Ye Chen slowly opened his eyes, feeling the direct sunlight piercing his vision. His head throbbed painfully, as if it was about to explode.
Frowning, he endured the pain, trying hard to clear his mind from the fog.
He struggled to examine his surroundings and discovered he was in an unfamiliar room.
The room was dimly lit, filled with an old, musty smell. All around, bags of grain were neatly stacked, some with a thin layer of dust on them, exuding a faint scent of wheat.
With his sharp observation and experience, he immediately deduced that this was a warehouse.
Ye Chen tried to move but realized he was tightly bound, his limbs still aching and weak, unable to break free from the ropes.
He took a deep breath to calm himself, pondering what had happened.
“I only remember being ambushed halfway. From their conversation, they didn’t seem like truly evil people… Ugh, the pain!”
As he tried to recall more, his head pounded even harder.
Just then, the warehouse door creaked open, and blinding light flooded in, causing Ye Chen to squint involuntarily.
A burly man stood at the entrance, his large figure blocking most of the light, resembling a tower of iron.
Ye Chen looked carefully and immediately recalled the moment he was knocked out last night—it was this man who had injured him.
A flash of anger and wariness appeared in his eyes.
The man spoke coldly and expressionlessly, “The Boss wants to see you. Don’t dawdle, get moving!” With that, he strode forward, roughly pulling Ye Chen by his arm.
Dragged along, Ye Chen had no choice but to stand up and follow, all the while discreetly observing his surroundings, calculating how to escape.
As they walked, the scenery left Ye Chen puzzled.
They had actually cultivated farmland in these mountains of Yunzhou. In the vast fields, farmers were bent over, rhythmically working with their hoes.
In the distance, several carpenters were busy around a pile of lumber.
There were many people scattered about—some women sat in front of houses, focused on weaving; children happily chased each other around courtyards; elders sat at their doorsteps.
This place was full of people working and weaving, like a hidden paradise in the mountains of Yunzhou!
Ye Chen couldn’t help but wonder who the master of this place was, to have the ability to create such an idyllic environment.
Before long, the burly man brought him to a grand hall.
The hall was spacious and bright, with a large landscape painting hanging on the front wall. The painting depicted towering mountains veiled in mist and a waterfall cascading down like a galaxy, evoking a sense of elegance and grandeur.
At the top of the hall were three chairs.
On the central chair sat a stunning woman in red, with an extraordinarily beautiful face and a graceful figure.
Her brows were delicate like distant mountains, curving like a new moon. Her eyes, as clear as autumn water, were deep and captivating, drawing anyone who looked into them.
Her long, black hair was casually tied at the back, with a few rebellious strands falling around her fair neck, adding to her allure.
Dressed in flowing red robes, she resembled a blooming red lotus, both noble and passionate.
On the two chairs beside her, one was occupied by a dark-skinned man with a face full of scars, thick eyebrows like charcoal, and fierce, bulging eyes.
The other was a tall, skinny middle-aged man with a haggard face and sunken cheeks, seemingly weathered by countless hardships. His narrow eyes occasionally flashed with cunning intelligence.
After taking in the scene, Ye Chen realized that the true authority of this place was this extraordinary woman.
What surprised him wasn’t just the woman’s appearance, but her ability to command all these men and establish such a hidden paradise in the mountains, which was extremely rare.
The woman looked at the burly man and asked, “Is this the remnant who escaped from Heifeng Stronghold last night?”
The man replied respectfully, “Boss, the entire Heifeng Stronghold was embroiled in battle last night. We don’t yet know who the combatants were, but this man should know.”
The woman then turned her gaze to Ye Chen, who was also observing her. The two stared at each other for a long time, neither speaking.
Eventually, the woman broke the silence, asking, “Are you a bandit from Heifeng Stronghold?”
At this moment, Ye Chen straightened his back, exuding an otherworldly demeanor that was impossible to ignore.
“I am not a bandit from Heifeng Stronghold, and I won’t answer your questions for nothing. If you want me to answer, you must exchange a question with me.”
“Pah! Who do you think you are to make demands with us?!”
No sooner had Ye Chen spoken than the dark-skinned man stood up in anger, ready to teach him a lesson. Ye Chen, unperturbed, kept his eyes locked on the Boss.
“Second Brother!” The dark-skinned man, who was the second-in-command, was about to act but was stopped by the Boss. He immediately halted and returned to his seat.
Seeing this, Ye Chen was further impressed by the woman’s authority—this dark-skinned man was surprisingly obedient to her.
However, Ye Chen wasn’t impulsive. After walking all the way here, his body had mostly recovered. Had he not wanted to maintain the peace, he could have already broken free of the ropes and fought his way out.
The Boss studied Ye Chen for a while and realized that his demeanor suggested he was no ordinary person.
“Fine, you ask me one question, and I will answer it.”
“Boss, this…”
The tall, skinny man, who was the third-in-command, hesitated, knowing that they held the advantage.
The Boss waved her hand, and the third-in-command immediately fell silent.
“Who attacked Heifeng Stronghold last night, and what is the current situation?”
Without hesitation, Ye Chen replied truthfully, “The Yunzhou garrison, they stormed Heifeng Stronghold overnight and flattened it.”
“What?”
“That’s impossible!”
Upon hearing this, everyone in the room except the Boss was shocked. The third-in-command immediately objected:
“The Yunzhou garrison is only five thousand strong, while Heifeng Stronghold has ten thousand men. Even if the garrison is well-trained, they couldn’t possibly destroy the stronghold!”
The second-in-command also nodded, doubting Ye Chen’s answer.
However, the Boss pondered for a moment and nodded, saying, “Very well, I believe you. Now, you may ask your question.”
Seeing the Boss’s frankness, Ye Chen smiled and asked, “Where is this place, and who are you?”
Upon hearing this, the second-in-command became enraged again, but the Boss calmly replied, “This is Lijia Stronghold, and we are people who were forced to flee into the mountains from Yunzhou.”
I see!
Originally, Ye Chen had considered escaping if negotiations failed, but now it seemed unnecessary.
After all, Yunzhou Mountain was destined to be an important base for Ye Chen in the future, and keeping a paradise-like stronghold here could be advantageous.
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