Chapter 131: Iron Crow Lair

The north wind swept over the withered, yellow mountain ridges.

It let out a mournful sound, blowing the thin snow that had fallen a few days before into scattered flurries.

Chen Wen lay prone behind a wind‑sheltered rock.

Clad in rough‑hemp camouflage matching the mountain stone, his gaze, like that of a hawk, fell upon the encampment hidden in the hollow below.

Rather than call it a camp,

it is more like a meticulously camouflaged and fortified mountain stronghold.

A wooden palisade was built along the steep cliff face.

Only one side allows entry; the terrain is perilous, easy to defend, hard to attack.

Several crude wooden huts were scattered sparsely.

Yet at its center stood a conspicuously stone‑built structure expanded from a natural cave, not small in scale.

At the mouth, sentries cloaked in black crow‑feather‑like capes kept watch, like the maw of a slumbering beast.

"Envoy, this is the place."

Qian Gui's lowered voice came from beside him, pointing at the stone structure.

"Our men have watched for three days and discovered their main supply transport."

"Especially those heavy, oil‑cloth‑covered crates, which are ultimately hauled into that cave."

"Few people go in and out, but each is vigorous in breath, steady in step—absolutely elite among elites."

"We have also figured out their patrol rhythm: every half hour they shift, each time two teams, crossing paths."

Chen Wen gave a slight nod, his eyes sharp.

This outpost is more concealed and sturdy than he had anticipated.

Were it not for the Inspection Bureau scouts under Qian Gui being patient and experienced,

plus the fragmentary information pried from captives earlier, cross‑checked,

it would likely be hard to pinpoint its exact location in these vast mountains.

"The cave… it seems those Nether Energy Crystal Ores are mostly stored inside."

Chen Wen pondered.

The Iron Crow Army values this place so highly not only because it lies behind the war zone, allowing surveillance of the Zhou army's movements,

but also because it is likely a key supply transfer or storage point.

He slowly shifted his gaze, committing the positions of the outpost's open and hidden sentries to memory.

Simultaneously he rapidly simulated attack routes and possible resistance in his mind.

His sixteen‑fold thinking efficiency let him process massive information at once, quickly forming several tactical plans.

He then eliminated them one by one, leaving only the optimal choice.

"Shi Dun," Chen Wen whispered.

"Here!"

Lying beside him, the stone‑like Shi Dun responded instantly, his eyes flashing with eager battle spirit.

"Take a team and sneak down the eastern rubble slope; that's a blind spot in the patrol's sight."

"At my signal, immediately neutralize the guards at the palisade gate and open a passage."

"Understood!"

Shi Dun licked his slightly chapped lips, his fists clenching with a crack.

"Qian Gui, take a few able men and focus on removing the hidden sentries we marked; act swiftly, so they cannot raise an alarm."

"Leave it to me."

Qian Gui's eyes flashed with sharp light; his silhouette retreated like a wildcat, going to pick personnel.

Chen Wen himself would lead the main force, and once the stone gate is opened, rush straight for the central cave.

Wang Ru, with several crossbowmen, would occupy their current high ground, provide ranged support, and monitor the overall situation.

After deployment, everyone dispersed silently per orders, blending into the forest.

Chen Wen drew a deep breath; the icy air filled his lungs.

It lifted his spirit, which had been slightly fatigued from days of travel and battle pressure.

He closed his eyes and once again confirmed the system interface in his sea of consciousness.

【Personal Ability Multiplier: Lv. 4(16x)】

【Growth Progress Bar: 98%】

【Fortune Momentum Vortex: active, slowly rotating, deep in hue】

The 98% progress bar was like a silent urging.

He knew the opportunity for breakthrough might lie hidden in the dragon's pool and tiger's den below.

Time passed bit by bit.

In the hollow, aside from the wind and occasional crow cries, there was utter stillness.

When the last sliver of sunset's afterglow was swallowed by the distant mountains,

the world fell into dimness.

Chen Wen snapped his eyes open.

"Move!"

He did not shout loudly, but that firm will spread like an invisible ripple.

Almost as soon as he formed the intent, a few extremely faint thuds came from the eastern rubble slope.

That was the sound of a blade slicing a throat.

Immediately after, the fence gate was slowly pushed open a crack.

Shi Dun's burly figure appeared at the entrance, making a hand gesture toward Chen Wen.

"Charge!"

Chen Wen let out a low shout, leading the troops forward like a leopard bursting from cover and charging straight down the mountain.

The elite of the Peaceful Army behind him followed closely.

Everyone held their breath and focused, their steps light and agile, with only the faint rustle of armor rubbing.

The initial stage of the surprise attack went far more smoothly than imagined.

Until Chen Wen led the team charging past half the camp, approaching the central cave.

Then a sharp whistle suddenly sounded from the direction of the cave!

"Enemy attack——!"

The warning cry shattered the silence.

Almost at the moment the whistle sounded, dozens of Iron Crow Army soldiers surged out from inside the cave and the nearby wooden huts.

They reacted extremely quickly, obviously well-trained.

Even in the panic of the surprise attack, they quickly formed a battle formation.

Their black crow-feather cloaks fluttered in the twilight, like real crows spreading their wings.

"Form up! Meet the enemy!"

Chen Wen bellowed, and the Peaceful Army soldiers immediately formed a tight circular formation around him.

At the same time, Wang Ru and the others on high ground also took action.

Several precise crossbow bolts, with a piercing whistling sound, knocked down the few Iron Crow Army soldiers charging at the front.

