The Immortal Clan begins with deductive intelligence.

Chapter 105: The Plan Is Not Illusory

The river wind carries the night rain, and the lonely moon hangs over the desolate city.

Seven days of summer heat, like sand slipping through your fingers.

At the rear of the Black Wind Pass camp, on a sheltered earthen slope.

The campfire flickered, and half a rib of an unknown monster, placed over the fire, sizzled and dripped oil onto the embers, releasing bursts of aroma and smoke.

Xu Changqing sat cross-legged on a felt mat, holding a large, rough porcelain bowl in his hand, which contained "shao daozi," a special supply for the army.

This wine has a faint spiritual quality, yet it is as spicy as cutting your throat.

Six or seven armored old soldiers sat around him, some on the ground, others leaning against weapon racks, loudly playing drinking games and making rash pronouncements.

"Brother Xu, let's have a drink!"

The man urging the drink was none other than Yan Tie, the scarred centurion who had been overseeing the battle from the city wall that day.

Initially, these border soldiers mostly looked down on Xu Changqing and other young men conscripted from aristocratic families, regarding them as mere extras sent to their deaths.

Unexpectedly, in the past seven days, whenever the demon tide attacked, Xu Changqing not only showed no arrogance as a scion of a noble family, but also showed no fear in the face of battle.

Every punch landed with deadly force, and the archery skills were ruthless.

Regardless of family background or reason, only the sharpness of the sword is considered.

This was the rule of Black Wind Pass. Xu Changqing abided by this rule and thus earned the respect of these roughnecks.

Xu Changqing raised his bowl in a toast, tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp, the spicy liquor going down his throat without changing his expression.

Yan Tie used his dagger to cut off a piece of charred, golden-brown roasted meat, chewed it up along with the cartilage, and casually asked, "Kid, I heard you went looking for Yan the Madman from the scout camp these past few days?"

Xu Changqing put down the porcelain bowl and nodded slightly: "I went to pay my respects to Battalion Commander Yan and delivered his transfer invitation."

Upon hearing this, the veterans around the campfire all paused, exchanging bewildered glances.

"Have you lost your mind from killing demons on this city wall?"

Yan Tie's tone carried a rare hint of admonition.

"The scout battalion does the work of night watchmen, operating alone deep in the marshland. Here on the city walls, at least there's a protective array to keep them in check, and a supervising officer to oversee them. Once they're out, they're like rootless duckweed, nine out of ten never to return!"

Xu Changqing was aware of this.

After seven days of bloody fighting, he had accumulated more than 500 military merits.

If it were anyone else, they could exchange these military merits for some high-quality magical artifacts and pills, and spend the three-month conscription period peacefully on this city wall.

"I appreciate Brother Yan's kindness."

Xu Changqing poked at the campfire.

"However, my demands are much greater. On this city wall, military merits are earned rather slowly, and there are many rules. We are in teams of a hundred, and we must obey orders in every move, which makes us feel constrained."

"Wait? You've racked up five hundred military merits in seven days, which is already among the top in this left wing of the city. What are you trying to achieve by recklessly pushing yourself like this?"

"To have a basis for both advancing and retreating."

Xu Changqing lowered his eyes, looking at the reflection of the wine swaying slightly in the bowl.

"I am a newcomer here. This conscription period is only a few months. If I don't take risks, when will I be able to become a qualified alchemist?"

""

"The only way is to quickly accumulate enough military merits to exchange for the inheritance jade slips and spiritual materials of the Pill Refining Bureau."

Upon hearing this, the veterans all nodded in agreement.

In the world of cultivation, alchemists and array masters are the most respected, but also the most expensive.

To risk one's life to accumulate wealth in order to acquire a skill is the most reasonable explanation in the ears of these people who live on the edge of death; there is not a single fault to be found in it.

This was naturally Xu Changqing's half-truth and half-lies.

The purpose of going to the scout camp was certainly not for those rigid military achievements.

In the past seven days, he had inquired with Yan Feng, the battalion commander of the scout battalion, about the approximate area to be patrolled.

Xu Changqing's mind sank into his sea of ​​consciousness, where golden light flowed across the Tongtian Mirror.

[The simulation is complete]

Xu Changqing's spirits lifted, and he focused his gaze.

[Diagrammatical Considerations: Safe route and opportunities along the eastern scout line of Heifengkou.]

[Route guidance: Exit the main formation and head east for thirty miles, avoiding the poisonous miasma forest, then stealthily proceed along the west side of the Dry Bone Gully...]

This route can bypass more than 80% of demon patrols.

While this path cannot be said to be absolutely safe, it is sufficient to avoid the major speculative stocks and their main players.

As for the intelligence that scouts need to risk their lives to bring back, such as the distribution of demonic beast forces and the movements of powerful demons—

For Xu Changqing, who possessed the Heavenly Mirror, it was merely a matter of spending a little time on his way home to let the mirror do some calculations.

This means that as long as he leaves the city under the guise of a scout...

The long hours spent roaming outside the formation could have been spent not risking danger to spy, but instead using all those days to "pick up scraps" and profit from the dead along safe routes.

It would be a waste not to take advantage of such a sure-fire way to make money.

"You little rascal, you look so refined, I never expected you to be a madman."

Yan Tie sighed, knowing that such a determined person, once he had made up his mind, would not be persuaded by a few words from others.

"Blind Yan, are you perhaps reluctant to part with this promising talent, and are instead causing me trouble here?"

A man clad in light armor, with a slender build like a bamboo pole, approached, carrying an unopened jar of old wine.

The newcomer was Yan Feng, the commander of the scout battalion and a master at the eighth level of Qi Refining.

Yan Tie rolled his eyes, too lazy to pay attention to this guy, and just kept gnawing on a piece of rib meat.

Yan Feng didn't take it to heart. He turned to face Xu Changqing, stretched out his large, bony hand, and slapped Xu Changqing's shoulder hard.

Xu Changqing sat upright like a bell, without moving an inch, letting him pat him.

A hint of surprise and admiration flashed in Yan Feng's eyes, and he laughed loudly, "What a physique! As for the transfer order, I'll go to the Military Affairs Office later, and it will be issued first thing tomorrow morning."

He tossed the jar of old wine in his hand to Xu Changqing.

"Come to my camp early tomorrow morning. After I hand over the reconnaissance zone and command jade slip, you can leave the city alone."

Xu Changqing caught the wine jar steadily and broke the mud seal.

"Thank you for your help, Battalion Commander Yan."

The next day at dawn, before the sun had fully risen.

The Black Wind Pass camp, the bugle calls sound desolate.

Xu Changqing changed into a set of light scout armor and covered it with a dark cloak that could conceal his figure before heading to the scout camp.

Inside the tent, Yan Feng was pointing out the landscape to a huge animal-hide map when he saw Xu Changqing enter. Without exchanging pleasantries, he simply tossed him a dark blue jade slip.

.

"The thirty miles along the eastern front that I told you about before, that is your defense zone this time."

Yan Feng pointed to a dark red area on the map, his tone solemn.

"This area is crisscrossed by waterways, filled with mixed demonic energy, and teeming with mid-to-late stage first-tier demonic beasts. You need to investigate whether there are any signs of a large-scale demonic tide gathering here before returning to camp to report back."

Xu Changqing accepted the jade slip, briefly examined it with his divine sense, and bowed respectfully, saying, "Your subordinate obeys."

After leaving the camp, Xu Changqing did not linger and went straight to the east gate.

The city gate slowly opened amidst the dull thud of the winch, revealing a sliver of dim light.

Xu Changqing took a deep breath and took a step forward.