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

Zhao Li watched this scene, his mind racing. Lin Feng was forcing him to take a stand. Either join forces to eliminate Cao Wuyong and completely break with the Privy Council; or… execute Lin Feng and Cao Wuyong together and plead guilty to the court.

"Lin Feng," Zhao Li said in a deep voice, "if you behead this corrupt official now, the Privy Council will definitely designate you as an accomplice. You can't escape."

"I don't need to escape." Lin Feng slightly turned his blade, drawing a line of blood on Cao Wuyong's neck. "I only want the truth. Lord Cao, I'll ask you one more time: Did you write the letter? Did Commander Zhao plot a rebellion?"

Cold sweat trickled down Cao Wuyong's forehead and into his eyes, the stinging pain making it almost impossible for him to open them. He sensed the genuine killing intent emanating from Lin Feng—this man would truly dare to kill him, as easily as crushing an ant.

"It...it was me who wrote it!" Cao Wuyong cried out in despair, "It was the Privy Council's doing! They thought Zhao Li was in their way and wanted to use you to get rid of him, and then use the barbarians to get rid of you! It was all the Privy Council's doing! I'm not lying! General Lin, spare my life!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Li trembled with rage and abruptly stood up: "What a Privy Council! What a corrupt official!"

Lin Feng sheathed his sword and said to Zhao Li, "Lord Zhao, you heard that. The framing is true. Now, we're in the same boat."

Zhao Li slumped back into his chair, looking as if he had aged ten years in an instant. He waved his hand weakly and said, "What do you want to do?"

"It's very simple," Lin Feng said. "Cao Wuyong cannot die, at least not now. He is a witness."

"Then what should we do?"

"Write a memorial and send it to the capital by express courier," Lin Feng calmly instructed. "Say that you received a secret report that Cao Wuyong, an official in the Privy Council, colluded with foreign enemies to frame a border general and intend to disrupt the northern border. You have already captured him and retrieved the military tally, and are now making every effort to prepare for war to prevent the barbarians from taking advantage of the situation."

Zhao Li frowned: "Can this fool the imperial court?"

"We can't fool them, but we can buy them time." Lin Feng looked at him. "It takes the imperial court at least half a month to respond to a memorial. That half month is our time."

"What are we going to do?"

"Train the troops." A fierce glint flashed in Lin Feng's eyes. "Since the Privy Council wants to use the barbarians, then we'll strike first. While the barbarians think we're in internal strife, let's catch them off guard! Let's use a great victory to shut the Privy Council up and prove to the court that the Northern Frontier cannot do without Zhao Li, nor can it do without me, Lin Feng!"

Zhao Li remained silent for a long time before finally letting out a long breath.

"Alright! As you wish!" Zhao Li stood up abruptly, his gaze sharpening once more. "Men! Throw this corrupt official into the death row! Lin Feng, come with me. We need to carefully consider how to fight this battle!"

At the training grounds of Cangyun Pass, the snow was trampled into mud, and tens of thousands of pairs of military boots trod over it, creating a dull echo.

Lin Feng stood on the command platform, his gaze sweeping over the dark mass of troops below. Although Zhao Li had many former subordinates, their commands were inconsistent, and factions were numerous. If they couldn't be quickly molded into a cohesive unit, their fighting strength would be completely unleashed.

"Lord Zhao," Lin Feng's voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly throughout the entire area, "the quality of an army is more important than its quantity. Your army, which claims to number 100,000, has 30% of its soldiers living off paychecks. The majority are old and weak; only the rest are truly capable of fighting."

Zhao Li stood beside him, his face ashen. This was a public humiliation, but he endured it.

"Then what's your opinion?" Zhao Li asked through gritted teeth.

"Dismissal." Lin Feng uttered only one word. "The rest, those who wish to stay will be incorporated into the military settlements; those who do not wish to stay will be given travel expenses to go home. Anyone who dares to cause trouble will be executed."

