Chapter 612: with translation of chapter title

Midnight.

All sounds fell silent.

On Luoyang's city walls, torches flickered uncertainly in the cold wind.

The night‑patrol soldiers trudged with stiff steps, warily gazing into the deep darkness beyond the city.

At the southeast corner, beneath the stretch of wall marked as a restricted zone…

In the shadows, several figures gathered silently.

Chen Wen had changed into an inconspicuous gray coarse‑cotton robe, over which he wore a dark, cold‑proof cloak with the hood pulled low.

At his waist hung an unremarkable satchel containing dry rations, fresh water, necessary medicines, and that mother talisman.

Nothing else.

Two capable guards of the Jing'an Office, similarly dressed plainly like ordinary merchants' escorts on the road, stood silently behind him.

Wang Ru wore a close‑fitting outfit suited for night movement, topped with a black cape, her eyes scanning the surroundings sharply in the darkness.

Footsteps echoed from the corridor.

Very faint.

Yue Fei, Lin Chong, and Wu Yong, without their personal troops, arrived silently.

Yue Fei, likewise in plain clothes, gazed deeply at Chen Wen in the faint light.

"Everything arranged?" Chen Wen asked softly.

"Mm." Yue Fei nodded. "Small detachments are feinting at the south and east gates to draw any eyes. The troops guarding this stretch of wall tonight are utterly reliable veterans; no one will approach within the next half‑hour."

Lin Chong handed over a small leather waterskin.

"Inside is liquor mixed with ginger slices and herbs, to ward off the cold."

"Thank you." Chen Wen took it and hung it at his waist.

Wu Yong, meanwhile, produced an oil‑paper bundle from his sleeve.

"A few pieces of flatbread and some dried meat. The road is rough; make do, my lord."

Chen Wen smiled and accepted it.

No further words were spoken.

All instructions and strategies had already been settled in the previous night's secret council.

Now, only action remained.

"Let's go."

Chen Wen signaled to Wang Ru and the two guards.

Wang Ru moved first.

She scaled the wall like a spirit cat, using a few clever pushes from the brick seams to silently climb several zhang high.

She lowered a specially made black rope that hardly reflected light.

Chen Wen grabbed the rope; without needing to push off, his body rose lightly and he landed steadily on the battlement.

The two guards followed close behind, their movements clean and swift.

This displayed the Jing'an Office's elite, top‑notch quality.

Yue Fei and the others immediately followed suit.

On the battlements.

The cold wind blew in their faces.

In the distance, within the False Song allied camp, a few scattered bonfires glimmered like ghost lights in the night.

Further out in the darkness, it seemed as if countless hostile eyes lay hidden.

"We'll see you off here."

Chen Wen turned to face Yue Fei and the others.

"Going farther would risk detection by the outer scouting patrols."

Yue Fei clasped his fist in salute.

"Seeing a friend off a thousand li, we must eventually part."

"Take care."

Lin Chong and Wu Yong likewise returned the salute.

Chen Wen looked at the three comrades who had fought side by side in the False Song world and were now about to part.

He felt a surge of emotion, yet no sorrow.

"Each of you, take care."

"When the beacon fires die down one day, let us meet again and share a drink."

He hesitated no longer.

He gave Wang Ru a nod.

The four slid down the prepared soft ladder on the opposite side of the wall.

Soon they vanished into the wilderness beyond the wall, where weeds grew thick and rocks jutted wildly.

Their silhouettes rose and fell a few times in the night, then disappeared.

Yue Fei stood on the battlements.

He gazed into the darkness that had swallowed their silhouettes.

He remained silent for a long time.

The cold wind stirred his robes, making them flap loudly.

"Marshal Yue, let's go back," Wu Yong said quietly. "It's windy up on the battlements."

Yue Fei slowly exhaled a breath of white air.

"Return."

He finally glanced toward the east.

That was the direction Chen Wen had gone, and also the direction of the light curtain.

Then.

He turned around.

He stepped down the city wall with steady steps.

His back straightened again, like a spear.

……

Night is the best cover.

The four of Chen Wen moved extremely fast.

Wang Ru led the way, knowing the terrain, outposts, and even the activity patterns of the False Song and Golden Army scouts within dozens of li around Luoyang like the back of her hand.

She could always skillfully avoid possible danger zones.

Choosing the most concealed and swiftest path.

All the way toward the south‑east direction.

The goal was deep in the Mang Shan foothills, the safe passage entrance leading to the light curtain.

Two hours later.

They had already gone nearly thirty li from Luoyang.

They entered a more desolate hilly region where the terrain gradually rose and fell.

Here they were beyond the routine activity range of both armies.

Only occasional wild beasts and rarer mountain hunters appeared.

"Rest for a moment."

Chen Wen stopped behind a wind‑blocked rock.

His breathing was steady; obviously this march was not a great burden for him.

The two guards were slightly out of breath, but still kept watchful eyes on the surroundings.

Wang Ru took out a waterskin and handed it to Chen Wen.

"At this speed we can reach the outskirts of Mang Shan before dawn. Moving covertly through the forest by day and approaching the passage entrance at night is the safest."

Chen Wen took a sip of water.

"Any signs of Iron Crow Army activity in this area?"

"Always." Wang Ru nodded, "But they are mostly low‑level shades on surveillance duty, or locals under its control. Our chosen route and timing happen to avoid several known monitoring points."

