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

The atmosphere in the "Sanheyuan" in the afternoon was completely different from the tense atmosphere on the dock, but it was equally hot and bubbly.

In the open space in the front yard, the nine newly recruited "first-rate" fighters were divided into three groups, led by Liu Sandao, the Chen brothers, and Zhou Wu, practicing their fist and foot techniques, sparring with weapons, or competing in some unorthodox tracking and concealment skills. The shouts, the clanging of metal, and the occasional cheers filled this once quiet courtyard with vibrant life.

Lin Feng stood under the eaves in front of the main house, his hands behind his back, watching quietly.

Although Zhao Hu was lame, his lower body was extremely stable. He performed a set of common military grappling techniques with skill and precision, though they lacked some of the ferocity of a warrior and instead possessed a slick, worldly charm. Qian Bao was strong, wielding a thick-backed cleaver with great force, but his moves were somewhat rigid and lacked agility. Sun He was a man of few words, silently polishing a well-maintained standard crossbow, his fingers steady and his eyes focused. The Chen brothers were practicing with a long pole, more of a demonstration of a unique waterborne footwork and leverage technique than a martial arts contest, their movements agile and darting within a small space, quite a sight to behold. Zhou Wu, meanwhile, stayed away from the crowd, practicing darts alone against an old locust tree by the wall. With a flick of his wrist, several darts struck the human-shaped markings on the tree trunk—throat, heart, and other vital points—almost simultaneously, with incredible speed and accuracy.

"Master Lin," Hou Qi whispered as he slipped to his side, "Everyone's watching. We'll see how many are truly talented, and how many... we'll have to wait and see."

"Hmm." Lin Feng remained noncommittal. You can't judge a book by its cover; you have to take it out for a spin.

He walked down the steps and into the center of the field.

The martial arts practitioners immediately stopped their movements and bowed respectfully, saying, "Master Lin!"

Lin Feng waved his hand and walked up to Zhao Hu: "Zhao Hu, you used to be in the scout camp, skilled in tracking and setting ambushes. If I gave you two people in this prefectural city to keep an eye on a complete stranger without them noticing, how would you do it?"

Zhao Hu was taken aback, not expecting Lin Feng to suddenly ask this question. A glint flashed in his single eye, and after a moment's thought, he said, "Reporting to Master Lin, in the city, it's different from the wilderness. First, observe the target's clothing, accent, and habits to determine if they are a local or an outsider. If they are an outsider, they usually stay in inns or roadside shops, making them easy to tail, but we must also be wary of accomplices. If they are a local, we need to find out where they frequent, which roads they take, and who they meet. Tailing cannot be too close; we must use 'stalking rotations,' with two or three people taking turns, using streets, stalls, and crowds as cover. It's best to bribe the vendors, watchmen, and beggars in the areas the target is sure to pass through. You don't need much, just a few copper coins to get them to keep an eye out; it's safer than having our own people approach them."

His explanation was clear and logical, demonstrating considerable experience. Lin Feng nodded and then asked, "What if the other party starts following you and discovers you?"

A fierce glint flashed in Zhao Hu's eyes: "Run. Don't linger. Retreat along the planned route, and shake off the tail in a busy area or a place with lots of people. If you can't shake him off..." He paused, "then you'll have to be ruthless and take care of him in a secluded place, clean up the mess."

"Alright." Lin Feng didn't ask any more questions and turned to Qian Bao. "Qian Bao, you're strong. If I asked you to take a few brothers to a house guarded by guards to 'retrieve' something, the item isn't big, but it's heavily guarded, what would you do? Would you force your way in, or outsmart them?"

Qian Bao scratched his head and said in a muffled voice, "Reporting to Master Lin, I'm not very bright. I only know that forcing my way in is tiring and might cost me my brothers. If it were me, I would first scout out the area, find out when the guards change shifts, whether there are any dogs, and how high the walls are. If I can climb over the wall, I will; if I can pick the lock, I will; if all else fails, I will make some noise to lure people away before making my move. After succeeding, I won't go back the way I came, I will go in circles."

