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Chapter 61 Lessons Learned from Superpower Battles: Don't Be Limited by Superpowers

Liu Shuyue laid out her entire plan.

First, she needs to transfer the hunting team from Mala Village to Jiufeng City to make up for the gap in the strength of the cultivators between the two sides.

The members of the hunting team were all villagers whose combat abilities were enhanced after bathing in dragon blood. They were now considered to have stepped into the realm of cultivators, practicing the orthodox techniques of the Lotus Cloud Sect, and their strength was no weaker than that of ordinary rogue cultivators.

This group consists of approximately two hundred people.

Moreover, the spicy village and shops are connected by VIP rooms, so there is no fear of the enemy using a diversionary tactic.

"Can they defeat those rogue cultivators?" Chen Xuan couldn't help but worry. "Eliminating demons is not the same as fighting one's own kind."

That was the dish he had his eye on... no, it was his guest!
According to Liu Shuyue's previous statement, rogue cultivators and evil cultivators are essentially the same thing. They both gained the ability to sense qi by some chance encounter, and the cultivation methods they practice are also very strange. It is common for them to break the law with their martial arts. They are usually suppressed by the Lianyun Sect disciples and the government and cannot raise their heads.

But looking at it from another angle, the fact that they could persevere under such harsh training conditions suggests either exceptional talent or incredible resilience. Coupled with their habit of risking their lives in everything they do, their combat experience is probably unmatched by a group of honest and simple villagers.

Liu Shuyue's expression was no longer as relaxed as before. "There will inevitably be casualties in any fight. They have only been practicing for a short time, and I haven't even had time to teach them how to fight against cultivators. Fortunately, the enemy is also a disorganized bunch, and for now they should focus on harassment and sneak attacks, so they still have time to adapt."

Next was the recruitment of militia, mainly from the Liu family. Thanks to their past association with the immortals, the Liu family had considerable influence in the area, so it shouldn't be difficult to gather a force. Liu Shuyue didn't expect these people to go out of the city to fight the army in open battle; with the support of the formation, they could still hold off a portion of the enemy forces.

The final step was Liu Shuyue.

As the strongest fighter, she needs to put out fires everywhere, launch surprise attacks on enemy generals and officers when the army is mobilized, and snipe the experts among the enemy's rogue cultivators to relieve the pressure on the hunting team.

“If we can successfully repel their encirclements a few times and eliminate one or two local armies, King Qi might realize that he can’t threaten me with the killing of the people of Yunzhou. If we lose again, he will have to consider whether his throne is secure.” Liu Shuyue said slowly, “Of course, in that case, it would be considered that I have openly rebelled, and King Qi probably will no longer abide by the agreement with Lianyun Sect.”

As she said this, a hint of worry flashed in her eyes, but it was quickly overshadowed by an even stronger conviction.

"Can I ask what the specific agreement is?" Chen Xuan asked curiously.

“Countries recognize the Lotus Cloud Sect as the orthodox lineage of the Great Dao, and the Lotus Cloud Sect sends its disciples to assist the country and save the world. That’s roughly how it works.” Liu Shuyue paused slightly. “However, I only heard this from my master. I have never seen the document myself, after all, it is an agreement made more than a thousand years ago.”

"Won't the Lotus Cloud Sect send someone to punish you?"

She shook her head. "Master said that the mountain gate will only open once every hundred years."

"Then it doesn't matter," Chen Xuan said dismissively. He even felt that perhaps some monarchs had already done this, at most being punished by iron fists and dying and their kingdoms destroyed.

“Even if the sect sends people to arrest me, I will have a clear conscience.” Liu Shuyue’s awareness was clearly higher. “Because I have never disobeyed my master’s teachings.”

Chen Xuan smiled. "You came to see me for more than just to share the situation, didn't you?"

“That’s right. There’s no room for maneuver in any part of this plan. If King Qi is determined to keep escalating the situation, we will inevitably fall into a disadvantageous position… or even a desperate situation.” Liu Shuyue said solemnly, “For example, if the other side mobilizes the Imperial Guards or recruits rogue cultivators from other countries with heavy rewards, Mala Village alone cannot withstand it.”

That's a real war, Chen Xuan thought. "You want me to help you fill this gap."

“Yes, you are my biggest trump card. No matter how much the King of Qi schemes, he can’t have foreseen your existence.” Liu Shuyue nodded. “I am also willing to pay with my abilities as compensation. You can choose whatever you like.”

This was the first time she had ever said something like that.

However, Chen Xuan wasn't in a hurry to trade abilities. If a major battle were to break out in Yunzhou, choosing her ability now would weaken his own forces. Liu Shuyue's value wasn't solely in her abilities; the Spicy Village behind her was also a market he couldn't afford to lose.

