northernbook Chapter 420
Chapter 420
The battalion commander tossed the cloth bag back to Zhong Ming and promised to give him a reward. He told Zhong Ming to go rest at the maintenance team's place and take the construction team there to rebuild.
This time, the funding will be approved.
These are different things!
Last time, we asked them to build a camp, but due to their "enthusiasm," they built a castle themselves. This time, the castle collapsed and needs to be rebuilt, so they're applying for funding under the legitimate pretext of rebuilding the castle.
Zhong Ming was about to leave when he suddenly remembered that his storage bag was still sealed.
"Um... Battalion Commander, I know it's not appropriate to say this now..."
"What is it? Please speak freely."
"It's a personal matter. I wonder if anyone has the time to help me. My storage bag was sealed by the True Immortal of the Separation Realm who captured me, and I can't break it."
Didn't your master help you untie it?
Zhong Ming was somewhat embarrassed and had no choice but to tell the truth, "My master said he would only help me with problems that others couldn't solve. This storage bag is a minor issue; he told me to ask the cultivators in the camp to solve it myself..."
Zhong Ming's honesty clearly caused the Foundation Establishment group to misunderstand something.
The old Taoist priest is powerful. As his disciple, Zhong Ming is just a mouthpiece. This storage bag is clearly meant for the experts in the camp to unpack; the meaning is quite clear.
Master Cuihong has already demonstrated his strength; now, it's the turn of the Flame Wolf Army cultivators.
To this end, the battalion commander even probed, "Did your master mention anything about returning to the Taoist temple?"
“There really is. My master told me not to be afraid, and to go back whenever I want, because that will always be my home.”
The battalion commander slammed his fist on the table.
The conclusion is obvious: if we cannot demonstrate strong strength, then his master will think that we are not capable of protecting and training his disciple, and will make Master Cuihong leave the army.
The group exchanged glances and nodded slightly.
"Let me give it a try." A cultivator took the storage bag, and amidst the astonished gazes of the crowd, the short male cultivator took out a pack of playing cards from his storage ring, scribbled them on the table, and laid them out in a row.
When those around him realized what this was, they couldn't help but exclaim, "You've mastered this technique! It will shorten your lifespan!"
"This won't shorten your lifespan." He placed Zhong Ming's storage bag on the playing card, then flicked it lightly. A playing card flew up and landed directly above the bag.
“Hmm, Bifang, the power of fire, the name of ‘calling,’ seemingly a random calamity.” He then set up several playing cards.
If it weren't for the tense expressions on the faces of the people around him, Zhong Ming would have thought that the male cultivator was playing a card game.
"That's fine." He clasped his hands together with a crisp "slap," and the air in the tent seemed to freeze for a moment, everyone becoming clear-headed in that instant.
He quickly gathered spiritual energy at his fingertips, drawing lines of spiritual energy in the air. After completing the drawing, he suddenly contracted the energy, like a fishing net tightening, trapping the storage bag tightly. With a "click," the bag snapped shut.
"Alright, all done, Captain Cuihong, you're welcome."
"Ah... thanks," Zhong Ming said absentmindedly.
He suddenly remembered something when the cultivator clasped his hands together.
'I think I had a set of dominoes...where did I buy it...at an auction house? I think...during the battle with the Foundation Establishment stage merman underwater, I threw it out with my 'Great Wasteful Technique'...'
Zhong Ming believed that this idea was not unfounded, but rather a result of some kind of opportunity. Unfortunately, once it was missed, it was missed.
"By the way, may I ask what your Daoist name is...?"
"Me? I don't need a Daoist name, just call me Ge Sanqiu." The male cultivator spoke frankly, and was even more straightforward in his character. He put away the playing cards, tossed the storage bag to Zhong Ming, and added, "The captain of the Fourth Guard Team. It's newly formed, and there's no one there yet."
"Oh... Ah? Battalion Commander, my men aren't even fully replenished yet. I only have one and a half men. And you're forming a new unit?"
Zhong Ming's eyes gleamed as he stared intently at Ge Sanqiu, practically saying, "Why bother building a new unit? Just assign the people to my command, and that'll be fine."
The battalion commander gave a mysterious smile. "Didn't you form a new militia force?"
"Um... Battalion Commander, they all have their own positions. I can't just snatch them from their original units."
Do they listen to you?
"He can listen... a little bit, maybe, but only as small as a fingernail." Zhong Ming felt that the battalion commander was setting a trap for him, but he didn't understand the point of it.
"As long as you can listen, that's fine. Look, it's not appropriate for someone at the Foundation Establishment stage to be your assistant, since you're only at the Qi Refining stage. But you've made many contributions, so I can't bear to remove you from your post. Let's just create a new one then. It's all the same anyway, since you two are both commanders without any real power. Keep in touch when you have time."
The battalion commander smoothed things over and sent Zhong Ming away.
Zhong Ming walked out of the battalion commander's office. The man named Ge Sanqiu didn't stand on ceremony at all and asked directly, "Battalion Commander, why don't you give him more team members? At the very least, you should give him the ones below me first. In terms of seniority and combat strength, he seems to need more. I am also a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator in single combat. If you pair him with a few late-stage Qi Refining stage team members, he can be used as an important force to restrain Foundation Establishment stage enemies after some training."
The battalion commander glanced at him and sneered, "Don't compare your pathetic talent to his. Guess why the Flame Wolf Army isn't giving him any reinforcements?"
Ge Sanqiu was taken aback. Although we are good buddies, your words are a bit too blunt.
"I... am I... perhaps... "
"We should start from childhood."
If he were to send Yue Kaishan, Xuan Jing, and Chen Dahai—people of similar or slightly lower cultivation levels—would Zhong Ming consider them his subordinates? Would they treat him as their superior?
No, we're just joking around; we're actually brothers in arms.
Zhong Ming needs subordinates, personal guards, people who regard him as a god and are determined to follow him to the death. Those workers are suitable, but they lack the talent.
Master Cuihong, his path will go very far and very quickly, beyond the reach of others.
The battalion commander gazed into the distance, his gaze piercing through the thick tents and landing on the distant Sirius Army. They had plenty of qualified warriors there, but alas, my Flame Wolf Army could only cobble together what we could find.
"You, go and urge them on. It's been long enough." The battalion commander pointed at the messenger. "Make those old dogs of the 135th Battalion pay the price."
Zhong Ming left the camp in his wheelchair, in high spirits, feeling like he had regained everything.
Perhaps we should go to Cliff City and find a storyteller to listen to.
Suddenly, a chill ran down my spine, and a stern female voice rang out, "You're feeling better? If you are, find my brother!"