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

The three-day period passed in a flash, filled with the stagnant air and a silent sense of urgency within the cave.

Lin Feng's recovery speed was so fast that even Qin Yaosou was slightly taken aback.

Qin Yaosou has been busy these past few days. He crushed some dried herbs with a unique aroma into powder, mixed them with a special, slightly shimmering moss found in the cave, and made a medicine pouch that could temporarily repel certain poisonous insects underground. He also soaked several whittled, fragrant wooden strips in several medicinal juices, dried them, and made several simple but sturdy torches, explaining that the unique fragrance emitted when these wooden strips burned also had the effect of warding off evil spirits, dispelling filth, and calming the mind.

He also gave Lin Feng a small leather pouch sewn from animal hide, containing several pills of different colors sealed with wax, and a small roll of silver needles wrapped in oilcloth. Qin Yaosou pointed out each pill: the red pill could temporarily stimulate blood and qi, saving lives when exhausted, but the side effects were severe, and it should not be used except in life-or-death situations; the white pill could cure all poisons (Lin Feng expressed doubt about this, but Qin Yaosou spoke with certainty); the black pill could stop bleeding and promote tissue regeneration, with a stronger effect than ordinary wound medicine; the roll of silver needles was for him to use to find his way in the dark or in emergencies—Qin Yaosou even taught him a few simple techniques for using silver needles to test mechanisms and determine wind direction and water flow, his skillful and precise techniques far beyond what an ordinary country doctor could possess.

On the evening of the third day, Qin Yaosou said:

"Go down at dawn tomorrow." Qin Yaosou stood in front of the stone door leading underground and said to Lin Feng, who was all ready to go. His voice echoed in the empty cavern. "Remember, once you're down there, you're on your own. If you haven't returned by this time in three days, I will seal this door."

His gaze swept over Yun Yao, Shi Xiu, and Liu Yun behind Lin Feng, their faces filled with worry, as well as A Yue, who was holding a hunting fork and remaining silent. "I will try to protect them for another three days. After three days, if the pursuers arrive, or if you have not returned, I will be powerless to help."

This is an ultimatum, and also a harsh reality.

Lin Feng nodded, saying nothing more, but giving Yun Yao and the others a deep look, his gaze lingering on each of their faces as if trying to etch his worry and concern into his heart. Yun Yao bit her lower lip, tears welling in her eyes, but she forced them back, nodding vigorously at him. Shi Xiu and Liu Yun were already sobbing uncontrollably, silently stopped by A Yue. A Yue's ashen face remained expressionless, but her eyes, like two cold stars, were fixed on Lin Feng, as if trying to imprint his image on her.

"Wait for me to come back." Lin Feng only said four words, his voice was not loud, but it carried a reassuring and steady strength.

Then, without hesitation, he turned around, lit a specially made torch, took a deep breath, bent down, and crawled into the dark, seemingly light-swallowing cave.

Behind them, the stone door slowly closed under Qin Yaosou's manipulation, shutting out the last glimmer of light and the women's sobs. The world was instantly enveloped in thick, earthy, and damp darkness, with only the flickering, dim yellow light of the torch in his hand barely illuminating the area a few feet in front of him.

The cave descended steeply, its slope sloping beneath our feet on slippery, moss-covered natural stone steps, some sections eroded and broken by water. The air was chilling and biting, thick with the musty smell of years of stagnant water and an indescribable, faint fishy odor. The torchlight could only dispel a small patch of darkness; further ahead and overhead lay a bottomless, writhing abyss of gloom.

The passage wound downwards, seemingly without end. The air grew increasingly humid, and condensation began to form on the rock walls, occasionally dripping with a clear "tap, tap" sound in the silence, sending a chill down one's spine. The terrain gradually leveled out, and the faint, rushing sound of flowing water came from ahead, growing louder and louder.

After rounding a sharp bend, the view suddenly opened up, only to be plunged into another breathtaking expanse of grandeur and gloom.

A vast underground space appeared before them, its ceiling invisible. The torchlight extended upwards, illuminating only a small area below, where bizarre and varied stalactites hung in the air, like countless inverted swords silently pointing downwards. An underground river stretched out before them, its deep, dark waters shimmering eerily in the torchlight. The current was swift, emitting a muffled roar that echoed through the empty cavern with astonishing force.