"Can't be careless." Chen Wen said, "Leaving Luoyang might fool the False Song court for a while, but I may not completely evade the Iron Crow Army. They are especially sensitive to the movements of 'variables,' particularly mine."

Wang Ru's expression tightened.

"My lord, are you worried there might be an ambush near the passage?"

"We can't ignore it." Chen Wen gazed into the dark distance, "Zhao Lao Nian improved the passage, weakening the repelling force; though the disturbance is small, it might not fully escape the Iron Crow Army's detection. They likely have reinforced defenses at several main passage entrances."

"Then what do we—"

"Follow the plan." Chen Wen said calmly, "If it's ordinary shades or scouts, we kill them. If it's a large force or high‑level shade… we'll test my newly consolidated Level 5 technique."

His tone was flat, yet it exuded strong confidence.

Hearing this, Wang Ru felt somewhat relieved.

She had almost blind faith in Chen Wen's strength.

The rest period passed quickly.

The four set out again.

At the time when dawn was about to break but had not yet.

They finally reached the edge of the Mang Shan foothills.

Before them lay continuous, rolling ridges that showed a dark‑blue outline in the faint morning light.

Vegetation began to grow dense.

The mountain path became ever more rugged and hard to travel.

"Enter the mountains."

Wang Ru led the way, slipping into a narrow mountain track half‑covered by dead vines and shrubs.

The trail was clearly little‑used, with unmelted snow and piled‑up dead leaves.

But for them, it actually provided better cover.

Daytime.

They rested in a natural cave deep in the mountains.

The cave entrance was concealed; inside it was dry.

The two guards took turns keeping watch outside.

Chen Wen seized the moment to regulate his breath, restore energy, and silently sense the state of the Mother Talisman in his bosom.

Calm.

It meant that, for now, nothing extreme requiring his knowledge had occurred back in Luoyang.

This let him relax a little.

Wang Ru, meanwhile, used her portable simple tools deep in the cave to inspect and maintain several special items that might be needed.

Including the activation device for that "Directional Resonance Talisman."

The atmosphere was quiet and tense.

Waiting for the night to fall again.

When the last sliver of daylight was swallowed by the mountain ridge.

Darkness once again shrouded the earth.

The four silently left the cave.

Under Wang Ru's lead, they continued to trek through the mountains and forests.

This time, the direction was clearer.

They headed straight for the depths of Mang Mountain, the entrance to a passage protected by layers of camouflage and natural terrain.

The mountain path grew increasingly difficult.

At times they needed to climb near-vertical rock faces.

At times they needed to wade through icy, bone-chilling streams.

But the four's skills far surpassed ordinary people, and with Wang Ru acting as a living map guide,

their speed was hardly affected.

When the moon was high in the sky,

they arrived at a valley that seemed utterly unremarkable.

The valley floor was littered with chaotic rocks, and withered trees lay askew.

A long-dried streambed wound its way through.

"We've arrived."

Wang Ru stopped before a huge, half-buried bluish-black rock.

She crouched down, pressing and tapping several specific spots on the rock's base in a certain sequence.

From inside the rock came an extremely faint sound of mechanisms turning.

Immediately after.

The ground at the rock's side, a slab covered in moss and fallen leaves, silently slid to one side.

Revealing a downward-extending, pitch-black opening.

A breath of air carrying an earthy odor and a faint strange fluctuation poured out from the hole.

"This is the place."

Wang Ru rose to her feet and looked toward Chen Wen.

"From here, descending about a hundred zhang brings you to the 'weak point' on this side of the light curtain, where Minister Zhao set up the stabilizing device."

"Passing through the light curtain, the exit on the other side lies in the corresponding area of Mang Mountain within the Chen Dynasty, where our personnel will meet you."

Chen Wen approached the cave mouth.

Shi Yong clearly sensed, from deep within the cave, the faint, continuous ripples caused by the collision of the two worlds' rules,

as well as the familiar, weak energy field emanating from the stabilizing device placed by Zhao Lao Nian, carrying the technical style of the Ministry of Works.

He nodded.

"Very good."

Turning, he looked at Wang Ru and the two guards.

"You will escort them only this far."

"Wang Ru, according to the plan, you will immediately return to Luo Yang to assist General Yue."

"Yes." Wang Ru replied solemnly.

Chen Wen then looked at the two silent guards from the Jing'an Bureau elite who had accompanied him all the way.

"You will also return with Wang Ru. From now on, I will go alone."

The two hesitated a little.

"Your Majesty, at least let us escort you to the light curtain..."

"No need." Chen Wen waved his hand, "More people in the passage means greater disturbance, which is disadvantageous. I alone am more agile."

Seeing Chen Wen's firm attitude, the two said no more.

They merely bowed deeply.

"Please, Your Majesty, take care!"

Chen Wen nodded.

He took one last glance back toward the direction they had come.

That was the direction of Luo Yang.

It was also the direction that Yue Fei and others were defending.

Then.

No longer lingering.

He turned.

He stepped forward.

He stepped into the dark opening.

His figure was quickly swallowed by the darkness.

Wang Ru stood where she was, watching as the opening was silently covered and disguised again by the stone slab.

She drew a deep breath of the icy winter night air.

Her eyes regained their sharpness and focus.

"Go."

"We're returning to Luoyang."

The three turned quickly, just as they had come, and vanished silently into the heavy night of Mang Mountain.

Only that cold moonlight remained.

Quietly, it shone upon that seemingly ordinary bluish-black boulder.

"As if everything that had just happened."

"Had never occurred."