AUBTN -Chapter 186 Finally Returning

The four of them were trapped here—any suspicion or division among them could lead to utter doom.

He took a deep breath, forcefully suppressing the doubts in his heart, and said in a low voice,
“Shen Jue is right. Until we uncover the truth, let’s pretend today’s events never happened. Our top priority now is to get out of here alive.”

His words broke the deadlock and also gave Shen Jue a way out.

The tension along Shen Jue’s jaw eased slightly. He looked deeply at Lu Yan, his gaze complex and unreadable—there was vigilance, but also a fleeting trace of… tacit acceptance.

He walked over to Su Hewan and, without a word, took her cold hand in his.

“Let’s go.” His voice was still hoarse, but it had regained its usual calm. “This path should lead to the exit.”

No one spoke further.

The four of them passed through the stone chamber and continued deeper into the dark cavern.

The road ahead was long. The flickering light could only illuminate a few feet in front of them; beyond that lay impenetrable darkness.

Each echo of their footsteps sounded like a drumbeat striking against their hearts—heavy and oppressive.

Su Hewan was held tightly by Shen Jue, and gradually, her chaotic thoughts began to settle.

She secretly glanced up, but could only see his tall, resolute back—like a shield blocking all storms for her.

Who knew how long they walked.

Just as Yu Qing sighed, saying she was too tired to go on—

“There’s wind!” Yu Qing was the first to notice it, exclaiming in delight.

The further they went, the stronger the wind became. And in that endless darkness ahead, a faint glimmer of light finally appeared.

At first, the light was no bigger than the tip of a needle. But as they quickened their pace, it gradually expanded, until it became a clear cave opening bathed in sunlight.

When the first ray of warm sunlight touched their faces, all four of them fell into a brief daze.

They had finally… made it out!

Stepping through the cave entrance, the world suddenly opened up before them.

They stood in a dense forest, surrounded by towering ancient trees. Beneath their feet lay thick layers of fallen leaves, and the air was filled with the crisp sound of birdsong.

Fresh air rushed into their lungs, carrying the scent of sunlight and greenery, dispelling the cold gloom that had clung to them for days.

After falling from a cliff, struggling to survive, and exploring hidden tunnels—this life-and-death ordeal had finally come to an end.

The four stood under the sunlight, as if in another lifetime.

“We… we survived,” Yu Qing murmured. Then she suddenly hugged Su Hewan, laughing and crying at the same time. “Wanwan, we really made it!”

Su Hewan hugged her tightly in return, her eyes brimming with tears.

Yes… they had survived.

On the other side, Lu Yan leaned against a tree and slowly let out a long breath.

The tension that had gripped him for days finally eased.

Shen Jue stood in the sunlight, slightly narrowing his captivating peach blossom eyes, savoring the long-lost warmth.

He turned his head to look at the smile on Su Hewan’s face, and the corners of his lips unconsciously curved into a gentle arc.

After the brief joy came calm judgment.

“Judging by the vegetation and the direction of the sunlight, we should be in Yan Gui Mountain on the western outskirts of the capital,” Lu Yan quickly determined their location.

Shen Jue nodded in agreement. “This place is no more than thirty li from the capital. We must return as soon as possible.”

The four did not dare to delay. After confirming their direction, they immediately set off toward the capital.

By dusk, the towering walls of the capital finally came into view in the distance.

However, the closer they got, the stronger the unease in their hearts became.

At this hour on ordinary days, although it was close to the city gates closing, the streets would still be bustling with traffic and people coming and going.

But today, both inside and outside the city gates appeared unusually desolate, the atmosphere tense and eerie.

On the city walls, guards were stationed every few steps, with patrols more than twice as frequent as usual.

At the gate, a long queue had formed. Every person entering the city was subjected to extremely strict inspections—even carts, horses, and goods were thoroughly searched.

The soldiers guarding the gate were no longer the familiar capital garrison troops, but unfamiliar faces. The style of their armor made it clear—they were… the Imperial Guards!

Deploying the Imperial Guards to guard the city gates?

What kind of major incident would require such measures?

“Something’s wrong.” Lu Yan’s brows furrowed tightly.

Shen Jue’s expression also turned cold. “It seems that while we were gone, something big happened in the capital—something we don’t know about.”

The four of them were dressed in tattered clothes and looked quite disheveled. If they lined up for inspection, it would surely attract unnecessary trouble.

Lu Yan and Shen Jue exchanged a glance and quickly reached a decision.

They circled around to a more secluded gate and walked straight up to it.

“Stop! Who goes there?” A commanding officer of the Imperial Guards immediately led his men to surround them, gleaming weapons pointed straight at them.

Unfazed, Lu Yan took out a dark wooden waist token from his robes and held it coldly before the officer.

“Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Lu Yan.”

The officer had clearly never seen Lu Yan in person, but he recognized the token that symbolized the highest authority of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

His expression changed, and then he noticed Shen Jue behind him, who carried an equally imposing presence.

For a moment, he didn’t know what to do.

Seeing this, Shen Jue spoke coolly. His voice wasn’t loud, yet it carried a chilling, piercing force.

“I am Shen Jue of the Eastern Depot. What, with both the Commander and the Chief Eunuch returning to the capital, are your Imperial Guards planning to block our way outside the city?”

The officer’s face turned deathly pale.

How could he dare stop these two fearsome figures? He quickly bowed and said in a trembling voice, “Wouldn’t dare, wouldn’t dare! This subordinate did not know it was the Chief and the Commander returning. Please forgive the offense!”

With that, he hurriedly waved his hand, ordering his men to clear a path.

“Quick! Let them pass!”

Thus, under countless watchful eyes, the four of them walked straight through the city gate without any obstruction.

Only after their figures disappeared around the corner did the officer dare straighten up, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, his mind filled with shock and uncertainty.

The two powerful figures who had been missing for over half a month…

Had actually… returned!

As soon as they entered the city, the strange and tense atmosphere grew even stronger.

“I’ll head to the Northern Town Command first. You go back to the Eastern Depot and check the situation,” Lu Yan said to Shen Jue.

“Meet at the usual place at midnight. We’ll exchange information then.”

“Alright.” Shen Jue replied succinctly.

Then Lu Yan turned to Yu Qing, his eyes filled with concern and reluctance. “I’ll take you back to Yuyuan first.”

Yu Qing shook her head. “No need. Wanwan and I are going to Huaxiangrong and the Chamber of Commerce to take a look. We’ve been gone so long—we don’t know if anything has happened.”

“That’s right. Don’t worry about us. Go handle your matters first! We’ll meet at Yuyuan tonight!”

After a moment’s thought, Lu Yan nodded. “Alright.”

The two groups split up and headed toward their respective destinations.

When Shen Jue returned to the Eastern Depot, the agents who had remained behind were stunned at first upon seeing him, then overjoyed. One by one, they dropped to their knees, their voices choked with emotion.

“Welcome back, Chief!”