About thirty paces downstream, on the riverbank near where Lin Feng was, there was a black rock about the size of a tabletop, protruding from the bank and smoothed by the water. On top of the rock, there was indeed something! It was still far away, and the firelight flickered, so it was not very clear, but it was vaguely a square outline.

Found it! Lin Feng was overjoyed. He held his breath, stuck the torch into a crevice in the rock wall, took out the iron-backed bow, nocked an arrow, and his sharp eyes, like a searchlight, slowly swept across the water, mudflats, and rock wall above the stone platform.

The water was calm, with only undercurrents. The mudflats were empty. On the rock face… there seemed to be some reflection? Lin Feng squinted and looked closely. On the rock face about ten feet above the stone platform, dozens of dark shadows hung upside down, varying in size, their outlines… like bats? But much larger than ordinary bats, and, at the edge of the firelight, the surface of those shadows seemed to have a dark, metallic matte sheen.

Lin Feng decided to approach and take a closer look. He put away his bow, picked up his torch and machete again, and cautiously approached the stone platform along the slippery riverbank. With each step, he listened intently, his muscles tense, ready to respond to any unexpected situation.

When they were about ten steps away from the stone platform, a sudden change occurred!

"squeak--!"

A sharp, piercing screech, seemingly capable of tearing eardrums, suddenly erupted from the rock wall above the platform! Then came a second, a third… dozens of screechs merged into a chilling sonic wave, echoing wildly throughout the cave! At the same time, the hanging “shadows” moved! They abruptly spread their wings—not the fleshy wings of bats, but rather strange wings covered in dark scales and edged with sharp bony spikes! The largest wingspan exceeded three feet! Like a swarm of startled bees, they swooped down from the rock wall, heading straight for Lin Feng, who held the torch and was clearly the source of light and the intruder!

Using the sound of the wind they created as they swooped down and the light of the torches, Lin Feng finally saw what these creatures looked like: cave vipers! An ancient, nearly extinct cave-dwelling creature that only existed in some adventure records and mysterious legends from his previous life. They were bloodthirsty, ferocious, with hard scales and armor, and they moved in groups. Their teeth and claws might carry unknown toxins or germs!

In a flash, Lin Feng reacted. He knew the consequences of being surrounded by these creatures at close range. Almost at the same time as the first batch of vipers swooped down, he hurled the torch in his hand forcefully towards an open space diagonally forward, away from the stone platform and the water! At the same time, he retreated rapidly to the side and back, leaning against the rock wall to minimize the area he was attacked from.

The torch drew an arc in the air, attracting the attention of most of the vipers, who shrieked and changed direction, rushing towards the moving light source. But seven or eight of the largest and fastest ones, seemingly fixated on Lin Feng as their "source," still fearlessly charged towards him, bringing a stench with them!

"You're courting death!" A cold glint flashed in Lin Feng's eyes as he drew his cleaver, creating a dazzling curtain of blades in front of him! There were no fancy moves, only the simplest and most direct slashes, cuts, and sweeps! The blade clashed with the scales and bony wings of the viper, producing a crisp "clanging" sound like metal striking metal, sparks flying everywhere! These beasts' scales were indeed tough!

A viper was struck on the head by the back of the blade, making a dull thud as it squeaked and fell to the ground. Another was sliced ​​across the chest and abdomen by the blade, its hard scales cleaved open, and foul-smelling blood and entrails splattered out. But more vipers, fearless of death, used their speed and numbers to attack from different angles.

Lin Feng knew he couldn't linger in the fight. While parrying with his sword, he quickly surveyed the terrain. A torch was placed not far away, illuminating a small area and attracting most of the vipers. The stone platform, however, had temporarily become a blind spot because the light source had moved away.

An opportunity! Lin Feng pushed off with his feet and suddenly leaped to the side and forward, not backward, but towards the stone platform! Using the protrusions of the rock wall and the stones on the ground, he moved like a ghost, twisting and turning several times, narrowly avoiding the attacks of several viper bats, and instantly rushed to the edge of the stone platform!

