Taming Eagle
In the temporary camp deep in Qixia'ao, the smell of blood was diluted by the mountain wind, but the invisible pressure was even heavier.
A corner of the camp.
Away from the main campfire and human voices, a natural depression was slightly modified and turned into a temporary dungeon.
It's cold and damp here.
Only a torch stuck in a crevice in the rock flickered with a dim yellow light, casting distorted shadows onto the rugged stone wall.
"Wang Laoshi"
Or rather, Sun Mao, the cruel official in charge of punishments in the Demon Cave, codenamed "The Skinner," was bound to a cold stone pillar with thick cowhide ropes.
His severed wrist was hastily bandaged, blood seeping through the burlap, his face was as pale as paper, and his lips were cracked.
His eyes, however, still flickered with resentment and a hint of barely perceptible fear.
The two Shura Guards, personally selected by Ling Feng, were in charge of "training the eagles".
They stood silently in the shadows like real stone sculptures, unspeakable and immovable.
The only change was that every hour, someone would come forward and force-feed Sun Mao cold water to ensure he wouldn't dehydrate and faint, or be unable to sleep, but they would never give him a single bite of food.
The torchlight was deliberately controlled to flicker, completely disrupting people's perception of time.
Time loses its measure here.
There was only darkness, lucidity, cold, hunger, the excruciating pain of a severed wrist, and those two pairs of cold eyes in the shadows.
Later, more people were added to work in three shifts, continuously putting pressure on them.
Sun Mao initially managed to grit his teeth and endure it, cursing in a hoarse voice.
But after a day and a night, his spirit began to falter.
The curses turned into unconscious groans, and the resentment in his eyes was replaced by deep exhaustion and physical fear.
He began to hallucinate.
It was as if he had returned to the dungeon where he had inflicted tortures, and heard the desperate cries of those he had once hurled at others.
"I'll talk...I'll talk..."
Late the next night.
Sun Mao's head drooped limply, his voice hoarse and weak like a broken bellows, tinged with a broken sob.
"...Give me a quick death...I'll tell you everything..."
Ling Feng's figure appeared like a ghost at the edge of the torch's glow, his voice as cold as iron.
“Speak. About those who were ‘reassigned,’ especially the families who were sold to the mansions of the powerful and wealthy.”
Sun Mao was breathing heavily as he gave his account in fits and starts.
“It’s…it’s a list handled by ‘Grey Harrier’…the list is…it’s…”
He swallowed hard. "...In Hongzhou City, 'Jinxiu Pavilion'...backyard...third wing room...east wall...bricks...loose..."
"Who are the buyers?" Ling Feng pressed, his words slow but carrying an imposing pressure.
“In the capital… in the capital… the Vice Minister of Rites… Zhang… Zhang’s family… bought an embroiderer… saying… that she was very skilled… but actually… it was Vice Minister Zhang himself… who had a strange quirk…”
Sun Mao's consciousness seemed to be drifting again.
"And...and...the Prince of Heyang...bought...a literate...person to manage the storeroom...actually...the Princess...want to find...an obedient 'eye'...to keep an eye on the Prince's newly acquired...concubine..."
He intermittently recounted the general reasons for purchasing several buyer mansions and people; the information was fragmented, but highly indicative.
Finally, he mentioned a key point.
"...'Grey Hawk'...communication...use...use the 'Blood Swallow Hairpin'...inserted...on the left side of the hair bun...that's...the signal...every month...the seventh day...at the hour of You (5-7 PM)...south of the city...the Earth God Temple..."
"Who is Sun Qi?" Ling Feng suddenly cut to the core question.
Sun Mao's cloudy eyes narrowed sharply, as if the name was more stimulating to him than torture. He struggled violently, the cowhide rope digging deep into his flesh: "I...I don't know! He...he's just a craftsman! A good-for-nothing!"
This extreme reaction undoubtedly confirms Sun Qi's special status.
"It seems that 'The Skinner's' bones haven't completely softened yet."
