I become stronger by sacrificing my lifespan, becoming invincible in the world.

Time seemed to pass very slowly inside the cave.

Li the Cripple remained unconscious for two days with a persistent high fever. Zhao Tiegu's wound had scabbed over, but due to excessive blood loss, his complexion was still grim.

Aside from hunting small animals and collecting snow water every day, Lin Chen spent most of his time guarding the cave entrance, recuperating while observing the outside world.

Lifespan slowly increases to 35 years.

These were all contributions from small beasts, better than nothing. His injuries had mostly healed, but the vitality depleted by "Blood Prison Slash" couldn't be replenished with just a little lifespan. He needed a proper devouring—a demon beast, or... a human.

But right now, he cannot act rashly.

On the evening of the third day, Lin Chen was skinning a snow rabbit at the entrance of the cave when his ears suddenly twitched.

Extremely faint footsteps could be heard in the distance.

These weren't demonic beasts. Demonic beasts' footsteps were heavier, their breathing more labored. These were humans, and they were deliberately keeping quiet; there were at least five of them.

He quickly retreated back into the cave, shook Zhao Tiegu awake, and then covered Li the Cripple's mouth.

"Someone's coming," Lin Chen said in a very low voice. "It could be Zhang Kui, or it could be the border troops searching the mountains."

Zhao Tiegu instantly regained his senses and grabbed the knife.

Li the Cripple also struggled to sit up. Although he was weak, there was a fierce look in his eyes.

The three held their breath and waited.

The footsteps grew closer and stopped a dozen steps from the cave entrance.

"Boss, there's a cave here," a rough voice rang out.

"Let's go in and take a look." It was Zhang Kui!

Lin Chen's eyes turned cold.

They arrived as expected.

"Zhang... Zhang, this cave is so dark, what if there are monsters..." another voice said timidly.

"What are you afraid of!" Zhang Kui cursed. "Those three deserters are definitely hiding in this area. Search them! Find them alive or dead!"

Footsteps sounded again, approaching the cave entrance.

Lin Chen made a gesture to Zhao Tiegu and Li Quezi – wait for the rabbit to run into the tree stump.

The vines at the entrance of the cave were pushed aside.

A head cautiously peeked in, holding a torch in its hand.

The moment the firelight shone into the cave, Lin Chen moved.

It wasn't a knife.

His left hand shot out like lightning, grabbed the man's wrist, and pulled hard! The man screamed as he was dragged into the cave. Before he could react, Zhao Tiegu struck him on the back of the head with the hilt of his knife, knocking him unconscious.

The torch fell to the ground, its flame nearly extinguished.

Outside the cave, all was deathly silent.

"Fifth brother?!" Zhang Kui's surprised voice came.

no respond.

"Damn! There's an ambush! Retreat!" Zhang Kui was decisive and immediately gave the order.

But it was too late.

Lin Chen grabbed the torch from the ground and hurled it out of the cave! The firelight pierced the darkness, illuminating five terrified faces outside—Zhang Kui and his four confidants.

"Since you're here, don't leave."

Lin Chen stepped out of the cave.

With the full force of "Wolf's Gaze Step," Lin Chen moved like a ghost, closing in on the man on the far left. The man hurriedly raised his knife, but before he could even lift it, Lin Chen's waist knife had already slashed across his neck.

Devour!

[Absorbs 4 years of human lifespan]

Lifespan: 39 years.

The second henchman roared and charged forward, his swordsmanship quite ruthless. Lin Chen neither dodged nor evaded, his waist sword held horizontally, meeting the attack head-on!

when!

Sparks flew everywhere.

The man's arm went numb from the shock, and he staggered backward. Lin Chen followed up with a kick to his abdomen, sending him flying backward and crashing into a rock, spitting blood.

The third and fourth confidants pounced at the same time.

Lin Chen's feet darted about, his body sliding like a fish through the gap between the two blades. His right hand slashed back, cutting open one man's wrist; his left hand formed a claw, gripping the throat of another, and the Devouring attack was activated!

[Absorbs 3 years of human lifespan]

Lifespan: 42 years.

In the blink of an eye, three of his four trusted confidants were dead and one was seriously injured.

