Years turn into wind

At the celebration banquet at the Marshal's residence, soldiers toasted and drank, their laughter echoing throughout the hall. Ling Xiaotian sat at the head table, smiling, but a hint of vigilance remained in his eyes. He knew that even if he defeated General Xie, the enemy lurked in the shadows. While victory on the battlefield was certainly exhilarating, he could sense a greater crisis looming.

Cheng Yuwei sat beside Ling Xiaotian, whispering to him from time to time to rest. She knew that while he appeared calm on the surface, his heart was already filled with doubts. Their eyes met, and without further ado, they both understood that this victory was only a temporary respite.

After the celebration banquet, Ling Xiaotian and Cheng Yuwei went to the mansion's back garden. The night breeze blew gently, and the fragrance of flowers filled her sleeves, but Cheng Yuwei could sense a hint of tension. She gently took Ling Xiaotian's hand and said softly, "Xiaotian, although things seem calm for now, I always feel like there's an undercurrent surging behind me."

Ling Xiaotian sighed and gently stroked her shoulder. "Yuwei, your intuition is always accurate. I feel the same way. Although General Xie was captured, his forces have always been closely connected with the outside world. Now that he has been defeated so thoroughly, those dark forces will not give up easily."

Cheng Yuwei nodded, her eyes firm. "We must be careful and on guard, especially against those traitors disguised as those around us. You know, I can continue to study how to identify and crack their poisons. If anything unusual occurs, I can detect it in advance."

Ling Xiaotian looked at her serious expression, his heart warmed, and he gently held her hand: "Yuwei, I feel more at ease with you by my side."

The two smiled at each other, and there was a tacit understanding and attachment in each other's eyes.

A few days later, a mysterious letter quietly arrived at the Marshal's residence. The envelope was unsigned, leaving only a brief reminder: "Someone is waiting for the right moment in the residence. Be vigilant at all times."

Ling Xiaotian opened the envelope, his brow furrowed slightly. The letter didn't reveal any further details, but it inadvertently heightened the already tense atmosphere within the mansion. He summoned his trusted associates to deploy security measures and closely monitor the movements within the mansion, but he didn't alert the enemy.

Meanwhile, Cheng Yuwei also began her investigation. Using a clever code system, she screened the people in the mansion one by one. While everything seemed normal, a greater crisis lay hidden. In the dead of night, she felt a sense of unease, as if someone was watching their movements from the darkness.

One day, while inspecting the pharmacy, Cheng Yuwei discovered a bottle of poison that had been tampered with. The bottle's mouth was slightly tilted, as if someone had replaced the liquid with a colorless, odorless liquid. Her face changed, and she immediately had a foreboding premonition. This poison must be a trace of some hidden power.

As she carefully examined the bottle, she suddenly noticed a tiny dark pattern engraved on the bottom, which seemed to be a special mark. Cheng Yuwei immediately informed Ling Xiaotian of her discovery and suggested starting further investigation based on the mark.

Ling Xiaotian said in a deep voice, "It seems the enemy hasn't given up yet. They thought we were lax in our defenses, so they dared to act so presumptuously. Yuwei, thank you for your hard work. Please be careful and don't put yourself in danger."

Cheng Yuwei nodded, a determined light flashing in her eyes: "Xiaotian, don't worry about me. I will handle this matter well and will not let them succeed easily."

As the night deepened, Cheng Yuwei quietly infiltrated the pharmacy again, attempting to decipher the message behind the dark patterns. After several observations, she finally discovered that the patterns indicated a small gathering, seemingly hinting at the location of an undercurrent of activity. She quickly reported this clue to Ling Xiaotian, and they discussed how to counter the enemy.

Ling Xiaotian raised his brows slightly and sneered, "Since they are so impatient, we should take this opportunity to catch them all in one fell swoop."

That night, Ling Xiaotian led an elite team to the gathering place of the undercurrent forces, preparing to launch a surprise attack when the other side was off guard. However, when he arrived at his destination, he found that the crowd that was supposed to have gathered had dispersed, leaving behind a silent and empty space.

Ling Xiaotian's heart skipped a beat, a bad feeling forming. Just then, a dull explosion erupted, and flames erupted in the darkness, illuminating the entire clearing as bright as day.

"Xiaotian, be careful!" Cheng Yuwei's figure suddenly appeared not far away, holding an emergency communication device in her hand.

Ling Xiaotian reacted quickly, leading his men to retreat, avoiding the center of the explosion. Cheng Yuwei ran to his side, her face filled with anxiety: "This is a trap deliberately set by the enemy. They already know our whereabouts!"

Ling Xiaotian's face was stern, his eyes cold and stern. "The enemy is more cunning than I imagined. It seems we have been secretly monitored by them. This operation may not have been successful, but at least they have revealed their true intentions."

After returning to the Marshal's Mansion, Ling Xiaotian urgently gathered everyone and analyzed the enemy's movements. He realized that an undercurrent of influence was likely lurking somewhere within the mansion, constantly transmitting intelligence to the outside world. To confuse the enemy, he decided to deploy a more intensive counterattack, luring them into revealing their weaknesses.

Cheng Yuwei silently stayed beside him, paying attention to every detail and ready to respond to any unexpected situation. She had a vague premonition in her heart that this battle was far more complicated than they had imagined, and the enemy had already secretly deployed everything.

A few days later, Ling Xiaotian deliberately spread false news, claiming that the Marshal's Mansion would be conducting a large-scale weapons drill. He secretly arranged for a small team of soldiers to monitor the situation outside the mansion, observing whether any suspicious individuals came to investigate.

Sure enough, not long after, a man disguised as an ordinary merchant was seen wandering back and forth outside the palace, constantly trying to gather information. Ling Xiaotian sneered and immediately ordered his soldiers to quietly capture him and take him to a secluded location for interrogation.

Under Ling Xiaotian's coercion, the man finally admitted to being a spy planted outside the mansion by the undercurrent forces, responsible for monitoring the movements of the Marshal's residence and passing on intelligence. He also revealed a shocking piece of information: the real undercover agent inside the Marshal's residence was a highly secretive figure who had repeatedly communicated with the outside world to plot assassinations against Ling Xiaotian.

Upon hearing this news, Ling Xiaotian's eyes grew sharper. He knew this undercover agent was most likely his closest confidant, which meant a greater danger lay just around the corner.

As night fell, Ling Xiaotian and Cheng Yuwei devised a more sophisticated plan to lure the enemy out of their lair. Cheng Yuwei's eyes were determined as she gently grasped Ling Xiaotian's hand and whispered, "Xiaotian, no matter who the enemy is this time, we will fight side by side."

Ling Xiaotian smiled slightly, a hint of tenderness in his eyes: "Yuwei, with you by my side, I am no longer alone."

At this moment, they made a silent promise to each other that no matter how difficult the road ahead was, they would face it together.