Kanluoshi, in truth, had not taken this young man and woman seriously. In his eyes they were nothing more than an ordinary Chu couple.

In Black Wu eyes, Central Plains people were nothing but a lesser race — no different from the cattle and sheep they ate.

That said, even so, his subordinate’s shoving of the scholar left Kanluoshi somewhat displeased. They shouldn’t be making a scene like this in Chu territory.

Xiulu had reminded them many times: the most important matter on this trip was to meet with the Western Realm peoples, sow discord among the nations, and stir up war on Chu’s western frontier.

So he required his men to be careful and cautious, avoid provocation, and keep a low profile as much as possible.

But the Sword Gate disciples among them didn’t really take Xiulu all that seriously. They had always done as they pleased.

“You people—”

Kanluoshi was just about to reprimand his men when he saw the girl step sideways to place herself in front of the scholar, fixing the Sword Gate disciple with a look as she asked three words.

“You shoved him?”

In that instant, Kanluoshi felt a flicker of something uncertain — a faint, nagging sense of familiarity, as if he had seen this girl somewhere before.

In the moment he hesitated, the Sword Gate disciple he had been about to scold was already furious. He was about to unleash a torrent of abuse when he looked the girl over, found her quite beautiful, and instead said with a leer, “I didn’t shove him — can I shove you instead?”

And with that, he reached a hand toward her chest.

Just then, Kanluoshi suddenly remembered.

When entering the Commander’s Estate, he had gone in with Xiulu, both of them disguised as Maoli attendants.

Once the fighting started, Xiulu and Kanluoshi had read the situation and slipped out of the Commander’s Estate ahead of everyone else.

In the moment of leaving, Kanluoshi had glanced back once — and in that glance, he had seen a woman drive a hammer blow that shattered a golden-armored warrior’s skull.

“Careful! Everyone back!”

Kanluoshi shouted at once.

But it was already too late.

The Sword Gate disciple’s hand pushed toward Miss Ruoling’s chest. Miss Ruoling’s brow lifted — and in an instant the air around her seemed to shift into something entirely different.

She extended her left hand, seized the Sword Gate disciple’s wrist, and twisted — *crack* — snapping the bone clean.

In the next instant, Miss Ruoling’s right fist connected with the Sword Gate disciple’s face.

This punch — while not equal to that hammer blow — was more than sufficient to deal with a person.

One punch. The Sword Gate disciple flew backward, body rotating in midair for half a revolution — testament enough to the force behind it. His skull struck the ground and he rolled again, then landed flat and skidded a full ten feet before coming to a stop. He convulsed a few times and was still.

This was Miss Ruoling holding back — if she hadn’t, the punch would have simply killed him.

A single blow, and the Sword Gate disciple lay unconscious. The extent of his injuries could readily be imagined.

“Outrageous!”

Two other Sword Gate disciples, seeing their companion struck down, stepped forward at once — one reaching for Miss Ruoling’s shoulder, one kicking toward her midsection.

Mister Yan pulled Ruoling behind him, stretched out his left hand, middle and index fingers pressed together, two fingers like a sword blade — *crack* — striking the first Sword Gate disciple precisely on the throat.

At the impact, that disciple’s throat made two soft gurgling sounds, then he toppled backward, eyes rolling white.

A breath later, Mister Yan’s two fingers tapped the second disciple at the temple — just a light touch, it seemed, and the man keeled over sideways.

The others made to advance. Kanluoshi stepped across to hold them back, bowing hurriedly. “My apologies, truly — my men have no manners, I apologize on their behalf, please pardon us.”

This apology checked his men, and they dared make no further move.

Mister Yan’s brow furrowed slightly. “Where are you people from?”

Kanluoshi put on a look of anxiety and said, “We’ve come from the northern grasslands to the Western Frontier on business — first time here, they don’t know the customs or the etiquette. I’ll give them a proper punishment when we return. If we’ve startled either of you, I’m willing to offer compensation.”

Miss Ruoling glared at Kanluoshi. “Have your man apologize to him!”

Kanluoshi glanced back. The Sword Gate disciple who had shoved Mister Yan was already senseless on the ground.

He gave an embarrassed smile. “That… makes things somewhat difficult.”

Mister Yan said, “You’ve come to Liangzhou — you’ll follow Liangzhou’s laws and customs. Don’t make trouble.”

Then he turned to look at Ruoling and, seeing that the girl’s smile had been entirely wiped off her face with anger, immediately began to calm her.

Miss Ruoling had originally been quite heavy, but her features were fine and lovely — her face, for all its size and roundness, had never been unpleasant to look at. Now, after grueling practice and training to lose the weight for Mister Yan’s sake, her figure was near perfect. She was tall to begin with — slightly taller even than Gao Xining. Taller than most.

When she had been large and robust, standing beside Gao Xining had made it look as though Gao Xining could fit inside her. Now that she had slimmed down — through hard training rather than deprivation — she carried herself with a striking, athletic presence. Her face, slimmed out but still with a touch of soft roundness, gave her a look that was somehow both youthful and cute.

Yet who would ever imagine that behind such an endearing face lay that kind of power. The terror of her physical strength — even Tang Pidi declined to take a direct hit.

While Mister Yan was occupied with calming Miss Ruoling, Kanluoshi quickly ordered his men to drag the three incapacitated men away.

He kept apologizing. Mister Yan waved a dismissive hand and turned away. So Kanluoshi immediately turned and left.

Halfway back, one of his subordinates asked, puzzled, “Commander, why did you seem wary of those two? If you had personally moved against them, bringing them down would not have been beyond you.”

