Becoming a god by following the natural order and seeking good fortune and avoiding misfortune.

Chapter 50 The advantage is mine!

When Chen Sheng led the Northern City Martial Camp troops to arrive, hundreds of elite soldiers had already gathered on the huge training ground.

Due to limited ship capacity, only over three hundred soldiers were conscripted for this expedition, all of whom were skilled warriors from Changshan County.

Among them, the North City Military Camp under Chen Sheng was one force; the West City Military Camp under Wang Yue was the main force, supplemented by soldiers from the South City and East City who were skilled in water combat; and finally, there was the elite force directly under the command of Grand Commander Chu Yueshan.

The three groups formed the main force in this bandit suppression operation.

Chen Sheng ordered Yan Ming to lead the troops into the ranks, while he himself led a few close followers straight to Chuyue Mountain below the command platform.

Li Huaisheng, disguised and transformed, was prominently featured in the group, with Deputy Commander Cheng silently following behind. Since Gao Qiheng's death, and later Chen Sheng's destruction of the Seven Star Gang, his prestige had risen to its peak, easily sidelining him.

However, Deputy Commander Cheng was not too resentful about this, after all, he knew his own limitations, and Chen Sheng was only sparing him from dismissal because he was still quite obedient.

If he dares to cause trouble, given the other party's personality, he will definitely not show any mercy.

"Your subordinate greets the Commander-in-Chief." Chen Sheng clasped his hands in a respectful salute, his posture impeccable.

"Haha, Brother Chen, why be so formal?"

Chu Yueshan greeted him with a beaming smile, his warm attitude a stark contrast to his earlier formality towards Wang Yue, the commander of the Western City. This caused Wang Yue's expression to darken slightly, and he felt quite resentful.

This discrimination is far too obvious.

"The military camp is a place of great importance; etiquette must not be disregarded," Chen Sheng said calmly.

"Good, Brother Chen, you are indeed a man of military background, with a clear sense of discipline. No wonder you were able to reorganize the North City Military Camp so quickly and effectively."

Chu Yueshan continued to praise the troops, then took a few steps closer and lowered his voice, saying, "Brother Chen, do you know why I specifically asked you to bring all the troops from the North City this time?"

"Oh? Could there be a deeper meaning behind this?" Chen Sheng revealed a hint of doubt at just the right moment.

"Yes."

Chu Yueshan lowered his voice even further, with a hint of sincerity: "You and I both know that suppressing bandits is no easy task, and those river bandits are not easy to deal with."

The reason I'm having you bring your men is because I've already secretly investigated the 'Black Serpent Stronghold's' secrets. This time, I'm specifically here to give you a tremendous achievement. Once you've made a name for yourself, your path to promotion will be much smoother."

The "Black Snake Village" he mentioned was the band of river pirates who had robbed the Changshan caravan.

As for the Qinglin River bandits, it does not refer to a single stronghold.

Instead, all the river bandits active on the Qinglin River were collectively referred to as the Qinglin River Bandits. This force was enormous, spanning more than several counties, and was far beyond what Changshan County could handle.

The so-called "bandit suppression" actually only referred to some people in the waters near Changshan County.

Upon hearing this, Chen Sheng's face immediately lit up with an uncontrollable "surprise," and his voice was filled with excitement:
"The Commander-in-Chief has actually planned this far for his subordinate? I am truly grateful."

Seeing this, Chu Yueshan sneered inwardly, but on his face, he appropriately revealed a sense of heaviness and emotion:
"Alas, my brother, you may not know this, but among the bandits near Changshan, the Black Snake Stronghold is the most rampant. The previous county magistrate was killed while suppressing the bandits in the area, and these bastards were behind it all."

Brother, I've been thinking about avenging him every single moment, but unfortunately... I was outnumbered and powerless before, and truly had the will but not the strength.

Then, he changed the subject, his tone becoming "sincere":
"For some time now, I have been seemingly wavering between County Magistrate Wu and the major families, but in reality, I have been secretly plotting this matter. I have finally made some progress and am just waiting for County Magistrate Wu to make a decision."

Of course, I'm not without my own selfish motives. After we wipe out the Black Serpent Stronghold, I hope you can put in a good word for me with County Magistrate Wu and ask for a dignified transfer to another county. If that happens, I will be completely satisfied.

His explanation, first outlining the reasons for his change of attitude, then demonstrating his sincerity in cooperation, and finally making reasonable requests, was a well-structured and convincing performance. Anyone unaware of the truth could easily be misled by his act.

Chen Sheng sneered inwardly, but on the surface he remained solemn and said respectfully, "I deeply admire the commander's good intentions. Leave this matter to me, and I will certainly live up to the commander's expectations."

"Good, with you saying that, I can rest assured."