Zhang Kui's face was deathly pale, his hand gripping the knife trembling. He retreated step by step, his eyes filled with terror: "Lin...Lin Chen, don't do anything rash! If you kill me, you'll be a real deserter! Captain Wang won't let you get away with this!"

"Scarface Wang?" Lin Chen approached, knife still dripping blood. "He's in dire straits himself."

"What do you mean?!" Zhang Kui asked, his voice stern but his tone weak.

"What I mean is," Lin Chen stopped three steps away from Zhang Kui, his voice eerily calm, "I can spare your life. But you have to do something for me."

A struggle flashed in Zhang Kui's eyes: "Wha...what is it?"

"Go back and tell Wang the Scarface," Lin Chen said, enunciating each word clearly.

"I want to see him, alone. He chooses the place, I choose the time. If he agrees, I can pretend what happened before never happened. If he doesn't agree..."

He paused, then raised the tip of his knife, pointing it at Zhang Kui: "Tell him that the ledger in the hidden compartment under his bed... I'm very interested in it."

Zhang Kui's pupils suddenly contracted.

Account books!

Wang Scarface's private accounts—hiding military pay, reselling military funds, and colluding with the black market—were his lifeline, hidden so well that even he didn't know their exact location!

How did this kid know?!

"You...you..." Zhang Kui's throat was dry, and he couldn't utter a complete sentence.

"Go and deliver the message." Lin Chen sheathed his sword.

"Tomorrow at noon, at 'Soul-Severing Cliff' outside the pass. He's coming alone. If he brings someone else, or tries something... that account book will appear on General Liu Zhenshan's desk tomorrow afternoon."

Zhang Kui trembled all over, dared not say another word, and scrambled away.

The heavily wounded confidant was also finished off by Zhao Tiegu.

"Do you really know where the ledger is?" Zhao Tiegu couldn't help but ask as they returned to the cave.

"I don't know." Lin Chen shook his head. "He's bluffing."

Zhao Tiegu was stunned.

"A guy like Scarface Wang would never be without a backup plan. He definitely has private accounts; I don't know where he's hiding them, but he's definitely afraid others will find out." Lin Chen wiped the blood off his knife. "I bet he'll feel guilty."

"What if he doesn't come?"

"He will come." Lin Chen looked at the darkening sky outside the cave.

"This kind of person is most afraid of two things: losing his life and losing his money. I have something on him that could cause him to lose money, so he'll have to think twice."

Li the Cripple struggled to sit up, weakly saying, "But...but even if he comes, what can he do? Do you think he'll let us go?"

"It's not about asking him to let us go," Lin Chen said, his eyes deep. "It's about asking him... to give us a way out."

The next day at noon, at the Cliff of Broken Souls.

This is a perilous place outside Ghost Cry Pass, with cliffs hundreds of feet high and a rushing icy river below. Few people come here normally, let alone during times of war like this.

Lin Chen arrived half an hour early.

He chose a sheltered spot, where he could observe the approaching enemy and retreat at any time. His dagger was tucked into his waistband, his wolf claw dagger concealed in his sleeve, and a quiver of nine armor-piercing arrows lay at his feet.

At noon, a figure appeared at the edge of the cliff.

It's Wang the Scarface.

He did indeed come alone. He wore an ordinary fur coat, without armor or his signature whip. Only a knife hung at his waist, and his eyes swept around menacingly.

Upon seeing Lin Chen, he stopped and stood ten feet away.

"Kid, you've got some nerve," Scarface Wang said in a hoarse voice, "daring to invite me here."

"Isn't Captain Wang here too?" Lin Chen stood up.

The two looked at each other.

An invisible killing intent permeated the air.

"Where are the ledgers?" Scarface Wang stared at Lin Chen. "Tell me, and I might let you die a quicker death."

"Does Captain Wang think I'll carry something to protect myself?" Lin Chen asked rhetorically.

Wang Ba's face darkened: "Are you playing me?"

"I wouldn't dare," Lin Chen shook his head. "I just want to make a deal with Captain Wang."

"What kind of deal?"

