Chapter 276: We've Taken the Wrong Path (Part 1) [Requesting Monthly Tickets]
Beep beep beep!
A familiar sound came from outside the window.
Shen Tang was a light sleeper. When the sound of the bluebird flapping its wings drew near, she suddenly opened her eyes, got up, grabbed her cloak and draped it over her shoulders, and took down the fork to let the bluebird in through the window.
It was immediately obvious that it was a letter from Kang Shi, and Shen Tang frowned.
"What brings Ji Shou to write at this hour?"
Shen Tang leaned out the window and glanced at the position of the bright moon, roughly estimating the time. Based on her understanding of Kang Shi, he wouldn't disturb her unless it was something important.
Shen Tang opened the letter.
I read it quickly, skimming through it.
Armory, mines, five thousand arrows...
In an instant, countless shocked "Holy crap!"s erupted in her mind like a volcanic eruption. In her panic, she didn't even have time to put on her shoes, kicked open the door, and headed straight for the chicken coop and dog kennel. She kicked them all awake in a few kicks.
The yellow dog barked wildly, and the rooster crowed.
After she finished doing all that, she picked up a gong and kicked it from room to room, banging it to wake up all the snoring bandits. The atmosphere group was the first to wake up—Uncle Gong trained them by often "sneaking" them together in the middle of the night.
They're used to it happening out of the blue.
One of the atmosphere groups suddenly sprang to their feet.
He hurriedly stepped forward and said, "My lord!"
Shen Tang didn't have time to say anything else, and hurriedly gave the order.
"Mission alert! The big fat sheep is here! Get them moving as fast as they can, or anyone who disobeys will be chopped up and fed to the dogs!"
The atmosphere team responded: "Yes!"
He turned around and kicked the sleeping bandits awake one by one—actually, he didn't even need to kick them much, as Shen Tang had already made quite a commotion, waking most of them up, no matter how soundly they slept. He said fiercely, "Get up, get up, everyone assemble!"
The sounds from the atmosphere team, when they reached the bandits' ears, were almost as deadly as the death warrant from the King of Hell!
Before long, one by one, the bandits, dressed in their finest clothes, crawled out of their beds—because the bandits were worried that getting dressed the next day would waste time, delay their assembly, and then they would be killed with a single blow, so most of them slept fully dressed.
All it takes is a shout from the atmosphere team, and regardless of whether they dream of goddesses, wealth, high positions, or generous salaries, they'll immediately get up.
It's cold now, and once you get out of bed, the warmth is swept away by the icy air, making everyone shiver.
Even so, no one dared to utter a single complaint.
The intense pressure of the past few days had smoothed out their edges and tempers, leaving them somewhat numb. At the slightest command from the atmosphere team, before their minds could even process it, their hands and feet would reflexively begin to move…
In just a few minutes, everyone had gathered and lined up. Looking at the more than four hundred bandits whose faces still showed signs of sleepiness, Shen Tang asked, "Is everyone here?"
The atmosphere group members stepped forward one by one and reported the number of people.
Not one is left, they're all here!
Shen Tang nodded in satisfaction and skillfully projected his voice into the ears of each bandit: "We just received intelligence that a big fat sheep has appeared on the next mountain. All of you grab your weapons and come with me. If we can capture it successfully, you'll get extra meat and vegetables for every meal from now on! Also—fifty coins for every kill in this battle! One hundred coins for every prisoner captured!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the bandits erupted in cheers!
The atmosphere team not only whipped them every day but also verbally abused them. After hearing it so many times, they even came to believe it. They were a bunch of wicked bandits, their lives were lower than those of ordinary people, they didn't deserve to be human, they didn't even deserve to eat, that would be a waste of food. These scum should be subjected to the five tortures while alive and fried in oil in hell after they die...
It would have been right for Shen Tang, as their lord, to kill them all, but instead, he showed great kindness by giving them food and a chance to repent.
Shouldn't they repay us wholeheartedly?
Training is about learning how to be a human being!
If they can't even endure the training, it means they're beyond redemption, unworthy of being human, and deserve to die! Dying early means being reincarnated sooner!
The brainwashing skills of the atmosphere group are unparalleled.
Every day, the bandits would be arranged to repent and recall the bad things they had done before eating, and after they were full, they would thank their lord—it was their lord who allowed them, this bunch of scum, to have enough to eat in a chaotic world where food was more expensive than gold, and to live to see the next day's sun!
The first four days weren't very effective, but starting on the fifth day, one after another, bandits began to burst into tears while eating, wiping away their tears and sniffling. Their genuine emotions were so moving that it saddened anyone who heard or saw them...
Shen Tang: "..."
Honestly, this was not her idea.
When asked what happened, the atmosphere group number 25 said it was something they had come up with together. They were originally bandits, living a life of constant danger, drifting aimlessly, their lives a complete mess. When they were being trained by Gong Shuwu, they cursed him a thousand times in their hearts, but now, looking back, they realized how utterly inhuman they were.
