Chapter 154: Infiltration
Chapter 154: Infiltration
September 25, 2017
...
The Iron Stronghold, located deep in the mountains between Strong Yin and Dingxiang, was accessible only by a single main road.
While this road led directly to the stronghold, Lu HaiKong knew that taking it would be a suicidal move.
After all, a large mountain camp like this would have at least a few thousand people, and unlike Lu HaiKong's camp, which was mostly made up of citizens, these thousands were primarily bandits—all formidable fighters. With the small force Lu HaiKong had brought, a direct confrontation might not end in their favor.
Lu HaiKong was well aware of this, and this time, he had not brought Dian Wei, and only half of the Third Battalion was with him, clearly indicating he had no intention of a direct clash.
As expected, upon reaching the vicinity of the Iron Stronghold, Lu HaiKong immediately ordered the Third Battalion to conceal themselves. Accompanied by members of the Flame Battalion, he slowly made his way up the mountain via a different, smaller path.
Lu HaiKong had long been aware of the existence of the Iron Stronghold, a fellow bandit camp. Recently, the Flame Battalion's activities had been focused around this area, and before Lu HaiKong's arrival, the rest of the Flame Battalion had already taken up positions near the stronghold.
"How well have you gathered intelligence on the enemy?" Lu HaiKong asked one of the junior officers beside him as they hurried along.
This officer, named Zhao Gang, was one of the most promising members of the Flame Battalion. In fact, the entire operation against the Iron Stronghold had been planned and commanded by him. Lu HaiKong's role this time was primarily to provide martial support in dealing with the chief warlord of the Iron Stronghold. While Lu HaiKong was capable of military command, he preferred to give this opportunity to the Flame Battalion.
This was also a test for Zhao Gang and the Flame Battalion. If they passed, it would mean that Lu HaiKong had gained another, or perhaps several, capable officers.
"Please rest assured, my lord," Zhao Gang replied. "I have personally infiltrated the Iron Stronghold several times to gather intelligence. I know the situation there like the back of my hand. This plan will not fail. Even if something unexpected happens, with your peerless strength, we will still be able to fight our way out."
Zhao Gang had a bold and impulsive personality, favoring risky strategies. This time, his plan was no different, focusing on surprise and risk.
However, Zhao Gang was also a strategic thinker. Despite the risks, his plans always had a solid foundation, ensuring success. Another factor was that the Flame Battalion, while strong, did not have the same level of combat prowess as Lu HaiKong. If they did, the planning of this operation might not have fallen to Zhao Gang.
It's worth noting that the Flame Battalion was initially formed by Lu HaiKong to train officers and commanders. The atmosphere within the battalion was relatively relaxed, without strict hierarchies. While Zhao Gang was exceptional, he was not the most outstanding member. He was chosen to lead this operation primarily because his style and approach had the best chance of success and minimizing casualties.
Even so, when Zhao Gang first presented his plan, it underwent repeated discussions and debates within the Flame Battalion. The plan was revised and improved several times before Zhao Gang finally got his wish to lead the mission.
Soon, Lu HaiKong, guided by Zhao Gang, arrived at the temporary camp of the Flame Battalion. In preparation for Lu HaiKong's arrival, the camp had been cleaned and made warm and cozy. They had even prepared some wild game. As Lu HaiKong entered, the two hundred or so members of the Flame Battalion, each one personally trained by Lu HaiKong, looked at him with reverence.
As Lu HaiKong arrived, he casually took his designated seat without uttering a word about rejecting special treatment or expressing his eagerness to fight.
"You guys take charge; I'm not here as an examiner. Just call on me when it's time to fight."
With that, Lu HaiKong closed his eyes to rest, while the warriors of the Flame Battalion either continued their discussions on tactics or rested. Those engaged in tactical talks would instinctively lower their voices, seemingly mindful of not disturbing Lu HaiKong's rest. When they encountered disagreements, their eyes would instinctively turn towards Lu HaiKong.
This scene clearly demonstrated the immense prestige Lu HaiKong held within the Flame Battalion.
Nightfall arrived swiftly, and though the harsh weather had begun to warm up towards the end of January, the temperature still dropped below freezing after sunset. Despite these extreme conditions, the Flame Battalion was already in motion.
This weather posed no hindrance to the Flame Battalion's soldiers, as they had evidently operated in such conditions numerous times before.
After Zhao Gang and a few others finished assigning tasks, the members of the Flame Battalion departed in teams, disappearing into the night.
Lu HaiKong joined a team of around fifty soldiers led by Zhao Gang, seamlessly infiltrating the Iron Stronghold.
Large mountain camps, unlike medium-sized ones, although both generated by the system as leveling spots for extraordinary individuals, exhibited signs of evolving into military-style strongholds.
Even at night, there were patrols and hidden sentries, but the Iron Stronghold, being a system-generated monster spawn point that had never been attacked, had guards that were more for show than actual defense. Those genuinely determined to infiltrate faced little challenge in dealing with them.
This was evident in Zhao Gang's team, who had clearly visited the stronghold numerous times before. They were intimately familiar with its layout, the locations of hidden sentries and patrols, and even the patrol schedules.
A team of around fifty, led by Zhao Gang, effortlessly breached one defense line after another, reaching their designated target with ease.
Zhao Gang's team approached a row of seemingly well-built structures, likely the bandits' dormitories, still occupied by residents.
Despite the presence of hidden sentries and visible patrols near the dormitories, Zhao Gang's team effortlessly dealt with the more troublesome hidden sentries and avoided the patrols, reaching the dormitory. They produced a seemingly exquisite bamboo pipe and blew into it.
Lu HaiKong's brows furrowed at the sight, as he couldn't shake the feeling that the foundation he had painstakingly laid for the future of the stronghold was now being twisted into a gang of robbers.
Well, the incense Zhao Gang used was indeed provided by Lu HaiKong, purchased from Old Man Wang at a price of 100 gold per stick. Little did he know that it would come in handy this time...
(End of Chapter)
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