The fleet traveled down the Qinglin River. Under Chuyue Mountain’s steady command, they eliminated seven or eight hidden sentry posts along the banks one after another.

However, most of these sentries did not belong to the Black Snake Water Stronghold. They were the eyes and ears of smaller water bandit factions. This was part of the deal between the Black Snake Water Stronghold and Chuyue Mountain: using the government troops to eliminate rivals and consolidate the stronghold’s own power in the Changshan Mountain region of the Qinglin River.

To ensure his plan was flawless and to further lower Chen Sheng’s guard, Chuyue Mountain even arranged for one of the sentry-clearing operations to be led by one of Chen Sheng’s own confidants.

Ostensibly, this was to help Chen Sheng "accumulate battle honors," but the real purpose was to completely eliminate any lingering shred of doubt he might still harbor.

In Chuyue Mountain’s eyes, Chen Sheng had always been alert, intelligent, and decisive. He was no fool and would be difficult to deceive.

But as long as they could lure him into the heart of the Black Snake Water Stronghold, then no matter his schemes or skills, with his paltry Bone Forging cultivation, he could never hope to escape the trap.

Chuyue Mountain was quite pleased with the results.

Chen Sheng had indeed been sufficiently cautious throughout the journey, yet he hadn’t seemed to notice anything truly amiss.

This was because the entire scheme was a mix of truth and deception. Behind every semblance of normalcy lurked a fatal killing intent.

As dusk fell, the fleet quietly veered from the main channel of the Qinglin River into a vast, open lake—Cyan Lake.

The area was a maze of crisscrossing channels and dense reeds—the true lair of the Black Snake Water Stronghold.

Under the shroud of night, dozens of boats, large and small, floated silently on the lake’s surface like phantoms.

Most were small, light vessels, ideal for transporting troops and for boarding actions.

To conceal their approach, Chuyue Mountain had ordered all torches extinguished before they even neared the heart of the Black Snake Water Stronghold, forcing them to navigate solely by the guiding light of the moon.

Fortunately, the moon was bright and the stars were sparse, providing decent visibility.

Inside the main cabin, all the officers of Vice Commander rank and above had gathered, the atmosphere thick with tension.

Chuyue Mountain’s gaze swept slowly across the room, his voice low and powerful.

"Gentlemen, this bandit extermination campaign is crucial for the peace of Changshan Mountain. It is also a prime opportunity for us to win glory. I expect you all to work together with everything you have, without a hint of carelessness. Now, I will announce the deployments. You are to commit them to memory. There is no room for error."

Hearing this, everyone in the cabin tensed, holding their breath in anticipation.

"At 9:15 p.m., Commander Wang Yue and Vice Commander Li will lead two hundred men in a feint from the front of the Black Snake Water Stronghold. Your objective is to create a massive commotion to draw out and pin down the enemy’s main force."

Chuyue Mountain’s finger traced a path on a crude map of the lake. "Meanwhile, Commander Chen Sheng and I will personally select the remaining one hundred elites. We will circle around to the rear flank of the Water Stockade and await the opportune moment to strike..."

The moment he spoke, several commanders exchanged uneasy glances. The frontal assault would face immense pressure for little glory, while the flanking maneuver, though seemingly risky, would claim the highest honor if successful.

The favoritism in this arrangement was blatant.

Before anyone could object, Chen Sheng suddenly spoke up, adding calmly:

"My fellow officers, there is no need to worry. The Grand Commander has already planned for every contingency. Months ago, he managed to turn one of the leaders inside the Black Snake Stronghold. Once the frontal assault begins, our man on the inside will open the rear gate for us."

"At that point, the Grand Commander and I will lead the elites to storm the stronghold, coordinating with our brothers on the frontal assault. We’ll crush them from both sides and annihilate the Black Snake Water Stronghold in one fell swoop."

Chuyue Mountain’s eyes narrowed, his mind reeling with shock and suspicion.

He had never imagined Chen Sheng would so casually reveal the core secret of the plan in front of everyone. ’What is he up to? Is he really not tempted by the highest honor? Is he truly willing to share it?’

But a deeper worry immediately gripped him. ’If this battle fails and Chen Sheng dies, Wu Kuang will investigate. If he finds out that I, Chuyue Mountain, personally planned and pushed this whole operation... won’t I have to bear all the blame alone?’

At this thought, Chuyue Mountain’s heart sank.

He didn’t realize, however, that Chen Sheng’s move was a calculated play, setting the stage for what was to come.

In Chen Sheng’s plan, Chuyue Mountain was a dead man walking; he was never meant to return to Changshan Mountain alive.

He needed to establish a public pretext in advance: that all the planning had come from Chuyue Mountain. That way, even if the campaign failed, he, Chen Sheng, could deflect the majority of the blame.

After all, this was all *Grand Commander Chu’s* brilliant plan.

The other commanders in the cabin, of course, didn’t grasp the deeper meaning. They simply saw it as Chuyue Mountain showing blatant favoritism, forcing this massive honor upon Chen Sheng, and waves of resentment washed over them.

If not for their fear of Chuyue Mountain’s long-established authority, someone would have surely voiced their opposition.

Although Chuyue Mountain couldn’t fathom Chen Sheng’s motives, the arrow was already nocked; there was no room for further complications. He could only suppress his doubts, go along with the new narrative, and declare in a heavy voice:

"Commander Chen is correct. We are fully prepared for this battle, and our odds of victory are extremely high. All of you must seize this moment, fight bravely, and do not miss this chance for glory and rewards."

He scanned the faces in the room, his voice suddenly turning sharp, filled with an authority that left no room for doubt.

"The deployments I have just given—are they clear?!"

The commanders exchanged glances, but ultimately, under Chuyue Mountain’s imposing presence, they cupped their fists, bowed, and roared in unison:

"We obey!"

......

At the rear of the Black Snake Water Stronghold, the moonlight was eerie.

The low stockade walls were sparsely manned, giving the appearance of a lax defense. But in the shadows, countless pairs of eyes stared intently at the lake, bowstrings half-drawn and blades glinting.

In a clearing within the stronghold, a bonfire crackled.

A bald, powerfully built man, as imposing as an iron pagoda, was devouring a fragrant, roasted leg of lamb. His face, a web of crisscrossing scars, looked all the more fearsome in the flickering firelight. He emanated a brutal Evil Qi, the kind only earned through countless battles.

This was Xu Meng, the chief of the Black Snake Water Stronghold, known as the ’Ink Water Flood Dragon.’ In these waters, his name alone was enough to stop a child from crying at night. His Sword Skill was especially known for being ferocious, domineering, and utterly vicious.

"Village Chief, we’ve received word. Everything is proceeding according to plan. We move on schedule."

A lean, middle-aged man approached quickly, reporting in a low voice.

"Mm."

Xu Meng didn’t even look up, just mumbled a response. "Tell the boys to stay hidden. We don’t close the net until all the fish are inside."

"Yes, sir."

The man acknowledged and withdrew, but returned a moment later, a hint of hesitation on his face. "Village Chief, I can’t help but feel something is off about this... Why would the government troops turn on their own so viciously?"

Xu Meng finally looked up at his words, a sneer spreading across his greasy, shining face. It was a look of pure contempt.

"Isn’t that just the way those officials are? Cowards when facing outsiders, but each one more vicious than the last when it comes to infighting. If they could ever truly unite, every stronghold along this river would have been fucking wiped out eight times over by now. Would they still be letting us live so freely? And besides, how many times have they pulled this kind of dirty shit?"

"I’m just worried... what if this is a case of letting the wolf in the door..."