His feet, answering honestly to the boy's whim, turned toward the path. But just as he pushed the wheelchair beneath the shadow of the large tree, a piercing, sky-shattering shriek tore through the quiet night.
Lu Zhaoye stiffened. His brow furrowed as his instincts urged him to investigate, but then he remembered that Li Yuezhou was still with him.
"Brother, hurry! Something happened!"
Li Yuezhou urged him frantically, not forgetting to demand that he be taken along. "Take me too!"
Seeing the boy's eyes light up with unmistakable eagerness to witness the commotion, Lu Zhaoye deliberated for a second. Reasoning that nothing truly catastrophic could occur within the secure confines of the Alliance, he decided to push the wheelchair directly toward the source of the scream.
---
That shriek had drawn far more than just the two of them.
Yi Rufeng had also been jolted from his slumber. With his hair hastily tied back in a messy knot and his eyes heavy with sleep, he pushed open his door, only to run straight into Lu Zhaoye.
"Zhaoye? Why are you... did you hear that too?"
His gaze traveled downward, coming to a halt on the youth seated in the wheelchair.
The moonlight was blindingly bright, casting a silver sheen over the boy's form. Yi Rufeng, still half-asleep, felt a sudden jolt, momentarily wondering if he had crossed paths with a celestial being.
"Holy cow... what a stunning beauty. You must be... ah, you're Li Yuezhou, right? Leader Li's son?"
Li Yuezhou nodded, offering him a polite smile. Lu Zhaoye, face entirely blank, abruptly spun the wheelchair around. "Go ahead and investigate. I am taking him back to his room."
"Brother! I don't want to go back! I want to see!"
Hearing that Lu Zhaoye intended to send him away, Li Yuezhou immediately balked. He grabbed the older youth's sleeve, tugging it insistently as he looked up with a pout, his eyes pleading.
Lu Zhaoye knew, with absolute certainty, that he was utterly powerless against him.
Yi Rufeng chuckled, chiming in to advocate for the boy. "If the Second Young Master wants to see, just let him come along. Are you saying the two of us combined can't protect him?"
Lu Zhaoye remained deeply reluctant, but the clamor ahead was clearly growing louder. Uneasy about leaving the boy out of his sight, he gritted his teeth and decided to bring Li Yuezhou along. However, instead of pushing the wheelchair, he bent down and scooped the youth directly into his arms.
Suddenly finding himself airborne, Li Yuezhou was momentarily stunned, instinctively wrapping his arms around Lu Zhaoye’s neck. Yi Rufeng stared at the display in sheer bewilderment, scratching his head. "Uh... isn't it exhausting to carry him like that?"
"Brother, I can walk myself."
Li Yuezhou patted the solid chest before him, indicating that Lu Zhaoye should set him down.
"Can your legs support you?"
"Yes."
Once placed on the ground, Li Yuezhou’s steps were somewhat slow, but he had no trouble keeping pace with the group. The other two men adjusted their strides to accommodate him, ensuring they didn't walk too fast. In any case, a commotion of this magnitude had undoubtedly alerted the entire compound, and the Alliance guards were hardly incompetent.
---
When the three arrived at the scene, they found a large crowd of disciples already gathering. Some were familiar faces while others were strangers, but the moment they turned and spotted Lu Zhaoye, they instinctively parted to form a path.
Yet their compliance wasn't driven solely by Lu Zhaoye’s presence; it was also because of the white-robed youth beside him.
Though the night air carried a mild warmth, this youth was heavily bundled up, and one look at his delicate frame made it obvious that his health was precarious. His tiny, palm-sized face was partially buried within the collar of his cloak.
Perhaps due to the chilly breeze, his cheeks had turned a stark, pale white, his long eyelashes trembled slightly, and his lips lacked color.
As he walked behind Lu Zhaoye, the older youth effectively shielded him from the brunt of the wind. But Lu Zhaoye could do nothing to shield him from the barrage of staring eyes, causing his expression to grow increasingly frigid.
A contingent of guards had already arrived, restoring order and questioning those involved. Seeing Lu Zhaoye approach, the lead guard saluted. "Eldest Young Master. It was this lady who screamed. She claims an intruder slipped into her chamber intending to defile her."
Lu Zhaoye cast a glance at the woman in question, discovering she was a "familiar face."
"It's you."
The woman, clad in simple, unadorned robes, lifted her head timidly to look at Lu Zhaoye. A flash of joy sparked in her eyes, completely erasing any trace of the terror that must have prompted her earth-shattering shriek moments ago.
"Greetings, Eldest Young Master."
"There is no need for such formality. We are all participating disciples here; you may address me by my name."
The woman nodded obediently. Lu Zhaoye continued his inquiry, "What is your name?"
"Jin Qiyao," she replied softly.
Just then, a man pushed his way through the surrounding crowd, his voice tight with anxiety. "Junior Sister! Are you unhurt?"
Lu Zhaoye turned his head to find Jin Dunhong. Upon recognizing Lu Zhaoye, Jin Dunhong hurriedly bowed.
"Eldest Young Master."
"Is this your junior sister?"
Jin Dunhong nodded awkwardly, his heart filled with an anxious dread. What on earth was going on? He had suffered a mishap during the day, and now his junior sister had met with disaster in the dead of night.
"Disperse the onlookers," Lu Zhaoye commanded the guards. "You two, follow me."
The guards immediately set to work, driving back the spectating disciples while sternly warning them that if word of tonight’s events leaked out, the Martial Arts Alliance would hold them severely accountable.
Recognizing that the matter was incredibly serious, as it directly threatened a young woman's virtue, Yi Rufeng chose not to pry further. He followed the departing crowd and took his leave.
---
After bringing Jin Dunhong and his junior sister into an empty side room, a guard entered to report, "Eldest Young Master, the Alliance Leader has been notified and is on his way."
"Understood," Lu Zhaoye replied. He turned his gaze to the young woman. "Now, tell me exactly what transpired."
Jin Qiyao appeared visibly nervous, shifting closer to her senior brother before recounting in a low voice, "I was asleep when a sudden noise outside woke me. I rose to investigate and spotted a stealthy silhouette lurking in the courtyard. My martial arts skills are lacking, so assuming it was a common thief, I decided to remain quiet, thinking he would simply steal some valuables and leave."
"But then I thought, how could a mere thief infiltrate the Martial Arts Alliance? I panicked, fearing it might be a vengeful enemy seeking retribution. Before I could react, the intruder broke into my room. I accidentally gave away my presence through a panicked breath, and he discovered me. He pinned me down and tried to... tried to... I was terrified, so I screamed as loud as I could."
Jin Qiyao’s account was remarkably cohesive. Though she was clearly still shaken by the ordeal, it didn't impede her delivery.
"This occurred due to a lapse in our security. The Alliance will ensure proper compensation is delivered to you, Junior Sister Jin. I ask for your understanding."
Lu Zhaoye rose and offered a formal, deeply respectful bow. Jin Qiyao waved her hands in a flurry of panic. "Please, there is no need to be so courteous! However... there is one more thing."
She hesitated, her gaze darting between Lu Zhaoye and Jin Dunhong, before finally coming to rest on Li Yuezhou.
"What is it? Speak quickly," Jin Dunhong urged, unable to comprehend why his junior sister was faltering at such a critical moment.
Lu Zhaoye kept his eyes lowered, his expression unreadable, though his voice remained characteristically cool and steady. "Junior Sister Jin, please speak freely."
"That intruder... no, I do not believe he was a common thief. I believe he was a member of the Demonic Cult."
The moment the words broke the silence, every person in the room stiffened in shock, save for Li Yuezhou.
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