Exiting the tent, Chen Sheng walked straight toward a brightly lit adjacent tent. The two guards at the entrance immediately raised their hands to block his path, scrutinizing him with sharp gazes.
"Chen Sheng of the Sixth Century. I have urgent business with Commander Wu. Please announce me." Chen Sheng performed a cupped-fist salute, his tone polite.
"Just come in."
Before the guards could respond, a powerful voice boomed from within the tent. The two guards, not daring to delay, quickly lifted the tent flap. A blast of hot air, smelling of leather and charcoal, washed over him.
Chen Sheng strode inside, his gaze immediately locking onto the man seated at the head of the tent. The man was draped in a bearskin cloak, powerfully built, with a square face and a wide mouth. 'Judging by looks alone, he doesn't seem like a greedy man at all,' Chen Sheng thought, 'but you can never judge a book by its cover.'
"Your subordinate, Chen Sheng, greets Commander Wu."
Wu Kuang was bent over his paperwork. At the sound of Chen Sheng's voice, he glanced up and asked casually:
"It's late. What's so urgent that you needed to see me?"
"Commander, I wish to contend for the position of Vice Commander under your command." Chen Sheng was direct, wasting no words.
The tip of Wu Kuang's brush paused. He looked up again, carefully sizing Chen Sheng up from head to toe, a playful smirk forming on his lips. "If you want to contend for a Vice Commander position, you need to have at least reached Acupoint Opening and Foundation Establishment.
As I recall, you never paid to learn the camp's Body Refining Technique, did you?"
"I studied at a martial arts academy in my youth. Some time ago, I was fortunate enough to achieve Acupoint Opening and Foundation Establishment."
"Setting aside the question of your strength, it's a shame you're a step too late. I've already come to a tentative agreement with Wang Yi. Besides, he is very... supportive of me."
Wu Kuang's tone was flat, but he deliberately emphasized the words "tentative agreement" and "supportive."
A tentative agreement meant it wasn't set in stone.
Chen Sheng, understanding his meaning perfectly, immediately replied, "Sir, I am also prepared to 'talk.' And my support for you will be second to none."
"Heh heh..."
Wu Kuang chuckled but said nothing, merely watching him.
Chen Sheng continued, "Sir, everything has a price. How much did Wang Yi offer?"
Wu Kuang was about to hold up five fingers, but seeing Chen Sheng's confident posture, he changed the gesture in mid-air:
"Wang Yi offered seventy taels of silver, in cash."
Chen Sheng said no more. He simply took a gold ingot from his sleeve and placed it impassively on Wu Kuang's desk.
Under the lamplight, the ingot gleamed. Wu Kuang's fingers paused. He picked up the ingot, weighing it in his hand, a flash of astonishment in his eyes. He truly hadn't expected this soldier, who was usually so inconspicuous, to be so lavish.
'He had some impression of this Chen Sheng. He was a veteran who had been forcibly conscripted, had endured nearly four months in the camp, yet had remained completely obscure.'
'The strange thing was, nearly everyone from his original squad had been replaced, yet he alone had survived unscathed. This had sparked a bit of curiosity in Wu Kuang. But after observing him, he'd concluded the man had no great ambition and was just hoping for the war to end so he could go home. After that, he'd paid him no more mind.'
'Who would have thought he'd judged him so wrongly.'
Weighing the heavy gold ingot in his hand, Wu Kuang quickly estimated its value—it was worth at least ninety taels of Silver. 'It seems this kid has "saved up" quite a bit during these past few months of suppressing the rebellion.'
Wu Kuang pondered for a moment, then tapped the desk with a bent finger and pointed to a corner of the tent. "See those stone locks? Pick the heaviest one you can manage and lift it for me."
Chen Sheng's gaze swept across the corner. Stone locks of various sizes were scattered about. The three-hundred-pound one showed clear signs of having been recently moved; he knew at once that it had been Wang Yi's doing.
Wasting no time on words, Chen Sheng walked directly to the five-hundred-pound stone lock. He bent his knees slightly, leaned over, and gripped the handle with both arms. With a low grunt, he engaged his core and waist, and in one powerful motion, he heaved the massive stone lock steadily over his head!
He stood there as firm as a pine tree for more than ten breaths, his face not flushed, his breathing even.