Ling Feng's voice was flat as he nodded slightly to his subordinate in the shadows, "Continue."
A new round of "endurance" has begun.
Sun Mao's desperate sobs echoed in the dungeon.
The atmosphere in the main camp area was equally tense.
Among the dozens who ultimately chose to follow Shen Yan and Ling Zhan were artisans and a few Shura Guards who had undergone preliminary screening.
They were all gathered in an open space.
Their faces showed a mixture of relief at surviving the ordeal, fear of the unknown future, and a hint of unease at being scrutinized.
Ling Zhan stood before them, his posture as straight as a pine tree. His gaze swept over each face, and his steady voice carried a reassuring power:
"The road ahead is treacherous and not smooth. Those who are willing to stay are brothers and sisters who are in the same boat. But our ship cannot tolerate even a grain of sand."
She paused, then pointed to the rolling mountains outside the camp, which resembled a lurking beast in the night. "See those mountains? Before dawn, I need to know how many paths there are from where we are to the highest peak, Eagle's Beak, on the other side. Which one is the shortest? Which one is the most secluded? Are there any caves along the way where we can spend the night, reliable water sources, or dangerous areas that we need to be wary of?"
Her gaze shifted to several craftsmen who appeared to be fairly robust.
"You are responsible for scouting. Work in pairs, looking out for each other. Bring back accurate information before dawn. Remember, I don't need approximations, I need precision. Returning alive with useful information will be your first 'pledge of allegiance'."
She then looked at the Shura Guards and a few other people who seemed more alert: "Around the camp, I need to know if there are any unusual traces? From wild animals? Or... not from wild animals? How did the wind direction last night and the dew conditions in the latter half of the night affect the tracking? Examine carefully, don't miss anything."
The task is clear, specific, and fraught with risks and challenges.
This is both a selection process and an initial trial.
Some of the people who were called on looked uncomfortable.
Some took a deep breath, their eyes hardened, and they moved quickly, disappearing into the night.
Shen Hong stood quietly behind Ling Zhan, calmly observing everyone's reactions and subtle movements.
Xuan Chenzi was meditating with his eyes closed not far away.
The aura was long and deep, seemingly blending into its surroundings, yet it also enveloped the area invisibly.
On the other hand, Yang Sijian's "hot potato-like wealth" reached its peak.
Boxes of gold, silver, jewelry, land deeds, and banknotes gleamed with an alluring yet dangerous light in the glow of the campfire.
His forehead was covered with fine beads of sweat.
Fingers flew across a thick ledger, recording, calculating, and categorizing.
"Master, Madam."
He wiped his sweat, his voice urgent, "This 'windfall' is too hot to handle! Such a huge amount makes us too conspicuous! Whether we carry it or find a place to hide it, the risks are extremely high. Once word gets out, we'll be walking fat sheep, attracting countless hungry wolves!"
Shen Yan leaned against an old tree, still playing with that bright red feather.
Hearing this, he lazily lifted his eyelids: "Mr. Yang is an expert, what are your thoughts?"
"We must divert the flow! Break it down into smaller groups!"
Yang Sijian stated firmly, "The most portable and valuable gold leaves and small gemstones will be kept closely by the owner and his wife. Most of the silver notes can be broken down and carried by absolutely reliable core personnel. As for the bulky gold and silver ingots and antique jewelry that are difficult to liquidate quickly..."
A glint of light flashed in his eyes. "We need a 'transfer point' that is absolutely safe and can be activated quickly. Ideally, it should be on a main road, somewhere with legal cover."
"For example?" Ling Zhan asked.
"For example... branches of reputable caravan companies and security escort agencies, or even... 'incense storage' places of some well-connected nunneries and temples."
Yang Sijian lowered his voice, "I know that there is a 'Cihang Jingzhai' about 30 miles outside Hongzhou City. The abbess, Master Huiming, is quite shrewd and has connections with various parties. Moreover, the temple is quiet and few people pay attention to it. As long as the 'offerings' are generous enough, there should be no problem temporarily storing a batch of valuables. We can send our most trusted confidants, disguised as devout pilgrims or wealthy people fulfilling vows, to transport the goods there in batches."
