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

After a full day of arduous trekking through mud, exhaustion, and anxiety, as the last rays of the setting sun were swallowed by the undulating, dark shadows of the mountains, the tattered convoy of supplies finally arrived at its destination—Black Wind Valley.

Li, the squad leader, jumped off the vehicle.

He said to a soldier beside him, "Send the signal! Do as instructed!"

The soldier nodded, took out a specially made whistling arrow from his pocket, nocked it on his bow, and shot it sharply into the sky above the valley!

"Whoosh—Bang!"

A sharp whistle pierced the silence of the valley, followed by a burst of not-so-bright, but noticeable, red flame in mid-air.

A moment later, several lights suddenly appeared deep in the valley! The lights moved and increased rapidly, soon forming a line that meandered towards the valley entrance.

The firelight drew closer, and by its flickering light, one could see more than ten men carrying torches, dressed in the simple clothes of ordinary mountain dwellers or hunters, yet possessing agile physiques and sharp eyes. The leader, about forty years old, had a square face, thick eyebrows, and piercing eyes, with a short beard. He wasn't particularly burly, but his gait was steady, and his demeanor exuded a fierce and imposing aura, yet unlike the rigid formality of soldiers, he possessed a rugged and capable air, mixed with an indescribable, seasoned calm. He carried a thick-backed machete at his waist and a large bow on his back.

Seeing the disheveled convoy, resembling a fleeing group, the leading man frowned slightly. His gaze quickly swept across the crowd, finally settling on Chen Xi, who was being protected by A Yue. He paused for a moment, then clasped his hands in a fist salute to Squad Leader Li, his voice booming: "Is this Squad Leader Li? You must be tired from your journey! I am Zhou Kui, and I have been waiting here for a long time on orders."

"An order from above?" Squad Leader Li was visibly taken aback. His instructions were from Han Kun to deliver the man to Black Wind Valley, where someone would naturally meet him. He hadn't expected the contact to remain anonymous, only referred to as "an order from above." However, he reacted quickly. Seeing that the other party could use the code and had brought men, he hurriedly returned the greeting: "Brother Zhou! We've been waiting for you!"

The convoy slowly started again, following Zhou Kui and the others, and drove into Black Wind Valley.

The valley appeared wider than it seemed from the outside, yet it remained winding and deep. The torchlight cast huge, swaying shadows from the mountain walls on either side, adding to the mystery and oppressive atmosphere.

After walking for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the view suddenly opened up, revealing a relatively flat valley. Following the contours of the mountainside, dozens of low, simple, but seemingly sturdy mud-brick and wooden houses were built, some with smoke rising from their chimneys. Around the houses, simple walls and watchtowers were constructed from large logs and stones, with figures faintly visible on them standing guard. Piles of timber and hay were scattered in the open space, along with several patches of sandy ground clearly used for martial arts practice. This place didn't resemble an ordinary mountain village; it was more like a…hidden camp or fortified stronghold, exuding an air of orderly yet isolated presence. What particularly caught Chen Xi and A Yue's attention was the subtle, almost instinctive, tacit understanding and discipline in the movements and steps of the "mountain people" as they moved and stood guard. Even a casual glance or gesture revealed their well-trained discipline.

"We've arrived." Zhou Kui stopped and turned to Squad Leader Li, saying, "Squad Leader Li, please make arrangements for these people."

Then he looked at Chen tide and A Yue, nodded to them, and spoke in a slightly gentler tone than before, but still maintained a businesslike distance: "Ladies, you must have been frightened on your journey. Please come with me; we have prepared accommodations for you here."

Chen tide and A Yue exchanged a glance, their suspicions deepening. The "order" Zhou Kui spoke of, this clearly extraordinary stronghold, these unusually capable "mountain people"... everything pointed to one conclusion: the mysterious black-clad female warrior Ye Qingli, who had intervened at the dilapidated temple last night and claimed to have "seen injustice," likely possessed an identity and power far exceeding their previous expectations. This place was very likely one of Ye Qingli's secret strongholds, and these "mountain people" were probably no ordinary bandits.

We are on guard, but we have no other choice at the moment.

The two silently followed Zhou Kui toward a row of relatively isolated wooden houses deep in the valley, near the mountain wall.

Pushing open the door, you enter a small room, simply furnished but clean and tidy. There's a bed, a table, two chairs, and a charcoal brazier in the corner, its roaring fire dispelling the chill in the room. On the table are a rough earthenware teapot and bowls, and two plates of steaming hot, freshly made vegetable pancakes.

"The conditions are basic, please make do for now, ladies." Zhou Kui stood at the door without going in. "Someone will bring hot water and a change of clothes later. Please rest and have something to eat. The higher-ups instructed you to stay here without worry and not to worry about anything outside."

"Up there..." Chen tide couldn't help but ask tentatively, "Is it the one who helped us in the dilapidated temple last night..."

