Jun You Ji Fou

Chapter 6

The dungeon was eerie, a realization that struck Chu Mingyun and Su Shiyu as they turned a corner. A few steps beyond the bend, oil lamps burned fiercely, illuminating the area with a stark contrast to the darkness they had left behind, as if a line divided the realms of light and shadow. Further in, the number of cells increased, each with a sturdy door and a small, closed iron window, all devoid of life. The air was thick with the stench of blood, stirring up an ancient odor as they moved, silence surrounding them save for their footsteps.

The dungeon's layout was a labyrinth, with intersecting paths that Chu Mingyun navigated by instinct, making several turns until he suddenly stopped, his expression tense. Su Shiyu caught up, noticing a pile of ashes nearby, and remarked, "We've circled back to the beginning." His tone bore no mockery, yet Chu Mingyun couldn't help but smirk, "Then, Lord Su, do you have any suggestions?"

Su Shiyu smiled gently, "No great insights, I'm afraid. In such a place, we can only try to find our way." He looked at Chu Mingyun, "A seasoned warrior's instincts are often sharper; please, lead the way."

Chu Mingyun glanced at Su Shiyu, then turned back into the maze. This time, he paid close attention to the wear marks on the stone walls. About half a tea's time later, he suddenly halted Su Shiyu, listening intently before smiling subtly. He gestured towards a side passage, "It seems we finally have someone to ask for directions."

Moments later, the distinct sound of footsteps approached, and a patrol of a dozen guards appeared. The leader, upon seeing them, hesitated before yelling, "Seize them!" The clash of footsteps and unsheathing swords followed as bright blades swung their way.

Chu Mingyun stepped in front of Su Shiyu, sighing, "What a hassle. You've ruined my folding fan, so now I have to rely on my mortal flesh to bear this." His words carried a hint of lament, but his actions were ruthless. Effortlessly, he twisted a guard's wrist, driving his sword through two opponents, dodged an incoming blade, and crushed another's throat in a fluid motion. Despite being surrounded, Chu Mingyun moved with an ease and grace that avoided even a speck of blood on his clothes.

As the attackers' vigor waned, Chu Mingyun suddenly remembered someone had targeted Su Shiyu. He quickly glanced back, concerned.

Behind them, several bodies already lay on the ground. Su Shiyu appeared calm, his hands clasped behind his back as he dodged swords and blades, only striking when absolutely necessary. His actions, slicing throats and severing arteries, were executed with a startling precision and efficiency.

Chu Mingyun raised an eyebrow and redirected his gaze, internally affirming his decision to thoroughly investigate Su Shiyu. It seemed unlikely that many in the capital knew this seemingly gentle Imperial Censor was skilled in martial arts.

Suddenly, the rapid footsteps of another group of guards echoed towards them. Chu Mingyun pushed away the person in front of him, and as expected, another squad of guards emerged from a side passage, joining the fray and swelling their numbers in a seemingly endless assault.

Before Chu Mingyun could react, Su Shiyu grabbed his arm, urging, "Follow me." Pulling him back the way they came, Chu Mingyun, though confused, complied. The guards, sensing their retreat, pursued them aggressively. Guards seemed to appear from every direction, turning the once quiet and deserted dungeon into a scene of utter chaos.

Su Shiyu stopped at the pile of ashes, searching the stone wall for something. Chu Mingyun, leaning against the wall and not looking back, asked, "What did you find?"

The answer came in the form of a crisp "click." Surprised, Chu Mingyun turned to see a stone slab rising in front of Su Shiyu, revealing a lit path. Just as he was about to speak, the sudden sound of a blade slicing through the air made Chu Mingyun whirl around, kicking the assailant away. As the guards converged on them, Su Shiyu pulled him behind a door, releasing a burst of blue smoke that forced the guards to retreat. In that moment, Su Shiyu triggered a mechanism that shut the door, effectively blocking their pursuit.

Chu Mingyun was genuinely taken aback, watching as Su Shiyu placed the emptied white-glazed porcelain bottle on the ground. With a tone full of inscrutable meaning, he remarked, "I truly did not expect Lord Su to be versed in the use of poison."