On the stone platform, there indeed sat a square ironwood box, about a foot in size! The box was covered with a thick layer of dust, but intricate patterns resembling clouds and stars were faintly visible, gleaming faintly in the dim light. The box was not locked, but only slightly ajar.

Without hesitation, Lin Feng reached out and grabbed the box!

Just as his finger was about to touch the lid, another unexpected event occurred!

"Boom!"

Suddenly, a slick, bowl-sized creature covered in dark gold ring patterns leaped out of the water beneath the stone platform. Like a giant python that had been lying in wait for a long time, it shot out of the hole with lightning speed, carrying a foul-smelling vapor, and went straight for Lin Feng's wrist! It looked like a snake, but it was more like a segmented worm that lived in water and was magnified countless times. Its head had no obvious eyes, only concentric rings of sharp, file-like mouthparts that rotated inwards!

This is a double protection! The viper is above, while the strange insect lurks underwater, waiting for its chance to strike!

Lin Feng's hair stood on end. In this life-or-death moment, his potential erupted! He abruptly changed direction, his hand gripping the box turning into a slap, striking the side of the ironwood box hard, causing it to slide a foot to the side, narrowly avoiding the strange insect's mouthparts. At the same time, using the recoil from the slap, he leaned back, his machete flashing upwards, slashing fiercely at the insect's slippery body!

"Pfft!" The blade pierced the flesh, but it was as if it had cut into extremely resilient rubber. The resistance was immense, and it got stuck after only cutting an inch! The strange insect felt the pain and let out a muffled hiss. Its body swung violently, and the enormous force sent Lin Feng and his knife staggering backward several steps, almost falling into the icy dark river!

The ironwood box that was knocked away crashed into the edge of the stone platform with a "bang," and the lid was shaken open with a crack!

In the midst of the chaos, by the faint glow of the dying torches in the distance and the reflection of water caused by the writhing of the strange insect, Lin Feng's gaze inadvertently caught a glimpse of something flashing by through the gap in the open box lid.

It wasn't the secret manual, elixir, or treasure you might imagine.

It was a corner of bright yellow brocade embroidered with a five-clawed golden dragon...?! Although it was only a fleeting glimpse, the unique color and pattern exploded in his mind like a thunderclap! In his memories of his past life and his understanding of this life, this style and pattern belonged to only one thing—an imperial edict! Or, some kind of extremely high-level royal secret order!

What Qin Yaosou wanted was actually this?! What would a herb-gathering old man living in seclusion deep in the mountains need a secret imperial edict from the previous (or current) dynasty for? To save someone? Who could he possibly need this to save?

Countless questions and shocks, like ice water poured over his head, instantly cleared Lin Feng's mind to its absolute limit. At this moment, the strange insect, enraged, perhaps driven only by its instinct to guard the stone platform area, burst its massive body out of the water cave, nearly two zhang long, carrying a foul stench and sewage, and lashed out at him like a giant whip! The vipers above also seemed to be drawn back by the commotion and the stench of blood, and some began to detach from the torches and gather in this direction.

Strange insects loom ahead, vipers rise above, and an underground river lies behind. A true dead end!

A fierce glint flashed in Lin Feng's eyes, and he held nothing back. His left hand darted into his robes with lightning speed, pulled out the medicine pouch given to him by Qin Yaosou, bit open the wax seal with his teeth, and swallowed the red pill that temporarily stimulated his qi and blood. He didn't even have time to chew it before swallowing it whole!

The pill entered his stomach, instantly transforming into a violent, scorching current that exploded! His limbs and bones felt as if they were injected with boiling magma; a surge of power erupted like a volcanic eruption. Even the lingering pain in his left arm wound was instantly suppressed, replaced by an exhilarating and violent urge to tear everything apart! But at the same time, a sharp, piercing pain shot through his brain, his vision turned slightly red, and his ears rang—it was like the side effects of taking a powerful stimulant, overdrawing his life's potential!

"Roar—!" Lin Feng let out a low roar that was not human. Instead of retreating, he advanced and stepped forward to meet the strange insect's body that was pulling at him. He gripped the knife with both hands and poured all his strength, along with the violent blood energy stimulated by the pill, into this one strike!

