Upon hearing this, Chen Sheng's face showed a perfectly timed moment of shock, which quickly turned into delighted surprise. He hastily cupped his fists, bowed, and spoke with genuine excitement in his voice:
"Congratulations on your promotion, my lord! The position of County Captain, a seventh-grade official rank—this is truly a joyous occasion!"
"I will never forget your grace in promoting me! I am willing to serve you with the loyalty of a horse or dog, to attend to your every need, and I would not shrink even from death!"
To be promoted from a camp commander leading a hundred men to a County Captain in charge of a county's military and security affairs, holding the rank of Standard Seventh Grade, was undoubtedly like a carp leaping over the dragon gate.
At this moment, Chen Sheng finally understood why that Commander Huang had gone to such lengths to place his younger brother under Wu Kuang's command—he must have seen this opportunity coming long ago.
On the surface, he was astonished, but inwardly, he was unperturbed. This was because days ago, after Wu Kuang had tested him, the "Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Evil" Celestial Book had already foretold this event.
"As for the matter of you privately purchasing Blood Qi Pills, I have already taken care of it for you."
Wu Kuang's tone turned serious, carrying a note of warning. "But you must remember from now on: military discipline is absolute. Do not take it lightly. This is especially true now, during this critical period of troop division and redeployment. Countless eyes are watching. Don't give anyone a reason to cause trouble for you."
He was quite pleased with Chen Sheng's reaction. However, now that he was newly appointed to a key position, he knew countless people were green with envy, their eyes fixed on this lucrative post. He had no choice but to be cautious and tread carefully every step of the way.
After this period of observation and testing, Chen Sheng had left an impression on him as someone "loyal, capable, and who knows when to advance or retreat." He was now genuinely considering taking him on as a core confidant to serve him.
"I understand, my lord! I will be sure to follow your instructions!"
"Furthermore."
Wu Kuang paused for a moment, then began to pace. "With this transfer, I am entitled to bring a sixty-man entourage to my new post. As for the selection… I've decided to leave the list to you."
Although Chen Sheng had already guessed his intentions, he still asked respectfully, "
Would you please clarify the procedure, my lord? I fear I may not be up to the task."
Wu Kuang clasped his hands behind his back and lowered his voice slightly.
"With this troop division, the main force must be transferred to garrison the border. Being reassigned to the rear is a cushy job everyone covets, so there will certainly be no shortage of people coming to me asking for favors. Many of them will be incompetents or those with connections. I don't want to accept them all, but it would be impolitic to refuse and offend each one of them."
He looked at Chen Sheng, his meaning couldn't be clearer: this task of offending people was being given to Chen Sheng. If he handled it beautifully, he would become a true confidant. If he botched it, Wu Kuang would still have room to maneuver and shift the blame.
"I obey! I will do my utmost to resolve this matter for you, my lord!"
Chen Sheng, who understood the intricacies of the situation perfectly, accepted without a moment's hesitation.
...
After leaving the tent, Chen Sheng found a quiet corner to sit down, his gaze heavy with thought.
Ever since learning two days ago that he would be transferred to Changshan County, he had faintly sensed a lingering wisp of consciousness from this body's original owner.
He recalled when he first awakened his past-life memories and the two consciousnesses merged. The vast, surging tide of resentment and indignation had nearly split his head in two. The deepest of these feelings stemmed from an old, unsettled vendetta.
Now, with the transfer imminent, that dormant wisp of consciousness was stirring again. It was like a silent reminder, making Chen Sheng understand that if he didn't completely resolve this karmic tie...
...he feared this lingering obsession would become a stumbling block on his path of cultivation, and might even transform into a Heart Demon that would plague his mind when he reached higher realms.
'Since I've inherited this body, I must also bear its karma.'
Chen Sheng pondered for a long time before finally making up his mind. On this trip, he had to completely settle this old grudge.
The story was actually somewhat cliché: his mother died young, and his father was the Gang Leader of the Seven Stars Gang, one of the four major gangs in Changshan County. Later, for reasons unknown, the vice gang leader staged a coup, and his father was brutally killed as a result.
