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

The successful ambush in Wolf Valley made Lin Feng's name known throughout the Beacon Fire Camp and even the neighboring Iron Wall Camp. But in the war-torn border region, no one can rest on their laurels for too long.

After only five days of rest, a new mission arrived. This time, it wasn't a small-scale ambush or garrison, but rather a coordinated operation with the main force of the Iron Wall Battalion to eliminate a small fortified camp called "Vulture Fortress," a forward stronghold where the Di Rong had been frequently active recently.

The Vulture Fortress is located in a strategic location between two mountains. It is garrisoned by about two hundred Di Rong soldiers and guards a vital road leading to the heart of the Di Rong territory. They frequently send out scouts to harass the Yan army's supply lines and border residents, making it a thorn in the side of the Yan army.

The Iron Wall Battalion deployed two main teams, approximately three hundred men, for the main attack. The Beacon Fire Battalion was tasked with sending elite squads to maintain perimeter security, cut off potential reinforcements, and provide flanking support and harassment should the main attack falter. This mission was risky, but also rewarding—outstanding performance would earn them a substantial share of the credit in addition to the main attack's success.

Han Yingzheng personally selected the best men and assigned this task to the Seventh Company, which had been the most outstanding and composed recently, with Zhang Kui and Lin Feng leading the team together.

"Vulture Fortress is easy to defend but difficult to attack; a direct assault would result in heavy casualties. Your mission is primarily to contain and block reinforcements, acting according to circumstances. Do not be reckless, nor should you be afraid of battle," Han Yingzheng explained very clearly.

"Understood!" Zhang Kui and Lin Feng accepted the order.

The atmosphere in the Seventh Barracks was heavy the night before departure. This time, it was a direct attack on the stronghold, far more dangerous than previous ambushes and defenses.

Lin Feng carefully inspected each piece of equipment. Iron-backed bow, fine arrows, spare ordinary arrows, a sharpened knife, reinforced leather armor, water pouches, dry rations, tinderbox, ropes... He categorized and placed whatever he might need, ensuring it was readily available. His special operations habits from his previous life made him far more reliant on and familiar with his equipment than the average person.

"Deputy Squad Leader Lin, this time... are we sure we can pull through?" Li Gou'er asked somewhat uneasily. He had fought two victories with Lin Feng before, which had emboldened him considerably, but he was still a little apprehensive about a battle of this scale.

"Remember what we taught in training: stick close to the squad leader and me, and look out for each other. Our mission isn't a frontal assault, but to be sharp-eyed and ruthless, waiting for the right opportunity to strike." Lin Feng's voice was calm, carrying a reassuring strength.

Zhang Kui chimed in, encouraging them, "What's there to be afraid of! Our Seventh Platoon is strong and well-equipped now, and we have a sharpshooter like Deputy Platoon Leader Lin. As long as we don't make any foolish mistakes, we're sure to get our share of credit!"

The next day, the 79th men (the same organization as before, without any replacements) set off ahead of time. Under the cover of darkness before dawn, they quietly sneaked to their designated location on the outskirts of Vulture Fortress—a high point in the mountains overlooking the side and rear path of the fortress.

Looking from above, Vulture Fortress was built against the mountain, with walls constructed of logs and stones, and an arrow tower. Only a steep mountain path led to the fortress gate, making its location truly treacherous. At this time, as dawn broke, smoke was already rising from inside the fortress, and figures could be vaguely seen moving about.

Soon, the main force of the Iron Wall Battalion, led by Captain Hu, appeared in the open area in front of the fortress, began to form ranks, create momentum, and attract the attention of the defending troops.

The battle officially began at dawn. The soldiers of the Iron Wall Battalion, carrying makeshift ladders and battering rams, launched an assault on the fortress wall under the cover of crossbows. The Di Rong defenders on the fortress wall immediately retaliated, raining down arrows and stones, and shouts of battle and screams of agony instantly echoed through the valley.

The 7th squad lay in ambush in the mountains, observing quietly. Their task was to monitor the flanks and rear of the fortress to prevent any defenders from escaping or calling for reinforcements via other hidden paths, while also looking for opportunities to strike from a weak point in the defenses.

The battle was exceptionally fierce. The Iron Wall Battalion had a numerical advantage, but attacking the fortified pass uphill resulted in significant casualties, and their attempts to scale the walls were repeatedly repelled. The Di Rong garrison inside the fort put up a tenacious resistance, seemingly determined to hold out to the death.

Time passed slowly, and the sun rose higher. The main battlefield reached a stalemate.

"Squad leader, look over there." Lin Feng suddenly pointed to a relatively low section of the wall on the side of the fort, overgrown with trees. "The defense seems weaker than other places, and there aren't many people on the watchtower."