"No rush, it's not too late to make the trade after we win."

"Are you sure I can win?" Liu Shuyue asked in surprise. In the worst-case scenario, they would be facing the entire force that a kingdom could mobilize. With Chen Xuan's help, it would already be an ideal situation if the two sides could maintain a balance of power. She didn't expect him to be so certain of victory right from the start.

"If we can't win, we don't have to pay." Chen Xuan seemed confident. "Go back to Mala Village and gather the men. I'll let you know as soon as I have news."

After Liu Shuyue left, he stared intently at Lin Qing, making her feel somewhat uncomfortable as she asked, "Uh... what do you want me to do?"

"When I was looking at the declassified documents from the U.S. military, I found that some of them mentioned that you had cooperated with many arms dealers?"

“That’s true,” Lin Qing searched her memory bank. “In the early days, both government agencies and large corporations needed weapons to arm their private forces. However, with the rapid advancement of cybernetic technology, government agencies themselves became the largest arms manufacturers, and the cooperation ended.”

"That's good." Chen Xuan said, "Help me investigate them, check their business scope, and see if they've recently made any connections with the Weixian Agency." She tilted her head and looked at him for a while, "Manager, you're not thinking of buying weapons from them, are you?"

“Otherwise, we can’t just invite them for afternoon tea, can we?” Chen Xuan spread his hands. “You heard it just now. The Liu family and the people of Jiufeng City have to deal with tens of thousands of troops from various states, and a hunting team of two hundred people have to face cultivators who outnumber them. The most feasible way to reverse this disadvantage is to upgrade their weapons.”

If everyone had a gun, would Yunzhou still be in chaos?

“Okay, I’ll help you make the contact.” Lin Qing’s eyes sparkled, a reflection of the massive amount of data being retrieved by the brain-computer interface. “There are six people worldwide whose information matches… four of them have not yet made contact with the authorities.”

"Can you send a letter in a manner similar to that of the government agencies?"

“Forging an offer? That’s not difficult.” She nodded. “I can even use the official channels to send a special letter—that would significantly reduce the trust costs. Just a moment…”

It goes without saying whether it's easier to get a response when dealing with an individual seller or with an organization or group.

"OK, the letter has been sent."

"So fast?" Chen Xuan asked in surprise.

"Xiao Lü handled it," Lin Qing said with a smug look. "But do you have that much money? It's easy to get them to reply, but these people probably won't supply goods easily without seeing the money."

After all, in terms of numbers, it would need to arm at least a militia force.

“I won’t pay.” Chen Xuan had already thought about this. “Since it’s an organization that’s doing business with them, they can naturally use something unique to the organization to pay.”

Tell them that the reward is "ability."

……

……

"Knock knock." Two knocks sounded on the study door. "Father, it's me, Geo."

Walter put down his book and wagged his finger at the burly men in the room. They immediately lifted a man whose face was covered in blood, gagged him, and dragged him into the next room. Then someone else returned, wiping the bloodstains on the floor with a rag and tidying up the slightly messy chairs. Once everything was spotless, he said in a raised voice, "Come in."

The door opened, and his eldest son, Gio Weiss, strode into the room.

"What's the matter?" Walter asked in his usual hoarse voice.

“I just received a deal negotiation regarding small arms, with no specific type specified. I inquired and they seem to accept either M16s or AK47s,” Geo said expressionlessly.

Walter felt a pang of regret; he hadn't smiled at himself since the explosion two months ago that killed Gio's wife.

Walter could vaguely sense that the other person didn't like the job, but as the eldest son, he was traditionally the one who should inherit the family business.

"You can talk to them directly about this; there's no need to report to me," Walter replied slowly. "The fact that they found you directly means they were introduced by a friend. Just don't forget to transfer the money first."

The family runs an arms trading company, selling both their own products and other companies' popular items. They do legal business, but they also take on illegal ventures.

Unlike brick-and-mortar retail, the company's business is entirely wholesale, offering large quantities at low prices.

Light weapons like guns are considered scraps in the trade, especially second-hand guns that are weighed and sold by weight. He basically doesn't get involved in those, but instead leaves the business to his children, which is also a way for them to familiarize themselves with the company's operations in advance.

“However, the offeror this time is a bit special…” Gio hesitated before continuing.

"Oh?" Walter withdrew his hand, which had been about to let his eldest son leave. "What's so special about him?"

"The other party claims to be from a limited agency... and the transaction fee is ability," the eldest son said.

Walter Weiss was jolted and immediately sat up straight.

(End of this chapter)