Before the words were even finished, an uproar erupted in the army. Serving as a soldier and receiving a salary was a matter of course; who would want to go and farm?

"Silence!" Zhao Li had no choice but to step forward, his voice booming, "General Lin is an imperial envoy, concurrently in charge of military affairs. What he says is my will! Anyone who objects will be dealt with according to military law!"

Over the next three days, Lin Feng acted swiftly and decisively. He reviewed all military rosters and conducted a thorough investigation of each camp. Captains who were receiving salaries without working were dismissed, and the elderly, weak, and disabled were forcibly removed from their posts.

With that one strike, the army was reduced to only 18,000, but those who remained were all strong and vigorous, their eyes no longer showing the laziness of those who had been wasting their days.

"Now, let's practice the formation." Lin Feng began the real training.

He instilled the "small but sophisticated, highly coordinated" tactics of Ironwall City into him.

On the training ground, shouts of battle filled the air.

Zhao Li stood on the high platform, watching with mixed feelings. He had to admit that Lin Feng's training methods, though ruthless, were surprisingly effective. This originally loose border defense force had, in just ten days, begun to resemble the Iron Wall Battalion.

At dusk that day, Su Xuanji hurriedly entered the tent.

"Commander, there's movement." Su Xuanji placed a secret letter on the table. "The Privy Council has become suspicious after Cao Wuyong disappeared for several days. This is a barbarian messenger we just intercepted. They are gathering their forces and preparing to march south."

"Perfect timing." Lin Feng sneered, slamming the secret letter on the table. "How's Zhao Li doing?"

"As for Lord Zhao..." Su Xuanji paused, "He has secretly transferred many of his confidants to key positions in the army, which suggests that he doesn't completely trust you."

"That's normal." Lin Feng stood up, put on his armor, and said, "He's afraid I'll take over his fortune. If I were in his position, I would feel the same way."

"And what about us?"

"We have to help him, and help ourselves too." Lin Feng drew his Broken Mountain Blade, its blade gleaming coldly in the candlelight. "Order Xu Tiande to lead three thousand troops to break camp in three days. We'll go together to 'Wild Fox Ridge' and join forces."

Wild Fox Ridge, the north wind whips the ground, and the pebbles are as sharp as knives.

Lin Feng reined in his horse atop the ridge, looking down. In the valley, the 30,000 barbarian cavalry advanced slowly as expected, their banners obscuring the sun, and the dust kicked up by their hooves blotting out half the sky.

"Commander, can we really rely on Zhao Li's men?" Xu Tiande rode closer. The three thousand elite Iron Wall Battalion soldiers he brought were on the left flank, and everyone remained silent, with only the white breath exhaled by their warhorses condensing in the cold wind.

"Whether you can rely on them or not, you have to." Lin Feng's voice was cold and hard, but his gaze swept across the right flank like a hawk. There, Zhao Li's five thousand heavy infantry had formed a tight square formation, with long spears like a forest, but the restless unease emanating from the formation could not escape Lin Feng's eyes.

Su Xuanji, dressed in a neat and tidy outfit, rode up to Lin Feng's side and handed him a scroll of parchment: "Commander, the barbarian left-wing light cavalry has passed 'Wolf Fang Road,' and the main force on the right wing is still three miles away from our ambush zone."

Lin Feng raised his head and looked up at the sky. The leaden-gray clouds hung low, and a heavy snow was about to fall.

"Pass on the order." Lin Feng's voice was clear and cold in the wind. "Xu Tiande on the left flank, take three thousand light cavalry and cut off the barbarians' retreat after my central army engages the enemy. Zhao's troops on the right flank, hold the 'One Line Sky' pass to the death. Without my order, they are not allowed to retreat an inch!"

"Yes!" The messenger rushed off.

Lin Feng drew his Broken Mountain Blade, its blade gleaming with a ghostly blue aura of death in the dim light of the day.

"The entire central army, dismount. Form the 'Iron Wall Formation'."