"A nunnery?"
He repeated the sentence with a hint of amusement, a subtle smile playing on his lips, as the feather between his fingers twirled gently.
"It's a good place to... muddy the waters."
Ling Zhan pondered for a moment: "The risks still exist. Is Abbess Huiming reliable? Is the nunnery truly 'peaceful'?"
"Therefore, we need to test the waters and also have a backup plan."
Yang Sijian already had a plan: "We can first send a clever person to make contact under the guise of donating money for incense oil, and observe the environment inside and outside the temple and the flow of people. At the same time, we will prepare a 'fake ledger' and a batch of 'marked' but low-value items. If the deposit goes smoothly, we can replace them with the real items. If something goes wrong, the only losses will be the 'bait' and the 'fake ledger'."
"Fake ledgers?" Ling Zhan raised an eyebrow.
"right!"
Yang Sijian's eyes gleamed even brighter. "This fake ledger must be made realistic enough, attractive enough. It can 'casually' record some of the 'trade' between the Demon Cave and other forces, such as certain powerful figures we want to 'remind' the government, or rivals in the martial arts world we want to frame, especially those involving human trafficking and bribing court officials! The locations should be a few known but abandoned strongholds of the Demon Cave, and... that 'Jinxiu Pavilion' in Hongzhou City!"
Shen Yan chuckled softly, deftly twirling the feather between her fingers.
“Brilliant. Let’s muddy the waters and let those who are anxious fight like dogs. This ‘gift’ can be sent to the Hongzhou government office through a ‘helpful’ channel, or… directly to a certain ‘victim,’ such as the desk of the Minister of Rites, Zhang, who has been named? Mr. Yang, you handle this matter, and make sure it is done ‘naturally.’”
"Understood!"
Yang Sijian perked up and immediately began planning the details.
As the hour of Yin approached, the explorers returned one after another, exhausted but excited.
Some people had their clothes torn by thorns and their faces were scratched, but their eyes were bright.
They brought back a detailed description of the Eagle's Beak trail and a rough hand-drawn map.
Although the map was rudimentary, it clearly marked three hidden water sources and a cliff that needed to be bypassed.
Those responsible for surveying the area around the camp also reported finding several suspicious, fresh footprints that did not belong to wild animals, pointing southwest.
Ling Feng emerged from the dungeon with a stern expression and handed a more detailed confession to Ling Zhan and Shen Yan.
In addition to the previous information, after his complete breakdown, "Skinner" Sun Mao revealed a crucial detail: the unusually calm Sun Qi was very likely one of the "hidden pawns" secretly cultivated by the Demon Cave's Grand Steward "Ghost Calculator," responsible for recording and transmitting core information, and possibly even possessing an undiscovered secret escape or communication channel! The rendezvous code for the "Blood Swallow Hairpin" was also repeatedly confirmed.
Shen Yan looked at the names "Blood Swallow Hairpin" and "Sun Qi" on the confession.
He glanced again at Sun Qi, who was being watched alone in the camp, still silent, but with an increasingly gloomy expression, his eyes deep.
He raised his hand and gently tucked the brightly colored feather he had been playing with into the cloth covering Shen Hong's hair.
Shen Hong was slightly taken aback.
Immediately, I felt the strange warmth and... a heavy sense of trust brought by that bright color.
"Hong'er".
Chen Yan's voice carried a hint of barely perceptible seriousness, "Sun Qi, and the scent of that 'Blood Swallow Hairpin'... it's up to you. Smell it carefully and see how many 'fish' are lurking beneath this murky water."
Shen Hong took a deep breath and nodded solemnly.
His sharp gaze fell upon Sun Qi, as if the most sophisticated instrument were beginning to scan him.
Clues have surfaced, and the test is underway.
Sun Qi...we're finally going to reveal your true colors.
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