Chapter 127. Escort
After hearing it, Xu Yuan was sowhat surprised.
The escorting of supply lines had always been carried out under strict secrecy, yet this ti the Bai Family had suddenly managed to raid one?
And right after that, they wanted him to go patch things up in an ergency?
He pondered for a mont, then waved a hand. “Understood. You may go.”
After the clerk withdrew, Xu Yuan sat in the quiet chamber and carefully thought the matter through from beginning to end.
“Could it be that Han Li is already planning to make things difficult for ?”
At that thought, he imdiately rose to his feet and sent soone to invite Xiao Han over.
When the other man arrived, Xu Yuan explained the matter of the intercepted supply line.
After listening, Xiao Han frowned as well.
“I know about this. It truly was an accident. If we don’t send a six-ridian fighter to protect it, and another batch of resources gets intercepted, the front line probably won’t be able to hold.”
“But why in particular?” Xu Yuan looked at him, one brow lifting.
Xiao Han fell silent for a mont, then said with so indignation, “Who else could it be? It was naturally Huo Gang’s doing.”
He lowered his voice. “Following the battle overseer to strike at the front line this ti was most likely the sort of steady job where battle rit practically falls into your lap. But then this supply-line incident happened, and soone had to be sent to deal with it.”
“Huo Gang seized the chance to recomnd you to the battle overseer. He said that both he and Yuan Danqing were still carrying injuries, that my strength was insufficient, and that only Workshop Master Xu possessed extraordinary ability. After all, even He Feng had been forced back by you, so…”
“So after a bit of thought, Battle Overseer Han decided I should go?”
Xu Yuan spoke blandly. His face revealed nothing, yet a trace of coldness had already risen in his heart.
Whenever there was a profitable assignnt, those with connections were the ones sent to handle it.
Whenever it was dirty work or hard labor, it was pushed onto soone like him, who had no background to speak of.
Han Li really did know how to divide things “fairly.”
Seeing the change in Xu Yuan’s expression, Xiao Han said apologetically, “I did recomnd myself for the task as well, but Battle Overseer Han rejected outright on the grounds that my strength was insufficient.”
Xu Yuan waved a hand. “It has nothing to do with you.”
For him, there was actually not much difference in where he went. At most, the outco was a question of how much benefit there was to be had.
However…
“Huo Gang has truly treated as a stepping stone from beginning to end.”
Xu Yuan narrowed his eyes, a chill rising in his heart.
That man had never once looked on him favorably from the start, and afterward had treated him like a convenient tool ti and again, pushing and pulling him at will.
How could Xu Yuan possibly have no temper at all?
Seeing that his expression still looked grim, Xiao Han continued, “Still, don’t worry. If this matter is handled successfully, the battle overseer said he’ll reward you with one hundred and fifty points of battle rit. That’s no small amount.”
One hundred and fifty points of battle rit truly was not a small number.
Xu Yuan had gone from the four-ridian stage to the six-ridian stage while pulling in several hundred points of battle rit at a ti, making it seem as though earning rit was as easy as withdrawing money.
But that had only happened because he had either crushed weaker opponents from a higher realm, captured streets and rendered great service, or hidden his true strength and turned the tide at a critical mont… it was not as though every mission paid that well.
Still, escorting a shipnt of resources would take anywhere from ten days to half a month and would waste quite a bit of ti.
Xu Yuan was not short on battle rit now, but ti was the one thing he valued most.
Yet this was also not sothing he could refuse so easily. Han Li had only just taken office, and if Xu Yuan beca the very first person to deny him face, then in the future Han Li would likely “take extra care” of him even more.
That ran completely counter to Xu Yuan’s plan of lying low and quietly building up his strength.
“There’s one more thing…”
A thought suddenly flashed through Xu Yuan’s mind.
The Bai Family’s stronghold was steadily shrinking now. If they made no further moves, they would probably be completely driven out of the Level Three zone.
That was sothing the Bai Family absolutely could not accept.
“Thinking of it that way, going out on this mission might actually let avoid the major upheaval at the front line… Wait. The Bai Family knows that a seven-ridian expert has also arrived on this side. If they want to expand their gains, then they probably…”
Xu Yuan’s heart stirred. He raised his head and looked at Xiao Han.
