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

Chapter 56 Showdown, Grand Commander!

The night was deep, and the candlelight flickered in the study of Changshan County Government Office, casting long shadows of the two men on the wall.

Now that things have come to this, there's no need for any further concealment.

Chen Sheng frankly stated his purpose—to control the military power of the entire county.

The implication is clear: he wants the position of Commander-in-Chief of the Changshan Military Camp.

Wu Kuang listened without any surprise. From the moment Chen Sheng stepped into the study carrying the bandit leader's head and frankly admitted to killing Chu Yueshan, he knew that this young man's goal was to ascend to the position of Grand Commander.

Logically, he should be happy.

After all, Chen Sheng was a trusted confidant whom he had personally promoted. The two had established initial trust since their time in the Mountain Battalion, and Chen Sheng had performed exceptionally well after taking office in Changshan County. He had even hinted long ago that the position of Grand Commander was reserved for Chen Sheng.

However, the sudden surprise came too quickly for him to fully accept.

It wasn't that he didn't believe in Chen Sheng's abilities, but he suddenly felt uneasy about things slipping out of his control, and even a trace of indescribable apprehension quietly grew in his heart.

But this emotion came quickly and went quickly.

Wu Kuang had always been very insightful about power and beauty, and after a moment's thought, he made his decision.

"Do you remember what I said when I took office?" Wu Kuang stared intently at Chen Sheng.

"That night, my lord said, 'If you do not betray me, I will not betray you.'" Chen Sheng's voice was solemn, and his gaze was firm.

"If you do not betray me, I will not betray you."

Wu Kuang walked up to Chen Sheng and took out a document he had prepared beforehand from his sleeve. “I have misjudged many people in my life, but this time, I have not misjudged anyone.”

The document contained his letter of recommendation to the prefectural city, recommending Chen Sheng for the position of commander-in-chief of the military camp.

Chen Sheng quickly scanned it, his expression serious:

"If it weren't for the county magistrate's promotion, I might have been sent to guard the border, and I would never have the honor I have today. I will always remember your kindness."

This is not only a heart-to-heart talk, but also a statement of commitment.

From the moment Chen Sheng broke through to the Marrow Transformation Realm and was about to take command of the military, their relationship had already subtly changed, because in this turbulent world, military power was of paramount importance.

He will have the ability to threaten the other party, so he needs to make promises to reassure them.

"From this day forward, you will be the acting commander of the Changshan County Armed Forces Battalion, in charge of all the troops."

Wu Kuang patted Chen Sheng on the shoulder heavily: "Once the official document from the prefectural city is issued, the word 'substitute' can be removed. From now on, we will share wealth and honor."

"Your subordinate thanks the county magistrate."

Chen Sheng said earnestly.

Now that Chu Yueshan is dead, we should speed up our actions.

Wu Kuang then took out a thick list: "This is the background information of all personnel above the rank of corporal in the military battalion that I have investigated. The people marked on the list are all deeply involved with several major families. Since you are temporarily assuming the position of Grand Commander, you should thoroughly purge them. After that, take action against the three major families!"

He lacked the confidence to take action before, firstly because the military battalion was not under his control. From the Grand Commander Chu Yueshan to the other three commanders besides Chen Sheng, none of them were his men.

Secondly, the three major families have extraordinary resources, and if they really fight to the death, unexpected changes may occur.

That's why he had previously considered transferring a Marrow Transformation Realm expert from the prefectural city. But things are different now. Now that Chen Sheng has broken through, and has a Marrow Transformation Realm expert who uses poison by his side, once he unifies the entire military camp and gathers the strength of the entire county's troops...

Then there's nothing to fear anymore.

Chen Sheng took the list and looked at it carefully. The contents were indeed much more detailed than those provided by Chu Yueshan. Even the background of each person and the depth of their relationship with each family were clearly marked.

"The bandit suppression is complete. Although I have blocked the news, it is hard to guarantee that the three major families will not find out. Therefore, I plan to purge them as soon as possible and will take action first thing tomorrow morning to wipe out the entire Gao family."

His tone was calm, but his words were filled with a strong sense of murderous intent.

Since taking office, the Gao family has repeatedly targeted him, and he has had to 'give in a little'. But now that he has broken through to the Marrow Transformation Realm and is protected by the Blood Fiend Demon Talisman, it is time to settle scores.

His reasons for meeting Wu Kuang first were twofold: first, to demonstrate his stance and strength and gain the authority of the Grand Commander; and second, to obtain this list—on the way back to the city, the [Avoid Misfortune and Seek Good Fortune] celestial book once again displayed a warning:
"My name is Chen Sheng. When you see this, I am filled with remorse. I killed my father first, and then I made enemies repeatedly. I was determined to eradicate the Gao family. However, I ultimately underestimated the influence of the three major families in Changshan County."

Before I could even prepare to act, someone in the army tipped me off. Ultimately, by the time I made my move, key figures in the Gao family had already received the news and left Changshan City with their family treasures and direct descendants. If I had known this earlier, I should have obtained the detailed list from Wu Kuang first and begun the purge.

If that's the case, I might even be able to obtain the Gao family's body-refining treasure, the 'Golden Jade Ointment.' This is a secret Buddhist technique, incredibly effective for body refining, and perfectly suited to Buddhist cultivation methods. If I could obtain it, my cultivation would undoubtedly advance further. Unfortunately, in this world...

Wu Kuang hesitated for a moment, then nodded heavily:
"Indeed, it's time for a reckoning. Let's start with the Gao family!"

"Yes."

Chen Sheng bowed and took his leave, his figure quickly disappearing into the night.

Wu Kuang gazed in the direction he had gone, his eyes deep and silent for a long time. This young man, who had once needed his promotion, had grown up completely, and he would have to deal with him in a different way.

The military camp was brightly lit.

"Is everything settled?" Chen Sheng had just returned to the camp when he immediately summoned Deputy Commander Cheng.

"Reporting to Your Excellency, everything has been settled, and most of them have already gone to sleep," Cheng Yanhua replied in a low voice.

"During this period, did anyone attempt to secretly leave the camp?" Chen Sheng continued to press.

After returning from suppressing the bandits at Black Snake Water Village, to prevent the news from leaking out, not only did the ships not dock, but all of the more than two hundred soldiers he brought back were also taken back to the military camp to rest.

His reason was "to facilitate the unified commendation of merits tomorrow," and he strictly ordered that "those who leave the camp without cause will have their merits stripped."

Despite the soldiers' exhaustion and complaints, no one dared to disobey orders. After a fierce battle and a long journey, everyone quickly returned to their barracks to rest.

Before Cheng Yanhua could answer, Li Huaisheng, who was standing to the side, whispered first, "Reporting to Your Excellency, two people attempted to climb over the wall and leave the camp, and have been executed on the spot by your subordinates."

Chen Sheng nodded slightly: "Very good."

In fact, his original intention was to take action against the Gao family overnight, but considering that the soldiers were exhausted and needed rest, he had to postpone the operation.

Upon hearing this, Cheng Yanhua, who was standing to the side, widened his eyes in surprise.

Just for climbing over the wall to leave the camp, why were they executed without any explanation?

At that moment, alarm bells rang in his mind, and a terrible guess gradually became clear in his mind.

Tomorrow morning, it will probably be much more than just a celebration of achievements.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

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