Infiltrator

It was not until the next morning, when a rapid series of knocks faintly carried through the outer formation, that Hao Nhien slowly woke.

He opened his eyes, but for the first moment his vision was still slightly blurred. The chill of the stone floor beneath his back and the dull ache in his shoulder quickly brought back the memories of the previous night. He had practiced his sword art until his spiritual power was nearly exhausted, draining all the mid-grade spirit stones around him, and after unleashing One Sword Breaks Ten Thousand Arts for the first time, he had collapsed inside the Cave Dwelling.

Hao Nhien pushed himself upright and looked around.

The Cave Dwelling was as quiet as ever. The thin layer of spiritual light along the walls had already stabilized, while the spirit stones around where he had been sitting had been reduced to small piles of pale dust. The Tieu Dao Sword lay not far away, and on the testing stele ahead, the deep slash from the night before still remained, extending almost halfway down the stone.

At the sight of it, Hao Nhien could not help the slight curve of his lips.

At least he had not dreamed it. He had truly taken the first step toward One Sword Breaks Ten Thousand Arts.

The knocking came again, this time a little clearer through the Cave Dwelling’s formation.

“Hao Nhien?”

It was Quan Nha’s voice. Hao Nhien immediately became more alert.

“I’m here.”

He answered a little louder, then stood. After looking around once more, he sheathed the Tieu Dao Sword. Under normal circumstances, he would have liked to spend some time carefully checking whether the Cosmic Ark had undergone any new changes, but now was clearly not the right time.

With a thought, Hao Nhien activated it.

The runes around the Cave Dwelling lit faintly, and the space before him rippled slightly. In only a moment, the Cave Dwelling form was withdrawn, returning him to the stone room Phi Long had arranged for him the previous day.

Hao Nhien brushed the dust from his robes, straightened his hair, and walked over to open the door.

Quan Nha stood outside.

She had replaced yesterday’s sand-covered robes with a pale blue-green dress. Her hair was tied neatly high behind her head, with a few loose strands stirred against her cheek by the morning breeze. Early sunlight fell from behind her, softening the naturally cool lines of her face.

After so many days spent traveling through the wind and sand of the Western Wastes, some freshness had finally returned to her appearance.

Hao Nhien looked at her a little longer than usual. In a place filled with burning sand, demonic beasts, war, and things lurking unseen in the darkness, seeing someone familiar standing outside his door early in the morning unexpectedly eased his mind.

Quan Nha looked at his still somewhat pale face, then let her gaze drift over his not-quite-tidy hair. The corners of her lips curved.

“I thought something had happened to you again.”

Hao Nhien coughed lightly.

“I only cultivated a little too hard.”

“Only a little?”

Quan Nha looked him up and down, clearly unconvinced.

Hao Nhien smiled.

“I got lucky and gained a small comprehension.”

Quan Nha stepped closer and lightly pinched his arm with two fingers.

“Lucky again.”

Hao Nhien obligingly grimaced.

“That hurts.”

“You must have taken everyone else’s luck for yourself.”

“That really isn’t my fault.”

He backed into the room as he spoke, finally drawing a faint laugh from Quan Nha.

“Give me a moment. I’ll clean up and then we can go.”

“Mm. The City Lord sent someone for us early this morning.”

Hao Nhien paused.

“The City Lord?”

“Phi Long is waiting outside the resting area.”

The smile on Hao Nhien’s face faded slightly. He asked nothing further, quickly washed, changed his outer robes, and left with Quan Nha.

Morning at the frontline camp was different as well. There was none of the quiet of mountain forests, nor disciples leisurely beginning another day of cultivation. The large training square at the center of camp had been crowded since early morning. The black stone ground was densely carved with defensive runes, while formation pillars around the perimeter gave off a faint glow, connecting into an almost invisible protective barrier.

The morning air still carried a rare trace of desert coolness, but shouted commands already rang across the square without pause.

