Sun Ren exchanged the horse he rode out from the mountain stronghold for silver, bought himself a clean set of clothes, and settled his wife and daughter in an inn. He hurriedly stepped out, asked the people on the street, and then briskly headed towards the Ministry of Punishment. This was just a county town, and the Ministry of Punishment here could not compare at all to the majestic scale of Heaven's Peak or Xiong City. It looked rather ordinary, much like a slightly affluent family's courtyard, with three entrances and exits. The Martial Soldier on reception at the Ministry of Punishment noted the deep and fresh whip marks on Sun Ren's plump, round face and was already suspicious. Upon hearing that it related to a case from the Great Wilderness Stronghold, he dared not slack off in the slightest and promptly guided him into the yamen. A sallow-faced official from the Ministry of Punishment sat across from him, languidly yawning, holding a wolf-hair brush, and gestured for Sun Ren to recount the events he knew. Sun Ren was here precisely for this purpose, so he didn't hold back at all, detailing his background, his intent to travel to Xiong City, how he was kidnapped, and how he managed to escape alive from the mountain, describing it all thoroughly. Whenever anger rose, the blood vessels in his thick neck bulged, and his eyes faintly reddened. The official opposite him listened in stunned disbelief, unable to process what he was hearing. What is he talking about? The story's first half seems traceable. A wandering merchant encounters a notorious bandit in the Northwest and foreign domains, fights bravely for his family, but is captured—a situation not uncommon. And among those bandits who don't just kill straight away, opting instead for a fight, maybe three in ten are truly valiant men. But then, things take a twist. The reclusive pharmacist traveling with them turns out to be a hidden expert? That expert shattered the entire Great Wilderness Stronghold with a sword? The reasoning behind such a master's actions was simply a recent day when the expert's daughter gave him a piece of fruit—a claim so simple, it's absurd? The Ministry of Punishment official rubbed his temples, couldn't help but interrupt Sun Ren, saying: "Brother Sun, in our Great Qin, falsely reporting a case violates the criminal code." Sun Ren was momentarily taken aback, then suddenly enraged, stood up abruptly, lifted his clothing to reveal the whip marks on his chest, and loudly declared: "What I have said is completely true, not a single falsehood!" The official saw the bloody, crisscrossing whip scars on his chest—shocking to behold—and couldn't help but gasp, gesturing for him to put his clothes back on, gently reassuring him: "I am not doubting your experiences; who would make such jest about his wife and daughter?" "But... Are you sure of what you said?" "Was it truly just one person who charged in? Could it be perhaps that many entered, but you were too severely injured and not clearly conscious at the time, thus only perceiving one? That event happened three days ago, correct? Might your hazy impressions combined with some slight error make... " "After all, one person—that's a bit absurd, even in Jianghu tales or novels like 'Seven Heroes and Five Gallants,' wouldn't write such a thing..." Sun Ren calmed down, simply stating: "What I said is the complete truth." The official pinched his temples, seeing his unwavering expression, had no choice but to record the events fully, casually adding: "Is there anything you've left out?" Sun Ren was initially going to shake his head but suddenly remembered something and hesitated, saying: "No, but... there is one thing." The official, organizing his things, heard this and curiously asked: Sun Ren pursed his lips and said, "I suspect there's an insider for the Great Wilderness Stronghold within my caravan." "His name is Zhou Chao." Zhou Chao took a swig of alcohol; his mood was rather agitated compared to three days prior. Original content can be found at NoveI-Fire.ɴet He couldn't make contact with the stronghold. This kind of situation had never occurred since he entered the Great Wilderness Stronghold over twenty years ago, where the old fortress leader trained this band of marauders like an army, establishing the three strikes rule. Disobey the orders, be struck down; not responding to war drums, be struck down; fearfully retreating, be struck down! The old fortress leader was ruthless, even his own son died by his blade for violating rules, leaving his subordinates constantly on edge for fear of angering him. The stronghold and guides consistently maintained contact—a practice implemented by the Great Wilderness Stronghold thirty years ago. However, such an age-old, cold rule had been broken. For three days, he had constantly sent signals, waiting. The first day he waited from dusk till dawn, his clothes soaked by dew, infuriating and unpleasant, even contemplating reporting to the old fortress leader to have Wen Jie killed, then trying his own hand at being fortress leader. But no one came the second day, causing hesitation. On the third day, which was yesterday, he felt uneasy; countless thoughts surfaced uncontrollably—Was Wen Jie planning to betray him? Was there a plan to get rid of him and go rogue? Or was there some other scheme? Earlier on, he knew not to depend on righteousness... One thought after another arose, forcibly suppressed by his reason, but still leaving him irritable. Over those three days, he flared at the guards for many minor issues. Yesterday marked the beginning of winter on the calendar; the chill had been creeping in for days, the nights growing longer and darker. The sun hung by the mountain only just, and suddenly it vanished, plunging heaven and earth into gloom.