Chapter 22: A Hesitant Beginning

Qian Ye casually inquired and learned that Wei Benian had sent his personal guards to keep an eye on his movements, which allowed them to find him the moment he stepped into the mercenary headquarters. Qian Ye’s heart stirred, recalling what Song Zining had mentioned about the Wei family of the Far East fully engaging in a war with the dark races. It seemed there would be significant changes in Heiliu City.

When Qian Ye arrived at the 7th Division headquarters, he found Wei Benian’s guards bustling about, the open area before the building occupied as they prepared their gear.

Wei Benian himself stood at the entrance, waiting for Qian Ye. He invited him to the study, ordered tea to be brought in, and then closed the door, preparing for a long conversation.

After exchanging pleasantries, Qian Ye asked directly, “General Wei, are you leaving?”

Wei Benian sighed, “The Far East province has declared all-out war against the dark races.”

Qian Ye, having heard fragments of this from Song Zining, asked, “How is the young master?”

“The young master was in the army at the time and returned severely injured. However, Qi Yang is exceptionally talented, not only has he reached the seventh level of Thousandfold Mountain, but he has also awakened the formidable ability of ‘Super Recovery.’ No matter how severe the injury, as long as he isn’t killed outright, he can recover, and the recovery speed is ten times that of a normal person.” When speaking of Wei Potian, Wei Benian’s tone was full of admiration.

Qian Ye couldn’t help but marvel at Wei Potian’s extraordinary abilities. Thousandfold Mountain was already renowned for its defense, and with the addition of Super Recovery, the Wei family’s young master was truly heading in the direction of becoming invincible.

Then, Wei Benian spoke about the situation in the Far East province.

It turned out that the conflict started when a Wei family general, who had recently been winning many battles, grew arrogant and overconfident, leading his forces deep into the dark realm without realizing it. The dark races, having secretly gathered reinforcements, dealt a devastating blow. In a major battle, the Wei family’s main force suffered over half their losses and retreated in disarray to the Far East province.

Unexpectedly, the dark races did not stop there. They seemed to have long intended to start a war and took advantage of the situation to pursue relentlessly, until they were stopped by the natural defenses and fortresses at the Yumen Pass.

Now, the dark race armies outside the Yumen Pass had increased exponentially, and only the fortresses were holding back the passage into the Far East province, barely maintaining the status quo. Tensions were high in other directions along the Far Eastern front, and the Wei family was recalling generals stationed in various enclaves. Wei Benian, known for his defensive prowess, was assigned to hold the Yumen Pass. This was a critical assignment.

No one could predict how long the war in the Far East province would last. It was a fight for survival, and the Wei family was fully contracting, withdrawing most of their troops except for those in the most important enclaves. Heiliu City, which was a liability for the Wei family, was inevitably included in the withdrawal, especially since Wei Benian was one of their top generals.

The Wei family had dispatched a senior elder from an outer clan to negotiate with the expeditionary army headquarters. A new division commander would be appointed to take over the 7th Division, and the transition would happen within the next ten to fifteen days.

Having explained the situation, Wei Benian asked meaningfully, “What do you plan to do after I leave?”

Qian Ye’s mind raced, “What is the expeditionary army headquarters’ attitude towards this? Do we know who will be taking over the 7th Division?”

Wei Benian smiled. Qian Ye had hit the crucial points. Due to the Wu Zhengnan incident, relations between the expeditionary army and the Wei family had been strained. The new commander might not have a good impression of Qian Ye. For a mercenary group, if they were at odds with the local expeditionary army, their future development and even survival would be in jeopardy.

“The expeditionary army’s attitude is surprisingly good. On the surface, they say it’s because the Far East province is in a full-scale war, and they don’t want to be seen hindering it, thus drawing the ire of the Imperial Military. In reality, I heard that a powerful family in the Empire wants to extend its reach to the Evernight Continent, and they’ve sent a member of their own house to expand territory, using this as a convenient opportunity.”

Qian Ye frowned. This news was still too ambiguous to determine its impact. If the expeditionary army, out of self-interest, agreed to a peaceful handover with the Wei family, it would be beneficial for the stability of Heiliu City. However, the effect on Qian Ye and Darkflame Mercenary Group was uncertain.

Moreover, the new commander came from a noble background, different from the many self-made commanders in the expeditionary army, making his actions even more unpredictable.

“Do you know which family it is?”

“The Dong family of Sishui,” Wei Benian thought for a moment and added, “Their title is County Earl.”

Qian Ye had no memory of this family, but he knew a County Earl held a mid-level position, with the requirement to maintain a large county and the risk of being demoted. No wonder they were eager to expand their territory and had set their sights on the Evernight Continent.

“I will stay here for about fifteen more days. This time, I will take everyone with me. So, if you have any plans, you should make them soon.”

Qian Ye nodded, understanding that the Wei family’s influence would be completely withdrawn from Heiliu City.

