Chapter 760

Soon, the eight Shadow Blades were firmly bound and lay in a heap in the center of the deck.

The water soldiers were extremely ruthless, the ox‑tendon ropes digging into flesh, binding wrists and ankles tightly; behind each Shadow Blade stood two soldiers wielding long knives.

Yet the Shadow Blades showed no trace of fear; each wore a blank expression, their hollow gazes fixed ahead like a group of bound stone statues.

Xiao Yuanhang glanced at Xiao Ningxun and waved his hand.

Xiao Ningxun stepped forward, took the Lu Wu protective pouch from her bosom, opened it, and approached the Shadow Blades, letting each sniff it.

In the eight hollow eyes, after a moment only a bewildered obedience remained.

Tuan Tuan looked curiously at Xiao Ningxun: "Third Brother, you still have this!"

Xiao Ningxun slipped the pouch back into her bosom, her gaze gentle as she looked at her sister: "As Lu Wu said, there are still Shadow Blades in the East Sea; before departing I specifically brought this secret medicine."

He paused: "I thought it prudent to be prepared, never expected it would be needed so soon."

Finishing, he raised his hand, pointed at his father, and loudly told the eight Shadow Blades: "From this moment, you must obey him without question."

The eight Shadow Blades turned in unison toward Xiao Yuanhang, their movements as synchronized as puppets on a single string, and bowed their heads: "Yes."

Xiao Yuanhang scanned them: "How many of you are there in total?"

One Shadow Blade lifted his head: "Eight."

Xiao Yuanhang nodded; fortunately all were accounted for, no one missing.

He asked again: "How did you board the ship?"

"We split into two squads, hiding on the iron hooks beneath those five ships."

"When your ships approached, we used the iron hooks to latch onto the underside."

"When the ship returned, we came up."

The deck fell silent for a moment.

Zhao Tieshan's face turned ashen; with a thud he knelt to the ground: "Prince, I have failed my duty! I did not notice the assassin came aboard with my ship."

Xiao Ningxun pleaded: "Father, the East Sea people are cunning; everyone was watching those five ships, no one could have imagined anyone hiding beneath a ship."

Xiao Yuanhang waved his hand; he knew the power of the Shadow Blades and indeed could not blame Zhao Tieshan for this.

"Get up. In the future, when ships approach, you must inspect them carefully; let this not happen again."

"Yes! Thank you, Prince!" Zhao Tieshan wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and stood up.

Xiao Yuanhang continued: "Who is the target of your mission this time?"

"You."

After speaking, his gaze shifted slightly to the Tuan Tuan in Xiao Er's bosom: "Her."

Tuan Tuan widened her eyes, pointing at her own nose: "Me?"

The Shadow Blade nodded, turning to the nearby Korean: "The one wearing the Korean king's robe."

Xiao Yuanhang furrowed his brows: "Who sent you?"

"Fujiwara Yoshinobu."

The moment the name was spoken, the three members of the Korean royal family all changed expression.

Prince Cheng'an's face flushed with anger: "It was he who led troops to storm the Royal City!"

Prince Jingning shivered and leaned against his brother.

Prince Jingzhao's eyes seemed to blaze: "Our father died under his blade."

Tuan Tuan slipped from Xiao Er's bosom, pattered to Prince Jingning, and took their hand: "Jingning, don't be afraid; it's good to know the enemy's name!"

"Much better than Xiao An'an! He still has to search everywhere to find out who the foe is."

Although Prince Jingning didn't know who Xiao An'an was, she thought for a moment and said: "You're right, Tuan Tuan."

Xiao Ningchen hummed: "So it's the bandit leader! What is the situation in Korea now?"

The Shadow Blade's voice was flat and unvarying: "Kill, burn, loot."

The three words made everyone's hearts tremble.

Xiao Ran and Chen Hao exchanged glances, Xiao Er frowned, and Lu Qi clenched both fists.

Chu Yuan sighed lightly: "Boundless Celestial Venerable!"

Prince Cheng'an turned sharply away, his back to everyone, his shoulders trembling slightly.

Prince Jingzhao faced the sea wind, staring hard at the eastern sea, his eyes bloodshot.

Prince Jingning wrapped their arms around Tuan Tuan, their small body trembling uncontrollably.

Tuan Tuan hurriedly patted her back gently: "Jingning, don't cry; we'll soon drive them all away!"

Xiao Yuanhang was silent for a moment, then said to Zhao Tieshan: "Take them down and deal with them."

