"Sheng, help your brother Wang out and lend me some silver coins to tide me over. As soon as I bribe Commander Wu and become Vice Commander, you'll be the first person I promote! One of us gets in office first and pulls the other one up after. When brothers are united, we can break even metal!"
In the barracks, a campfire crackled, illuminating their two faces huddled close together. The tall and sturdy Wang Yi threw an arm around Chen Sheng's shoulder, his voice a low, fervent whisper.
Chen Sheng glanced at the rough hand on his shoulder and couldn't help but scoff inwardly. 'One of us gets promoted and pulls the other one up? That line sounds awfully familiar.' But he still forced a smile onto his face.
"You asked, Wang, so I won't say no. No matter how tight things are, I have to help!"
With that, he pulled a handful of copper coins from his robes and firmly pressed them into Wang Yi's hand.
Wang Yi looked down, and his smile instantly froze. He said hurriedly:
"Sheng, this... it's not enough!"
"This is everything I own."
Chen Sheng feigned surprise, then put on a troubled expression.
"Don't lie to me. You definitely stashed away some silver when the city fell. Help me out this time, and when I become Vice Commander, I'll be sure to make you a Centurion!"
Wang Yi weighed the few copper coins in his palm, refusing to give up as he continued his persuasion.
"Wang, you know as well as I do that those refugees were poorer than us. The higher-ups confiscated anything valuable. How could I have skimmed anything for myself?"
"So you're really not going to lend it?"
"I really don't have it!"
Chen Sheng looked Wang Yi straight in the eye, his face a mask of sincerity.
They stared at each other for a moment before the smile completely vanished from Wang Yi's face. He slapped the copper coins back into Chen Sheng's palm, his voice turning cold.
"Fine. Since you're not willing to do me this favor, I won't force you. Anyway, the war in Yunzhou is almost over, and most of the conscripts will be sent to the border. When that happens, don't you come crying to me to pull some strings for you."
His attempt at persuasion having failed, Wang Yi instantly switched to threats.
"The border? That's great news. I was just worried I wouldn't get a chance to serve the court."
"Heh. Good... very good. Chen Sheng, you'd better not regret this."
Wang Yi nodded, a smile that didn't reach his eyes on his face. He turned and left, his expression grim.
As he watched Wang Yi's back disappear into the night, the smile on Chen Sheng's face slowly faded. He stared blankly at the dancing campfire, and with a mere thought, a page from the Celestial Book materialized before his eyes.
On the page, the words [Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Evil] were strikingly visible in an ancient script.
At this moment, the two words [Avoiding Evil] were faintly glowing. Below them, lines of messy, small script were vaguely visible:
[My name is Chen Sheng. By the time you read this, my regret is already too late. I foolishly believed Wang Yi's empty promises and lent him most of my savings, but after he became the Vice Commander, he went back on his word... In the end, I was sent to the border, my fate uncertain...]
This "Book of Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Evil" had appeared suddenly two months ago when he'd transmigrated here. It could predict a sliver of the future, and it was precisely because of this that Chen Sheng had managed to avoid disaster time and again, surviving to this day.
At the same time, the [Seeking Fortune] ability had also allowed him to secretly amass a small fortune, leaving him considerably better off than an ordinary soldier.
Originally, Chen Sheng had only wanted to lie low until the rebellion was crushed and then gain his freedom. But now, it seemed if he didn't actively fight for his own interests, he would really be sent to the border to fight against the Alien Races.
Thinking of this, he finally made up his mind.
'It's better to rely on myself than on others.'
'Since I can no longer hide, then I'll just have to fight for a higher position!'
After gaining the ability of [Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Evil], Chen Sheng had always kept a low profile, but that didn't mean he was weak—he simply didn't want to stick his neck out. Otherwise, with his level of Cultivation, he would have been promoted to Centurion long ago.
In his mind, the Celestial Book gently flipped over, revealing several lines of small text on the reverse side:
[Basic Knife Technique: Great Success (400/1000)]
[Golden Bell Body Refining Technique: Minor Achievement (185/500)]
This was his second supernatural gift, one that displayed his training progress. However, compared to the miraculous power of [Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Evil], this status panel was quite mundane, as it could only faithfully reflect the results of his bitter training.
His Sword Skill was one he had honed through brutal, real-world combat. Though its moves were simple, they were practical and vicious, and had helped him slay several rebel soldiers. As for the Golden Bell Body Refining Technique, he had found it over a month ago by following a premonition from the Celestial Book, looting it from the corpse of a bald rebel soldier.
Unlike the magic-less era of his previous world, this world called Daqian truly possessed supernatural powers. He had personally witnessed the terrifying sight of powerful experts in the army striking from mid-air, their spears shattering entire battle formations.
From then on, Chen Sheng had a clear goal:
He would transcend the mundane, he would rise above the mortal coil, and he would live forever!
The path to immortality was still long, but having officially undergone Enlightenment and stepped into the Foundation Establishment Realm, he now possessed power far beyond that of a normal person. When he circulated his energy, his skin would take on a faint coppery sheen, making it difficult for ordinary blades to harm him.
As far as he knew, this Golden Bell Body Refining Technique would serve him for a very long time: its stages of Minor Achievement, Great Success, and Perfection corresponded perfectly to the three realms of Foundation Establishment—Mingxi, Bone Forging, and Marrow Transformation.
