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

The rain seemed endless, stubbornly shrouding the prefecture.

Having dealt with the two "shadow guards," he shouldn't face any pursuers for a while. However, he dared not let his guard down. The Prince of Qi's "shadow guards" were no pushovers; the loss of contact with his colleagues would quickly raise alarm, and a larger-scale search might already be underway. He needed to find the squad leader named Wang Zhen as soon as possible, obtain temporary protection, and also find out Zhou Wenyuan's next move.

The West City Military Command was not the main military camp of the prefecture, but rather a government office responsible for maintaining order in the city, patrolling at night, and arresting thieves. It didn't have much power, but its reach extended deep into the streets and alleys, and it was well-informed. A patrol captain was just a small figure in the deep waters of the prefecture government, but sometimes, even a small figure can play an unexpected role at a crucial moment.

When Lin Feng finally saw the tall, dark outline of Yong'an Gate, which looked particularly solemn in the rainy night, it was already late at night. The city gate had long been closed, and there were faint lights and the figures of patrolling soldiers on the gate tower. Near the city gate was a narrow street, at the entrance of which hung a lantern that swayed precariously in the wind and rain, casting a dim yellow light. Under the lantern was a small shed with a wooden sign that read "Yong'an Gate Night Patrol Station".

It is here.

The shed door was ajar, letting in dim light and faint voices. Lin Feng didn't approach immediately, but instead hid under the eaves of a cluttered shack across the street, observing carefully. There was no one outside the shed, but there seemed to be three or four people inside, talking in hushed tones, interspersed with complaints about the weather and yawns.

He needed to confirm whether Wang Zhen was inside and whether it was safe inside. Barging in directly was too risky.

Lin Feng hesitated for a moment, then picked up a small stone from the ground. With a flick of his wrist, the stone traced an arc and accurately struck the wall diagonally opposite the shed, making a soft "snap" sound.

The conversation inside the shed abruptly stopped.

"Who?" a gruff voice asked warily.

No one answered. Only the sound of rain.

After a brief silence, the shed door was suddenly pushed open, and a man in a uniform, wearing a worn-out raincoat and a knife at his waist, peeked out, looking around. He was about thirty years old, with a square face, thick eyebrows, and eyes that showed the vigilance developed from years of night patrols. His face showed signs of hardship, but he still looked decent. Behind him were two younger soldiers dressed similarly.

"Damn it, was it the wind?" the younger soldier muttered.

The square-faced man didn't speak, his sharp gaze sweeping across the area around the shed, lingering for a moment on the shadow where Lin Feng was hiding, but he didn't seem to find anything unusual. He frowned, about to retreat.

Just then, Lin Feng slowly emerged from the shadows. He didn't try to conceal his footsteps, but his steps were somewhat unsteady, as if he were drunk or injured. He lowered his head, half-covering his face with his sleeve, muttering something indistinctly, and staggered towards the shed.

"Halt! Who goes there? Don't you know it's curfew?" A young soldier immediately gripped the hilt of his sword and shouted sternly.

Lin Feng seemed not to hear him, continuing to stagger forward until he was only five or six steps away from the shed when his legs gave way and he seemed about to fall. At the same time, he whispered in a voice just loud enough for the other person to hear, yet filled with pain, "Master Zhou... Captain Wang... save me..."

Upon hearing the words "Master Zhou," the square-faced man's pupils constricted sharply, his wariness instantly turning into shock and solemnity. He strode forward, supporting Lin Feng who seemed about to collapse, and said in a deep voice to the two soldiers behind him, "He's a drunkard. I know him; he lives nearby. You keep an eye on him. I'll take him inside to sober up. Don't disturb anyone else."

"Yes, Chief Wang." The two soldiers, unsuspecting, responded and retreated back into the shed to keep warm. Clearly, this square-faced man commanded considerable respect from his men.

This man was none other than Wang Zhen.

Wang Zhen helped Lin Feng and quickly carried him into the shed. The shed was very simple, with a broken table, a few benches, a charcoal brazier, and a few raincoats and waist badges hanging on the wall. Two soldiers sat by the charcoal brazier, glancing curiously at Lin Feng, who was being helped in, soaking wet and silent with his head down, but seeing Wang Zhen's serious expression, they didn't dare to ask any questions.

"You two, go outside and keep an eye on things. Be careful, things aren't going to be peaceful tonight," Wang Zhen ordered in a deep voice.

"Yes!" Although the two soldiers were puzzled, they immediately got up, put on their raincoats, and went out to patrol.

Only Wang Zhen and Lin Feng remained in the shed.

Wang Zhen helped Lin Feng to a bench and sat him down. After closing the door, he turned around and carefully examined Lin Feng. In the dim light, he saw Lin Feng's pale and tired face, the bandages faintly visible beneath his soaked cotton robe, and his eyes, though weary, still calm and sharp. This was definitely not the look of a drunkard.

"Who are you? Did Master Zhou send you?" Wang Zhen asked in a low voice, getting straight to the point.

Lin Feng raised his head, met Wang Zhen's scrutinizing gaze, nodded, and took out the token (not a private seal) given to him by Zhou Wenyuan, which represented his identity as the warehouse manager, from his pocket and handed it over. This was the only proof he currently possessed, besides the deadly ledger, that allowed him to directly contact Zhou Wenyuan.

