63: Chapter 63 The creditor is truly a god.

"Stockade Master, this... this furnace drawn on the blueprint is too tall and too big, isn't it?"

Old Blacksmith Sun Jiu looked at the blueprint in his hands, which was covered in various strange symbols and structures, his face filled with confusion and hesitation.

"The furnaces we used for iron smithing before were only half a person's height. Yours... is a full three zhang high! And you've left so many holes at the bottom; will the fire... be able to burn strongly?"

The other craftsmen also gathered around, pointing at the blueprint and whispering among themselves.

They couldn't understand why a furnace for smelting iron had to be built in the shape of a small tower.

Gao Feng smiled and patiently explained, "Uncle Sun, think about it: the taller the furnace, the longer and more thoroughly the iron Ore dropped from the top can burn as it falls to the bottom."

"As for these holes, they are called 'tuyeres'. We aren't waiting for the wind; we are going to actively pump the wind in!"

He pointed to a structure on the blueprint that looked like a giant bellows.

"Using this, a hydraulic blower! By utilizing the water power of the nearby stream to drive it, we can generate a constant, powerful wind to blow into the tuyeres! By then, the temperature inside the furnace will be much higher than any flame you have ever seen before!"

This simple and easy-to-understand explanation left Sun Jiu and the craftsmen stunned, as if a door to a new world had been opened for them.

"So... so this is how iron can be smelted!" Sun Jiu muttered to himself, an unprecedented brilliance erupting in his eyes.

"The Stockade Master is truly a Divine Being!"

Having solved the theoretical problems, Gao Feng personally got involved, instructing them on how to fire the refractory bricks needed for the blast furnace's inner walls, how to calculate the load-bearing capacity of the foundation, and how to build the scaffolding for the blast furnace...

His knowledge, which was far too profound for a mere mountain bandit leader, made all the craftsmen admire him to the point of bowing down.

During the day, he immersed himself at the construction site, sweating profusely like the most ordinary craftsman.

At night, he would return home to enjoy the warmth that belonged only to him.

In the bedroom, the lamplight was warm.

Su Yue's lower abdomen was already slightly rounded, and her face was radiant with maternal glow.

She would gently wipe the dust from Gao Feng's face and bring him a steaming bowl of meat soup.

Gao Feng enjoyed pressing his ear against her abdomen, quietly listening to the faint but strong heartbeat, feeling the stirring of new life.

"What do you think, will this little one grow up to look like me or you?" he asked with a smile.

Su Yue stroked his hair, her eyes filled with tenderness: "It doesn't matter who he looks like, as long as he is safe and sound."

At this time, Luo Qin would bring over a stack of processed official documents to report on the day's affairs in the stockade.

From how many displaced people had been gathered by the recruitment office, to the literacy progress at the night school, and the area of land reclaimed by the farming team...

She was clear, concise, and often offered unique and visionary suggestions; she was Gao Feng's most capable helpmeet.

Luo Qi remained the martial arts fanatic; after dinner, she would drag Gao Feng into the courtyard to spar.

Under Gao Feng's guidance, her saber technique was no longer what it used to be; it had lost some of the gentleness of a woman and gained more fierce Killing Intent.

In the courtyard, blades and spears clashed, sparks flew; it was not just a spar, but also had a unique charm.

And the two little girls, Luo Shu and Luo Hua, were even more clingy.

Luo Shu would sit quietly to the side, grinding ink for Gao Feng, or holding a book and reading stories from it in her soft, sweet voice, relieving his daily fatigue.

Luo Hua was like a happy little bird, chattering as she shared the day's interesting news with Gao Feng, or pulling his hand, demanding he go to the back mountain to see the two large tigers she had raised to be sleek and shiny.

Sometimes, looking at Su Yue's increasingly rounded belly, Gao Feng would feel a burst of childlike wonder.

He would find a piece of fine wood and, with a small knife, clumsily try to carve a wooden horse.

Its crooked appearance often made the women cover their mouths and giggle secretly on the side.

That laughter, crisp and pleasant, was the warmest melody in this cold and chaotic world.

...

The world outside the mountains, however, was far from being as warm as Panshi Stockade.

The Western Army.

The six hundred elites led by Du Wei moved like a black tide, marching urgently through the night on the rugged mountain roads.

For two full days and nights, they hardly rested, except for necessary breaks.

Finally, at dusk on the third day, they quietly arrived at the outskirts of the Three-Forked Crossing.

Before them was a magnificent and perilous pass built between two mountains.