Small squads took turns drilling formations. Sword qi tore through the air, spells erupted and were quickly absorbed by the defensive formations, while the clash of weapons mixed with synchronized footsteps and the commands of squad leaders, creating the tense but orderly rhythm unique to the frontline.

On the distant watchtowers, the banners of the Spirit Cloud Continent snapped in the morning light.

Hao Nhien observed as he walked.

Compared with yesterday, his feelings toward the camp had shifted slightly. When he first entered this place, what he noticed most was the pressure of war.

Today, after a night to settle his mind, he also saw order, vitality, and the will of an entire defensive line struggling to keep the Western Wastes on the other side.

They had barely reached the edge of the training square when Phi Long approached from ahead.

He cupped his fists.

“The City Lord is waiting for you both.”

“Please lead the way, Senior Brother Phi.”

Phi Long nodded and turned.

When the three entered the command building, several cultivators were just leaving. All of them wore armor or combat robes, and none had weak auras. As they passed Hao Nhien and Quan Nha, they merely nodded in greeting before quickly departing.

Lieu Thien Van was still seated behind the large stone table.

The map of the Western Wastes before him had changed considerably since yesterday. Several points were circled with violet spiritual light, a few routes had been marked again in red, and three unfamiliar symbols had appeared around Black Wind Valley.

Lieu Thien Van gestured for the two of them to sit.

This time, Phi Long did not leave. He remained standing near the door.

Hao Nhien immediately realized that today’s conversation would probably involve far more than the courier mission.

Lieu Thien Van looked at him.

“After you left yesterday, I went to Black Wind Valley.”

Hao Nhien raised his head slightly.

Quan Nha looked over as well.

Lieu Thien Van continued.

“I found the site. Both bodies were still there, though the Black Wind and sand had covered part of the evidence. The traces you deliberately concealed had also faded considerably, but there was still enough left to reconstruct the general sequence of events.”

Hao Nhien was not surprised that he had discovered the places they had tried to cover with sand. Someone capable of personally commanding the frontline was obviously not a cultivator who relied on cultivation alone.

Lieu Thien Van looked from him to Quan Nha.

“One early Foundation Establishment cultivator and one mid Foundation Establishment cultivator. Not opponents either of you could casually deal with through cultivation alone.”

He placed one finger on the location of Black Wind Valley.

“The early Foundation cultivator died very quickly. One slash to the side, followed by a second strike straight into a vital point. The traces suggest he barely had time to prolong the fight.”

Lieu Thien Van’s gaze shifted to Quan Nha.

“The mid Foundation cultivator was different. He held the advantage for a short time. The destructive traces left by his lightning techniques are enough to prove that. Then the situation abruptly reversed.”

He looked back at Hao Nhien.

“The final strike pierced straight through the dantian.”

“I do not know what method the two of you used, but the timing of that sword strike was precise. No hesitation, no chance for him to drag out the fight.”

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Hao Nhien merely cupped his fists.

“Junior only caught one opening.”

“Catching an opening is also ability.”

Lieu Thien Van said before slowly adding,

“But you are still inexperienced.”

Hao Nhien paused.

Lieu Thien Van pointed toward Black Wind Valley on the map.

“You knew enough to use sand to cover the blood and the most obvious traces before leaving. That awareness was not bad. But a battlefield leaves behind far more than you realize.”

“Those are exactly the kinds of things I just mentioned.”

He looked at both of them.

“To most cultivators, they are only a mess of scattered traces. But someone experienced enough can reconstruct quite a lot.”

Hao Nhien was silent for a moment before nodding.

“That was junior’s oversight.”

He did not feel offended by the criticism. He knew perfectly well that he had only recently begun dealing with conflicts of this complexity. Fighting, surviving, and handling a battlefield in a way that denied information to whoever came afterward were entirely different skills.

Lieu Thien Van had no intention of blaming him either.