Wang Zhen took the token, examining it carefully several times, even running his fingers along the worn edges to confirm its authenticity. His expression grew even more grave. He returned the token, his gaze sweeping over Lin Feng, lingering particularly on the torn areas of his left arm and the back of his cotton robe: "Are you injured? Are you in trouble?"

"I was bitten by a dog on the way, it's nothing serious," Lin Feng said casually, his voice hoarse. "Master Zhou sent me to find Captain Wang to lay low for a while. The situation is urgent, so I'd appreciate it if Captain Wang could help me out."

"Master Zhou's affairs are my affairs," Wang Zhen said in a deep voice. He walked to the corner of the wall, moved aside a dilapidated wooden cabinet about half a person's height, and behind it was revealed a dark, narrow entrance to a hole, barely wide enough for one person to bend over and pass through! "This is a hiding cellar I dug many years ago, originally to prepare for war. Very few people know about it. You go down and rest first. I'll get some hot water and medicine, and find you some dry clothes. Remember, stay inside. Unless I call you, never come out or make a sound."

Lin Feng looked at the cave and felt somewhat relieved. This Wang Zhen may seem rough and rough, but he is actually meticulous and well-prepared.

"Thank you, Captain Wang." Lin Feng stood up and was about to leave.

"Wait," Wang Zhen called out to him, taking a leather water pouch off his body and pulling out two hard pieces of dry food wrapped in oiled paper, which he stuffed into Lin Feng's hands. "Have something to eat first. I'll be back soon."

Lin Feng said nothing more, took the things, bent down, and crawled into the cave. The entrance wasn't large; inside were sloping earthen steps leading downwards. The air was a bit stuffy, but relatively dry, with no standing water. After descending about seven or eight steps, there was an earthen chamber, about ten feet square and taller than a person. In one corner, some dry grass was laid out, and there was a simple pit made of stones containing some unburnt charcoal ash. On the other side of the earthen chamber, there seemed to be an even narrower passage, its destination unknown. Although simple, it was well-hidden, a good place to hide.

He sat down against the earthen wall, placing his water bag and dry rations aside. His nerves, taut for so long, finally relaxed slightly in this moment of temporary safety. What followed was an overwhelming wave of exhaustion, hunger, and a growing, burning pain in his wounds. He forced himself to endure the discomfort, first taking small sips of water; the cold water slid down his parched throat, bringing a slight comfort. Then he slowly chewed the dry, hard biscuits; though difficult to swallow, they replenished his strength.

After an unknown amount of time, a slight noise came from the entrance of the cave. Lin Feng immediately became alert and gripped the short knife at his waist.

"It's me," Wang Zhen's low voice came. Immediately, a small bundle was passed in through the cave entrance, followed by Wang Zhen himself, who bent down and crawled in. He was carrying a steaming earthenware pot and a small cloth bag.

"It's raining heavily outside, and the brothers on night patrol are all taking shelter in the sheds, so no one's paying attention." Wang Zhen placed the earthenware jar on the ground, opened the small cloth bag, inside were clean strips of cloth, a jar of wound medicine, and a set of slightly worn, starched, stiffened soldier's uniform. "This is hot water, clean cloth, and wound medicine. The uniform is my old one; change into it first, it'll cover it up a bit. Is your injury serious? Should I find a doctor I know to take a look?"

"No need, it's just a superficial wound, I can handle it myself," Lin Feng said, thanking him and taking the items.

After treating his wounds, he changed back into his dark gray soldier's uniform.

Wang Zhen watched silently from the side, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. Lin Feng's movements in treating the wound were skilled and steady, clearly not the first time he had done this. Although the uniform he was wearing didn't fit properly, his fierce and capable demeanor was completely different from that of ordinary soldiers, more like... those battle-hardened veterans of the border army.

"Brother, judging from your skills and demeanor, you're no ordinary person," Wang Zhen couldn't help but whisper.

"Don't worry, stay here. I'll keep an eye on things outside. I'll bring you food and drink on time. But..." He hesitated for a moment, then said in a low voice, "Things are really tense in the city lately. The Di and Rong tribes to the north are causing a ruckus. I heard there are spies infiltrated the city, and the military and state troops have increased patrols and are checking people day and night. Even though you're wearing different uniforms, you're a stranger. What if you go out and get spotted..."

"I won't go out," Lin Feng said. "I'll stay here. If anyone asks, Captain Wang will say that I'm your cousin from the countryside, here to seek a living, and I'm staying here temporarily."

"Okay, that's settled then." Wang Zhen nodded. "By the way, what should I call you, brother?"

"My surname is Lin, and my given name is Feng." Lin Feng did not hide anything.

"Brother Lin," Wang Zhen clasped his hands in greeting, "You rest first, I'll go up and keep watch. It's almost dawn, after the shift ends I'll get you some hot food."

Thank you for your trouble.

Wang Zhen said no more, turned around and climbed the steps, then moved the wooden cabinet back to its original place, blocking the entrance to the hole.

Silence returned to the cellar, broken only by the faint steam rising from the hot water in the earthenware pot and Lin Feng's own calm breathing.