Chapter 1590: Breaking into the Camp

"The King of Yan's residence?" Zu An was startled. How did this get connected to the King of Yan?

Unlike some leisurely princes in his previous life's history, this world was plagued by constant warfare. To maintain the empire's stability, these kings commanded their own troops and provisions; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say they governed their own states.

Of course, because Zhao Hao was powerful enough and the imperial court was rich in talent, these regional kings dared not disobey central commands.

But now, the death of Gold Medallion Number Seven implicated the King of Yan. If he was truly responsible, it would be an act of open rebellion with unimaginable consequences.

However, Zu An quickly realized why Gold Medallion Number Seven had seemed so troubled when he spoke about it previously. What kind of matter would make a Gold Medallion Embroidered Uniform, overseeing an entire region, so cautious that he wouldn't even dare to publicize it without conclusive evidence?

What else could it be, if not something involving a local vassal king?

Furthermore, it must be no ordinary matter, likely involving treason or similar grave offenses.

At this thought, Zu An's expression immediately turned grim. It seemed his trip to Zishan would be even more dangerous than he had imagined.

He looked at Zhang Zitong, "Do you have any information about that sorcerer?"

Zhang Zitong shook her head, frowning. "I only know that the sorcerer's surname is Huo, and everyone calls him Mister Huo. But he usually keeps to himself and rarely shows his face. Very little other information is known about him. If I weren't an Embroidered Uniform envoy, I might not even know of his existence."

"Mister Huo..." Zu An silently committed the name to memory.

At this point, Zhang Zitong volunteered, "Why don't I go arrest this Mister Huo and interrogate him?"

Xiao Jianren, standing by, paled with alarm. "Absolutely not! At the end of the day, Mister Huo's involvement in Master Seven's death is only speculation. We have no evidence. What if he denies everything and turns the tables on us? Moreover, he's a revered guest of the King of Yan. If the King of Yan simply submits a memorial, we'll all be in deep trouble."

Zhang Zitong's expression flickered. Rationally, she knew he was right. The King of Yan wouldn't even need to impeach them; given his influence in Yi Commandery, making a Silver Medallion Embroidered Uniform disappear would be no difficult feat. Even if the matter became public, the King of Yan would still be in the right.

Emotionally, however, she couldn't accept knowing the suspect was there but being unable to interrogate him.

Zu An stated gravely, "Indeed, this matter cannot be rushed. Anything involving a vassal king is significant. In the coming days, try other methods to gather intelligence on Mister Huo. It would be even better if you could discover his routine. Remember not to alert him. Also, continue investigating the lead about Master Seven's interactions with women before his death. Inform me according to our usual procedure once you have results. I will come back in a few days."

What needed to be investigated had been. The remaining leads required time, and there was no need for him to make such a long journey every night. To be honest, even with his robust constitution, he was finding it difficult to endure.

Xiao Jianren was already accustomed to Zu An's solitary movements. Moreover, Zu An had brought new clues every time he appeared recently, earning Xiao Jianren's admiration. He simply assumed Zu An was heading off to investigate other leads.

After bidding them farewell, Zu An rode his fiery wheels back.

Less time was wasted today, so he arrived near the camp earlier than usual.

It was the most sleep-deprived hour, just before dawn. Zu An had been traveling back and forth for days, barely closing his eyes, and decided he absolutely needed a good sleep soon.

He landed near the camp, intending to slip in unnoticed, when he suddenly spotted several stealthy figures.

Zu An focused his gaze and couldn't help but look bewildered. Weren't these the rebels from Twin Dragon Mountain?

Did these people have the audacity to attack the main camp again?

More importantly, what could such a small group possibly accomplish?

Although it was the middle of the night, an elite force like the Imperial Feathered Forest Army couldn't possibly be unprepared. It would be strange if even all the previous rebels could successfully raid the camp.

However, his question was quickly answered. These individuals clearly didn't dare attack the main camp. Their movements suggested they intended to set fire to the army's supplies.