“There is no need to dwell on it. Yesterday, you had to protect the confidential letter, determine friend from foe, and then escape Black Wind Valley. The fact that you thought to conceal the scene at all was already better than most people encountering such a situation for the first time.”

He paused before continuing.

“I did not go there to find fault with you. I went to verify your report.”

Lieu Thien Van’s gaze grew heavier.

“There may currently be infiltrators inside this camp. Until I know how deeply they have reached, I cannot easily trust anyone.”

Hao Nhien understood.

Lieu Thien Van looked at him and Quan Nha.

“I am not saying I trust either of you absolutely.”

His words were direct.

“But you already know that infiltrators may exist, and you were the ones who directly encountered two people bearing the Heavenly Eye mark in Black Wind Valley. The fewer people who know this secret, the better. Rather than draw more people into it, I would prefer to continue using those who are already involved.”

Hao Nhien slowly nodded.

That reasoning was far easier for him to accept than a simple declaration of trust. In the present situation, absolute trust would itself have been suspicious.

He thought for a moment, then gave a faint smile.

“If junior truly were a highly skilled infiltrator, wouldn’t that make things even more convenient?”

Phi Long immediately looked over from near the door.

Quan Nha also glanced at him, clearly accustomed to Hao Nhien occasionally talking himself into awkward situations.

Lieu Thien Van was silent for two breaths before laughing.

“To be honest, I considered that possibility as well.”

The smile on Hao Nhien’s face froze.

Quan Nha turned her head away, but the curve of her lips was obvious.

Lieu Thien Van waved a hand.

“The scene in Black Wind Valley does not prove that you are completely trustworthy, but it does prove that most of your account was true. I will judge the rest for myself.”

He placed one hand on the map.

“That is not why I summoned you today.”

Hao Nhien followed his movement.

Lieu Thien Van asked,

“If you were the one commanding the other side, what would you do after those two disappeared in Black Wind Valley?”

Hao Nhien did not answer immediately.

He lowered his gaze to the map.

Black Wind Valley.

The route from Third City to the frontline.

Support points.

The tribal regions to the west.

The current frontline camp.

Everything lay before him.

Hao Nhien knew the question was not merely asking for his opinion. Lieu Thien Van was also watching how he thought.

After a while, Hao Nhien said,

“Junior understands military affairs far less than the City Lord. If I am wrong, please correct me.”

“Speak.”

Hao Nhien considered it a little longer.

“Then I will try putting myself in the enemy’s position.”

He looked at Lieu Thien Van.

“Suppose the City Lord is the one behind the infiltrators.”

Phi Long immediately turned his head.

Quan Nha raised an eyebrow slightly.

Lieu Thien Van merely leaned forward.

“Very well.”

“Assume I am the infiltrator.”

Hao Nhien nodded.

“If those two were your men, their objective was probably not merely to follow us.”

“If they only needed to observe us, Black Wind Valley was an ideal place to keep their distance. They had no reason to approach.”

“But the moment they saw the false letter, their reaction changed.”

Hao Nhien pointed at the route on the map.

“That means they wanted to confirm or seize something connected to our mission.”

“Now those two have not returned. There has been no message. The person behind them does not know whether they died to us, to demonic beasts, or because of some third party.”

He raised his head.

“If the City Lord were that person, what would you do first?”

Lieu Thien Van did not answer immediately. His finger tapped lightly against the stone table.

“I would not send more people to Black Wind Valley.”

Hao Nhien looked at him.

Lieu Thien Van continued.

“At least, not immediately.”

“The fact that the two have lost contact is already enough to show that something went wrong. If I were on the enemy side, my first priority would be to pull back any exposed connections before they could be traced.”

He looked over the routes on the map.

“Unnecessary contacts would be cut. People at risk of exposure would either lie low or be withdrawn. Communication methods already used would also be changed.”

Hao Nhien nodded.

“That is what I thought as well.”

“The enemy would contract their network first.”

