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

"Your Majesty, I will certainly not fail in your trust!" Lin Feng's voice was firm and resolute.

Holding the secret decree, Lin Feng immediately began making arrangements as he left the palace.

All the city's spies and informants were mobilized to search for any clues about whether Prince Lin and his confidants might be hiding or have escaped.

However, as night fell again, Prince Lin and his core followers seemed to have vanished into thin air, leaving no trace whatsoever. Although there were voices within the palace, according to reports from the infiltrators of the Duan Yue Guard, most of the main courtyards were empty, leaving only servants and insignificant relatives. Prince Lin, his heir, several of his most important advisors and generals, along with some elite guards, had disappeared without a trace.

"They must have started preparing to evacuate before we acted, or even at the very beginning of the Boguzhai incident," Bai Xiaohe analyzed. "There are secret passages in the Prince's mansion that we don't know about, leading out of the city. Or, they may have broken up into smaller groups and slipped away in the daily flow of people entering and leaving the city."

Lin Feng stood before the city defense map of the capital, his face grim. He knew Bai Xiaohe was right. Prince Lin had managed the capital for decades; he was a cunning man with multiple escape routes. How could he not have prepared an escape route?

"Focus on investigating the northwest direction." Lin Feng traced his finger across the map. "If he wants to escape, the best direction is back to his northern fiefdom, or to join up with 'Crimson Abyss' or the Crimson Feather Tribe."

"Furthermore," a glint of light flashed in Lin Feng's eyes, "that batch of 'sacrificial supplies' transported from Yongshun Escort Agency is very likely related to Prince Lin's escape route, and even the sacrificial site of 'Crimson Abyss.' Finding that shipment might lead us to Prince Lin, and perhaps even to 'Dragonfall Valley'!"

"Pass down the order: Zhao Qi will be in charge of the search and arrest of Lin Wang's remaining followers in the capital, and the elimination of his forces. Xiao He, you come with me. Gather one hundred elite Duan Yue Guards, and tomorrow morning, we'll leave the city and head northwest in pursuit!"

Before dawn, the city gates were just opening.

Lin Feng, Bai Xiaohe, and one hundred elite, hand-picked, fully armed guards of the Duan Yue Guard sped out of the capital's Anding Gate like arrows, racing along the northwest official road. The men were gagged, the horses' bells were removed, and only the rapid sound of hooves pounding the morning frost echoed across the empty road.

Chen Heng and several scouts skilled in tracking led the way. They had set off half an hour earlier and were carefully surveying the route.

"Commander," Chen Heng reined in his horse at the first ten-mile pavilion. "There are fresh wheel tracks here, hastily covered up, but heading northwest. The wheels are spaced far apart, indicating a heavy load, which matches the characteristics of the 'merchant' caravan that disappeared from Yongshun Escort Agency."

Lin Feng dismounted and crouched down to carefully examine the cart tracks and mud marks. "That's right. Northwest direction. Are they heading towards Fulong Ridge, or are they trying to detour somewhere else? Keep chasing!"

The team set off again, this time at a faster pace. Every so often along the way, the scouts discovered subtle clues, and even found the embers of a campfire that had not been completely extinguished by a stream, the ashes still warm.

"They're not far ahead! Speed ​​up!" Lin Feng's spirits lifted. Prince Lin had fled in haste, carrying his family, confidants, and possibly vital supplies; his speed was certainly slower than their elite, lightly armed cavalry. Catching up was only a matter of time.

However, after chasing for about fifty li, a fork in the road appeared ahead. One road continued northwest, leading towards Fulong Ridge; the other turned due west, leading to another county in Longxi.

The scouts reported: "There are fresh tracks of carriages and horses on both roads, but it seems that riders have just returned from the western route and joined up with the northwestern route group."

"Did they split their forces? Or is it just a feint?" Bai Xiaohe frowned.

Lin Feng's sharp gaze swept over the two roads. The northwest road led to Fulong Ridge. The western road, however, led to counties and towns, making it easier to blend in and hide. Prince Lin, being cunning and calculating, was likely using this as a ruse.

