Becoming a god by following the natural order and seeking good fortune and avoiding misfortune.

Chapter 25 Eliminating Evil and Suppressing Bandits
"Your subordinate pays respects to the county commandant."

In the back hall of Changshan County Government Office, perhaps as Wu Kuang had instructed beforehand, Chen Sheng proceeded unimpeded directly to the inner room. At that moment, Wu Kuang was leisurely sipping a cup of fragrant tea. Upon seeing him enter, he casually waved.

"sit."

Chen Sheng sat down as instructed, and as soon as he sat down, he couldn't help but lean forward and ask:
"County Commandant, has there been any response from the prefectural city?"

Seeing his eagerness, Wu Kuang couldn't help but smile and put down his teacup: "I knew you couldn't hold back. These past few days, chaos has been breaking out in the north of the city. You must have been under a lot of pressure."

"My subordinates have clear goals and are well-informed. There are some minor disturbances, but I don't feel any pressure."

Chen Sheng shook his head calmly.

“You…” Wu Kuang pointed at him and chuckled, then his expression turned serious. He took a deep breath and his tone suddenly became solemn and grave. “The reply from the prefectural city has arrived.”

He paused, then looked sharply at Chen Sheng:

"The letter highly praised our previous efforts in rectifying military discipline and severely punishing those who defied authority, and encouraged us to continue our efforts and be courageous in taking on responsibilities. Furthermore... it clearly stated that as long as it does not lead to a large-scale popular uprising that causes the situation to completely spiral out of control, we can proceed with our actions without restraint!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Sheng felt a great weight lifted from his heart, but he knew that the one who truly needed this reassurance was Wu Kuang. He immediately and appropriately displayed a relieved expression:
"With the prefect's words, I am completely at ease and will certainly live up to the expectations of my superiors!"

"Hmm." Wu Kuang nodded in satisfaction, leaned forward slightly, and lowered his voice, "So, what are your plans for the next step?"

Chen Sheng's eyes narrowed, his killing intent undisguised:
"Your subordinates are prepared to wipe out the Seven Star Gang with lightning speed, crippling the Gao family first!"

“Just do it…” Wu Kuang’s eyes flashed, and his fingers tapped lightly on the table, clearly weighing the pros and cons and risks of this move.

Upon seeing this, Chen Sheng immediately explained:

"Rest assured, my lord, I will not act rashly. Before taking action, I will gather enough irrefutable evidence to ensure the Seven Star Gang's utter destruction. Treason, incitement to chaos, harming the people... every single one of these acts will make them deserving of death, and no one will be able to find fault with them."

"Once the Seven Star Gang falls, your achievements in the prefectural city will be a tangible testament to your competence, and will demonstrate the resolve and capability of the Changshan County Magistrate's Office. We will never allow you to be placed in a passive position."

As he spoke, Chen Sheng recounted the advantages they possessed, the resistance they might encounter, and their general strategy.

Of course, he deliberately left some "oversights" and "oversights" in a few details—this was precisely where he left room for Shangguan to point out his shortcomings and demonstrate his experience.

Sure enough, after listening, Wu Kuang pondered for a moment and then pointed out several key points:
"The evidence needs to be solid, leaving no room for doubt. Also, the Seven Star Gang's warehouses must be taken control immediately to prevent them from being looted or having their valuables secretly transferred..."

Chen Sheng's face immediately showed an expression of "sudden realization" and "admiration," and he repeatedly cupped his hands in greeting:
"The county magistrate is indeed experienced and thoughtful. I am still young and impetuous, and my thoughts are often different. Thank you for your guidance, sir!"

Wu Kuang laughed heartily, feeling quite pleased with himself. He waved his hand and said, "Hey, no need to be so modest. At your age, it's already rare to have such courage and strategy."

"Your Excellency, you are so complimentary."

After a few more words of flattery, Chen Sheng rose to take his leave and return to arrange the operation. Unexpectedly, Wu Kuang suddenly called him back, a hint of barely perceptible concern in his expression:

"How confident are you in dealing with Ma Changhai? His ability to rise to the position of gang leader is not to be underestimated. Perhaps I will need to personally oversee the operation..."

He acknowledged Chen Sheng's abilities, but considering his youth, he worried that Chen Sheng might not be able to fully control the situation in the rapidly changing battle.

Chen Sheng turned around, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said:

"Rest assured, Magistrate, the Seven Star Gang is nothing more than a minor nuisance. Why trouble you, sir, to take action personally? Leave it to me. However, if the Gao family and the magistrate get wind of this, it might cause further complications..."

Upon hearing this, Wu Kuang revealed a knowing and confident smile, and waved his sleeve, saying:
"If that's the case, then go ahead and do it. I'll handle the Gao family and Lin Shou for you. If they dare to make any rash moves, I'll take this opportunity to test their mettle!"

"With your words, sir, I have no more worries! I shall take my leave!"

……

North City Military Camp, Training Ground.

An atmosphere of grim determination permeated the air. Hundreds of armored and armed soldiers stood in formation, completely silent, save for the occasional clang of weapons clashing.

At the very front of the procession, ten dark "Wind-Breaking Crossbows" were lined up in a row, their thick bolts already strung, gleaming with a chilling light.

