If I made you cannon fodder, how did you manage to achieve your goal of conquering the wolf's l

Broken River Fortress, dungeon.

A faint smell of blood permeated the damp, chilly air.

Five Yunzhou spies who had infiltrated the first wave of refugees were now tied to wooden stakes. There were no obvious signs of torture on their bodies, but each of them was on the verge of a mental breakdown.

Liu Ruyan sat on a wide-backed wooden chair, holding a cup of hot tea in her hand, gently blowing away the foam on the surface of the water.

She didn't use a whip or a branding iron; she simply had the five men locked in a dark room without any light, depriving them of food and water, and asking them a question every hour.

If they don't speak, they move on to the next person and ask, while deliberately letting others hear their companion's heavy breathing.

This method of "training the eagle" is even more unbearable for lower-ranking soldiers who are used to open warfare than direct torture.

"If no one is willing to speak after you finish this cup of tea, then you can shut up forever."

Liu Ruyan's voice was soft and melodious, but to the five spies it was more biting than the cold wind outside.

The youngest spy on the far left was trembling all over; his psychological defenses had finally collapsed completely.

"I'll tell you... I'll tell you everything!"

He looked up, his lips cracked and bleeding.

"We're not here to assassinate Commander Xu. Our orders are simply to infiltrate and gather intelligence!"

Liu Ruyan put down her teacup and slightly raised her eyes: "What are you trying to find out?"

"The current troop deployment of the four fortresses, the number of new recruits, and how long the food supplies for Duanhe Fortress and Tiemen Fortress will last, and where the warhorses are kept..."

The young spy swallowed hard, his voice hushed as if afraid of being overheard.

"The most important thing is that we need to find out exactly where the Black Wind Stronghold's account book is hidden."

Xu Qingshan, who was standing in the shadows, slowly walked out when he heard the word "account book".

"Who gave you the orders?" Xu Qingshan asked.

Upon seeing Xu Qingshan, the scout trembled even more violently and hurriedly replied, "Reporting to the garrison commander, we truly do not know who is in charge. The person who issued the orders has never shown their face; all military orders and travel expenses are transferred through Bailangji."

"White Wolf Market? Who's responsible for delivering it?"

"Manager Yan of Yan's Trading Company." The scout dared not hide anything and spilled the beans. "After we infiltrate the Four Forts, as long as we get any information, we don't need to risk returning to Yunzhou to report. We just need to slip the written note into the crack in the brick of the designated post station next to the trade route, and someone will come to get it."

Liu Ruyan turned to look at Xu Qingshan.

"No need to go back to Yunzhou, all the leads are transferred through Bailangji." Liu Ruyan sneered. "The people behind this are quite cautious, using Bailangji as a firewall. Even if these spies are caught, it won't implicate any big shots in Yunzhou City."

Xu Qingshan looked thoughtfully at the terrified young spy, then at the other four who were still clenching their teeth and refusing to utter a sound.

"Since they're so eager to know the details of the Fourth Fortress and the whereabouts of the account books," Xu Qingshan's lips curled into a cold, sharp smile, "then let's do them a favor and grant their wish."

Liu Ruyan understood immediately: "Kill them all?"

"No." Xu Qingshan shook his head. "Five spies, capture only four. Leave one alive so he can take the message back."

He pointed to the young spy who had spoken first and was the least timid.

"It's him. Let's put on a good show for him."

……

Half an hour later.

In the passageway of the inner fortress of Duanhe Fort, Hou San yawned and limped as he escorted the young spy toward another cell.

"Hurry up! Stop dawdling!" Hou San deliberately shoved the scout in the back, then cried out in pain, clutching his lower back and cursing, "Damn it, my back injury isn't fully healed yet, and I still have to do this grueling escort job."

The young spy kept his head down, his hands were tied, but his eyes kept darting around.

As the two passed the back window of the council chamber, Hou San suddenly stopped.

"You stay right here! If you dare run off, I'll chop you up with one stroke! I'm going to take a piss against the wall over there, I'm dying to pee!"

Hou San deliberately wrapped the rope binding the scout around the window frame carelessly, without even tying a knot, before clutching his waist and walking towards the corner a dozen steps away.

The scout leaned against the window, his heart pounding. He tentatively tugged at the rope, only to find it loose and brittle, ready to break free at any moment.

Just as he was about to untie the ropes and escape, a heated argument broke out in the council chamber.

The window was left slightly ajar, and the sound came through clearly.

"Commander Xu, we can't recruit any more new soldiers!"

This was Shen Qinghe's voice, filled with anxiety and helplessness.

"The recruit camp in Sibao is in complete chaos. The refugees and deserters are fighting every day, and Instructor Xiao can't control them at all! If this continues, the camp will definitely break out!"

Immediately following was Xu Qingshan's impatient voice.

"We have to recruit them even if it's chaotic! We only have so few men left in Sibao, how can we defend it? How much food do we have left?"

"Less than half a month!" Shen Qinghe answered decisively. "Although we seized some from Black Wind Stronghold, there are too many refugees pouring in, and the granary is about to run out."

A heavy sigh came from inside the room.

"Half a month...is not enough." Xu Qingshan lowered his voice slightly, but just enough for the scouts outside the window to hear. "How about this, tomorrow morning, I will personally lead the main force to Bailang Market. There are many merchants there; let's find a way to bring back a batch of grain and warhorses."

"If you take the main force to White Wolf Village, what if Broken River Fortress is attacked?"

