Mountain Patrol Military Officer-Chapter 492 - 382: Shock!

Chapter 382: Sharpening Weapons and Preparing Horses

"Halt!"

"This is a military camp, no passage without express orders!"

At the Mountain-cutting Army’s base, at the bottom of the long stairs leading to the strategy hall, amidst the wind and snow, two armored soldiers holding long spears blocked the hurried figure.

The visitor was clad in armor, with grayish-white brows and beard, sporting a tuft of goatee like an old general, moving swiftly like the wind, he flicked the corner of his cloak back, shaking off the snow.

"I am Gongsun Yang of the Ninth Mountain."

"I must see Commander Pei!"

The visitor was indeed the storyteller Gongsun Yang, dispatched to Chuanchong Pass, serving as Chen Yuan’s eyes on the frontline!

Normally dwelling quietly inside the border, not drawing attention, only a few core figures guarding inside the border knew his identity.

The armored soldiers outside clearly did not recognize this "old general," the armor was merely ordinary green armor, and furrowed his eyebrows.

But upon hearing the name "Ninth Mountain," he hesitated, "I will go and inform, you wait here, the Commander is currently in a strategy meeting with several generals..."

"Make way quickly!"

However, before the words were finished, a voice came over, and a green-armored soldier swiftly came out from the hall, single-handedly carrying a sword at his waist, thumping down the steps, speaking as he pushed away the spears, bowed with clasped fists, "Mr. Gongyang, the Commander invites you to the side hall, please follow me!"

"Much obliged!" Gongsun Yang nodded, his tone stern.

The green-armored soldier turned to lead, heading toward the side hall, Gongsun Yang following.

Soon, the two reached the side hall. The soldier stopped at the door, turned to give a clasped fist salute, "Mr. Gongsun, please, the Commander will arrive shortly."

Gongsun Yang thanked him and directly pushed the door open, then the door was closed.

Inside the hall, it appeared rather cold and quiet, Gongsun Yang did not find a seat but instead raised his brow, pacing back and forth, showing signs of heaviness on his mind.

Meanwhile, in the adjacent hall, the fire basin crackled, Pei Yanhu summoned five colonels for a strategy meeting, seated at the front of the hall.

The Sixth Mountain Colonel was delivering military affairs, standing beside the chair, hands crossed before him,

"The scouts dispatched by the mountain sent back news last night; days ago, there were signs of significant demon activity outside Zhen Nan Prefecture, so men were sent inside the prefecture to track the precise movements of the demons, but currently they either lost contact or failed to gather useful information. Commander, it seems we must prepare ahead,,,"

At the front of the assembly, Pei Yanhu remained solemn-faced. At this moment, the green-armored soldier who guided the way returned to the main hall. Keeping his steps light, he quickly reached Pei Yanhu’s seat and stood beside quietly, lips barely moving.

Pei Yanhu nodded, his eyes turned to the few colonels below, and then he spoke,

"We will discuss this matter later, I need to meet someone first!"

"Wait here for a moment."

Saying this, he got up and took large strides towards the back of the hall, the colonels watching gave each other curious glances, who could it be that made the Commander show such importance?

Pei Yanhu, with powerful steps like a tiger, quickly moved from the main hall’s rear courtyard side door to the side hall, seeing Gongsun Yang pacing inside.

"Mr. Gongyang!"

"What has happened?"

Upon seeing Gongsun Yang, Pei Yanhu also called him ’sir,’ even though his cultivation was merely Heavenly Pass Tao Seed.

Because this storyteller’s origin was once specially entrusted by Chen Yuan before he left. His cultivation method is unique, significantly important to Chen Yuan, left here as a strategic piece, able to play an unexpected role when necessary.

Few knew his identity, Pei Yanhu also deliberately obscured it, any messages were conveyed by trusted aides or by Pei Yanhu himself, never summoned the storyteller to a place with too many eyes.

Just like the strategy hall!

The fact that the other party actively sought him at this time indicated something was amiss, and likely not small.

Pei Yanhu’s tiger eyes flickered with keen light, swiftly stepping from the rear hall to the front!

And Gongsun Yang, upon seeing him, halted his pacing, stepped forward, clasped fists, and spoke directly, "Commander Pei, just now my lord suddenly awakened the clone and sent a message, requiring your help! He is currently in a distant place."

"Where is your general located?" Pei Yanhu listened with raised brows, somewhat puzzled.