“What do you know!”

Kanluoshi snapped, then gave orders: “Everyone back to the lodgings. No one goes out again. Anyone who does, I’ll kill them myself.”

None of his men dared say another word and could only carry the injured back at a trot.

Kanluoshi had no further interest in browsing. He returned to the lodgings and walked in looking frustrated. Xiulu took one look at his expression and knew something had happened, so he asked.

Kanluoshi recounted everything as it had occurred. Xiulu listened and was rather taken aback himself.

That girl’s terrifying first blow against the golden-armored warrior — he had witnessed it too. At the time, it had given even him quite a fright.

“How does Chu produce so many extraordinary people.”

Kanluoshi nodded. “That woman — in terms of sheer physical strength alone, there are few who could match her.”

The Black Wu were accustomed to drawing profile maps of those they came to know well, using a hexagonal diagram to represent an enemy’s capabilities. In Black Wu’s border military records, Chu’s strongest commander was Prince Wu Yang Jiju — the only person whose diagram was fully complete on all six sides. After him came figures like Dantai Qi and Luo Geng, and the files had already gained an entry for Xiahou Zuo.

So Xiulu gave the order: “Find out this woman’s name at all costs. Add her to the records.”

If someone were to draw Miss Ruoling’s diagram, several of the corners would be lacking — but the one for physical strength would be filled to maximum.

“Don’t add more complications — stop purchasing supplies.”

Xiulu gave the order. “I’m going now to catch up with the Maoli delegation. Take the rest of the men and pack everything quickly — we leave the city first thing tomorrow morning.”

Kanluoshi acknowledged and escorted Xiulu out of the lodgings.

—

In a narrow alley across the street from the lodgings, Miss Ruoling carefully poked her head out — and a large hand pressed it back.

She gave a sneaky smile. “Just curious… wanted to get a better look.”

She asked Mister Yan, “How did you know those people were suspicious? Is that why you let them go back?”

Mister Yan said, “When he saw you, he hesitated for just a moment — as if he was trying to remember something, then seemed to recall it suddenly — and immediately called his men off. So I guessed he might have seen you at the Commander’s Estate that day.”

Ruoling gave a soft oh, her eyes full of adoration, tiny stars shining for Mister Yan.

“Looks like someone is about to leave ahead of schedule — the one we just encountered stayed behind.”

Mister Yan said to Miss Ruoling, “Go now, run back to the Commander’s Estate and tell Li Chi and the others. Tell them to bring people here as quickly as possible. I’ll watch from here.”

Ruoling nodded vigorously, pumped her fist: “Guaranteed to carry out what Mister Yan has asked!”

She turned and ran — and walked straight into the wall. Her lips curved down in misery.

Mister Yan reached out and rubbed Miss Ruoling’s forehead, smiling helplessly. “You…”

Miss Ruoling’s eyes were full of tears from the pain — but they didn’t fall. Because Mister Yan’s hand was rubbing the top of her head, warm and warm.

She spun and ran off. “Wait for me! I’ll be fast!”

Mister Yan turned to watch her go, thinking this little girl really was…

Just as that thought began, Mister Yan suddenly felt something was off. He turned around immediately — and saw a man already standing right behind him.

Close enough to touch. Silent as a shadow. A look on his face of something between a smile and not quite a smile.

“My good sir — what are you watching?”

Xiulu asked pleasantly.

Mister Yan jerked back, both hands rising to guard himself.

But his speed was slower than Xiulu’s.

In the moment Mister Yan raised his hands to guard, Xiulu’s hand had already come across. Before Mister Yan’s guard was set, Xiulu seized him by the hair.

He yanked him sideways and drove his head into the wall. A heavy crack — Mister Yan’s eyes immediately rolled upward, the blow devastatingly powerful.

Xiulu raised his hand, palm like a blade, and struck Mister Yan sharply at the side of his neck. Mister Yan let out a muffled groan and went limp.

“Take him out of the city before killing him — too many eyes here to conduct an interrogation. I need to hurry after those envoys. Move outside the city first, question him there, then do it.”

“Yes!”

Xiulu gave the order, then turned and left.

His men lifted Mister Yan and dragged him rapidly to their waiting carriage. He was heaved inside, where those within swiftly bound him with rope and stopped his mouth. Xiulu signaled with a wave, and the men piled cargo on top of Mister Yan, then shut the carriage door.

“Is this the one?”

Xiulu asked Kanluoshi before departing.

Kanluoshi bowed. “General, this is the very person from earlier. The young woman is gone — likely back to report.”

Xiulu gave the order: “Leave the goods. Everyone moves out now. Buy what we need from the Western Realm people once we’re outside. All of you — mount up.”

Kanluoshi acknowledged at once, called the men still inside the lodgings out, abandoned everything that hadn’t been gathered, and they rode.

The column reached the city gate quickly. After inspection, nothing irregular was found, and the Liangzhou soldiers had no grounds to detain them.

Mister Yan was buried deep in the back of the carriage, with piles of cargo in front of him — all hides and furs from the grasslands.

The soldiers conducting the check took samples, pulling out several rolls of hide to inspect. Finding nothing unusual, they let the party through.

They had barely left the city when Miss Ruoling brought Li Chi and the others rushing to the lodgings. They reached the mouth of that alley.

Miss Ruoling bounded happily into the alley, hands on hips, let out a cry to startle Mister Yan — but the alley was empty.

She looked around in confusion, then noticed a bloodstain on the wall. Her expression changed immediately.

“Old Tang — check the lodgings. I’m heading for the city gate.”

Li Chi called out, and was already sprinting forward.

—