Phantom of the Wild Valley
The aftermath of the bloody purge at Blackstone Fortress camp has not yet subsided.
The traitor Zhao Si's hideous head, hanging above the gate, was frozen black in the wind and snow.
It became the most severe warning.
The atmosphere in the military camp was tense yet imbued with a surge of fervent fighting spirit. General Huo acted swiftly and decisively, organizing his troops for battle. His elite scouts, like falcons, began searching for the main force of the Northern Barbarians, determined to reclaim their supplies and exact revenge.
Shen Yan still wore a neat and stylish fur coat. He often went to Hu Zi's place to nitpick, mainly about hygiene and military appearance. Or he would lean against the wooden fence of the camp, his peach blossom eyes seemingly casually scanning the camp.
He glanced occasionally at Ling Zhan, who was drawing on the snow with a twig, and that old thought resurfaced in his mind: This woman…
Is she really that same woman who used to rule the streets with her fists and was forced by the government to be his "wife," Da Hua? Back in Kaoshan Village, she was incredibly strong, a master at hunting in the mountains and fishing in the river, but what's going on in front of her now... what's in her head?
I had no desire to think about it, so I went out for a walk.
When he left the camp, he was always accompanied by the awe-inspiring silver giant wolf, Lan Ying, and the calm and composed young man, Shen Hong. Approaching sixteen, Shen Hong's features were becoming increasingly refined, his eyes clear, and he was tall and slender, possessing a tranquility beyond his years.
He often sat quietly in the corner, holding a yellowed Taoist scripture or a piece of wood engraved with mysterious symbols, his fingertips occasionally tracing the surface, as if deducing the principles of heaven and earth. When Tiger was not around, Lan Ying seemed to particularly enjoy being by his side, his massive body lying down beside him, his silver eyes half-closed, his breathing long and deep, blending into the tranquil aura of the young man.
"General!"
Shen Xiao strode into General Huo's tent. He was nearly seventeen years old, with a tall and straight posture like a pine tree. The immaturity of youth had faded from his brows, replaced by the fortitude honed by two years of battlefield experience and the composure and competence of an elite squad leader.
He held in his hands a well-worn sheepskin map. "Look at this! It was left behind by old scout Liu!"
General Huo looked up and greatly admired Shen's son, who had established himself in the army through his own abilities and made numerous military achievements.
Shen Xiao quickly spread out a map and pointed to the valley circled in vermilion: "Bison Valley! The forbidden land that Liu Tou'er discovered when he was tracking the Di people in his early years! The entrance to the valley is narrow and dangerous, there is running water in the valley, and the key is that there are geothermal hot springs! It doesn't freeze in winter!"
"spa?!"
General Huo's eyes flashed with a sharp light as he stood up, leaning on his cane. Ling Zhan and Shen Yan also gathered around.
"yes!"
Shen Xiao's tone was certain.
"Liu described the valley entrance as only wide enough for a few people to walk side by side, with sheer cliffs covered in ice on both sides, making it a truly treacherous place. Inside, however, the valley is spacious, with steaming streams and hot spring pools!" He looked at Ling Zhan with genuine admiration, "Damn, this place might just be the place for a 'mountain oasis'!"
Ling Zhan immediately walked to the map.
Their gaze is like a precise scanner, instantly capturing every detail.
The charcoal fire crackled inside the tent, while the sound of wind and snow seemed to freeze outside.
All eyes were on Ling Zhan.
General Huo noticed the depth in her eyes.
Fingertips traced almost imperceptibly across the sheepskin the veins of valley mouths, streams, and contour lines.
Her gaze pierced through the sheepskin.
It was as if I could directly "see" every inch of that snowy valley, every ravine, and every wisp of rising heat.
A silent storm swept through her mind:
[Terrain Scan: Valley Entrance: Narrow as a throat, visually only wide enough for a few riders to walk abreast (about ten paces wide), its depth unfathomable, with towering, icy cliffs on both sides (nearly fifteen zhang high), insurmountable. Defense Assessment: This is a divinely bestowed fortress! If defended by elite troops and powerful crossbowmen, supplemented by rolling logs and boulders, even a thousand troops would find it difficult to breach!]
