Chapter 143 -
Yueqing’s blood ran cold. The freezing air in her lungs suddenly felt like sharp shards of ice.
[A traitor inside the camp? And a female voice?] her mind screamed, though she pressed her back hard against the wooden wagon and held her breath to stay completely still. [Wait, who has access to Wenzhe’s battle plans?! He literally just finalized his route! Is it someone inside his own circle?!]
In her mind, Nine’s warning screen flashed brightly in red.
[Nine: Host! Stop overthinking and stay completely quiet! If they catch you eavesdropping, they will silence you right here in the snow!]
Yueqing ignored Nine’s frantic warning and strained her ears to catch every single word.
"The northern ridge easily suffers from rockslides," the male soldier whispered, his voice dark and evil. "If we loosen the watchtower stakes tonight, a single signal fire will trigger a collapse. The general’s lead unit will be buried alive before they even reach the top."
"Do it quietly," the female voice ordered, her tone chillingly calm. "The Third Prince’s men will be waiting on the other side to finish off anyone who survives. Make sure the general’s body is never brought back to the capital."
Yueqing’s hand flew to her mouth to hide a gasp.
A rockslide trap. The Third Prince. And a mole in Wenzhe’s own camp.
The two figures moved, their heavy boots crunching softly in the snow as they prepared to split up and vanish into the dark.
Yueqing tried to take a careful step backward through the deep snow, but her boot brushed against a frozen rope buried beneath the drift.
CRACK.
The sound of snapping ice cut through the quiet night like a whip.
"Who’s there?!" the soldier roared, drawing his sword with a sharp metallic clatter as he spun toward the wooden wagons.
Yueqing’s heart jumped into her throat. She couldn’t run, the snow was too deep and she would make too much noise!
[NINE! DO SOMETHING!] she screamed internally.
[SYSTEM SKILL ACTIVATED: TEMPORARY INVISIBILITY (30 SECONDS)]
Instantly, a warm shimmer washed over Yueqing’s body. Her clothes, her fluffy white coat, and her entire frame faded into thin air, turning completely invisible to the human eye!
The soldier stomped over, his sharp gaze scanning the exact spot where Yueqing was standing. He stood barely two feet away, looking straight through her invisible figure. He even waved his hand through the air right in front of her face, but his eyes saw nothing but empty snow.
Yueqing held her breath, staring wide-eyed at the sharp sword in his hand.
"Did you find someone?" the female voice hissed from a few paces back.
"No," the soldier muttered, frowning in confusion. He stared at the empty space for another tense moment before sheathing his blade. "It was just the wind moving the heavy crates. Let’s go before the night patrol comes."
"Make sure those stakes are loosened tonight," the woman reminded him strictly.
Within seconds, the heavy footsteps faded into the dark, leaving the quiet supply area completely empty.
A soft chime rang in Yueqing’s head as the invisibility effect wore off, rendering her visible once again. She let out a long, shaky breath, leaning her back against the wooden wagon as her heart hammered against her ribs.
[THAT WAS TOO CLOSE!] Yueqing shouted in her mind. [Nine, you made me invisible! Admit it, you actually love me! You couldn’t bear to see your favorite host get caught!]
[Nine: Love you? Host, please do not confuse automated self-preservation protocols with affection. My system does not have a ’love’ function. If you get caught and killed, my performance review goes down to absolute zero!]
[Liars get their circuits fried, Nine~] Yueqing teased in her mind, a playful smirk touching her lips before a serious look quickly returned to her pale face.
She looked back down the dark, snowy path toward Wenzhe’s command tent.
A female traitor in the camp, loosened watchtower stakes, a deadly rockslide, and Wenzhe... who was about to march straight into a death trap tomorrow morning.
Yueqing pulled her fur coat tight around her shoulders and hurried toward her tent, her mind racing with ways to stop him from going up that mountain without giving herself away.
Yueqing turned back toward the main path, her mind spinning with everything she had just overheard. She couldn’t just sit in her own tent while a death trap waited for him on the northern ridge. She had to tell Wenzhe.
She hurried through the falling snow, heading back toward the general’s command tent. But as she drew closer, she suddenly froze behind a large wooden post.
Through the dim torchlight, she saw a familiar figure moving down the path.
It was Li Mei. She was wrapped in a pale cloak, her legs moving unnaturally as she limped slightly with every step. Yueqing’s eyes went wide. Li Mei? She was supposed to be resting inside after her injury... why is she limping out here in the middle of the night?
Yueqing watched in silence as Li Mei reached the command tent, slipped past the quiet guards, and walked straight inside.
Yueqing hesitated. She stood in the freezing wind, her boots glued to the snow. Should I go in? What if she’s the one behind the female voice I heard by the supply wagons? Or what if she’s just playing the pitiful, injured flower again?
As she stood there torn, Nine’s mechanical voice rang out sharp and sudden inside her mind:
[Host, do not hesitate. Hurting her right now will surely benefit you.]
Yueqing’s eyes narrowed. ’Benefit me? What do you mean, Nine?’
There was no response because nine knew she knew what he was talking about. Without wasting another second, Yueqing lifted her heavy white fur coat, marched up the wooden steps, and yanked the heavy tent flap aside.
Inside, the command tent was warm and quiet. Wenzhe sat behind his heavy wooden desk, his brows furrowed over a map, looking tired. Li Mei was standing right beside his chair, leaning in close with a soft, pitiful expression. She had her pale hand raised, reaching out, trying to place her gentle palm directly onto Wenzhe’s cheek!
Wenzhe was just about to pull back, his dark eyes flashing with annoyance, when a white blur rushed across the rug.
PA!
A sharp, loud slap echoed violently off the thick canvas walls of the tent!
Li Mei’s head snapped to the side, her body stumbling back two steps as she let out a sharp cry of pain. She clutched her red, burning cheek, her eyes wide with shock and fake tears immediately welling up.