For now, Qian Ye had no specific plans. If he were already a warlord, he might consider competing for the 7th Division commander’s position, but he was still short of the required time. A division commander must be a warlord, a standard that had been in place for a thousand years. Although Qian Ye’s combat power was close to that of a warlord, he was not yet a true one.

In reality, Qian Ye’s future actions would largely depend on the attitude of the new, unseen commander.

Qian Ye left Wei Benian with a heavy heart and returned to the mercenary group’s base.

The base was bustling with activity. A long line of heavy trucks was slowly entering. These vehicles, all part of the Imperial main force, had two large exhaust pipes rising behind the cabs, and each carried a heavy machine gun, making them impressive to behold.

People had gathered on both sides of the road, and more were arriving. These people, who had spent most of their lives in Evernight, had never seen such a number of Imperial main force trucks.

Half of the trucks carried military containers, while the other half were filled with fully armed soldiers. These soldiers, with their formidable appearance and top-notch equipment, were of main force caliber. By comparison, the expeditionary army looked like beggars, and the mercenaries, hunters, and adventurers who had lived in Evernight for most of their lives were worse off than beggars.

Song Hu, having received the message, immediately went to greet them.

A dark-faced, burly man jumped down from the lead truck and strode to Song Hu, “Ningyuan Heavy Industry Internal Guard, Third Special Augmented Company, reporting for duty!”

Song Hu nodded and pointed to the side, “That camp is your quarters. Park the vehicles in the side courtyard, and store the heavy equipment after inventory, keeping the light gear with you.”

“Understood, sir!” The dark-faced company commander saluted Song Hu and began arranging the deployment. The Ningyuan Heavy Industry soldiers quickly disembarked, organized their equipment, and set up the camp in an orderly manner. Throughout the process, there was no idle chatter, only necessary commands and inquiries.

This company, sent by Song Zining to escort the rewards for the Song family’s grand examination, was the first investment he made in the Darkflame Mercenary Group. After delivering the supplies, they would join the group. The company would represent half a percent of the group’s shares.

In terms of combat power, this special company could potentially crush the entire Darkflame Mercenary Group in battle, provided Qian Ye didn’t participate. Therefore, if outsiders knew this, they would likely think Song Zining was at a disadvantage, as Qian Ye did.

However, Song Zining calculated differently. He believed Qian Ye alone was equivalent to a division, and in the future, to a corps, or even more. Thus, he considered himself to have made a good deal.

While the Ningyuan Heavy Industry internal guards were busy, others in the base were observing their actions. Apart from the old core members saved by Qian Ye, the Darkflame had recently merged with two nearby mercenary groups.

Several high-ranking members of the original groups looked grim. Comparing themselves to the hundred-strong special company, even with four or five hundred soldiers, they would likely be soundly defeated. The sight of the heavy weapons being unloaded, in such large numbers, was intimidating.

At this moment, any lingering ambitions in the hearts of the original mercenary leaders dissipated.

Qian Ye returned to the base with a heavy heart, but the bustling scene lifted his spirits. In Qian Ye and Song Zining’s plan, this expansion was just the beginning.

In the coming period, Song Zining would recruit at least five hundred more soldiers under the Ningyuan Heavy Industry name, forming a battalion to be integrated into the Darkflame Mercenary Group. This restructuring and reequipping would continue until they reached the strength of a regiment, serving as the starting point for their westward expansion.

After meeting with Song Hu and the dark-faced company commander Duan Hao, Qian Ye handled some mercenary affairs, then rubbed his tired eyes and stood before a map, pondering the possible routes for their westward advance.

However, making such a significant plan, none of the routes were foolproof. The most significant issue was instability in the rear. A new 7th Division with an unclear stance was a constant threat. Qian Ye couldn’t be sure that his base wouldn’t be attacked by the expeditionary army when he advanced into the dark realm.

Qian Ye thought for a long time but found no better solution unless the Darkflame expanded again, leaving enough forces behind to ensure the safety of the base.

But this was not feasible. Qian Ye’s financial resources were maxed out, and rapid expansion without enough combat experience would reduce overall combat power. Moreover, engaging in an internal war with the expeditionary army in the 7th Division’s area would result in significant losses.

So, what about maintaining the defense?

Qian Ye considered and rejected this option. After a massive expansion, taking on defensive tasks in Heiliu City and surrounding towns was no longer sufficient. If Qian Ye could secure half a theater, it would be somewhat manageable, but with the 7th Division present, how could he claim so many resources?

Despite his hesitation, the expansion of the Darkflame continued systematically.

Song Hu was swamped, reallocating officers, reorganizing the troops, managing the base, and scouting the westward routes. He also delegated responsibilities to the capable warriors among the seeds, including Ah Qi, Ah Jiu, and the Wu siblings, seeing this as an opportunity to nurture new blood.

Meanwhile, Qian Ye spent most of his time in cultivation, having just advanced to the ninth level and needing to stabilize his foundation. The rest of his time was spent repeatedly considering future plans and discussing ideas with Song Zining through letters.

During this relatively calm period, a small, weary group of adventurers arrived in Heiliu City, seeking an audience with Qian Ye.