The moment Chen Sheng spoke, the air seemed to freeze.
All eyes instantly focused on him and Gao Qiheng. Everyone held their breath, completely stunned. No one had expected the newly appointed young commander to be so uncompromising, showing no regard for face as he publicly humiliated Gao Qiheng.
Gao Qiheng's forced smile froze on his face. When he registered what had happened, a flash of shock and fury crossed his expression. He took a deep breath to suppress his surging anger and sneered.
"Commander Chen, you certainly have… quite the imposing presence!"
"Oh?" Chen Sheng's gaze was indifferent as he swept it over him as if looking at rotten wood. "Do you have a problem with that?"
"With Commander Chen being so powerful, how could a mere Vice Commander like myself dare to have an opinion?"
Gao Qiheng's tone was laced with sarcasm. He then shifted the topic. "However, though my words may carry little weight, I'd still like to remind the Commander of one thing: in this Military Preparation Camp, strength is what ultimately matters."
"If you have no objections, then stand down."
As if he hadn't heard the latter half of his sentence, Chen Sheng's tone remained flat, yet carried an undeniable authority. "Weren't you the one who claimed to have caught a chill and felt unwell? Out of consideration for my subordinates, I hereby grant you leave to return home and recuperate for a while. As for your position of Vice Commander, it will be temporarily managed by Yan Ming."
With just a few light sentences, he was going to strip Gao Qiheng of his authority!
How could Gao Qiheng accept this?
He had come here today precisely to undermine Chen Sheng's authority. If he was instead so easily handled on his own turf, how could he maintain his standing in the future? He immediately replied with a smile that didn't reach his eyes:
"Heh heh, I appreciate Commander Chen's 'concern.' However, I am hale and hearty, and have already made a full recovery. There's nothing wrong with me, so there's no need for the Commander to trouble himself."
He took a step forward, his gaze sharp as he stared at Chen Sheng.
"If Commander Chen doesn't believe me… you are welcome to test it yourself."
"Oh?" Chen Sheng raised an eyebrow slightly, as if he had expected this. "And how would I do that?"
"I've heard rumors from the men below that Commander Chen is a fierce general in the army, with unfathomable strength and extraordinary methods."
A provocative smile hid in Gao Qiheng's eyes. "I am untalented, but I have practiced martial arts for many years. Seeing a worthy opponent today fills me with excitement. I would like to ask Commander Chen for some pointers and have a friendly spar. This way, the men of the camp can also witness the Commander's true might. Wouldn't that be killing two birds with one stone?"
"Insolent!"
Chen Sheng's expression turned cold in an instant, his voice like ice. "Gao Qiheng, are you trying to commit insubordination?!"
"I wouldn't dare!"
Although Gao Qiheng said he wouldn't dare, his posture grew even more aggressive. "I have long heard of the Commander's great reputation and my hands are itching for a fight. I merely wish to ask for a few pointers. Of course, if Commander Chen is not feeling well today, or if it is inconvenient… then please, just pretend I never said anything. You are free to return to the Government Office and rest."
On the surface, he seemed to be offering a way out, but in reality, he had backed Chen Sheng into a corner.
Whether Chen Sheng accepted the challenge or not, he was confident that the Commander's face would be lost today.
Sure enough, as soon as he said this, the gazes of the surrounding soldiers on Chen Sheng became somewhat peculiar.
The Military Preparation Camp was different from other places. Strength was revered here; only the strongest fists could truly command respect. If Chen Sheng backed down or was defeated, even with the title of Commander, he would likely have no real say in the North City Military Camp in the future.
Chen Sheng did not respond immediately. His fingers just unconsciously caressed the cold hilt of the Shehan saber at his waist, his gaze profound.
"A military camp is a place of great importance. How can it be a venue for private duels? Unauthorized armed combat is a serious crime."
He began to speak slowly, his voice not loud but clear enough to cut through the surrounding whispers. "It's not that I am unwilling to 'test' it, but it is my habit… to never spar with people."
He paused, his gaze scraping across Gao Qiheng's face like a razor's edge.
"When I strike, I only kill."
"If you have the guts, you can strike now. If you don't…" Chen Sheng's tone suddenly turned sharp. "Then get the hell back to your rest and stop being an eyesore here!"
With that, he made a move to turn and leave, as if Gao Qiheng wasn't even worth mentioning.
These words not only returned Gao Qiheng's provocation right back at him, but also forced him into an impossible position: either he fights and accepts the consequences of life and death, or he backs down and loses all face.
Gao Qiheng's face instantly flushed crimson, his blood surging. Under the combined assault of shame and fury, he was about to strike recklessly!
"Gao! You mustn't!"
Seeing this, Vice Commander Cheng, who was at the side, was greatly alarmed. He rushed forward to grab his arm tightly, desperately trying to signal him with his eyes. Chen Sheng had made it perfectly clear: if he initiated a fight here, regardless of the outcome, he would not escape the charge of 'insubordination and rebellion'!
But how could Gao Qiheng listen to advice at a moment like this?
Behind him stood the Gao Clan, which had been entrenched in Changshan Mountain for many years. Even if he really did attack, he was confident that as long as he didn't kill Chen Sheng on the spot—making the situation completely irreversible—he would at most receive a reprimand and a fine afterward.
Conversely, if he was cowed by a few of Chen Sheng's words and didn't dare to move, he could forget about ever holding his head high again in North City, or even in all of Changshan Mountain.
Moreover, in his eyes, Chen Sheng's constant excuses were a clear sign of someone who was all bark and no bite, lacking in true strength!