[Geothermal Analysis: The core of the valley is a warm, expansive area (far surpassing ordinary villages). Running streams do not freeze in winter, and steam rises continuously. Numerous hot springs exist, their waters scalding hot.]
[Resource Assessment: The surrounding grasslands are vast and lush, with abundant water and grass, roughly estimated to be sufficient to graze thousands of cattle and sheep. Within the valley, sheltered and sunny areas offer large tracts of fertile land suitable for cultivation. With intensive farming and the benefit of geothermal energy, the resulting grain and fodder could initially support over a thousand able-bodied men; given time, supporting several thousand would not be difficult!]
[Fortification Simulation: Core defenses (fortifying natural passes) + shelters + infrastructure for heating and cooling ≈ While the cost is enormous, it's only half that of Blackstone Fortress. With rotational garrisoning of border troops and the return of displaced people, a foundation can be established within one and a half to two years. Long-term plan: Within ten years, self-sufficiency is possible, saving enormous costs in transportation; after twenty years, this place will undoubtedly become a pillar of the Northwest, capable of deterring barbarian invaders and supporting countless people—its benefits far exceeding today's investment!]
Within moments, the storm subsided.
Ling Zhan raised his head.
His gaze was clear and unwavering, his voice resolute.
"This place is superb, with natural defenses to rely on! It has a geothermal core, enough to sustain a thousand people to live and multiply, suitable for both farming and animal husbandry! Although building a city here will cost a fortune, this is a gift from heaven to our northern frontier for a hundred years! Losing it will be an endless regret! It is feasible! And we must fight for it! At all costs!"
Her words were concise yet carried immense weight.
The torrent of data in his mind was condensed into the most powerful and intuitive conclusions.
The tent was completely silent.
General Huo and Shen Xiao were utterly shocked!
With just a few words, she sketched out an incredibly clear and convincing vision of the future!
Shen Yan stared at Ling Zhan, his initial murmur turning into genuine surprise and doubt.
Is this really Ms. Riki-Wong?!
The shrew who could beat the street thugs to a pulp back then, despite being barely literate.
This brain... it must have been blessed by the mountain god!
General Huo took a deep breath.
Suppressing his turbulent emotions, he looked intently at Shen Xiao.
"Captain Chen! Your mother's words are like the sun breaking through the clouds! The value of this valley is immeasurable! You are appointed as the guide, with Colonel Wang Ben leading the team. Select the most capable scouts and infiltrate Bison Valley immediately! Objective: Verify the details of the terrain, geothermal activity, and water sources, and mark the key points mentioned by your mother! Draw an accurate map! Be extremely cautious, safety first!"
"Your subordinate obeys!" Shen Xiao straightened his back, his voice firm and powerful.
Before leaving, Shen Yan patted Shen Xiao's shoulder forcefully.
He put away his usual playful tone.
"You brat, come back here all dressed! Hong'er is waiting for you to tell him how warm the hot springs are."
Lan Ying walked over.
The enormous head nuzzled affectionately against Shen Xiao's waist and abdomen.
A low, reluctant sob escaped from its throat.
Shen Hong also came over, his clear eyes filled with concern, and handed Shen Xiao a cloth bag embroidered with a calming talisman: "Brother, this is a calming sachet. If there are spirits in the valley, treat them with sincerity and do not harbor any unnecessary thoughts of killing."
Ling Zhan examined Shen Xiao's old injury, confirmed it was nothing serious, and calmly gave him some instructions.
"Survival comes first, observation is key. Lan Ying chose to protect you because it acknowledged you. Remember, wolves are not servants, but partners. If there are native wolves in the valley, try to communicate and establish symbiotic boundaries. As we did on the mountaintop, reserve exclusive hunting grounds for them so they can reproduce on their own. Power and exploitation will eventually break the bond. Respect is the only way to last."
Shen Xiao etched every word into his heart and nodded emphatically: "Mother, Father, Brother Hong, Lan Ying, don't worry!"
He turned around, with the composure befitting an elite captain, and joined Wang Ben's elite squad, disappearing into the snowstorm.
Lan Ying gazed in the direction where Shen Xiao had disappeared, her silver eyes swirling with emotions that finally culminated in a long, low howl, as if bidding him farewell. She didn't follow, but instead returned to Ling Zhan's side and sat down, her head slightly raised, her silver fur fluttering in the cold wind, like a silent vow—to protect this place is to protect the path of our bond.