At this, Wu Kuang was visibly impressed.
'Five hundred pounds of lifting strength!'
'That's more than just a notch above Wang Yi! And from the way Chen Sheng lifted it so effortlessly, it's clear he still has strength to spare.'
"Alright, you can put it down now." Wu Kuang's tone had softened considerably.
THUD! The stone lock landed solidly on the ground with a dull thud. Chen Sheng's breathing was steady as he returned to the desk, his posture respectful. The gold ingot, meanwhile, had vanished, put away by Wu Kuang at some unknown point.
"With strength like that, it would be a shame for me to let such talent go to waste..." Wu Kuang said, stroking his beard as he sized up Chen Sheng once more.
"Thank you for the opportunity, Commander!"
Chen Sheng immediately performed another cupped-fist salute.
"Mm, you're dismissed for now. I will report this to the Captain, and then we'll make the arrangements."
"Yes, sir."
Just then, a rough voice suddenly called out from outside the tent:
"Wu, are you in there? It's Huang, I have something to discuss!"
"Commander Huang, please come in," Wu Kuang called out.
"Commander, I will take my leave then," Chen Sheng said tactfully, bowing.
"Go on."
Chen Sheng turned to leave the tent and came face-to-face with the two men entering. He recognized one of them as Commander Huang from another unit. Beside him was a sturdy young man who bore a slight resemblance to the commander.
Their gazes met for a brief moment. Chen Sheng gave Commander Huang a quick salute, then stepped aside, lifted the tent flap, and exited.
Inside the tent, after a few pleasantries with Commander Huang, Wu Kuang got straight to the point:
"Huang, what brings you here so late at night?"
Commander Huang was also a straightforward man. "Wu," he said bluntly, "let's not beat around the bush. The rebellion is suppressed, and the higher-ups have already made arrangements. Some men will be stationed in the counties, while the rest will be transferred to the border.
I don't mind going to the border to fight, but we brothers of the Huang Family can't both go. Someone has to stay behind to continue the family line. Therefore, I'd like to ask you, Wu, to look after my little brother. Let him serve as a Vice Commander under you and be transferred back to the rear."
"Well..." Wu Kuang put on a troubled expression. "It's not that I'm being unreasonable, it's just... the candidates for the Vice Commander positions under my command have already been tentatively decided."
Commander Huang, knowing full well what kind of man Wu Kuang was, didn't waste any more words. He impassively placed a gold ingot on the desk. "Wu, you have two Vice Commander slots. Just give one up."
Wu Kuang stared at the gold ingot, silent.
"Wu, you have to help a brother out this time," Commander Huang added. "Captain Nie is also aware of the situation."
"Are you using the Captain's name to pressure me?" Wu Kuang raised an eyebrow.
"You misunderstand, Wu. That's not my intention at all. It's just that the Captain is sympathetic to my family's situation."
Wu Kuang chuckled softly, his mind rapidly weighing the options. 'He had already planned to give one spot to Wang Yi and the other to Chen Sheng. He hadn't expected Huang Ren to show up out of nowhere, seemingly with the Captain's tacit approval.'
'This meant he would have to cut one of them loose.'
'He made his decision in an instant.'
'After all, Wang Yi had offered the lowest price. And he, Wu Kuang, had always been a man of principle.'
"Fine," Wu Kuang said, pocketing the gold ingot. "Since you've asked, Huang, and the Captain is aware of the matter, how could I refuse? Leave him here. I'll report it to the Captain tomorrow."
A smile instantly spread across Commander Huang's face. He clapped the young man beside him on the shoulder.
"Ren, what are you waiting for? Thank Commander Wu for this opportunity!"
The young man hastily bowed, his delight obvious. "Your subordinate, Huang Ren, thanks you for the opportunity, Commander!"
"As it happens," Wu Kuang said, as if just remembering something. With a hint of reluctance, he picked up a small cloth pouch from the side and tossed it to Huang Ren.
"Since you're taking his spot, you can be the one to return this silver to a Centurion in the Sixth Century named Wang Yi. Tell him the deal is off."
He might be greedy, but he had his principles: you either get the job done and take the money, or if you can't deliver, you don't take a single coin.
"Yes! I understand!"
Huang Ren caught the pouch, understanding perfectly now who it was he had just replaced.