Lieu Thien Van said,

“Correct.”

“What about Black Wind Valley?” Hao Nhien asked.

“It still needs to be checked, but not necessarily by someone from the same line.”

Lieu Thien Van replied.

“It could be someone who appears unrelated. It could be a patrol squad that happens to pass nearby. They may even abandon the scene entirely if they believe the risk is too great.”

Hao Nhien looked at the location of Black Wind Valley.

“Then we could still position people nearby.”

“We could.”

Lieu Thien Van nodded.

“But we should not expect too much.”

“A small team, skilled at concealment, with no obvious killing intent. If someone returns, we gain an opportunity. If no one does, then at least we gain another pair of eyes.”

Hao Nhien agreed.

“Inside the camp, we still need to trace the two military tokens.”

“Of course.”

Lieu Thien Van pointed to several newly marked locations on the map.

“I have already ordered people to investigate the identities of those two, their recent assignments, where they were stationed, and everyone they had contact with. But this must be done very quietly.”

Hao Nhien looked at the markings.

“If the enemy is careful enough, what we find may only be the outermost layer.”

Lieu Thien Van did not deny it.

“That is why I am asking you.”

Hao Nhien fell silent. After a moment, he said,

“What about the possibility that one of them was captured alive?”

“You mean whether the enemy would worry that we extracted information from him?”

“Yes.”

Lieu Thien Van considered it before answering.

“They would, but I do not think they would panic over it. The mid Foundation cultivator killed himself immediately after being subdued, which means such a method had already been prepared.”

He paused slightly.

“Even if we had kept him alive, forcibly extracting memories from a mid Foundation Establishment cultivator would not be simple. Methods involving the Divine Soul carry enormous risk, and the Western Wastes are not a place where Golden Core cultivators can casually act.”

“So the enemy would probably assume we did not learn very much.”

Hao Nhien said,

“But they would still contract their network.”

“Correct.”

Lieu Thien Van looked at him again.

“Then what comes next?”

Hao Nhien lowered his gaze to the map. If the old line had already been cut, chasing it would only lead them after dead trails. If they waited for the enemy to appear again, they would remain completely passive.

He slowly said,

“If the Heavenly Eye Tribe truly has ties to the force once called the Firmament, or at least is secretly influencing some of the local tribes, then I do not think they will make it easy for us to find the next clue.”

Lieu Thien Van did not interrupt.

Hao Nhien looked toward the western regions.

“If we continue investigating only from our side, we may find less and less the deeper we dig.”

“What do you suggest?”

Hao Nhien did not answer immediately.

An idea had been forming ever since Lieu Thien Van mentioned that the enemy might withdraw their entire network.

He pointed to the tribal regions scattered across the map.

“They can put people inside our military camp.”

“Why can’t we do the same in reverse?”

Lieu Thien Van’s eyes shifted slightly.

Hao Nhien continued.

“There must be people in the military who originally came from the local tribes.”

Phi Long immediately looked toward Lieu Thien Van.

The City Lord did not answer at once.

From his reaction, Hao Nhien knew he had guessed correctly.

“If there are people we can truly trust, people who grew up in those tribes, know their customs and terrain, and perhaps still have old connections there, then their return would be far more natural than sending in an outsider.”

“There is no need to search directly for the Heavenly Eye Tribe.”

“They only need to re-enter the flow of tribal life and listen. Who has recently begun recruiting? Which tribes are behaving differently? Which ones have suddenly gained new supplies or unusual orders?”

Hao Nhien looked at Lieu Thien Van.

“If the Heavenly Eye Tribe is truly using or controlling local tribes to act for them, then sooner or later, traces will appear within those tribes themselves.”

The hall fell silent for a moment.

Lieu Thien Van slowly stood and walked to the map, his gaze moving over each tribal marker in the west.

“Local people…”

His finger settled on one point.

“Right.”

Then he traced toward another route.

