Chapter 16 Another Front

Ling Fengzi, having completed his task, leisurely flew back to the main camp.

As soon as he landed, a soldier informed him that Ma Zhen and other senior officers were summoning him for a discussion.

Ling Fengzi naturally had no reason to refuse.

He made his way to the central military tent, where he saw Ma Zhen, Yuwen Yan, and others in full armor, waiting for him with solemn expressions.

"This commander received reports from scouts that the Chen bandit launched a night raid on our vanguard camp. Real Person went to provide support. Now that you have returned, have you repelled the Chen bandit?" Ma Zhen asked in a deep voice.

When Chen Feng attacked the front-line camp, scouts urgently reported to the main camp, and Ma Zhen requested Imperial Wind Real Person to provide support.

However, later military intelligence had not yet arrived. Ma Zhen was unaware of the situation because Ling Fengzi flew faster than the scouts and returned to the camp ahead of time. He had no choice but to ask Ling Fengzi first.

Hearing this, Ling Fengzi shook his head and explained, "I am evenly matched with Chen Feng, unable to overcome each other. After a long battle, Chen Feng retreated on his own. I dared not pursue him alone, and chose to retreat when the opportunity presented itself."

"Then what is the situation at the front-line camp?" Ma Xia pressed.

Ling Fengzi sighed, "The front-line officers and soldiers were massacred by Chen Feng and are completely annihilated. The troops from the surrounding camps who went to support were also scattered."

As soon as he finished speaking, the faces of the officers present changed slightly.

Ma Zhen frowned, "Real Person has fought Chen bandit many times, and has always been evenly matched. Why couldn't you contain Chen bandit this time?"

Ling Fengzi glanced at him and said lightly, "General Ma, are you questioning me?"

Ma Zhen's expression changed slightly, and he was immediately displeased.

Although he realized his words were somewhat offensive when he spoke, he felt dissatisfied after hearing Imperial Wind Real Person's retort... As the commander of the three armies, his authority could not be challenged or questioned. Even if Real Person was the support he had invited, he could not casually dismiss his face in front of all the generals.

Seeing this, Yuwen Yan coughed, quickly interjected, and said with a smile, "Real Person, please don't misunderstand. We have always respected you. Chen Feng's sudden attack tonight caught us off guard. As the saying goes, know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated. We hope Real Person can explain the situation in detail so that we can formulate a strategy to meet the enemy."

Ling Fengzi did not dwell on it and sighed, explaining, "In the past, when I fought Chen Feng, it was always a one-on-one duel in front of the battle lines, tacitly avoiding each other's troops. But tonight, Chen Feng suddenly attacked the officers' and soldiers' camp, turning our army's formation into a battlefield. Although I can match him, I have no time to protect our soldiers, resulting in heavy casualties."

The officers exchanged glances.

Before everyone could continue asking, Ling Fengzi continued, "In my opinion, Chen Feng could have done what he did tonight a long time ago. However, he is naturally arrogant and belligerent. In the past, he fought me one-on-one, perhaps thinking of competing fairly with me and overwhelming me in a dignified manner. But now, he is merciless and uses every means possible, mostly because the officers and soldiers drove the villagers to fight, angering the bandits, which led to retaliation... If Chen Feng repeats his tricks and continues to attack the camps, it will be difficult for me to contain him."

These words were mostly what Zhou Jing specifically instructed, telling Bill to come back and give the Chaowang generals a lecture.

Hearing this, Ma Zhen's expression changed again.

In his opinion, it was normal to use any means in war between two armies, but when he initially adopted the strategy of driving the people to attack, Real Person had vaguely criticized it, saying that it was harmful to heavenly harmony.

Now that it was mentioned again, Real Person was naturally expressing his resentment, and Ma Zhen was secretly displeased.

In addition, Real Person's personal admission that it was difficult to contain Chen bandit made him even more troubled.

It wasn't that there was really no way, as long as Imperial Wind Real Person was willing to imitate Chen Feng and use his supernatural powers to attack the enemy's army, it would have the same effect.

However, Ling Fengzi refused to budge, and kept saying that he was unwilling to personally create more killings.

Ma Zhen could order him, but he couldn't move him, so there was nothing he could do.

Being unable to use the same method to restrain the bandit army was equivalent to only being beaten without fighting back. He couldn't help but feel depressed.

"Report!"

At this moment, a scout finally returned and rushed into the tent.

Ma Zhen perked up and asked, "What is the situation at the front line?"

"Reporting to the Marshal, the garrison of a front-line camp was completely wiped out, and the reinforcements also suffered heavy casualties. According to the soldiers, the camp was broken by Chen Feng alone, and Chen bandit chased them and killed them for a long distance..."

"How unreasonable! Can Chen Feng cause such casualties by attacking a camp alone?"

Ma Zhen was furious.

Hearing this, the scout subconsciously glanced at Ling Fengzi beside him, hesitating to speak.

Huang Ping, who was on the side, noticed the scout's strange expression and said in a deep voice, "Do you have anything else to say?"