Chu Yueshan patted Chen Sheng's shoulder forcefully, looking extremely pleased. "We can talk about the rest on the way. I'll explain the details of Black Snake Village to you after we board the ship."

"I'll leave it all to the Commander-in-Chief's arrangements," Chen Sheng nodded in agreement.

Chu Yueshan immediately composed himself, strode onto the command platform, and began his pre-battle mobilization speech to the hundreds of soldiers standing solemnly in the drill ground. Thanks to the previous distribution of "bandit suppression silver," the soldiers' morale was quite high, and with Chu Yueshan's rousing words, their fighting spirit was gradually ignited.

Seeing that the time was right, Chu Yueshan said no more, suddenly drew his sword, pointed it directly at the dock outside the city, and spoke in a booming voice:

"Line up! Move out!"

……

Suppressing river bandits, especially large-scale operations, makes it extremely difficult to conceal one's whereabouts.

Because Changshan County did not have dedicated warships, it could only requisition civilian vessels. Such a commotion could not be kept secret from all sides. In addition, news of the government's dispatch of troops to suppress the bandits had already been circulating for many days. Unless the river bandits were deaf and blind, they must have been on high alert.

However, the real difficulty in suppressing bandits lies not in whether the enemy is prepared, but in how to accurately locate their lair and find out their hidden sentries and water fortifications along the way.

The 'achievements' that Chu Yueshan showed to Chen Sheng were that he claimed to have grasped the exact location, strength, and hidden guard posts along the way of Black Snake Water Village.

More importantly, he confidently told Chen Sheng that several months ago, he had already used special means to turn one of the leaders of Black Snake Village against his cause.

To ensure absolute certainty, he also dispatched several absolutely reliable confidants to infiltrate the Black Serpent Stronghold and verify the authenticity of each other's information.

That leader is now largely believed.

According to the information relayed by these inside agents, Black Serpent Stronghold has one leader at the Marrow Transformation Realm, four leaders at the Bone Forging Realm, and about a hundred bandits under its command, but most of them are a rabble.

Chu Yueshan confidently assured that as long as the soldiers could reach the waters near Black Snake Village tonight, the turned leader and his confidant who had infiltrated the village would work together to secretly open the village gate.

This is precisely why he chose to rallied his troops in the afternoon, intending to launch a surprise attack under cover of night and achieve victory in one fell swoop.

If the plan goes smoothly, this battle will surely become a battle that brings fame to them, and even to the entire Changshan government army!

Finally, Chu Yueshan "generously" stated that he would credit Chen Sheng for the greatest credit in this battle, but of course, Chen Sheng would also need to contribute some effort to avoid gossip.

"The commander-in-chief has already planned the bandit suppression to such an extent, how could I dare to claim the greatest credit? I would be content to share even a small part of the credit. As for the matter entrusted to me by the commander-in-chief, I will do my utmost to plead my case before Lord Wu."

After a moment's hesitation, Chen Sheng politely declined Chu Yueshan's offer of the top credit.

Chu Yueshan wanted to persuade him further, but seeing Chen Sheng's resolute attitude, he had no choice but to give up. A look of感慨 (gǎnkǎi, a complex emotion encompassing regret, regret, and a sense of loss) appeared on his face as he sighed:

"As expected, Chu was right about Chen. Not only is Brother Chen exceptionally capable, but what's even more remarkable is his deep sense of loyalty and righteousness. He is not greedy for credit, nor does he act rashly. He is truly benevolent and righteous."

As he said this, he looked at Chen Sheng's solemn expression and a genuine sense of regret crossed his mind.

This young man is indeed a rare talent. If we can truly win him over, he will be a great help. However, when I think of the leverage Gao Yuanfeng has over me and the irresistible threats and inducements, the guilt that has just arisen quickly vanishes.

If anyone is to blame, it's him and Wu Kuangfeng for being too outspoken and blocking the way for too many people. Even without Chu Yueshan, those deeply entrenched local powerful families would never have let them go.

"However, I still have a slight worry in my heart."

Chen Sheng changed the subject, not showing complete ignorance, but displaying the shrewdness he should have, "What if... the bribed leader was not discreet and has already been exposed? Or what if this is all a trap set by Black Snake Village from beginning to end?"

Chu Yueshan was clearly prepared for this. He laughed heartily, patted Chen Sheng on the shoulder, and spoke with an unquestionable confidence:
“Brother Chen, you are overthinking it. Even if we didn’t have any inside help, Black Snake Stronghold would be no match for our elite troops in a head-on confrontation. In every respect, we have the advantage.”

Chen Sheng's gaze casually swept over Li Huaisheng, the inconspicuous attendant beside him, and a seemingly relieved smile appeared on his lips as he echoed:

"The President is absolutely right. This time, the advantage is on our side!"

-

Requesting monthly votes...

Please continue reading...

(End of this chapter)