Chapter 383: Separate Actions

The light rain continued, and the cold wind howled. At that moment, inside Dark Moon City, a woman dressed in pure white stood by the window, gazing at the lake ahead, lost in thought. Looking at the gray sky, her mood was equally oppressive. Her thoughts wandered afar—what was he doing now? After a soft sigh, the woman regained some vitality. Her graceful figure and stunning beauty would surely captivate anyone who saw her.

Fine rain, like cowhair, drifted into the window under the force of the cold wind, bringing a chill to her face.
“Miss!” A voice from behind pulled her out of her thoughts. Without turning, she knew who it was—her shadow, who had always followed her, protecting her.
“Is something happening?” she asked calmly after taking a deep breath.
“Yes, the second miss has started her action!” His tone was heavy, as if reluctant to convey this fact.
Hearing his words, the woman froze, her expression shifting through complex emotions. After a moment, she let out a long sigh. “Then do as planned!” After saying this, she seemed utterly exhausted.

The man in black standing behind her also fell silent. After a long while, he exhaled. “I shall obey your orders!”
“Wait…” Sensing that her shadow was about to leave, the woman quickly called out. After hesitating, she added softly, “If possible, bring her before me. Try not to hurt her.”
“Don’t worry, miss!” Hearing her words, the man in black finally breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly replied. In truth, he too didn’t wish to see such a situation—sisters fighting against each other, closest blood relatives turning on one another—it was the most unbearable thing.
“And him? How is things over there?” The woman hesitated before continuing.
“Is it Young Master Rod? Everything is fine on their end! The Black Phoenix Clan has overcome the crisis and destroyed the Mi Jiao Clan. A few days ago, they even captured Wuyou City. Everything is progressing well!” Mentioning Rod clearly lifted the man in black’s spirits, his tone filled with excitement and enthusiasm.
“I knew it! You can definitely do it!” Hearing his words, the woman finally smiled, murmuring softly, her gaze somewhat dreamy. Her face flushed slightly, as if lost in thought.
“Number Two has arrived!” At that moment, the man in black spoke to her. Sure enough, another man appeared out of thin air the next instant.

“How did you come back? Is something wrong?” The woman frowned deeply upon seeing the man.
“Young Master Rod asked me to return!” the man said with a hint of helplessness and frustration.
“Was he discovered? Well, with his strength, no one can approach him unnoticed these days!” She was stunned for a moment before regaining her composure and spoke slowly. “He has already reached the middle stage of the Yang Xuan realm!”
Although they were prepared, both the woman and the other man in black were still shocked upon hearing this, their faces filled with disbelief. The middle stage of Yang Xuan—what did that even mean? Others might not know, but they certainly did: it meant Rod was now truly at the pinnacle of the continent, at the top of the Source of Darkness.
In such a short time, he had risen from the Yin Huang realm to the middle stage of Yang Xuan—a terrifyingly fast pace that left others in the dust. Yet at the same time, the woman felt a surge of pride. He was the man she had chosen, and only he deserved her attention.
“Is there any message for me?” After a brief moment of shock, she regained her senses and asked.
“Tell the young lady to take care of herself and stay safe!” After pondering for a moment, the shadow spoke first.
Hearing his words, a faint blush appeared on the woman’s face, making her already stunning appearance even more captivating.
“And they have already headed to Water Curtain City. Their next target is Water Curtain City!” the man added in a grave tone.
Upon hearing this, both the woman and the other man in black’s expressions changed drastically. The blush vanished from her face, leaving her pale.
“What’s going on? How could this happen? Why would Brother Rod and the others go to Water Curtain City? Don’t they know it’s suicide there? Don’t they know they should retreat to our Dark Moon City? Even if we can’t guarantee their safety, it’s still much better than going to Water Curtain City!” She murmured to herself, seemingly distracted.
“Are you doing this for me? Using a diversion tactic… Hehe, you mentioned this term to me before. Are you going to use it now? Why so foolish?” Gazing into the distance, she whispered in a voice so soft that only he seemed to hear it.
“Is there anything for us to do?” But soon, her expression returned to calmness as she continued to ask.
“Hold off the main combat faction here and buy them some time!” the man in black replied promptly.

