“`
In the Startling Swan Gang’s camp to the south of Qingshan County Town, near the city gate, inside a tent.
“Old Zhang, I didn’t expect you to have such skills,” Zuo Sheng looked at the detailed encampment defense map in surprise.
It just feels vaguely familiar.
“Last time I was careless, went out in the middle of the night, in the pitch darkness, and ended up getting lost in the reed marshes, messing up the job,” Zhang Ye’s eyelids hung low in shame.
“After that, I reflected deeply and carefully investigated many times.”
“I even used the secret paths that were once used for smuggling food to the bandits on Ai Mountain. That’s how I got this map,” Zhang Ye’s face filled with sorrow.
“These past few days, I’ve been working from dawn till dusk, it really hasn’t been easy.”
Zuo Sheng looked at Zhang Ye with mixed emotions.
If it weren’t for our tents being close to each other, I damn well would have believed you!
You’re in your tent every day munching on peanuts and drinking wine, you think I don’t know?!
“To be honest,” Zuo Sheng said indifferently.
“The truth is, I also don’t know how this thing came into my possession,” Zhang Ye said frankly.
This was also the reason he came to Zuo Sheng.
The encampment map came out of nowhere, and if he submitted it himself, he would inevitably be questioned.
But with Zuo Sheng as a disciple of Jin Wuduan, that wouldn’t be a problem.
Thinking this, he told Zuo Sheng everything from start to finish.
“Last time you went to the reed marshes, were you also knocked out by someone?” Zuo Sheng asked in surprise, “Why didn’t the person who could take you down kill you then?”
Zhang Ye hesitated for a long while, “Probably… out of habit.”
Zuo Sheng: “…”
“That nutcase isn’t doing this for the first time,” Zhang Ye spoke of his string of misfortunes starting from Qingshan County with a bitter face.
“You mentioned you noticed similar mesmerizing smoke the night Lin Que of the White Tiger Hall died?” Zuo Sheng’s eyes narrowed.
“Yeah,” Zhang Ye nodded with a complex expression, “At first, I was quite grateful to him. He made me a hall master. But who would have thought, that was just the beginning of a series of misfortunes.”
“Looking back, ever since I encountered this madman, my life has been going downhill.”
“I couldn’t become the leader of the Bailang Gang, nor the master of the White Tiger Hall, now I’m almost left with nothing.” As he spoke, the tall man with the bushy beard couldn’t help feeling depressed, “Do you know what they call me behind my back?”
“The Gang Terminator!”
“The Catastrophic Pathfinder!”
“Brother Zuo, my heart is heavy!”
Zuo Sheng: “…”
Brother, look at the mess you’re making!
“Rest assured, Brother Zhang, with me here, you won’t miss out on any credit,” Zuo Sheng said solemnly, “You might even become the master of the White Tiger Hall again.”
After another round of consolation, Zuo Sheng sent Zhang Ye away and sat alone in the tent, deep in thought.
“My cheap senior brother is most likely hiding in the Tangshan Army.”
“Planning to use one to weaken another, to weaken the Tangshan Army?”
“It looks like he’s also here for the Thousand Mechanism Token.”
“It’s easy to fish in troubled waters, the Startling Swan Gang should also make a move.”
“Otherwise, the Thousand Mechanism Token will have nothing to do with me.”
…
Late into another night, Chen Mu walked into the tent, humming a tune and carrying two roast wild ducks.
With the encampment map given to the Startling Swan Gang, Chen Mu didn’t believe they could resist taking action.
When two tigers fight, one is sure to get hurt.
As long as the Tangshan Army’s strength is diminished, the exploration speed will have to slow down. He would have more time to prepare his trump cards.
“Fatty, get up, it’s time to eat meat,” Chen Mu cheerfully tossed the roast duck to Zheng Yuan.
He wasn’t afraid of being implicated. He had tampered with that encampment map.
The Tangshan Army’s camp was laid out in detail.
The Laborer Camp, on the other hand, had only a rough map, and the routes were still mixed up and incorrect.
