The Broken Paths

Jinhai wouldn't just use it to strengthen himself. He would use it to weaken everyone else.

Layla inhaled deeply, steadying herself.

No. I have ruled under the weight of an empire before. I know how to fight men like him.

"Then we need to ensure we're ahead" she murmured, her fingers tightening against the edge of the board.

Meyu tilt her head and looked with caution. "Already thinking five steps ahead, huh?"

Layla met her gaze, steel in her voice. "We have to. Because if we're not, then when he makes his move—we won't be able to stop it."

She felt a war could be happening. Layla's grip on the chalk tightened as her mind pieced together the last fragment of the puzzle. The emperor obtaining the chalkboard was bad enough—but that wasn't the only danger.

Her voice was quiet, but edged with steel.

"Meyu… if the emperor has it, wouldn't he have his own set of information brokers? And if he does, wouldn't he already be looking into Atlas? Into Ryl Trading?"

Meyu's smirk faded. She wasn't the type to be easily shaken, but this—this was a problem.

Layla pressed on, eyes sharp. "If Jinhai even suspects that Ryl Trading is a power rivalling nobility, he won't just watch from the shadows. He'll send someone. And if he wants full control over the chalkboard's origins, the smartest move would be infiltration."

Meyu didn't respond immediately. Instead, she turned, walking a slow, deliberate circle around the room, gears in her mind turning at full speed.

Infiltration.

A direct attack was unlikely—Jinhai wasn't reckless. But an insider? Someone embedded into Ryl Trading, moving unnoticed until the perfect moment? That was exactly what she'd do in his position.

Meyu exhaled sharply, her mind racing through countermeasures.

First step: Identify weaknesses. Ryl Trading was large, but it wasn't invincible. There were thousands of workers, merchants, and informants moving goods through the cities and into the underworld markets. A new hire, a transferred clerk, even a disguised noble could slip in if they weren't careful.

Second step: Secure the key personnel. If Jinhai was watching, then Atlas himself was a prime target. And since he was still in Shrouded Peaks, that meant anyone looking for him would have to go through Master Daokan first. That… was both a problem and an advantage.

Third step: Control the flow of information. If Jinhai's informants were already moving, then Ryl Trading had to control what they wanted them to see. Smoke and mirrors.

Meyu rolled her shoulders, her usual playful demeanour creeping back, but her eyes were sharper than ever.

"Well, this is annoying" she finally muttered.

"I like being the one doing the infiltrating."

Layla didn't smile. "What's our move?"

Meyu tilted her head, considering. "First, we tighten internal security. No new hires in Ryl Trading without personal vetting. Second, we feed information into the underworld markets—let them believe Ryl Trading is expanding in a different direction, somewhere harmless. Third…"

She turned, flashing a grin that didn't reach her eyes. "We set a trap."

Layla arched an eyebrow. "A trap?"

Meyu smirked. "If the emperor is sending someone, we'll make sure they find exactly what we want them to find. Let them think they're getting close, let them get comfortable—and then we find out who they are before they find out anything real about us."

Layla considered this. It was risky, but so was doing nothing.

She exhaled, nodding. "Make it happen."

Meyu stretched, cracking her knuckles. "Already ahead of you."

But even as they solidified their plans, Layla couldn't shake the lingering dread settling in her chest.

Because for the first time, she realized—Jinhai wasn't just watching from his throne anymore.

He was moving and if they weren't careful, he wouldn't just infiltrate them.

He would consume them.

As the sky sets and the day is about to end, the workers of Ryl Trading pack up their stuff and called over the registers to prepare for the departure.

The caravan prepared for departure, lined with sturdy, reinforced carriages. The newly registered disciples of Silver Lotus gathered in clusters, awaiting their assignment. The variety in applicants was striking.

There were twelve copper-tier recruits—commoners, farmers, and laborers who sought a better life or, at the very least, the ability to protect themselves. They were rough, dressed in simple clothing, eyes filled with a mix of excitement and uncertainty.

Seven silver-tier registrants stood apart—mostly young men who had previous combat experience. Mercenaries, former guards, and some wandering swordsmen looking to refine their skills. They carried themselves with confidence, some even skeptical of whether Silver Lotus could truly offer them something worth their coin.

And then, there was one gold-tier registrant.

Shen Jue.

He was calm, collected, his noble robes subtly marked with embroidery only those with the right eye would recognize. Unlike the others, he had not brought an escort, nor did he speak much. He merely observed.

As the carriages were assigned, Zhao Lihua ensured that everything was in order before stepping into the last carriage—the one Meyu usually reserved for herself.

Inside, Jiang adjusted his seat, arms crossed as he glanced at Shen Jue. The noble sat gracefully, his hands folded in his lap, eyes surveying the carriage interior with passive interest.

Zhao Lihua settled in, breaking the silence. "The journey will take a week. Expect rough roads and unpredictable weather."

Shen Jue gave a polite nod. "That is fine. It gives me time to learn."

Jiang raised an eyebrow. "Learn what?"

The noble smiled faintly. "About Silver Lotus. I've heard many things. A sect reborn under new leadership, defying expectations. A place where strength and intellect both have a role."

Jiang met his gaze, sharp. "You ask a lot of questions."

Shen Jue chuckled. "Curiosity is hardly a crime."

Zhao Lihua watched the exchange carefully. She could see Jiang's unease, and she understood it—this man was too polished, too measured.

Nobles never entered anything blindly.

Jiang leaned back, arms crossed. "And what exactly do you want to know?"

Shen Jue tilted his head slightly, his voice smooth. "How much of what they say is true? That Silver Lotus is changing the way sects function? That it is not merely a place for warriors, but a place where even merchants and scholars thrive?"

Jiang studied him. "You speak as if you already know the answer."

"Perhaps. But hearing it from someone within the sect carries more weight."

Jiang exhaled. This journey just got a lot more complicated.

And as the carriages rumbled forward, he had a feeling Shen Jue's questions were only just beginning.

The noble finally spoke. "How did Silver Lotus manage to secure Atlas of all people? And Ryl Trading—an empire of its own—is now your personal merchant? That's no small feat."

Jiang and Zhao exchanged a glance. A direct answer would be foolish.

Jiang tilted his head, offering a lazy smirk. "Luck, perhaps. Or maybe just the right leadership."

Shen Jue's brows lifted slightly. "Leadership? You mean Lin Wuye?"

Zhao Lihua's lips curled into a knowing smile. "No. His daughter."

That gave Shen Jue pause. "His… daughter?"

Jiang chuckled. "Surprised? You're not the first. But she's the one who made the deals. The one who rebuilt Silver Lotus from near ruin."

Shen Jue studied them both, absorbing the information. "Interesting. And here I thought sects only followed strength."

Zhao Lihua shrugged. "Strength comes in many forms."

Shen Jue tapped a finger against his knee, considering. "Then tell me—how did you defeat the Crimson Serpent Sect? A smaller sect should have had no chance. Yet, here you are, thriving while they're in ruins."

Jiang exhaled through his nose. "You ask a lot of questions."

Shen Jue met his gaze evenly. "I like knowing what I'm getting myself into."

Zhao Lihua chuckled. "Fair enough. But let's just say… brute force wasn't the answer."

Jiang smirked. "The Crimson Serpent relied on strength alone. They never imagined someone would outthink them."

Shen Jue's eyes flickered with understanding. "So, strategy."

Jiang nodded. "Strategy. And a leader who knew how to turn their weaknesses against them."

Silence settled between them, the weight of unspoken truths pressing in the confined space of the carriage.

Shen Jue finally leaned back, a slow smile curving his lips.

Now I'm even more interested.