Rise of a Lonely City: From Exiled Prince to Ruler of the Nine Provinces

The bandit alliance's harassment did not stop immediately due to Xiao Chen's deployment; on the contrary, it became more unscrupulous and targeted due to their coordination after the alliance's meeting.

The attacks were no longer limited to scattered caravans and lone soldiers, but began to extend to more destructive targets.

A transport convoy loaded with "stone and mud" and tools, heading to the Zhenbeicheng construction site, was ambushed at a pass forty miles away from the new city construction site.

The bandits used the terrain to their advantage, rolling boulders and logs down from the cliffs on both sides to block the roads in front and behind, and then rained down arrows.

The escorting Pan Shi Battalion soldiers fought desperately, suffering heavy casualties, with more than half of the convoy lost.

The bandits stole some of the supplies, burned the remaining "stone mud" and tools, and left.

This is a direct blow to the core construction project of Hanyuan.

Meanwhile, on the outskirts of the grassland market, a small caravan of merchants from Northern Yan who had come to trade was robbed by attackers disguised as bandits. Several people were killed and their goods were stolen.

The attackers deliberately left behind "evidence" pointing to a small tribe on the grassland.

Although it was quickly discovered that the frame-up had caused panic in the market and suspicion of the grassland tribes, it almost jeopardized the alliance.

Even worse, a newly developed mine shaft in Heishan Town was vandalized at night, with supporting timbers being sawed off, causing a small-scale collapse that resulted in injuries and deaths among several miners and temporarily halted production.

The rumors intensified, escalating from "dying from exhaustion and freezing" to "the Prince of Jingbei is actually a accomplice of the Prince of Yong, a hypocrite who is conscripting men to fight in the south." There were even incidents where small groups of refugees, panicked, tried to escape the resettlement area and clashed with soldiers maintaining order.

In an instant, the area around Hanyuan, from south to north, seemed to be filled with smoke and flames.

The bandit alliance was like a malignant tumor, not fatal, but it made Han Yuan feel uncomfortable all over, tying up a lot of his energy and affecting the construction of Zhenbei City, the allocation of resources, and the stability of the people's hearts. Wang Dashan sent troops into the mountains several times to clear them out, but the bandits were familiar with the terrain and were scattered and hidden, so the results were minimal. Sometimes they even fell into an ambush and suffered minor losses.

The bandit leader, Liu Biao, nicknamed "A Gust of Wind," even sent someone to shoot the head of a Hanyuan Army soldier with an arrow outside Panshi Fortress, along with a defiant letter that declared, "The northern border is not yours to enjoy alone," displaying extreme arrogance.

Pressure, like dark clouds, hangs over the cold abyss.

However, faced with this seemingly passive situation, Xiao Chen appeared unusually calm, even... somewhat ruthless. He did not fly into a rage due to the repeated attacks, nor did he rush to mobilize a large army for a potentially futile sweep.

He simply listened to the increasingly detailed intelligence from the Night Owl, meticulously marking each attack location, the possible hiding places of the bandits, and even the activity patterns of the bandit leader and his core members on the map with lines and marks of different colors.

He waited, waiting for the owl's "eyes" to clearly outline the venomous snakes hidden in the shadows.

He was also waiting for his meticulously crafted "hunting team" to complete its final adaptation training and equipment integration.

Finally, on the fifth day after the bandit alliance attacked the "Stone and Mud" transport team, causing significant losses and impact, Zhao Tie delivered crucial intelligence.

"Your Highness, we've figured it out."

Zhao Tie's voice carried a hint of weariness, but his eyes were sharp. "Of the thirteen bandit leaders, apart from 'A Gust of Wind' Liu Biao and 'Poison Scholar' Sun Bu'er, whose movements are extremely secretive, we have basically grasped the activity range, frequent locations, and contact methods of the main leaders and core members of the other eleven, and even the lovers and hobbies of some of them. We have also identified several possible hiding places for Liu Biao and Sun Bu'er, but they need further confirmation."

He laid out a thick file and several hand-drawn simple maps in front of Xiao Chen.

On the map, more than a dozen points were circled in red. Some were valleys, some were abandoned mines or hunters' huts, and some were even seemingly ordinary mountain villages.

