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

The following morning, the sunlight dispelled the stench and chill of the previous night. The courtyard had been thoroughly cleaned by Shi Xiu and Liu Yun; apart from a few faint traces of the struggle, almost nothing was visible. But the atmosphere was different.

At breakfast, Shi Xiu silently placed the most golden-brown flatbread into Lin Feng's bowl and ladled him an extra spoonful of thick porridge. Liu Yun lowered her head, sipping her porridge, but her eyes kept glancing at Lin Feng out of the corner of her eye; her gaze held less timidity and more complex emotions. A-Yue still ate quickly, but after finishing, she didn't leave immediately. Instead, she picked up the thick-backed woodcutter's knife Lin Feng had recently made for her, walked to a corner of the yard, and began to chop at a wooden stake with utmost seriousness, as if venting some kind of emotion on the wood.

Lin Feng saw everything. He understood that last night's victory was not just about repelling a few thugs, but also about etching a clear boundary in the hearts of everyone in this family—the outside world was dangerous and full of malice, while this small, dilapidated courtyard was a fortress they had to protect together.

"After we finish eating, we'll reinforce the yard." Lin Feng put down his bowl, his voice steady yet carrying an undeniable authority. "The yard wall is too low, and the gate isn't sturdy enough. Just keeping watch at night won't be enough."

All three women stopped what they were doing and looked at him.

"How do we reinforce it?" Shi Xiu asked, a fierce glint in her eyes. As the daughter of a herdsman, she knew all too well how important a sturdy camp was in a perilous environment.

"Use wood and stone to raise the courtyard wall to at least one and a half meters high. Replace the gate with thick wooden planks and add a horizontal bolt inside. Dig a few pits in the corners of the wall and fill them with sharpened wooden spikes," Lin Feng explained the plan simply. "In addition, clear out the open space behind the house and dig a cellar, which can be used to store food and also as a hideout in case of danger."

The project was substantial, but it was not insurmountable for this family, which had already demonstrated remarkable resilience and initiative.

Just do it.

During the day, Lin Feng led the women in repairing walls and digging pits, while at night he and A Yue took turns keeping watch, maintaining the highest level of vigilance. At the same time, he consciously began to teach them some simple and practical self-defense skills.

"If you're attacked, don't panic. Find cover first. Behind a door, in a corner, behind a water tank—anywhere will do." Lin Feng gestured with a wooden stick in the yard. "Shi Xiu, you're quite strong. You can use a hoe, a sickle, or even a stool to attack their lower body, joints, and eyes. Don't try to kill them instantly; just incapacitate them. Liu Yun, you're weak but agile. You can use scissors, an awl, or quicklime powder (he had Liu Yun collect some quicklime for later use) to attack their eyes and throat, or sprinkle powder to blind them. Then run immediately, towards the village where there are many people, and shout for help."

He explained patiently, combining specific scenarios, and even had Shi Xiu and Liu Yun simulate a confrontation. At first, Liu Yun was very scared, and her hands were trembling, but under Lin Feng's calm and firm gaze, and with Shi Xiu's clumsy but earnest cooperation, she gradually mustered up her courage, picked up an old pair of scissors, and imitated the posture Lin Feng taught her, gesturing at the straw man.

A-Yue didn't need to be taught these basics. Lin Feng gave her more advanced guidance—how to use the environment to conceal herself, how to judge the enemy's attack intentions, and how to use the spear and machete more efficiently for parrying and counter-attacking. A-Yue learned extremely quickly, almost instantly grasping the concepts; many movements seemed innate, only lacking systematic guidance. Lin Feng even felt that if given better weapons and more systematic training, her combat power would be considerable.

These days of living together, working together, and preparing for battle side by side quickly brought four people who were originally strangers with very different backgrounds closer together in a peculiar way.

Shi Xiu's feelings for Lin Feng evolved from initial wariness and resignation to later reliance and admiration, and now to an almost worshipful trust. She had witnessed firsthand how this man single-handedly took on many enemies, how he planned everything for the family, and how he taught them to protect themselves. He possessed a calm, strong, and responsible nature like a prairie wolf, making her feel safer than ever before. At night, when she was on duty for the first half of the night, watching Lin Feng's silhouette as he and A Yue whispered about defense details under the moonlight, a strange, burning emotion would well up inside her. When Lin Feng occasionally broke into a sweat from carrying heavy objects, revealing his well-defined muscles, she would involuntarily blush and her heart would race, quickly averting her gaze.