They took out crossbows, doused them with oil. Clearly, they didn't dare enter the camp and planned to shoot flaming arrows into it from a distance outside.

"Keep your voices down. If we're discovered, we're finished."

"Do you need to tell me that? Where's the fire? Quickly, get out the tinderbox!"

"Huh, why can't I find it? Did I drop it somewhere just now?"

The few of them frantically searched their bodies, but unfortunately, couldn't find it.

"Are you looking for these?" A voice sounded behind them. A hand stretched out, open, in front of them, filled with tinderboxes.

The men were terrified. When had this person pilfered their belongings? If he had simply struck them down then, they would have been dead already.

"It's too risky, scatter!" The men instinctively ran in different directions, hoping that one of their unfortunate comrades would be targeted, adopting the philosophy of "better a dead fellow than a dead me."

Unfortunately, their imagination was limited. They hadn't expected the other party to be able to seize all of them simultaneously.

Zu An unleashed his Gluttonous Heaven Devouring Art, and a powerful suction pulled the scattered men back.

"Mercy, my lord!" The men, having never witnessed such a thing, turned ashen with fright and prostrated themselves, begging for their lives.

Zu An frowned, "Why are you here to set fires?"

Although these men had decent cultivation among the rebels, attacking the main camp was akin to an ant trying to shake a tree. Judging by their appearance, they were not the kind to face death bravely.

"We were just following orders, creating a disturbance here to cover our leader's actions," the men confessed everything in a rush, their hearts filled with fear under Zu An's Grandmaster pressure.

Zu An's heart skipped a beat. "Where is your leader?"

"He should have already infiltrated the main camp," the men replied.

Zu An was both shocked and enraged. He had witnessed the cultivation of Scarred Yang Shen before; he was a Grandmaster-level expert. Although he couldn't directly resist an army, infiltrating a military camp wouldn't be too difficult for him.

Was he still harboring ill intentions toward Xie Daoyun?

Or was he seeking revenge? If he managed to kill some military officers, the Imperial Feathered Forest Army would suffer significant losses.

He subdued the men and handed them over to the soldiers who had arrived to investigate the disturbance. He himself transformed into an afterimage and flew into the main camp.

Just then, a blue light flashed in the center of the camp—the glow of formation runes, and specifically, Xie Daoyun's unique array patterns.

He transformed into a series of afterimages, rushing to the scene at nearly maximum speed. He arrived just in time to see Xie Daoyun forming hand seals, only for Scarred Yang Shen to shatter them with a palm strike and then seize her shoulder.

"Nobody come closer!"

Wang Bolin and Zhang Zijiang, along with their soldiers, also rushed over upon hearing the commotion. Yang Shen realized his cover was blown and quickly pressed his blade against Xie Daoyun's throat.

However, his greatest fear was still Zu An, so he deliberately tried to use Xie Daoyun's body as a shield between them.

"Let her go!" Zu An said gravely, utterly perplexed. What in the world was Yang Shen doing? Why would he take such a huge risk to come to the military camp and seize Xie Daoyun?

Seeing Zu An, Xie Daoyun's initial panic immediately subsided. She also spoke up, "You can't escape. It might be better to surrender quickly; perhaps you can still find a way out."

A ruthless glint flashed in Yang Shen's eyes, and the scar on his face became even more sinister. "If I can't escape, then so be it. It won't be lonely on the road to the underworld with a lady accompanying me. As for the lord opposite, I imagine he wouldn't bear to see you die."

At these words, Xie Daoyun's face instantly flushed crimson. Everyone present turned their gazes to Zu An, their expressions ambiguous as they looked between the two of them.

Zu An frowned. "Release Miss Xie, and I will let you live today."

Yang Shen spat. "I trust you officials the least. Tell your subordinates to get lost. Once I've safely departed, I will naturally release her."

Zu An, naturally, couldn't trust him. He said indifferently, "Do you think this means I have no way to deal with you?"

"I admit your cultivation is unfathomable," Yang Shen said with strong confidence, "but at this close range, you can't be faster than my blade."