It was Gong Shuwu, it was our lord, who saved them.
It gave them a brand new life.
Let them go from being bandits to being innocent people.
Judging from their own experience, they felt that these bandits should also learn to be grateful—rather than waiting for the bandits to realize this later, it would be better to let them start being grateful and reflecting now, so that they could be redeemed sooner!
in short--
We must carve the words "Loyalty to the Lord" into our cigarettes and inhale them! Now that we can earn merit and get money and extra meals, how can we not be excited?
Shen Tang: "..."
He couldn't quite put his finger on what was wrong, and since the bandits had stopped running around and were training peacefully, he stopped saying anything—when in Rome, do as the Romans do, and as outsiders, we should respect their logic and customs.
With all these factors combined, in just a few days, these bandits began to look quite respectable and even somewhat convincing.
As mentioned before, the bandits of Heyin had intricate connections with local powerful figures and had received some form of "financial support," which was evident in their relatively decent equipment. While not the best, they were able to wear simple white cloth armor to protect their vitals.
However, not everyone can get one.
Shen Tang put the better-equipped and more defensively capable bandits in front, armed with machetes and wooden shields, while the bandits behind them carried guns, spears, and halberds. She leaped onto the back of the mule on the motorcycle, waved her small hand, and said excitedly, "Let's go!"
To save time, Shen Tang used her Word of Power to accelerate the process—this was the first time she had used it since learning it, and with only a few people, she was enough. Despite the freezing weather and the bandits' lack of sleep, both physically and mentally exhausted, the Word of Power granted them a surge of rage from within, filling them with inexhaustible energy!
The chill was completely dispelled, and my spirits were exceptionally high.
They felt a gentle force pushing against their backs, their steps light as if carried by the wind, each step landing on soft silk, their bodies as light as feathers. It was as if a little more force, a little faster running, would make them float away.
He jogged briskly all the way without getting out of breath.
That feeling was so subtle!
The atmosphere group sensed things much more clearly than the bandits; it was as if they had stripped naked on a freezing day and were soaking in a warm spring, their pores opening and groaning. This was hardly a rapid march.
It's clearly an ultimate enjoyment!
It's absolutely captivating!
They ran after Shen Tang.
Their steps were synchronized, and their formation was loose yet cohesive.
While Shen Tang was eagerly anticipating the windfall that was about to be his, there was also new progress on the side of Commandant Yang and Kang Shi.
Kang Shi said, "Someone has arrived."
Commandant Yang asked, "Enemy or friend?"
Kang Shi: "They are the enemy."
Our own people won't be here so quickly.
After saying that, he added, "They're much better than those dozens of petty thieves from before. It seems they're planning to kill us to silence us."
Kang Shi said with a "Huh?"
His expression visibly darkened.
Commandant Yang hurriedly asked, "What's wrong?"
Kang Shi: "They are led by a martial arts master, and the one in the lead—judging from his aura, he is very likely a fifth-rank physician!"
Upon hearing this, Commandant Yang's eyelids twitched violently.
Most martial arts practitioners join the military for easier promotions, and even a fifth-rank doctor can attain a relatively high military position, which is rare in the outside world. For ordinary small-town families, recruiting a fifth-rank doctor is no easy feat…
The highest rank on our side is fourth grade, which is not up to par.
but--
There are two.
Kang Shi was also a scholar with a literary mind.
Commander Yang silently calculated in his mind, remaining calm.
"Then I'll have to trouble you, Ji Shou." Commandant Yang regretted that he couldn't help at the moment. "May your literary career continue to flourish."
He silently added another sentence in his mind.
I also wish you all continued success in your military endeavors.
We are fortunate to have a prosperous military career, but we also see that the traditional virtues of peace and prosperity are not yet fully established.
Although it's not easy to live in this world, and Commander Yang isn't exactly the kind of person who "loves his soldiers like his own children," those soldiers outside are his comrades who have followed him all the way. They survived the Battle of Xiaocheng, so naturally he hopes they can live as long as possible.
Kang Shi seemed to sense his concern.
He laughed and said, "Master Yang, don't underestimate me."
Despite his scholarly philosophy of "always losing at gambling"—he may be unbeatable at the gambling table, but off the table, there are very few people in the entire northwest of the continent who could rival him. Scholars often belittle each other, and Kang Shi was quite confident in himself.
Commander Yang was relieved.
He silently calculated the time, wondering when Qi Yuanliang and Zhao Dayi would arrive—the enemy had sent out valiant warriors, and it was impossible for them to remain undetected. Once exposed, they would alert the enemy, and those people would relocate their garrison as quickly as possible…
How can we let the duck that's already in our mouths fly away?
He lifted the carriage curtain and glanced at the moonlight outside.
They're itching to roll up their sleeves and get to work themselves!