The pass was built of giant stones, about five zhang high, with the only passage being a massive iron gate in the middle, no more than three zhang wide.

On the gate tower, arrow battlements stood, torches were bright, and teams of armed bandits patrolled back and forth, guarding strictly.

"What a majestic pass, easy to defend and difficult to attack!"

King Tiger, who was with the army, couldn't help but gasp when he saw this scene.

"If we were to attack this by force, how many lives would we have to sacrifice!"

Du Wei's expression was equally grave.

But he was not intimidated by the difficulty before him.

"Set up camp!"

He ordered calmly.

"Send out scouts and have them map out every inch of land within a ten-mile radius! I want to know if there are any other places we can ascend besides this road!"

For the next two days, Du Wei remained still.

He did not rush to attack, but patiently waited for the intelligence brought back by the scouts.

The new personal guard, Flank General, watched Du Wei's back, which was as steady as a mountain, and was filled with admiration.

He had originally thought that a fierce general like General Du Wei would directly order a frontal assault.

He didn't expect him to have such patience and caution.

Finally, late in the night of the second day.

One of the most elite scouts, soaked to the bone and covered in mud, quietly sneaked back into Du Wei's tent.

"General!"

"Behind the pass, we found a cliff!"

"That cliff is almost vertical, over a dozen zhang high, covered in slippery moss; it looks impossible for anyone to climb. Therefore, the defense there is the weakest, with only a small squad guarding it!"

"Good!"

Du Wei slammed the table, a sharp light exploding in his eyes!

The opportunity he had been waiting for had arrived!

He immediately summoned all the core generals, including King Tiger.

A bold and risky battle plan quickly took shape.

That night, the weather was favorable.

Dark clouds obscured the moon and stars.

Cold autumn rain, mixed with mountain wind, began to fall in a drizzle.

"Action!"

Following Du Wei's command.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Behind the Panshi Stockade's army formation, dozens of giant war drums were beaten simultaneously!

The earth-shaking sound of drums pierced the silence of the rainy night, rolling away like thunder.

"Kill!!!"

King Tiger led five hundred soldiers, lighting countless torches, and launched a tidal wave-like assault on the pass of the Three-Forked Crossing from the front!

They shouted and roared, shooting countless arrows toward the city walls, creating the grand momentum of thousands of troops attacking the city.

"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!"

On the pass, chaos ensued instantly.

The bandits of the Three-Forked Crossing were startled from their sleep, hastily grabbed their weapons, rushed to the city walls, and began to counterattack in a panic.

All their attention was firmly drawn by the bright firelight and the earth-shaking battle cries on the front battlefield.

No one noticed.

Behind them, under the pitch-black cliff that was considered impossible for anyone to climb.

Thirty black figures, like geckos, were using ropes, braving the slippery rocks, climbing upward with difficulty and determination!

The leader was none other than Du Wei!

Behind him was Flank General, and twenty-eight of the most elite daredevils from the Tiger Guard Battalion!

Rainwater flowed down their cheeks, blurring their vision.

The slippery moss made every foothold full of danger.

They gritted their teeth, held their breath, and were careful with every step.

Suddenly!

The rock under one of the daredevils' feet loosened without warning!

"Ah!"

A short, sharp exclamation.

The soldier, like a kite with a broken string, instantly fell into the endless darkness below!

"Not good!"

Du Wei's heart tightened.

Although the exclamation was covered by the wind, rain, and the battle cries from the front, there was still a risk of exposure!

Almost at the same time, a vigilant questioning came from above the cliff.

"What sound was that?!"

"It seems... like someone was shouting?"

"Bullshit! In this damn weather, with the wind and rain, you heard wrong! Keep your eyes on the front!"

On the cliff, everyone's heart was in their throat.

Du Wei made a prompt decision and did not hesitate!

He abandoned caution and made an "accelerate" gesture to the people behind him!

He himself, like an agile ape, used both hands and feet, doubling his speed instantly!

Finally, before the guards above could react, he was the first to vault over the top of the cliff!

"Pfft!"

There was no superfluous movement.

A bandit guarding the edge of the cliff hadn't even seen who it was before his throat was instantly crushed by a hand like an iron clamp!

Immediately after, Flank General and the others vaulted up one after another.

"Kill!"

There was no roar, only a cold, suppressed low shout in their throats.

The thirty wolf-like daredevils instantly pounced on the small squad of guards who were still dazed!

The battle was over the moment it began.

Du Wei, like a demon god who had walked out of Hell, led his daredevil team and silently rushed into the interior of the pass.

