Too many female prisoners, a special forces soldier transmigrates and marries wildly.

Over the next two days, Qingzhou City superficially returned to its former order, the martial law was slightly lifted, and the city regained its lively atmosphere.

But behind the scenes, the search and interrogation never stopped.

Lin Feng, meanwhile, was recuperating peacefully in a side room of the state government office.

Physician Zhou came to treat him and change his dressings every day, and Feng Zhen also sent people to deliver nourishing tonics. By the third day, he was able to move his left arm freely. Although he could not exert himself violently, he was fine.

In the afternoon, he was slowly stretching his muscles in the courtyard, getting used to his recovered body, when Yang Dingbian returned, looking travel-worn but not in good spirits.

"Captain Yang, how is it? Have you found any trace of Xiahou Ying?" Lin Feng asked as he stepped forward.

Yang Dingbian shook his head, picked up the teapot on the stone table, gulped down several mouthfuls of cold tea, wiped his mouth, and said angrily, "Damn it, what a wasted trip! I led my men to search every mile around Wanghu Pavilion, practically turning the ground upside down! We searched the pavilion itself, the nearby caves, the hunters' huts, and even the fishing boats moored on the lake, but we didn't find a soul! We did find an abandoned sentry post under a large rock behind the pavilion, with some fresh signs of life, but the people there had already fled. I guess it was the place Xiahou Ying used for observation and communication. Other than that, we found nothing."

Lin Feng frowned slightly.

Xiahou Ying was indeed cunning. That stronghold was probably already abandoned, or just one of his many hiding places. Where would he go, so badly injured? Back to the city? There was a massive search in the city; the risk was too high. To other strongholds? The few that Mo Sangeng had implicated had already been taken down by Feng Zhen's men. Although they hadn't caught anyone, they had certainly alerted the others. Could it be… that he really had an even more secretive lair that even Mo Sangeng didn't know about?

"However, it wasn't all for naught." Yang Dingbian changed the subject, lowering his voice, "When we were searching the area near Wanghu Pavilion, we encountered several suspicious woodcutters. Under questioning, they stammered. We brought them back for interrogation, and guess what? They weren't woodcutters at all, they were Di Rong spies! They were specifically operating in the Wanghu Pavilion area, responsible for receiving and relaying messages! One of them couldn't withstand the torture and confessed, saying that a few days ago, a wounded, masked, mysterious person did appear near Wanghu Pavilion, but quickly disappeared, and they couldn't catch up. The direction the person disappeared in was towards the depths of Cuiping Mountain."

Deep within Cuiping Mountain? Lin Feng's heart stirred.

Cuiping Mountain stretches for over a hundred miles, with high peaks, dense forests, and treacherous terrain. It contains many secluded valleys and caves, making it an ideal hiding place. Moreover, there may be temporary settlements left by hunters and herbalists, or even... bandit strongholds and secret mines left over from previous dynasties.

"Go into the mountains..." Lin Feng pondered. "Searching in the mountains is like finding a needle in a haystack. Moreover, Xiahou Ying is skilled in disguise and poison, and he's perfectly at home in the mountains. It will be difficult to capture him."

"Who says otherwise?" Yang Ding scratched his head. "Lord Feng has already increased manpower, sealed off several main entrances and exits to Cuiping Mountain, and sent hunters familiar with the mountains to lead the way in the search. But the mountain is so big, it's probably going to take a while..."

As the two were talking, Wang, the clerk, also hurried over, a hint of joy on his face.

"Mr. Wang, is there good news?" Lin Feng asked.

"Yes," Wang the clerk said with a smile. "Mo Sangeng revealed some more things. He said that the 'estate' of the King of Qi, thirty miles west of the city, is not just an ordinary farm; it may contain something. The King of Qi occasionally stays there for a while, and once he overheard the King of Qi talking to his confidant, mentioning words like 'underground vault' and 'goods'."

The estate? The vault? Lin Feng and Yang Dingbian exchanged a glance, both seeing the gleam in each other's eyes. This was highly likely! It made perfect sense for the Prince of Qi to hide the most important batch of military equipment, the real ones he had seized from Black Wind Valley, in the vault of his own estate outside the city! Moreover, the estate was remote and guarded by the Prince of Qi's private troops, making it safer than the city.

"Does Lord Feng know about this?" Lin Feng asked.

"It has already been reported. Lord Feng has ordered me to prepare to lead men to search the estate immediately! Lieutenant Yang, would you like to come along?" Wang the clerk asked, looking at Yang Dingbian.