Ling Zhan gently stroked its thick neck fur and whispered, "He has his path, and you have your responsibilities. Very good."
The Wolf King with the round ears watched from a distance, its eyes filled with complex emotions. It still looked down on Lan Ying's behavior, which was almost like "recognizing a master," but the aura emanating from Ling Zhan, which allowed him to communicate with powerful creatures on an equal footing and win their willing following, made it instinctively feel awe.
The camp awaits.
Shen Hong continued to quietly study the Taoist scriptures, his fingertips occasionally tracing lines in the air.
Shen Yan then began to calculate more specific resource allocation and the possibility of opening a workshop here based on Ling Zhan's data on the wooden board.
Using the wood chips and stones he could find, Ling Zhan began to build a simple geothermal model.
The massive amount of data in the brain constantly optimizes the design, striving to make every detail conform to the level of craftsmanship of this era.
Bison Valley extends for hundreds of miles.
The wind and snow subsided slightly, but the cold was still biting.
Wang Ben and Shen Xiao led their team to stealthily move like snow foxes.
The valley entrance was narrow and precipitous, with towering ice walls, exactly as Ling Zhan had described the perilous terrain!
"stop!"
Wang Ben's hand gestures were as firm as iron.
Everyone immediately ducked down.
His sharp eyes swept across the snow slope ahead, and a few tiny indentations caught his attention.
Shen Xiao's gaze was drawn to a half-buried, broken stone tablet beside the hot spring pool.
The faint ancient characters read: "...Yang...Gong...Shou...Cang..."
Yang Gong?
My father seemed to have mentioned this person when he was drunk and confused before, a legendary strategist?
He immediately took out his notebook and charcoal pencil and focused on making rubbings.
Suddenly, Wang Ben shouted.
"Ambush marks! Fresh marks! Within a day!"
Shen Xiao's heart tightened, and he instantly entered battle mode.
His eyes were sharp, quickly catching more details—
The unusually compacted outline of the snow, the lingering scent of wild animal fur that didn't belong to the wolf pack, and a hint of cold, rusty smell!
“Not only that! There’s also one on the cliff to the upper left!” he added in a low voice, his tone serious.
The worst premonition has come true!
The squad became shadowy, cautiously circling around.
After bypassing the massive icefall, a warm breeze carrying the smell of sulfur hit us!
suddenly see the light!
A flat valley unfolds before our eyes!
Steaming hot streams meander through the landscape, creating several vibrant "oases"!
The hot spring pool was filled with steam, a scene that perfectly matched Ling Zhan's description of a "warm oasis"!
"Hot springs! It's real!"
A young scout could not hide his excitement.
The sound seemed somewhat abrupt in the open, warm valley.
The joy on Wang Ben's face had just appeared when his brows suddenly furrowed.
A sense of foreboding pierced Shen Xiao's heart like an ice pick, freezing his joy instantly.
His gaze shot like lightning towards the cliff from which the crossbow bolts were coming!
"Whoosh whoosh whoosh—!"
The poisoned, jet-black crossbow bolts ripped through the silence, accompanied by a deathly shriek.
The arrows were aimed precisely at the scouts and Wang Ben, who were engrossed in drawing!
"Enemy attack! Take cover!"
Shen Xiao's fierce roar and Wang Ben's furious roar rang out almost simultaneously!
He was like a cheetah hunting its prey.
He pounced and slammed Wang Ben down behind the rocks by the hot spring pool!
"puff!"
A poisoned crossbow bolt grazed past his frosted helmet.
It produced a piercing metallic scraping sound!
"Ugh—!"
The screams were piercing!
A scout was struck in the thigh by a crossbow bolt.
The wound turned black and swelled at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Hissing black smoke, emitting a foul stench, billowed out!
His body convulsed violently, he foamed at the mouth, and instantly lost consciousness.
"Snowhawk! Find cover!"
Wang Ben, being experienced, pulled Shen Xiao close to the cold rock.
The deadly poisoned crossbow bolts were like maggots clinging to bones.
It shoots out continuously from the shadows of the cliffs and the cracks in the icicles.