"We can't worry about that now. Without food, everyone will die. As for the complete account book that Black Wind Stronghold and Yunzhou are eyeing, don't worry. I've already sent someone to deliver it to Lord Tang Su tonight. Judging by the time, Lord Tang should be on his way back to Yunzhou with the account book by now. They won't be able to steal it even if they wanted to!"

The scout outside the window heard this and his eyes lit up.

The new recruits at Sibao are in chaos!

We only have enough food for half a month!

Xu Qingshan will lead the main force to Bailangji tomorrow!

The complete account books have been handed over to Tang Su!

Bringing back any one of these four pieces of news would be a tremendous achievement!

The scout could no longer contain himself. With a strong tug, he easily broke free from the untied rope. He glanced at the corner where Hou San had disappeared, then, crouching low, used the cover of night to scale a low old courtyard wall and ran wildly towards the outside of Duanhe Fortress.

At the corner, Hou San slowly walked out, pulling up his pants.

Watching the scout's retreating figure as he scaled the wall and escaped, Hou San grinned.

"That coward, he's pretty fast."

The door to the council chamber was pushed open, and Xu Qingshan and Shen Qinghe walked out side by side.

"The bait has been released." Xu Qingshan looked at the vast night sky.

Hou San patted the short sword at his waist: "Centurion, don't worry, Aman is already waiting outside with his men. Once this kid leaves the fortress, his every move will be under our watchful eyes."

……

On a desolate plain amidst wind and snow.

As Xu Qingshan had predicted, the young scout who escaped did not choose to return to Yunzhou City to the south.

He knew full well that Yunzhou was a long way away, and if he encountered snowstorms or wild beasts along the way, he would surely die alone. Moreover, he had been instructed to go directly to Manager Yan in Bailang Village if he had any intelligence.

He ran westward, trudging through the snow, heading straight for Bailangji.

Two miles behind him.

Aman, dressed in a white wolf-skin cloak that matched the color of the snow, rode a fast-moving prairie horse, trailing far behind the scout.

She was accompanied by three experienced scouts from the northern garrison.

"Sister Aman, this kid is quite fast; he didn't take any detours," a scout whispered.

"He's in a hurry to deliver the message and claim the reward, so naturally he's running fast." Ah Man's eyes were sharp, and she maintained a safe distance that she neither lost him nor was discovered. "Keep an eye on him and see who he meets with."

A whole night of trekking.

The next morning, the outline of White Wolf Village finally appeared on the horizon.

Even in the dead of winter, Bailangji, a lawless area outside the border, remained bustling with activity. Caravans, bandits, and smugglers gathered here, forming a vast and distorted market.

The scout mingled with the crowds entering the market, skillfully navigating several chaotic streets before finally stopping in front of a shop called "Yan's Goods Store".

He glanced around to make sure no one was following him, then slipped into the warehouse.

Aman left his horse in a distant alley and, with two of his men, stealthily made his way to the vicinity of the warehouse.

"He was inside for less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn," a scout on the roof reported as he slid down. "After he came out, Manager Yan changed his clothes and slipped out through the back door of the warehouse."

"Follow Manager Yan!" Ah Man decisively ordered.

Manager Yan was very cautious. He wandered around the streets and alleys of Bailangji several times before finally entering a wide street.

He looked around and then pushed open the back door of a rather large shop on the street corner.

Ah Man raised her head and looked at the huge signboard hanging at the front of the shop.

Wanhe Auto Sales.

"Go and inform Manager Su and Garrison Commander Xu." Aman's eyes were cold as she spoke to the scout beside her. "The clues have been connected. All the intelligence has finally converged on this car dealership."

……

Inside Broken River Fortress, the first round of new recruit selection has just been completed.

Su Jinniang strode into the council hall, clutching a small, wax-sealed bamboo tube tightly in her hand.

"Commander Xu, an urgent message has arrived from Bailang Village!"

Su Jinniang handed the bamboo tube to Xu Qingshan, her expression extremely solemn.

"This was sent by Ding Wang. He has been secretly keeping an eye on the movements of Black Wind Stronghold in White Wolf Village, as you instructed."

Xu Qingshan crushed the wax seal, pulled out the secret letter inside, and quickly scanned it.

The letter was short, but every word carried immense weight.

"The leader of Black Wind Stronghold has secretly entered White Wolf Village. Wanhe Car Dealership is closed to customers today, and a fire has been lit in the backyard overnight, suspected to be burning account books."

Xu Qingshan held the secret letter, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

"The head of the gang personally showed up and even went to Wanhe Auto Shop to burn the debts."

Xu Qingshan slammed the secret letter onto the table.

"They're afraid we'll trace them back, so they're trying to cut their losses and survive."

Upon hearing this, Liu Ruyan frowned and said, "If Wanhe Auto Shop really burns down that second set of accounts, it will be much more difficult for us to bring those corrupt officials at the Yunzhou Military Supplies Transfer Office to justice."

"Burn the tent? That depends on whether I agree or not."

Xu Qingshan stood up, picked up the fine steel longsword placed to the side, and strode outside.

"Notify Hou San, A Man, and Liu Ruyan to muster twenty elite Zhenbei cavalrymen. Have them change into the caravan's clothing."

Xu Qingshan turned around and looked at Su Jinniang.

"Manager Su, I'll trouble you to put on another act. Let's go to White Wolf Market and discuss a deal involving a dead man."