Martial Arts Across the Heavens: Becoming a Martial God Starting from the Big Boss in Tangshan

Chapter 163 This mission is to kill.

Shi Lanying's body trembled. She looked at Chen Wen, her lips moved a few times, but all her emotions finally turned into a fist salute, and a burning flame rekindled in her eyes: "Shi Lanying obeys! The Taiping Battalion will live up to the Commander's expectations!"

Huang Feihong quickly calculated in his mind, his eyes growing brighter and brighter: "Brother Chen, if we calculate it this way, our Blood Flag Army now has the foundation of our own veteran soldiers, the brothers we have recruited from the sea, and the Jing'an Camp in Foshan, plus the newly recruited White Lotus followers and the old brothers from the Taiping Camp—"

"If we include the ordinary people who are loyal to us, the potential strength is even more considerable!"

"Wow—it's only been a short time! The future looks incredibly bright!"

Yan Zhendong, Liang Kuan, and even Shi Lanying, who had just joined, all looked at Chen Wen, their faces filled with barely concealed excitement.

They saw it with their own eyes, or rather, heard it with their own ears.

In just a few months, this Mr. Chen went from being a lone individual to now commanding a region, and on the surface, he is a pirate tycoon who is a headache for the imperial court.

Secretly, they had already taken control of Foshan and connected with islands at sea.

They obtained Cheung Po Tsai's astonishing treasure and also possessed the powerful tool of a miraculous medicine.

Such a rapid rise is nothing short of a miracle.

Chen Wen looked at the excited gleam on everyone's faces, but shook his head, showing little joy.

"Don't be too happy yet, and don't get complacent."

"Our current foundation may seem good, but it is actually shallow. The road ahead is long and will certainly be more bumpy and difficult."

Everyone's hearts tightened, their excitement subsided slightly, and they all solemnly clasped their hands in greeting: "Sir, your teachings are correct! We will certainly guard against arrogance and impetuosity, and work even harder! Please give your instructions, sir!"

Chen Wen nodded and continued, "There's a sudden change in the situation right now. Here in the provincial capital, another rebel army is secretly plotting an uprising."

Liang Kuan's eyes lit up.

"A fellow traveler against the Qing? That's wonderful!"

Yan Zhendong and Shi Lanying also became curious.

Chen Wen shook his head: "Don't be too happy yet, and their uprising this time is unlikely to succeed."

"The imperial court attaches great importance to them. The Governor-General and General of Guangdong and Guangxi are already on alert, and the Commander of the Nine Gates, Nalan Yuanshu, personally took charge, mobilizing a large force to lay a tight net."

"They were unprepared and had a traitor who reported them, so it was almost certain they would lose."

The joy that had just appeared on everyone's faces faded away again.

"Then we—" Yan Zhendong quickly looked at Chen Wen, requesting instructions.

"We need to do two things." Chen Wen's gaze swept over everyone. "First, we need to prepare to receive and rescue the survivors after their failure, if possible."

"They are all brothers who oppose the Qing Dynasty; we should save as many as we can."

"Secondly, and more importantly!"

"We must take advantage of the chaos in Guangcheng, which will draw the attention of the government troops, to carry out our own plan!"

"Brother Chen, just give the order!" Huang Feihong said in a deep voice.

Chen Wen nodded, then looked at Liang Kuan first: "Ah Kuan, where are the Blood Flag Army soldiers who came with the ship this time? How many are there?"

Liang Kuan immediately straightened his chest and reported, "Sir, we have brought one hundred elite soldiers under the cover of transporting medicine. They are now scattered in several hidden strongholds outside the city."

"Furthermore, as per your orders, the main force of the Blood Flag Army, totaling two thousand men, is currently stationed in the Lingdingyang waters off the coast of Hainan Island, ready to dock at any time!"

Two thousand main force members! And one hundred elite troops are already by our side!

This number secretly alarmed Shi Lanying, and gave her a new understanding of the Blood Flag Army's strength.

Chen Wen nodded: "Very good! Pass down the order: all brothers, assemble secretly, check your weapons and equipment, and be ready to be deployed at any time."

"yes!"