The Mingxi Realm was not to be underestimated. His arms now possessed the strength of several hundred pounds, enough to rank him among the top even in the entire Mountain Camp. He was more than qualified to compete for the position of Vice Commander, which would put him in charge of fifty men.
The reason Wang Yi was so confident was that he had broken through to the Mingxi Realm a month ago. He believed victory was already in his grasp, with the only remaining step being to bribe Commander Wu.
All of Commander Wu's old subordinates knew his character well:
In a word: greedy.
But for all his greed, he delivered on his promises once he was paid.
It was because of this "trustworthiness" that as soon as word spread about the vacant Vice Commander position, many people were tempted to try for it.
A Vice Commander might not seem like a high-ranking official, but they were still in charge of fifty men. The difference between that and an ordinary soldier was like the heavens and the earth.
When Chen Sheng returned to the barracks tent, it was already crowded. Most of the men were gathered around Wang Yi, showering him with flattery. Seeing Chen Sheng enter, Wang Yi narrowed his eyes, assuming he had come to change his mind. He was surprised when Chen Sheng simply offered a cheerful greeting before heading straight to his bunk and lying down.
'He doesn't know how to appreciate a favor!'
Wang Yi cursed inwardly, infuriated.
He remembered Chen Sheng well. The two of them had enlisted at roughly the same time, over four months ago. The faces around them had come and gone in waves, but this man had always been steady. He never made a fuss, but he always managed to stay alive and well.
That's why, in Wang Yi's opinion, Chen Sheng had to have a hefty sum of savings stashed away. It was the reason he'd specifically approached him, hoping for a "donation." Who would've thought the man would show him such disrespect, pulling out just a handful of copper coins.
'Is he trying to get rid of a beggar?!'
At this thought, Wang Yi stood up and cleared his throat.
"I, Wang Yi, will remember the loyalty you brothers have shown me! Once I become the Vice Commander, I will definitely not forget you all! When the time comes, every last one of you who helped me, I'll make sure you stay here. As for the border... let the others go!"
"Thank you, Vice Commander Wang!"
"Thanks, Wang!"
Several men immediately started thanking him, their voices dripping with flattery.
Seeing that Chen Sheng remained unresponsive, Wang Yi sneered to himself, offered a general salute to the room, and walked out of the tent.
"Sheng, you didn't lend him the money?"
As soon as Wang Yi left, Sun Liuzi from the neighboring bunk leaned over and asked in a hushed voice.
Although the others in the tent didn't speak, they all cast strange glances at Chen Sheng. It was obvious to everyone that something was wrong between him and Wang Yi.
"I have no money."
Chen Sheng replied, his eyes still closed.
"Sigh... I lent him some," Sun Liuzi's voice cracked. "I don't know if it'll even work. I'm the only son in my family. I really don't want to go to the border just to die..."
Chen Sheng didn't respond. He just kept his eyes closed, resting, while silently counting the time in his mind.
About an hour later, Wang Yi swept back into the tent with a look of pure joy on his face. His ecstatic expression made it clear to everyone that he was in an excellent mood. The men in the tent saw this and immediately swarmed him, bombarding him with questions.
"Wang, how did it go? Did Commander Wu give you the nod?"
"It's a done deal!"
Wang Yi tried his best to suppress the smile tugging at his lips, but he couldn't conceal his smug satisfaction.
Although Commander Wu hadn't given him a concrete guarantee, he had accepted the silver. In Wang Yi's mind, that made it a near certainty, and he couldn't help but feel a little giddy.
Even though nothing was set in stone, he acted as if the Vice Commander position was already his for the taking.
"Whoa! Then we can't just call you Wang anymore. It has to be Vice Commander Wang!"
"What do you mean, Vice Commander? With Wang's skills, it's only a matter of time before he drops the 'Vice' from his title!"
"Commander Wang, you'll have to look out for us brothers from now on!"
"Haha, of course, of course! We're all brothers here. I, Wang Yi, have taken note of everyone who helped me. In the future, I'll show my gratitude through my actions!" Wang Yi's hearty laughter echoed through the tent, sparking another wave of even more fervent compliments.
He feigned modesty, but in reality, he was basking in the flattery. His gaze, however, subtly swept over the few men who hadn't lent him silver, a group that naturally included Chen Sheng.
The men who hadn't lent him money looked uneasy. One of them seemed ready to swallow his pride and step forward to say something conciliatory, but Wang Yi just let out a cold snort and ignored him completely.
Once Chen Sheng confirmed that Commander Wu was in his tent at that moment, he stopped pretending to be asleep.
He swiftly put on his cotton armor and slipped on his shoes, the movement causing everyone to look his way. They all assumed he couldn't hold out any longer and was about to go suck up to Wang Yi like the other man had attempted.
But to their surprise, Chen Sheng just said casually, "I've been holding it in. Gotta go relieve myself. Anyone else need to go?"
After Wang Yi had made his displeasure with Chen Sheng clear, no one dared to openly accompany him and risk getting on the new favorite's bad side. Chen Sheng didn't seem to care and quickly left the tent.
The moment his foot was out the door, hushed whispers about him rustled through the tent.
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