"Greetings, Captain."
"Captain, sir."
Chen Sheng and Wu Kuang hurried forward, bowing in salute.
Nie Yuanliu gave a slight nod, then casually tossed a cloth bundle, still seeping blood, onto the ground. He gave his orders in a flat tone:
"Cut off the left ears from the rebel corpses as proof of your merits. Bury the rest of the bodies on the spot and leave no trace. After we return to camp, I will personally report your achievements."
With the ambush successfully concluded, Nie Yuanliu naturally wouldn't continue escorting them to their new post.
"Thank you, Captain!" the two men replied in unison.
After Captain Nie's figure disappeared into the woods, Chen Sheng let an expression of dawning realization and lingering fear appear on his face. He leaned in and asked Wu Kuang in a low voice:
"Sir, could it be that this ambush today... Captain Nie knew about it all along?"
Wu Kuang patted his shoulder, his tone a mixture of complexity and emotion.
"You've guessed correctly. Captain Nie had received intelligence long ago, but he kept it secret for the sake of confidentiality. I had originally intended for you to take the vanguard and seize this opportunity for merit, but I didn't expect..."
He had planned to give the primary credit for this battle to Chen Sheng, to pave the way for his future promotions. Who would have thought that Chen Sheng wouldn't volunteer, allowing the eager-to-perform Huang Ren to snatch the opportunity, ultimately costing him his life.
Thinking of this, all he could do was sigh.
"Weren't the main rebel forces already wiped out?" Chen Sheng pressed on, trying to learn more.
"Easier said than done."
Wu Kuang shook his head, his expression growing serious.
"This rebellion has affected most of Yunzhou and half of Qing Province. How could it be quelled overnight? The court's army only eliminated the bandit armies that gathered and openly caused trouble. In reality, the waterways, mountain forests, and shadowy corners of every prefecture and county still hide a large number of Taiping Dao remnants, waiting for a chance to strike."
He paused, then lowered his voice even more.
"That is why our superiors have been transferring elites like us, veterans of the war, to serve in local prefectures and counties. They want to use us to strengthen the local authorities, suppress these hidden threats, and prevent the sparks from reigniting into a fire."
"The Taiping Dao?"
This was the first time Chen Sheng had heard the specific name of the force behind the rebellion.
"Exactly."
Wu Kuang nodded, a trace of fear flashing in his eyes. "This sect is skilled at bewitching people's minds, and their methods are treacherous. They've been behind most of the rebellions in recent years. Their ambitions are not small; they aim to throw the world into turmoil... But enough. It's not proper to speak more of this."
He waved his hand, cutting the topic short, and ordered Chen Sheng to take charge of cleaning the battlefield, counting the casualties, and dealing with the bodies and spoils of war.
Chen Sheng was already an old hand at this.
Months on the battlefield had made him exceptionally skilled in such matters. Even without a prompt from [Seeking Fortune], he could instinctively scavenge some deeply hidden valuables and silver coins from the corpses and wreckage.
Although most of it had to be turned in, by handling it all, he could secretly skim off a portion—enough to refill the purse that had been drained by buying his official post and greasing palms.
Chen Sheng also personally buried Huang Ren's body.
Chen Sheng felt little guilt over his death. It was within his expectations. Wu Kuang had only two Vice Commanders under him; it was either him or Huang Ren. 'Better you die than me.' In these chaotic times, staying alive was all that mattered.
However, he had ultimately escaped disaster because Huang Ren had died in his place. Chen Sheng stood silently before his grave for a moment before finally pouring out a jar of cheap wine as a small gesture.
Wu Kuang felt more regret over Huang Ren's death. After all, his older brother had entrusted him to Wu Kuang's care, yet in the blink of an eye, they were separated by death. It would be awkward and shameful to face him in the future. But that was the extent of it. In a chaotic world, life and death were commonplace.
Not long after, Captain Nie truly departed, leaving quietly. Before he left, it seemed he whispered a few more instructions to Wu Kuang.
After a headcount, the casualties among the soldiers were found to be considerable.
Including Huang Ren, a total of twelve men were killed in action, most of them falling in the first, sudden volley of arrows. Another dozen or so were wounded.
They had lost nearly half their troops before even arriving at their post. This was undoubtedly a terrible start, and it slowed the rest of their journey considerably.
Chen Sheng, of course, wouldn't let the time go to waste. After delegating the miscellaneous marching duties, he once again devoted his full attention to his cultivation.
Although they had won the battle, it made him feel the inadequacy of his own strength and the dangers of the world even more keenly. The world was descending into chaos, and the only thing he could truly rely on was his own martial power.
