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On a mass grave outside Tongguan City, Wei Zhengxian, wrapped in a tattered cotton-padded coat, squatted beside a new grave, eating a cold steamed bun.

Under the moonlight, the grease and stubble on his face made him look particularly disheveled, but his eyes still gleamed with a greedy light.

"The Liu family's money... should all be mine..." he muttered through gritted teeth, the steamed bun in his hand squeezing out of shape.

Three days ago, he overheard the latest news about Fenglei Town from Commander Hou...

He Futang has become the garrison commander and is currently undertaking large-scale construction in Fenglei Town.

It is said that several commercial streets will be built in Fenglei Town, and merchants passing through Fenglei Town will be attracted to come here.

It should be noted that Fenglei Town, located at the junction of the three northwestern provinces, has been a transit point for merchants since ancient times.

If we build a few commercial streets here, it will definitely become a treasure trove.

The news gnawed at his heart like a venomous snake.

The Liu family has accumulated wealth over generations; how could they let it fall into the hands of the remnants of the He family?
“The bandits should have left long ago…” Wei Zhengxian threw away the steamed bun and made up his mind, “I have to go back and check.”

The following evening, he disguised himself as a beggar and infiltrated Fenglei Town.

The checkpoints at the town entrance were much more heavily guarded than usual, with armed soldiers carefully checking everyone entering the town.

Wei Zhengxian lowered his head, covering his face with his dirty, messy hair, and mingled in with a group of firewood-selling farmers.

Upon entering the town, he was stunned by the sight before him…

The once desolate main street is now bustling with people, the shops on both sides have been renovated, and workers are laying cement roads.

The planned new commercial district is under construction and will soon become a commercial street.

Even more astonishing is the newly built three-story Western-style building in the center of the street, with a gold signboard above the door that reads "Fenglei Chamber of Commerce".

"Get out of the way! Get out of the way!"

The sound of horses' hooves approached, and the crowd parted automatically.

Wei Zhengxian quickly shrank to the corner of the wall, and saw a troop of cavalry escorting a black sedan slowly drive by.

The car window was half open, revealing Suning's cool profile.

He was dressed in a crisp military uniform, his medals gleaming on his chest, a stark contrast to his former wretched appearance after marrying into the Liu family.

Wei Zhengxian's fingernails dug deeply into his palm.

Just then, he overheard a conversation between two vendors beside him:
"Commander He is truly capable. In just a few months, Fenglei Town has changed completely!"

"That's right! I heard he has a batch of rare goods that even the big merchants in Xi'an are scrambling to get their hands on..."

Wei Zhengxian quietly followed the car, watching it drive into what used to be the Liu family compound...

The sign at the entrance now reads "Fenglei Town Garrison Command".

The courtyard wall was doubled in height and covered with barbed wire, while the machine gun on the watchtower gleamed coldly in the setting sun.

“This is not He Futang...this is clearly a wolf in sheep’s clothing!” Wei Zhengxian trembled all over, not from the cold, but from fear.

He suddenly realized that Su Ning, who controlled everything, was far more terrifying than the "bandits" who had massacred the Liu family.

You must know that Wei Zhengxian is Su Ning's father's killer, and Su Ning is definitely searching the whole world for his whereabouts.

Inside the garrison headquarters, Su Ning was listening to Lao Wu's report.

"Commander, as you instructed, the foundations for the three commercial streets have been laid, and construction will be completed in three months." Old Wu, now dressed in a crisp officer's uniform with a pistol at his hip, already exuded the air of an adjutant. "The only problem is that not many businesses have moved in yet; everyone is still observing..."

Su Ning stood in front of the sand table, lightly tapping the model of Fenglei Town with his finger: "Tell those merchants that the first three months will be rent-free, and taxes will be halved. If they still don't know what's good for them..."

He picked up a small flag and planted it in the east of the town, then told Heiwa and Laiyun to take people to "invite" them.

"Understood." Old Wu nodded knowingly, then lowered his voice, "Young Master, someone is inquiring about the Liu family..."

"Who?"

“A new face! That kid has been hanging around the headquarters a lot lately, but he looks like a soldier, and he’s been secretly making contact with a few of Liu’s old servants.”

Su Ning immediately thought of Hu Qiankuan, and sneered, "I should know who it is! Let them investigate. We can use them to spread the information I want people to know."

Then he turned around and took out a list from the drawer. “A new shipment is arriving tomorrow. You will pick it up yourself.”

Old Wu took the list, his eyes widening immediately: "This... a sewing machine? A bicycle? Young master, these are all rare items!"

“That’s not all.” Su Ning pulled back the curtain, revealing several oddly shaped machines. “This is a cigarette rolling machine, this is a spinning machine… With these, Fenglei Town can produce its own goods, instead of just being a transit station.”

