Chapter 76: The Patrol

Li Lin turned his head toward the sound and saw a young man in Wenshan armor approaching.

The man had begun growing a beard, yet his face looked very young; Li Lin estimated he was no more than twenty-two.

“Brother Tang, why not?” Huang Qi pointed to the distant pole hung with several corpses, his expression angry: “The enemy commander humiliates our Daqi soldiers like this—should we just watch?”

“Brother Huang, please let me explain,” the young officer said calmly.

Huang Qi took a deep breath and said, “Explain.”

“The enemy dares to camp outside because they’ve brought a True Lord with them,” the young officer continued. “If this Patrol can snap that tall pole from such a distance, he can shatter their altar. Once the altar breaks, we won’t need to hold our ground—within a few days, the enemy will retreat on their own.”

Huang Qi understood: “So we don’t alarm them, and at night, let Brother Kun Ge sneak in to destroy their altar?”

The young officer nodded slightly: “Yes.”

Huang Qi thought for a moment and said, “That makes sense. If the enemy knows now someone can strike from afar, they’ll be on guard. But Kun Ge isn’t the only one who can use long-range techniques.”

Su Huafang, Bai Zhiwei, and others also had long-range attack techniques.

But their power was weaker—thunder arts were pure offensive methods.

The Tang youth’s face lit up with delight: “Then it’s even better!”

“We need to plan carefully. Let’s go down and speak with Patrol Su and the others.”

The young man nodded eagerly: “Excellent, excellent.”

The three descended the wall and went to the barracks.

At that moment, Su Huafang and the others were resting.

Huang Qi pushed open the door and said, “All you Patrols, thank you for traveling all the way from Rongxian. This is Tang Su, the newly appointed Commander of Bobai Garrison.”

The several Patrols bowed in unison: “Greetings, Commander.”

Tang Su waved his hands repeatedly: “I cannot accept such honor—you’ve come from afar to support Bobai Garrison; that is a great favor.”

Tang Su’s humility had its reason.

Though Patrols were “combat units,” they belonged to the civil bureaucracy.

The border troops were under the military hierarchy; the two had no superior-subordinate relationship.

Similarly, Huang Qi, as County Commandant, though a civil official, commanded troops no fewer than a Commander.

This was one reason Tang Su was so courteous.

Huang Qi continued: “Commander Tang wishes you to launch a night raid to destroy the enemy’s altar, forcing them to retreat.”

The Patrols exchanged glances.

Su Huafang bowed and said, “Commandant, while we all possess techniques, they are all yin-based arts—useful where few are present. But the enemy is a strong army, hundreds or even thousands of young men gathered, their blood qi surging. Their altar sits at the center of their formation; our techniques will be severely weakened, nearly useless.”

Tang Su froze: “Is that so?”

Huang Qi frowned.

Su Huafang glanced at Li Lin and said, “But Patrol Li excels in thunder arts—he won’t be affected as much.”

Tang Su, unfamiliar with Patrols, asked: “Why?”

Huang Qi was also curious.

“Thunder arts are supremely yang—they’re nearly unaffected by blood qi.”

Tang Su looked at Li Lin, his eyes filled with awe.

Huang Qi clapped Li Lin on the shoulder and laughed: “I knew Kun Ge had great talent.”

Li Lin smiled wryly: “Just a few techniques—I wouldn’t call it great talent.”

“You’re too modest.”

Huang Qi turned to Tang Su: “Since we’re sending Kun Ge on such a dangerous mission, your border troops must show some commitment.”

“Money? Rank?”

“Kun Ge won’t lack those later,” Huang Qi said with a smile. “I mean, when Kun Ge raids the altar tonight, you must assist—ensure he returns safely.”

Tang Su’s brow twitched, then he smiled: “Naturally.”

The other Patrols looked surprised.

Huang Qi turned to the other Patrols: “Of course, I ask the same of you all.”

Su Huafang and the others nodded with smiles.

Night arrived quickly.

Li Lin and the others wore black nightclothes, draped in Concealment Cloaks, and slid down the wall silently using ropes.

To aid them, torches and campfires in the area were extinguished for the duration of an incense stick.

Once on the ground, they immediately vanished into the distant woods.

As they moved deeper into darkness, their Bai Yu plaques emitted red light, growing brighter and brighter.

Their pace was swift—nearly sprinting at full speed.

Soon, they reached a grove.

Su Huafang immediately opened a porcelain bottle and sprinkled a circle of Defense Powder around them.

The red glow on their Bai Yu plaques faded.

Everyone exhaled in relief.

“This is the limit,” Bai Zhiwei said, staring at the enemy camp ahead: “Closer, and their scouts or Patrols will sense us.”

All Patrols carried yin energy; it was barely noticeable by day, but glaring at night.

Among themselves, they could sense each other.

Su Huafang smiled: “Now we just wait.”

Everyone nodded.

They had come out to protect Li Lin.

If anything went wrong, more hands meant better odds.

The group fell silent again, not speaking.

Lurking near an enemy army demanded absolute quiet.

After another half-incense-stick’s wait, the gate of Bobai Garrison suddenly opened—and a “fire dragon” surged out.

It was the garrison’s soldiers, torches raised, charging forward.

This was the feint, designed to aid Li Lin—its noise and spectacle were immense.

The enemy was indeed distracted; many soldiers rushed out of camp, torches in hand.

“Now. Move up.”

The group immediately crossed beyond the Defense Powder circle and sprinted toward the enemy camp.

When they were a hundred meters from the camp, they stopped, forming a circle around Li Lin.

Li Lin leapt several times, landing atop a tall tree.

Through the gaps in the canopy, he saw the enemy’s altar, where a creature resembling a white cat—but with two large hands growing from its buttocks—floated above it.

This spot was precisely at the limit of his range.

Li Lin immediately began forming seals, without hesitation.

A thunderous crash—crimson-and-blue lightning split the sky, piercing the white cat True Lord and striking the altar.

The altar was harder than expected; though covered in deep cracks, it had not yet shattered.

Around the altar, many glared angrily toward Li Lin’s direction.

The True Lord’s eyes turned red, and it lunged toward him.

A certain aura locked onto Li Lin instantly.

Li Lin accelerated his seal formation.

The white cat True Lord moved fast, but Li Lin held the distance advantage—his second bolt of lightning struck again.

The altar shattered. The white cat True Lord froze. His eyes turned from red to black, and the two massive hands behind him sprouted countless tiny eyes.

“Done!”

Li Lin cried out in triumph and floated down from the air.

At that moment, an arrow shot from the enemy camp—blazingly fast.

Li Lin sensed it, but he was midair, with no way to dodge.

Just as he was about to be struck, a figure leapt upward.

(End of Chapter)