Zhou Kui glanced at her, a knowing glint in his eyes, but his tone remained calm as he interrupted her question: "Don't ask what you shouldn't ask. You'll know what you need to know. Since you two are here, you are guests. Please settle in comfortably. If you need anything, just ring the bell at the door, and someone will come. I'll go take care of things outside."

After saying that, he turned and left, closing the door behind him.

Only Chen tide and A Yue remained in the room.

"Sister Yue, over here..." Chen tide walked to the window and carefully observed the outside through the hole in the window paper. The torchlight flickered in the valley, and figures moved about in an orderly fashion. "They're definitely not simple. Their mannerisms are somewhat like... elite soldiers, but with a touch of江湖 (jianghu, the martial arts world) spirit."

"Hmm." A-Yue walked to the table, picked up a vegetable pancake, smelled it, broke it open to examine it carefully, and even tasted a crumb with her fingertip to confirm it was normal before handing it to Chen Xi. "Ye Qingli... is much more cunning than we thought. This place is both a hideout and a lair. Eat your fill first and recover your strength."

Chen tide took the pancake and ate it in small bites, but her heart was in turmoil.

Ye Qingli's two interventions, seemingly acts of assistance, yet are shrouded in mystery. Her ability to mobilize such a well-established and highly skilled secret hideout suggests an unfathomable background. Is she someone from the imperial court? Or the leader of some vast, clandestine organization? Why did she save me and arrange for me to come here? Was it genuine righteous indignation, or… something else entirely, perhaps even related to the mysterious Golden Dragon Token?

About an hour later, footsteps sounded again outside the door. Zhou Kui's voice rang out: "Ladies, is it convenient for us to talk?"

Chen tide and A Yue exchanged a glance, and Chen tide said, "Brother Zhou, please come in."

Zhou Kui pushed the door open and came in, carrying a small cloth bag. He closed the door behind him, walked to the table, sat down, and placed the bag on the table.

"Thank you for taking us in." Chen tide asked tentatively, "How long will we sisters be staying here? Are there any other instructions from above?"

"When it's time to leave, you'll be allowed to go. As for the orders..." Zhou Kui paused, his gaze sharpening as he looked at Chen Xi, "The higher-ups only instructed me to meet you, without providing any details. However..." He paused again, his tone becoming serious, "Black Wind Valley has its own rules. Now that you're here, you must abide by them."

"Brother Zhou, please speak."

"First, you are free to move about in the valley, but you must not leave it without permission, especially not approach the forbidden area behind the mountain or the important warehouses on the east and west sides. Second, the people in the valley all have different backgrounds; do not inquire or speak too much. Third, in case of external enemies or emergencies, you must obey unified orders and not act on your own. Fourth," he gave Chen Xi a special look, "if you are carrying anything special, you must keep it safe. Unless absolutely necessary, you must not show it to anyone or tell anyone about it." This last point was pointed, making Chen tide's heart skip a beat.

"We've noted it down and will certainly abide by it," Chen tide quickly replied. These rules were reasonable, especially the fourth one, which seemed to imply that "the higher-ups" knew she possessed something important? Had Ye Qingli told him?

"Hmm." Zhou Kui's expression softened slightly, and he pushed the small cloth bag on the table in front of Chen tide. "This was left for you. She said you'll understand once you've seen it."

What was left for her above?

Ye Qingli?

Chen tide's heart stirred slightly, and she picked up the cloth bag. It wasn't heavy. She opened it, and inside was no letter, only a simple, antique-looking, warm-to-the-touch blue jade pendant. On the front of the pendant was a complex rune that she couldn't understand, and on the back was a small, arrow-shaped indentation—somewhat similar to the arrow mark on Zhou Wenyuan's "Mysterious Iron Token" that she had seen on the scraps of paper in Cui Liu Lane, but even more ancient and mysterious! Beside the jade pendant was a seemingly ordinary ebony hairpin, but with its end sharpened to an extremely sharp point.

Is this... a keepsake? Or some kind of hint? Why would Ye Qingli give her this?

"They said to keep the jade pendant safe, it might come in handy someday. And the hairpin for self-defense," Zhou Kui added, a fleeting, enigmatic look in his eyes. "She also told me to pass on a message to you: 'To see things clearly through the fog, one must be calm. A sword in its sheath is ready to be drawn at the right time.'"

To see flowers through the mist requires a calm mind. A sword in its sheath has its time to be drawn. Is this a signal for her to wait patiently and not act rashly? Or is it an implication that the time is not yet ripe and she needs to be patient? What does "sword in its sheath" refer to? Is it the golden dragon token in her possession? Or something else?

"Pack your things." Zhou Kui stood up. "I'll let you know if there's any news. Get some rest."

After Zhou Kui left, the room fell silent again. The crackling charcoal fire provided warmth, but it couldn't dispel the heavy fog in Chen tide's heart.

Chen tide and A Yue lay down.

At least for tonight, they have a seemingly safe, but actually turbulent, place to stay.