Old Wu stroked the gleaming machines with reverence: "Commander, where did you get these treasures from?"

“I have my own connections,” Su Ning said meaningfully. “Remember! Just say that these things are imported goods from Shanghai. If anyone is willing to buy them, just pay three times the price. Don’t mention anything else.”

"clear."

In the dead of night, Su Ning went alone to the basement of the headquarters.

He looked around to make sure no one was there, then reached out his hand, and a vortex-like entrance appeared out of thin air...

This is his spatial world.

Inside, gold and silver looted from the Liu family were neatly stacked, along with even more supplies from the modern era.

"21st-century industrial products... are like magic weapons that turn lead into gold in this era." Su Ning took out a box of pocket watches, a cold smile playing on his lips. "Wei Zhengxian, if you're smart, don't come back... otherwise, the fate of the Liu family will be your example."

……

A month later, the first commodity fair in Fenglei Town was held as scheduled.

Colorful tents were erected in the town's central square, where merchants from Shaanxi, Sichuan, and Hubei gathered.

The most eye-catching items were the "rare finds" at the central booth: sewing machines whirred and quickly finished sewing a garment; bicycles drew crowds, with riders exclaiming in amazement; and the most popular item was the cigarette-rolling machine, whose cigarettes were eagerly sampled...

"Gentlemen!" Su Ning stood on the high platform, dressed in a dark blue robe, exuding both elegance and authority. "Fenglei Town is located at the crossroads of three provinces, making it a prime location for business. Those who sign contracts and settle here today will, in addition to the previously promised preferential treatment, also have priority in purchasing local specialties!"

There was a lot of discussion in the audience.

At this moment, a silk merchant from Xi'an asked loudly, "Commander He, I heard that you have a batch of fine cloth from England, which is 30% cheaper than in Hankou. Is that true?"

"Clap clap clap..."

Suning smiled and clapped his hands, and a servant immediately presented him with a piece of fine fabric.

Merchants rushed forward, and upon touching the unprecedentedly delicate texture, they immediately erupted in excitement.

"This...this is not a British product! Even British cloth isn't this good!"

"Commander He, I want one hundred horses! No, three hundred!"

"I'll offer a high price! Cash only!"

In the chaos, no one noticed the sneer that flashed in Su Ning's eyes...

These "fine cloths" are nothing more than the most common synthetic fiber fabrics in the space world. In this era dominated by cotton, they are simply a game-changer.

The trade fair was a great success.

That evening, at Zuixianlou, the best restaurant in Fenglei Town, Su Ning hosted a banquet for the owners of several large businesses.

"Commander He is young and promising. Fenglei Town will surely prosper under your leadership!" the largest medicinal herb merchant in Hanzhong flattered.

Su Ning raised his glass and chuckled, "I still need everyone's strong support. However..."

He changed the subject, "Recently I heard that Commander Hou of Tongguan has been quite critical of our town, saying that we are colluding with bandits..."

The banquet immediately fell silent.

The merchants looked at each other, all of them knowing that Commander Hou was notoriously greedy.

"Rest assured, everyone." Su Ning took a sip of wine. "Although our Fenglei Town Garrison Regiment is newly established, it is well-equipped and highly trained. If Commander Hou wants a share of the spoils..."

He gently set down his wine glass, making a crisp "clink" sound. "I'll have to ask my three hundred gunmen if they agree first."

This performance, combining both kindness and severity, was remarkably effective.

The following day, long queues of merchants signed contracts to move in, signaling the inevitable rise of Fenglei Town as a commercial hub.

……

Wei Zhengxian huddled in an abandoned mill, peering through a broken window at the bustling street.

He had been lying low for half a month, living by stealing and begging every day, just to find out the details of Suning.

“Bicycles…sewing machines…” he wrote in his notebook, his brow furrowed. “These things could never have been transported from Shanghai without anyone knowing!”

What's even more suspicious is the quantity of those goods.

Wei Zhengxian once witnessed ten trucks carrying cloth into the warehouse, but the next day thirty trucks were shipped out.

If the warehouse has no back door, how can the goods multiply on their own?

At this moment, Wei Zhengxian suddenly realized a big problem: the more he learned about Suning, the more mysterious he seemed.

Before the previous mystery could be solved, another new mystery emerged.

The sound of military music drifted from afar, interrupting his thoughts.

A group of soldiers escorted several fully loaded trucks out of town, led by Su Ning.

Wei Zhengxian followed him as if possessed, maintaining a safe distance.

The convoy suddenly stopped at Shilipo.

Su Ning ordered the soldiers to remain on guard, while he led Lao Wu toward the cave by the roadside.

Wei Zhengxian used the bushes as cover to quietly approach.

