Underneath The Moonlit Night

Chapter 31 - Shrouded Allegiances

The morning arrived with a serene symphony of birdsong. Qing Yi felt rejuvenated, having taken a short nap upon returning from the Lan Sect Meeting Hall. He decided to pay a visit to the Koeh Tribal Hall, where he hoped to find Prince Kai Ze. To his discovery, the prince was still immersed in deep slumber, and outside his room, Wen Ning stood guard. When Qing Yi inquired about the prince's condition, Wen Ning informed him that he would join Qing Yi once the prince had awakened.

Responding with a gentle smile, Qing Yi said, "That's perfectly fine. Let him rest a bit longer. He's endured quite a few mental blows since last night and earlier this morning." With those words, Qing Yi left the Tribal Hall and proceeded to the holding cell, where the captured kidnapper was detained.

Su Ju silently emerged from her concealed position to join Qing Yi. It appeared that the captured kidnapper was well-protected under Su Ju's watchful eye, along with her shadow assassin associates. The man slumbered peacefully, completely undisturbed.

Qing Yi reached out, placing a reassuring hand on Su Ju's shoulder, and expressed his gratitude, saying, "You've worked hard. Thank you so much for standing guard all night," Qing Yi acknowledged.

Su Ju humbly replied, "It's no significant effort. We actually took shifts, the other assassins and I."

Curious about any potential assassination attempts, Qing Yi inquired further, "Any signs of attempted assassinations?"

Su Ju shook her head and reported, "None. However, during my nightly patrols, I've noticed that all trade routes from Gusu to Khufu seem to have been abruptly severed."

Qing Yi turned to her, his expression one of surprise, and asked, "Severed? In just a few hours?"

Su Ju nodded knowingly, posing a question of her own, "Why do you seem so taken aback? You should be aware of how swiftly and efficiently shadow assassins operate."

With a self-deprecating smile, Qing Yi scratched his head and replied, "You're absolutely right. I haven't been in the field for quite some time, so I suppose my skills have grown rusty."

Su Ju sighed softly, her smile warm as she gently caressed Qing Yi's face. "You're fine. You just need to get back into the groove. It's mostly muscle memory."

Returning her smile, Qing Yi nodded in agreement. The two of them then redirected their attention to the slumbering criminal in the cell.

"Very well," Qing Yi declared. "Let's proceed with the interrogation."

A few hours later, Lan Xichen, accompanied by Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian, entered the holding cell. They were taken aback by the presence of more shadow assassins than usual. Among them, one figure stood out as the leader, none other than Qing Yi himself. He had undergone a striking transformation, now clad in shadow assassin attire that sharply contrasted with his usual noble garb. Neatly braided hair framed his face, while a black hood concealed his features. His waist was adorned with securely fastened robedarts, and both wrists bore hidden daggers that slid in and out with ease. Behind him, an unusual weapon caught their attention - something akin to a scythe. In the middle of the shaft, there is a distinctive joint that allows the scythe to be bent in half when not in use, making it easier to carry and conceal. Despite being Qing Yi, the person before Lan Xichen and the others appeared vastly different from his usual self.

Lan Xichen and the others were left astounded. This was, undoubtedly, their first time witnessing Qing Yi in his alternate profession. He exuded an air of poised calmness, his expression as cold and unforgiving as the edge of a blade, as if he could swiftly end a life with one decisive stroke. His demeanor now perfectly mirrored Su Ju's. All along, Su Ju had executed her tasks with such precision, moving with such silent and careful grace that she remained undetected by all. Every time she materialized before the others, they were greeted with startled astonishment. Lan Xichen couldn't help but commend whoever had trained these lethal and elusive assassins.