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墨書 Inktalez
The information that spread about the Battle of Jicheng was vague and fragmented. Outsiders could not grasp the details of that night, leading them to unleash their imaginations, painting a picture of the hurricane as if it were an army descending from the heavens, unstoppable wherever it went, as if aided by divine forces. This outcome was likely beyond the expectations of the instigator, Jufeng, and his best supporting character, Shi Yushu.
Riding on this wave of public opinion, Xue quickly began recruiting members for the Hurricane in Shandong Province. The Purple Jade Hall in Jicheng was nearly overwhelmed with visitors, and even Zhu Mao from Qingcheng found himself busier than ever.
To accommodate these newly recruited members, Xue, after consulting with Jufeng, decided to draft a temporary set of regulations. Those who passed the initial screening would be considered probationary members, receiving the same benefits and treatment as the veteran members of the Hurricane. However, they faced the constant risk of being dismissed at any moment; only those who excelled during their probation would be allowed to stay long-term.
Despite this, the crowd drawn by the reputation of the Hurricane surged like a tide. After two busy rounds of selection, they finally confirmed the first batch of recruits—892 individuals in total. Half of them were randomly assigned to remain in Shandong Province under a deputy leader at Purple Jade Hall, mixed with some original members of the Hurricane Gang to form a stationed force in Shandong.
The remaining new recruits set out that day with Xue leading the Hurricane's Purple Jade Hall and Underworld main forces to establish their base at the junction of Shanxi, Hebei, and Henan provinces.
While the Hurricane celebrated its victories with great momentum, Hua Gang could not help but feel invigorated, eagerly anticipating another glorious achievement akin to the Battle of Chaosheng.
The Battle of Chaosheng had been a turning point for Hua Gang thanks to Guan Chao; it seemed that once again they would need Guan Chao to serve as a bridge for their success.
Bill had been in Zhangjia City for two days. During this time, aside from his initial meeting with Yu Jianyuan to confirm what needed to be investigated, he had not shown his face again. As Yu Jianyuan watched Xue advance westward, he felt an unbearable itch within him, wishing he could sprout wings and fly over the obstacles before him.
However, those obstacles were not easily surmountable; let us not forget that it was this very group that had once erupted in power and swiftly ended a dynasty. Although the Unification Alliance had suffered defeat after defeat in countless battles since Jufeng returned home, their formidable strength could not be underestimated.
Thus, Yu Jianyuan constantly reminded himself to be patient and wait quietly until Bill brought news.
“How did it go?”
Seeing Bill's weathered face filled Yu Jianyuan with admiration; however, time was pressing, and he could not afford to be calm.
Bill revealed his characteristic confident smile and said solemnly, “It’s done!”
Yu Jianyuan had been waiting for this moment, and upon hearing those words, he could no longer contain his overwhelming joy. He burst into laughter and said, "Alright, let's take action tonight!"
Since arriving in Zhangjia City, the Unification Alliance had not ceased its friction with Hua Gang. However, Hua Gang was exceptionally cautious. Zhao Zhen had been looking for an opportunity to confront Hua Gang head-on, but to no avail. With no progress over the past few days, the inexperienced Zhao Zhen grew anxious. He had hoped to achieve a significant victory soon, both to silence the whispers within the Unification Alliance about his rise to power being due to his sister and to solidify his and his sister's positions for a promising future.
Unfortunately, things did not go as planned. Zhao Zhen couldn't find a breakthrough and was left pacing anxiously at home. Today, he heard that the hurricane led by Xue had reached the border of Jin Province, which only added to his distress as the leader of Jin Province.
After a dull lunch, he was discussing strategies against Hua Gang with a few trusted aides but remained at a loss.
"Damn it! Hua Gang is truly impenetrable. Every time we move, they are already on guard; they won't even engage in a proper battle. It's driving me crazy! If this continues, I might just lead an all-out assault on their stronghold."
