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

As dawn broke, the leaden clouds above Shuofeng City pierced through, but could not dispel the heavy, somber atmosphere that shrouded the city.

From the east and north of the city, the sounds of war drums and battle cries could be faintly heard. The Di Rong's daily harassing attacks had begun again, like a dull knife cutting flesh, continuously draining the defenders' energy and resources.

Lin Feng slowly sat up from the bed, still feeling the stiffness and weakness in his muscles as he moved.

"Commander Lin, you're awake?" Hearing the commotion, the guards outside quickly brought over some warm water.

"Hmm. What time is it? Any military news?" Lin Feng's voice was a little hoarse as he took the bowl of water and drank it all in one gulp.

"Reporting to the Commandant, it's just past dawn. There are no new urgent military reports. Commander Zhao instructed that you should rest assured and recover from your injuries. The documents and seals of the Southwest Scout Camp have been sent over and are on the table in the outer room," the guard replied respectfully.

Lin Feng nodded.

He understood Zhao Polu's good intentions, but the current situation did not allow him to rest peacefully in bed.

Upon entering the outer room, they found a square seal made of black iron on the table, engraved with the ancient seal characters "Southwest Scout Chief Patrolman of the North Wind." Next to it was a stack of documents, including a roster of scout teams in the southwest defense zone, contact codes, and a summary of recent reconnaissance.

He began to quickly flip through the stack of documents.

The roster shows that he has over three hundred scouts under his direct command, stationed at various outposts and hidden positions throughout the southwest. He also needs to coordinate some scout forces from the garrison at the west and south gates. Recent reports indicate a significant increase in small-scale Di Rong cavalry activity in the southwest, especially around Black Wind Valley. However, since Lin Feng's encounter yesterday, reports from early this morning suggest that the ambush forces around Black Wind Valley seem to be shrinking, but have not completely withdrawn and are still lurking in hiding.

"It seems we've alerted the snake, but it hasn't completely retreated yet; it's still observing..." Lin Feng tapped his fingers lightly on the table, lost in thought.

"Someone come here," Lin Feng said in a deep voice.

"Yes, sir!" The guards on duty outside the door responded and entered.

"Pass on my orders: First, order Lao Dao to come to see me immediately. Second, have the clerks of the scout battalion compile a detailed list of all scouts, sentries, and moles in the southwest defense zone, especially those newly transferred in within the last three months or whose behavior is suspicious, and deliver it to me within one hour. Third, send someone to the commanders of the west and south gates to retrieve the gate duty records and personnel rotation lists for the past half month, especially the list of soldiers on night duty and responsible for checking people entering and leaving. Tell them that this captain is acting on the orders of the commander-in-chief to verify the southwest defense and needs to verify the relevant documents." Lin Feng spoke slowly but clearly and logically, leaving no room for doubt.

"Yes, sir!" The guard obeyed and left.

Old Dao arrived quickly. "Captain, you were looking for me?"

"How are your injuries?" Lin Feng gestured for him to sit down.

"Thick skin, no problem!" Old Dao grinned, pulling at the wound on his lip, and bared his teeth again.

"It's good that you're alright. I have a mission for you." Lin Feng's expression was serious.

"Take a few absolutely trustworthy old brothers, change into plain clothes, and secretly investigate the vicinity of the west and south gates, especially the neighborhoods, markets, carriage shops, and inns near the city wall. Pay attention to whether there are any suspicious unfamiliar faces frequently appearing recently, whether there are any unusual goods entering or leaving, and whether anyone is behaving suspiciously. The key is to look for any clues that may indicate collusion with the Di Rong or Jingzhou. Remember, investigate secretly, don't alert them, and report any findings to me immediately."

Old Dao's expression hardened, and he whispered, "Does the Commandant suspect that there are also 'Shadow Swan' rats in our southwest region?"

"It's not a doubt, it's a certainty." Lin Feng's gaze was sharp.

"The Wolf Cavalry of Black Wind Valley can't reach that location without an inside contact. This inside contact is very likely in the southwest defense zone, or even among the city gate guards! We must find them before they act!"

"Understood!" Old Dao nodded emphatically. "I'll get on it right away!"

"Be careful, safety first," Lin Feng advised.

"Don't worry!" Old Dao clasped his hands in a fist salute and hurriedly left.

Half an hour later, the guards at the west and south gates sent people to deliver the records that Lin Feng needed.

Lin Feng focused on reviewing the records of those on night duty and those being checked. He discovered that in the past two weeks, especially in the last few days, the records of people and vehicles entering and leaving the city gates at night were significantly more brief than before. Some records even only contained vague words such as "caravan" or "laborers," and the signatures of the soldiers checking the guards were often illegible or repeated.

"There's definitely something fishy going on..." Lin Feng's eyes were icy cold.

He pointed to several records and asked the clerk at the city gate responsible for delivering the documents, "Why are these records so brief? Which team was being checked? Who is in charge?"

