40: Chapter 40 Interrogation

Inside the mountain pass, the trapped Black Panther watched as his men outside were slaughtered like livestock; he was so enraged that his eyes were splitting, yet he was powerless to do anything.

Just at the moment of his Divided Soul!

"Kill!" A furious shout rang out!

Over a dozen elite warriors from Panshi Stockade, armed with shields and spears, had already charged out from hidden doors on both sides of the pass, forming a small battle formation to launch a fatal encirclement against Black Panther and his men.

Besieged from within and without!

Like catching a turtle in a jar!

This was Gao Feng's true plan!

He not only wanted to annihilate this hundred-man unit, but also to capture their leader alive in the most shocking manner possible!

Outside the pass, the combined assault of rolling stones, logs, and a rain of arrows had completely crushed the bandits of Dushan Stronghold.

Leaderless and suffering heavy casualties, the surviving bandits had lost all will to resist under the intimidation of the Panshi Stockade warriors; one by one, they dropped their weapons, knelt on the ground, and trembled in fear.

Inside the pass, the battle was also nearing its end.

The dozen elite Dushan Stronghold members trapped inside were quickly slaughtered under the precise encirclement of the Panshi Stockade special squad.

Only the bandit leader, Black Panther, remained, still putting up a desperate struggle.

He brandished the broadsword in his hand like a mad tiger, but his body was already covered in wounds.

Facing the tight shield formation of Panshi Stockade, all his attacks were like clay oxen entering the sea, unable to cause any effective damage.

"Leave him alive." Gao Feng's cold voice came from the stockade wall.

Following the order, the Panshi Stockade warriors in the battle formation immediately changed their strategy.

Two shield-bearers slammed forward, the immense force causing the already exhausted Black Panther to stumble.

Immediately after, several spears shot out like poisonous snakes; instead of stabbing at his vitals, they precisely entangled his limbs and yanked him backward!

"Thump!" Black Panther could no longer hold on and fell heavily to the ground.

Several warriors swarmed forward, using specially made ropes to tie him up like a package, leaving him unable to move.

"Ugh... let me go! You bunch of rats! If you have guts, just kill me!" Black Panther remained defiant, still cursing filthily.

"Bang!" Old Qiu stepped forward and kicked him squarely in the mouth without hesitation, instantly sending a mouthful of his teeth, mixed with blood, flying out.

"If you dare say one more word, I'll tear your mouth off right now!"

The world finally became quiet.

The battle was completely over.

From the start of the ambush to the capture of the bandit leader, the entire process was clean and efficient.

Panshi Stockade had once again achieved a resounding victory at a minimal cost!

Victory did not let success go to Gao Feng's head; he immediately gave orders to handle the post-battle affairs in an orderly manner.

"All surrendering soldiers are to be disarmed, temporarily detained, and strictly guarded."

"Clean up the battlefield; drag all corpses outside the valley to be burned and buried deep to prevent the plague."

"Confiscate all usable weapons and leather armor and store them in the armory."

Order after order was issued methodically, and the warriors immediately sprang into action.

In chaotic times, mercy to the enemy is cruelty to oneself.

This truth, through the baptism of this battle, was deeply imprinted in the heart of every Panshi Stockade warrior.

Half an hour later, inside a newly built dungeon in Panshi Stockade.

It was dark and damp here, and the air was filled with a musty smell.

Black Panther, who was tied up tightly, was jolted awake by a basin of cold water poured over his head.

He opened his eyes and saw the young Stockade Master of Panshi Stockade, whom he hated to the bone, sitting on a chair, looking down at him coldly.

Beside him stood a burly man with a face full of flesh, holding a branding iron, grinning at him with ill intent.

"You... what do you want to do?!" For the first time, a trace of fear arose in Black Panther's heart.

Gao Feng did not speak, just picked up a cup of hot tea beside him and blew on it gently.

Old Qiu, who was beside him, stepped forward and asked coldly, "Name, and what is your position in Dushan Stronghold?"

"Hmph! I am Black Panther of Dushan Stronghold! Kill or carve me up as you please! Don't even think about getting a single word out of me!"

Black Panther was quite tough; he stiffened his neck, looking as if he was ready to face death without fear.

"Is that so?" Gao Feng put down the teacup and said indifferently, "I heard that the rules in Dushan Stronghold are strict. For someone like you who led an expedition but had the entire army wiped out, and even got captured yourself, even if you went back, your fate would likely be no better than death, right?"

This sentence was like a needle, piercing fiercely into Black Panther's heart.

His expression changed instantly.

He knew very well that given the temper of the Chief Leader, Bear Overlord, he had lost all face for Dushan Stronghold this time; even if he could return alive, he would definitely be skinned alive, or perhaps even executed publicly to serve as a warning to others!

Gao Feng took in the change in his expression and continued unhurriedly, "You only have two paths you can take now."

"The first path: continue being a tough guy. Then, I will have people break every bone in your body, one by one, and throw you back at the gates of Dushan Stronghold. I believe your Chief Leader would be very happy to deal with a traitor who 'lost the battle and leaked information' in the most cruel way possible."

"The second path," a meaningful smile curled at the corners of Gao Feng's mouth, "is to tell me everything you know about Dushan Stronghold in detail."

"For example, what is the relationship between your several Chief Leaders?"

"For example, who has conflicts with whom?"

"Or, for example, are there any unspeakable secrets in your stronghold?"

"As long as what you say satisfies me, I can not only give you a quick end, but I can even give you a chance at life, a sum of silver enough for you to live comfortably for the rest of your life, allowing you to fly far away and never have to live this life of licking blood off the blade again."

"How you choose your path, think about it carefully yourself."

After speaking, Gao Feng said no more, just quietly drank his tea and waited.

Inside the dungeon, a deathly silence fell.

Beads of sweat the size of beans oozed from Black Panther's forehead.

Inside, he was waging a battle between heaven and man.

On one side was the ethereal 'loyalty' and a doomed, miserable death.

On the other side was a 'new life' within reach, and glory and wealth.

This choice was not difficult to make.

In the end, the desire to survive overwhelmed everything.

He raised his head; those eyes that were originally fierce were now filled with defeat and compromise.

"I... I will talk..."

News cannot be kept hidden.

But the news that was sent back had been carefully 'arranged.'

The next day, several Dushan Stronghold bandits who had luckily 'escaped' from the battlefield scrambled back to the stronghold.

The news they brought back was—the hundred-man unit led by Black Panther had fallen into an ambush by Panshi Stockade and was almost completely wiped out; only they had managed to escape with their lives.

The leader, Black Panther, refused to surrender and died in battle on the spot!

This result completely shocked Dushan Stronghold!