After my rebirth, my Martial Sect will surely sweep the martial world in blood.

121. Hidden

Although the dark shadow outside the window last night only flashed by, its chilling demonic aura lingered, reminding him that danger was approaching.

"Young master, there is urgent news." Butler Lin Fu's voice rang out from outside the door, sounding somewhat hurried.

Lin Mo opened the door and saw Lin Fu holding a secret letter, his face solemn.

"This was sent by Lord Zhang Yuan; he said the situation is urgent."

Lin Mo unfolded the secret letter, which contained only a few brief words: "Surveillance detected in multiple locations. Come immediately for discussion."

He immediately changed his clothes and, accompanied by several personal guards, hurried to Zhang Yuan's residence. Along the way, Lin Mo noticed that there were far fewer pedestrians on the street than usual, and occasionally a few people dressed as guards stood on street corners, staring blankly at passersby. These people stood in perfect unison, as stiff as marionettes.

When they arrived at the Zhang residence, Zhang Yuan had already been waiting in the study for some time. Besides him, Zhao Mingcheng and Wang Shouren had also arrived, and all three of them looked extremely grim.

"Lord Lin, you've come at the right time." Zhang Yuan quickly stepped forward to greet him. "This morning, several servants in my household said they sensed someone secretly watching them. I sent my guards to investigate the area, and sure enough, they found several suspicious-looking guards."

Zhao Mingcheng interjected, "The situation is the same at my residence. This morning, when I went out, I noticed two guards following my sedan chair until I entered the Ministry of Personnel."

"What's even more frightening," Wang Shouren lowered his voice, "is that I received news this morning that several officials who were on good terms with us suddenly claimed illness and took leave last night. I sent people to check on them, only to find that their residences were already guarded by guards, and no one was allowed to enter or leave."

Lin Mo's heart sank: "It seems the Heavenly Demons have already begun to target our people."

Just then, a commotion arose outside the study. A servant rushed in to report, "Sir, several guards have arrived outside. They say they are ordered to inspect the residences of various ministers and wish to come in for a check."

Zhang Yuan's expression changed: "How dare they be so blatant!"

Lin Mo gestured for everyone to calm down: "Let them in and see what they're up to."

Before long, three men dressed as guards entered the study. The one in the lead had a pale face and his eyes glowed with a faint red light; he was the guard captain that Lin Mo had met in the palace before.

"By order of His Majesty, I have come to inspect the residences of all the officials to ensure the safety of the capital." The commander of the guards' voice remained cold and mechanical, but his gaze clearly paused for a moment when it swept over Lin Mo.

Zhang Yuanqiang tried to remain calm: "What does the commander want to investigate?"

"Recently, there have been many unusual developments in the capital. His Majesty is worried that spies may have infiltrated the residences of you officials," the commander of the guards said, his gaze sweeping across the study. "Especially... some officials are associating too closely with people of unknown origin."

Lin Mo noticed that the guard captain's fingers twitched involuntarily as he spoke, and the bluish-black color at his knuckles was more pronounced than before. Even more unsettling was that the two guards behind him remained completely silent, their breathing almost inaudible, like two lifeless puppets.

"Commander, you jest," Zhao Mingcheng forced a smile. "We are all important officials of the court; how could we associate with spies?"

The captain of the guards suddenly turned to Lin Mo: "Lord Lin, I've heard you've been in close contact with a Taoist priest lately. Where is this priest now?"

Lin Mo's heart pounded with alarm bells, knowing that Qing Yunzi had been targeted by the Heavenly Demon. However, he remained outwardly calm: "He's just an old acquaintance; he left the capital to travel the other day."

The commander of the guards' red eyes flickered slightly: "Really? That's a real pity. His Majesty has recently become quite interested in Taoism and was hoping to invite this Taoist priest to the palace to give lectures."

These words sent a chill down the spines of everyone present. The Emperor inviting Qingyunzi into the palace? That was tantamount to throwing a lamb to the slaughter.

The captain of the guards circled the study, finally stopping in front of Lin Mo: "Lord Lin, I've heard you possess a family heirloom sword. Would you be so kind as to allow me to take a look?"

Lin Mo gripped the Pure Yang Sword hidden in his sleeve, knowing this was a test. If he revealed the sword, it would expose their preparedness; if he didn't, it would seem like he had something to hide.

Just as he hesitated, Zhang Yuan came to his rescue: "Commander, shall we continue the inspection? If not, we still need to discuss state affairs."

The commander of the guards' red eyes lingered on Zhang Yuan for a moment before he finally nodded: "Today's patrol ends here. However, gentlemen, please remember that His Majesty is very concerned about your safety and has specifically ordered us to protect you day and night."

The threat in those words couldn't be clearer. Watching the captain of the guards lead his men away, the atmosphere in the study immediately became tense.

"They're staging a protest," Wang Shouren said in a trembling voice.

Lin Mo walked to the window and gently pushed it open a crack. He saw that several guards had appeared outside the Zhang residence, standing in various corners to completely monitor the mansion.

"It's not just a demonstration," Lin Mo said in a deep voice, "they're preparing for their next move."

