Hans felt the cold steel against his neck, fear nearly suffocating him as he tremblingly poured out everything he knew: "The iron mine lies deep in the northern foothills of Black Mountain, hidden behind dense forest. It's very well concealed—we discovered it by accident."
"The chief's name is Roll, a real tough bastard. We've got nearly nine hundred men in total. Besides the three hundred here, there are over five hundred back at our base."
"Chief Roll plans to use the captured young men as laborers to mine the iron ore, then..."
"Then he's planning to secretly sell the iron ore to northern nobles in exchange for large amounts of gold and weapons to strengthen our forces."
As Hans reached this point, despair filled his face. He knew that once this information leaked, as someone in the know and a participant, he would have little chance of survival.
After hearing this, Wulfrik had already formed his plan.
The discovery of the iron mine was undoubtedly a windfall for the Sowerbright family.
But how to deal with these bandits and how to safely and efficiently mine the iron ore required careful planning.
"Captain Wagner."
Wulfrik called over Wagner, who had returned, and whispered his orders: "Pass the word—rest in place and wait for reinforcements."
Wagner nodded and quickly made the arrangements.
The knights rested in place according to orders. Wounded knights received preliminary treatment and care, while the bodies of the fallen were properly arranged for transport back to their hometowns.
The battlefield was busy but orderly, everyone immersed in complex emotions—both mourning for the fallen and anticipation for the new action about to unfold.
Wulfrik sat with Wagner and several experienced knights, discussing strategy in detail.
Hans was guarded nearby, his every word carefully recorded as important reference material for planning.
"Based on Hans's information, this iron mine could be quite large. We must act quickly to prevent word from leaking."
Wulfrik's eyes revealed determination.
"At the same time, the bandits are numerous and possess some fighting ability. We cannot underestimate them."
"I have an idea."
An elderly but sharp-eyed knight spoke up: "We could use darkness as cover, sending small teams ahead to scout near the iron mine."
"Meanwhile, the main force could surround the bandits' base and try to wipe them out completely."
Wulfrik nodded in agreement: "Good idea, but the key is speed and secrecy."
"Wagner, you will coordinate all operations, ensuring every step follows the plan."
"As for those prisoners, except for Hans, the rest can be temporarily held at Argentum Eagle Castle until things settle down."
"Yes, young master," Wagner nodded in response.
As time passed, the sky gradually darkened.
Finally, the Fourth Infantry Regiment arrived.
Leading them was Captain Garcia, commander of the Fourth Infantry. Upon receiving word from Wagner's messenger, he dared not delay, immediately assembling his troops and rushing over with light equipment.
Garcia was a man in his thirties, tall and upright with a resolute face, his eyes flashing with a soldier's determination and loyalty.
He wore silver armor with a long sword at his waist, mounted on a tall warhorse, looking imposing and dignified.
"Young Master Wulfrik, the Fourth Infantry Regiment is at full strength and awaits orders!"
Garcia reined in his horse before Wulfrik, reporting in a booming voice.
Wulfrik stood up, his gaze sweeping over this well-trained force. With this unit's addition, their operation would be much more assured.
"Captain Garcia, perfect timing."
"I need your troops to help us eliminate a group of bandits and capture an iron mine they have discovered."
Wulfrik briefly explained the situation.
Garcia's eyebrows rose upon hearing this, but he immediately nodded firmly: "Orders received, Young Master Wulfrik."
"The Fourth Infantry Regiment will give its all and will not disappoint."
Wulfrik nodded with satisfaction, then worked with Garcia, Wagner, and others to develop a detailed action plan.
They decided to use darkness as cover, first sending a small team to scout near the iron mine to confirm its exact location and the bandits' defensive positions.
Meanwhile, the main force would quietly approach the bandits' base under Hans's guidance, waiting for the right moment to launch a surprise attack.
After finalizing the plan, everyone immediately sprang into action.
Wulfrik personally selected several experienced knights to form a scouting team led by Wagner, departing first for the iron mine.
Garcia led the Fourth Infantry's main force, following closely behind, ready to attack at any moment.
...
Meanwhile, in the bandit base deep in Black Mountain, Chief Roll paced back and forth anxiously.
He was powerfully built with a vicious scar over his left eye.
"It's already dark—why hasn't Hans returned yet?" Roll frowned as he spoke.
Roll's anxiety was not without reason.
Hans's continued absence somehow filled him with an ominous premonition.
A bandit sub-leader grinned sleazily: "Boss, Chief Hans probably got distracted with some women and lost track of time."
At these words, the other sub-leaders all nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, chief, the boys rarely get to come down from the mountain. It's normal to be delayed a bit."
Hearing this, Roll's frown gradually relaxed, clearly understanding what kind of people his subordinates were.
Usually everyone stayed up in the mountains without going out. Only when supplies ran short would they venture down to raid, and even then they dared not linger long for fear of encountering Sowerbright family patrols.
This rare trip down the mountain naturally called for some good times.
Though Roll was somewhat displeased, he did not pay it much attention. After all, Hans was one of his capable lieutenants who had always proven quite reliable.
If not for the fortunate discovery of iron ore in the mountains and the lack of sufficient manpower to mine it, he would not have risked letting Hans lead a team down to the villages to capture some villagers for mining work.
After all, mining iron ore was hard labor—he could not possibly make his own men do such work.
"Alright, you can all go now. When Hans returns, have him see me immediately."
Roll waved his hand, dismissing the sub-leaders.
Night deepened, torches flickered in the camp, casting mottled shadows and adding to the uneasy atmosphere.
At this time, Wulfrik's main force had quietly approached the Black Mountain bandits' base under Hans's guidance.
Several sentry posts along the way were easily eliminated by Fourth Infantry scouts, thanks to Hans's direction.