Chapter 563: Northern Watch Army's Containment

Three days later.

Hebei, eighty li north of Xiongzhou.

The Jin army had set up an important grain and forage transfer depot along the Cao River.

The darkest moment before dawn.

On the outer watchtower of the depot, Jin soldiers clung to their spears, half-asleep.

The autumn night was heavy with cold dew.

He shrank his neck, muttering curses at the wretched weather and the long night.

Suddenly.

A faint tearing sound seemed to brush past his ear.

Like a night bird flapping its wings.

He strained to open his weary eyes, looking toward the source of the sound.

The darkness remained.

He shook his head, thinking he had misheard.

The next moment.

A chill ran across his neck.

A stream of warm liquid spurted out.

He wanted to shout, but could only emit a hoarse, air-leaking "huh-huh".

His consciousness swiftly sank into darkness.

Before collapsing.

He saw many black shadows silently emerging from the shadows of the depot's barracks below.

Swift as a wildcat.

They lunged at each vital point.

Inside the depot.

Most of the Jin troops were still asleep.

Only the patrol squad and a few sentries remained awake.

But tonight.

Those who were awake fell faster than those who were asleep.

At the barracks entrance.

Two Jin soldiers stood back-to-back, forcing themselves to stay alert.

One of them suddenly felt his back grow light.

His companion collapsed silently without a sound.

He turned around in shock.

He saw only a cold blade flash enlarging before his eyes.

He didn't even get a clear look at his opponent's face.

The granary area.

A ten-man night watch squad was gathered around a small fire brazier, chatting quietly.

Suddenly.

Crossbow bolts erupted from the surrounding darkness!

"Whoosh—whoosh—whoosh—"

The tearing sounds were short and dense.

Like a swarm of poisonous bees taking flight.

The ten men were almost simultaneously struck by arrows, their vital points pierced; they died on the spot without even a groan.

By the fire brazier.

Ten more corpses lay there, gradually growing cold.

The entire process.

From the clearing of the outer watchtowers, to the wiping out of the camp patrol, to the instant slaughter of the granary guards.

It took no more than the time to finish a cup of tea.

Silence.

Only the crackling of burning torches.

And the snoring coming from the distant barracks.

A tall, steady figure emerged from the shadows of the granary.

Lin Chong.

He removed the black cloth covering his face, revealing a stern visage.

"All cleared."

He said softly.

"The granary, stables, and armory are all under control."

"There are about two hundred Jin soldiers inside the barracks, still asleep."

Ruan Xiaoer flashed out from the other side, whispering a report.

The blade he held in his hand dripped blood, unstained.

His movements were swift to the extreme.

Lin Chong nodded.

For tonight's operation, he deployed his most elite unit.

A total of fifty men.

All were veteran soldiers who had experienced the Liangshan breakout, the Yingzui Valley ambush, and the pursuit at Wangjia Ao.

More importantly,

Before departure, in Heiyun Village, Chen Wen performed "Ability Granting" on them.

It was not the kind of concentrated burst multiplier used in battle.

But rather a sustained, gentle gradient enhancement.

Lin Chong himself received a comprehensive enhancement of "8x" performance.

Duration approximately two shichen.

Enough to cover the entire operation.

And Ruan Xiao Er and the other three leaders skilled in covert assassination received a "4x" boost.

The remaining elite veterans received a "2x" boost.

Such gradient allocation is something Chen Wen could finely control only after reaching Level 5.

The effect was immediate.

Lin Chong felt his five senses sharpened to the extreme.

He could see in the dark as if it were daytime.

The sound of wind, insect chirps, and the distant Jin soldiers' breathing and snoring were clearly distinguishable.

His body was light yet full of strength.

Each step he took was precisely controlled, landing silently.

His thoughts also became faster.

The layout of the entire supply depot, the gaps in guard rotations, and the optimal breach route instantly formed in his mind.

Ruan Xiao Er and the others were likewise.

Covert movement became faster.

Strikes became more accurate.

Coordination became more tacit.

And the ordinary veterans who received a 2x boost far surpassed their usual selves in stamina, focus, and courage.

It was this that made possible this silent, lightning-fast perfect raid.

"According to plan."

Lin Chong gave the order.

"Carry off all the grain, fodder, weapons, and horses that can be taken."

"Those that cannot be taken..."

He glanced at the piles of grain sacks and fodder stacked like mountains.

"Burn them."

"The barracks'..."

He pondered briefly.

"Lock the doors and windows."

"When leaving, set fire to the grain store and fodder."

"Let them wake up and struggle in the sea of fire."

"Yes."

Ruan Xiao Er's eyes flashed with a cold light as he received the order and departed.

Soon.

The shadows once again became busy.

Like efficient worker ants.

They swiftly moved the depot's stored fine grain, dried meat, arrows, and leather armor onto the pack horses and wagons already prepared outside the depot.

Movements were swift and orderly.

The whole process remained quiet.

Only the faint friction sounds of moving items.

And the occasional snort of the pack horses.

Lin Chong stood at the center of the depot.

He gazed toward the southeast.

There lay the approximate direction of the Yue Family Army's northern expedition.

"Brother Pengju..."

He silently murmured in his heart.

"The Northward Aspiration Army's first 'containment' has been delivered."

"May you... have smooth sailing."

Half a shichen later.

The granary and fodder field erupted in towering flames.

The fire was extremely fierce, quickly engulfing most of the depot.

In the locked barracks, terrified screams, wails, and frantic pounding on the doors finally came through.