"Yes!" Zhao Tieshan waved his hand, and the water soldiers dragged the Shadow Blades up.

He had just turned away, then turned back, scratching the back of his head: "Prince, they can't be killed by chopping! How should we handle them?"

Xiao Yuanhang glanced at him, "Didn't they come from under the ship?"

"I, the king, gave each of them an iron hook, letting them stay beneath the ship; even with good swimming, a few hours is enough."

Zhao Tieshan grinned: "Got it."

Xiao Er's lips curled slightly; the Prince has always been like this, truly satisfying!

Lu Qi muttered under his breath: "Damn!"

Xiao Yuanhang looked at the three Koreans: "You all seem shaken; please return to the ship and rest."

"Men! Send an additional hundred water soldiers, guard them tightly, and do not let any mishaps occur again!"

"Yes!"

Prince Jingzhao said: "Thank you, Prince Ning."

After they left, everyone returned to Xiao Yuanhang's cabin.

Xiao Ningchen spoke first: "Today's affair shows that the Japanese act in a cruel and vicious manner."

"Despicable." Lu Qi said with a straight face.

Xiao Ningxun nodded and said: "Sinister."

Chu Yuan rarely said: "Devious tricks."

"Smash the egg!" Tuan Tuan waved her small fists.

Everyone: "……"

Xiao Er helplessly rubbed his young lady's head, "Miss, you really ought to read more."

Xiao Yuanhang smiled, lowered his head to look at the map on the table, fell silent for a moment: "There are still about three days until we arrive."

"I'm afraid there will be a fierce battle; if I were the Japanese commander, I would annihilate the invaders on shore, which would be far cheaper than fighting a naval battle."

Xiao Ningxun nodded: "What Father said is quite right."

Xiao Ningchen stood up, walked to the map, raised his hand and pointed: "Our best landing spot is the middle section, where the beach is wide and the water gentle."

"As long as we break through the beachhead, what lies beyond is an open plain leading straight to the Royal City."

"But the Japanese will surely station heavy troops here to block our army."

Zhao Tieshan also walked up to the table: "What about landing elsewhere?"

"Impossible," Xiao Ningxun shook his head, "These days I have been reading the Goryeo Records."

"According to the book, the northern section is mountainous, the coast steep, large ships cannot dock, and landing would require a long detour, which would instead give the enemy an opportunity."

"The southern section is strewn with reefs, the tidal range extremely large, making the landing risk far higher than the other two sections."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Tieshan said: "Then we can only land at the middle section."

"However," Xiao Ningxun sighed, "judging by their conduct, they are likely to use the Goryeo civilians as cannon fodder again."

Tuan Tuan shook her head like a rattle-drum: "No, no! Those people are so pitiful! Daddy definitely wouldn't attack them."

Xiao Yuanhang gave his daughter a gentle smile: "Good girl, Tuan Tuan still understands Daddy best."

"This won't work, that won't work either," Zhao Tieshan said with a worried face, "Only one place is feasible; aren't we just becoming a target?"

"Your Highness, how should we fight this battle then?"

Xiao Yuanhang pointed at both ends: "We will feign an attack on the northern and southern sections, making the enemy think we are splitting our forces to land from both sides."

"We must strike fiercely and convincingly, using all the Heavenfire Tubes, to force them to divert troops from the middle section to rescue."

"Once we break open a gap, the main army will swiftly advance and surge in from the middle section."

The few of them glanced at each other, all nodding: "This plan is feasible."

Xiao Ningxun laughed: "This way, those civilians will be of no use and can escape this calamity."

Tuan Tuan clapped her little hands: "Daddy is the best!"

Xiao Yuanhang rose, scanned the crowd: "Today they sent Shadow Blades for a sneak attack; first, targeting the new king of Goryeo, hoping to cut him down by the blade, so that our troop deployment would lack a righteous cause."

"Second, they want the Fierce Kingdom's great army to lose its commander, becoming a dragon without a head."

"Third, they are coming for Tuan Tuan."

Chu Yuan nodded: "I fear that Lu Wu returned to Japan and told them about Tuan Tuan, stirring up their killing intent."

"Please rest assured, Prince Ning, this humble Daoist can protect my disciple and will certainly not let them succeed."

Xiao Yuanhang clasped his hands: "Thank you, National Preceptor; for the landing battle ahead, I entrust Tuan Tuan to you."

"Good."

Three days later, the outline of Goryeo gradually became clear before everyone's eyes.