Legend of the Embroiderer

The night was as dark as ink, a boundless black net covering the earth. Wind Walker, swift as a swallow, led Crown Prince Li Zhao, Wu Chen, Su Mengyao, and the mysterious old man, quietly weaving through the dense shadows surrounding the Netherworld Cult's secret stronghold.

Their mission is to obtain valuable intelligence about the Netherworld Cult's actions. However, this mission is like walking on a knife's edge, full of deadly dangers and insurmountable challenges.

Wind Runner's figure seemed to blend into the pitch-black night, transforming into an elusive ghost. He nimbly avoided the sight of patrols, and each step he took was as light and silent as a cat.

Sometimes it leaps onto the treetops, sometimes it bends down and hides in the grass. Its movements are so smooth and flowing that they are breathtaking.

He would occasionally glance back at his companions, lowering his voice and gently admonishing them, "Everyone, please follow my steps closely. The security here is far more stringent than we expected. If we make any mistakes, we will be exposed and all our efforts will be wasted."

Li Zhao gripped the hilt of his sword tightly, his palms sweating slightly. Despite his inner tension, his heartbeat pounding like a thundering war drum, his face remained calm, without a trace of panic.

As a member of the royal family, he knew that this operation was of great importance and could not afford any negligence. Any small mistake could lead to a complete failure.

He suppressed the fear in his heart with extraordinary determination and responded in a low but unwavering voice: "Don't worry, Brother Feng, we will act cautiously and never let the enemy detect any trace of us."

Su Mengyao's beautiful eyes were twinkling with a nervous glint like stars. Her slender fingers gently and slowly touched the medicine bag tied around her waist, as if this small bag was her only support and guarantee in the face of unknown crises.

Every slight touch was done with great caution, because she knew very well that the herbs and pills contained inside might be the key to turning the situation around at a critical moment.

"We must be extremely careful. The Netherworld Cult has spies everywhere!" Su Mengyao lowered her voice and whispered to her companions, her tone revealing an unconcealable worry.

Wu Chen, standing nearby, was like a cheetah waiting for its chance in the night. His sharp, hawk-like eyes never left his surroundings, keenly capturing even the slightest movement.

He gripped his weapon tightly, the cold touch giving him an inexplicable sense of security. If anything seemed out of place, he would step forward without hesitation, using his strong arms to protect the entire team.

The mysterious old man stared quietly at the secret stronghold in front of him, which seemed peaceful but hidden mysteries. A complex and indistinguishable emotion flashed across his weathered eyes.

He knew full well that this stronghold, hidden deep in the mountains, was likely hiding crucial clues to the "Space-Time Xuan Ji." Successfully obtaining these clues would undoubtedly be a major breakthrough for them.

"No matter what, we must find a way to get inside." Although the old man's voice was not loud, it contained an unquestionable firmness.

Hearing this, everyone nodded in agreement. Then, with light and cautious steps, they inched closer to the outpost's outer wall.

At this moment, Windrunner suddenly reached into his arms, and with quick and agile movements, he pulled out a yellowed blueprint, which was densely marked with the detailed layout of the stronghold and the patrol routes of the guards.

After a careful observation, Wind Walker's eyes suddenly lit up. He extended a finger and pointed accurately at a certain place on the map, and whispered, "Look, there's a defensive blind spot here. If nothing goes wrong, we can sneak in quietly from here."

As he spoke, a barely perceptible gleam flashed in his eyes, and he seemed to be full of confidence in this action.

Under the veil of night, all was silent, save for the rustling of leaves in the gentle breeze. Like ghosts, the four men, under the cover of darkness, followed Wind Walker's carefully planned route and silently approached the stronghold.

Their footsteps were as light as a cat's, and they took every step carefully, for fear of making the slightest sound and alerting the enemy.

As they were getting closer and closer to the stronghold, with victory in sight, a patrolling guard suddenly turned around without warning. His sharp gaze seemed to penetrate the darkness and pointed directly at the four men's hiding place.

At this moment, time seemed to freeze, and the tense atmosphere was like a string stretched to the extreme, which could break at any time.

At the same moment, the four people's hearts seemed to be tightly grasped by an invisible big hand, and their beating suddenly stopped.

They didn't even dare to breathe deeply, but just held their breath tightly, their bodies stiff as sculptures, their eyes fixed on the guard, and silently praying in their hearts that they would not be discovered.

Feng Xingzhe's right hand unconsciously tightened around the hilt of the sword. As long as there was the slightest movement, he would draw the sword without hesitation. A look of determination flashed across Li Zhao's eyes. As the crown prince, he knew the importance of this mission and was willing to do it even at the cost of his life.

Su Mengyao's slender fingers gently stroked the medicine bag on her waist, which contained various poisons and antidotes that she had carefully developed, in case of emergency.

The burly Wu Chen slightly bent his body, ready to charge forward, like a tiger ready to pounce.

In the pitch-black night, a thrilling secret operation is being carried out intensely.

Feng Xingzhe led the way, leading the Crown Prince Li Zhao, Wu Chen, Su Mengyao, and the mysterious old man's former subordinate - the loyal warrior Zhao Tiezhu, and approached the secret stronghold of the Netherworld Cult step by step.