The original owner of the body had been frail since childhood. Despite being nourished with Spirit Medicine, it was difficult for him to walk the proper path of the Martial Dao.
His father, perhaps also weary of the endless fighting in the Jianghu, had him forsake martial arts for scholarly pursuits, hoping he would pass the imperial examinations and earn an official title. To protect him from being embroiled in gang conflicts, his father never publicly revealed his identity, and very few people knew of his existence.
The last time the original owner saw his father, he was already dead. He didn't even get to see a complete body, and could only piece together the gruesome details of his father's death from street gossip.
Afterward, news of him, the "son," was leaked somehow. The loyal old butler was captured, and the original owner, panicked and terrified, had no time to pack his valuables. He could only flee Changshan County Town in a hurry. He had intended to abandon his studies for martial arts and join a dojo, but he was unexpectedly conscripted into the army, where he remained until Chen Sheng arrived.
'Dwelling on it is pointless. Since I have your body, I will bear your karma.'
Chen Sheng collected his thoughts and cast aside all distracting notions.
'Time to train!'
He once again assumed his stance and immersed himself in his cultivation.
With ample resources to support him, coupled with his arduous training day and night, his cultivation progressed at an extremely fast pace.
[Basic Knife Technique: Great Success (570/1000)]
[Golden Bell Body Refining Technique: Minor Achievement (285/500)]
This Golden Bell Body Refining Technique, which he had obtained through Seeking Fortune, was indeed an excellent match for him. Even though his innate constitution wasn't the best, his cultivation speed was by no means slow.
Of course, the potent nourishment of the Blood Qi Pills also played a significant role.
Relying on his "Seeking Fortune" ability, Chen Sheng had frequently come across "accidental" gains during previous battles and when cleaning up the battlefields. He always managed to find some deeply hidden valuables. After several months of accumulation, he had become quite wealthy.
He had even managed to stockpile a considerable amount of a scarce resource like Blood Qi Pills. Although the quartermaster had previously tried to cause trouble for him, he had easily dealt with the situation.
After another session of arduous training, Chen Sheng returned to his tent. Amidst a chorus of flattery and sycophancy, he nonchalantly leaked the news that "the troops will soon be divided, and a portion will be redeployed to the rear."
The news was like cold water hitting sizzling oil, instantly causing an uproar throughout the tent and even the entire Fourth Squad. Compared to the life-and-death uncertainty of the border, being redeployed to garrison a county in the rear was undoubtedly a fantastically cushy assignment.
Everyone's attitude became even more eager and attentive. The flattery and attempts to curry favor were endless, giving Chen Sheng a true taste of the fickle nature of human relationships.
However, thinking they could secure a spot with just a few nice words was pure wishful thinking.
Although Commander Wu hadn't said it outright, Chen Sheng knew that his superior also wanted to take this opportunity to "legitimately" line his pockets.
The people he needed to select weren't just those who were competent, but more importantly, those who understood the "rules" and knew how to "read the situation."
At the same time, Chen Sheng had his own agenda: he wanted to use this opportunity to cultivate a few capable subordinates for himself.
Taking up a post in Changshan County seemed like a cushy job, but in reality, it was a place with treacherous undercurrents.
The world was in turmoil, with rebellions flaring up everywhere. The imperial court's authority was waning by the day, and local tyrants and gang forces had deep, tangled roots. They wouldn't necessarily pay any mind to a mere County Captain. It was precisely for this reason that the higher-ups were dispatching battle-hardened veterans to garrison the various counties and suppress the local powers.
Soon, with Chen Sheng's deliberate indulgence, the news spread rapidly.
It wasn't just the Fourth Squad. Anyone from the other squads with any connections or ambitions was using every trick up their sleeve, desperate to catch this favorable ride back to the rear.
Wu Kuang ignored all of it, making it clear that the matter was entirely in Chen Sheng's hands. As a result, Chen Sheng's status in the army skyrocketed, and for a time, no one was more in the spotlight.