Chapter 524

First Volume, Chapter 524: Wuren District

Ma Zhuangsheng immediately saw that the peak of Qingyu Mountain was easy to defend and hard to attack, and the enemy troops holding the stronghold were none other than the elite Tianji Camp Guards.

With Qin Feng personally commanding, it was not just these hastily assembled third-rate County Garrison Soldiers— even the Regular Army would suffer massive losses trying to take this stronghold.

This was an impregnable position where merely surrounding it would suffice, allowing victory without losing a single soldier, yet they had already suffered seven to eight thousand casualties. This battle was undoubtedly an indelible stain on the Northern Di army's record!

Unfortunately, Xu Qian and Liu Qing had already been executed; otherwise, Ma Zhuangsheng would have gladly cut down those two scoundrels himself to vent his fury.

"General Chen, how long do you estimate the mountain's supplies can last?"

Chen Ping pondered: "The enemy's warhorses are scattered and sparse; after tallying, we've concluded Qin Feng has converted thirty of them into military rations and stockpiled them in the mountain.

And given Qin Feng's strategic mind, he certainly wouldn't have neglected the water supply.

Combined with the Tianji Camp Guards' own rations and the materials plundered from Pingcang County, our preliminary estimate is the enemy can hold out for at least twenty more days, possibly up to a month."

Ma Zhuangsheng nodded thoughtfully: "Although General Chen Si ordered us to eliminate Qin Feng at all costs, the Search and Exterminate Army has already suffered unsustainable losses. Continuing the assault now is not wise. We should focus on siege and blockade, waiting until the enemy's supplies run out, they're exhausted, and their morale collapses—then decide whether to attack the mountain."

Hearing this, Chen Ping's eyes lit up: "I was thinking the same—let's keep Qin Feng alive for now, maintain close communication with General Chen Si, and decide later whether to kill him or not."

The two immediately agreed and immediately began constructing fortifications and encampments around Qingyu Mountain to prevent Qin Feng from sending men down for stealth attacks.

Meanwhile, a hundred li west of Qingyu Mountain, on the open wasteland, Qin Feng was intercepted by a patrol of the Supervisor of the Army.

Since they weren't armored and the numbers were nearly equal, if a fight broke out, it was uncertain whether they could annihilate the enemy—or whether the enemy would turn and kill them instead.

Thus, Qin Feng decisively abandoned the idea of launching an attack. Instead, he scowled furiously, shouting at the top of his lungs: "Get the hell out of my way! We're under orders from the Ministry of Works to trade with Gaoshan Country. Don't you know Gaoshan Country and Beixi's Tianji Camp have long been secretly colluding? If we don't quickly win back Gaoshan's loyalty, our western border will be in constant turmoil!"

The Supervisor of the Army Commander remained unmoved by Qin Feng's outburst: "Don't you dare speak so boldly! This is a critical battlefront zone. If you refuse to show sense, I'll execute you first and report later!"

"If you're truly under orders from the Ministry of Works, do you have proof?"

Qin Feng pulled out a forged Military Dispatch from his robe and hurled it at the enemy officer: "Read it yourself!"

Since this place was thousands of li from the Di Royal Capital, the dispatch couldn't possibly be verified as fake—Qin Feng wasn't worried at all.

The enemy officer picked up the dispatch and feigned a cursory glance, then raised an eyebrow: "Which official signed this?"

Qin Feng snorted: "Ministry of Works Vice Minister, Lord Xiao!"

The Supervisor of the Army Commander's knowledge of Northern Di officials was likely inferior to Qin Feng's.

After all, knowing both yourself and your enemy ensures victory in every battle.

The enemy officer silently sized up the convoy: "If you're heading to Gaoshan Country for trade, we must inspect the cargo as per procedure."

Qin Feng waved his hand, and his guards immediately drew their swords.

Qin Feng roared: "Inspect the cargo? Isn't the dispatch signed personally by Lord Xiao enough proof? Are you guys Liang Kingdom spies in disguise, trying to disrupt communications between Great Di and Gaoshan Country?"

The Supervisor of the Army Commander's eyes widened, refusing to back down: "Hmph! Don't try that crap on me—you think you're fooling anyone? You're too green! Today, we're inspecting that cargo, or I won't hold back!"

At that moment, Ning Hu swung his blade at the Supervisor of the Army Commander's horse: "Want to go hard? Who the hell are you? If you've got guts, fight—let's see if you bastards can handle the consequences of ruining state affairs!"

The Supervisor of the Army Commander yanked his reins hard—Ning Hu's strike missed. He turned to Qin Feng: "Sir, when a scholar meets a soldier, reason falls on deaf ears. Why waste words on these scum? Just order them to come up the mountain and face you!"

Saying this, Ning Hu pointed at the Supervisor of the Army Commander: "You wait—when your superiors arrive, if I don't cut you down, I'll take your surname!"

Qin Feng silently marveled inside.

He hadn't expected this little tiger's acting to be so flawless—even he'd almost been fooled.

Seeing Qin Feng's group so confident, and Ning Hu's fierce insistence on meeting their superiors to retaliate, the Supervisor of the Army Commander felt a flicker of unease.

Moreover, these men were heading west—west was a vast Wuren District. Even if they had ill intent, they wouldn't walk into a dead end.

Realizing this, the Supervisor of the Army Commander gritted his teeth and waved them through.

Qin Feng led the convoy past the watching Supervisor of the Army troops, striding boldly forward. As Ning Hu passed the Supervisor of the Army Commander, he spat directly in his face.

The Supervisor of the Army Commander glared furiously but said nothing.

Once out of the Supervisor of the Army's sight, Qin Feng ordered a forced march and plunged into the endless wasteland. For three full days, the terrain showed no change—only boundless desolation stretched before them.

With limited water supplies, Qin Feng had to send out guards constantly to search for water sources as they advanced.

By the fifth day, the convoy's drinking water was completely exhausted, and the surroundings grew even drier—no water, not even a blade of grass in sight.

Ning Hu grew anxious: "Brother Qin, if I remember right, this hellhole is the Northern Di's Wuren District, stretching over a thousand li. Without water replenishment, getting through it seems…"

Before Ning Hu could finish, Qin Feng cut him off: "Do I need you to tell me? I already had the Brocade Uniform Corps scout this Wuren District—another hundred li ahead is a lake."

Ignoring Ning Hu's whining, Qin Feng turned and shouted to his guards: "Push harder! A hundred li ahead is a lake!"

Inspired by Qin Feng's "plum blossom illusion," the guards regained their resolve and trudged deeper into the endless wasteland, step by uneven step.

Meanwhile, Chen Ping and Ma Zhuangsheng, leading their personal troops, surveyed the stronghold atop Qingyu Mountain from the MountainWaist.

Chen Ping couldn't help muttering: "General Ma, it's been so many days already—there's been zero movement up top, not even a shadow. Could something have gone wrong?"

Ma Zhuangsheng was also uneasy—even if the enemy was conserving strength, they shouldn't be this silent.

After much deliberation, the two decided to send a probing force to test the stronghold.

The vanguard charged straight up, scaling to the peak's Watchtower without encountering a single soul. At the same time, they discovered two charred Rope Ends at the cliff's rear edge.