Chapter 125: with translation of chapter title

The unit left Wild Wolf Ravine and plunged into the vast mountains to the northwest.

Initially, there was still a faint hunter's trail to follow.

The deeper they went, the more rugged and difficult the road became.

Towering ancient trees blocked the sky and sun, while thick vines twined among them.

Underfoot lay a thick layer of fallen leaves, accumulated over who knows how many years.

It felt soft and spongy underfoot, giving off a scent of decay.

Jagged strange rocks were scattered everywhere, covered with slippery moss.

The air became damp and chilly, starkly different from the dry late-spring climate outside the mountains.

Light filtered through the dense canopy, casting mottled, irregular patches, making the forest depths even more mysterious and unfathomable.

Chen Wen ordered the entire force to fall silent, communicating only by hand signals.

Even the horses' hooves were wrapped in thick cloth to minimize noise as much as possible during movement.

A contingent of one hundred fifty people, in this primeval forest, was as insignificant as a migrating ant colony.

Qian Gui's scouts, like the most sensitive antennae, were spread far ahead and to the flanks of the unit.

They carefully examined broken branches and vague trampling marks on the moss.

Even the placement of insignificant stones was scrutinized, hoping to find traces of human activity.

The marching speed inevitably slowed down.

Even the elite soldiers who had received Chen Wen's endowment of double stamina and agility.

Even so, trekking long distances in such complex terrain gradually began to feel arduous.

Sweat soaked their inner linings, breathing grew heavy, yet no one complained.

Everyone kept their nerves taut, vigilantly watching for any stir in the surroundings.

On the first day, aside from finding a few traces possibly left by hunters long ago, they came up empty-handed.

As night fell, the mountains became even more perilous.

Chen Wen chose not to light a fire; the unit camped beneath a relatively dry, leeward rock cliff.

The soldiers gnawed on cold rations, washing them down with cool water from their waterskins, taking turns on watch and resting.

In the darkness, unknown beast howls and the cries of night owls rose and fell, adding a touch of gloom.

Chen Wen leaned against the stone wall; the chill in his shoulders seemed stirred by the mountain's dampness, causing a faint ache.

He closed his eyes and focused; the pale golden Fortune Momentum vortex in his sea of consciousness turned slowly, out of place in this strange, hostile environment.

He could sense that something unsettling lurked deep within these mountains.

The second day, the situation remained the same.

The mountain path grew ever steeper, sometimes requiring ropes to climb.

Non-combat losses began to appear in the ranks: someone sprained an ankle, someone came down with a low fever after being bitten by a poisonous insect.

"Commander, continuing like this is like looking for a needle in a sea."

Shi Dun crept up to Chen Wen's side, lowered his voice, his face betraying anxiety he could not hide.

"Our provisions will last at most another three or four days; if we still find nothing, we're afraid..."

Chen Wen gazed at the mist-shrouded peaks ahead, his eyes calm:

"We have no retreat. Since the Iron Crow Army can operate here, they must have relatively fixed routes and strongholds. Qian Gui and his men will surely find clues."

His composure infected Shi Dun. Shi Dun nodded firmly: "Mm! I'll follow the commander's orders!"

As noon approached, word finally came from ahead.

A scout returned in haste, his face showing a restrained excitement.

"Commander, Qian's team has made a discovery! At a pass about five li ahead, they found this!"

The scout handed Chen Wen a small piece of dark gray, sturdy fabric.

Chen Wen took the fragment and examined it closely.

The texture of this cloth matched exactly that of the Iron Crow Army's uniforms previously captured.

Moreover, its edges were ragged, as if scraped off by branches or rocks.

More importantly, the fragment bore a speck of almost imperceptible, dried‑black stain.

Chen Wen's keen sense of smell caught a faint trace of blood.

"Lead the way!" Chen Wen exclaimed, his spirits lifted.

Under the scout's guidance, the unit quickly reached the spot where the cloth fragment was found.

This was an extremely concealed mountain pass, with smooth rock walls on either side, allowing only two or three people to walk abreast.

Qian Gui was leading a few of his men in a careful inspection of the pass's interior.

"Commander, look here."

Qian Gui pointed to the base of a rock inside the pass.

There were several very shallow marks there, nearly blending with the rock's color.

Their shape resembled a simplified bird's beak, pointing toward the depths of the pass.

"It's a marker!" Wang Ru whispered.

"They use this to indicate the way."

"And there's more!"

Qian Gui then pointed to some traces on the ground almost covered by fallen leaves.

"Although faint, there are indeed fresher footprints here—more than one person, with a wide stride."

"This indicates they were moving quickly, matching the Iron Crow Army's characteristics. The direction is along where this marker points."

Finally caught the fox's tail!

Chen Wen was certain in his heart and decisively gave the order:

"Continue tracking along the marked direction!"

"Qian Gui, reduce the scouting distance to one li; be extremely careful, the enemy likely set up hidden sentries."

"Understood!"

The troop moved out again; this time, the objective became much clearer.

The simplified bird-beak marker appeared intermittently, showing up under inconspicuous tree roots and the backs of rocks.

It guided them deeper into the mountains.

The terrain began to feel strange; they seemed to be walking down a massive, naturally formed fissure.

The surrounding air grew increasingly gloomy and cold, the light dimmer, as if dusk had fallen early.

An inexplicable sense of oppression weighed on everyone's heart.

Chen Wen could clearly feel that the yin-cold killing energy on his shoulders had become active.

It faintly resonated with some intangible force in this environment.

The Fortune Momentum vortex in his sea of consciousness also sped up slightly, emitting a faint golden glow.

It seemed to be resisting this external yin-cold invasion.

"Commander, do you feel… a bit cold?"

A personal guard following Chen Wen couldn't help shiver and whispered.

Chen Wen nodded but did not answer.

His gaze fixed firmly on the dark path ahead, his heart filled with apprehension.

It seems they have found the right place.

The Iron Crow Army's stronghold is likely built upon this special ley line that gathers yin-cold energy, which explains why it is so hard to find.

After advancing another half hour, they passed through a dense coniferous forest emitting a strange odor.

Qian Gui ahead suddenly gave an extremely dangerous gesture signaling to halt advance!

The entire troop froze instantly; everyone lowered their bodies on the spot and held their breath.

Chen Wen silently approached Qian Gui's side and followed his gaze forward.

Only to see ahead opening up into a deep valley encircled by ring-shaped mountains.

The valley was filled with a light white chill, like morning mist.

Within that chill, faint outlines of rough but sturdy stone-and-wood buildings built into the mountainside could be seen!

Even more chilling, at the valley's entrance and on the cliffs on both sides.

Several black figures, motionless like statues, could be seen.

They nearly blended with the environment; were it not for Qian Gui's keen eyes, they would be nearly impossible to notice!

Found it!

The Iron Crow Army's hidden stronghold in the Chanbei mountains has finally been exposed to the Jing'an army's sight!

Chen Wen's heart clenched sharply, not from fear but from the resolve of having found his target.

He slowly drew a breath of icy, thin air.

He felt the yin-cold killing energy emanating from the valley, many times stronger than that of any Iron Crow Army soldier he had encountered before.

Growth Progress Bar, after enduring the arduous trek, finally locked onto the target.

Under the pressure and determination to face the great danger, that solid membrane was finally shaken.

It advanced forward with difficulty but steadiness by one step, reaching 97%.

The true test has only just begun.