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

"This is a sketch of some mineral veins in the northern region drawn by my father during his travels in his early years." Xie Wanqing's voice was calm, but carried a hint of solemnity that was barely perceptible.

"The Ghost Cry Forest mine is not solely composed of hematite; its depths may also contain silver and copper. Silver and copper are of great use in weapon casting, especially in crossbow bolts. Moreover,"

She pointed to another mark near the mineral vein symbol on the map, "This marks an underground river. If we can find a way to harness the water power of this underground river, we might be able to build a simple water pump to help with wind turbine smelting, making the process much more efficient."

Lin Feng was deeply shocked. If this picture was genuine, its value was immeasurable. But why did this woman bring it out now?

"Miss Xie, what is your intention in presenting this painting?" Lin Feng looked into her eyes.

Xie Wanqing met his gaze, her expression clear and frank: "Wanqing has fallen into this state of distress, and was taken in and treated by the General. I have no way to repay him. This map may be of great use to the border troops, but in Wanqing's hands, it is nothing more than a piece of waste paper. I present it to the General, and I leave it to him to decide what to do with it. Wanqing has no other request, only hoping that..."

She paused, then lowered her voice, "I only hope that you, sir, will believe that I am not a bad person. If you permit, I am willing to use my limited knowledge to assist in the exploration and identification of mineral deposits, and do my best in my small way."

Her eyes were earnest, and her demeanor was open and honest.

Lin Feng remained silent for a moment, then said, "I will accept this map and send someone to examine it carefully. Thank you for your kindness, Miss. However, we can discuss the matter of assisting in the investigation later. Miss, your injuries have not yet healed; you should take good care of yourself."

A hint of disappointment flashed in Xie Wanqing's eyes, but she quickly concealed it, curtsying gracefully: "Yes, Wanqing understands. Sir, you are busy with military affairs, Wanqing will take her leave."

She left, her back still straight, but seemingly carrying a hint of loneliness.

Lin Feng watched her leave, then looked at the ancient mineral vein map on the table. Who exactly was this woman? Possessing such a map, she must have extraordinary knowledge, yet she ended up stranded on the border, willingly offering the map, seemingly seeking only "trust"?

He picked up the drawing and examined it closely. The drawing technique was skillful, and the annotations were professional; it was definitely not something an ordinary craftsman could do. Xie Wanqing's father was probably no ordinary person.

"Han Tao," he called out.

"exist."

"You will personally lead a team to investigate the Ghost Cry Forest in detail, following the markings on this map. Pay special attention to any signs of underground rivers and the possibility of silver or copper being found there. Remember, this must be done in secret; the existence of this map must never be revealed."

"yes!"

In the dead of night, all was quiet. Lin Feng sat in his study, repeatedly comparing the mineral vein map and the border defense map. If the map was genuine, the value of the Ghost Cry Forest mineral vein far exceeded expectations. However, its location was sensitive, and mining there carried extremely high risks. Furthermore, Feng Kun, his inside man in the city, was a constant source of anxiety.

He rubbed his temples, about to rest, when he suddenly heard a very faint tapping sound coming from outside the window.

It wasn't the wind.

Lin Feng instantly became alert, placed his hand on the hilt of his knife, and quietly moved to the window, listening intently.

"Commander Lin, please open the window, I have something important to tell you." A deliberately lowered, soft female voice rang out from outside the window; it was Xie Wanqing!

Lin Feng's eyes sharpened, and after a slight hesitation, he gently pushed open a crack in the window.

A cold wind swept in, and in the shadows under the eaves outside the window, Xie Wanqing, wrapped in a cloak, revealed only a pair of eyes as bright as cold stars.

"Miss Xie, what brings you here so late at night?" Lin Feng asked in a low, wary voice.

Xie Wanqing leaned closer to the window crack, her voice so low it was almost drowned out by the wind: "Is the general investigating a fur merchant surnamed Liu and a blacksmith shop?"

Lin Feng's heart skipped a beat, his gaze suddenly sharpening like a knife: "What do you know?"

"I couldn't sleep tonight, so I took a walk in the courtyard. I happened to see a figure climb over the low wall on the west side. The figure looked like the servant who delivered firewood to the mansion during the day. I became suspicious and quietly followed him. I saw him sneakily make his way to the back street and slip something into the crack of the blacksmith's back door. After he left, I went to check. There was a piece of iron wrapped in oilcloth in the crack. It had burn marks on it. I couldn't understand them, but I felt something was amiss, so I took it."

Xie Wanqing spoke very quickly, took out a small, cold piece of iron from her bosom, and handed it in through the window crack.

