that his growth rate was astonishing.
'Commander, this young man's actions are flawless, and his background is untraceable. He's like a sharp blade appearing out of thin air; his only teacher is Commander Fang, who recruited him. But Commander Fang himself said that Xiao Wuchen's comprehension is astonishingly high,' reported a commander beside him in a deep voice.
Zhou Chengying tossed the report back onto the table with a soft 'thud'.
'The fact that nothing can be found is the biggest flaw in itself. For a dragon to suddenly emerge from the deep waters of the capital, unafraid of the storms, there are only two possibilities," Zhou Chengying sneered. 'Either some old fox is hiding deep within, using him to orchestrate a scheme, or he himself harbours a shocking secret.'
He looked out at the dark night as if he could see an undercurrent about to erupt.
'I need to know just how sharp this blade has become and whether we can use it.'
Zhou Chengying slowly rose to his feet and walked to a hidden door in the corner of the room. He knocked on it softly three times.
The door opened silently and a tall, thin man dressed in black emerged. He was completely shrouded in nightclothes; even his face was covered by a black mask, revealing only a pair of shadowed eyes. A narrow, single-edged sword with a blade as black as ink hung at his waist, almost blending into the darkness in the dim candlelight.
This was Zhao Hu, also known as "Shadow Blade", an assassin from the Black-Clad Guard who specialised in assassinations, reconnaissance and top-secret missions. He never appeared in public and no one had ever seen his true face; he was the embodiment of the night.
'Zhao Hu,' said Zhou Chengying without further ado, giving the order directly. 'You will be in charge of this matter.'
'Please give your instructions, Commander.' Zhao Hu's voice was hoarse and devoid of emotion.
'You will infiltrate the Forbidden City and find an opportunity to launch a simulated assassination attempt on Xiao Wuchen. This test is not about the outcome, but about the process.' Zhou Chengying stared sharply at him. 'I want you to assess his martial arts style, his ability to handle life-or-death situations and, more importantly, his limits.'
He emphasised, 'Remember, he cannot die, but you must exert all your strength to make him believe he is about to die.'
'Shadow Blade' Zhao Hu bowed slightly, his voice eerily calm. 'Yes, sir. If he is hiding anything, I will expose his disguise.'
Just as Zhao Hu had accepted the order and was about to turn away, a cold, mechanical voice audible only to Xiao Wuchen pierced through the air and rang in his mind.
[System Alert]:
The Left Commander and Shadow Blade Zhao Hu have locked onto the target.
[Main Quest: Night Clash] Activated!
Quest objective: Survive the probing attacks of 'Shadow Blade' Zhao Hu and successfully conceal the full power of the 'True Martial' system.
Quest requirements: Use the newly fused power system.
Failure penalty: Your identity will be exposed and you will be subjected to a full-scale hunt by the Black-Clad Guards.
Quest reward: An unknown manual or deep fusion of [Purple Qi Willow].
Xiao Wuchen was unaware that he had become a thorn in the Left Commander's side. However, the sudden quest alert immediately set off alarm bells in his mind:
'The Black-Clad Guards... They really have come knocking.' During his night patrol, Xiao Wuchen tightened his grip on his sword silently.
He knew a deadly clash was imminent.