Chapter 30: The Trouble of Brothers

In the Eternal Night Continent, warlords were considered local heroes, yet in the upper echelons of the Empire, they were not so rare. Many prominent clans and families even had warlord guests.

Prominent clans and families?!

Xiao Ling Shi’s face remained as unreadable as ever, but he quietly observed the reactions of the people in the meeting room. Most of the attendees were his trusted subordinates, but there were a few who had closer ties with other generals. Thus, he was cautious about speaking up.

However, Wen Ruo Cheng was essentially his mouthpiece. The two pieces of information Wen had just revealed contained enough hints to shift the direction of the discussion. The wind had already subtly changed.

While the others were discussing, Xiao Ling Shi simply closed his eyes and rested. He was thinking about a recent private conversation with Song Zi Ning. Song Zi Ning, this ally, had made Xiao very satisfied. Not only did their cooperation go smoothly, but Song had also risen to the second position in the Song Clan’s recent successor examination, indicating a bright future.

What Xiao Ling Shi valued most, however, was Song Zi Ning’s low profile. He rarely used the Song name publicly yet managed to accomplish tasks. This was far more valuable to Xiao than a few profitable transactions. By working together, the traces of collaborating with high-ranking offspring could be hidden, allowing Xiao to maintain the image of not aligning with the powerful.

Xiao Ling Shi liked to look at the long-term picture. Someone like Song Zi Ning could be a partner for many years, making short-term gains or losses insignificant.

The officers seemed to have discussed enough, and the noise in the room gradually subsided. Xiao Ling Shi lifted his eyelids and looked at a colonel who had not spoken. This colonel was under General Yang Shuo, the other deputy commander-in-chief of the Expeditionary Force. This time, the Dong family of Si River received the appointment of the Seventh Division through the connections of the Yang family of Xiang Fan.

Xiao Ling Shi smiled silently. Song Zi Ning came to him to pave the way for Darkflame, and he directly used the name of the Zhao family of Yan Yun rather than the Song family of Gao Ling. The military might be able to play games with the commercially-oriented Song clan, but against the Zhao clan, which had three dukes in one family, they would have no choice but to “uphold justice.”

Many in the room were long-time confidants of Xiao Ling Shi and should have understood his meaning.

At that moment, a fierce young general stood up and spoke: “According to the rules of the Expeditionary Force, whoever conquers the territory owns it. After General Wei Bai Nian’s resignation, the Seventh Division is now ownerless. If Qian Ye can swallow it, it is only right to give it to him. However, to acquire the independent division’s title, it is not so easy. Besides taking on the corresponding responsibilities, one must pay a sufficient price!”

Everyone nodded in agreement, even the big shots who had benefited from the Dong family. The mention of the price added a subtle change to the matter.

“What kind of price?” someone asked.

The fierce general glared, “Of course, it’s a punitive expedition! Otherwise, how can our Expeditionary Force save face? If that brat can win this battle, it will prove his strength, and then giving him a title wouldn’t be an overstep. Whether it will be an independent division can be discussed later.”

Wen Ruo Cheng said calmly, “The question is, who will lead the punitive expedition?”

“Thi…this…” The fierce general looked at Xiao Ling Shi, tongue-tied and unable to answer.

This was a simple question. Suppressing rebels and quelling disturbances fell within Xiao Ling Shi’s jurisdiction, so when the headquarters received reports of unrest in Blackflow City, it was Xiao who convened this meeting. But today, Xiao Ling Shi had no intention of responding, leaving the fierce general at a loss.

As a major general, Xiao Ling Shi commanded the Fourth Group Army of the Expeditionary Force. His power and authority far exceeded those present. The general was only a lieutenant, and if Xiao didn’t speak, he dared not ask directly.

Since Xiao Ling Shi clearly had no intention of sending troops, the generals speculated. Some realized that the Expeditionary Force had recently welcomed a new deputy commander-in-chief, with the same rank and personal level as Xiao, but a higher military rank. Such differences usually stemmed from family background.

Moreover, Wen Ruo Cheng had hinted that Darkflame had a distinguished lineage, leading many to realize something, and some secretly hoped for a show. If it involved conflicts between several prestigious families, no one could fault Xiao Ling Shi for not intervening.

Therefore, the only option was to use the other forces in the Three Rivers County. However, though two of the other divisions had minor conflicts with the Seventh Division during the Wei family’s rule, it would still be challenging to send them to attack Blackflow City.

Siege warfare was difficult, and such punitive actions couldn’t end in occupation. If they won, they would have to return the city to Dong Qi Feng; if they lost, it would be disastrous. Without sufficient benefits, no one would take on such a thankless task. The fierce general himself had two divisions but was unwilling to step forward.

Another long silence filled the room.

