A few corpses, pools of blood, and several trembling figures.
The man wiping residual blood from his Horse Chopper grinned darkly. He admired the blade’s cold gleam like a work of art.
"Duermu was right," he mused. "If we’d used our own men disguised as bandits, they’d have exposed us during combat."
Throughout the Great Ming—soldiers and civilians alike—every cultivator manifested the War God Mark: a formation centered with the character ‘Luminous’. But the Mongol Troops, remnants of the former Yuan dynasty, bore the Iron Cavalry Seal—a formation marked by the character ‘Yuan’ at its core.
After Zhu Yuanzhang ascended the throne, he enforced the War God Mark to unify the realm. Those who surrendered had their Iron Cavalry Seals cleansed. Most riders in the Imperial Capital’s Three Thousand Camp were former Mongol cavalry whose seals had been overwritten. Only the Yuan royal court and its loyalists, exiled to the Northern Frontier, still wielded the Iron Cavalry Seal.
This was Suryehok’s concern.
If his forces rampaged openly again, deploying the Iron Cavalry Seal would shatter their cover. Intelligence reported Yang Su—a battle-hardened veteran—would lead the Spirit Martial Town inspection. One slip, and Yang Su would unravel their entire scheme.
Suryehok set down his Horse Chopper and approached the trembling captives.
"So," he purred, voice deceptively gentle yet thick with menace, "will you serve us... or not?"
"Mercy, hero!" The apparent leader among them stammered. "We—"
He never finished.
"Too many words." Suryehok *plucked* the man’s head from his shoulders—a motion that looked like摘 (zhai) to onlookers.
He smiled at the remaining petrified figures. "And you? I’d love to hear your thoughts."
"Willing! We’re willing! Whatever you command, hero!"
Seven bandit leaders from these mountains knelt before him.
"Excellent. I admire pragmatists." Suryehok nodded. "Your task is simple: lure them to this flatland." His finger tapped a hidden valley deep within the Tahang Mountains on the map. Yang Su would suspect it—perfect bandit territory—but with careful guidance, suspicion would fade. Slowly, they’d become prey trapped in his snare.
The bandits sensed the danger from Suryehok’s earlier talk.
"Fear not," Suryehok soothed. "I’ll ensure your safety until you deliver them to my chosen ground. Alive men are useful men." He knew gutter rats clung fiercely to life. "Afterward..." He gestured. A subordinate lifted a red cloth from a tray. Golden light flooded the cave. "Fifty gold bars. Enough to compensate for losing *him*, I’d say." He nudged the headless corpse with his boot.
"Plenty! More than enough!" Greed gleamed in their eyes, drowning all caution. They forgot to ask what happened *after* the task. Suryehok never broke promises—but whether they lived to enjoy the gold? That was up to Heavenly Fate.
A scout entered. "Chief, Shao Bu requests an audience."
"Admit him." Suryehok reclaimed his seat.
"Chief," Shao Bu reported, "Ming Dynasty troops spotted one li from our observation post. The commander matches Yang Su’s portrait. We watched for specially treated individuals too—but Yang Su knocked one unconscious. Unknown reason."
"Knocked out?" A cunning glint flashed in Suryehok’s eyes. "Then it’s confirmed. That girl is the Despised Emperor’s Princess Taikang."
"Eh?" Shao Bu frowned. "Special treatment means *favor*, not violence—"
"Princess Taikang is notoriously willful," Suryehok chuckled. "She must have overheard Yang Su’s plans and demanded to join the mission. Other generals might indulge her... but Yang Su? Brutal honesty is his nature. Knocking her out was the simplest solution." His grin widened. "We owe the Despised Emperor thanks for sending Yang Su. Anyone else would’ve hidden the princess better."
"Orders, Chief?" The trap was set. Only the hunter’s move remained.
"Take these two," Suryehok ordered, hefting his Horse Chopper. He pressed a fingertip to the blade—pain kept him sharp, unblinded by fleeting advantage. "Yang Su will disguise part of his force as a Trade Caravan, with his Vice General leading ‘mercenaries’ mixed in. You’ll pick your fastest runners. Fight to *lose*, not win. Ensure the Vice General never catches you."
Suryehok licked away the blood on his blade.
"Yang Su *must* pursue. The Despised Emperor’s orders bind him. We have time. Once he studies the Tahang Mountain maps, he’ll deduce this valley’s perfect for bandits. And Yang Su? He’ll walk right in. When his main force enters the belly of our trap—" Suryehok clenched his fist. "—our cavalry descends. Victory is ours." He sighed dreamily. "I truly look forward to seeing defeat twist Yang Su’s face. How... exquisite it will be."