"Go! Of course we'll go!" Yang Dingbian immediately perked up. "We failed to capture Xiahou Ying, but raiding the Qi King's stronghold is still a great achievement! Master Lin, since you're still recovering from your injuries, stay here and rest peacefully while we await your good news!"

Lin Feng nodded: "You two be careful. King Qi has been managing this estate for many years, so it must be well-prepared. What Han Lu said may not be the whole story; there might be traps or deadly guards."

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing!" Yang Ding patted his chest and hurriedly left with Wang the clerk.

Lin Feng prepared to go back to his room to rest.

However, just as he turned around, a very faint, almost imperceptible "crack" sound suddenly came from outside the courtyard wall, like the sound of a dry branch being broken by foot.

Lin Feng paused, his muscles tensing instantly, and his right hand silently pressed against the hilt of the short blade at his waist.

Although the prefectural government office was heavily guarded, a master like Xiahou Ying might still be able to infiltrate it. Could it be... that he dared to come to the prefectural government office to assassinate someone?

He slowly turned around, his gaze sharp as lightning, sweeping towards the direction from which the sound came—the top of the wall of the east wing.

There, a thick clump of Virginia creeper swayed gently in the night breeze.

Suddenly, something seemed to move in the clump of ivy. Then, a dark, fist-sized object was thrown in from outside the wall and landed with a "thud" on the ground near the stone table in the courtyard.

It wasn't a hidden weapon! There was no sound of it cutting through the air!

Lin Feng's eyes narrowed, and instead of immediately stepping forward, he cautiously observed his surroundings.

There was no further movement outside the wall, suggesting that the person who threw the object had already left.

After waiting a moment and confirming there was no danger, Lin Feng slowly walked over. By the dim light of the lanterns under the eaves, he could see what was on the ground—a small, square package wrapped in oil paper.

He crouched down and carefully used his short blade to pry open the oiled paper.

A rolled-up piece of paper was visible inside.

Lin Feng used his short blade to pick up the paper and unfold it. It contained only one line of small, crooked characters, seemingly written with his left hand:

"To know about Black Wind Valley, go alone to the mass grave west of the city at midnight tomorrow. Do not wait for those who are late."

There was no signature.

Lin Feng's heart skipped a beat!

Black Wind Valley! Finally, news! Who is it? Is it friend or foe? Is it a trap, or is someone who truly knows the truth?

Lin Feng slowly clenched his fist, his nails digging deep into his palm.

For Ye Qingli, Chen tide, and A Yue, he had to go, no matter if it was a dragon's den or a tiger's lair, or a mountain of knives or a sea of ​​fire!

Lin Feng immediately got up and went to find Feng Zhen.

He couldn't hide this matter, but he also couldn't let Feng Zhen stop him. He needed Feng Zhen's help; at the very least, he needed Feng Zhen to know where he was going and what might happen.

Feng Zhen had not yet rested and was still in his study dealing with a mountain of official documents.

Seeing Lin Feng's solemn expression as he visited late at night, Feng Zhen put down his pen and gestured for him to sit down.

"Lin San, it's so late, is something wrong?" Feng Zhen noticed that Lin Feng's expression was off.

Lin Feng placed the note directly on Feng Zhen's desk. "Please take a look, sir."

Feng Zhen unfolded the note, his brows furrowing deeper: "Where... did this come from?"

"Just now, someone threw it in from outside the courtyard wall," Lin Feng briefly explained the situation.

Upon hearing this, Feng Zhen's face darkened, and he lightly tapped his fingers on the table: "The mass grave in the west of the city... alone... Hmph, a treacherous trick! This is clearly a trap to lure you in! Lin San, you can't go!"

"My lord, I must go." Lin Feng's voice was calm, but carried an undeniable firmness. "The matter of Black Wind Valley is shrouded in mystery, and this is the most direct clue I have at the moment. Whether it's true or false, I must make this trip."

"Nonsense!" Feng Zhen raised his voice. "This is clearly a trap set by Xiahou Ying or the remnants of the Prince of Qi! You are now a thorn in their side! Going to the appointment alone is like walking into a trap! If anything happens to you, how can I explain it to the court?"

"That's precisely why I must go." Lin Feng looked at Feng Zhen, his gaze clear and sharp. "If it really is a trap, it means they're desperate and want to get rid of me, the one in the know, as soon as possible. If I don't go, they might use even more despicable means, or directly target someone I care about. If he really is the one in the know, I can't miss this opportunity. My lord, the matter of Black Wind Valley concerns the safety of the border, the whereabouts of that batch of weapons, and also my wife and children. I cannot stand idly by."