The idea was simple, but practical. Lin Feng looked at Sun He: "Sun He, what's the longest your crossbow can shoot? How accurate is it?"

Sun He raised his head, his voice low: "Within eighty paces, it can hit anywhere you point. Within one hundred and twenty paces, it can injure someone."

"What's the most important thing when using a crossbow?"

"Hide. If you miss the first time, flee immediately. The crossbow bolts must not be marked." Sun He's words were concise and to the point.

Lin Feng walked up to Chen Da and Chen Er. The two brothers quickly put down their long poles, and Chen Da bowed, saying, "Master Lin, our skills on the water are only good enough for rivers and lakes, but once we're on land..."

"What I need is your skill on the water," Lin Feng interrupted him. "The prefecture has a network of waterways, and the docks are our foundation. From now on, you brothers will have to put in a lot of effort on the water. You not only need to be able to navigate boats, but also to understand the currents, the weather, and more importantly, to know who your friends are on the river, who your enemies are, which places are safe to go, and which are the gates of hell."

Chen Da and Chen Er perked up and replied in unison, "Yes, Master Lin!"

Finally, Lin Feng looked at Zhou Wu. Zhou Wu put away his darts and stood with his hands at his sides.

"On Friday, will your darts be used to kill or to subdue the enemy?"

On Friday, after a moment's hesitation, he said, "Reporting to Master Lin, it depends on the situation. When escorting goods, the main purpose is to warn and subdue the enemy. But when it comes to a life-or-death situation, naturally, we should act as quickly as possible."

"Hmm." Lin Feng nodded and didn't ask any more questions. What he needed was someone who could deliver the killing blow in a critical moment.

He walked back to the eaves of the corridor, his gaze sweeping over the crowd once more, his voice steady and powerful: "You nine are the first batch of first-class brothers of the 'Three Courtyards.' You'll receive ten taels of silver a month, plus bonuses for missions. If you're injured, I'll pay for your treatment. If you die in battle, I'll support your families. But remember these rules."

His tone turned cold: "First, orders must be obeyed. My orders, whether you understand them or not, must be obeyed! Second, you must not bully the weak, nor commit rape or plunder. We seek wealth, but we seek to have a clear conscience. Third, you must not betray your brothers, nor act treasonously. Those who disobey will be stabbed three times and impaled six times, or drowned and fed to the fish in the river!"

"Yes! We will obey Lord Lin's orders!" the nine men replied in unison, their voices loud and clear, filled with the excitement of newly siding with a wise new master.

"Alright." Lin Feng's expression softened slightly. "Liu Sandao."

"exist!"

"Zhao Hu, Qian Bao, and Sun He will be placed under your command."

"Yes!" Liu Sandao's one eye gleamed. These three were all veterans, and he was comfortable using them.

"Chen Da, Chen Er."

"exist!"

"You two will temporarily follow 'Iron Head' and manage the existing boats and manpower at the dock. Quickly find out all the berths, water depths, channels, reefs, and backgrounds of the boatmen who frequently come and go at the West Wharf, and draw them up on a map. Also, pick some reliable laborers who are good swimmers and observe them secretly to see if you can recruit them to your side."

"yes!"

Friday.

"exist!"

"You should follow Hou Qi first and familiarize yourself with all sorts of people in the prefecture, from teahouses and taverns to gambling dens and brothels. Make a list of where the best sources of information are and where you can buy what we need. Also, your dart-throwing skills are quite good. In your spare time, you can give pointers to the other brothers in the courtyard. It's good to have more skills to rely on."

"Yes! Thank you, Master Lin!" A hint of joy appeared on Zhou Wu's face.

With assignments completed, everyone performed their duties. Lin Feng's goal was to quickly unite this mixed team of new and old members into a cohesive force, forming a fighting force, while simultaneously extending his reach to every corner of the prefecture, weaving an information network that belonged to him.

"Soon..." he murmured to himself, a sharp and determined light flashing in his eyes. The foundation had been laid, and power was rapidly gathering. Next, he simply waited for an opportunity.

His story has only just begun.