#222 - Chapter 222 Harvest

At this moment, the county sheriff also felt a wave of fear. He never imagined that this bandit suppression would be so fraught with twists and turns, and even encounter an evil weapon that the imperial court had explicitly prohibited!

This made him begin to doubt the difficulty of this mission, which was much greater than he had originally imagined. Moreover, judging from Liu Dong's performance, there must be someone behind him manipulating everything, but who exactly was that person?

Thinking of this, the county sheriff temporarily suppressed the doubts in his heart and turned to look at Cheng Feng.

This person was like a dark horse, rising suddenly, not only saving their lives but also bringing a turning point to this battle. If it weren't for his appearance, I'm afraid everyone present would have lost their lives.

Thinking of this, the county sheriff couldn't help but sigh, "Fortunately, this Hong Sect master came to help, otherwise, we would probably have difficulty retreating unscathed today!"

Despite this, the county sheriff still felt a little regretful. After all, although the Black Wind Stronghold was destroyed, the three stronghold leaders, including Liu Dong, had escaped.

The county sheriff comforted the heads of various forces and said, "Everyone, don't worry. The government has seen your efforts and will definitely give everyone an explanation." Hearing this, smiles appeared on everyone's faces, and their mood suddenly relaxed a lot.

"In addition, although the Black Wind Stronghold has been eliminated, Liu Dong and the other two still exist, which is a major hidden danger. We need to strengthen our defenses to prevent them from making a comeback. At the same time, regarding the distribution of the stronghold's wealth, this official hopes that everyone can uphold a fair heart and not cause trouble due to temporary greed, ruining our hard-won victory." The county sheriff's voice was not loud, but every word was clear, with an unquestionable majesty.

When everyone heard this, their expressions varied. Some nodded in agreement, while others secretly calculated. The county sheriff saw it in his eyes but was not in a hurry to force them.

That being said, who among those present didn't secretly keep something for themselves? What's in their mouths is truly theirs.

Seeing everyone's perfunctory response, the county sheriff was not annoyed. While directing, he searched for the silver that Liu Dong might have hidden.

The county sheriff stood on a high place, looking at the figures searching everywhere in the mountain stronghold, his eyes deep, reflecting faces that were either tired or greedy.

When his subordinates reported that they had searched everywhere and found no place to hide gold and silver,

An elder of the Black Snake Martial Hall, a blood-refining martial artist nearly fifty years old, slapped his thigh and said regretfully, "That thief Liu Dong must have run away with the treasure."

Everyone echoed, but their eyes turned to the county sheriff and Cheng Feng.

They had already suffered from the evil weapon, and they didn't want to suffer again. What if Liu Dong still had an evil weapon?

The county sheriff and Cheng Feng exchanged glances, and they could both read a bit of helplessness and determination in each other's eyes. Faced with everyone's doubts and expectations,

The county sheriff cleared his throat and stabilized the situation, "Everyone, please be calm. Although Liu Dong and others are cunning, we cannot panic. Gold and silver are important, but it is more important to bring them to justice and give the people peace."

Cheng Feng added, "That's right, the Black Wind Stronghold has been operating for many years, and its wealth cannot be easily transferred. Perhaps they have set up some traps, or hid it in a corner we haven't noticed. What we need is patience and care, not blind guessing."

The elder of the Black Snake Martial Hall's expression softened slightly, but he was still unwilling, "That's true, but we can't just wait here, can we? If they really run away, wouldn't those gold and silver fall into their hands for nothing?"

The county sheriff smiled slightly, a hint of wisdom flashing in his eyes, "Elder, don't worry, I have my own arrangements. I have already ordered people to block the surrounding mountain roads and set up many secret哨, as soon as Liu Dong and others appear, they will immediately send a message back. As for the stronghold, I will personally lead people to search again, not letting go of any clues."

After saying that, the county sheriff turned to everyone and said, "Everyone, divide into several teams, led by your leaders, and carefully search the Black Wind Stronghold again. Remember, not only look for gold and silver, but also pay attention to any clues that may point to the whereabouts of Liu Dong and others."

When everyone heard this, they responded one after another and went to their respective missions. The elder of the Black Snake Martial Hall also took his disciples and joined the search.

As time passed, the night became deeper, but the Black Wind Stronghold was brightly lit and bustling with voices. Every tile and every stone slab had been carefully searched. Although the process was arduous, every time a clue was found, it would invigorate everyone.

Cheng Feng found it amusing to look at these useless efforts. He had relied on the mechanical dog to stake out for several days before he accidentally discovered the treasure cave. When he came out, he was confident that he had cleaned up the mess. Even if there was any treasure in the stronghold, there certainly wouldn't be much.

Just then, a soldier came in a hurry and whispered a few words in the county sheriff's ear. The county sheriff's expression changed slightly, and then returned to normal. He said to everyone, "Everyone, I just received news that Liu Dong and the others seem to have fled into the depths of the mountains, where the terrain is dangerous and easy to defend but difficult to attack. To prevent them from colluding with other bandits, I have decided to personally lead a team to pursue them. I wonder which hero is willing to accompany me?"

As soon as this was said, there was a burst of discussion in the crowd. Some were eager to try, wanting to take this opportunity to make contributions; others looked embarrassed, unwilling to go deeper into the dangerous situation. The county sheriff scanned everyone one by one, and finally his eyes fell on Cheng Feng.

"Sect Master Cheng, you have made great contributions to this bandit suppression. If you are willing to continue to help me, I will definitely report to the imperial court and ask for credit for you." The county sheriff's words were earnest, and his eyes sparkled with expectant light.

Cheng Feng smiled slightly, cupped his hands and said, "County Sheriff, you are too polite. It is our duty to eliminate harm for the people. Since the shadow of the thief Liu Dong has not been eliminated, I am naturally obliged to do so. However, the mountains are dangerous, and we still need to act cautiously."

Seeing the two Bone Refinement experts together, the government officials could only follow. In any case, the superficial work still had to be done.

After busying themselves for another half a day, they couldn't even find a bird's feather. Everyone thought that Liu Dong had taken the gold and silver treasures away, and they all cursed.

This trip really resulted in losses and no benefits.

Cheng Feng also cursed a couple of times. As for the pursuit, Cheng Feng waited for a long time before he understood that the county sheriff was purely acting for everyone to see, expressing his tough attitude, but due to reality, he could only give up helplessly, so that he could explain to the county magistrate when he went back.

"Sure enough, none of those who can be officials are simple," Cheng Feng laughed and cursed, and didn't care about these things.

He touched the copper statue in his arms, the one thousand eight hundred taels of silver notes, and a small bottle of pills. This harvest could comfort himself.

Cheng Feng suspected that the harvest in the mountain stronghold might not be as much as the harvest on his own body.

His own harvest alone could be worth the Hong Sect's pension expenses.

When he thought about the three small boxes of gold and silver jewelry in the cave, and the ten large boxes of swords, Cheng Feng tried his best to suppress a little bit of the rising corners of his mouth.

The disciples of the Hong Sect have a promising future!