The legend begins with becoming a white deer.

To the northwest of the Bilin Kingdom lies a mountain range called Duanchen. The mountain range resembles a dark, crouching dragon's spine, with steep slopes and intersecting peaks, forming a natural boundary between the Bilin Kingdom and the Chi Kingdom.

To the northwest of the mountain lies the vast wilderness of the Red Kingdom.

Southeast of the mountain lies the territory of the Kingdom of Bilin.

This half of the mountain range within the territory of Bilin Kingdom has a particularly complex terrain, with continuous towering peaks and deep valleys and dangerous ravines, making it inconvenient to travel to the outside world since ancient times.

Once the heavy snow falls, the mountain roads are completely frozen, making it difficult for outsiders to enter, except for a few local villagers who know the way well.

Dozens of villages are scattered deep in the mountains, relying on the mountains for generations, living in isolation and almost semi-autonomous.

The most central and prosperous area in the entire mountain region is a city called "Luohui City".

This city was not formed naturally, but was built by the Bilin Kingdom in its early years specifically to govern the villages in the mountainous areas and guard the border passes.

It is situated at the intersection of the roads connecting the villages within the mountainous area with the main access road to the outside world, making it the only vital transportation hub on the eastern side of the Duanchen Mountains.

People going into the mountains must pass through here, and goods coming out of the mountains must also be transferred here. It is no exaggeration to say that it is the gateway to the mountainous area.

But now, this border town, which should have been governed by officials appointed by the imperial court, has changed hands.

Inside the main hall of the city garrison, the air was thick with the smells of alcohol, meat, perfume, and blood, creating an indescribably foul and chaotic atmosphere.

Dozens of men dressed in various styles and with fierce demeanors sat around several large tables. The tables were littered with cups and plates, large chunks of stewed meat, and jars of strong liquor that had spilled out. The men shouted and laughed, playing drinking games and making merry, without any regard for etiquette.

Several plain-clothed maids carried trays of food, their steps trembling as they moved among the crowd. Their faces were pale, their heads were bowed low, and they dared not even breathe loudly.

Occasionally, someone would slow down or spill a drop of wine, which would immediately elicit a lewd laugh, and then be pulled into someone's arms by rough, large hands, where they would be wantonly kneaded and caressed.

A faint gasp rose, but was quickly swallowed back, leaving only a humiliating tremor.

No one dared to resist.

They all remembered that half a month ago, the city lord of Luohui City, who originally lived in this prefecture, was beheaded on the spot simply for leading the resistance against this group of people. His body is still hanging on the city wall, frozen stiff.

Resistance means death; this is the most straightforward rule in Luohui City right now.

Under the eaves outside the hall, a thin middle-aged man in a blue cotton official robe stood awkwardly, his fingers clenched so tightly they turned white, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead.

His name is Tang Fei, and he is the civil affairs magistrate of Luohui City. After the city magistrate died, all the messy affairs of the city fell on his shoulders.

Hearing the laughter and sobs emanating from the hall, Tang Fei's Adam's apple bobbed. He steeled himself and stepped over the threshold, carefully walking to the side of the bare-chested man in the main seat. He bowed deeply, his voice trembling, "Lord Wei... Lord Wei."

The bare-chested, burly man was broad-shouldered and thick-waisted, with a chest covered in thick black hair and a hideous scar on his shoulder. He was one of the leaders of this group of foreign martial artists.

His name was Wei Shuo. He was originally the leader of a branch of the Thousand Blades Gang in the Bilin Kingdom. His swordsmanship was fierce and domineering, and he had a certain reputation in the martial arts world.

Wei Shuo was gnawing on a leg of lamb, oil dripping down his chin. Hearing this, he glanced sideways at Tang Fei and said in a greasy voice, "What is it?"

"The hundred young women you ordered to be captured a few days ago have been gathered from various villages and housed in empty houses in the west of the city."

Tang Fei's voice grew lower and lower: "But... the villagers in the mountains are known for their fierce nature. When we arrested people, there was a lot of commotion and resistance. In the process... quite a few people died. I don't know how to handle this, so I've come to ask for your instructions, sir."

"If you're dead, you're dead."

Wei Shuo spat out a piece of broken bone without a second thought, "A bunch of lowly commoners. How many die is fine, but are they worth bothering me with? Everyone's here, so get lost. Can't you see we're drinking? We still have business to discuss after we finish eating."

"Yes, yes, I'll take my leave."

Tang Fei felt as if he had been granted a pardon. With a bitter face and a hunched back, he backed out of the main hall step by step. Only after he left the courtyard did he dare to raise his hand to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead. The back of his official robe was already soaked.

After two more rounds of food and drink, everyone had eaten and drunk their fill. The cups and plates were cleared away, and the atmosphere gradually calmed down from its usual boisterousness.

Wei Shuo picked up a cloth from the table and wiped his hands. He spoke first, his voice carrying deep into the room: "Alright, we've had enough to drink. Let's talk about what we should do from now on."

