The full moon hung high in the sky, casting a pale, silver light over the rebellion's camp. Ling Yue swung the massive bronze bell over her shoulder, twirling the detached clapper in her hand as she moved through the shadows of the enemy camp.
Two watchtowers loomed over her. She set the bronze bell on the ground, its height reaching past her knee, and balanced the clapper through the handle.
She waited for the watchmen, bows in hand, to look away from each other. She leaped onto one tower and quickly bound and gagged the guard. A pebble tossed on the roof of the second watchtower drew its watchman's gaze upward. Instantly, she landed beside him and delivered a swift blow to his neck. He collapsed, unconscious. She bound and gagged him, then secured him to the tower.
Satisfied with her work, she brushed off her hands. She dropped back down to her trusty bronze bell and slung it over her shoulder, twirling the clapper again.
Under the cover of darkness, she slipped through the shadows like a ghost. Two soldiers approached, one holding a flaming torch. She set the bell down beside a tent and struck the back of their skulls with the clapper. As they crumpled, she caught the torch midair and blew it out.
Using their belts, she cinched the soldiers back to back, then tore off their cloth headbands and gagged them.
The troops had been deep in slumber, blissfully unaware of the approaching mischief. She opened the tent flap, and a stench of soldiers' gas escaped. She pinched her nose and entered the tent, quiet as a mouse, hands moving in a blur as she worked. The snoring soldiers were muffled as she gagged them. One by one the tents fell silent as snores were snuffed out.
***
At the edge of the woods, Long Fei, Shui Yi, and Zhao Bai stood patiently, watching for Ling Yue's signal. The distant camp was oddly peaceful. Then the unmistakable clatter of metal and the sharp peal of a bronze bell shattered the silent night.
Clang! Ling Yue struck the massive bronze bell with its clapper.
"Rise and shine!" her voice pierced through the night, cheerful and merciless.
The entire camp was in disarray: soldiers bound and gagged. Even the archers posted on the high platforms dangled helplessly from ropes, their quivers emptied and bows confiscated.
Clang! Clang! The bell sounded again, louder this time, its echoes bouncing off the mountains.
Long Fei, standing a few steps behind Shui Yi and Zhao Bai, felt his lips twitch. His stoic face remained impassive, but his body betrayed him. His shoulders trembled. Shui Yi was no better, pressing a fist to her mouth, while Zhao Bai hunched forward, face red, barely stifling a laugh.
The tent flaps of the enemy's command post flew open. Out stormed the enemy general, his brow furrowed in fury. "What in the—" His words died in his throat.
His battle-hardened men, his proud warriors, were strung up like fish on a drying rack. Some groaned in humiliation, others wriggled futilely, their faces a mess of disbelief and despair. Even his elite archers, stationed high above, dangled upside-down, looking more like a captured game than deadly warriors.
The general's eyes widened. His face turned crimson. His nostrils flared as his fingers twitched at his sword hilt. "What... what is this madness?!"
Clang! Ling Yue struck the massive bronze bell again, standing atop a wooden crate like a victorious war deity. Her mask—sleek and form-fitting—had open slots for the eyes and mouth, revealing her wide, toothy grin. Moonlight gleamed off her exposed teeth, making the sight all the more eerie.
"Good morning, sleepyheads!" she announced, voice dripping with mockery. "Your general's here to see you off to battle!"
Zhao Bai couldn't take it anymore. A strangled snicker escaped him, barely disguised as a cough. Shui Yi pressed her lips together so tightly they trembled. Even Long Fei, normally unshakable, felt the dam about to break. He exhaled through his nose, but his entire body still quivered from the effort of holding it in.
Zhao Bai wiped a tear from his eye. "Your Highness," he whispered, "is this the military strategy you had in mind?"
The Crown Prince inhaled deeply, barely regaining control. "Not exactly," he admitted.
Shui Yi leaned in, still struggling to suppress her laughter. "Should we step in now, or let our general finish?"
The Crown Prince glanced at Ling Yue, who was now pacing theatrically in front of the bound soldiers, giving them an exaggerated inspection like a general reviewing his troops. The bronze bell propped at her side, ready for another round of chaos. He let out a slow breath. "Let General Ling enjoy his victory."
The enemy general's fists balled up, trembling with rage at his sides. "You did all this?"
Clang! Ling Yue struck the bell again, making him flinch. "Bet you didn't see that coming," she said smugly. "This is what happens when you're not prepared for..." She tapped the bell, making a light drumroll, then extended a gloved hand toward the entrance of the camp.
She paused for dramatic effect. "The Crown Prince himself." At that cue, Long Fei appeared, his presence commanding.
The enemy general's face contorted, and he opened his mouth, likely to roar some demand for battle. But then he took in his surroundings again.
His helpless troops. His elite archers swinging like upside-down chickens.
The muffled cries of his once-fearsome warriors. His mouth slowly closed. His eyes twitched. The only thing more bruised than his ego was the dignity of his entire army.
Long Fei rested his hand on the hilt of his sword and stared at the rebel leader. "General," he said firmly.
The rebel veteran straightened, regaining what little composure he could manage.
"Would you like a duel, or shall we discuss terms?"
The general bellowed, swinging his sword at Long Fei. The Crown Prince swiftly lowered his body, timing the move perfectly to sweep the enraged assailant's leg out from under him. The rebel flew off the ground and landed with a resounding thud.
The prince promptly pressed his foot on the fallen general's chest, unsheathed his sword, and aimed the tip at the rebel's neck. He stared him down, daring him to make another move. The defeated rebel huffed and lowered his head in reluctant surrender.