The clerk, an experienced official, examined the document carefully, sweat beading on his forehead. "Reporting to the Commandant, the Di Rong have been attacking the city fiercely these past few days, putting immense pressure on the guards at each gate. Night watch is inevitably prone to oversights. As for which specific team it was, that...that requires checking the roster to determine."

"An oversight?" Lin Feng's tone turned cold.

"Checking the city gates during wartime is of paramount importance! Any oversight could be a loophole for espionage! Investigate immediately. Before sunset today, I need to see the detailed rosters, the list of soldiers on duty, and their superiors for these records!"

"Yes! Yes! I'll go investigate right away!" The old official wiped his sweat and hurriedly withdrew.

By the time all this was finished, it was nearly noon.

"Prepare the horses and go patrol the west and south gate outposts," he ordered.

Theory is no substitute for theory; he had to go and see the defense line in person, especially the key outposts in the direction of Black Wind Valley.

"Captain, your injury..." the guard said worriedly.

"It's alright, I can still handle riding a horse." Lin Feng waved his hand, his tone leaving no room for doubt.

He knew he was just putting on a brave face, but time was of the essence. Di Rong's knife was already hanging over his head, and the ghosts of the city lurked in the shadows. He had to race against time.

……

West Back Street, a small courtyard.

During the day, the alleyway was even noisier than yesterday. Besides the footsteps of patrolling soldiers, there seemed to be many more hurried hoofbeats and faint commands. The shadow of war seemed to have loomed even heavier over the southwestern region of Shuofeng City.

Xiao Qingli washed up as usual, started a fire, cooked some thin porridge, and ate it with a little pickled vegetables, swallowing it without tasting it. Then, she sat by the window, picked up her embroidery frame, but felt that something was bothering her and making her uneasy.

She changed into the most inconspicuous gray cloth dress, covered most of her face with a headscarf, leaving only her eyes visible. She pushed open the courtyard gate and went out.

Like an ordinary woman struggling to make a living, she carried a small basket containing several embroidered handkerchiefs, her head bowed, and slowly walked along West Back Street toward the market near the West Gate.

That was a civilian area where news circulated relatively easily. Perhaps one could hear a sliver of information from gossip in the streets or from the idle chatter of soldiers resting by the roadside.

The market was much quieter than usual, with many stalls empty and only a handful of vendors selling vegetables and groceries, all looking listless. People gathered in twos and threes, whispering among themselves, their topics revolving around the Di Rong outside the city, the grain prices inside the city, and... the fierce battle that took place near Black Wind Valley yesterday and the young captain who returned wounded.

"...My cousin, who lives next door to my third uncle and works as a cook in the army, told me that Commander Lin was seriously injured. He had a large gash on his shoulder and bled a lot, but he still managed to deliver the intelligence and even killed several important Di Rong figures..."

"That's right! Commander Zhao personally went to visit him and even promoted him! Now he's the Chief Scout of the Southwest Defense Zone! That's incredible!"

"Tsk tsk, so young yet so brave, her future is limitless!"

"That was earned with their lives! I heard that of the hundred brothers who went with him, seven were killed and dozens were wounded... They were all true heroes!"

"Those despicable Di Rong dogs are truly hateful! Fortunately, Commandant Lin discovered their treacherous plot, otherwise our southwest would have been in grave danger..."

"Yes, the west and south gates are heavily guarded now. People are questioned several times before entering or leaving, just to prevent Di Rong spies and insiders..."

Xiao Qingli strained her ears, trying hard to catch every word.

She wandered aimlessly along the edge of the market, the handkerchiefs in her basket unattended.

Unbeknownst to her, she had arrived near the west gate. The area was heavily guarded, with heavily armored soldiers standing guard. The gate was only half-open, and long queues of people and vehicles were being rigorously checked. A tense atmosphere permeated the air.

Xiao Qingli dared not get too close, standing far away under the eaves of a building, gazing towards the city gate. Suddenly, her gaze froze.

Inside the city gate, a troop of cavalry was galloping rapidly. The leader was tall and upright, sitting on his horse. There was a clear mark of bandage on his left arm, but his face and the silhouette of his back made Xiao Qingli's heart skip a beat!

It's Mr. Lin! Lin Feng, the one who brought her steamed buns the other day.

Is he the young Commandant Lin that people are talking about?

He was indeed injured, but seemed to be in good spirits. He was talking to the officer beside him, pointing to the city wall and the distant mountains, as if he was making arrangements.

As if sensing something, Lin Feng on horseback suddenly turned his head, his gaze seemingly sweeping in this direction.

Xiao Qingli felt a pang of panic. She instinctively lowered her head, tightened her headscarf, turned, and quickly walked away, blending into the sparse crowd. Her heart pounded wildly in her chest, whether from nervousness or something else, she didn't know.

She walked quite a distance and turned into a quiet alley before leaning against the cold earthen wall, breathing slightly heavily.