“…This batch of goods will be delivered to Hanzhong and then returned.” Su Ning’s voice came from the cave. “Remember, if you encounter an inspection by the Central Army, show Brigade Commander Niu’s order. Don’t be stingy with the toll fees.”

"Don't worry, Commander," Old Wu replied. Wei Zhengxian shuddered, but still accidentally broke a branch.

"Who?"

As the footsteps drew closer, Wei Zhengxian hurriedly retreated, but accidentally kicked a stone.

The conversation inside the cave abruptly stopped.

"Who?!" Old Wu shouted, drawing his gun and charging forward.

Wei Zhengxian turned and ran, his heart pounding in his chest.

Gunfire erupted behind me, bullets whistling past my ears.

He rushed into the dense forest, using his familiarity with the terrain to his advantage, and finally shook off his pursuers.

……

Inside the Hall of Righteous Gathering at Black Tiger Mountain, three armchairs are arranged in a triangular shape.

Sitting in the center is Zhao Heihu, who is known as the "King of Southern Shaanxi". He is in his early forties, with a face full of scars and a black eye patch over his right eye. It is said that he was blinded in battle with government troops.

"Gentlemen, this piece of fat meat, Fenglei Town, will be snatched away by someone else if we don't take a bite soon." Zhao Heihu fiddled with a gleaming revolver—a foreign import he bought from Hankou at a high price.

On the left-hand chair, "Northern Sichuan Wolf" Du Sandao sneered: "Boss Zhao makes it sound so easy. He Futang is no pushover. His garrison regiment is well-equipped and reportedly has over a thousand men."

"Is Boss Du scared?" Sun Laoqi, known as the "Devil of Western Hubei," chuckled sinisterly on the right. He was small in stature but famous for his ruthlessness. "My men have found out everything. The Fenglei Town Chamber of Commerce is now making over 100,000 silver dollars a day! The warehouses are piled high with foreign goods!"

Zhao Heihu slammed his fist on the table: "Three days from now, my Black Tiger Stronghold will send eight hundred brothers, and Chief Du and Chief Sun will each send five hundred. With a total of eighteen hundred men, are we still afraid of not being able to take down a commercial town?"

Du Sandao narrowed his eyes: "How does Chief Zhao plan to divide it?"

"Based on the number of people!" Zhao Heihu grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth. "Whoever puts in the most effort gets the lion's share!"

"Okay! It's a deal."

The three men clasped hands to form an alliance, but they didn't notice a small henchman quietly leaving the hall in the corner.

That night, the henchman rode at top speed straight to Fenglei Town...

Inside the operations room of the Fenglei Town garrison command, Su Ning stared at the huge map on the wall, drawing a circle around the location of Qinglong Gorge with a red pencil in his hand.

"Is the intelligence reliable?" he asked without turning his head.

Old Wu replied firmly, "Absolutely reliable! Our 'Night Owl' planted in Black Tiger Village witnessed three bandit groups forming an alliance and planning to attack our town via Qinglong Gorge in three days."

Su Ning turned around, his gaze sweeping over the officers in the room: "What do you all think?"

Cavalry Battalion Commander Chang Heiwa preemptively declared, "Bring it on! We have over two thousand men, what are we afraid of!"

"That's just reckless courage," Lai Yun said dismissively. "Although the bandits are a motley crew, 1,800 men are not to be underestimated. In my opinion, we should fortify our defenses, clear the fields, and hold our ground while waiting for reinforcements."

Su Ning chuckled and took out an exquisite wooden box from the drawer: "Please take a look, everyone."

The box was opened, revealing twenty monocular telescopes neatly arranged inside, eliciting gasps of amazement from the crowd.

This was an absolute rarity in China in the 1920s.

"This is called a military telescope. It can see the enemy's movements from three miles away." Su Ning distributed one to each officer. "With it, we can set up an ambush at Qinglong Gorge."

He then took out a batch of compasses, military pocket watches, and flashlights: "This time, we're going to show these bandits what real war is like!"

The officers examined the new equipment with obvious delight, their eyes gleaming with excitement.

Three days later, Qinglong Gorge was shrouded in thick fog before dawn.

A thousand elite guards were lying in ambush in the dense forests on both sides of the canyon.

Su Ning lay prone behind a boulder, and through his binoculars, he could already see the long, winding line of torches in the distance—the bandit army was arriving as planned.

"Commander, you're amazing! The bandits really did take this route!" Heiwa said in a low voice, his face full of admiration.

Suning smiled slightly.

In this era, dealing with these bandits is like using a cannon to kill a mosquito – a futile effort.

The reason for choosing Qinglong Gorge as the ambush site was not only because it was a route that bandits were bound to take, but also because the terrain there was narrow, making it suitable for defeating a larger force with a smaller one.

"Pass down the order: proceed according to plan. Once the vanguard has passed, focus your attack on the central army!"