Unlike Kang Shi's side, which was on high alert, the fifth-rank doctor was somewhat dismissive—it wasn't that he underestimated the enemy, but rather that the information he was given made him less vigilant, and he even felt resentful that his "sledgehammer" was being used to "kill chickens."
Is a mere group of commoner merchants and a bunch of guards with some martial arts skills really worth my time?
He could just send any second-class official, along with a few men, and that would be enough. He couldn't say these words aloud, so he swallowed them back. He asked the man keeping watch, "Are you sure it's this group of commoners?"
"Yes, it is them."
The fifth-rank doctor scoffed.
He said disdainfully, "Come down with me and let's have a good slaughter!"
Having said that, he secretly channeled his martial energy into his feet.
In the darkness, an inconspicuous gray-yellow martial energy burst out from the dense forest. The fifth-rank doctor conjured a huge spiked club in mid-air and aimed it at a patrolling guard.
It came crashing down on him!
"drink!"
With a roar, he smashed the guard's head open with his club, sending him flying and dying instantly! The other bandits would then seize the opportunity to attack, numbering a dozen or so, and in a matter of moments, they would be sent to meet their maker!
but--
That's just what he thinks!
They suffered a major setback right from the start!
The expected bloody scene did not occur!
Without warning, a striking aura of literary energy emanated from the guard. His spiked club struck the seemingly thin aura, but it only created ripples instead of shattering it completely! Let alone sending the man to meet his maker.
The fifth-rank physician was greatly alarmed upon seeing this!
There were even literary scholars among the caravan!
Before he could think any further, the shouts of bandits rushing out of the dense forest behind him rang out. The guard who was being targeted by the fifth-rank doctor did not turn around and run away, but instead dodged to the side. With a flash of martial energy in his hand, he condensed a thick-backed broadsword!
Holding the knife in both hands, he raised it high, neither dodging nor yielding, and with a loud shout, slashed at the face of the fifth-rank physician.
The fifth-rank physician was increasingly alarmed.
This is... a martial arts master??
Immediately afterwards, more than a dozen beams of martial energy shone in the darkness, and more than a dozen guards conjured their preferred weapons, such as shields, swords, guns, and spears...
Bang!
They collided with the bandits who rushed at them!
The fifth-rank doctor snorted coldly.
He swung his spiked club to deflect the incoming cleaver.
Just then, a chill ran down my spine.
Without a second thought, he dodged to the side.
In a fleeting moment, he caught a glimpse of the person who had attacked him.
Good heavens, another fourth-rank novice!
The fifth-rank doctor cursed under his breath.
This TN is definitely not a merchant caravan!
What merchant could afford to hire a dozen or so brave martial artists?
Two of them are still fourth-class unchangeable?
Two fourth-rank guards entangled with the fifth-rank doctor, while the remaining "guards" dealt with the other bandits. Kang Shi quickly glanced at the situation, stamped his right foot, and muttered, "Scattered like stars in the sky!"
The crisscrossing characters stretched out from beneath his feet, resembling a giant chessboard at first glance.
At the very moment this chessboard appeared, the fifth-rank doctor and the bandits felt their feet sink, as if their legs were sinking into an invisible quagmire, and their center of gravity became unstable for a moment.
However, the fifth-rank physician escaped in the blink of an eye.
Dodge the combined attack of two fourth-rank unranked warriors!
The lower the rank of a martial artist, the smaller the gap between them. A fifth-rank doctor has an insurmountable advantage over two fourth-rank no-changers, but it is not easy to break free from their entanglement or kill them in a short time.
Not to mention Kang Shi was watching from the side.
At the foot of the mountain—
Zhao Feng and his group, who rushed over, sensed a faint fluctuation of energy coming from afar. Qi Shan shielded the area with his hand and could vaguely see the light of the collision between martial and literary energy.
Qi Shan said, "A fight has broken out."
They rushed as fast as they could, but they were still a little late.
Zhao Feng glanced at the mountain wall and the mountain path, and said to Qi Shan in a deep voice, "Mr. Qi, please take your men and proceed slowly. I will go ahead first!"
Qi Shan nodded: "Okay!"
As Zhao Feng rode in perfect harmony with his horse, it suddenly accelerated, leaping from a boulder at the edge of the mountain path to the highest point. Just before he fell, Zhao Feng gathered his strength, slapped his palm against the horse's back, and used the momentum to leap even higher. Using the mountain wall as a springboard, he disappeared from sight in a few leaps.
The warhorse transformed into martial energy and merged into Zhao Fengwu's Courageous Tiger Talisman.
In the blink of an eye, Zhao Fengfei swiftly approached the chaotic battleground.
°Benefit°
Damn, the competition for annual passes is terrifying.
PS: I saw the controversy surrounding the blessing "May the military prosper" before. It has nothing to do with Japan. It comes from Xie Tiao's "Ode to Virtue", specifically the line "May the military prosper, and may the auspicious winds not yet be favorable".
(End of this chapter)
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