Endless Winter: My Camp Upgrades Infinitely Chapter 1396 - 451: Lust Clouds the Mind; Ignorant of Danger; Chui Mountain Changes Hands; Cai Shiqi Shattered; Intimidation

A collective gaze from the table of four immediately shifted towards Cai Shiqing, then followed his line of sight to the woman seated by the window further ahead.

Her presence, however, caused their brows to furrow almost instantly.

One of them whispered a low warning to Cai Shiqing, "Sir, that woman appears somewhat peculiar!"

Though the other three remained silent, their nods of agreement echoed the sentiment.

These four individuals possessed a strength slightly exceeding 40 Zong. The fact that the woman could remain on the top floor undetected by them, and that they couldn't sense any of her Qi or physical strength, was a clear indicator of her extraordinary power.

If the four felt this way, the strongest among them, Cai Shiqing, felt it even more intensely.

Given his usual impetuous nature, he would have already made a move. However, his prolonged observation without action clearly demonstrated his acknowledgment of the woman's exceptional capabilities.

A wicked glint in his eyes intensified, eventually eclipsing his judgment. With a subtle glance, he signaled his intention to the four.

The four servants, intimately familiar with their master's temperament, understood Cai Shiqing’s unspoken command and promptly rose from their seats.

They departed from their table, making their way directly towards the woman dressed in white.

"May I have a word with the lady…"

Cai Wan, the most formidable of the servants, approached her table and initiated the conversation.

*Tap, tap, tap…*

His words were cut short by the sound of rapid footsteps ascending from below, just as he began to speak.

Five imposing generals, clad in Mystic Gold Armor, armed with formidable bows and various sharp blades, ascended swiftly from downstairs. Their gazes sharpened with a frown as they noticed Cai Wan's group positioned before the woman’s table, yet they remained silent, quickly positioning themselves in front of her.

"Greetings, Madam!"

After offering a respectful bow to the woman, the leading general, a young man wielding a double-edged great axe, stepped forward. He cupped his hands and announced, "Your subordinate, Yuan Cheng, greets Madam. All fifteen soldiers stationed throughout the city have been assembled and are currently surrounding the inner city perimeter, awaiting Madam’s command!"

"Good. Wait here a moment. Let the military camp continue its activities for now. I've dispatched Xiang Fuhai to the Lord's Hall to make inquiries, and we shall await his return. It is rather peculiar that Duan Hong has not yet appeared…"

The woman in white contemplated for a moment. She then slightly lifted her head, first bestowing an expressionless glance upon Cai Wan's entourage, before shifting her gaze to Cai Shiqing behind them. A subtle hint of coldness flickered in her beautiful eyes, visible even above her veil.

At this juncture, the expressions of Cai Wan's group, including Cai Shiqing seated behind them, became rigid. To be more precise, their countenances had undergone an instant transformation from the moment the five burly generals appeared.

Cai Wan's contingent could only discern the strength of the middle-aged general at the rear, who carried a long staff.

Moreover, even this discernible middle-aged general possessed a power level of approximately 40 Zong, nearly matching their own.

This implied that the other four generals were undoubtedly even more powerful.

Crucially, all five displayed a respectful deference towards the woman in white!

What could this signify?

Cai Shiqing's face grew considerably more serious. His strength of 48 Zong afforded him a clearer perception than Cai Wan and the others.

Apart from the 40 Zong middle-aged man with the staff, among the remaining four, the strongest, Yuan Cheng, who appeared to be in his early thirties, displayed a power exceeding Cai Shiqing's own, estimated to be at least 50 Zong. The two behind him, both wielding longswords and of similar age to Yuan Cheng, possessed strengths of 48 Zong and 45 Zong, respectively. The fourth, with a saber sheathed at his waist, seemed even younger than the previous three, yet wielded a strength of 43 Zong.

Naturally, raw strength was secondary. The primary catalyst for Cai Shiqing's sudden grim expression was the gesture of respect the five generals offered to the woman in white, coupled with Yuan Cheng's earlier declaration.

"Fifteen soldiers scattered throughout the city have been gathered;

They have surrounded the entire inner city area;

Just awaiting Madam’s command…

What did this entail?

Cai Shiqing lacked sufficient information to deduce any concrete conclusions from these fragmented statements. He merely felt that the coup orchestrated by the princely heir had encountered an unforeseen complication.

Indeed, an unforeseen variable!

Cai Shiqing had been privy to every stage of the coup planned by Cai Shiqi, and thus, he was thoroughly aware of the original strategy.

The six thousand soldiers of the Defensive Army who had appeared moments ago were extraneous to the plan; Mu Qinghe had not informed them beforehand. Mu Longhe's subsequent arrival was even more unexpected, and now, this new, substantial military force had emerged…

Cai Shiqing's brow furrowed as he relentlessly replayed these thoughts in his mind. Suddenly, another figure quietly materialized on the top floor.A black-clad elder with a silver Coiled Dragon Pattern Long Stick stood with white hair cascading down. Despite his age, the elder's eyes gleamed with vibrant spirit. With an unseen movement, he materialized beside the woman in white's table moments later. He bowed deeply, proclaiming, "This old servant greets madam. As you predicted, Duan Hong has indeed fallen into Prince Cai Qiu's trap. However, I observe that the golden shield's resilience is waning and will fail within ten minutes, freeing Duan Hong!" "Who exactly are you mortals, daring to meddle in the affairs of my Cai Qiu?" Cai Shiqing could no longer contain himself upon hearing this. Although he recognized the black-robed elder's Xianyang level cultivation, he harbored no fear of a Xianyang cultivator in a desolate region like the Nine Towns Territory. He rose abruptly, his voice booming with indignation as he challenged the elder.