This is the government's true weapon of mass destruction for suppressing local forces and dealing with martial arts masters!
The crossbow bolt, once fired, possesses immense force; an ordinary martial artist would be injured upon contact, and even those at the Bone Forging Realm would not dare to confront it head-on. Below the Marrow Transformation Realm, it is a veritable weapon for reaping lives.

There are only about twenty such heavy crossbows in the entire Changshan County, and half of them have already been deployed this time. They are more than enough to deal with the Seven Star Gang.

Although the soldiers on the drill ground dared not whisper to each other, their eyes were filled with surprise and tension as they exchanged glances.

Such a display of force is no ordinary patrol or suppression operation!
Only Deputy Commander Cheng was pale, with beads of sweat on his forehead. He had a vague idea of ​​the shocking answer, but he couldn't believe that the government would actually take such drastic measures.

'Tap...tap...tap...'

The heavy, rhythmic sound of horses' hooves approached from afar, breaking the oppressive silence on the drill ground.

Everyone instinctively looked in the direction of the sound and saw Chen Sheng, dressed in light black armor, riding a magnificent black warhorse, slowly entering.

His gaze was calm, his face stern, and a heavy, chilling aura of someone who had experienced the bloodshed of battle swept over the entire training ground.

The warhorse stopped in the center of the training ground. Chen Sheng's sharp, hawk-like gaze slowly swept over every face below. No one dared to meet his eyes and lowered their heads. Even the words of advice that Deputy Commander Cheng was about to say were blocked by this invisible pressure.

"All officers and men obey orders!"

Chen Sheng's voice was not loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears, carrying a metallic quality: "Upon investigation, it has been found that Ma Changhai, the leader of the Seven Star Gang, and his cronies have been committing treason and colluding with bandits in Qinglin for many years, harming the local people, inciting refugees, and committing murder and robbery, accumulating countless blood debts that are too numerous to count! Now, the evidence is conclusive, and the case is ironclad!"

He paused slightly, letting his words settle in the hearts of the soldiers, before suddenly raising his voice: "I, the commander, am ordered by the county magistrate to wipe out the Seven Star Gang today, eliminate the wicked, purify the area, and restore a clear sky to the people of Changshan!"

The training ground was deathly silent, with only heavy breathing rising and falling.

Chen Sheng took in everyone's reactions, then suddenly changed the subject, even revealing a smile that could be described as "warm." However, the meaning behind that smile sent chills down everyone's spines:
"Of course, the above is the official explanation, the reason why we have a legitimate cause."

His voice regained some of its casualness, yet it became even more penetrating:

"As for private matters, I can be more frank with the brothers—these past few days, haven't those Seven Star Gang bastards been taking our North City Martial Camp too lightly? Running wild on our territory, they're courting death!"

He waved his hand sharply, his voice resolute and unwavering: "I, the commander, have only one sentence for you all to remember—annihilate the Seven Star Gang and confiscate all their illegal gains! Of the silver and goods obtained, after deducting the portion to be handed over to the government treasury, the remainder will be shared by you brothers... in wealth and honor!"

His gaze swept across the entire arena: "Those who bravely advance in this battle will be richly rewarded, and those who are unfortunately killed or wounded will receive double the compensation."

He suddenly shouted, "Tell me, should the Seven Star Gang be killed?!"

"He deserves to die!!" Yan Ming was the first to raise his arm and shout, his voice hoarse and strained.

"They deserve to die!!" Immediately afterwards, all the veterans who had followed from the Mountain Battalion erupted in a frenzied roar, like dry tinder that had been ignited. They had been holding back their anger for a long time!

"Kill! Kill! Kill!!"

The deafening shouts rose like waves of a tsunami, quickly infecting the local soldiers who were initially hesitant.

The allure of wealth, the passion of comrades, and the pent-up resentment against the long-standing arrogance of the Seven Star Gang were all ignited at this moment, and the roars of hundreds of people converged into a soaring murderous aura!

Chen Sheng nodded slightly, extremely satisfied with this morale. He suddenly turned his horse around, his whip pointing directly at the Seven Star Gang's headquarters, his voice like a drawn sword, icy and piercing:
"Target: Seven Star Gang headquarters—Let's go!"

"Yes, sir!" Yan Ming responded loudly and immediately began to make arrangements.

Squads of soldiers sprang into action, their armor clanging and their weapons gleaming. They propelled ten awe-inspiring crossbows out of the military camp like a torrent of steel, marching with heavy, orderly steps toward the core area of ​​the city's north.

"Commander, isn't this...isn't this too intense? Should we reconsider..." Deputy Commander Cheng finally found an opportunity, leaned close to Chen Sheng, and whispered with a pale face.

Chen Sheng didn't even look at him, but simply uttered two words with an undeniable air of authority:
"Set off."

Watching Chen Sheng's resolute back and the surging tide of soldiers, Deputy Commander Cheng gritted his teeth, ultimately daring not to disobey, and could only bite the bullet and quickly catch up with the troops.

Hundreds of fully armed officers and soldiers marched out of the military camp, making quite a spectacle.

Upon seeing this, the pedestrians and vendors on the long street were all horrified and fled in panic, hiding in the alleys on both sides. They peeked out and watched in horror as this murderous army passed through the market. Discussions and exclamations instantly rose from every corner.

(End of this chapter)