"Chen Heng, you take thirty men and search along the western route for ten miles. If you find nothing, turn back immediately and rejoin us along the northwest route," Lin Feng ordered. "The rest of you, continue pursuing along the northwest route! Watch out for any side paths or mountain trails along the way that you can use to detour or hide!"

"yes!"

The team split into two groups. Lin Feng led the main force, continuing their pursuit along the northwest official road. The terrain gradually undulated, and the official road wound its way through the mountains. After chasing for another twenty li, they came to a treacherous place called "Eagle's Beak Ravine," a ravine between two mountains, with the official road passing through the bottom of the ravine and steep cliffs on both sides.

"Slow down, be on guard!" Lin Feng raised his hand to signal. The terrain here was extremely easy to ambush.

The group slowed their pace, and scouts went out to investigate. Just as they approached the mouth of the ravine, a sharp whistle suddenly rang out from ahead!

"Whoosh—smack!"

A whistling arrow, carrying a mournful cry, struck the rock in front of the scout's horse, exploding into a cloud of red smoke!

Immediately afterwards, dozens of figures suddenly stood up on the cliffs on both sides of Eagle Beak Ravine! They were dressed in tight black clothes similar to those of the Ghost Market assassins, with hideous ghost masks on their faces, and powerful bows and crossbows in their hands, gleaming coldly in the morning light, all aimed at Lin Feng and his group below!

"There's an ambush!" Bai Xiaohe shouted sharply, her soft sword already drawn.

"You scum from the Crimson Abyss!" Lin Feng's eyes flashed with killing intent, and his Broken Mountain Blade was instantly drawn. "Form a circular formation! Shieldbearers on the outside, archers and crossbowmen, prepare!"

The Duan Yue Guards were well-trained and instantly changed formation, raising layers of giant shields to protect the men and horses in the middle, while archers nocked their arrows and sought firing angles.

However, the enemy had the advantage of terrain, being on higher ground, and their arrows covered a very wide area.

"Fire!" A hoarse, stern shout came from the top of the cliff.

"Whoosh whoosh-!"

Arrows rained down like locusts! Most were blocked by the shields, making a dull thud, but a few arrows with tricky angles struck the formation, immediately eliciting muffled groans and the alarmed neighs of warhorses!

"Fight back!" Lin Feng roared.

The archers of Duan Yue Guard fired arrows through the gaps in their shields to retaliate, but shooting from below was difficult and had limited effect.

"We can't be trapped here!" Lin Feng's eyes darted around, and he noticed that although the cliff face on the left was steep, it wasn't impossible to climb, and there were some vegetation and protruding rocks that could provide cover. "Xiao He, you take twenty men, use grappling hooks and grappling hooks to sneak up the left cliff face and take out their archers! I'll lead a feint attack from the front to draw their fire!"

"Yes!" Bai Xiaohe did not hesitate. She gathered twenty agile Duan Yue guards, took out grappling hooks, and, using shields and rocks as cover, quickly moved to the left cliff face.

Lin Feng roared and leaped off his horse, shield in one hand and sword in the other, charging towards the entrance of Eagle's Beak Gorge! He wanted to buy Bai Xiaohe time and space to climb!

"Protect the defense!" Seeing this, the remaining Duan Yue Guards were filled with righteous indignation. They dismounted and formed a tight charging formation. Braving the rain of arrows, they launched a fierce attack on the ravine entrance!

The rain of arrows from the cliff top intensified, interspersed with powerful crossbow bolts and rolling logs and rocks! Guards of the Broken Mountain Guards fell one after another, struck by arrows, but no one retreated; their formation remained steadfast as they advanced forward!

Lin Feng wielded his shield with impenetrable skill, deflecting arrows and moving like a cheetah through the rocks, quickly approaching the mouth of the ravine.

He spotted a gap in the arrows' movement and suddenly hurled his shield forward, knocking down an archer who was leaning out to fire. At the same time, he pushed off with his feet and soared into the air like a bird, climbing several meters up the steep ravine. He grabbed a hanging vine and used it to leap up again!