Zhang Kui squinted and saw that, as expected, compared to the other sections of the wall where people were thronging, there were only a few scattered soldiers there, and their attention seemed to have been drawn to the fierce battle on the front.

"You want to start here?" Zhang Kui's heart skipped a beat.

"A direct frontal assault would be difficult and could easily backfire. If we can create an opening here, even just by causing chaos, it would greatly reduce the pressure on the front," Lin Feng calmly analyzed. "Besides, look at those trees under the wall; they can provide cover for our approach."

"It's too risky! There are only nine of us..." Zhang Kui hesitated.

"We don't need a direct assault." Lin Feng pointed to the section of wall. "As long as we can suppress those few people on the top of the wall with arrows, and then use grappling hooks to quietly climb up one or two, create an opening, make noise and create chaos, the pressure on the Iron Wall Battalion on the front will be relieved, and we can seize the opportunity. We are outnumbered and smaller targets, so it will be easier for us to succeed."

Looking at Lin Feng's calm and confident eyes, and then at the battlefield where the attack had stalled for so long, Zhang Kui gritted his teeth and said, "Let's do it! Lin Feng, how do you plan to fight?"

"I'll be responsible for suppressing and eliminating the threat on the wall with arrows. Squad leader, you take Gou'er and Wang Hu, and sneak up with grappling hooks. Once you succeed, create chaos immediately, then retreat quickly. Don't engage in prolonged combat. Lao Nian, you guys are responsible for guarding the rear and covering the retreat." Lin Feng quickly assigned tasks.

"good!"

With the plan set, the seven men, using the trees and rocks as cover, stealthily made their way towards the section of the wall. They stopped behind a thicket of bushes about eighty paces from the wall, which was exactly within the effective range of Lin Feng's iron-backed bow, and from which they could also vaguely see what was on top of the wall.

There were only four Di Rong soldiers on the wall; two were looking out at the main battlefield, while the other two were leaning against the wall behind the battlements, looking somewhat relaxed.

Lin Feng drew his bow, nocked an arrow, and held his breath. Eighty paces away, the target remained relatively still.

"Whoosh!"

The first arrow left the bowstring without warning and accurately pierced the back of the neck of a Di Rong soldier who was looking around! The man collapsed without uttering a sound.

The three people next to them were stunned and hadn't reacted yet.

"Whoosh! Whoosh!"

Two more arrows struck in quick succession! The other two Di Rong soldiers were hit in the throat almost simultaneously, clutching their necks and falling to the ground.

The last Di Rong soldier finally realized he was being attacked from the side and, in a panic, tried to shout and bang on the alarm gong.

"Whoosh—!"

The fourth arrow was even faster, shooting straight into his open mouth. The arrowhead protruded slightly from the back of his head, pinning him to the wooden post behind him!

Four arrows, four people, clean and efficient, without making a sound.

Zhang Kui and the others were dumbfounded. Although they knew that Lin Feng's archery skills were divine, they still felt a chill and shock upon seeing such precise and efficient killing at such close range.

"Go!" Lin Feng shouted in a low voice.

As if waking from a dream, Zhang Kui and his two companions immediately threw out grappling hooks. The specially made iron hooks caught on the top of the wall, and the three of them, like monkeys, quickly climbed up and jumped over the wall.

A moment later, the sounds of weapons clashing and the screams of the Di Rong people came from inside the wall. Then, a thick plume of smoke rose from behind that section of the wall, accompanied by an even louder commotion and shouts of "The Yan army is coming from behind!"

The defenders inside Vulture Fortress were thrown into chaos. The Di Rong soldiers defending the front, upon hearing of the attack from behind, were greatly shaken, with many turning back to look, and their formation began to falter.

Hu Duizheng of the Iron Wall Battalion, who was fiercely attacking from the front, was not about to let this opportunity slip by. Although he did not know exactly what was happening on the flank, seeing the enemy in disarray, he immediately seized the opportunity and launched a fierce attack!

"Kill! Brothers of the Yan army, now is the time to break through the fortress!"

The already crumbling frontal defenses finally collapsed under the dual pressure of internal chaos and fierce external attacks. Yan soldiers surged onto the walls like a tidal wave and stormed into the fortress.

After creating chaos and setting fire to a wooden shed where miscellaneous items were stored, Zhang Kui and his two companions, having achieved their objective, did not linger and immediately retreated along the same route as planned to rejoin Lin Feng and the others.

The fall of Vulture Fortress was inevitable. The remaining Di Rong soldiers either fought to the death or fled through the back mountain paths, but most of them were discovered, shot, or dispersed by the other members of the Seventh Division (such as Lao Nian) who were on guard outside the perimeter.

The battle ended before noon. Vulture Fortress was captured, most of the defending troops were annihilated, and a considerable amount of food, supplies, and weapons were seized.

