Chapter Twenty-Nine: The First Unveiling of the Mist

If one were to enter through the main gate, it would certainly alert the two squads of bandit guards. Even though Hu San possessed the ability to slaughter them all in a short span, he could never do so without a sound. Fortunately, the two squads of bandits, perhaps exhausted or simply assured of their safety in this place, were not paying close attention, granting Hu San an opportunity.

He circled to a low rock at the side, using the shadows to slip past the bandits' gaze, then swiftly approached the building. Relying on the strength of his arms, he gripped the gaps between the wooden boards and climbed upward with speed. Upon reaching the roof, Hu San drew out the black sword from his chest, carved a circle with force, and created a hole just big enough for him to fit through. With a single leap, he slipped inside.

As his eyes adjusted to the dimness, he found himself surrounded by sacks of grain. On either side, there were heaps of animal meat, clearly the bandits’ food reserves. What delighted Hu San most was the sight of two barrels of animal fat, their contents half-solidified, placed beside the meat by someone unknown.

Reaching out to scoop some fat, Hu San was overjoyed. He quickly grabbed the two barrels and smeared the fat over the mountain of grain. Then, he piled the meat nearby, forming another mound. Hidden in a corner, Hu San took out his fire striker, fetched a sack of dry grass he’d specially soaked in animal fat, and quietly set it alight.

Once the flames began to spread, Hu San rose and left, escaping through the hole he had made. As firelight erupted within the granary, Hu San snatched a torch from a passing bandit and, retracing his steps, entered each of the houses he’d previously cleared, setting all combustibles within ablaze.

By the time the bandits realized what was happening, a dragon of fire, starting from the granary, had already swept through the entire camp, extending all the way to its edge and growing ever larger. Amidst the chaos, mountain winds howled; the bandits’ houses, built so close together, only aggravated the disaster, leaving no time for rescue.

At this moment, Hu San brandished his long blade once more, hacking mercilessly amidst shouts of men and horses, further heightening the pandemonium. Though the bandits’ experts shouted orders to restore order, their efforts were futile.

The fire raged on, and seeing the bandit masters beginning to gather toward him, Hu San dared not linger. Using the confusion to his advantage, he charged straight through the camp gates and vanished into the distance.

Unable to contain the blaze, the bandit leaders could only withdraw from the valley with their men while casualties were still relatively light, but all the supplies they had hoarded for so long were reduced to ashes.

At dawn, after tallying the losses, it was found that the fire, combined with trampling and slaughter, had left over six hundred dead or wounded among the expedition.

This news made the burly man standing atop a rocky outcrop, clad in a gray robe, darken his expression with fury. Not a soul dared to speak, fearing they might become the next target for venting his wrath.

“Could it be that the warriors of Wolfheart Fort got wind of our plans?”

After a long silence, a burly man dressed in white spoke up. Had Hu San been present, he would have recognized him immediately—it was none other than White Bear, who had once gravely wounded him.

“So what if it was the warriors of Wolfheart Fort? Does that excuse him for moving freely through our camp? Which squads were on patrol last night? Which squads were guarding the granary?”

The gray-robed man roared in anger, and without waiting for a reply, he pronounced their fate. “Have all these men executed. Black Bear Fort has no use for such incompetents.”

His subordinates dared not utter a word, and those squads themselves did not beg for mercy, fearing it would implicate their families.

Only then did the gray-robed man’s anger abate.

After some thought, the burly man issued further orders: “No matter who did this, it’s likely that both our positions have been exposed. To prevent Wolfheart Fort from preparing, tell the brothers to set out immediately, march at full speed. As long as we destroy Wolf Fang Fort, we haven’t lost, and the fallen brothers will have died with purpose.”

With this command, the men of Black Bear Fort transferred their fear and resentment onto Wolf Fang Fort, eager for revenge, and their spirits soared, ready for battle.

At that moment, a vanguard bandit reported discovering the corpses of four patrol squads. The gray-robed man immediately ordered a thorough investigation. Among the bandits were experts at tracking, and Hu San, in his haste the previous night, had left traces. Before long, his path through the mountain forest was uncovered.

“After him!”

The gray-robed man spoke a single word, his voice cold and relentless.

Suddenly, men and horses surged forth. The entire bandit force, like a flood breaking its banks, pursued Hu San’s trail, heading straight for Wolf Fang Fort.

As for Hu San, after setting the enemy camp ablaze, he plunged into the forest, fearing pursuit and hurried toward the fort overnight.

But with the darkness and urgency, visibility was almost nonexistent. Even for him, it was fraught with difficulty—not to mention speed, even a steady advance was hard to manage.

One careless step could send him plummeting down a cliff, and poisonous insects and ferocious beasts lurked in the mountains. If it were daytime, he might not have feared them, but at night, it was a different matter entirely.

He walked all night, and when dawn broke, a somewhat disheveled Hu San was dismayed to find he had covered barely half the distance—he was still not far from the enemy camp of the previous day.