The glint of the blade shone like a startled swan in the dim cave!

"Snap!!!"

This time, it wasn't the stiffness of cutting into rubber, but a devastating snapping sound! The sharp cleaver, carrying immense force, actually severed the body of the strange worm, as thick as a bowl, in half! A foul-smelling, viscous, dark green fluid gushed out like a fountain, splattering Lin Feng's head and face!

The monstrous insect let out a bloodcurdling scream, its severed body writhing and thrashing wildly, churning the river water into a murky mess. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Lin Feng pushed off with his feet, his body moving like an arrow, and lunged at the stone platform again. He grabbed the ironwood box with the crack in it, didn't even look at it, and stuffed it into his robes. Then he turned and sprinted back towards the passage he had come from!

Behind him, the monstrous insects struggled in their death throes, and the viper shrieked wildly, driven even more mad by the stench of blood. Ignoring all this, Lin Feng pushed his speed to the limit, desperately fleeing through the rugged, slippery cave, following the path he remembered. The power from the red pill was burning and fading rapidly; a stronger sense of weakness and a throbbing pain in his head washed over him like a tidal wave, but he dared not stop, he couldn't stop!

After running for an unknown amount of time, the screeching and stench of blood behind him gradually faded away, and finally, the outline of an upward-sloping path and a tightly closed stone door appeared ahead. Lin Feng used his last bit of strength to rush to the door and, following the method Qin Yaosou had instructed him, pressed several times on a protrusion on one side of the stone door.

"Clatter, clatter, clatter..." The stone door slowly slid open to one side, revealing the flickering firelight inside the cave and several anxious and panicked faces.

"My husband!"

"Brother Lin!"

Yun Yao, Shi Xiu, and Liu Yun cried out in alarm at the same time. They saw Lin Feng covered in blood (mainly the blood of the strange insects and his own cuts), his face as pale as paper, but his eyes were terrifyingly bright. He was clutching a box tightly in his arms, like a demon returning from hell. They were all terrified.

Lin Feng took a step out of the stone gate, but could no longer support himself. His legs went weak, and he fell forward.

A pair of strong arms caught him just in time; it was A-Yue. Her ashen face remained expressionless, but her hand supporting Lin Feng was as steady as a rock. Qin Yaosou also quickly stepped forward, placing his fingers on Lin Feng's pulse and then swiftly examining his wounds. His brows furrowed, especially when he noticed the unusually vigorous yet rapidly declining qi and blood within Lin Feng's body; a look of understanding and gravity flashed in his eyes.

"The medicine... the medicine is causing a backlash... Quick, help him lie down!" Qin Yaosou said urgently, while quickly taking out silver needles from his bosom.

A-Yue and Shi-Xiu quickly helped the nearly exhausted Lin Feng to lie down on the dry grass. Lin Feng's consciousness was already fading, but with the last bit of awareness, he tightly gripped Qin Yaosou's sleeve, took out the ironwood box from his blood-stained bosom, and stuffed it into Qin Yaosou's hand.

Then everything went black, and he completely lost consciousness.

Qin Yaosou took the box, his fingers touching the cold ironwood and a hard object inside, his body trembled almost imperceptibly. He didn't open it immediately, but quickly put the box aside and focused all his efforts on inserting silver needles into several major acupoints around Lin Feng's body. He then fed him a fragrant white pill to stabilize his qi and blood, which were on the verge of collapse due to the backlash from the medicine.

Chaos reigned inside the cave. Yun Yao and the others surrounded the unconscious Lin Feng, crying and calling out to him. Qin Yaosou, on the other hand, focused on providing first aid.

No one noticed that the ironwood box that Qin Yaosou had casually placed aside had its lid slightly ajar due to the earlier tremors and Lin Feng's final insertion. By the flickering firelight within the cave, one could vaguely see that the box was lined with soft, bright yellow silk, and lying quietly on the silk was not a scroll of imperial edict, but a… palm-sized token, neither gold nor jade, with a warm, smooth texture, and carved with a lifelike five-clawed golden dragon coiled among clouds! Beneath the token, there seemed to be a yellowed letter.

The Golden Dragon Token?!