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

As dawn broke, the ruins of Zuixianju, a place on the western edge of the "Muddy Hollow" that had been burned to the ground and were still emitting wisps of smoke, appeared particularly shocking.

The smell of burning mingled with the morning mist, spreading through the polluted air.

A few onlookers, still shaken and with mixed expressions, gathered at a distance around the ruins, pointing and whispering, but no one dared to approach.

Several teams of neighborhood constables and yamen clerks, who arrived late after receiving the news, were pretending to investigate and inquire on the outskirts. But judging from their lazy and perfunctory manner, they obviously did not take this "accidental fire" seriously, or rather, they had received some hints and were unwilling to investigate further.

In stark contrast to the desolate and dilapidated state of the place is the "Sanheyuan" (traditional courtyard house) located just two streets away.

The gates of the courtyard were wide open, and the brand-new "Sanhe Freight Forwarding" sign gleamed in the morning light. In the open space in front of the gate, thirty or forty people stood neatly in several rows.

The front row consisted of core members such as Liu Sandao, Hou Qi, Chen Da, Chen Er, Zhao Hu, Qian Bao, Sun He, and Zhou Wu. Everyone stood tall and straight, with solemn expressions and suppressed excitement in their eyes.

Behind them were newly recruited and preliminarily screened workers, drivers, and laborers, as well as some small-time bosses and merchant representatives who had come after hearing the news and wanted to find out what was going on.

Under the eaves of the main house, Lin Feng calmly swept his gaze over the people in the courtyard, as well as the neighbors outside who were peeking in with eyes full of awe and fear.

"Something happened at the west end last night," Lin Feng said, his voice not loud, but clear enough to reach everyone's ears, carrying an undeniable calmness. "The Drunken Immortal Inn caught fire, and Master Zhang Biao, along with several of his henchmen, unfortunately perished."

He paused, his gaze lingering for a moment on the faces of several low-ranking gang members in the crowd who had previously sided with Zhang Biao and were now deathly pale, before continuing, "Before his death, Master Zhang made an agreement with me to transfer all of his properties in the western part of the city, including his share in the western dock area, to my 'Sanhe Freight Transport' to settle old debts. The transfer document is here, with Master Zhang's signature and seal, and there are also guarantors as witnesses."

Hou Qi stepped forward, unfolded several documents with dried ink, and showed them to everyone.

On the document, Zhang Biao's crooked signature and bright red handprint were shocking. In the guarantor column, the seals of "Yongfa Shipping Qian Youcai" and "Furuixiang Zhao Baiwan" were clearly visible. Although anyone with eyes could see what this "transfer" was all about, with the written agreement in black and white and the endorsement of the two major trading companies, who would dare to say a word against it?

The gang leaders' legs went weak, and they almost knelt down. They quickly lowered their heads, not daring to make eye contact with Lin Feng.

"From today onwards, the western end of 'Muddy Hollow' and the western section of the dock will be under the jurisdiction of my 'Sanhe Freight Transport'." Lin Feng's tone turned serious, carrying an air of sternness.

……

With each point he made, the eyes of the newly recruited workers and lower-level laborers in the yard lit up even more. This was exactly what they wanted! Clear rules, work to do, money to earn, and connections to protect them!

"However," Lin Feng's tone suddenly turned sharp, his gaze sweeping across the room like cold lightning, "my rules, once established, must be upheld! Anyone who outwardly complies but inwardly defies them, betrays them, or thinks I, Lin San, am young and wants to test my mettle..."

He pointed towards the ruins of Zuixianju in the distance, his voice as cold as iron: "Zhang Biao and his Zuixianju are the example!"

An invisible chill instantly enveloped the entire courtyard house, both inside and out.

Everyone fell silent, even their breathing became soft.

Those few petty leaders were sweating profusely, and the last bit of hope in their hearts was completely extinguished.

Lin Feng turned around and went back to the main room, where he sat down behind the table.

On the table, besides the few "transfer documents," there was also a stack of still-wet ink confessions, densely packed with details of all the despicable things Zhang Biao had done for Zhou Wenyuan over the years—forging accounts, suppressing dissidents, silencing witnesses, and even secretly participating in some shady smuggling activities… The time, place, people, and amount were all clearly written down, ending with Zhang Biao's crooked signature and bloody handprint.

This was Zhang Biao's "pledge of allegiance," written late into the night to save his life. It was also the first poisoned dagger in Lin Feng's hands, capable of stabbing Zhou Wenyuan directly in the heart. Although it might not immediately kill Zhou Wenyuan, if used properly, it could cripple him at a crucial moment, or even... turn the tide of battle.

Zhang Biao cannot be killed yet. He needs to be locked up in a secluded place. He serves as a witness and may also be a useful tool in the future.

"Master Lin." Liu Sandao walked in after finishing his business outside. His single eye showed a hint of fatigue, but more so, excitement.

"Zhou An left the manor early this morning and went to the prefectural government office. He hasn't come out yet. The Qi Prince's manor is quiet, but the security is much tighter than usual. Also..." He hesitated for a moment, "Our people can't get into Black Wind Valley, but the brothers on the outskirts reported that a carriage that was completely covered up entered the valley early this morning, and they couldn't see who was inside."

Black Wind Valley? Ye Qingli? Is she sending people into the valley at this time to pick up Chen tide and the others? Or is there something else important? Lin Feng frowned slightly.

Chen tide and A Yue are safe there for now, but it's not a long-term solution.

Once things are completely stable here, we must contact Ye Qingli as soon as possible to find out her intentions. Ideally, we should be able to bring Chen tide and the others out, or at least establish a reliable connection.

"Send another letter to Black Wind Valley, in an urgent tone," Lin Feng said thoughtfully. "Ask her if it would be convenient for us to meet."

"clear!"

After Liu Sandao left, Lin Feng sat alone in the room, his fingers unconsciously tapping on the table.

Eliminating Zhang Biao and taking over "Muddy Land" and the docks were just the first steps. Now, he had a relatively stable base, a team with initial combat capabilities, a stable source of income, and leverage over Zhou Wenyuan.

The game has begun. Various forces are intertwined, and deadly intent lurks beneath the surface. Lin Feng, however, has transformed from an insignificant pawn into a player not to be underestimated. Every move from here on is crucial.

That evening, Lin Feng sat in his study in the "Sanheyuan" (a traditional courtyard house), frowning and deep in thought as he looked at a simple sketch of the prefectural city.

He marked several locations on the map with charcoal: the ruins of Zuixianju (already blacked out), the western branch of the Caobang (red circle), Zhou Mansion (blue circle), Qi Wang Mansion (yellow circle), the prefectural government office (green square), and an empty circle that does not know which side it represents, as well as the "Sanheyuan" (a courtyard house) and the dock (thick black triangle).

Several faint dotted lines connect these markings, representing possible undercurrents.

Just then, a very faint "cooing" sound, like a night bird returning to its nest, came from the courtyard outside the window. It was three short coos, one long one, and then another short one.

Lin Feng and Liu Sandao both became alert. This wasn't the "Three Harmonies" code!

"Who goes there?" Liu Sandao darted to the window, his hand on the hilt of his sword, and asked in a low voice.