That afternoon, bad news followed one after another. First, it was learned that several officials from the New Policies Group had been suddenly transferred out of the capital. Then, news came that the Heavenly Demon Guards had been discovered monitoring several important strongholds in the capital.

What's even more worrying is that Qingyunzi's Taoist temple was attacked last night. Fortunately, the old Taoist priest received advance warning and moved away, but the whereabouts of several young Taoist disciples in the temple are unknown.

"They even attacked monks!" Zhang Yuan slammed his fist on the table in anger.

Zhao Mingcheng sighed, "The most important thing now is to ensure the safety of the Crown Prince's orphan. If the Heavenly Demon discovers his existence, the consequences will be unimaginable."

Lin Mo nodded: "I have already moved the Crown Prince's orphan to a secret base outside the city, heavily guarded. But now it seems the situation in the capital is becoming increasingly dangerous."

As evening fell, Lin Mo returned to the Lin residence and found that the number of guards outside had increased again. These demonic guards not only monitored all the exits of the mansion, but also the alleys behind the back gate.

"Young master, this can't go on," Chen Gang, the bodyguard, said in a low voice. "Should I take some men to get rid of these spies?"

Lin Mo shook his head: "We mustn't act rashly. It's too early to tear off the mask of civility; we're not ready yet."

Upon entering the study, Lin Mo discovered a secret letter on his desk. The letter was unsigned, but he recognized the handwriting—it was Qing Yunzi's.

"The demonic energy is growing stronger every day; a great upheaval is imminent in the capital. This old Taoist observed the celestial phenomena last night and saw that dark energy has already enveloped most of the capital. I fear the Heavenly Demons are about to launch a full-scale attack. I urge you to prepare as soon as possible."

Lin Mo burned the letter over the candle flame, his anxiety deepening. He went to the secret chamber and retrieved fragments of his past life's memories. These fragments contained experiences from battles against the Heavenly Demons, which might offer a solution.

In his memories, he saw the methods the Heavenly Demon used to control people's hearts in his past life: first surveillance, then isolation, and finally replacement. Those targeted by the Heavenly Demon would gradually be replaced by its puppets, while the original person would disappear without a trace.

"I see..." Lin Mo murmured to himself, "They're monitoring us to figure out our habits so they can replace us later."

This discovery sent chills down his spine. If the members of the new regime were replaced one by one, the Heavenly Demon could seize control of the court effortlessly.

Late at night, Lin Mo secretly summoned his core members. To avoid being monitored, the meeting place was chosen to be a secret underground room.

When Lin Mo revealed his discovery, everyone looked horrified.

"Replace them? How dare they do this!" Zhang Yuan was both shocked and furious.

Zhao Mingcheng pondered for a moment and said, "No wonder those officials who claimed to be ill haven't been receiving visitors; they've probably already been..."

The words were not finished, but the meaning was already clear.

Wang Shouren said in a trembling voice, "Then what should we do? We're being monitored every time we go out, and even passing messages is difficult."

Lin Mo took out several jade talismans from his robes: "These are protective talismans left by Daoist Qingyun. They can temporarily shield you from the Heavenly Demon's senses. However, the quantity is limited, and they can only be used by core members."

He paused, then continued, "From now on, we will change our communication methods and use the most covert channels. At the same time, everyone must prepare contingency plans; if anything seems amiss, evacuate immediately."

"What about the Demon Guard?" Zhang Yuan asked. "Are we just letting them monitor us?"

A cold glint flashed in Lin Mo's eyes: "Surveillance is a two-way street. They're monitoring us, and we're observing them. Remember each of their characteristics, figure out their patterns of action. This is crucial intelligence for future counterattacks."

After the meeting, Lin Mo was the last to leave the secret room. He quietly went to the rooftop, used his light-footed skills to move through the night, and avoided all the guards who were watching him.

From a high-rise building, he looked down upon the capital. The night, which should have been filled with the lights of countless homes, was unusually quiet. On the streets, the figures of patrolling guards could be seen from time to time, moving like ghosts in the darkness.

What alarmed Lin Mo even more was that the black mist above the palace had spread out, almost covering half of the capital. Within the black mist, countless red eyes could be vaguely seen flashing; that was the Heavenly Demon Guard in action.

"A crisis has arrived," Lin Mo murmured to himself, his hand unconsciously resting on the Chunyang Sword.

Just then, he suddenly felt a gaze fall upon him. Turning his head, he saw a figure with wings on its back coldly staring at him from a tall building in the distance. Even from a distance, Lin Mo could feel the malice and killing intent in that gaze.

The demon general has already noticed him.

Lin Mo did not look away, but met that gaze for a moment, then turned and jumped off the high-rise building, disappearing into the night.

That night, many people in the capital were unable to sleep. Members of the New Policies Group remained in their residences, vigilant for any unusual activity. Meanwhile, the Heavenly Demon Guards on the streets, like tireless machines, remained steadfast in their surveillance posts.

A crisis was brewing, and the tense atmosphere was like a taut bowstring, ready to snap at any moment.