"Yes, Commander!"

The bandit group gradually entered the canyon.

Zhao Heihu rode a tall horse in the middle, with Du Sandao and Sun Laoqi guarding his left and right respectively.

The bandits, carrying their homemade guns and broadswords, laughed and joked, completely unaware of the approaching danger.

"boom!"

A gunshot shattered the silence, and Zhao Heihu fell from his horse...

This was fired by Suning himself, a precise headshot from 300 meters away!
In an instant, gunfire erupted from both sides of the canyon as the ambushing garrison soldiers opened fire simultaneously.

The bandits were thrown into chaos and fled in all directions like headless flies.

"Don't retreat! Charge!" Du Sandao brandished his broadsword, but was hit in the chest by a bullet, his eyes wide open as he fell to the ground.

Seeing that things were not going well, Sun Laoqi turned to flee, but was blocked by a group of cavalry.

Heiwa charged ahead, his gleaming saber flashing, and Sun Laoqi's head flew high into the air...

The battle lasted only two hours.

Of the 1,800 bandits, 500 were killed, more than 1,000 were captured, and only a few dozen managed to escape.

The garrison suffered only thirty casualties, achieving an unprecedented victory!
News of the great victory at Qinglong Gorge spread like wildfire throughout the three surrounding provinces.

When the garrison returned in triumph, escorting prisoners and dragging captured weapons, the town of Fenglei was deserted as the people spontaneously flocked to the streets to welcome the heroes.

"Commander He is mighty!"

"Victory to the garrison regiment!"

Amid cheers, Su Ning rode at the head of the procession, followed by a neat formation of infantry.

Even more astonishing was the fact that the captured weapons filled ten large trucks, including several heavy machine guns!

At the victory celebration banquet, the president of the Chamber of Commerce excitedly raised his glass: "Commander He has won the battle and the world is now at peace! From now on, Fenglei Town can enjoy peace and security!"

Su Ning shook his head: "Don't be too happy yet, everyone. Although we won the battle of Qinglong Gorge, bandits are as numerous as hairs on a cow in the three provinces. We must plan ahead and continue to expand our army and prepare for war!"

"Expand the army?" The chamber of commerce representatives looked at each other in bewilderment. "The garrison already has more than two thousand men. Expanding it further would be..."

“Money is no problem.” Su Ning clapped his hands, and servants carried in several large boxes. “This is the proceeds from the sale of the loot seized during this bandit suppression operation. Combined with the Chamber of Commerce’s tax revenue this month, it’s enough to recruit another three thousand people!”

Seeing the gleaming silver dollars in the box, the merchants had no further objections.

What they didn't know was that this money was all silver dollars that Su Ning had created in the spatial world...

Therefore, capital is always your greatest strength.

……

A month after the victory against the bandits, Fenglei Town saw an unprecedented surge in people joining the army.

Young men from the three provinces flocked to the area, especially those from Shaanxi, who were all tall and strong, making them excellent candidates for military service.

A long line formed in front of the recruitment office.

Old Wu, who was in charge of the selection, strictly checked the candidates: "What's your name?"

"Reporting, sir! My name is Wang Tiezhu, and I'm from Weinan!"

Why did you join the army?

"I heard that the Fenglei Town garrison has meat at every meal and receives silver every month!"

The selected recruits quickly received brand-new uniforms and excellent equipment.

What surprised them even more was the training method...

Suning has drawn on modern military training guidelines and set up a systematic curriculum for physical fitness, shooting, and tactics.

On the training field, Su Ning personally demonstrated tactical maneuvers: "Remember! On the battlefield, survival comes first, killing the enemy second! Anyone who tries to be a hero will be court-martialed!"

The recruits stared wide-eyed, having never heard of such a theory before.

Traditional armies emphasize "not being afraid to die," but Commander He taught everyone "how to dodge bullets."
In addition to regular training, Suning also secretly formed several special operations teams, personally teaching them modern special operations skills such as night combat, demolition, and reconnaissance.

These elites among elites will become his trump cards.

Three months later, the Fenglei Town Garrison Regiment had expanded to more than 8,000 people, equivalent to the size of a regular division.

In terms of equipment, it surpasses all other local armed forces...

They had a uniform set of Hanyang rifles, twenty Maxim heavy machine guns, and even four mountain guns!

However, despite these weapons being of the most common standard type, their internal sophistication far exceeds ordinary people's imagination, after all, they are all products of Suning's spatial world.

Standing on the reviewing stand, looking at the neat formations below, Su Ning nodded in satisfaction.

This force, built according to modern military concepts, is invincible in this era.

But he knew the real challenge was yet to come...

The central army will not stand idly by and allow local forces to grow stronger; an even greater storm is brewing...

In 1929, I, Suning, returned.

...(End of chapter)