"Ten Thousand Mountains, Luwu Mountain territory!"

Pei Yanhu, hearing this news, opened his tiger eyes, "What?"

He even questioned if he heard it wrong!

Gongsun Yang knew this message was shocking, quickly elaborating on the reasons disclosed by the lord.

Five days ago, he told Chen Yuan the news about demons stirring outside Chuanchong Pass. Later, the general redeployed troops preparing for the Southeast Front, subsequently encountering a series of events in Qingshan County.

Upon hearing Gongsun Yang’s narration, Pei Yanhu’s pupils quivered.

The human demons betrayed the Human Clan, sacrificing Life Souls, summoning the Ten Evils Great Demon, which was thwarted by Chen Yuan and his troops. The encounter eventually involved the Dragon Tiger Demon, leading them into a transmission tunnel, ultimately landing in the Ten Thousand Mountains.

"Tell me, what does your general need me to do?" Pei Yanhu’s tiger eyes shot out sharp light, his tone carrying urgency.

Chen Yuan must not be compromised, following the events at Tianxiong Pass, he became the mainstay for many soldiers, "The lord requires you, Commander, to send people outside the border, to investigate the demonic movements, determine which Devil Race has managed the transmission array. Then the lord can devise a plan to exit the mountains."

"Additionally," Gongsun Yang articulated the lord’s instructions clearly, "the lord inquired, Commander, whether the Government Administrative Office possesses a map of Ten Thousand Mountains’ regional distribution. The lord is currently escaping the demon’s encirclement, requiring this for major use. If available, please transmit it to him!"

"Ten Thousand Mountains’ regional distribution map?"

"Yes!" Pei Yanhu’s expression shifted, "The Overseers’ arsenal has a foundational version in storage, inherited over the years, rumored to be left from the time when Great Divine Ability Users sealed these demons, continuously refined by successive Mountain-cutting Army, though now the army declined, it’s unused, gathering dust in the Martial Vault."

"Excellent!" Gongsun Yang’s expression brightened, resolving one issue eased his mind.

"I will immediately send a message back to Jingguan City."

"What else did your general say?" Pei Yanhu, concerned for Chen Yuan’s safety, continued questioning.

Gongsun Yang tirelessly traveled with Chen Yuan, understanding the mutual recognition and support the Commander held for the lord, his brows elevated high, watching Pei Yanhu:

"The lord asked me to notify the Commander, and request the Commander to prepare; this move might be a bloody battle!"

"To have us sharpen weapons and prepare horses, sleep with arms ready, awaiting timing!"

Pei Yanhu’s face unconsciously trembled, bloodshot threads crawled across his eyes, "Good!"

He dreamed of counterattacking, avenging his fallen comrades and his son.

"I will send people to investigate the movements of the demons and the situation of the transmission portals at all costs."

"You go and busy yourself with the tasks your general assigned."

"Yes!" Gongsun Yang bowed, turned, and left the side hall. After he left, a silver light rose from a corner courtyard of the Mountain-cutting Army’s camp.

Pei Yanhu returned to the conference hall and ordered the five Colonels participating in the discussion,

"Other military matters will be postponed, now listen to my command."

"Send out orders to investigate the latest movements of the demons in Zhen Nan Prefecture, Huxia Pass, and Jingyuan Prefecture at all costs. Also, send an eight hundred miles urgent message to the government army in the southeast direction to coordinate in investigating other directions of demon activity, find where the transmission portals used by the Devil Race are, and as soon as there is news, send someone to report immediately!"

"Also, issue a bounty notice in the city. Anyone who investigates the situation at a Devil Race transmission portal will be rewarded with five hundred jin of Heavenly Pass Tao Fruit demon flesh and a drop of Great Martial Vault demon blood essence!"

"For our Shu’s soldiers, double the reward!"

Pei Yanhu’s eyes gleamed, projecting three feet into the air; his tone was resounding and decisive.

The five Colonels under his command were visibly startled upon hearing this.

The demon flesh of the Tao Fruit demons was one thing, but even offering Great Martial Vault demon blood essence as a bounty meant substantial expenditure.

However, the task at hand was exceedingly dangerous, investigating the transmission portals used by the Devil Race for troop redeployment. The difficulty of this task was apparent; the transmission portals of the Devil Race were surely heavily guarded, approaching them was difficult, let alone getting detailed information.

What has happened?