“`
“If it were me, I’d definitely go straight for the jugular and wipe out the elite of the Tangshan Army first,”
“After all, the Laborer Camp has no combat capability, just a little intimidation would suffice to take it for our own use,”
“All I have to do is keep my head down in the Laborer Camp area, and I won’t get involved,” Chen Mu thought, pleased with himself.
“Dawang is capable indeed!” Members of the Logistics Army displayed their divine skills, setting out little snacks of wine and peanuts, even accompanied by two cold appetizers. They ate and drank while singing praises.
“Wang, you and your father are both crafty,” Sun Enqi stroked his round belly, his face a picture of admiration.
“Fifth Brother did not tell me you had such a bold streak,” Sun Enqi said, biting into a duck leg with a complex expression on his face.
“Disregarding military discipline, sneaking out every day to poach game, tsk tsk…”
Chen Mu glanced at his so-called seventh uncle, “There are many things he hasn’t told you, like the fact that you gave Old Man Xing two pieces of silver—he knew but said nothing.”
“Cough cough… Let’s eat, eat!”
Sun Enqi’s old face turned bright red. Had the matter of him taking ten pieces of silver and pocketing eight been exposed?
This father and son pair, one more astute than the other!
Chen Mu lay down on the floor with a smile on his face, casually throwing two little paper men outside to stand guard.
“I wonder what action the Jinghong Association will take.”
“Will they concentrate their elite forces for a fierce attack, or will they use the terrain for an ambush?”
“Or will they deploy some mysterious magic artifact?!”
At this thought, Chen Mu couldn’t help but become solemn.
It’s just that his own strength wasn’t enough. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be here anxiously waiting.
“At this moment, the upper echelons of the Startling Swan Gang must have received the defense map.”
“They’re definitely gathering their leaders now, uniting their efforts to discuss offensive strategies,”
Although uneasy, the thought of merely making a few moves with his pen and thus involving the Startling Swan Gang’s experts brought him a slight thrill of satisfaction.
“My so-called younger apprentice brother, might even have to exert a bit of effort on my behalf now,”
…
Chen Mu’s worthy apprentice brother, at this moment, was dressed in all black, standing in the dense forest near the northern gate of Qingshan County Town.
“Cheng Yi, do you really just hand over the defense map of the Jinghong Association to me like this?” Zuo Sheng, full of scorn, asked, “Blatantly betraying your sect and selling out the interests of the Jinghong Association, is this all Jin Wuduan taught you these years?”
“That’s not the case,” Zuo Sheng shook his head, “My senior brother taught me this.”
Cheng Yi was stunned. He wasn’t aware that Zuo Sheng had such an unreliable senior brother.
Soon he laughed at himself.
It’s like the pot calling the kettle black; he wasn’t a good person either.
He wasn’t concerned about whether the other party had betrayed their sect.
“How can I trust you? What if the map is fake?” Cheng Yi said expressionlessly, “If I fall into a trap set by the Jinghong Association, won’t I be at a huge disadvantage?”
“Suit yourself. We will take action in five days,”
“By that time, the campsites of the Jinghong Association will be empty. Whether or not you can persuade Chao Tianwang to lend his help and earn this great merit is none of my business,” Zuo Sheng said with a shrug.
“Using another’s hand to do your dirty work?” Cheng Yi frowned slightly, then a hint of a smile appeared on his face, “You want to deal with that lady from the aristocratic family. To weaken her power.”
“Don’t you want to?” Zuo Sheng glanced at Cheng Yi and said lightly.
“Heh…” Cheng Yi’s lips curled with a chilling coldness.
“It seems she wants to monopolize all the Thousand Mechanism Tokens.”
“The greed of noble families.”
Zuo Sheng glanced at Cheng Yi, “Doesn’t Chao Fang want to monopolize them too?”
“I don’t believe he would share the Thousand Mechanism Token with you.”
“Letting Chao Fang attack Sikou Qing, both sides suffering losses, is to everyone’s advantage,”
“That’s the situation. How you deal with it is up to you,” Zuo Sheng said as he turned to leave, “This is my opportunity, perhaps also your chance for revenge against Sikou Qing.”
Cheng Yi stood expressionlessly in place.
“It indeed is a good opportunity!”
Under the night sky, a leaf fluttered down, Cheng Yi’s figure vanished, leaving only the swaying shadows of the trees.