Clearly, elite assassins are lurking here, intending to annihilate them all!
Shen Xiao leaned against the cold rock, his heart pounding like a drum.
His palms, gripping the dagger, were covered in cold sweat.
My mother's calm voice echoed in my mind with unusual clarity at the critical moment of life and death.
"Respect all living beings, communicate and coexist..."
However, what was shot at them were poisoned, deadly arrows!
Lurking on the rock face are cold and ruthless assassins!
Survival is the only rule at this moment!
That fleeting thought of trying to understand or communicate.
Faced with absolute killing intent, it was instantly crushed to pieces.
His eyes were as sharp as a hawk's.
The brain operates at breakneck speed under extreme pressure.
Calculating the trajectory of the crossbow bolts, possible ambush points, and the half-buried stone tablet by the hot spring—
What exactly are they guarding with such tight security?!
The Blackstone Fortress camp at this time.
Lan Ying suddenly looked up, her silver eyes flashing like lightning, fixed on the direction of the armory!
A low, suppressed roar came from his throat!
Almost simultaneously.
The wolf king with the wide ears suddenly awoke, its nostrils flaring violently, a threatening growl rumbling from its throat, and it scratched the ground restlessly with its paws.
The reaction was even more intense and violent than that of Lan Ying!
It was as if the armory, which it considered its "territory," was being subjected to the most direct desecration!
"A sewer rat!"
Ling Zhan stood up instantly, his gaze like an icy blade piercing the armory.
Shen Yan stood up at the same time, his eyes sharp.
"Hong'er, please have Captain Liu lead men to seal off the armory! There's a spy!"
Ling Zhan spoke very quickly.
Without the slightest hesitation, Shen Hong put down the Taoist scripture.
The figure drifted out of the tent swiftly and quietly, like a gentle breeze.
Shen Yan and Ling Zhan exchanged glances, needing no words, and shot towards the armory like arrows released from a bow!
Lan Ying transformed into a bolt of silver lightning!
The Wolf King with the wide ears roared furiously in defense of its territory, and its gray shadow surged forward, actually pouncing on its target before Lan Ying could react!
The guards were stunned by the menacing sight.
Shen Yan shouted sternly, "Open the door!"
The chains rattled.
Just as the door lock was about to open!
"roar--!"
The roars of Lan Ying and the Wolf King with the Hollow Ears shook the heavens and the earth!
The wolf king with the round ears was like a tyrant whose territory had been invaded.
Fueled by boundless rage, he pounced on a figure who was sprinkling corrosive poison powder onto a brand-new crossbow!
Lan Ying is like a precise silver Grim Reaper.
In an instant, it bit off the wrist of another person who was trying to ignite the powder keg!
"Bang!" "Crack!"
The sound of bones cracking and screams of agony tore through the air!
Ling Zhan's figure was like a ghost.
With a single step on the extinguisher, a punch imbued with terrifying power precisely knocks out the poison-laced spy!
The cold, ruthless blade was already pressed against the severed wrist's throat, the voice icy and chilling: "Who sent you?!"
When Captain Liu arrived with his men.
All that could be seen was a scene of utter devastation in front of the armory, where the traitors had been executed.
Two giant wolves, one silver and one gray, stood like guardian deities.
The wolf's kiss was stained with blood, and its cold gaze swept over every soldier who came. The air was filled with the smell of iron and blood.
The crisis was nipped in the bud.
Ling Zhan examined the scattered poison powder and the broken fuse that had been stepped on.
He picked up a little powder with his fingertip and brought it close to his nose.
They quickly inspected the gunpowder barrels as well.
Her voice was icy.
"The poison powder is insidious; it rots iron and wood upon contact. Its widespread application is enough to render half of the armory's powerful crossbows useless. If the fuse explodes, this armory and the nearby barracks will be reduced to dust."
She raised her head, her gaze piercing through the tent, looking towards the raging snowstorm in the direction of Buffalo Valley.
His gaze was as solemn as ancient ice.
The chill in my heart intensified.
"With the internal traitor eliminated, external threats will soon follow. The deadly trap in Wild Buffalo Valley and the poisonous fire here are by no means isolated incidents. Shen Xiao... is in grave danger."
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