"From today onwards, we'll keep to ourselves and not interfere with each other," Lin Chen said slowly. "You will no longer withhold my military merits, nor will you send me to my death. And I... guarantee that ledger will never see the light of day."

Scarface Wang scoffed, "That's it? Why should I believe you?"

"You don't have to believe me," Lin Chen said calmly, "but if you kill me, the account books might be on General Liu's desk tomorrow. If you don't kill me, at least you can stay in your position as squad leader."

"Peace of mind?" A ruthless glint flashed in Wang's eyes. "How can I be at peace with a menace like you around?!"

"I can help you gain merit," Lin Chen suddenly said.

Wang Ba Lian was stunned.

"This attack by the demon race is unprecedented in scale. The pass is now in dire need of military merits to stabilize morale, and it urgently needs people who are capable and willing to fight."

Lin Chen stared at him. "I can help you kill people, kill demons, and earn military merits. The credit is yours. I just want to live and get my share of the reward."

Wang the Scarface fell silent.

He squinted and carefully examined Lin Chen.

This young man was unlike any other convict he had ever met. He was strangely skilled, deep-thinking, and ruthless, but strangely enough... he knew the rules.

They know when to share the credit and when to claim what they deserve.

This kind of person, if used well, can be a sharp weapon; if used poorly...

"How do I know you won't turn around and bite me?" Scarface Wang asked.

"Because the ledgers are in your hands," Lin Chen smiled.

"If I turn against you, you won't survive either. We're in this together now; if you die, I die too."

Wang's scarred face changed color.

After a long silence, he slowly asked, "What position do you want?"

"Guard the warehouse," Lin Chen immediately said. "It's a sinecure; I don't need to leave the pass, but I'll have access to the supplies."

Warehouse guard?

Scarface Wang was somewhat surprised. He had thought Lin Chen would want a lucrative position, such as the head of a patrol team.

"The warehouse..." he hesitated, "There's not much profit to be made there, and... Zhang Heng's men are also keeping an eye on it."

"All I want is a place to stay," Lin Chen said. "As for the ill-gotten gains, Captain Wang is not worried. I will never touch anything I shouldn't."

Wang Scarface gave him a deep look.

"Okay." He finally nodded. "You'll report to the warehouse tomorrow. I'll talk to them. As for Zhang Kui..."

"He won't cause us any more trouble," Lin Chen added.

"That would be best." Scarface Wang turned around, took a few steps, and then stopped.

"Lin Chen, I don't care where you come from, or what secrets you hold. In Ghost Cry Pass, you must abide by my rules. I'll spare your life this time, but next time..."

He didn't finish speaking, but his meaning was clear.

Lin Chen clasped his hands in thanks: "Thank you, Captain Wang."

Wang the Scarface is gone.

The wind at the cliff's edge was strong, making people's robes flutter loudly.

Lin Chen stood there, looking in the direction where Wang Scarface had disappeared, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

Temporary compromise does not mean surrender.

He just needs time.

It takes time to recover, time to practice new sword techniques, time... to figure out just how many secrets are hidden in this Ghost Cry Pass.

When they returned to the cave, Zhao Tiegu and Li Quezi were already impatient.

"How is it?" Zhao Tiegu asked.

"It's settled." Lin Chen sat down. "Tomorrow I'll go to the warehouse as a guard. You... will remain in the scout camp for now, but Scarface Wang promised not to send you to your deaths."

"A warehouse?" Li the Cripple asked, puzzled. "That place is remote and cold, what's the point of going there?"

"It's better to be out of the way." Lin Chen looked outside the cave. "Being out of the way means no one will notice. Being cold means it's quiet."

Zhao Tiegu seemed to understand something and nodded: "Alright. You should rest for now and we'll talk about it again when things calm down."

The next morning, Lin Chen returned to Ghost Cry Pass alone.

The city gate guards had obviously been notified and let him pass without much questioning. He first went to the scout camp's earthen hut and took his meager belongings—actually just a change of tattered clothes, a pair of wolf claw daggers, and nine armor-piercing arrows.

The demon-headed broadsword was too conspicuous, so he temporarily buried it near the cave.

The warehouse was located in the northwesternmost corner of the pass, right next to the city wall.

