Black Tiger Ravine.
Tian Boguang squatted atop a large boulder, holding a twig as he drew circles on the ground.
"Chief, everyone's here." A girl in a floral dress sidled over, her voice crisp and clear.
Tian Boguang raised his head and glanced around.
The two hundred Dark Guards had already silently spread out through the dense forests on both sides of the ravine.
Those black-clad clones hid among the trees, motionless as stones.
The twenty-odd Young Women were spread out even farther. Some crouched behind bushes, some leaned against large trees, and some had even climbed halfway up the mountainside.
They all appeared casual, but their eyes were fixed on the Mountain Stronghold in the ravine.
"What's the situation with the mountain bandits?" Tian Boguang asked.
A black-clad clone flashed out from behind a tree, silent as a falling leaf.
He walked up to Tian Boguang, cupped his fists, and said evenly:
"Commander Tian, there are roughly a hundred people in the Mountain Stronghold. Their leader is a late first-rank bandit, and he has a fine saber in his hands.
"There's a small path behind the stronghold leading to the neighboring valley.
"There's a fence at the front gate and watchtowers on both sides, but no one's stationed in them—they're all holed up inside drinking."
Tian Boguang's eyes lit up. "A fine saber? What kind?"
The clone thought for a moment. "A little over three feet long. The edge is very bright, and there are patterns on the blade. It doesn't look like an ordinary piece."
Tian Boguang rubbed his hands together, his face eager:
"A good thing indeed... That brute Pan Feng will charge at the front. If he sees that saber, he'll definitely fight to claim it.
"No, I have to strike first."
He stood, dusted the