"The art of war also speaks of deception. It's merely a means to achieve our goals with the least loss," Su Shiyu replied with a faint smile, calmly adding, "Besides, Lord Chu, you probably never saw me as a paragon of virtue and transparency. There's no need for pretense on my part."

Chu Mingyun smiled in what seemed like agreement, then changed the subject, "How did you know about the secret passage here?"

"It was merely a guess that turned out to be correct," Su Shiyu said as he turned to look at the long stone path ahead. "Considering the layout, the cells we saw deeper inside are built under a pond, guarded by patrols, which clearly are the actual holding areas. The iron bars where we fell were likely specially made for us. Ignoring that, our return to this spot means it connects to various parts of the dungeon. But why connect it to a dead end?"

Chu Mingyun grasped his point, "So, we were at the dungeon's entrance from the start, which is why the path inward was so complex and seemingly without an exit." He paused, narrowing his eyes, "In that case, was Song Heng planning to trap us here to die?"

Su Shiyu smiled, then suddenly added, "Right."

"Hm?" Chu Mingyun turned to look at him.

"The mechanism can still be opened. Lord Chu, would you like to go back for your folding fan?" Su Shiyu asked.

Chu Mingyun asked, "Why would I need that?"

"So you won't have to rely solely on your physical body if there's another emergency."

Chu Mingyun didn't expect Su Shiyu to take his offhand remark seriously in such a situation, "A pile of ash... are you suggesting I should toss it around like you?"

"The folding fan may have turned to ash, but the refined iron embedded in the fan's frame should still be intact," Su Shiyu explained, pausing before adding, "And I never use poison without careful consideration."

"It's all the same," Chu Mingyun said, stepping forward to continue on. "This flesh and blood can still bear the burden; forget about the fan."

Su Shiyu didn't dwell on the matter and followed.

The stone path was quiet, but unlike before, it was straightforward. The further they went, the more Chu Mingyun felt something was off.

A cool breeze brushed against his face, prompting Chu Mingyun to stop. Su Shiyu, noticing the slight wind, asked, "Should we be near the exit?"

Chu Mingyun didn't respond, instead focusing on an oil lamp on the wall, which was unlit and cleaner than the others, suggesting it was seldom used.

Following Chu Mingyun's gaze, Su Shiyu stepped towards the lamp, prompting Chu Mingyun to instinctively shout, "Come back!"

But it was too late. As Su Shiyu stepped forward, the stone beneath him sank. The walls on either side flipped open, unleashing a torrent of arrows from both sides, casting shadows as they whizzed through the air.

As a cool breeze lightly brushed against his face, Chu Mingyun halted, with Su Shiyu also noticing the subtle wind and inquiring, "Could we be close to the exit?"

Without a word, Chu Mingyun's attention was drawn to an oil lamp on the wall, unlit and noticeably cleaner than the others, suggesting infrequent use.

Following Chu Mingyun's gaze, Su Shiyu, after a moment's consideration, approached the lamp.

Chu Mingyun's brow twitched in alarm, and he blurted out, "Come back!"

But it was too late. As Su Shiyu stepped forward, the stone beneath him suddenly sank, triggering the walls on either side to flip open. A fierce wind arose, and a barrage of arrows flew, weaving a dark tapestry in their wake.

Chu Mingyun saw Su Shiyu glance upwards, yet still intent on moving forward. In a fluid motion, swift as flowing water, Chu Mingyun darted behind Su Shiyu, pulling him into an embrace. Despite the rapidity of his actions, as the arrows bore down on them, he managed only to pivot while retreating, bearing the brunt of an arrow aimed at Su Shiyu's brow on his shoulder as they stepped out of the arrow shower.

Constrained uncomfortably by Chu Mingyun's arm, Su Shiyu was about to move when he heard the dull thud of an arrowhead piercing flesh near his ear. The person behind him trembled almost imperceptibly, and a scent of blood wafted forward. Stunned, Su Shiyu turned around in astonishment.