Attacking a fortified position without superior strength would naturally result in slim chances of victory; this had been true throughout history. Zhao Zhen's frustration led him to speak such words out of desperation.
His outburst needed someone nearby to provide a way out; otherwise, if he truly led an army against them, the Unification Alliance might lose this territory.
Jiang Fa was someone Zhao Zhen had personally promoted and had a very close relationship with him. Skilled at reading situations and understanding people's hearts, Jiang Fa quickly sensed his leader's frustration and advised him, "Brother Zhao, we must not fall into Hua Gang's trap. They have avoided direct confrontation with us because they fear your strength. They are merely biding their time and trying to lure us into making a rash move. If we lose our composure now, all our hard work will be in vain!"
Jiang Fa's words were indeed pleasing to Zhao Zhen's ears, although he wondered how Jiang Fa could see any favorable circumstances amidst their troubles. After a moment of contemplation, Zhao Zhen calmed down and waved his sleeve in resignation, marking an end to his earlier decision.
Jiang Fa understood that if he wanted to succeed in life, it would only be through Zhao Zhen. Coincidentally, that morning he had overheard some information from elsewhere that might delight Zhao Zhen and earn him more favor.
Jiang Fa leaned forward slightly and spoke mysteriously, "Brother Zhao, I heard some news from my brother-in-law today that could be very beneficial for our campaign against Hua Gang."
Zhao Zhen paused at these words, wondering how Jiang Fa could have obtained information about the Unification Alliance's affairs that he himself did not know.
Anger slowly dissipated from Zhao Zhen's face as he fixed his gaze on Jiang Fa. "What news do you have? If I find out you made this up, don't expect me to go easy on you!"
Jiang Fa's expression turned serious as he quickly replied, "How could I dare deceive Brother Zhao? This information came to me by chance, and it's absolutely true."
Seeing that Jiang Fa didn't seem to be lying, Zhao Zhen couldn't help but feel a surge of curiosity. "You?"
Jiang Fa collected his thoughts and said, "I had lunch with my brother-in-law this morning. He's been stationed at Guan Chao's base, and he asked how things were going there. He hasn't made much progress; Hua Gang has been avoiding their base and targeting more distant locations instead. Moreover, the old subordinates of Guan Chao are saying that Mu Alliance Leader hasn't treated Guan Chao well enough. He fought to the bitter end for the Unification Alliance and was severely injured, only to be met with such treatment upon his return. Their spirits are completely crushed."
"Completely crushed." Jiang Fa emphasized this phrase, knowing how powerful tone could be; a seemingly ordinary statement could take on an entirely different meaning with a change in inflection.
Zhao Zhen's eyes narrowed, a chill spreading through him.
"So that's it! Alliance Leader Guan is a senior figure; we cannot afford to neglect him. Ah Fa, send someone to keep an eye on Guan Chao's base for me and see what tricks he’s up to."
Jiang Fa felt a surge of excitement at being entrusted with such an important task. "Ah Fa will take command!"
...
Ten hours earlier, just before dawn, Bill sat in a secluded bar in Zhangjia City with another man.
"Brother, this card has one million on it. If you fulfill your end of the deal, this card will be yours."
Bill smiled as he pushed the card across the table to the man, who shrugged and accepted it, slipping it into his pocket with a smile in return. "Don't worry, I'll handle it."
The man pretended to stand up to leave when Bill suddenly posed a question that halted his departure.
"I have a question I want to confirm: why do you hate your brother-in-law so much?"
The man turned around, his smile taking on a sinister quality as he replied with a wicked grin, "My sister used to be my woman, but ever since that bastard joined the Unification Alliance, he stole her away from me. Should I kill him and take my sister back?"
Bill felt a chill run down his spine at his words, deeply unsettled.
However, this matter had nothing to do with Bill; he only needed the Unification Alliance to be in turmoil, and that was enough for him.
Bill calmly uttered a seemingly random phrase, "I wish you happiness!"
The man nodded and smiled, "Pleasure doing business with you!"
(To be continued)
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