The next item was marked with detailed information on the possible number of bandits, the names and nicknames of their leaders, and their defenses.

Xiao Chen carefully flipped through the pages, his gaze finally settling on several red circles marked "Liu Biao's suspected hiding place," and then looked at a detailed topographical map of a secluded valley frequented by "Poison Scholar" Sun Bu'er.

"How are the hunting team's preparations going?" Xiao Chen asked, closing the file.

"Your Highness," Wang Dashan said in a deep voice, "as you requested, three hundred men have been selected from the entire army, the Panshi Camp, and the former Black Wind Stronghold's surrendered soldiers. They are all experienced in the mountains and forests, brave and fierce in battle, and skilled in tracking and infiltration. They have been organized into six teams of fifty men each. They have undergone ten days of secret training, familiarizing themselves with the newly issued steel crossbows, poisoned arrows, grappling hooks, antidote pills, and other equipment. They have also repeatedly practiced tactics for engaging the enemy in the mountains and forests, ambushing and assassinating, and quickly withdrawing. They are ready to be deployed at any time."

"Where are the cavalry?"

"Zhang Meng has already dispatched 800 elite cavalrymen, divided into eight 100-man squads, to lie in wait on the outskirts of areas where bandits might appear. The horses have all been fitted with soft hooves, and the riders are gagged while the horses are hooves wrapped, so they can move quickly at any time to block key roads," Zhao Tie added.

"it is good."

Xiao Chen stood up, walked to the huge map of the Northern Territory, and pointed to the most prominent red circles in turn. "Then... let's close the net."

"Our first target is the meeting place of the 'Ghost's Sorrow' in the Northwest. Although this place is dangerous, the bandit alliance is newly established and there must be liaisons stationed there. Moreover, it is one of Liu Biao's important strongholds."

Send two hunting teams, led by elite Night Owls, to launch a night raid on "Ghost's Bane." The objective is not complete annihilation, but to kill its remaining leader, burn its supplies, seize its alliance tokens, create maximum chaos, and sever its communication hub.

"Second target, 'Poison Scholar' Sun Bu'er. This man is treacherous, skilled in using poison, and poses a great threat."

Their hiding place is in a complex valley, making a direct assault difficult. Three hunting teams, each carrying powerful crossbows and oil, are to lie in ambush upwind of the valley. When most of them emerge from the valley, fire arrows to cover their lair and burn their venomous creature nest.

Send another cavalry unit to block the perimeter; make sure Sun Bu'er doesn't escape.

"The third target is the remaining gang leaders and key members. Hunt down teams four, five, and six, and coordinate with Night Owl's intelligence to carry out precise assassinations of the gang leaders and key members whose hideouts have been identified."

Remember, the primary target is the bandit leader and his trusted lieutenants, followed by burning down their important strongholds and supplies.

The operation must be covert, sudden, and deadly; once the kill is complete, the perpetrators must leave immediately, avoiding any entanglement with the main gang of bandits.

"While the cavalry units are conducting their hunting operations, they shall block all major passages and mountain passes, intercept and kill fleeing bandits, and block any bandit reinforcements that may appear."

The troops stationed in Panshiying and Qinghe Town, as well as patrol teams in various locations, should raise their vigilance and take strict precautions against desperate bandits attacking our strongholds or civilians.

Xiao Chen's instructions were clear and ruthless, like a meticulously woven net of death, instantly enveloping those vipers who thought they were hiding in safe places.

"This operation is codenamed 'Purge.' Within three days, I want to hear news of the bandit alliance's core members being beheaded and their hideout destroyed. Let those scum who think they can do whatever they want by hiding in the shadows understand that they cannot withstand the wrath of Han Yuan."

"Yes, sir!" Wang Dashan and Zhao Tie solemnly accepted the order, their eyes filled with murderous intent.

That night, the moon was dark and the wind was high.

Six ghostly hunting teams, led by Night Owl, silently blended into the cold nights and forests of the Northern Frontier in late winter and early spring.

At the same time, eight hundred cavalrymen, like a silent pack of wolves, began to patrol the perimeter of the designated area.

An unequal, one-sided, precise, and deadly hunt thus begins, setting the stage for a bloody spectacle.

The flames of war still rage, but this time, they will not be ignited by those arrogant bandits, but by the prelude to their own doom.