0132 A City, A Gate

Hearing this familiar voice, the tension that had gripped Andy immediately eased. He spun the pen in his hand with unhurried grace, and his voice, worn thin by long hours of work, was deliberately laced with a teasing lilt as it drifted toward Huanluo and Moumou: "I wonder, are you two brave souls here to rob me of my wealth, or to kidnap me?"

Huanluo listened to the jest with a blank expression, then tilted his head, signaling Moumou to answer. Moumou, standing before Andy in a pink gown, immediately put on a stern face. She leaned in at a precise forty-five-degree angle, gently pinched Andy’s chin between her thumb and forefinger, and feigned a dramatic tone: "Look at this hero’s sturdy muscles, handsome face, sharp mind, and illustrious lineage. This humble girl truly doesn't know which one to discard. Perhaps we should just take it all." As she spoke, she looked at Huanluo with an expectant expression.

Huanluo turned his face away toward a blind spot, pursed his lips in resignation, and then withdrew the dagger he had been holding to Andy’s throat. With a deadpan expression, he said to Andy, "Give me the exit permit and survival supplies. Moumou and I are going to save Liangyin."

*My dear... do you have to be so blunt?* Moumou’s mouth hung open as she tried to say something to Huanluo, but seeing his calm demeanor, she swallowed every word of protest back down.

"Ahem." Even Andy was taken aback by such a direct demand. He couldn't help but cough twice. "While I should be sending a gift to celebrate your sudden recovery, the 'gift' you're asking for is a bit too substantial."

Huanluo asked with blunt simplicity, "Is it? To someone like you, such a trifle should be of no consequence."

"That’s true," Andy did not deny it. "If you weren't an Icasian general, and Moumou weren't currently a suspected spy, this would indeed be a trifle. But given your current statuses, if I give you this permit, how am I to explain it to the King, Panghou, and the soldiers of Icasia?"

"What if we just seize it by force?" Moumou proposed. "I’ll drug you, take the permit, and run. How about that?"

"Not great," Andy mused, propping his chin on his hand. "The worst-case scenario would be labeling you a spy, plastering your face on wanted posters, and recording your crimes in the history of the White Tower Kingdom. You’d never be able to clear your name."

"Then I'll just knock you out," Huanluo frowned, sounding impatient.

"You could," Andy rattled off in one breath, fearing Huanluo might strike before he finished. "But I’m sure the official record would read: 'Spy Moumou, ungrateful for past favors, used drugs to control General Huanluo and forced him to knock out General Andy, then seized the permit and fled.'"

"Why am I always the one getting hurt? TAT" Moumou was utterly baffled.

Huanluo frowned, watching Andy, who didn't seem to be lying, and hesitated without speaking.

"It is, of course, because..." Andy didn't state it outright, merely gesturing toward the sky. "The one who sent the Dragon’s Fang to ensure your status in Icasia—I’m sure he wouldn't neglect to protect your reputation, either."

Moumou suddenly realized, nodding as the image of the high-and-mighty, long-suffering man from the White Tower Kingdom—whom she had almost forgotten—slowly took shape in her mind. *Huanluo has someone backing him up. How did I forget that?*

Seeing the two go quiet, Andy seized the moment to press his advantage: "So, you’d be better off waiting here. When the time is ripe, I will send men to the forest to rescue Liangyin and the missing soldiers. Their names have already been completely cleared..."

"By the time your 'time is ripe,' I fear Liangyin will be well-done," Moumou interrupted his persuasion without mercy. "Wait, wait, wait. I’ve already waited in Icasia for so long, and now here at Qilin Pass Gorge. If I keep waiting like this, even if Liangyin is still alive, she will have lost all hope. I cannot just leave her to wait endlessly. I don’t want to lose another companion."

"Neither do I," Huanluo added, his calm tone brimming with resolve.

Andy wanted to keep dissuading them, but before he could speak, the intensity in their eyes forced him to look away. The pen in his grip was squeezed so tightly that the body began to bend, as if it were about to snap.

"If you feel that's inappropriate, why not just give us two packs of standard soldier rations? We’ll just climb the wall," Moumou said, softening her tone as she noticed Andy’s darkening expression. "We’re expecting a long journey, so please, give us a bit more supplies."

"..." Andy looked to the heavens, speechless.

That night, General Andy of Icasia led two soldiers dressed in the attire of secret guards to the gates of Qilin Pass Gorge. By now, the sky was pitch black, and the sentries had to rely on torches to see their surroundings.

"General Andy, what brings you out of the city so late?" the guard asked, performing a respectful salute and fulfilling his duty with meticulous care.

"I’ve received secret orders to investigate the situation in Icasia," Andy answered in a low voice, handing the exit permit to the guard.

As the soldiers took the permit, they couldn't help but glance at the two figures behind Andy. Though both wore secret guard uniforms, they were completely different. One was lithe and athletic, with a calm presence and a silent, steady gait—clearly a formidable fighter. The other, while shorter, moved with a posture no different from an ordinary person, yet the guard couldn't sense any distinct presence from them at all; it was as if they would vanish entirely once they stepped into the darkness. One in the light, one in the dark; one skilled in close combat, the other in stealthy infiltration—they were truly an exceptional pair.

*Tsk tsk. As expected of those sent to investigate Icasia, they’re far from ordinary.* The young guard took a moment to admire his own keen observational skills. As he was congratulating himself, the dark-clad guard who appeared to be the combatant locked a frigid gaze onto him. The soldier felt a chill run down his spine and quickly lowered his head to check the permit. Finding nothing amiss, he waved his hand, signaling the gatekeepers to open the doors.

In the dead of night, the gates of Qilin Pass Gorge swung open in silence.