The battle instantly entered a feverish pitch.

The clashing of swords and blades, the dull thud of blades entering flesh, the dying cries, the angry roars…

All these sounds intertwined, breaking the mountain's tranquility and playing a symphony of death.

The Iron Crow Army soldiers' individual combat strength is extremely strong; that unique "murderous aura" is mixed with a faint.

A chill, as if coming from the netherworld, imposed great pressure on the Peaceful Army.

Their moves were vicious and tricky, often fighting life for life.

Their gaze was numb and icy, like emotionless killing machines.

Chen Wen wielded a fine steel horse saber seized from the Khitan Cavalry, swinging it like the wind.

With sixteen times the strength, speed, and reaction, he moved like a ghost on this chaotic battlefield.

Whenever his blade flashed, an Iron Crow Army soldier would be sprayed with blood and fall.

He was not only a manifestation of personal martial prowess, but also the linchpin of the entire battle formation.

His presence was like a divine needle that stabilizes the sea, firmly steadying the Peaceful Army's footing.

And it spread the extraordinary resilience and cooperation granted by Ability Granting, far beyond ordinary people, subtly throughout the whole unit.

However, the Iron Crow Army's tenacity also exceeded expectations.

Although they were outnumbered, they relied on that desperate spirit and the treacherous terrain.

They clung desperately to the mouth of the cave.

"We can't drag this out! If their reinforcements arrive, or there are more ambushes inside the cave, we'll be in trouble!"

Chen Wen's thoughts raced like lightning.

His gaze locked onto a minor leader who was commanding in the formation, his aura noticeably stronger than that of the other Iron Crow Army soldiers.

"Shi Dun! Follow me to break the formation!"

Chen Wen roared violently, his qi and blood surging, unleashing his sixteenfold power to the fullest!

His whole body shot forth like an arrow from a bow, suddenly breaking free from the formation and charging straight at that minor leader.

Shi Dun, hearing the shout, barreled forward like a human tank, smashing through two Iron Crow Army soldiers blocking the path and closely following Chen Wen's flank.

Seeing Chen Wen charging, the Iron Crow Army minor leader's eyes flashed with a bloodthirsty glint.

He met the attack with a ring-pommeled saber in hand, its wind-making a mournful sound.

"Clang!"

Sparks flew everywhere!

The tremendous clang of metal rang out, making people's eardrums ache.

Chen Wen swayed slightly, releasing the force.

Meanwhile, that minor leader retreated three steps with a 'thud-thud-thud', his tiger's mouth split open, blood pouring out.

For the first time, his eyes showed a look of shock.

Chen Wen pressed his advantage, his horse saber turning into a continuous blade of light that completely engulfed him.

With sixteenfold martial skill proficiency, he executed an otherwise ordinary military sword technique to a miraculous degree.

Each strike aimed straight at vital points, as fast as lightning.

After just a few rounds, all that was heard was a soft 'puff'.

Chen Wen's horse saber precisely broke through his defense, piercing his throat.

The minor leader clutched his bleeding throat, his eyes filled with disbelief, and slowly knelt to the ground.

With the commander fallen, the remaining Iron Crow Army soldiers fell into a moment of chaos and hesitation.

The Peaceful Army's morale surged, and they seized the opportunity to launch a fierce assault.

Finally, they completely broke through the enemy's line and fought their way to the cave entrance.

"Clear the remnants, control the cave mouth!"

"Shi Dun, Qian Gui, follow me into the cave!"

Chen Wen showed no hesitation, rushing first into that deep cave.

The inside of the cave was much more spacious than imagined.

Torches were planted on the walls, their flickering light casting shadows throughout the cave.

The air was filled with a stronger, mixed stench of blood, herbs, and that peculiar chill.

There were still scattered resistances inside the cave, but they were already spent and were quickly quelled.

Chen Wen's gaze swept quickly over the cave, seeing only some grain and military equipment piled in the corner.

And the most eye‑catching thing was the several dozen boxes neatly stacked and covered with heavy oilcloth deep in the cave!

Several boxes had already been opened.

Revealing crystals inside that emitted a faint blue light.

—These were exactly the Nether Energy Crystal Ore!

Besides these crystals, Chen Wen also discovered some scattered documents and maps on a rough stone table.

He quickly stepped forward and picked up a few of them.

The map clearly marked the approximate confrontation zones of the Zhou Army and the Allied Army.

And some red arrows and markings, as if rehearsing a certain attack route.

And the content of the documents made Chen Wen's heart sink.

Besides recording the crystals' inventory numbers.

There were also some fragmentary, vague order fragments.

Repeatedly mentioned were phrases like 'purge plan', 'node stability', and 'target priority adjustment'.

"Military Envoy, look at this!"

Qian Gui again pulled out a thicker volume from a hidden compartment under the stone table.

A volume bound in some tough animal hide.

Chen Wen took the volume and quickly flipped through it.

The handwriting inside was cold and orderly, as if written by an emotionless machine.

The front part recorded some names and places, while the back seemed to be an action plan.

When his gaze swept over a certain page, his pupils contracted sharply!

At the top of that page, starkly written: 'Purge List (Gaoping Node)'.

And beneath the list, he saw several shocking names:

Chai Rong (priority: high)

Zhao Kuangyin (priority: medium)

Chen Wen (codename: Scorched Earth) (priority: extremely high! – abnormal variable, seriously deviating from expectations, needs to be prioritized for elimination)