Liu Yun's emotions were more delicate and complex. She was grateful to Lin Feng for bringing her out of the despairing prisoner-of-war camp and giving her a warm and stable "home," albeit a dilapidated one. She admired Lin Feng's abilities and wisdom; whether it was hunting, repairing the house, dealing with crises, or now teaching them self-defense, he made her feel that this man was omnipotent. At the same time, Lin Feng's seemingly ordinary but actually trusting respect for her (letting her manage the money, do housework, and learn self-defense) gradually revived her heart, which had become sensitive and fragile in the midst of displacement and fear. She began to carefully try to express her care, such as silently mending Lin Feng's torn sleeves, leaving him warm meals when he returned late, and listening attentively when he taught her. Each time she received Lin Feng's brief but clear affirmation ("Well done," "You've made progress"), it made her secretly happy for a long time.

A-Yue's changes were the most subtle, yet also the most profound. She remained silent, but that cold, aloofness was slowly melting away. She would silently move the heaviest logs to the spot Lin Feng designated, watch intently as he demonstrated his blocking techniques, and bring Lin Feng a large bowl of hot water when Liu Yun had boiled it. When keeping watch with Lin Feng at night, she no longer always stood tense, facing outwards; sometimes she would lean slightly towards him, as if his presence itself were a barrier. Her ashen face still rarely showed expression, but her eyes, when looking at Lin Feng, would occasionally flash a faint, almost imperceptible, trust. The new woodcutter's knife Lin Feng had made for her was almost always with her, honed to a gleaming shine, as if it were a symbol of her severing ties with her past as a submissive slave, a bond connecting her to this new "home."

Lin Feng could clearly sense these changes. He wasn't heartless; on the contrary, his lone wolf-like life in his previous life had made him understand the preciousness of "companions" and "belonging." After the initial binding and testing, these three women were each trying to integrate into this family in their own way, striving to become "one of their own" whom they could rely on. He received this sentiment.

As time went by, the courtyard changed dramatically, gradually taking on the appearance of a "fortress." The initial bewilderment and unease on the faces of the three women lessened, replaced by a rosy glow and a sense of security.

That evening, the last reinforcing plank of the courtyard wall was nailed in, and the cellar was basically completed. The afterglow of the setting sun bathed the small courtyard in a warm golden light.

Liu Yun prepared a relatively lavish dinner—to celebrate the initial completion of the fortifications.

The atmosphere at the dinner table was unusually relaxed. Even Ah Yue drank an extra bowl of sweet soup.

"Husband," Liu Yun whispered, "tomorrow... I want to go to the river and wash everyone's old clothes. The weather is getting colder and colder, so we need to wash them quickly while the sun is shining."

Shi Xiu also said, "We need to line the cellar with some dry grass to prevent dampness. There are some dry reeds on the back mountain; I'll go and cut some tomorrow."

Lin Feng nodded: "Okay. But don't go alone, at least in pairs. A-Yue, you go to the river with Liu Yun tomorrow. Shi Xiu, I'll go with you to cut reeds."

This arrangement has become the norm. Any outing must be done in a group, and at least one person must have some self-defense capabilities (usually Shi Xiu or A Yue accompanies Liu Yun).

"Mmm," A-Yue replied softly.

Looking at Lin Feng's profile, which was outlined so clearly by the setting sun, Shi Xiu felt a surge of warmth in her heart and blurted out, "Husband, this home... is becoming more and more like a home."

As soon as she spoke, she froze, her cheeks slightly flushed. Liu Yun also put down her chopsticks, glanced at Shi Xiu, then at Lin Feng, a hint of envy and shyness flashing in her eyes. A Yue lowered her head, silently eating her pancake.

Lin Feng paused in his chewing, then looked up at Shi Xiu. The grassland woman had a flushed face from her labor, her eyes bright and frank, radiating a wild vitality. He glanced at Liu Yun; her head was down, but her ears were red. Finally, his gaze swept over A Yue's silent profile.

"Mm," he responded, his voice softer than usual. "It feels like home now. It will get even better in the future."

These few simple words, like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, rippled through the hearts of the three women. Shi Xiu's eyes brightened, Liu Yun's lips unconsciously curved into a smile, and even A Yue's fingers, gripping the bowl, tightened slightly.

Night was falling.