Finally, Wen Ruo Cheng broke the awkward silence, looking confident. “Since Darkflame has swallowed the Seventh Division, we should leave it to General Dong. In my opinion, we should send him to punish Qian Ye. What do you think, gentlemen?”

Everyone cheered. A faint smile flashed in Xiao Ling Shi’s eyes, then vanished into a calm facade.

Soon, Dong Qi Feng and Du Yuan Ze, waiting outside, learned of the decision. They were both shocked.

Dong Qi Feng was here to take over the Seventh Division. With only a few dozen personal guards, how could he possibly attack Blackflow City? It would be suicidal, not to mention foolish.

Dong Qi Feng was furious, his face turning pale and his fat trembling. But he knew it was not the time to lose his temper. Wen Ruo Cheng had explained everything clearly, backed by the regulations of the Expeditionary Force. If it came to exploiting loopholes in military law, the Dong family was no match for the veteran general who had served in the Expeditionary Force all his life.

Dong Qi Feng swallowed his anger, walking out of the meeting room with great difficulty, knowing that the gold coins and beautiful women he had sent were likely wasted.

The big shots of the Expeditionary Force were insatiably greedy and would never spit out what they had swallowed. To oppose Xiao Ling Shi’s decision, he would need to invest even more, a task of a different magnitude.

“General, what should we do now?” Du Yuan Ze asked hesitantly. He was also distressed, being a mid-level officer without real power. In the Dong family, he was merely a seventh-level warrior, with only the treatment of a mid-level manager.

Dong Qi Feng, his face as grim as water, gritted his teeth, “What to do? Mobilize the family’s forces and eliminate that damn Qian Ye! Daring to snatch my Seventh Division, I’ll kill every last one of those scum!”

Du Yuan Ze shrank back, saying nothing. He had witnessed the entire attack on the Seventh Division’s headquarters, especially the young battalion commander, who seemed even more terrifying than a warlord.

Sending troops from the main family would be costly and futile. Even if they captured Blackflow City, it would be reduced to ruins, a net loss. It would be better to find an unclaimed land and build a new city.

But Dong Qi Feng was in a rage, and Du Yuan Ze did not dare to speak further.

Meanwhile, Qian Ye sat in the top office of the Seventh Division, studying a map of the entire Three Rivers County.

The map was unique, showing the terrain of the dark region five hundred kilometers beyond the Three Rivers County’s front line, with detailed annotations of the dark forces’ distribution. This was the result of Song Hu’s months of effort.

Qian Ye pondered, tracing imaginary lines on the map. Some led to the dark territories, while others led deeper into the Three Rivers County. He was considering a westward plan but had to watch his back.

Dong Qi Feng would not let this go, and the neighboring divisions, having varying involvement in Wu Zheng Nan’s affairs, were still a threat.

Putting down the map, Qian Ye picked up a stack of documents—matters requiring his attention or approval, now including Blackflow City’s defense.

After merging with the Seventh Division, Song Hu was overwhelmed. The elite bloodline seeds and A Qi, A Jiu, no matter how fast they grew, could not keep up with Darkflame’s expansion. A few from Song Zi Ning’s special forces unit could help, but it was still insufficient for the upcoming independent division. Qian Ye felt he needed a few vice commanders.

On top of the stack were two personal letters. The first was from Song Zi Ning, brief in content.

Song began by reassuring Qian Ye, hinting that he had always cooperated well with key figures in the Expeditionary Force. The matter of the division’s title would be resolved soon, at a reasonable cost. Once he finished his current tasks, he would come to Blackflow City to assist Qian Ye.

Qian Ye was pleased until Song pivoted to talk about the latest batch of goods from Hidden Spring, supposedly the best quality to date. Such an opportunity must not be missed, and Song planned to take Qian Ye along to see them.

Song was excited, suggesting that with A Qi, A Jiu, and A Shi, Qian Ye could form a beauty guard, a delightful prospect.

Qian Ye could only smile bitterly, determined not to follow Song to Hidden Spring. While Song was great, his habit of gifting women was too much. If this continued, Qian Ye’s earnings from battles would hardly suffice to maintain them.

Then, Qian Ye remembered Song’s words: girls from Hidden Spring did not need to be supported. They were not only beautiful but also capable, like A Qi and A Jiu.

Perhaps only Song Zi Ning could have such a unique perspective.

The second letter surprised Qian Ye. It was from Wei Po Tian. According to the date, Wei Bai Nian had not yet returned to the Far East Province.

Indeed, Wei Po Tian seemed unaware of recent events in Blackflow City. The letter was short, mainly discussing how thrilling the recent battles had been.

At the end, he mentioned encountering some trouble, not serious but something he could not handle. Following the principle of sharing burdens, he planned to pass some of the trouble to Qian Ye.

Reading this, Qian Ye had a bad feeling.