At this moment, the Chief Leader of the Three-Forked Crossing, a Late Stage third-rank swordsman named "Yuan Kui", was standing on the gate tower, laughing loudly as he watched the Panshi Stockade soldiers attacking the city like ants below.

"A bunch of idiots! With just this many people, you want to take my iron-clad pass? It's simply a pipe dream!"

"Pass the order! Use rolling stones and fire arrows, shoot them hard! Don't let them leave alive!"

However, his laughter had not yet faded.

"Pfft!"

A muffled sound of a blade entering flesh came from behind him.

He turned his head in astonishment.

He saw a personal guard looking down in disbelief at a blood-stained blade tip protruding from his chest.

"Ene... ene..."

The personal guard fell down forever.

Yuan Kui's pupils contracted violently!

He saw a group of fierce gods clad in black armor, exuding the aura of death, who had appeared behind him without anyone knowing!

The man in the lead had a cold face, and his eyes were like ten-thousand-year-old ice.

It was Du Wei!

"You... how did you get up here?!" Yuan Kui's voice was filled with terror and confusion.

Du Wei did not answer him.

The answer was the saber in Du Wei's hand, thirsting for blood!

"Kill!!"

With a violent shout, Du Wei, like a fierce tiger descending the mountain, instantly charged into the enemy's command center!

The daredevils followed closely behind!

The battle erupted instantly!

Yuan Kui was, after all, a Late Stage third-rank expert; he reacted extremely quickly. He roared, pulled out the ghost-head saber from his back, and met Du Wei.

"Clang!!"

Blade and fist clashed, emitting a loud noise.

Du Wei actually used his flesh-and-blood fist to hard-counter the opponent's blade!

Yuan Kui felt as if he had chopped onto an iron plate; his tiger's mouth was shaken violently, and the saber in his hand almost slipped away!

"You... who exactly are you?!" He was terrified to the extreme.

He had never seen such a terrifying Body Refining expert!

Du Wei sneered, not giving him a chance to breathe, and smashed his iron fists over like a fierce storm!

On the other side, Flank General, this youth who was on the battlefield for the first time, also erupted with astonishing courage.

He had no fear, his eyes flashing with excitement, and imitating Du Wei, he pounced on a bandit with his bare hands.

He simply used the most primitive power to crush, grabbing the opponent's head and smashing it hard against the nearby wall!

"Bang!"

Red and white splashed all over the wall.

Flank General wiped the warmth off his face and felt his whole body's blood burning!

He roared, hoisted a giant ramming log used to brace the door, took large strides, and charged toward the tightly closed pass gate!

"Open... for me!!"

He used all his strength to ram the giant log hard against the gate's bolt!

"Boom!!"

A loud noise!

The bolt made of refined iron actually snapped on impact!

The heavy iron gate slowly opened inward!

Outside the gate, King Tiger and the others, who were feigning an attack, were stunned at first, then erupted into earth-shaking cheers!

"The gate is open! Brothers, charge in with me!!"

The Panshi Stockade army, like a burst flood, surged in!

On the gate tower, Yuan Kui saw this scene, his heart and gallbladder shattered with fear.

He knew the situation was lost!

He feinted a move, forced Du Wei back, and turned to run.

"Want to leave?"

A trace of disdain flashed in Du Wei's eyes.

He did not dodge or avoid, allowing Yuan Kui's desperate counter-attack saber to strike hard onto his own shoulder!

"Pfft!"

The blade entered the flesh, blood splattered!

Yet Du Wei did not even frown.

He used the momentum to close in, and in Yuan Kui's terrified gaze, his right hand, like an iron claw, grabbed his throat!

"Snap!"

The crisp sound of bones shattering.

The light in Yuan Kui's eyes quickly faded.

Du Wei casually tossed his body aside like garbage.

He stood in the pool of blood, looking around; all the bandits still resisting, seeing his figure like a demon god, were terrified to the point of shattering their courage, throwing down their weapons one after another, and kneeling to beg for mercy.

In this battle, at the cost of a shoulder injury, Du Wei killed the enemy leader and stunned the entire scene!

And Panshi Stockade, at the cost of over thirty casualties, successfully captured the strategic location of Three-Forked Crossing.

Counting the spoils, besides a large amount of gold, silver, and supplies, the greatest gain was the dozen or so thick secret account books found in Yuan Kui's secret room, recording the bribes from various merchant caravans.

This would be the sharpest blade for Liu Chengfeng's next move!