The scout swallowed and carefully said, "The front-line soldiers also said that the deaths of many comrades seemed to be caused by Real Person's supernatural powers. If it weren't for Real Person, the casualties might not have been so tragic..."

As soon as he finished speaking, the officers present turned to look at Ling Fengzi, their expressions varied.

"Real Person, this..."

Ma Zhen frowned, his tone strange.

Ling Fengzi showed a helpless expression and sighed, "I am unable to do anything about the soldiers being affected by the aftermath. Unless I don't fight with Chen Feng and retreat... But in any case, the deaths of these soldiers are still inseparable from me. This karmic debt will naturally be placed on me, which violates the Dao I cultivate and damages my Dao practice."

Seeing him say this, it was difficult for everyone to say anything.

After all, they still had to rely on Ling Fengzi to continue dealing with Chen Feng. If he felt that it would damage his cultivation and directly returned to the capital, they would be at a loss.

"Real Person is willing to damage his Dao practice in order to stop Chen bandit from committing violence. It is truly an act of loyalty to the emperor and love for the country, and there is nothing to criticize. We can only blame Chen bandit for being vicious."

Yuwen Yan said with a dry laugh, sending a rainbow fart.

Ma Zhen's eyes twitched, and he felt nauseous, but he could only sit back.

He didn't want to dwell on this point anymore, changed the topic, and asked in a deep voice, "Chen bandit is fierce and powerful. If he makes a comeback, how should we deal with it? We can't repeat today's mistakes. Do any of you have any strategies?"

Hearing this, everyone present lowered their heads and remained silent, at a loss.

They were all people who knew the art of war. If Real Person could not contain Chen Feng, Chen Feng's mobility and lethality would allow him to come and go freely. As long as he kept attacking the camps, he could cause great casualties to the officers and soldiers. It was almost an unbreakable tactic.

Ma Zhen's heart was heavy, and he increasingly agreed with the instructions given by Grand Secretary Pang before his departure.

Sure enough, this Chen bandit is not a reckless person, but an outstanding figure in the art of war... Breaking through the army and killing generals, seizing cities and plundering people, his momentum is like thunder from the nine heavens. His attack is so strong that he can be called the best figure throughout history, and it is really difficult to deal with.

The more Ma Zhen thought about it, the more his head hurt. He really didn't know how to restrain such a free-flowing enemy.

This world had never experienced transcendent warfare, so there was no relevant experience to accumulate.

Even if Ma Zhen could come up with a solution, he would be like a clever woman who couldn't cook without rice... After all, the only transcendent person under his command who could match the enemy's top combat power was still a deep-water backstabber.

"...Pass down the order to strengthen the night defenses of each camp and not to slack off."

Ma Zhen took a deep breath and could only do some routine defenses, better than nothing.

The Five Strategies to Defeat the Bandits had taken effect, but it had also released a reckless tiger. He didn't know which was better, the benefits or the disadvantages, and he couldn't help but feel annoyed.

But there was no way. To defeat the bandits, he had to use every means possible and couldn't hold back.

Perhaps he should consider retreating and preparing the final trump card...

The thought flashed through Ma Zhen's mind.

....

That night, a front-line camp of the officers and soldiers was completely wiped out. The next day, the officers and soldiers had to send living people to clean up the battlefield and dispose of the corpses.

The officers and soldiers who cleaned up the battlefield saw the brutal scene and were shocked. They felt that even the hell on earth was nothing more than this.

Many survivors participated in the support that night, and soon the news spread in the army. More and more officers and soldiers learned about the situation that night.

--Chen Feng killed an entire camp by himself and repelled reinforcements from all sides. Even though the attacked camp had detected the opponent early and prepared to meet the enemy, it still couldn't escape the fate of being completely wiped out.

This result frightened the guards in each camp, and they were panicked, fearing that Chen Feng would repeat his tricks and attack other front-line camps.

Even if they knew in advance, they couldn't stop him!

Shaken by this battle, the morale of the imperial army plummeted, and the military's heart was fluctuating. They only felt that with their mortal bodies, how could they match this kind of monster? They would only be eaten away bit by bit by the enemy, and it was no different from sending them to their deaths.

Even more, rumors appeared, saying that Chen Feng was a man-eating demon who liked to eat human hearts and livers the most. This rumor was unanimously agreed upon by countless soldiers, as if the more cruel and terrifying Chen Feng was, the more he conformed to the image in their hearts.

In the following days, Zhou Jing did not idle and attacked repeatedly.

Because the imperial court adopted the Five Strategies to Defeat the Bandits and controlled the people, Zhou Jing simply experimented with the tactics of wandering bandits in Huyang. He personally led an army and had been active outside the area controlled by the Dragon King Village, harassing the areas where the imperial army was stationed, coming and going like the wind.

The officers and soldiers were exhausted and couldn't hold on at all. The troops that were attacked by Chen Feng's troops had no power to fight back at all.

Under Zhou Jing's repeated victories, the imperial court's control over the people, which had only recently been re-established, declined section by section, and the effect of the Five Strategies to Defeat the Bandits was affected, making it increasingly difficult to maintain.

