RBCT 124. Scout Squad
124. Scout Squad
Sinley tucked the map back into the lining, and as her fingertips touched the rough edge of the parchment, an indescribable sense of heaviness welled up inside her.
Within the royal city, undercurrents surged, and every step felt like walking on a knife's edge.
Simeon's power has entwined the entire power center of Asgard like vines, while his father, King Bermelt, no longer possesses the sharp, eagle-like gaze he once had.
To avoid alerting the enemy, Xinlai waited until the following night, lowered the brim of her cloak, and quietly made her way through the dense forest on the outskirts of Wangcheng.
The night was as dark as ink, and the starlight was swallowed up by the thick clouds. Only the occasional moonlight that pierced through the gaps in the clouds could bring a moment of clarity to this desolate wilderness.
Xinlai's footsteps were extremely light, each step landing on the softest spot of the fallen leaves and soil, leaving no trace and making no sound.
The red cross marked on the route map is located about 30 miles northwest of Wangcheng, where there is an ancient forest known locally as "Eagle Beak Forest".
The area is densely wooded and has a complex terrain. In addition, it is located in a buffer zone between two countries in ancient times, and has always been a hiding place for bandits and deserters.
The Marquis of Tanstin's decision to station a scout team here was indeed a well-thought-out arrangement, allowing them to observe the movements of the capital or quickly disappear into the mountains along the border.
Xinlai walked through the forest for about two hours, and as the eastern sky began to lighten, he finally saw the iconic outline of Eagle's Beak Forest.
This ancient forest, like a silent giant, lies quietly on the land northwest of Wangcheng, its branches intertwined, blocking out the sun.
Xinlai slowed his pace and took out a silver badge from his pocket, a keepsake that Marquis Tanstin had secretly given him before his death.
The silver emblem gleamed with a cold light in the dim morning light, and its surface was engraved with a roaring lion with its head held high, its paws resting on broken chains.
This is the emblem of the Lion Cavalry under the Marquis of Tansten, symbolizing the indomitable pride and bravery of this army.
Xinlai clutched the silver badge tightly in his palm; the icy touch reminded him of the last look Marquis Tanstin gave him when he was taken away.
Upon entering the Eagle's Beak Forest, the light suddenly dimmed.
Ancient trees reach for the sky, their canopies layered and intertwined, cutting the sky into countless tiny patches.
The ground was covered with a thick layer of humus, soft and silent underfoot, and the air was filled with the scent of soil and decaying wood.
Xinlai's senses were heightened to their peak at this moment. He knew that the scout team's encampment was nearby, and those who could serve as scouts under Marquis Tanstin were no ordinary people.
Sure enough, as he walked through a dense thicket of thorns, a thin rope that blended almost seamlessly into the environment came into view.
It was an elaborately designed early warning system, with one end of a thin rope connected to a copper bell hidden among the tree canopy.
If Xinlai hadn't secretly received training in tracking and counter-tracking, she probably would have already triggered this trap.
A slight smile played on his lips as he nimbly bypassed the warning device and continued his ascent into the depths of the dense forest.
However, it is clear that the Marquis of Tanstin's scouts had set up more than just this one line of defense.
Over the next half hour, Sinlai discovered at least four signs of hidden sentries, three spike traps, and two potentially deadly rockfall mechanisms.
Every step is like dancing on a knife's edge, and every choice of foothold is like gambling with one's life.
This further improved his opinion of the scout team.
Finally, on a slightly raised plateau in the woods, Xinlai spotted her target.
It was a campsite cleverly built using the natural terrain, with three dark tents almost blending into the surrounding environment, carefully concealed between the tents by vines and camouflage netting.
If Xinlai hadn't known beforehand that someone was stationed here, even if he were passing by from ten paces away, it would have been difficult to discover that three elite scouts were hidden in this seemingly ordinary woodland.
In the center of the camp there was a simple stove pit surrounded by stones, but it had obviously not been lit for a long time.
The dead leaves around the hearth had been carefully cleared away, leaving no trace that could reveal its location. Xinlai lay prone behind an ancient tree that would take three people to encircle, holding his breath and observing the movements of the camp.
He quickly spotted his first target.
A lean man crouched among the trees in the northwest corner of the camp.
He wore dark brown leather armor with irregular dark green stripes painted on the surface, almost indistinguishable from the color of tree bark.
The man's face was hidden under his hood, with only a pair of sharp, hawk-like eyes visible, which were warily scanning the woodland below.
Xinlai's gaze slowly moved, and in a thicket on the southeast side of the camp, he spotted a second target.
The man had almost completely buried himself among the ferns and shrubs, and would have been nearly overlooked if Sinlai hadn't noticed the occasional, unnatural trembling of the shrub leaves.
As for the third person...
"Don't move."
Without warning, a cold dagger was pressed against the back of Xin Lai's neck, and at the same time, a hand gripped his right shoulder like an iron clamp.
Xin Lai was startled, but years of training had made his body react instinctively. He quickly relaxed his body and made a gesture of giving up resistance, while his brain was working at high speed to find an opportunity to escape.
"Slowly turn around." The voice behind him was deep and hoarse, carrying the composure and ruthlessness of someone who had been through many battles.
"Raise your hands above your head slowly, or I will not hesitate to slit your throat."
Xinlai slowly raised her hands as instructed, and then turned around with extremely slow movements.
Behind him stood a tall man. The man was about six feet tall, with broad shoulders, and the muscles in his arms were clearly visible even under his leather armor.
His face was angular, with a hideous scar on his chin that stretched from his left ear to the corner of his jaw, like a crack that would never heal.
What is most striking about him are his eyes, with deep brown pupils that remain completely still.
Who are you?
As soon as he finished speaking, the other two people in the camp quickly appeared.
The lean scout, nestled among the treetops, landed silently like a cheetah, a short bow in his hand, an arrow already on the string.
The scout in the bushes also stood up. He was a little short but sturdy, and he casually held a two-handed battle axe in his hand. The blade gleamed coldly in the dim light of dawn.
The three of them formed a triangular formation around Xinlai, working together seamlessly.
Xinlai secretly admired the elite troops under Marquis Tanstin, who lived up to their reputation. These three were among the best scouts in terms of stealth skills, alertness, and teamwork.
"My name is Aryan Bemelt Sinlai," he said calmly, while observing the changes in the expressions on the three men's faces. "Sinlai, the third prince of Asgard."