entered the palace gates, the guards saluted respectfully. the cold winds swept across the city, the towers of the palace glittering like stars in the night sky. wang zhong led lin feng along the main street, towards the magnificent palace where the resources of the entire empire were stored. the walls lined with chandeliers flickered with soft light, casting long shadows on the stone ground.

"are you sure this is the right place?" lin feng asked, his voice steady despite the anxiety in his heart. he had been planning to retrieve the imperial artifact from the palace for weeks, but the journey had been fraught with obstacles. now, standing before the grand entrance, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was about to go wrong.

wang zhong nodded, his hands trembling slightly. "yes,少爷. no one dares to question the palace's authority. the imperial artifact is kept in the deepest chamber, guarded by the most elite guards in the empire."