However, at this critical moment, Zhao Tiezhu made a series of strange moves. His steps were sometimes hurried, sometimes slow, and he seemed a little hesitant.

Whenever Wind Walker gave an order, Zhao Tiezhu would always hesitate for a moment before executing it. These subtle anomalies gradually aroused the suspicion of the other three members of the team.

Did Zhao Tiezhu have other intentions? Or had he been bribed by the enemy? All sorts of speculations surfaced in everyone's minds, but the arrow was on the string and had to be shot. They could only bury their doubts for the time being and continue to concentrate on dealing with the crisis at hand.

The night was like thick, insoluble ink, shrouding the entire world in darkness. Zhao Tiezhu stood in the pitch black, only the faint light of the torch in his hand illuminated the small area in front of him.

His eyes flickered in the firelight, like stars in the night sky. And at this moment, his seemingly careless hands were unconsciously caressing the small, exquisite flare at his waist.

You know, this is the unique communication method of the Netherworld Cult, and its importance is self-evident.

Although Zhao Tiezhu's little movement was extremely subtle, it still couldn't escape Su Mengyao's eagle-like sharp gaze.

She stared at Zhao Tiezhu quietly for a moment. After a moment, she opened her red lips and said in a soft but barely perceptible tone of caution, "Brother Zhao, you look a little uneasy."

Zhao Tiezhu's heart suddenly tightened when he heard Su Mengyao's words, but he quickly recovered and forced a smile on his face, trying to hide his inner panic. "Haha, Miss Su, you're joking. I'm just worried about whether our operation can go smoothly."

After saying this, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that he should not have revealed any flaws.

However, as they approached the core area of ​​the stronghold, Zhao Tiezhu suddenly stopped advancing. A flicker of determination flashed in his eyes, and he said to everyone, "Everyone, the situation ahead is unclear and could change.

How about this? You guys continue forward, and I'll go check the surroundings alone to confirm whether the enemy has set an ambush." ​​Without waiting for a response from the others, he turned around and made a gesture to leave the team.

Li Zhao, who had been observing Zhao Tiezhu's every move, couldn't help but frown upon seeing this. With years of experience and keen intuition, he had a vague feeling that Zhao Tiezhu's actions were more than they seemed.

So he immediately shouted, "Wait! Zhao Tiezhu, this place is extremely dangerous. We should advance and retreat together and must not act alone." As he spoke, Li Zhao's voice already carried a tone of unquestionable command.

In the night wind, the four of them sat silently around the cold stone table in the shelter. Everything around them was quiet, with only the flickering torches emitting a faint light, casting their shadows on the ground, making them look particularly lonely and solemn.

The firelight danced on their faces, like a group of naughty elves, dancing wantonly, reflecting the doubts, anxieties and unspeakable pain deep in their hearts.

Especially Li Zhao, he frowned, his eyes burning with anger, that anger was as hot as a volcano about to erupt, and at the same time mixed with endless disappointment.

He stared intently at Zhao Tiezhu, the man he had once considered a life-and-death friend, and demanded through gritted teeth, "We once fought bloody battles together, lived and died together, and now you've betrayed us! Zhao Tiezhu, why on earth would you do this? Is our friendship so fragile?"

Facing Li Zhao's questioning, Zhao Tiezhu kept his head down, not daring to meet his gaze. His once powerful hands were now clenched into fists, trembling slightly as if he were trying to hold onto a last shred of courage.

Finally, he answered with a slightly choked voice, "I...I really have no choice! My family is in their hands. If I don't do what they say, my loved ones will lose their lives!"

Hearing this, Su Mengyao's eyes couldn't help but flash a hint of sympathy. However, she quickly restrained her emotions.

He said firmly, "Although I understand your difficulties, we must not let personal feelings hinder the greater good. Zhao Tiezhu, at this point, you must fully disclose the Netherworld Cult's plan. Only then will we have a chance to resist their conspiracy."

At this time, Wu Chen, who had been standing silently by the side, slowly drew out the long sword from his waist. The sword body flashed with cold light, like a poisonous snake waiting for an opportunity to strike.

He pointed his sword coldly at Zhao Tiezhu and shouted, "Your betrayal has put us in grave danger. Now you have only two choices. Either you join us in the fight against the enemy and redeem yourself for your crimes, or don't blame me for being so unrecognizable as this sword. I will personally send you to your doom!"

Zhao Tiezhu bit his lips tightly, his facial muscles twitching slightly, and a thin layer of sweat appeared on his forehead. His originally firm gaze now became extremely entangled and struggling.

He knew that he was standing at a crossroads of difficult decision. On one side was the loyalty to the organization that he had cultivated over the years, and on the other was the family ties that were thicker than blood.

Every time he thought about having to give up one of them, his heart felt like it was being gnawed by millions of ants, and it was so painful.

The mysterious old man, however, remained calm and composed, like a steady mountain. He stared silently at Zhao Tiezhu, his eyes, seemingly cloudy but actually sharp as a hawk, occasionally gleaming with an elusive, profound light.

He slowly spoke, "We absolutely cannot delay here any longer. Those Netherworld Cult members will not stop their evil ways. Right now, the Netherworld Cult's various actions are still in full swing. Time is running out for us. We must act decisively and immediately!"