Over the next three days, just as predicted, several bandits succumbed to their overwhelming fear and attempted to sneak down the mountain. Most were among those who had personally witnessed Bai Yunfei's battle with Xiao Chen that fateful night.
When the first dozen fled under cover of darkness but were caught and hauled back, Han Xiao immediately ordered them all executed as traitors to the stronghold.
Though this ruthless act did intimidate some terror-stricken bandits, the pervasive panic across the stronghold didn't lessen one bit. Instead, it festered and worsened day by day, amplified by the accumulated dread.
Three days later—the "appointed" day from Bai Yunfei's earlier threat—every bandit in the stronghold barely slept the night before. They moved like startled rabbits, casting nervous glances at every shadow, terrified of being struck down by a surprise attack.
But… Bai Yunfei stood them up.
After a tense, watchful day, everyone realized it was just the enemy playing mind games. A collective sigh of relief swept through the ranks. That relief, however, vanished abruptly on the fifth day when Bai Yunfei and Li Chengfeng stormed Heim Mountain again!
They ambushed two patrol squads, then vanished the instant Han Xiao and Yang Tian appeared!
The following three days plunged Heim Stronghold into a living nightmare. Unpredictably, attackers would surge up the mountain, avoiding the main fortress to slaughter patrols near the lower slopes before melting away. Han Xiao and Yang Tian once led a squad to guard the entrance for an entire day, but nothing happened. The moment they returned to the stronghold… the enemy struck again.
Before Han Xiao and Yang Tian could fully grasp it, the stronghold's numbers had dwindled to fewer than two hundred…
In the great hall, Yang Tian watched as Han Xiao furiously smashed tables and chairs to splinters. When the rage subsided slightly, Yang Tian spoke slowly.
"Stronghold Master, if this continues, we're merely waiting to die. At this point… I see no alternative but for the two of us to risk a scouting mission ourselves…"
"Oh? How so?" Han Xiao forced his anger down enough to ask.
"The enemy clearly knows we dare not counterattack downhill. They're using this tactic of slow attrition—whittling us down until our strength is crippled—before launching a final assault to wipe us out. Now, if we lead all our men down, we might well walk into a trap. That's why I propose only you and I descend to investigate."
Yang Tian paused, gathering his thoughts. "With our skills, even if they've set an ambush, we can stay vigilant and escape. At the very least, we'll learn something about the enemy's general situation. Then we can plan our next move."
Han Xiao's mind was utterly frayed. After a brief moment of thought, he nodded grimly. "Fine! We'll do it your way. When do we go?"
Yang Tian glanced outside at the deepening twilight. "It's already nightfall. We'll head down around three in the morning."
As Yang Tian left the hall, his expression was troubled and reluctant. Truthfully, he dreaded this mission. His earlier reassurance about "escaping if careful" was just to placate the stronghold master; otherwise, he would have suggested it sooner. But now, it was unavoidable. Yet the memory of that crimson spear sent shivers down his spine. Could I survive a surprise strike from it? The doubt gnawed at him.
......
At the foot of the mountain, Bai Yunfei and Li Chengfeng crept upward under the veil of night.
"Stick to the plan. Tonight, we end Heim Stronghold for good!"
Through intense cultivation over the past days, Bai Yunfei had reached mid-stage Soul Apprentice, while Li Chengfeng attained late-stage Soul Disciple. Following their original strategy, they'd refined their approach and agreed to launch a full-scale attack tonight.
Charging straight up was impossible. Though Bai Yunfei could now handle the deputy stronghold master, adding Han Xiao—a mid-stage Soul Warrior—into the mix meant even their combined strength might not prevail. Not to mention the hundred-plus ordinary bandits still lurking.
Their solution: Bai Yunfei would infiltrate solo, seize an opportunity to assassinate the deputy, Yang Tian. Success would guarantee the stronghold's destruction.
Thanks to their recent hit-and-run tactics, they knew the entrance area well. Combined with intel extracted from captured bandits, Bai Yunfei had a rough mental map of Heim Mountain.
Patrols were noticeably weaker now. With nimble movements and stealthy maneuvering, Bai Yunfei slipped into the stronghold undetected.
Though he'd envisioned the layout, the sheer size of the fortress disoriented him once inside. Dodging wandering patrols, he soon felt lost.
No choice. He decided to capture a bandit and force him to reveal Yang Tian's quarters.
He crept toward a building emitting faint food aromas—likely the kitchen—with muffled sounds coming from within.
Most bandits had retreated to rest by this hour. Someone sneaking a late-night snack? Perfect target.
Bai Yunfei scanned his surroundings, then nudged open the slightly ajar door. In a flash, he darted inside, clamping his left hand over the person's mouth and nose while pressing the icy edge of the Frost Thorn Dagger to their throat with his right.
"Don't make a sound! Or you die instantly!"
The captive whimpered in shock but froze obediently at the threat, though tremors still racked their body.
Huh? Bai Yunfei peered closer in the dim moonlight filtering through the window. It was a woman!
A female bandit? Suspicion flickered, but he pressed on. "I'm letting you go. No shouting. If you do, I'll send you to the afterlife like the others!"
The woman trembled violently at first, but upon hearing his words, she suddenly relaxed. She stopped struggling and gave a faint nod.
Bai Yunfei slowly withdrew his hand but kept the dagger at her neck, ready to strike if she screamed.
She took a shaky breath and whispered, "You… you're the one who vowed to destroy this place, aren't you? Are you… here to rescue us?"
"What?" Taken aback, Bai Yunfei lowered the dagger slightly and stepped back. No cries for help came. He finally saw her clearly: an ordinary middle-aged woman in worn clothes, her eyes filled with desperate hope. She looked nothing like a bandit—more like a kindly village matron.
"You're not a bandit? Who are you?" Bai Yunfei kept his voice low.
"I'm… from Cheng Village, two hundred li west of Heim Mountain. The bandits dragged me here a year ago to cook and clean. There are many others like me trapped here. Us older ones just do chores, but… the young girls… they're forced to labor and endure unspeakable torment… Please, save us!" Tears welled in her eyes as she pleaded, clinging to him like her last hope.
The stronghold held countless abducted women!