“Using their old identities to return, not directly searching for the Heavenly Eye Tribe, but beginning with changes inside the tribes…”

He nodded slightly.

“Right.”

Hao Nhien said nothing further.

Lieu Thien Van had already begun developing the idea himself. His finger moved again across the map.

“If one tribe shows abnormal contact, then we push someone deeper.”

Lieu Thien Van studied the map for a while longer, his eyes gradually brightening.

“Right... right.”

Phi Long, standing near the door, had also understood.

“City Lord, even if the enemy pulls back their network inside the camp, we could still open an entirely new line from the tribal side.”

“More than that.”

Lieu Thien Van replied.

“If the Heavenly Eye Tribe really is recruiting, buying off, or controlling certain tribes, then those who return may become the very links that allow us to approach them proactively.”

He looked toward the deeper western region.

“From the tribes to the Heavenly Eye.”

He nodded again.

“Right.”

Hao Nhien watched him.

Lieu Thien Van continued,

“But we cannot choose someone merely because they were born in the Western Wastes. They must be trustworthy enough, have a reasonable explanation for returning, and above all, must not know too much in case they are exposed.”

Hao Nhien nodded.

“That was my thought as well.”

Lieu Thien Van said,

“In the past, we simply treated them as ordinary cultivators serving in the military. We never thought to make use of their former identities and connections in this way.”

He looked at the marked points on the map.

“Perhaps it is time to reconsider that.”

Hao Nhien found the situation strangely interesting.

His original idea had actually been very simple. The enemy could place people on their side, so they should try to send people back the other way.

But in Lieu Thien Van’s hands, that simple thought quickly developed into something far more complex.

It made Hao Nhien realize even more clearly the distance between having an idea and turning it into a real plan.

Lieu Thien Van paced several steps before the stone table, then stopped.

“This can be done.”

He said,

“But very slowly.”

“If we begin with too many tribes at once, the Heavenly Eye Tribe will notice immediately.”

Phi Long cupped his fists.

“This subordinate can first review the records of those in the camp who came from the Western Wastes.”

Lieu Thien Van nodded.

“You alone.”

“Do not question anyone directly.”

“Understood.”

Hao Nhien watched the two of them rapidly turn his initial idea into actionable steps, and he could not help feeling slightly relieved.

At least this did not seem like something he would have to do himself.

The thought had barely appeared when he noticed that Lieu Thien Van had stopped speaking.

The City Lord was still standing beside the map, but his gaze had shifted away from the tribal markers.

He was looking at Hao Nhien.

After enduring that stare for several breaths, Hao Nhien immediately felt a bad premonition rise in his heart.

Lieu Thien Van still said nothing.

That only made Hao Nhien feel worse.

He quickly raised a hand.

“Wait.”

Quan Nha turned toward him.

Phi Long also looked slightly surprised.

Hao Nhien stared at Lieu Thien Van.

“City Lord, please do not look at junior like that.”

The corner of Lieu Thien Van’s mouth moved slightly.

“I have not said anything yet.”

“That is exactly why I feel something is wrong.”

Quan Nha lowered her head slightly, clearly trying not to laugh.

Hao Nhien continued,

“Junior is not from the Western Wastes, does not know tribal customs, and has no old identity to use. This kind of infiltration is better left to someone who actually has experience.”

Lieu Thien Van watched him for a moment before slowly nodding.

“Correct.”

Hao Nhien let out a breath.

Then Lieu Thien Van continued,

“You are not suited to pretending to be a member of a tribe.”

Hao Nhien immediately felt that the second half of this conversation was not going to end well.

“Then…”

“But who said I wanted you to pretend to be one?”

Hao Nhien fell silent.

Quan Nha turned fully toward Lieu Thien Van.

Phi Long also seemed to begin understanding something.

Lieu Thien Van paused before speaking each word clearly.

“Among the people currently available…”

“Perhaps only you can do it.”