Feng Zhen fell silent. He knew Lin Feng was telling the truth.

Both professionally and personally, Lin Feng had compelling reasons to go. But how could he be at ease watching Lin Feng take such a risk? Lin Feng's contribution to the case was already a done deal; if something were to happen at this crucial moment…

"My lord," Lin Feng softened his tone, "I am not a reckless person. I will make thorough preparations. They have arranged to meet me at midnight tomorrow night, which is one day away. Please allow me to leave the city to keep the appointment, and provide support in secret."

"Secret support?" Feng Zhen raised an eyebrow.

"Yes." Lin Feng nodded. "The other party requested to go alone, and I will go alone on the surface. But please send reliable men to ambush outside the mass grave beforehand, concealing our movements and not alerting them. If the other party is indeed aware of the situation and is willing to reveal information, I will act accordingly, ascertain the situation, and make a safe retreat. If it is a trap, having ambushes nearby will allow us to provide timely support and even counterattack the other party, perhaps even catching the mastermind behind it all."

Feng Zhen stroked his beard, lost in thought and remained silent.

Lin Feng's suggestion was a compromise. It satisfied Lin Feng's need to gather information at the appointment, while also ensuring his safety to some extent, and might even reel in a big fish. However, risks remained. The terrain of the mass grave was complex, and visibility was poor at night. If the other party was truly a master like Xiahou Ying, and had caught him off guard, the ambush might not arrive in time.

"How confident are you?" Feng Zhen asked.

"Fifty percent," Lin Feng admitted frankly. "But if we don't go, it's zero. If we go, there's at least a glimmer of hope to find out what happened in Black Wind Valley."

Looking into Lin Feng's determined eyes, Feng Zhen knew that further persuasion would be useless.

"Alright." Feng Zhen finally nodded. "I can agree to your request. But you must also promise me that your own safety is paramount. If things become unbearable, retreat immediately and do not act rashly. I will send Yang Dingbian with a team of elite troops to ambush outside the mass grave. But as you know, the mass grave is quite large, and they cannot get too close to you. If anything changes, you must send a signal immediately. Also..."

Feng Zhen pulled a flat, black tube—neither gold nor wood—from his pocket and handed it to Lin Feng: "This is 'Hidden Universe in a Sleeve,' specially made by the Military Equipment Bureau. It contains three poisoned crossbow bolts that can be fired with one hand and can penetrate iron armor within ten paces. Take this for self-defense. Also, before your appointment tomorrow night, come to me. I'll have Physician Zhou examine your injuries again and prepare some antidotes and healing medicines."

"Thank you, sir!" Lin Feng accepted the cold, black tube, a warmth spreading through his heart. Although Feng Zhen was sometimes ruthless, he had indeed been very protective of him.

"Furthermore," Feng Zhen said gravely, "this matter is to be known only to you, me, and Yang Dingbian. Do not reveal it to a fourth person. The prefectural government office is not without its secrets. The fact that they were able to throw things into your courtyard indicates they have considerable knowledge of the guards and your movements. I will investigate discreetly, but until the facts are clear, proceed with caution."

"I understand," Lin Feng said solemnly.

There was a mole within the prefectural government? This possibility sent a chill down his spine. If that were the case, then tomorrow night's appointment would likely be even more dangerous than he had imagined.

The following afternoon, Physician Zhou came to examine him again and change his dressing. He confirmed that the poison had been largely eliminated and the wound was healing well, but that he should not exert himself too much in the short term. He also prepared some detoxifying pills, wound medicine, and pills to refresh his mind.

Yang Dingbian came over and secretly discussed the details of the night's operation with him.

Yang Dingbian would lead thirty of his best personal guards, setting off an hour early, in batches disguised, to ambush the mass grave from several high points and hidden locations outside the city. They agreed on several simple communication codes, as well as a signal arrow to be used in case of danger.

"Don't worry, Mr. Lin. As long as those bastards dare to show their faces, I guarantee they won't leave alive!" Yang Ding patted his chest and made his promise, his eyes gleaming with the light of a hunter.

Lin Feng nodded without saying anything more. He knew Yang Dingbian's abilities and trusted Feng Zhen's arrangements.

But for some reason, that unease in my heart wouldn't go away. Who was the messenger? Was he friend or foe? What exactly happened in Black Wind Valley? Are Ye Qingli, Chen tide, and A Yue alive or dead?

These questions weighed on his mind like huge stones. He could only wait for night to fall, and for the mass grave to provide the answers.