“Mm, I understand. Go and rest first!” The woman nodded slowly and watched as the man left, then turned to look at the man in black. “Don’t rush to implement that plan. Let them continue their actions; give them more time!” After pondering for a moment, she said solemnly, her brows slightly furrowed in a way that made one feel distressed. “Miss… but if we let them continue, they might attract those people here!” Hearing her words, the man in black grew anxious and spoke hurriedly. Frowning, the woman glared at him coldly: “Do as I say!” Her tone was unyielding, though it softened slightly afterward: “Don’t worry. I know what I’m doing. There won’t be any problems. If we’re going to go all out, then let’s play a bigger game!” Taking a deep breath, she turned away without saying more—clearly, she had made her final decision. Seeing things progress to this point, the man in black sighed, bowed respectfully, and then vanished in a flash, eerily so. “Big brother, I hope Aida can help you this time. Be careful, okay? Aida will be waiting for you here!” Sensing the person behind her leave, the woman spoke softly, her eyes filled with tenderness—a expression rarely seen on her face, one reserved only for one person. …

The continuous rain made the forest especially gloomy. The cold wind brought a piercing chill, and the overcast sky gave the forest an eerie pre-dawn atmosphere—dark and filled with a musty smell, as the scent of rotting leaves permeated the air. This dense jungle was usually rarely visited, with thick layers of leaves piled up. Yet now, thousands of people had passed through it, leaving behind countless deep footprints everywhere. These people looked disheveled, with messy hair and clothes stuck to their bodies from the rain. “Rest right where you are!” Finally, the man at the head spoke. The others let out a long sigh, relieved to be able to rest. They felt a sense of relief. But their mood remained heavy, even heavier. It was the seventh day, and as time passed, they got closer and closer to Water Screen City—less than half a day’s journey away now. This group was Rod and his companions. “Let’s set off again tomorrow!” Merk came up to Rod and said. Seeing the exhausted and disheveled state of the group, he felt a pang of sympathy.

“Hmm, we’ll continue tomorrow. You rest here while I take the members of the Reaper Scythe Squad to Water Curtain City first!” After a moment of thought, Rod spoke slowly, his brows slightly furrowed as if deep in contemplation.
“You’re going first? Weren’t some people already there?” Merk asked skeptically upon hearing Rod’s words.
“New news has come in—Water Curtain City sent a large force to Carefree City, setting off yesterday! This is our golden opportunity—we can’t miss it. It’s safer if I go in person. I’ll head straight for the city lord’s mansion; chaos will surely reign inside, and you should take that chance to act! We’ll launch the operation at nightfall tomorrow!” Rod nodded seriously. This was the most crucial step. If successful, everything else would become easier; otherwise, they’d be stuck.
With the latest information, they adjusted their strategy. Perhaps it was fate—this time, luck was on their side. Water Curtain City’s deployment created a huge opportunity for them.
“Be careful then. Don’t worry about me here!” Merk nodded, agreeing with Rod’s reasoning and deciding not to say more.
Soon, Rod gathered the members of the Reaper Scythe Squad along with a few skilled members of the Black Phoenix Clan. After making final preparations, they set out at nightfall.
“Big brother, be careful!” Lucy urged, her eyes slightly red before he left.
“It’s okay. Just be careful yourself. I’ll be waiting for you in Water Curtain City!” Rod reassured her, revealing his white teeth. Lucy—the woman he didn’t want to hurt.
Under the cover of darkness, Rod led dozens of people forward. Behind him, over a thousand people watched them leave with admiration. His performance during this time had won everyone’s heart and earned their respect. He had truly become the backbone of these people, their real leader.
“Let’s hope he succeeds!” Dolon said thoughtfully beside Merk. Seeing Rod made him feel truly old. The enthusiasm of the young was beyond someone like him. Taking risky actions and having bold ideas—such an opponent was probably someone no one wanted to face.
“He will. He won’t disappoint us!” Merk said, his gaze somewhat uncertain. In Rod’s presence, he realized he had often been too cautious. He admired the mindset of the young.