Sakura Country.
Kyushu Island.
Inside the Emperor's sleeping chambers.
A middle-aged man with graying hair and beard, clad in straw clothing and wearing a bamboo hat, suddenly opened his eyes while seated cross-legged on a futon.
His gaze was resolute and steady, radiating terrifying streaks of sharp light like a torch. His aura was strong yet composed, akin to a leopard in a hunting state, intently focused on its prey.
"Xiao Si!"
The middle-aged man called out.
In response to his summons, a young man who appeared to be a teenager quickly approached:
"Uncle Jiubai! What is it?"
The middle-aged man, addressed as Uncle Jiubai, sighed:
"Lately, I've been feeling uneasy, as if something significant is about to happen, yet I have no idea what it is..."
"This kind of unsettling disquiet is truly driving me crazy."
"Although I've had this feeling ever since the moment the red moon appeared in the sky..."
"But today, it's particularly pronounced."
"Especially just now, my heart felt like it was going to leap out of my throat..."
"Could it be that something truly momentous is about to occur?"
Xiao Si, on the other hand, seemed completely unfazed and burst into laughter:
"Hey now, Uncle Jiubai, I thought it was something serious..."
"How can you be so superstitious, being the chief guard of the sleeping chambers?"
"That anomaly of the red moon in the sky is most likely something those divine official organizations conjured up! They're the only ones on Kyushu Island with such capabilities..."
"I imagine His Majesty must be planning some kind of ritual, hence all this grand effort."
"But speaking of which, these things have absolutely nothing to do with us!"
"Our duty is to protect and serve His Majesty when he comes..."
"When His Majesty is not here, we cultivate, we read, and whatever happens outside is irrelevant to us."
"Living a purer life, isn't that good too?"
Those who came to the Emperor's sleeping chambers had, in essence, become recluses, relinquishing their names.
Only these sequential codenames, starting from one and counting backward, were used for their identification.
The order was naturally determined by arrival time, with new arrivals filling any vacant spots.
The reason Xiao Si received the codename "Four" was simply because he had arrived recently, replacing an elder who had passed away naturally.
Jiubai sighed:
"Even so, as people grow older, they can't help but overthink things..."
"As His Majesty's final line of defense, we should always remain vigilant."
"How about this, Xiao Si, take your brothers and search the area around the sleeping chambers for ten li. See if you can find anything unusual..."
"If we just sit here waiting without doing anything, I'm afraid I'll truly go mad."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Si's eyes lit up, and he began to gesticulate excitedly:
"Uncle Jiubai, are you serious?"
It wasn't surprising that he was so thrilled.
The management of the Emperor's sleeping chambers was extremely strict.
Without the permission of Jiubai, the chief guard, no one was allowed to leave the chambers even half a step.
Their recreational activities as young men were naturally very limited.
Now that he finally had an opportunity to go out, how could he not be overjoyed?
Although the Emperor's sleeping chambers were located deep in the mountains and forests, the surrounding ten li were desolate and uninhabited.
But no matter what, at least he could breathe some fresh air and take a stroll to clear his mind.
Observing Xiao Si's enthusiastic demeanor, Jiubai looked at him gravely:
"But there are still some things I must make clear beforehand..."
"It is ten li, and absolutely no more than half a meter beyond that!"
"Even if stepping half a meter further could lead to crucial evidence, you must not cross that line!"
"And you must return within ten hours, not a second late..."
"During this period, search everything you can see to the best of your ability, do you understand?"
Seeing Jiubai's serious expression, Xiao Si immediately adopted a solemn demeanor:
"Yes!"
"Don't worry, Uncle Jiubai. Our generation has been training in the sleeping chambers for almost a year now. We are well-versed in the rules."
"You don't need to tell us these things; we'll do them without question!"
Jiubai nodded earnestly:
"Then let the timer start now. Go quickly and return swiftly..."
"Whether you make any discoveries during this search depends on your eyes!"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Si quickly bid farewell to Jiubai and sprinted out the door.
He had just received this news and hadn't even had time to inform his companions.
Since Jiubai had said the timer started now, the ten-hour time limit was already ticking away.
If he didn't hurry to relay the message, wouldn't that reduce their leisure time?
That was something he absolutely could not accept.
After watching Xiao Si leave, Jiubai still felt waves of unease, and this time the feeling was even stronger.
This peculiar torment was pushing him to the brink, escalating with each moment.
Although Jiubai tried his best to dismiss the thought and meditate with all his might, it was all in vain.
Thus, his mind growing dull and heavy from the strain, he gradually resigned himself, preparing to patiently wait there for news from Xiao Si and the others.
But unexpectedly, about ten minutes after Xiao Si ran out, a thunderous roar erupted directly above Jiubai's head.
To be precise, it was in the airspace above him...
This sudden tremor nearly made Jiubai stumble, causing him to rush outside in alarm and look up at the sky.
And then, he witnessed a sight that would forever be etched in his memory.
Countless massive mushroom clouds exploded upon the protective barrier of the Emperor's sleeping chambers, accompanied by streaks of silver, translucent debris and threads. The first line of defense for the Emperor's sleeping chambers was instantly breached.
Following this, more powerful artillery fire descended.
Along with it came those silver substances that looked incredibly poisonous.
As a result of the energy surge from the shattered barrier and the external bombardment, everything around the Emperor's sleeping chambers was engulfed in endless artillery fire and explosions.
"No!!!!!"
With a heart-wrenching roar, Jiubai leaped towards the sky.
In that instant, only one thought remained in his mind.
It was about the young men, represented by Xiao Si, whom he had just sent out... what had become of them.