Not long afterward, another group of patrolling guards entered the dark alley and dragged several women away.

The women carried empty bamboo baskets and waterskins as they left. Several hours later, they returned with moldy steamed cakes inside the baskets.

Their clothes were disheveled, and bruises covered their faces and bodies.

Just by looking at the way they walked, everyone understood exactly what they had gone through. Yet no one said a single word.

Fu Chen’an and his team waited until the sky was completely dark before sneaking toward the southern area of the city. Following the same route as before, they eventually arrived at the cliff.

Tonight, there was faint moonlight.

To avoid being discovered by the patrolling guards, they hid beneath the city wall, staying within the blind spot of the watchtower guards above.

Fu Chen’an gestured for everyone to wait while he walked toward a patch of vegetation not far away. Taking out the rock climbing tools from his spatial bag, he quickly returned to his team.

After putting on the equipment, they began climbing down the cliff one after another. Since this was already their second climb, their movements were much more practiced than before.

Fu Chen’an deliberately went last because he was the strongest among them. If any of the soldiers slipped or lost their footing, he would still be able to support their ropes. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Descending the cliff was naturally faster than climbing upward. By the time they reached the bottom, it was already past midnight.

While the soldiers went to retrieve the horses, Fu Chen’an gathered all the climbing equipment and stored everything back inside his spatial bag.

Once the moon became hidden behind thick clouds, the group mounted their horses and quietly rode back toward the White Tiger Army’s temporary camp.

At 3 o’clock in the morning, they finally returned.

The moment the guards recognized them, they hurriedly opened the barricades and allowed them to enter.

After dismounting, the soldiers handed their horses over to the stable attendants.

For the past few days, the horses had only eaten wild grass and survived on dew water, so they needed proper care and rest as well.

Fu Chen’an turned to his team members and said,"All of you should rest first. I’ll report our mission to the General."

"Understood," the soldiers replied in unison while cupping their fists.

Under everyone’s gaze, Fu Chen’an headed directly toward the General’s tent. Before he could even request permission to enter, Lu Qianxuan’s voice sounded from inside.

"Squad Leader Fu, come in."

Hearing this, Fu Chen’an stepped into the tent.

Besides the General, the military strategist and several Battalion Commanders were also present. The moment he saw them, he knelt on one knee, cupped his fists, and reported, "Reporting to the General, we have completed the mission."

After speaking, he untied the cloth bundle strapped to his back and held it up with both hands.

"These contain information regarding the number of barbarian troops, their patrol schedules, the amount of supplies stored within the city, and the current condition of the civilians."

Hearing this, everyone nodded in satisfaction.

Originally, they had only hoped to learn the approximate number of enemy troops when they sent Fu Chen’an and his team into the city. For them to return with this much information in only a few days had already exceeded everyone’s expectations.

Just as they thought the report had ended, Fu Chen’an added calmly, "Besides these, we also managed to obtain the city defense map."

This time, not only the Battalion Commanders and Wen Liyan were stunned, even Lu Qianxuan showed visible surprise.

"You infiltrated the enemy General’s residence?" Wen Liyan asked immediately.

Fu Chen’an nodded. "This subordinate found the defense map hidden inside the study room. It was concealed within a secret compartment."

Lu Qianxuan’s eyes brightened with delight at his words. With the city defense map, it would be easier for them to reclaim the city.

"This time, both you and your team have rendered great merit to the army. After the war ends, everyone will be rewarded accordingly." After a brief pause, he added, "Leave the materials here and go get some rest."

"Yes, General."

Fu Chen’an stood up and handed the bundle to Wen Liyan before bowing once more and leaving the tent.

Although he was not as exhausted as the other soldiers, he still wanted to examine the cultivation manuals his wife had given him earlier. Thus, he returned to the tent he shared with Xiao Wei.

Noticing that Xiao Wei was not inside, he closed the tent curtains and immediately entered the shared manor. He could not remain there for too long in case Xiao Wei returned unexpectedly.

After taking a quick shower, changing his underclothes, and eating a bowl of wonton soup, he left the shared manor and reappeared inside the tent once more.

Less than five minutes later, Xiao Wei entered while carrying a bowl of yellow-brown porridge. Besides the porridge, there were also two black steamed cakes and a waterskin.

Placing the food on the small table between their beds, Xiao Wei asked, "Were you injured?"

Fu Chen’an shook his head. "The mission went smoothly. Aside from some scratches from climbing the cliff, I’m fine."

Hearing this, Xiao Wei nodded before pointing at the food. "Eat something first before sleeping."

Although Fu Chen’an had already eaten wonton soup inside the shared manor, he was still hungry. Therefore, he finished everything before asking, "Brother Wei, how was the situation in the camp while I was away?"

Xiao Wei sat on his bed and replied, "Everything has been peaceful. It seems the barbarians still don’t know we have camped nearby. I can’t tell whether they are overly confident or simply reckless."

Recalling the horrifying conditions inside Northeast City, Fu Chen’an said coldly, "They probably believe the Great Yan Kingdom wouldn’t dare attack them."

Noticing the change in his mood, Xiao Wei hesitated briefly before asking carefully, "Was the situation inside the city really that bad?"