He swept his gaze across the crowd, a hint of malice in his eyes: "Most of us here are gang members who were recently purged by the Bilin Kingdom's court. Damn it, it makes me furious just thinking about it. A perfectly good gang was gone just like that. The gang leader and deputy leader took some skilled men to capture some auspicious beast, the white deer, and never came back. Then the government's army surrounded the mountain gate and wiped them out. What a bunch of bastards!"

Upon hearing this, many outside martial artists in the hall echoed his words, and curses rose and fell.

Most of them were remnants of various gangs. Some had lost their gang leaders, and others had lost their branch leaders. They were surrounded and suppressed by the government and could not stand firm, so they could only flee all the way to the border.

Wei Shuo was skilled in martial arts and had good luck. He led dozens of his confidants to break through the encirclement and headed northwest to hide in the Duanchen Mountains. Along the way, he encountered several other groups of remnants in the same situation, and together they numbered nearly a hundred.

The group gathered together in a daze, and by a series of unexpected events, they stormed into Luohui City, leading to the current situation.

Before Wei Shuo could finish speaking, a soft laugh came from the opposite seat. A middle-aged man with a goatee slowly interrupted him, saying, "Brother Wei, you're mistaken about what you're saying."

The man was dressed in a black short-sleeved outfit, his beard was neatly trimmed, and his eyes held a cunning glint typical of mountain bandits.

As soon as he finished speaking, the dozen or so men beside him nodded and burst into laughter.

This man is named Ma Mang. He is the leader of the local bandits in the Duanchen Mountains. He was originally a fugitive wanted by the Bilin Kingdom. More than ten years ago, he hid in these deep mountains, became the king of the mountains, and had more than three hundred henchmen under his command. He knew every ravine and gully in the mountains like the back of his hand.

When Wei Shuo and his group first entered the mountains, the two sides even fought over territory, resulting in some minor friction.

Later, seeing that the government was pressing them hard, and that they all had their eyes on the lucrative Luohui City, they temporarily put aside their differences and joined forces to seize the city.

After taking Luohui City, the two forces, one outside and one inside, quickly suppressed the villages in the mountainous area by force and blocked all the main roads out of the mountain. In a short period of time, they turned the entire mountainous area into a lawless land.

Wei Shuo frowned, his expression turned cold, and he tightened his grip on the hilt of his knife.

He was already short-tempered, and being interrupted in public made him even angrier.

But he also knew that, currently on someone else's territory, controlling the mountainous area still required the help of Ma Mang and his gang of local bullies. He could only suppress his anger and coldly say, "Oh? Since Chief Ma has something to say, then I'd like to hear what your brilliant ideas are."

"I wouldn't call it insightful."

Ma Mang chuckled, picked up his wine bowl, took a sip, and said slowly, "I just think things are pretty good as they are now. Before, we were mountain bandits, exposed to the wind and sun, only managing to rob passing caravans. Now that we've taken over Luohui City, we have plenty to eat and drink, and we call the shots in the city and the villages in the mountains. Who dares to disobey us?"

He leaned forward, his tone full of smugness: "As long as we guard the mountain pass tightly and keep the news from getting out, the imperial court will never know. We are the local emperors in this area of ​​a hundred miles, we can do whatever we want, live a comfortable life, what's wrong with that?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the bandits behind him burst into laughter, slapping the table and cheering. They felt that this kind of life was a hundred times happier than when they were stuck in the mountain stronghold.

Just then, a man with a trident-claw gauntlet on his left arm next to Wei Shuo suddenly sneered, his tone full of disdain.

This man is named Feng Zhan. Like Wei Shuo, he was originally a high-ranking figure in another major gang. He was skilled in martial arts and had a more meticulous mind.

He coldly swept his gaze over Ma Mang and his group, and immediately poured cold water on their enthusiasm: "You're all daydreaming."

"The reason we were able to take over Luohui City and control the villages so smoothly these days is not because we are so capable, but because it is the dead of winter, the mountains are blocked by heavy snow, and all roads inside and outside are cut off. No one can come in and no one can go out."

Feng Zhan tapped his fingertips on the table, speaking slowly but clearly.

"Once the snow melts in spring and the mountain roads are open, there will be many merchants and herb gatherers coming and going. Moreover, Luohui City is a key passage in the Duanchen Mountains and is close to the Chi Kingdom. Every year, officials from the Bilin Kingdom come here to inspect and collect taxes."

He looked up at the crowd, his gaze sharp: "When the people arrive and find the city guard dead and the city under new rule, do you think the imperial court will let it go?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the laughter in the room came to an abrupt halt.

The smile on Ma Mang's face also froze.

He glared at Feng Zhan with displeasure and sneered, "Since that's the case, then tell me what to do. I'd like to hear what good ideas you have."

Upon hearing this, Feng Zhan glanced at everyone present and tapped his fingers on the table.

"Our current timeframe is just before spring arrives. I suggest that we leave here and head to the Red Kingdom before spring begins."

"Heading to... the Red Country?!"

Everyone was taken aback upon hearing this.