“The White Bone Sect is pure evil. They use human lives as sacrifices and dwell among death. Wherever they go, they leave devastation in their wake.
Thirty years ago, they were at the height of
their power --- hundreds of core members and over ten thousand followers.
All of them practiced dark sorcery, creating
widespread harm. Back then, they nearly seized control of the entire Southern Xinjiang,
threatening the very foundation of the nation.
It was my royal grandfather who gave the order.
My father then led an army of two hundred thousand to launch a massive
campaign. After three months of relentless battle, the White Bone Sect was
finally wiped out.
Afterward, my father established a specialized
intelligence and assassination unit to hunt down any remaining members of the
sect.
It took several more years to completely uproot
their remnants.
I always thought the White Bone Sect had been thoroughly
exterminated. I never imagined that after thirty years, these evil fanatics
would resurface.”
Margaret’s expression was serious, her brows
tightly furrowed.
Just as one crisis ends, another begins. She
hadn’t even finished dealing with the mess on her hands, and now the wicked
White Bone Sect had appeared.
How could she not feel troubled?
“I’ve heard some rumors about the White Bone
Sect as well,” Dustin said thoughtfully. “They worship dark gods and are
brutally violent. Every year, they conduct mass human sacrifices in the name of
those gods. This outbreak --- it looks like another of their sacrificial
rituals.”
“These monsters are truly unkillable. What I
can’t understand is, why would anyone join such a cult?” Margaret sighed.
“Anyone who joins a cult like that is either
mindlessly ignorant or blinded by greed. You can’t apply normal logic to
understand their thinking,” Dustin shook his head.
What kind of decent person would willingly join
the White Bone Sect? That’s just asking for death.
“Either way, we need to contain the outbreak
first,” Margaret said solemnly. “Your medical skills are exceptional. Can you
come with me to the Southern Xinjiang and help reduce the casualties as much as
possible?”
“As a citizen of the Dragonmarsh, this is my duty.
Of course I’ll help,” Dustin nodded.
“Good! Every second counts in saving lives --- we
leave immediately!”
Margaret didn’t waste any time and ordered her
people to prepare transportation.
They got in a car and headed straight to the
airport.
The Southern Xinjiang was about two to three
thousand kilometers away from Stonia. Even flying private, it would take them
most of the day to get there.
…
While Dustin and Margaret were flying toward
the Southern Xinjiang ---
Inside the Forbidden City, three imperial gold
orders were issued from the Hall of Heavenly Mandate. Each order was delivered
to a different destination by an elite team.
Within an hour, all three orders had reached
the three royal princes.
Along with each gold order came a secret
imperial edict.
Though the gold orders were the same, the
content of the edicts differed.
However, after reading them ---
All three princes immediately left with their
trusted aides, heading straight for the Southern Xinjiang.
The secret message was simple:
A plague had broken out in the Southern Xinjiang
and must be handled swiftly.
Each prince was to oversee a different city.
Whoever could best contain the outbreak and minimize civilian casualties would
earn immense merit.
On the surface, it was a humanitarian mission
--- something that could’ve easily been communicated through the Ministry of
Internal Affairs.
There was no need for a secret edict, let alone
a royal gold order.
The reason it was taken so seriously was
obvious --- it was a test.
Right now, the question of succession was at a
critical juncture. Any small movement inside the Forbidden City could cause a
huge stir throughout the kingdom.
With the outbreak in the Southern Xinjiang, the
Emperor had clearly shown his intent to gauge the three princes through this
mission.
The princes all understood: the one who handled
this matter best would greatly improve his standing with their father.
To put it plainly, this trip to the Southern Xinjiang
could determine who would become Crown Prince.
That’s why, upon receiving the edict, the three
princes wasted no time and rushed to the Southern Xinjiang.
Arriving first meant gaining the upper hand.
If one of them could quickly contain the
outbreak and save lives, they’d return to Stonia a hero --- and likely, the
future heir.
This was the first major test in the battle for
succession.
…
Around 8 p.m.
Dustin and Margaret landed in Pucheng, a key
city in the Southern Xinjiang.
Pucheng was the region’s central transportation
hub --- and also the first place to report the outbreak.
It had to be brought under control immediately.
If panic set in, people would flee in all directions, plunging the entire
region into chaos.
After getting off the plane, the two boarded a
black business vehicle.
In the front passenger seat sat a woman in a
black uniform.
She had sharp, beautiful features and a
commanding presence.
Her name was Su Lan, the intelligence chief
Margaret had stationed in the Southern Xinjiang.
“Boss, the village where the outbreak started
has already been sealed off. We currently have twenty-three confirmed
infections. The news hasn’t leaked yet,” Su Lan reported while handing over a
folder.
The folder contained detailed information on
each infected individual: their backgrounds, relationships, recent contacts,
and places they’d visited. Everything was clearly documented.
To gather such comprehensive intelligence in so
short a time showed how capable Su Lan was.
“Who was the first person infected among them?”
Margaret asked after a quick scan.
“A man named Liu Yang. I’ve already assigned
people to keep a close watch on him,” Su Lan replied.
“Make arrangements --- I want to meet this Liu
Yang,” Margaret ordered.
If the outbreak started with Liu Yang, it was
likely that he had contact with the White Bone Sect.
In fact, he might even be one of their
followers! - Ton
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