The aroma of wine and meat in the hall had not yet dissipated when piercing screams, like knives, suddenly ripped through the night sky.

"What's going on?!" Zhang, the leader, slammed the wine bowl in his hand to the ground. The fat on his face twitched, and his previously loose eyelids suddenly lifted, revealing a pair of triangular eyes like those of a venomous snake.

The bandit leader reacted swiftly, overturning the wooden table in front of him, drawing his dagger from his waist, and roaring, "Damn it, you dare to mess with me! Brothers, grab your weapons!"

In an instant, chaos erupted in the hall. Dozens of henchmen hurriedly grabbed their weapons and, following their two leaders, charged menacingly toward the wooden hut.

However, before they could rush into the yard, the door of the wooden house was kicked open from the inside with a loud bang.

The woman who claimed she wanted to "change her surname" walked out step by step, carrying a steel knife that was still dripping blood. Under the light, her face was as cold as ice.

Behind her, her younger sister followed closely behind, also carrying a knife, her eyes equally lifeless.

"These...these two women..." A bandit stammered as he looked at the corpses scattered on the ground and backed away.

Leader Zhang narrowed his eyes, sizing up the two sisters. His initial greed turned into fear, then into ruthlessness: "So, they're wolves in sheep's clothing! Why am I still worried about that horse? These hot beauties should be captured, locked up in the torture chamber, and enjoyed slowly!"

"Go! Chop it into mincemeat!" the bandit leader ordered.

Seven or eight daring bandits brandished their knives and guns and pounced on them.

The woman moved with surprising speed, advancing instead of retreating! She used a plum blossom step, and the steel knife in her hand transformed into a silver arc. With a few muffled "thuds," the wrists of the two bandits at the forefront felt a chill, their weapons fell to the ground, and then a line of blood spurted from their throats as they fell straight down.

The younger sister was even more cunning; petite in stature, she specialized in attacking the lower body. A flash of blade, a scream, and two more fell to the ground, unable to get up.

In the blink of an eye, eight more people lost their lives.

The remaining henchmen were terrified, none daring to take another step forward. These two women were no human; they were demons crawling out of hell!

"You've got some skills." Leader Zhang chuckled sinisterly, drawing a pair of water-splitting daggers from his waist—his signature weapons wielded throughout his years of experience in the martial world. "Looks like I'll have to get serious."

The bandit leader also got into position, with two men flanking the two sisters.

Lin Feng, who was on the rooftop, could see clearly. He whispered to Bai Xiaohe, "These two are experts, especially that skinny old man. His aura is steady, and he's a tough opponent."

Before he finished speaking, Zhang, the leader, made his move.

He moved like a giant gecko, skimming the ground, his spear aimed straight for his sister's lower body. The bandit leader, meanwhile, leaped into the air and slashed down powerfully at his younger sister.

The two sisters stood back to back, yet remained perfectly composed. The elder sister's swordsmanship was powerful and unrestrained, using brute force to overcome skill and forcefully blocking Zhang's treacherous attacks; the younger sister, like a butterfly flitting among flowers, moved nimbly through the flashing blades, narrowly avoiding fatal blows several times.

The group fought fiercely, and for a time it was difficult to determine a winner.

Suddenly, Zhang, the leader, let out a strange cry and used his Water-Splitting Spear to release a handful of foul-smelling poison powder!

Caught off guard, the older sister's vision blurred, and she paused slightly in her steps.

In that instant! A sharp glint flashed in Zhang's eyes, and the Water-Splitting Dagger shot out like a venomous dragon emerging from its lair, aiming straight for his sister's heart!

"Watch out!" Bai Xiaohe on the roof couldn't help but exclaim.

In the nick of time, the younger sister suddenly abandoned defense and launched an attack, crashing into Zhang's back and plunging her knife into his heart. This was a suicidal tactic!

Leader Zhang had no choice but to retreat and dodged with a lazy roll. Although he avoided a fatal blow, his left arm was slashed open with a deep gash that exposed the bone.

Just then, the bandit leader swung his sword at nothing, striking a wooden pillar, where the blade got stuck and he couldn't pull it out.

The two sisters would not let this opportunity slip by.

With a flash, the younger sister's knife had already slit the bandit leader's neck. The leader's eyes widened, he clutched his bleeding throat, and collapsed to the ground with a thud.

Seeing this, Chief Zhang was terrified. He knew he had bitten off more than he could chew and turned to run to the back of the hall.

"Trying to leave?"

The older sister snorted coldly, pushed off with her feet, and caught up with him in a few leaps. Leader Zhang, in his panic, rushed into the backyard, but suddenly stopped in his tracks.

On the guillotine in the backyard, a person was already standing there.

Dressed in all black with a cold and stern face, it was Lin Feng.

Before Chief Zhang could react, Lin Feng drew his sword and precisely pierced Chief Zhang's forehead.

The gaunt old man froze on the spot, the light in his eyes quickly fading, and he collapsed heavily to the ground.

The remaining dozens of bandits looked at the two pillars lying on the ground, then at the sister covered in blood, who looked like a god of death, and then at the mysterious young man in black in the backyard.

The swords in his hands felt incredibly heavy, and he could no longer lift them.

"Let's...drop the weapons."

Someone shouted it out.

"Clang, clang..."

A piece of metal made a crisp sound as it hit the ground.

Dozens of bandits knelt on the ground, trembling, their previous arrogance completely gone.

The woman, leaning on her knife, surveyed the surroundings, her voice hoarse yet carrying an undeniable authority: "From this day forward, I'm in charge of Black Wind Stronghold. Anyone with objections, step forward."

No one answered.

Only the howling wind through the mountains and forests, and the heavy breathing of the survivors could be heard.

Bai Xiaohe and Su Xuanji also emerged from the shadows, flanking Lin Feng. Xie Wanqing silently walked over to the trembling female prisoners, checking them for injuries.

"Who are you?" The younger sister looked at Lin Feng, her voice trembling slightly, but mostly filled with confusion.

"Lin Feng, garrison commander of Cangyun Pass." He announced his name directly, his voice firm and resolute. "I don't care who you are, or what you want to do in Black Wind Stronghold. I only ask one question: are you killing bandits for revenge, or to find a way to survive in this chaotic world?"

The older sister bit her lip, gripping the knife handle tighter. She looked into Lin Feng's eyes, where there was no feigned pity, only a sharp, all-seeing insight.

"Revenge." She finally spoke, her voice hoarse and filled with deep-seated hatred. "My father is Ling Xiaotian, the chief镖头 (bodyguard/escort) of the 'Flying Cloud Escort Agency'."

Upon hearing the name, Su Xuanji raised an eyebrow and whispered to Lin Feng, "I've heard of him. Three years ago, he was a renowned镖师 (bodyguard/escort) in the north, his 'Thirty-Six Subduing Waves Blades' were virtually unmatched. How come he's also become 'goods' for the border army?"

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