But the doors and windows had been barred from outside with heavy wooden beams.

Flames licked the wooden barracks.

Thick smoke poured in.

The screams inside gradually weakened.

Lin Chong and fifty elite troops had vanished into the darkness before dawn.

Only a sea of fire hell remained.

And the supply node had been completely destroyed.

The same day.

Shandong, north of Qingzhou.

A unit of two hundred Jin cavalry was patrolling the official road.

They were scouts dispatched from the nearby main camp.

Responsible for vigilance and suppressing small bands of "bandits."

The unit was led by Moke, riding on horseback, with a relaxed expression.

In this area, the major Song forces had already withdrawn south.

Only some disorganized militia and volunteers remained.

They were no match.

Suddenly.

In the woods ahead at the bend of the road.

A flock of birds took flight.

Moke raised his hand alertly.

The unit slowed down.

He narrowed his eyes toward the woods.

It was too quiet.

Besides the startled birds, there was no other movement.

"Send five men to check."

He ordered.

Five cavalrymen rode out from the ranks, carefully guiding their horses toward the woods.

Just as they were about to enter the forest edge.

Suddenly, an anomaly arose!

Behind the slopes on both sides, dozens of flags with black backgrounds and red characters suddenly rose!

"Northward Aspiration"!

At the same time.

A sharp whistle sounded!

"Whoosh—"

"Whoosh whoosh—"

Not just one.

It was dozens of crossbow bolts, coming from different directions at extremely tricky angles!

The speed was astonishingly fast!

The coverage was extremely precise!

Those five scouting cavalrymen bore the brunt.

Instantly they were shot into porcupines, screaming as they fell from their horses.

The Jin commander Moke was greatly startled!

"An ambush!"

"Form up! Charge out!"

He reacted quickly, immediately realizing they had fallen into an ambush, and that the enemy numbers were not few.

However.

The enemy gave them no time to form up.

The whistle changed again!

Behind the slopes on both sides, shouts of killing shook the heavens!

Hundreds of "righteous army" with red headscarves and mismatched clothing, wielding spears and broadswords, surged down!

Appearing chaotic.

But the momentum of their charge was extremely fierce!

Their speed was also astonishingly fast!

More importantly.

In the eyes of these "righteous army," there was no fear or madness typical of ordinary civilian militias.

But rather a cold, focused killing intent.

The Jin commander Moke's heart pounded wildly.

This is definitely not an ordinary righteous army!

He drew his sword, attempting to organize a counterattack.

But it was already too late.

At the forefront of the charging "Righteous Army," dozens of people suddenly took a peculiarly shaped crossbow from behind their backs.

Raise hand and shoot.

"Hiss hiss hiss hiss——"

Like a stream of beads, the crossbow bolts came pouring down!

At such a close distance.

There was no way to dodge.

The Jin cavalry fell like wheat being cut.

Moke's shoulder was also struck by an arrow, a piercing pain drilling into his heart.

He roared in anger, swinging his blade to split an arrow aimed at his face.

He lifted his gaze.

He saw within the "Righteous Army" a burly man wielding twin whips, like a tiger entering a flock of sheep.

Wherever he passed, people and horses were overturned.

No one could match him in a single exchange.

That speed, that strength—simply inhuman!

"That... is... 'Pilihuo' Qin Ming?!"

A name he had once heard flashed through Moke's mind.

Liangshan remnants!

No.

It's the Northward Aspiration Army!

His soul fled and his spirit scattered.

"Retreat! Retreat quickly!"

He turned his horse's head, hoping to break through.

But enemies surrounded him on all sides.

Crossbow bolts fell like rain.

Blades and spears stood like a forest.

It took only the time it takes to burn an incense stick.

This two-hundred-strong elite cavalry of the Jin army.

The entire army was annihilated.

Qin Ming stepped with one foot on Moke's corpse, still warm, and wiped the blood splattered on his face.

"Pah."

"Not worth a single blow."

He raised his head, looking toward the south.

"Instructor Lin's side should have succeeded as well."

"This should hurt the Jin dogs for a few days."

"It's also time to let General Yue of the south catch his breath."

He waved his hand.

"Clear the battlefield, take whatever can be carried."

"Pile up the corpses and burn them."

"Retreat!"

Black Cloud Stronghold.

On the Stargazing Platform.

Chen Wen's iron wood token embryo in his hand suddenly trembled slightly.

Extremely faint.

But he sensed it.

At the same time.

In his mind, the "Script Reading" ability was passively triggered.

Several new fragmentary images flashed by:

A unit of Jin cavalry was completely annihilated, its banner burned.

A supply station fell into a sea of fire, faint wails echoing.

The images shattered.

Immediately after.

It was more numerous, denser black shadows.

From the direction of Approaching Peace.

From deeper within the Jin forces.

They writhed.

They gathered.

They twined around the vicinity of that sword to the south.

A sense of oppression.

It was clearer than before.

Chen Wen gripped the token tightly.

His gaze turned toward the south, then shifted toward the north, from where the good news had just arrived.

The containment has begun……

But the enemy's counterstrike……

It will also be faster, fiercer.

He felt it.

The faint connection between himself and this token.

It seemed.

Because of these two successful actions in the north, because of the subtle growth of Fortune Momentum.

And it further solidified a thread.

Still not fast enough……

He muttered softly.

The worry in his eyes deepened.

The mountain wind howled.

It swept up the lonely figure on the stargazing platform.

The north-south war flames.

Had been ignited in sync.

And a greater storm.

Was brewing on an unseen level.

Accelerating its brewing.