However, because the Dragon King Village no longer had Chen Feng stationed there, the Chaowang army took the opportunity to launch many strong attacks.

Unfortunately, the soldiers of the Dragon King Village were also battle-hardened and resilient. They resisted wave after wave of attacks, and could occasionally organize counterattacks. If the officers and soldiers were careless, they would suffer losses.

The imperial army couldn't attack and returned without success many times. Ma Zhen kept requesting Ling Fengzi to help break through the village, but he was rejected every time.

Seeing the great opportunity slipping away time and time again, Ma Zhen's attitude towards Ling Fengzi became more and more dissatisfied.

Dragon King Village, a certain pass.

This place was located on another battle line, blocking one of the imperial court's troops to prevent the enemy from driving straight in and attacking the headquarters.

Fan Zong was one of the guards of this pass.

This night.

Fan Zong was drinking alone in his room, seemingly with a heavy heart.

At this time, a personal soldier came in to report:

"Someone outside is asking to see you, claiming to be the head's fellow villager, named Cao Sheng."

"Oh? Invite him in."

Fan Zong had an impression of this name, a friend from the past.

Soon, a middle-aged man in simple clothes walked in and clasped his fists in fear: "Brother Fan, do you still remember me?"

"Haha, of course, I remember, please sit down."

Fan Zong called him to take a seat and asked someone to add a pair of chopsticks.

Cao Sheng sat down and said, "Brother, why are you drinking alone?"

"Just drinking two cups... But you, why did you come to see me today?"

Fan Zong was a little curious.

He remembered this fellow villager, but they rarely interacted on weekdays and hadn't seen each other for many years.

"I was entrusted by someone to deliver a letter." "Oh, who is it?"

Cao Sheng looked around, leaned close to Fan Zong's ear, and lowered his voice: "The imperial court."

Fan Zong's expression suddenly changed, and he squinted at him.

Cao Sheng felt a chill in his heart and quickly took out a letter from the secret pocket of his sleeve, presented it quietly, and explained in a low voice:

"Brother is known as the Golden Scale King, one of the famous Three Jiaos of Huyang. The imperial court appreciates your ability and specially found me to be a lobbyist, wanting to recruit you and give you a bright future."

"The Three Jiaos of Huyang are long gone. I have been working for Village Master Chen for two or three years, and now I am just an ordinary head under him."

Fan Zong's tone was neither salty nor bland, but he didn't immediately call the personal soldiers in to arrest him, but took the letter and read it.

This was a personal letter from a general in the officer's army. Apart from the formal words, it was all about the conditions for recruitment.

Seeing this, Cao Sheng was overjoyed and secretly felt that there was a chance, and persuaded, "Brother, you are also a well-known figure, at least you were once the master of a village. How can you endure being under other people all the time? You were defeated by Chen Feng because of your underestimation of the enemy and had to submit to that person. Don't you feel aggrieved? Now the government is willing to offer official positions and rewards to recruit you. Why don't you abandon this group of rebels and return to the right path? You must know that treason is a matter of exterminating the nine clans. How can you miss this rare opportunity to turn back?"

"You are really thinking about me."

Fan Zong wasn't angry. He just lowered his head and finished reading the letter, then put the letter on the candlelight and burned it.

"Brother, Chen Feng's actions violate the laws of nature and will surely be punished by heaven. Why do you have to go down the same path as him?"

Cao Sheng earnestly persuaded.

Fan Zong frowned, his expression hesitant, as if he was struggling, and shook his head:

"Go back and send a message that I will consider this matter... If the news leaks out, then don't mention it again. Go."

Hearing this, Cao Sheng knew that Fan Zong would not make up his mind so quickly, and did not dare to urge him. He quickly got up and said goodbye, going back to report.

Fan Zong watched him leave, subconsciously stroking his somewhat gray beard, his expression changing.

He had been working for the Dragon King Village for several years. He used to be the master of a village, but now he was just an ordinary head on the mountain. His status was really a bit awkward.

Most of the heads who followed him had been divided and completely integrated into the Dragon King Village.

For example, Du Ying, his former military advisor, wholeheartedly worked for Chen Feng. Now his seat was still above his and he rarely interacted with him.

That kind of avoiding posture was like saying, "Don't contact me, I'm afraid the Village Master will misunderstand."

Fan Zong was the first force to be subdued by Chen Feng. He surrendered in order to save his life and had no choice but to do so. In the end, he became the only survivor among the Three Jiaos of Huyang.

But in the past few years on the mountain, because of the gap in status, he became more and more frustrated.

Now the imperial court wanted to dig his corner, give him, this "rebel," a way out, and bribe him to open the pass he was guarding, so that the officers and soldiers could drive straight in and burst through the Dragon King Village's rear.

As long as he could help the imperial court succeed, not only would he be forgiven for his past crimes, but he could also get an official position and become a member of the upper class.

"Is turning back a cliff...?"

Fan Zong murmured to himself, his eyes changing.