While cleaning up the battlefield, Captain Hu found Zhang Kui and Lin Feng, patted them on the shoulder forcefully, and laughed heartily: "Good! Well done! I knew putting you guys on the flanks was the right move! That chaos was a good thing! If you hadn't stabbed us from the side, we would have had to chew on this tough nut for ages, and who knows how many more brothers would have died!"

"Captain Hu is too kind. It was the brothers on the front lines who fought hard; we just got lucky," Zhang Kui quickly said modestly.

"Hey, a merit is a merit!" Captain Hu waved his hand. "Your Seventh Company deserves the top credit for taking down Vulture Fortress this time! Especially Lin Feng!" He looked at Lin Feng, his eyes full of admiration. "I heard that you used four arrows to hold down the wall, creating an opening for your men! That archery skill, that courage, absolutely brilliant! I'll report this to Deputy Lieutenant Zhou as soon as I get back and ask for a commendation for you!"

Post-battle tally revealed that the 7th Platoon had captured eight more heads during their efforts to block reinforcements and launch flanking attacks (primarily from intercepting fleeing soldiers and shooting from the walls). Lin Feng was specifically awarded a fourth-level merit. More importantly, their "significant contribution" in assisting the main force in capturing the stronghold was far more valuable than ordinary heads.

Upon returning to the beacon fire camp, Han Yingzheng was overjoyed upon hearing the news and personally hosted a simple banquet for the Seventh Battalion to celebrate their victory. The calculation of merits was also swift.

"The Seventh Company, in the Battle of Vulture Fortress, cooperated with the main force to launch a flanking attack, disrupting the enemy's defenses and making great contributions! Based on the overall assessment, the entire Company is awarded one 'major battle merit,' equivalent to twenty heads! In addition, eight heads were captured, for a total of twenty-eight heads!" The old clerk's voice trembled slightly; it had probably been a long time since he had recorded so many merits.

Twenty-eight levels! The seventy-ninth group, averaging more than three levels per person! Of course, the actual distribution will be based on contribution. Lin Feng, as the most crucial executor and the greatest contributor, will receive ten levels! Zhang Kui will receive five levels, and the rest will be distributed according to their performance.

When the words "Lin Feng, cumulative twenty-one" were written on the merit book, the entire Fenghuo Battalion was shaken once again.

Level 21! Less than ten days after reaching level 11, it has already jumped ten levels! This speed of advancement is simply astonishing.

What's even more enviable is that, according to the customs of the border army, those who have accumulated more than twenty levels of military merit and have performed exceptionally well in a major operation can enjoy additional rewards with the special permission of their commanding officer. These rewards include the privilege of choosing an extra female prisoner as a wife!

This was intended to inspire those warriors who played a decisive role in key battles. However, very few people could meet this criterion, especially in places like the Beacon Fire Camp.

After the victory banquet, Han Yingzheng specially summoned Lin Feng to his military tent.

The candlelight flickered inside the tent. Han Yingzheng looked at the young subordinate standing ramrod straight with a calm gaze and sighed inwardly. This kid was like a treasured sword suddenly drawn from its sheath, its sharpness fully revealed and unstoppable.

"Lin Feng, you have rendered a great service this time, a twenty-first-class military merit, a rare achievement in the Beacon Fire Camp in recent years," Commander Han said slowly. "According to custom, you are entitled to request an additional reward from me. Is there anything you desire? Money? Weapons? Or... something else?"

Lin Feng's mind raced. Money and weapons were necessary, but he now had a clearer goal. He clasped his hands in a fist salute, his voice clear: "Commander, I have no other request. I only wish that you, according to precedent, grant me the special permission... to choose another woman as my wife, so that I may return home to settle down, have children, and live up to your expectations, and the sacrifices of the border soldiers!"

Upon hearing this, Han Yingzheng's eyes flashed with a knowing smile, but he immediately became serious and said, "Have you thought this through? Having another wife means having more family burdens, and the money, food, and housing needed to settle back in the hometown will also be more demanding. Moreover, women's minds are unpredictable, and having too many can easily cause trouble."

"I understand. I am willing to take full responsibility," Lin Feng said firmly. He needed manpower, a reliable foundation. Having another carefully selected and promising partner would only benefit his future. As for family burdens and troubles, he was confident he could handle and manage them.

"Very well!" Han Yingzheng slammed his hand on the table. "Since you have made up your mind, I grant your request! You are hereby granted special permission, according to precedent, to choose two more female captives as wives! Including those chosen before, that makes a total of three! This is a great honor. I hope you will dedicate yourself even more to the king's affairs and achieve even greater merit in the future!"

"Thank you for your kindness, Commander! I will do my utmost to repay you!" Lin Feng knelt on one knee and bowed solemnly. A great weight was lifted from his heart, and at the same time, an even stronger expectation welled up within him.

