Chapter 65: Special Civilian Recruitment Mission
Chapter 65: Special Civilian Recruitment Mission
September 25, 2017
Thanks to 'Book Friend 150217010118226' for the generous reward!
Ps: Bro, can we choose a nickname?
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Lu HaiKong was genuinely trying to convince Wang Paozi, but the events of the day were far from over.
Wang Paozi approached Lu HaiKong again, and this time, he was much more straightforward. After the previous test, which was too exhausting, he simply handed over a mission without further ado.
"Congratulations! You've triggered a special civilian recruitment mission.
Available for Recruitment: Special Civilian 'Wang Dalili' (Pseudonym)
Recruitment Condition One: Ensure that 'Wang Damazi Fort' is not breached within ten days!
Upon completion, Condition Two will be triggered."
In truth, Wang Paozi's initial search for Lu HaiKong was to issue this very mission. However, at the beginning, he wanted to flaunt his intelligence and strategy, offering Lu HaiKong a grand display of his wisdom and guidance. Unfortunately, Lu HaiKong's nerves were a bit too sensitive, and he immediately poured his heart out, disrupting Wang Paozi's plan.
In the end, Wang Paozi had no choice but to assign the mission to Lu HaiKong in this manner.
Indeed, the profession of a mountain bandit is a high-risk one, but high risk often comes with high rewards. For instance, Lu HaiKong could quickly cultivate ten near-vassal-level subordinates using money, and there were many more hidden benefits. Aside from these, mountain bandits also had the greatest advantage of all.
In every mountain bandit camp with an extraordinary bandit leader, there was one or more individuals like Wang Paozi, and they were the greatest advantage for these extraordinary bandits.
Although they usually had other professions, these were mostly covers for their true identities. In reality, they were either civilians or military commanders, and they were recruitable.
While these individuals might not possess exceptional strength, being merely initial military commanders or civilians, recruiting them would undoubtedly make the journey of the extraordinary bandits much smoother.
Lu HaiKong had long suspected Wang Paozi's identity, so this recruitment mission didn't come as a surprise. However, the content of the mission caught him off guard.
"I was planning to retreat first, but now with this mission, it seems I can't avoid a direct confrontation with Shanwu County. This guy, Wang Paozi, is something else. I just asked him for something exciting, and he came up with this." Lu HaiKong fell silent for a moment, staring at the mission, and a smile gradually spread across his face. A sudden surge of adrenaline coursed through him.
Shanwu County
Despite his anger and reluctance, Gao Shun had no choice but to compromise after the fiasco at the barracks.
What good would it do to refuse? Gao Shun might create a scene and expose the Zhang family's true colors, but what then? The Zhang family would only lose face, while Gao Shun would offend the entire aristocratic family.
Gao Shun himself wasn't afraid; he could simply quit, and with his skills, he had nothing to fear from the Zhang family's retaliation. But what about his soldiers? They had to make a living, and they were no match for the Zhang family.
Gao Shun's challenge wasn't just against the Zhang family; it was against the entire distorted society. The path for the offspring of humble families to rise was firmly controlled by the aristocracy. As a member of a humble family, Gao Shun had two choices: serve the aristocratic families as a dog, hoping for a chance at promotion, or be trampled underfoot.
These were the rules of the game during the Late Eastern Han Dynasty, rules set by the aristocracy. If you didn't like it, don't play!
Gao Shun clearly lacked the power to break free from this distorted system, and he might not have even realized where the problem lay. Thus, despite his strength, he had no choice but to tread carefully within this environment, seeking a slim chance to rise above.
The matter was quickly swept under the rug, as the Zhang family neither punished Zhang Hao nor compensated Gao Shun, as if the incident had never occurred.
Under Zhang Ke's leadership, the county troops of Shanwu County began preparing for the suppression of the mountain bandits with great enthusiasm.
Eradicating the mountain bandits was no easy task, especially with the rumored existence of a formidable bandit who could single-handedly defeat over a hundred raiders. The dangers of this mission were apparent.
In this context, Gao Shun was not subjected to the Zhang family's obstacles; instead, he became the most deserving elite and central figure in this suppression campaign, or so it seemed. The Zhang family intended to use them as cannon fodder.
You're a capable fighter, Gao Shun, and your men are strong. Well, you and your troops will lead the way in this bandit suppression campaign!
Under these circumstances, Gao Shun's troops received a full supply of provisions and payments, and they were even issued a batch of brand-new, undamaged equipment.
At this point, Zhang Ke approached Gao Shun again, promising that if he performed admirably in this mission, the Zhang family would transfer him and his men to the border army at Yanmen.
In the 1619th chapter, a mistake was made!
This promise caught Gao Shun's attention. The border army at Yanmen faced constant invasions from the Huns and Xianbei, remaining in a perpetual state of war, and the dangers were no laughing matter. However, for Gao Shun, a transfer to the border army was an opportunity.
He couldn't believe that in an army constantly at war, his strength wouldn't earn him a higher position!
The Zhang family's promise hung like an unattainable carrot, yet it motivated Gao Shun. He had grown weary of Shanwu County; the air here seemed oppressive, and he desperately wanted to escape.
In this situation, on the first day of the Shanwu County bandit suppression campaign, Gao Shun and his men unleashed an extraordinary display of combat prowess. Starting from Shanwu County as a central point, they swiftly conquered three bandit forts in a single day, killing over a thousand bandits and seizing countless spoils.
Naturally, such intense combat resulted in significant casualties among Gao Shun's troops. Out of a company's strength, over a dozen of his men fell.
When Gao Shun returned to Shanwu County with over a dozen carts of spoils, he met with Zhang Ke. However, instead of joy, Zhang Ke's face was filled with anger: "Your task today was to take down just one fort. Did you need this much time for a single fort?"
"My lord, I eliminated one fort in less than an hour. Seeing that there was still time, I took down two more! You said before that in suppressing bandits, I could act as I saw fit!" Gao Shun replied without showing any sign of fear or disrespect.
"Good! Very good!" Zhang Ke was taken aback by Gao Shun's response. "The bandit suppression campaign is temporarily halted. Stand by for further orders!"
With that, Zhang Ke left. This time, his outburst wasn't without reason.
As Gao Shun and his men were suppressing bandits, Lu HaiKong and his group struck again, and once more, the victims were a caravan belonging to the Zhang family!
(End of Chapter)
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