Wang Dejun felt a little awkward. Would the person in front of him, who had acted so righteously, harbor any resentment towards the bandits?

But then I thought, after all, they helped me, so I should be honest with them.

"Ahem," Wang Dejun cleared his throat and said with a light smile, "My name is Wang Dejun. I am a bandit in Pengyang County and the leader of the Black Dragon Village in Dongliu Mountain."

He thought Chen Zhennan would be disappointed, but to his surprise, Chen Zhennan burst into laughter upon hearing this. His laughter was like a gentle breeze, making people feel relaxed.

"So you're a hero who commands respect in this region! My apologies! Everyone says the brothers in this stronghold are incredibly loyal and righteous. I wonder if the chief could invite me up the mountain for a visit?"

Wang Dejun was taken aback at first, then beamed with joy, his smile as bright as a spring flower in bloom.

"Oh brother, that's exactly what I was thinking! Come with me up the mountain later to repay your life-saving grace!"

Chen Zhennan nodded slightly, turned around and walked to Yan Shiyu, his voice as loud as a bell: "Hey, go tell the people below to do what they're supposed to do. I'm going to the mountain to drink with the Black Dragon Village chief today. Go ahead, and then come back up the mountain with me!"

Upon hearing this, Yan Shiyu's eyes darted around, and he immediately understood Chen Zhennan's thoughts.

"Understood, shopkeeper. I'll go and give the order right away and be right back."

Wang Dejun bent down and lifted the mask off the face of one of the corpses, finding nothing unusual. He then lifted the masks off two other people.

"Lin Zhiming's men? Hmph, daring to lay a hand on me, you're asking for death!"

Chen Zhennan walked over upon hearing the sound, frowned slightly, and asked, "Boss, who is this Lin Zhiming?"

Wang Dejun's expression was solemn as he slowly said, "Lin Zhiming is another bandit leader in Pengyang County, with more than three hundred men under his command. For the past five years, we have kept to ourselves. I never expected that he would send someone to assassinate me today. There must be the secret support of County Magistrate Liu Guancai behind this."

Upon hearing this, Chen Zhennan raised an eyebrow slightly and smiled, "There's no need to worry about this. I'll find a way to help the boss get rid of this Lin Zhiming."

Upon hearing this, Wang Dejun waved his hand, a hint of arrogance on his face, and a touch of contempt in his tone: "No need for you to get involved, brother. Lin Zhiming is nothing. It's no problem to wipe out his three hundred men."

He appeared quite confident, believing that Lin Zhiming was nothing more than an insignificant nobody.

Chen Zhennan clicked his tongue softly, then suggested, "Why not just kill Lin Zhiming? But killing all three hundred of them would be a huge loss for you. Wouldn't it be better to take Lin Zhiming down and recruit his three hundred men to your side?"

Upon hearing this, a glint of inspiration flashed in Wang Dejun's eyes; he was clearly drawn to the suggestion.

An excited expression appeared on his face, his brows relaxed, and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly: "That's a good idea! However, it will be a bit difficult to take down only Lin Zhiming."

Chen Zhennan patted his chest, his gaze firm, his tone revealing fearless confidence: "If this were me, I'd use assassination if open attacks didn't work."

Wang Dejun frowned and pondered, his thoughts churning. After a moment, he finally made up his mind and readily said, "Okay, I accept your suggestion!"

After waiting for a while, Yan Shiyu returned and then followed Wang Dejun to Dongliushan.

Dongliu Mountain stands majestically, surrounded by lush, verdant mountains, resembling a paradise on earth.

The village is nestled on the mountainside, with swaying bamboo groves and the sound of rustling pines, exuding a primitive wildness and ruggedness.

The wooden houses in the village are scattered in a well-organized manner, with roofs covered in moss and walls covered with vines, as if they are integrated with nature.

The air was filled with the fragrance of wildflowers, mixed with the aroma of wine and the smell of grilled meat, making one's appetite soar.

Wang Dejun led Chen Zhennan and Yan Shiyu into the village, and then directed the brothers on the mountain to prepare a feast.

"Brothers, we must thank Chen Zijun properly today. If it weren't for him and his guards saving us, I wouldn't be back today!"

Upon hearing this, some of the bandits quickly came over to inquire, but Wang Dejun did not answer. He simply ordered them to prepare a feast as soon as possible.

The banquet was quickly set out, with the long table filled with delicious food of various colors, aromas, and flavors, and the wine jars were neatly arranged, exuding a strong aroma of wine.

Wang Dejun personally poured wine for Chen Zhennan, with a sincere smile on his face and gratitude in his eyes.

"Come on, brothers, let's toast Chen Zijun!"

At his command, all the bandits stood up in unison, holding wine bowls in their hands and wearing hearty smiles on their faces.

Chen Zhennan stood up, smiled slightly, raised his glass and replied, "I was just passing by. It's all fate. It's my honor to be able to help the boss with this little matter."

After saying that, Chen Zhennan drank the wine in the bowl in one gulp, which immediately drew cheers from the bandits in the mountain stronghold.

Setting down his wine bowl, Chen Zhennan slowly sat down, his gaze sweeping over everyone. He noticed a man to his right with a gloomy expression and a hint of disappointment in his eyes, seemingly unwelcoming of his presence.

Wang Dejun slowly stood up and shouted loudly, "Brothers! This man next to me is named Chen Zihao. He's a businessman who came to Pengyang County to do business. From now on, the brothers on the mountain must take good care of our second-in-command's business!"

The atmosphere in the mountain stronghold suddenly became tense. When the bandits heard Wang Dejun announce that Chen Zijun had become the new second-in-command, their previous clamor stopped abruptly, replaced by a chorus of surprised and dissatisfied whispers.

Their gazes all turned to Xiao Hu, who was sitting to the left of Chen Zhennan, his brows revealing a fierce and unyielding spirit.

Wang Dejun frowned slightly, his voice rising a few decibels, carrying an undeniable authority: "What? Wasn't I clear enough? From today onwards, Chen Zijun is the second-in-command of our stronghold! Second brother, you all move down the ranks one by one, you become third brother!"

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