Chapter 652 313: Night Raid
...
...
Late night.
The bright moonlight is obscured by dark clouds.
The whole world is plunged into darkness.
Border of Viscount Bai Lu, Jian Mountain Village.
This is not a military stronghold, nor are there any mineral resources.
Yet at this moment, it is guarded by over a hundred soldiers.
They were once under Viscount Bai Lu, but have now surrendered to Luo De, following his orders to station here.
For just a week ago, an underground passage was discovered beneath the ruins of a chapel at the edge of this village.
Thus, Jian Mountain Village transformed from an insignificant remote place into a restricted area, with two five-man patrol teams even outside the village.
At the foot of a hill not far from Jian Mountain Village, eight figures appeared silently like specters.
They wore exquisite armor, cloaked in black robes, their eyes fixed intently on the flickering lights of the village.
"This is our only chance; there can be no mistakes."
The leader, a tall middle-aged man, said in a deep voice.
His name was Wagli Cold Blade, a genius from a branch of the Cold Blade Clan who cultivated the Breathing Technique.
At thirty-five, he had become a top-tier knight, having slain three senior knights on the Empire battlefield, with even more ordinary people killed.
Some say he was the illegitimate son of the previous Marquis Cold Blade, who took him in after being abandoned.
Thus, Wagli is also a pillar of the Cold Blade Clan.
The knights behind Wagli had eyes that sparkled with the sharp coldness of a hawk, showing they were far from refined aristocrats.
In fact, they were senior knights who had survived numerous battles, some even stepping into the ranks of top-tier knights.
"There will be no mistakes, Lord Wagli,"
Said the fat knight beside Wagli softly, "Even in a frontal assault, these useless soldiers are no match for the seven of us!"
"Moreover, we all carry extraordinary items now!"
The fat knight's words immediately resonated with the others, causing the corners of their mouths to curve up slightly.
Every one of them wore fine enchanted longswords at their waists, with some even inlaid with extraordinary gemstones.
The fat knight and Wagli both wore magical rings, and carried scrolls capable of casting spells in their arms.
Hearing the fat knight, Wagli frowned slightly, "Do not be careless! We are dealing with Luo De, who controls a dragon!"
"If he can command a dragon, then he likely has other hidden means!"
"We must focus all our energy on dealing with him!"
Wagli's voice carried a note of reprimand, "Before we reach Luo De's location, no one is to alert anyone else!"
"Understood, Lord Wagli,"
The fat knight responded reluctantly, with others nodding in agreement.
Wagli's face darkened, and he sighed briefly before commanding, "Get ready, drink the Shadow Potion!"
With Wagli's order, the seven knights swiftly pulled small glass bottles from their cloaks, uncorking them to drain the contents.
Soon after, the eight figures gradually vanished into the dark, leaving only the pressed grass revealing their presence.
Wagli waved his hand, and under the cover of shadows, the eight approached the village silently.
Meanwhile, the guards were warming their nearly frozen feet by the campfire, occasionally glancing into the darkness, completely unaware that the eight knights had crossed the low stone walls and infiltrated the village.
Jian Mountain Village, with over forty households, was a fairly large village in the Northern Territory, with rows of houses tightly clustered together.
Wagli was not familiar with this village, and the spies had not provided a precise map, leaving them to search courtyard by courtyard.
After traversing half the village, Wagli raised his right hand, gesturing for a halt.
The seven senior knights immediately stopped, looking in the direction Wagli was facing.
An old long wooden house sat on a hillside, with faint light flickering inside.
Behind the house was an empty yard, at the end of which stood a two-story building entirely made of wood.
This was the only tavern in Jian Mountain Village, a gathering place for men in winter.
Occasionally, travelling merchants would also stop at this tavern.
"According to the information from the Rat, the target is in the innermost room on the second floor at the back,"
Wagli said in a low voice as he gazed at the courtyard ahead. "Delan and Calvin, keep watch at the entrance, the others follow me in."
"Remember, it must be a one-hit kill."
"Do not give Luo De any chance to react."
"Understood!"
The seven knights nodded.
"Move,"
Wagli's arm swept out, and the eight of them climbed over the fence, quickly approaching the two-story wooden building behind the tavern.
The two guards at the door of the wooden building were drowsy, yawning repeatedly, completely unaware of Wagli and his group's approach.
In their moment of laxity, two daggers emerged from the shadows, swiftly slitting their throats.
The two collapsed to the ground without a sound.
Immediately, Wagli's figure emerged from the darkness, pulling out a scroll from his cloak and tearing it inside the wooden building.
A green smoke snaked out from the scroll, swiftly spreading within the building.
"Thud, thud, thud..."
The sound of bodies hitting the ground one after another echoed, and as Wagli felt it was enough, he slowly pushed open the door.
The Sleeping Mist spell's effect would only last for thirty heartbeats, and now the green within the building had dissipated.
But the spell worked excellently.
The building's guards had all succumbed, some lying on tables, others on the floor, snoring loudly.