Great Wilderness Demon Lord

The initial clues came from the burned corpses of the Lang Rong.

The sentry noticed that among the embers after the fire, some partially burned bones, charred armor plates, and weapon fragments would be carefully sorted out, bagged, and transported away.

At first, I didn't understand why. Later, an old bodyguard who had dealt with the Wolf Rong in the Northern Territory for many years and was rehired by the Chamber of Commerce after retiring due to injury mentioned in a casual conversation: "These barbarians from the Wolf Rong, what do they believe in 'all things return to dust and also to their ancestors'?"

When a soldier dies in battle, his body is cremated, but the remaining bones, especially the skull and a few large bones, are to be taken back and buried in what they call the "ancestral spirit land," as if the soul has returned home.

As for those scraps of iron and broken knives... they're desperately short of iron, so recycling them and remelting them can turn them into arrowheads or blades—nothing will go to waste.

This detail stirred something within Xiao Yunlan.

Recovering the remains of fallen comrades is a matter of faith and custom, but the fact that even broken armor plates and weapons are not spared starkly reveals the scarcity of resources and the extreme utilitarianism employed.

This further confirmed his judgment: the Wolf Rong's logistics were not abundant, and might even be quite strained.

Next came the observations about food.

The smoke from the main camp of the Wolf Rong was emitted three times a day, quite regularly. However, the smoke from the camps of the Jackal servants attached to the perimeter of the main camp was intermittent and noticeably thinner.

Occasionally, jackals can be seen digging in the frozen ground at the edge of the camp, seemingly searching for grass roots or hibernating insects or beasts.

A few daring sentries, even during a shift change by the wolf cavalry, risked getting close enough to vaguely hear the sounds. The message they brought back was that there were often suppressed arguments and weak cries of children in the jackal camp, and occasionally fragmented words like "food" and "not enough" could be heard.

"The Wolf Rong headquarters may still be able to maintain basic supplies, but those jackal servants who have joined the army are having a very hard time," Tieshan judged in his report. "They were driven here to be cannon fodder and hard laborers, and their supply priority is the lowest."

Judging from the situation, the rations the Wolf Barbarians are providing them are probably intermittent, and they're hardly getting enough to eat.

Xiao Yunlan stared at the location of the Wolf Rong camp marked on the map, his fingers slowly tapping the table: "Wugu's main force of several hundred Wolf Rong warriors, plus nearly a thousand Jackal servants, consumes a considerable amount every day."

The Langrong tribes, who had been advancing south, relied heavily on warfare to sustain their operations. However, their main force was now bogged down at Zhenhuang Pass, hindering their plundering efforts, and their own provisions were inevitably limited.

The only way to supply Wugu's detachment was through rear transport.

"The rear?" Zhao Meng frowned. "The main force of the Black Claw Tribe is all below Zhenhuang Pass. Their own food supplies are probably running low. How can they possibly take care of Wugu here?"

"So the scale won't be large, and the frequency won't be high." A sharp glint flashed in Xiao Yunlan's eyes. "Moreover, the journey is long and the risks are considerable. From the Black Claw Tribe's winter camp to Zhenhuang Pass, and then a branch will be sent here... the transport line is long and very vulnerable."

To maintain the siege, Wugu must ensure this line remains open, but he must also guard against being detected or even attacked by us. Therefore, he must be extremely cautious and his routes must be constantly changing.

He looked at Tieshan: "Increase the reconnaissance efforts, focusing on the northeast and northwest directions, especially the trails extending north from their camp. Pay attention to any regular, non-patrol-like personnel or convoy movements."

"Don't overlook any detail—the depth of the cart tracks, the type and condition of the pack animals, changes in the number of guards, even the debris discarded on the snow… I need to know everything."

With the order given, the "eyes" of the Ice City worked even harder to penetrate the wind, snow, and distance, keeping a close watch on the lifeline of the Wolf Rong.

Xiao Yunlan still climbed to a high place to look into the distance every day, his face calm, but the string in his heart was becoming more and more taut.

He knew that the time left for him was slipping away at a visible speed.

The idea of ​​proactively attacking and harassing supply lines is like a glimmer of light in the darkness, but the prerequisite is that we must first grasp that faintly visible thread.

Finally, on the tenth day of continuous observation, Tieshan brought back a crucial piece of intelligence.

"Captain, northeast! About forty miles away, near 'Chaotic Rock Gorge,' we've found traces!" Tieshan's voice was low, but he couldn't hide his excitement. "It's not a small path, it's in a dried-up riverbed!"

The wheel tracks were deep, indicating a heavy cart! There were also many hoofprints of wolves and pack animals mixed in.

They followed the riverbed northwards, heading towards the Black Claw tribe's stronghold.

"The riverbed?" Xiao Yunlan's gaze sharpened. "They certainly know how to choose a route. It's sheltered from the wind and avoids most of the high ground's view. What about the guards?"

"The tracks are very mixed, making it difficult to accurately determine the number of people. However, near the wheel tracks, there are a large number of relatively clear wolf paw prints. Judging from the stride and depth, they were not riding wolves, but rather large wolves on foot guarding the area. There were quite a few of them, at least twenty or thirty."

In addition, several well-hidden observation points that had been deliberately cleared were found on higher ground along both sides of the riverbed, along with discarded dried feces and gnawed bones, dating back no more than three days.

"They have outposts, guards, and they're taking a covert route..." Xiao Yunlan pondered. "It seems they're very careful. What are they transporting? Can you tell?"

Tieshan shook his head: "The ruts are too deep, and the snow is very compacted, so we can't see the exact load. But judging from the width and depth of the ruts, they're definitely not empty, and they must have been carrying something quite dense and heavy. Grain, weapons, or... salt and iron?"

Both are possible. Either way, it is crucial for the Wugu tribe.

"How often do you make the round trip? What's the pattern?" Xiao Yunlan pressed.

"That's the problem," Tieshan said. "Our men followed them north along the riverbed for a while and found that they were cunning and had more than one route. At several forks in the road, the tire tracks split up, some continuing along the riverbed and others turning into the nearby ravines."

We were short-handed and afraid of being exposed, so we didn't dare follow them too far. But we were certain that they didn't take a fixed route to and from their destination.

Regarding the timing... based on previous sporadic observations, there will likely be a shipment every seven to ten days. However, it's difficult to say exactly which route or when.

Xiao Yunlan slowly sat down, his finger gently tracing the area near "Luan Shi Gorge" on the map.

Seven to ten days, no fixed route, tight security... This is indeed a tough nut to crack.

The Langrong were protecting their supply lines even more cautiously than he had anticipated. Having learned his lesson once, Wugu would not be careless in this regard.

They directly dispatched troops out of the city to launch a long-distance raid on a transport convoy forty miles away.

Leaving aside how to sneak past the Wolf Rong's blockade, even if they got there, what would be their chances of success against an enemy they were unfamiliar with, whose routes were uncertain and whose guards were unknown?

If they fail, they will not only lose their elite troops, but also completely expose their own intentions, allowing Wugu to strengthen his defenses and leaving them with no chance.