It was the first night of the new month when the system's voice broke my sleep.
"Ding! The monthly Summon Card is available. Would the host like to activate it?"
I rubbed my eyes. "Midnight again. All right, let's see which myth the heavens send this time."
Outside, the moon hung full and pale. I stood in the open courtyard, Yue Zhilan watching silently from the balcony above as golden symbols circled me.
"Activate summon."
The symbols spun faster, threading into patterns like spider silk until a gate of silver light appeared in mid‑air. Through it came faint whispers, soft as a thousand wings. Then came shadows—hundreds, then thousands—falling gently to the ground like petals of light.
When the glow faded, they stood there: a vast formation of armoured women, their faces hidden behind black veils edged with silver thread. Each carried short curved blades at their waists, and despite their silence, the air itself pulsed with killing intent and grace.
At their front stepped a tall woman whose hair shimmered like dark water under the moon. Her cold eyes were the colour of twilight—a gaze both soft and dangerous. She knelt on one knee before me.
"Lord Ling Chen," she said, her voice smooth but commanding, "the Moon Shadow Legion greets its saviour."
The system's notification chimed again.
"Entity type—Army Summon."
"Formation—Moon Shadow Legion (20,000 members)."
"Leader—General Meiyin of the Silent Moon."
"Cultivation average: Peak Saint Realm; Leader: Early God Transformation Realm."
"Speciality—Disguise Arts, Silent Assassination, Information Network."
"Initial Loyalty: 85%."
I stood there speechless for a moment; even Yue Zhilan looked mildly impressed—a rare sight.
"So," I said slowly, "you and your people… Remember me?"
General Meiyin lowered her head. "We owe our lives to you, my lord. Long ago, when our plane was burning, you took in our wounded and defied heaven's decree to shelter us. We vowed that if your soul ever called, we would rise again to repay the debt."
She didn't mention the system; they never did. To them, this summoning was fate repaid.
"Then rise," I said. "There's no need for kneeling between us."
The army moved with perfect harmony, rising in a single soundless flow like shadows reborn under moonlight.
Even the strategist Lin Dao, who had come running when the spiritual pressure appeared, bowed slightly. "Infiltrators and assassins of this scale… No nation could match them."
Yue Zhilan smirked faintly. "So the heavens send you one army after another. At this rate, you'll need a world of your own just to command them."
"Maybe I'll build one," I said half‑seriously.
Later, in the strategy hall, Meiyin stood before a large map of the continent. The other commanders—Mo Han, Yue Zhilan, and Lin Dao—watched her mark locations with glowing runes from her fingertip.
She explained calmly, "We are trained to vanish into any city, any country. We can create disguises, gather information, steal documents, or erase threats without a trace. Our network, already active in dormant form, can spread across four continents within a month if granted passage."
Lin Dao leaned forward, impressed. "Information is war itself, my lord. With their reach, we could see through other nations long before they even whisper about us."
I nodded thoughtfully. "Then that will be your first task, General Meiyin."
"All ears, my lord."
"You will divide your legion into three branches," I said. "One, the Mist Eyes, will focus on foreign kingdoms—Wu, Huang, and the Freeport Alliance. Map their armies, their nobles, and their sect alliances. Learn what even their kings cannot.
"Two, the Silent Hands, will stay within the Empire. Watch the noble families, the merchant clans, and every prince who calls me brother. If anyone plans to provoke me or the throne, I want to know before they move.
"And three," I continued, meeting her calm gaze, "the Illusion Veils will protect our cities. You'll blend among civilians, monitor trade routes, and safeguard the people. Let no enemy or beast strike unseen."
Meiyin bowed deeply. "Understood. In three weeks, this network will be complete. You will hear everything worth hearing, from royal courts to tavern whispers."
Lin Dao chuckled. "Our web grows faster than history can record."
Mo Han slammed his gauntlet against his armour, laughing. "Let the fools think we sleep while we already know their dreams."
Yue Zhilan looked toward me. "You give dangerous orders easily. Are you so certain the world can bear it?"
I smiled. "It's not about the world bearing it. It's about me bearing the responsibility. If information can prevent bloodshed, it's worth it."
The system chimed softly.
"Ding! Task complete—'Grand Division of Shadows'. Reward granted: Strategic Network Interface. All intelligence gathered by the Moon Shadow Legion may be viewed instantly through the Host's vision."
"I see the heavens even upgraded their logistics," I muttered under my breath.
That night, under the glow of the rising moon, twenty thousand veiled warriors knelt once more in silent formation. Meiyin raised her hand, giving a single command, and they melted into the darkness like waves fading into midnight.
In under a minute, only their leader remained.
"Before we go," she said softly, "a word of caution. The other nations are restless, watching the empire closely. With our eyes now open, I can already see their plans forming."
"Good," I said. "Let them plan. We'll be ready before they even sign their orders."
She smiled faintly and vanished—her body dissolving into light like smoke caught in moonbeams.
Hours later, standing on the balcony overlooking the now‑quiet courtyard, Yue Zhilan spoke without turning. "You trusted them quickly."
"They're not servants," I replied. "They're debts repaid by fate. And loyalty earned with gratitude lasts longer than loyalty bought with fear."
She nodded slightly. "Perhaps that's why people keep kneeling to you, even gods and demons alike."
I watched the first rays of dawn colour the horizon. In the distance, the world slept in ignorance, unaware that new eyes were already watching every move from the shadows.
The Moon Shadow Legion had begun its work—and soon, every secret whispered across continents would belong to me.