It was a cluster of low, earthen and stone buildings, surrounded by a simple wooden fence. A tattered wooden sign hung at the entrance, with the four characters "甲字仓库" (Jiazi Warehouse) crookedly written on it.

Pushing open the door, a musty smell hit me.

The warehouse was large, but very empty.

On both sides were piles of rusty weapons and broken armor, and in the middle were dozens of dusty wooden boxes, the contents of which were unknown.

There were some burlap sacks piled up in the corner, some of them torn, revealing the blackened grain inside.

An old man was squatting in the doorway, basking in the sun. Hearing the noise, he looked up.

The old man was very thin, his face so wrinkled it could trap a mosquito. One eye was cloudy, and the other... was blind, just a dark, empty socket.

"New here?" the old man asked in a hoarse voice.

"Yes." Lin Chen nodded. "Captain Wang just asked me to be the guard."

"Scarface Wang?" the old man scoffed.

"That bastard's shoving people in here again. Fine, there's a small hut over there, used for night watch. You can settle in there. Nothing much to do during the day, just keep an eye out and make sure no one steals anything. At night... be careful."

"Be careful of what?" Lin Chen asked.

The old man raised his one eye and glanced at him: "This place is not peaceful."

After saying that, he ignored Lin Chen and continued to bask in the sun with his eyes closed.

Lin Chen didn't ask any more questions and carried his luggage toward the small house.

The room was small, containing only a broken wooden bed, a crooked table, and a stool. There was a small window in the wall through which one could see the city walls outside.

He tidied up a bit, laid out some dry straw, and that was it, he was settled.

The warehouse is indeed quiet.

All day long, apart from the old man occasionally going out for a stroll, no one else came. Lin Chen was happy to have some peace and quiet, and spent most of his time in the room regulating his breathing and practicing his swordsmanship.

He became more and more proficient with the newly evolved three-style sword technique.

In particular, he dared not use the "Blood Prison Slash" lightly, but he repeatedly pondered its method of burning lifespan and bursting power instantly, trying to find a more effortless and efficient way.

His lifespan slowly increased to 50 years—all of which were left over from devouring Zhang Kui's confidants a few days ago.

not enough.

But at least, there is a relatively safe environment.

As evening approached, the old man brought over two bowls of porridge and tossed one to Lin Chen.

"Thanks." Lin Chen accepted it.

The old man sat down opposite him, slowly sipping his own drink. After a few sips, he suddenly asked, "Kid, what's your relationship with Scarface Wang?"

"It's alright," Lin Chen said.

"It doesn't matter, would he really put you here?" The old man didn't believe it. "This place is a 'good place'."

Lin Chen looked up: "What's so good about it?"

"Leisurely." The old man grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth. "So leisurely... that even if I died here, no one would know."

Lin Chen paused for a moment, his hand holding the bowl still.

"But you don't seem like a short-lived lad," the old man continued, "you have a certain smell... somewhat like mine when I was young."

"What does it taste like?"

"The smell of blood." The old man finished the last mouthful of his porridge, stood up, and said, "Not the kind from killing one or two people. It's the kind from killing too many people, the smell seeping into their bones."

He walked to the door, then turned back to look at Lin Chen: "Lock the door tonight. Don't come out if you hear any noise."

After saying that, he walked away with his back hunched over.

Lin Chen sat in the room and slowly finished the bowl of porridge.

Outside the window, the sky was gradually darkening.

The warehouse was completely dark, with no lights on.

Only the torchlight from the distant city wall shone through the small window, casting a faint glow.

The night wind howled and howled through the dilapidated wooden fence.

Like crying.

It also looks like a smile.

Lin Chen lay on the bed with his eyes open.

He can't sleep.

The old man's words echoed in my ears.

What exactly is hidden in this place?

Suddenly, his ears twitched.

From the warehouse outside, came extremely faint footsteps.

He's not an old man.

The old man's steps were slow and heavy.

The footsteps were light and quick, like a cat's.

Lin Chen sat up silently and gripped the knife beside his pillow.

The footsteps circled the warehouse, seemingly searching for something. A moment later, they stopped outside the door of his small hut.

Then--

knock knock knock.

Someone knocked on the door.