Does the commander intend to destroy the Devil Race’s transmission portals to hinder the demon army’s progress?

However, a soldier must obey orders.

"Yes! This subordinate accepts the order!"

.......

"Hyah"

"Hyah"

"Hyah!"

A stream of fast horses galloped out from the Mountain-cutting Army’s camp, the sound of hooves echoed on the street outside, heading straight for the Southern city gate!

At this time, in the wind and snow, beneath the Southern city gate, many people gathered by a section of the city wall, mostly dressed in Jianghu style.

A row of bounty notices was posted on the city wall.

"Six hundred miles outside Qingyuan County, a Heavenly Pass Tao Seed Huo Dou is causing chaos. The killer will be rewarded with one hundred jin of Heavenly Pass flesh and two pieces of Geng Metal."

"Three hundred miles southwest, at Fubo Mountain, a group of Heavenly Dogs are causing trouble. Recruiting Heavenly Pass experts, accompany the military in sweeping them out, reward: one bottle of Heavenly Pass Tao Fruit demon blood essence!"

"......."

Each bounty notice was officially posted by the Mountain-cutting Army, as the frontline of the current demon battlefield, the resistance forces inside Chuanchong Pass included not only the Mountain-cutting Army but also various Jianghu figures, working with outside demons to form a new situation.

Outside the border, demons were rampant. Heavenly Pass demon flesh or low-level demon leather armor and beast bones were valuable cultivation resources, and the Mountain-cutting Army managed most of the resource trade. When manpower was insufficient, they issued bounties to enlist Jianghu experts to assist them in military tasks, gradually creating a stable supply-demand relationship.

However, tasks issued by the Mountain-cutting Army were usually high-level, requiring Heavenly Pass experts to complete. Yet, due to generous rewards, they often attracted many experts willing to take risks.

Of course, as this involved cultivation resources, there were naturally public markets as well. With the previous rarity of demon materials now appearing and flooding in large quantities, black markets, shops, and even regular small-scale exchange fairs emerged inside the city, creating a stronger cultivation atmosphere than in other parts of Shu.

Because, as the frontline of the demon battlefield, it was full of slaughter, danger, and the unknown!

Soon, the sound of galloping hooves approaching from a distance became clear, a team of twenty troops galloped to the foot of the city wall, two columns of troops quickly moved forward, isolating the crowd. Three Green Armored Soldiers dismounted and posted a bounty notice on a blank section of the city wall.

The Jianghu experts below the wall turned their heads, causing a stir, watching the troops’ actions.

The spectacle of posting bounties was no small affair, with three Mountain-cutting Army Colonels appearing to post bounties.

Immediately, curious eyes focused on the bounty notice, followed by exclamations.

"What?"

"Great Demon Blood Essence?"

Exclamations resonated through the crowd as it rippled with shock, realizing the reward included in the bounty was a drop of Great Demon Blood Essence, sparking excitement and commotion.

Great Demon Blood Essence, even the Mountain-cutting Army was willing to put that up as a bounty?

Eyes quickly scanned the three bounty notices posted, and many Jianghu hands, initially excited, soon cooled down. The tasks on the bounty notices involved scouting the transmission portals used by the Devil Race for troop movement at fallen Prefectures.

Such a task naturally meant venturing deep into the demon territory, imagining the degree of danger involved. The transmission portals used by the Devil Race for troop movement were familiar to those who had stayed inside Chuanchong Pass for some time now. Legend holds that the Devil Race uses a treasure of their race, sacrificing massive amounts of energy and blood to open the portal, allowing them to arrive directly from the distant Ten Thousand Mountains to Shu, with the sacrificed blood and energy coming from the Shu’s populace.

The three notices represent different task locations, the three recently fallen Prefectures outside Chuanchong Pass.

Immediately, the previously boisterous atmosphere turned cold, as no one dared to take up the bounty!

And this news quickly spread.

Fifteen minutes later, a young man with a sword box on his back and a stern, cold-face walked to the Southern city gate and took down a bounty notice.

Many people recognized him!

"Gongsun Wuji!"

A Sword Tomb Inheritor who once made a significant name in Shu’s Martial World!

Soon after, another bounty notice was taken down.

This one was a white-robed, ethereal young man!

This person was unknown to the Jianghu experts.

But he was Zhao Quanzhen of Enlightenment Mountain!

This 𝓬ontent is taken from fre𝒆webnove(l).𝐜𝐨𝗺