Two! Including Shi Xiu, that makes three!

This news was like pouring water into a boiling oil pan, causing the entire Beacon Fire Camp to erupt in chaos.

"Did you hear that? Lin Feng can choose three wives!"

"My goodness... three! What an incredible achievement that is!"

"Comparison is the thief of joy! I served in the army for five years and only managed to reach level three!"

"It looks like Deputy Squad Leader Lin is going to have all the fun in the prisoner-of-war camp this time!"

Envy, jealousy, and incredulous whispers filled every corner. Liu Biao, who was drinking when he heard the news, smashed his broken ceramic bowl to pieces. His face was ashen, his eyes practically spitting fire, yet tinged with a deep sense of powerlessness. Lin Feng's momentum was already beyond his reach, let alone his ability to suppress.

Meanwhile, news quickly reached the prisoner-of-war camp. When Lin Feng, surrounded by Zhang Kui and others, stepped back into the fenced area, the eyes of more than thirty women inside all focused on him. Fear, hope, curiosity, despair—a complex and incomprehensible mix.

This time, Lin Feng's goal was clear.

His gaze fell directly on the two people he hadn't chosen last time—Liu Yun, the wary-looking girl who claimed to be literate and had fled south, and A Yue, the silent and aloof daughter of a former tribal chief, whose face was smeared with black ash.

The clerk held the roster and stood respectfully to one side.

"Liu Yun, A Yue." Lin Feng's voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable air of authority.

A slight ripple stirred in the crowd. Liu Yun trembled, looked up, and her eyes flashed with astonishment, panic, and a complex mix of emotions she couldn't quite describe. A Yue kept her head down, but Lin Feng keenly noticed that her fingers, resting on her knees, tightened slightly.

"Deputy Squad Leader Lin, are you going to choose these two?" the clerk confirmed.

"Yes." Lin Feng nodded. "Liu Yun, A Yue, and Shi Xiu, who was chosen earlier, make a total of three. Process the paperwork and arrange the escort as soon as possible."

"Yes! Yes!" The clerk hurriedly recorded, secretly marveling at his own judgment. These three women had different personalities and backgrounds; this Deputy Squad Leader Lin certainly had a unique eye for talent.

When Liu Yun's name was called, she seemed to want to say something, her lips trembled slightly, but in the end she just lowered her head, her shoulders trembling slightly, whether from fear or something else, it was unclear. A Yue, on the other hand, remained completely unresponsive, like a clay or wooden sculpture.

The selection process was almost brutally simple. But that was the rule of the border troops: merit was the only reward, and there was no room for negotiation.

When Lin Feng signed his name on the three brand-new marriage certificates, it meant that in this world, his fate would be intertwined with that of these three women with very different backgrounds and distinct personalities.

Shi Xiu (already sent away): Resilient, affectionate, has survival skills, and supports a younger sister.

Liu Yun (newly selected): young, literate, possibly skillful, but weak, with an unknown origin.

A-Yue (New Selection): Strong, secretive, reclusive, with a scar on her face, and was once a tribal noble.

Three women, three different traits, and possible futures.

As he walked out of the prisoner-of-war camp, the setting sun cast a long shadow. Zhang Kui and the others surrounded him, their congratulations tinged with envy.

"Lin Feng, now we have three! You'd better work harder when you get back and have a few more big, healthy sons!"

"Liu Yun is a quiet girl, A Yue seems capable, and Shi Xiu is reliable. Deputy Squad Leader Lin, your good fortune with so many women is truly enviable!"

Lin Feng smiled but said nothing. The blessing of having multiple wives? It's too early to talk about that now. The real challenge is how to settle these three women with vastly different backgrounds and personalities, help them survive in an unfamiliar environment, and even make them an asset in his future endeavors.

However, he enjoys challenges.

"Squad Leader," Lin Feng said to Zhang Kui, "Shi Xiu and the others should be arriving in Linyuan County soon. We'll need to trouble the battalion to arrange escorts for Liu Yun and A Yue as soon as possible, preferably together. Please also approve my leave to go home and settle down as soon as possible; I want to go back home quickly and get things settled."

"Don't worry, I've got it covered!" Zhang Kui patted his chest. "I'll talk to the battalion commander and get it done for you as soon as possible! You should prepare yourself; you'll be running a household for three women when you get back!"

A home for three women...

Lin Feng looked south, towards "Xiaohe Village," the place where he was about to begin his own true world in this chaotic era.

The first step has been taken, and it's been a bigger step than he had anticipated.

Next, he would return and personally build the fortress called "home." Meanwhile, back at the military camp, Liu Biao's threat was far from over, and the war in the north was far from over. He needed even greater power to protect everything he was about to possess.

The road ahead is still long. But the knife and bow in his hands have become ever sharper.