[Basic Knife Technique: Great Success (680/1000)]
[Golden Bell Body Refining Technique: Minor Achievement (345/500)]
[Fishing Toad Force Secret Technique: Entry (84/100)]
Sweeping his gaze over the data that appeared before his eyes, Chen Sheng calmed his mind and focused, continuing to hone his Cultivation Techniques.
...
In the blink of an eye, seven or eight days had passed since they broke camp and finally reached the border of Ning'an Prefecture. The journey was slow, hampered by the wounded, but this unexpectedly provided Chen Sheng with a long, uninterrupted period of stable cultivation time.
With the support of ample Qi and Blood Pills, after half a month of hard cultivation, his strength had improved once again.
[Basic Knife Technique: Great Success (850/1000)]
[Golden Bell Body Refining Technique: Minor Achievement (425/500)]
[Fishing Toad Force Secret Technique: Entry (95/100)]
The progress in his Knife Technique and Body Refining Technique was astonishingly fast, but the cultivation of the Fishing Toad Force Secret Technique was agonizingly slow. The progress was glacial.
Of course, this was partly because Chen Sheng was focusing his main efforts on the foundation-building Pile Skill and practical Knife Technique. Still, it highlighted the technique's difficulty, making Chen Sheng yearn for the unstoppable momentum he'd felt when refining the Purifying Essence Pill.
After arriving at Ning'an Prefecture City, Wu Kuang had to follow regulations and first go to the Prefecture Government Office to pay his respects to the Lord and the Garrison General who commanded Ning'an Prefecture's troops. He ordered Chen Sheng to lead the men, find a place to camp outside the city, and await news.
It wasn't until noon the next day that Wu Kuang finally returned to the encampment. His face was grim, a deep-seated worry etched between his brows that he couldn't seem to shake.
Seeing this, Chen Sheng immediately went forward and asked with concern:
"Sir, did you run into some trouble on your trip?"
Wu Kuang waved his hand, gesturing for him to enter the tent. After sitting down, he let out a long sigh.
"Not trouble, exactly. It's just that I learned about the recent situation in Changshan County from the Lord and the Garrison General... *Sigh*, it's much more severe than we anticipated."
He rubbed the bridge of his nose and continued,
"Within Changshan County, three major scourges are running rampant. First, the water bandits on the Qinglin Waterway are out of control, robbing merchants and raiding villages and towns along the banks. Second, the city's gang factions are deeply entrenched and constantly fighting, treating the Government Office as if it doesn't exist. Third, the local powerful families have grown too strong, annexing land and privately amassing armed forces, essentially becoming their own independent entities."
"The Lord has given me a clear order: upon taking my post, I must quickly restore order, eliminate the water bandits, and suppress the gangs and powerful families... Although he has granted me the authority to act decisively on my own, this is..."
His face was full of worry, and he couldn't stop sighing.
'Even if Changshan County is a dragon's pool and a tiger's den, it won't stop my determination to hoard resources and accumulate wealth. I invested a huge amount for this position of County Captain. If I don't earn it all back with interest, wouldn't all my efforts have been for nothing?'
"This... This is simply asking the impossible!"
Chen Sheng chimed in at the right moment, expressing indignation on his superior's behalf.
"From what you told me about Changshan County's old situation on the road, I thought it was already difficult enough. I didn't expect the reality to be even worse."
Wu Kuang let out a heavy breath, his gaze gradually turning sharp and resolute. "You grew up in Changshan and are familiar with the local problems. In the future, I will need you to assist me diligently in many matters."
"Rest assured, sir! Since I have chosen to follow you, I will naturally do everything in my power. I will go through fire and water for you and sweep away all obstacles!" Chen Sheng immediately declared with a solemn expression, his tone firm and decisive.
After some discussion, the contingent set out again, heading straight for Changshan County Town, which was over a hundred li away.
At dusk the next day, the contingent finally reached the Changshan County Region.
Gazing at the familiar yet strange silhouette of the county town in the distance, the lingering resentment of the body's original owner began to stir in Chen Sheng's mind again. Countless memory fragments, mixed with complex emotions, surged up.
He took a deep breath and silently circulated his Mental Method, only then managing to slowly suppress the agitation.
However, as they approached the city gate, the expected scene of officials coming out to welcome them did not materialize.
There were only large crowds of sallow-faced, emaciated refugees in ragged clothes gathered near the city gate, and a few listless guards peering down from the top of the wall, painting a bleak and indifferent picture.
"It seems the people in the Changshan County Government Office want to give you a show of force right off the bat, sir," Chen Sheng said in a low voice, frowning at the scene before them.
Wu Kuang's face was as grim as still water; he seemed to have expected this. He gave a cold snort, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes, and with a light flick of the reins, urged his horse forward.
"Enter the city!"