Liang Kuan agreed, but a hint of hesitation appeared on his face. He glanced at the others and couldn't help but ask, "Sir, with so many people gathered this time, is it... to take advantage of this opportunity to seize Guangcheng?"

Upon hearing this, Huang Feihong, Yan Zhendong, and even the newly joined Shi Lanying all had a slight glint in their eyes.

Clearly, he had similar thoughts in mind.

After all, the Blood Flag Army is now strong and well-equipped, with a base on both land and sea, and the White Lotus Cult members as its eyes and ears. Taking advantage of the chaos in the provincial capital, it doesn't seem impossible for them to conquer it in one fell swoop.

Once they occupy a major city like Guangcheng, their power and influence will surely increase dramatically!

Yan Zhendong couldn't help but advise, "Sir, with our current strength, even if the imperial court mobilizes troops from the surrounding areas to attack, relying on the city's defenses, we might still be able to put up a fight!"

Huang Feihong also analyzed, "Moreover, Foshan and Guangzhou are very close. If the two places can support each other, the chances of holding the city are very high!"

Shi Lanying's eyes burned with urgency, as if she had been through it all: "Commander Chen, if we can capture the provincial capital in one fell swoop, it will surely shake the world!"

"When the time comes, we will raise our banner, and heroes from all directions will surely follow! We can then seize the opportunity to sweep across Guangdong and Guangxi, and even the entire Lingnan region, restoring the foundation of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. Great things will then be within our grasp!"

Everyone's eyes were fixed on Chen Wen, waiting for him to give the order to attack the city.

Chen Wen fell silent, his brows gradually furrowing.

He slowly shook his head and exhaled, "No! Guangcheng, we can't take it now."

"Why?" Liang Kuan asked anxiously, "This is a rare opportunity!"

Chen Wen quickly scanned the crowd, but asked a question.

"Taking it is easy, of course, but—what happens after we take it?"

"Like the Taiping Rebellion, occupying half the country, then rising to power only to decline and ultimately perish?"

"The Qing Dynasty was never our most formidable enemy."

"Our real adversaries are those foreigners! You could even say they're the whole world!"

"Indeed, the Qing government cannot defeat us! But they will certainly spare no expense to invite foreigners into their home and beg them to send troops to fight us!"

These words were like a bucket of cold water, instantly drenching Shi Lanying's heart and also jolting Huang Feihong, Yan Zhendong, and the others awake.

Because they all know it.

This is not speculation; it's a fact that has happened countless times!

In the past, the Heaven and Earth Society, the Nian Rebellion, the Taiping Rebellion, and even General Liu Yongfu of the Black Flag Army, how many times did these rebel armies hope to overthrow the Qing Dynasty!

But in the end, they were all defeated by foreign guns and cannons, or betrayed by the imperial court.

Especially the Taiping Army back then, they were treated like pigs and dogs and sold overseas as slaves!

The atmosphere in the room became heavy.

Shi Lanying recalled the foreign gun corps that helped the Qing forces attack the Heavenly Kingdom before the fall of Tianjing, her eyes filled with pain and hatred.

Chen Wen sighed and continued to explain: "Therefore, I have said long ago, store up grain, build high walls, and delay declaring yourself king."

"We must accumulate enough strength, not just to overthrow a dynasty, but to withstand all enemies!"

"To reveal our full strength and occupy a prominent position before that is tantamount to suicide."

His words left everyone speechless.

After their initial enthusiasm cooled, they all fell into deep thought.

Huang Feihong let out a long breath and was the first to clasp his hands in a fist salute: "Brother Chen, your wisdom is profound, I have learned a lot. It was we who were too hasty."

Yan Zhendong clasped his hands in a deep fist salute: "Sir, your foresight is truly admirable. We will do as you say!"

Shi Lanying remained silent for a moment, then slowly nodded, a complex expression appearing in her weathered eyes: "It was I who was trapped by my old obsessions and acted hastily. What Commander Chen said is the wise way to govern the country. The lessons of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom are too profound."

Liang Kuan scratched his head: "So—what exactly are we going to do with this opportunity?"

Chen Wen had already prepared his answer and blurted out, "Murder!"