Frustrated, he pressed his hand to his brow, disregarding his growing exhaustion, and pressed on now that the day had brightened. At last, he arrived at the fort ahead of his pursuers, but on arrival, Hu San hesitated, unsure whether to report the news to the third master immediately.

From the moment the bandits set up this training camp, Hu San had harbored doubts. In such a setting and under these conditions, creating a bandit training camp seemed like an unnecessary, even absurd, move.

His suspicions only deepened as Wolfheart Fort’s investment in the camp increased, yet he could never pinpoint the anomaly.

Now, suddenly, a glaring flaw became apparent: Wolfheart Fort’s training camp was an immense undertaking, seemingly vital, almost as if it represented the fort’s future hope. Yet, upon closer inspection, its defenses and secrecy appeared woefully inadequate.

First, consider the recruitment. With the bandits’ fearsome reputation, there was no need to explain anything to the mountain dwellers—they would not dare refuse. Yet, by explaining, not only was little gained, but the fort’s plans were thoroughly exposed. Though the mountain folk seldom spoke out, the saying goes, “If you don’t want others to know, don’t do it.” The news had spread through so many villages—how could secrecy be maintained? It was laughable.

Leaving that aside, consider the fort’s defense. Excluding the newcomers in the training camp, the truly battle-ready bandits numbered fewer than two hundred.

What could such a small force accomplish? Faced with even a moderately strong rival fort, their only outcome would be annihilation.

If secrecy was the goal, one might expect these bandits to hide deep within Wolf Fang Mountain. Yet, strangely, they openly established themselves atop the mountain, regularly raiding passing merchants, as if they wore a sign proclaiming “Wolf Fang Fort Training Camp.”

Within the camp, discipline was lax. Hu San often saw bandits leaving—who knew where they went? They typically returned after three or five days.

Other bandits said they went to nearby villages for amusement.

Could it be that the chief of Wolfheart Fort was so confident none of these two hundred bandits were spies from rival forts? And even if not, was there not a single one who might let slip something while drunk?

If, after all this, the Wolf Fang Fort training camp could still remain a secret, it would be nothing short of a miracle.

“Damn it, the more I look, the more this Wolf Fang Fort training camp seems like an open secret. Is this a deliberate strategy? So, what is the real purpose behind Wolfheart Fort establishing this camp?”

The deeper Hu San thought, the more wrong it felt—utterly wrong. The Wolf Fang Fort training camp was far from Wolfheart Fort’s main stronghold; even marching at full speed, it would take ten days or more to reach it. If attacked, rescue would be impossible.

Suddenly, Hu San was struck by a realization, recalling his own hunting over the past days. Comparing his experiences, it dawned on him—the Wolf Fang Fort training camp was nothing but a carefully laid bait.

He inhaled sharply, unable to stifle his astonishment. “If my suspicion is correct, the strategist behind this has truly remarkable vision and courage!”

“This is an outright stratagem—once set in motion, both sides are compelled to see it through. In that case, I should start preparing myself as well.”

With that, Hu San changed course, crossing straight through the fort and heading for the training camp in the rear hills, foregoing immediate notification of the third master to bolster defenses.

While Hu San was sensing the anomaly and beginning to set his own plans in motion, far to the south of Wolf Fang Mountain, near a towering peak, a well-equipped unit appeared quietly.

Soon, a shadow darted down the mountain, checked its bearings, and made straight for the hidden encampment.

Bandit sentries rushed out to intercept, but the newcomer did not resist and was brought directly before the central command.

After dismissing the guards, only the black-clad figure remained, kneeling on the ground. Looking up, he saw two figures at the head of the central tent: one wrapped in a black cloak and wearing a golden mask, the other with purple hair, red eyes, an iron chain at his waist, exuding a fierce presence.

The black-clad man hurriedly bowed. “Your subordinate Liang Duo greets the chief, greets Commander Ge. The situation at Black Bear Fort has been clarified: half its experts have departed with Black Bear and White Bear, and they should now have reached Wolf Fang Mountain’s territory. If my prediction is correct, the battle for Wolf Fang is imminent—within a day or two.”

“Good, well done. Are there any warriors left in the mountains?”

The mysterious man in the golden mask nodded, his voice utterly devoid of emotion, as bland as plain water, sending chills down one’s spine.

“Reporting to the chief: according to my inquiries, this campaign against Wolf Fang Fort includes only Black Bear and White Bear, with no other warriors in the party. The mountain’s defenders number two or three, led by Black Bear Fort’s second master, Iron Wing, who governs all affairs in Black Bear Fort when Black Bear is absent.”

“Iron Wing? What is his level of cultivation?”

Commander Ge, with his unusual appearance, spoke up. As one of Wolfheart Fort’s warriors, his status was on par with the three masters, indeed first among all the commanders.

This time, the chief was leading a large force in a surprise attack on Black Bear Fort, accompanied by Commander Ge and three ordinary commanders, leaving the second master and the remaining commanders to guard Wolfheart Fort. This arrangement clearly demonstrated Commander Ge’s standing within the fort.