Gao Qiheng shoved Vice Commander Cheng aside, a vicious light revealing itself in his eyes. Staring intently at Chen Sheng's back, he roared, "Commander Chen, since it has come to this, I will have to offend you! Please, give me your guidance!"
Before his voice had even faded, he snatched a long spear from the hands of a subordinate next to him. With a surge of strength in his arm, the spear shaft quivered and a cold glint flashed. Like a venomous dragon emerging from its cave, it tore through the air with a sharp whistle, stabbing straight toward the back of Chen Sheng's heart!
This spear strike was fast and vicious, clearly delivered with his full, unreserved strength!
"Commander, look out!"
Yan Ming's pupils contracted. Horrified, he was about to draw his saber and rush forward.
But how could his movements be faster than that long-planned spear thrust, and… Chen Sheng's long-awaited, thunderous counterattack!
The very instant Gao Qiheng thrust his spear, Chen Sheng, his back still to the crowd, revealed a cold and barely perceptible curve on his lips.
An immense torrent of hoarded Qi and blood instantly erupted from his Dantian, surging through his limbs and entire body! The hand gripping his saber appeared motionless, but in reality, he had already pushed his power to its absolute peak!
TWANG—!
The clear ring of a saber, like a dragon's cry, suddenly exploded!
The Shehan Treasure Saber was drawn with defiant force!
In that instant, a cold, bone-chilling glint illuminated the eyes of everyone present. It was a light that seemed capable of freezing their very sight!
The next moment!
CRACK—!
A piercing sound of metal snapping rang out! The formidable long spear in Gao Qiheng's hand was actually sliced in two, cut down the middle like rotten wood by a blade that had struck second but arrived first!
The blade didn't pause for an instant. The eerie, cold light of the saber surged forward, moving at a speed imperceptible to the naked eye, and was precisely reflected in Gao Qiheng's pupils as they contracted in horror!
SQUELCH—!
A sickening, dull sound of a sharp blade tearing through flesh and bone was heard!
Blood, like a long-suppressed fountain, burst wildly from a massive wound, spraying ten feet high!
The ferocity and shock on Gao Qiheng's face froze in place. His body swayed, then slowly split into two halves along a straight, diagonal line before crashing heavily into the dust.
THUD!
THUD!
The two halves of his ruined corpse hit the ground with heart-stopping thuds. Entrails and blood instantly stained a large patch of earth, and the thick stench of gore immediately filled the air.
The entire Martial Arts Arena fell into a deathly silence.
Time itself seemed to have stopped completely at that moment.
Everyone stared with wide eyes, looking in disbelief at the gruesome, bloody scene in the arena, and at the new commander who stood there, holding his saber, his expression terrifyingly calm.
Chen Sheng's gaze was as still as an old well, as if he had just swatted a fly. With a gentle flick of his wrist, all the blood beads clinging to the body of his Shehan saber slid off, leaving the blade as bright as new, untainted by a single drop.
SHIIING—
The Treasure Saber returned precisely to its sheath.
The crisp sound of the sheathing shattered the dead silence in everyone's hearts like a clap of thunder.
In an instant, more than a hundred pairs of eyes focused on Chen Sheng, their gazes filled with ultimate horror, fear, and an indescribable, primal awe.
They even held their breath subconsciously, terrified of attracting the attention of that Slaughter God.
Vice Commander Cheng stood frozen in place, his face ashen. A tempest was already raging in his heart. He could never have imagined that Chen Sheng's strength was so terrifying!
That seemingly casual strike possessed such overwhelming power, able to shatter the withered and break the rotten, to cut down everything in its path!
What he found even more unbelievable was Chen Sheng's sheer audacity, his utterly ruthless methods! To dare to kill Gao Qiheng on the spot, with a single strike, in the Military Preparation Camp, under the watchful eyes of all!
You have to understand, this was a military camp! You have to understand, Gao Qiheng was not only the Vice Commander of the North City Military Camp, but also a highly valued direct lineage disciple of the Changshan Gao Clan!
How did Chen Sheng dare?!
'Wasn't he afraid of the Gao Family's insane retaliation? Wasn't he afraid of being held accountable by military law?'
'Or was this Chen Sheng's intention all along?'
Vice Commander Cheng couldn't figure it out. He only felt a chill shoot up from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head, the back of his neck growing cold. He didn't even dare to look directly into Chen Sheng's bottomless, indifferent, and merciless eyes.
In contrast, Chen Sheng's own veteran subordinates, after their initial shock, now felt a sense of vindicated excitement and exhilaration. They might not have fully understood the enormous consequences of killing Gao Qiheng, but they had personally witnessed just how decisive, ruthless, and powerful their commander was.
The ostracism, disdain, and frustration they had endured for days all vanished into thin air with that one strike! A wave of hot-blooded pride surged through their hearts.
Chen Sheng's cold gaze slowly swept across the entire arena, finally landing on the colorless face of Vice Commander Cheng.
He spoke, his voice not loud, yet every word landed like iron, clearly striking the ears of everyone present with unquestionable authority:
"Gao Qiheng, Vice Commander of the North City Military Camp, openly committed insubordination and rebellion by assaulting a superior officer. The evidence is irrefutable. He has been executed on the spot in accordance with military law!"
"Effective immediately, Centurion Yan Ming will temporarily assume the duties of Vice Commander."
"Vice Commander Cheng," he said, turning his gaze to his terrified deputy:
"Immediately prepare Gao Qiheng's body. Send it, along with my handwritten order, to the Military Preparation main camp for the Grand Commander to handle. Furthermore, report the events of today, exactly as they happened, to County Captain Lord Wu!"
"As for the rest of you, return to your posts and restore order to the camp. If anyone else dares to disrespect a superior officer or stir up trouble, they will end up just like this beast!"
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