The scout Liu Che sent toward the second sect on the Warden's list never returned, and by the time the group reached the compound themselves two days later, the reason was written across the courtyard in ways none of them were prepared for.
"No," Shen Yue said quietly, stopping cold at the gate.
Bodies lay scattered across the training yard, disciples and guards alike, cut down fast and without mercy, no signs of prolonged struggle, just efficient, overwhelming s*******r that had ended before most of the victims could properly draw a weapon.
"This wasn't a fight," Liu Che said, voice tight, checking the nearest body. "This was an execution."
Xu's voice came grim through Wei Liang. "Bao Chen said he doesn't need patience. This is what that means in practice."
Wei Dong moved through the