Lin Feng took it and examined it under the indoor light. The piece of iron was small, with a peculiar symbol branded on it with a soldering iron, resembling an abstract eye with three small dots at the pupil.

This symbol… he had never seen it before. But for it to appear in a blacksmith's shop was anything but ordinary.

"Do you know what that servant looked like? Where is he now?" Lin Feng asked urgently.

"He was thin and had a black mole on his left cheek. After stuffing the things in, he went around back to the servants' quarters in the west of the city and never came out again."

Xie Wanqing said, "Sir, I know this is abrupt, but I am by no means a bad person. I will always remember the kindness of Iron Wall City in taking me in. Seeing this strange situation, I dare not hide it."

Lin Feng looked into her bright eyes in the darkness; there was concern, sincerity, and a resolute determination to go all out. Her risky act of following and reporting tonight was no longer just about "repaying a debt of gratitude."

"I am aware of this matter. Go back to your room immediately and do not mention what happened tonight to anyone," Lin Feng said in a deep voice.

"After you get back, keep your door tightly shut. Do not open it for anyone unless I personally knock on the door."

"Yes, sir, please be careful as well." After saying this, Xie Wanqing quietly retreated, her figure blending into the night and snow, and soon disappeared.

Lin Feng closed the window, gripping the cold metal plate, his heart pounding. Xie Wanqing…who exactly is she? Was tonight's action genuine help, or another, deeper test?

But in any case, the blacksmith shop line must be started immediately.

"Someone come here!" he hissed.

"Present!" The night guard answered and entered.

"Immediately and secretly order Han Tao, Lei Bao, and Yan Qing to take reliable men and seal off Liu's Leather Shop, Old Zhang's Blacksmith Shop, and the servants' quarters in the west of the city! Arrest everyone, detain them separately, and interrogate them rigorously! Remember, be quick, be quiet, and do not let a single person escape!"

"yes!"

The guards obeyed and left. Lin Feng walked to the window, gazing at the dark, snowy landscape outside. The night in Ironwall City seemed even colder.

Xie Wanqing's beautiful yet mysterious face became increasingly clear in his mind.

The night was as dark as ink, the snow fell heavily, and the wind howled. Lin Feng's orders were carried out quietly in the silent, snowy night.

Inside the Ironwall City garrison headquarters, candlelight blazed brightly, creating a somber atmosphere.

Liu Neng, Zhang the blacksmith, and the handyman Wang Ermazi were escorted to different side rooms and interrogated by Han Tao, Lei Bao, and Yan Qing. To prevent collusion, all three were gagged and blindfolded beforehand.

"Commander!" Han Tao was the first to return, his expression stern.

"Zhang the blacksmith confessed. He said that Liu Neng approached him a month ago, promising him a large sum of money to help him use a special branding iron to stamp marks on iron sheets. Each time, he would secretly deliver the marks late at night, not knowing what the marks meant or who they were given to. He only knew that Liu Neng said it was for a 'noble person from the south,' and that if the job was done, he could guarantee his entire family wealth and allow them to leave the border. The branding iron and the design of the marks were provided by Liu Neng."

"The important person from the south..." Lin Feng opened his eyes. "It's undoubtedly Feng Kun. Where were all the iron pieces sent? How do we make contact?"

"Zhang the blacksmith said that Liu Neng always took the iron sheets away, but he didn't know how they were delivered. But one night, he vaguely heard Liu Neng whispering to someone behind the shop, mentioning words like 'Laoguagou' and 'Midnight.' When asked further, he couldn't say anything more."

Crow Gully? That's an abandoned mine pit thirty miles southeast of Ironwall City, with a complex terrain and rarely visited by anyone.

At this moment, Lei Bao strode in, his face full of anger: "Chief Lin! That Wang Ermazi is a coward! He was beaten to a pulp in no time! He said Liu Neng bribed him three months ago to work as a handyman in the garrison headquarters, keeping an eye on things, especially your and the ladies' daily routines, the guards' shift changes, and... whether any outsiders came in or out. He usually wrote messages on charcoal sticks on firewood and mixed them in the bundles of firewood sent to Liu Neng's shop. Tonight, Liu Neng suddenly asked him to deliver iron sheets to the blacksmith's shop, saying it was urgently needed. He also confessed that Liu Neng seemed to have connections with the Di Rong outside the city, and he overheard Liu Neng talking quietly with someone in Di Rong language!"

Di Rong language? Lin Feng's eyes suddenly turned cold. Liu Neng, a leather shop owner, actually speaks Di Rong language?

"Where's Liu Neng?" He looked at Yan Qing, who was the last to enter.