“Tell the battle overseer that I accept.”
…
Within the Bai Family camp, inside a secret chamber.
The candlelight was dim, illuminating several blurry figures.
Chen Donghai, He Feng, and the others were seated together there, discussing matters.
But unlike before, there was now an additional middle-aged man in coarse hemp clothing seated in the place of honor.
He was none other than Liu Zhensi, the seven-ridian martial artist who had hidden himself among the crowd earlier and had gravely wounded Huo Gang and Yuan Danqing with a single palm strike.
Chen Donghai stepped forward, cupped his hands, and smiled. “Sir Liu, in another day or two, the Shangyang Residence will launch another advance. But with you presiding over things this ti, at least the overall situation is secure.”
Liu Zhensi let out a light laugh and said, “Workshop Master Chen, I’ve already reported that plan of yours to the higher-ups.”
“They thought very highly of it, so when the ti cos, they’ll send another seven-ridian fighter over to aid you. No matter what, we must strike down several of the Shangyang Residence’s vital arteries.”
Hearing that, Chen Donghai’s expression changed slightly. “Isn’t the family’s strength in the Level Four zone already stretched thin? If they send aid this ti, won’t it…”
Liu Zhensi waved a hand and cut him off.
“Don’t worry. This man is a newly advanced seven-ridian of our Bai Family. He will happen to serve as support for you, so it will not affect the Level Four zone.”
Chen Donghai was delighted to hear it, and a sharp gleam flashed through his eyes. “If that’s the case, then nothing can go wrong. We’ve retreated so many tis already. It’s ti we won ourselves a real victory.”
Liu Zhensi nodded, then looked toward He Feng at the side. “This ti, you will go together with Chen Donghai.”
Feng's eyes shifted slightly, and then he nodded in acceptance.
One of the two was bold and decisive, daring to think and act. The other was adept at planning and thorough in dealing with matters. Together, they made a perfect pair.
Liu Zhensi added, “Aside from the newly arrived seven-ridian, and the two of you, I will also transfer five four-ridian fighters and two five-ridian fighters from the various wards. Will that be enough?”
After making a quick estimate, Chen Donghai nodded.
“It will be enough. No matter how wary Han Li is, he will only send a six-ridian fighter over there. This ti, we are prepared while he is not, and with a seven-ridian expert holding the field, victory will be effortless!”
Feng revealed the sa pleased expression.
“If this succeeds, it will deal a massive blow to the Shangyang Residence’s montum and buy us a little breathing room.”
…
As the group finalized their plan, a conspiracy targeting the Shangyang Residence’s supply line slowly drew open its curtain.
Aside from the newly arrived seven-ridian fighter, along with Chen Donghai and He Feng, the rest would consist of several four-ridian and five-ridian martial artists.
Their numbers were not particularly large, but they were elite enough.
As for even higher-level eight-ridian martial artists?
They certainly wanted them, but first, they lacked the authority to command such people, and second, they were far too conspicuous.
However unwilling they were to admit it, the Bai Family truly did fear the Shangyang Residence at a subconscious level. They still did not dare go too far.
…
Xu Yuan, of course, knew nothing yet of everything the Bai Family had planned.
At that mont, he was standing in the rear courtyard of Changlin Ward, looking up at the gloomy sky as he calculated his coming itinerary.
Escorting the supply line would take at least half a month away from here.
Over at the front line, Han Li would be leading Huo Gang and the others in a major offensive, and they were bound to collide head-on with the Bai Family.
anwhile, he himself would be circling around to the rear, avoiding the fiercest part of the storm.
Still, Xu Yuan could not shake the feeling that matters were not that simple.
So that very day, he submitted a report to Han Li. To guard against another Bai Family ambush, he suggested assigning more escort strength, preferably with a seven-ridian expert secretly accompanying the convoy.
In the end, Han Li rejected the suggestion on the grounds that the Bai Family’s main forces would certainly be focused on the front line.
Huo Gang and the others also claid that even if the Bai Family launched another ambush this ti, they would most likely only want to harass the rear and would not deliberately shift their main focus.
As for that suggestion of bringing in a seven-ridian expert, it was even more laughable.
Would people at that level not already be in short supply in the Level Four zone?
Besides, Han Li had no intention of inviting another grand figure over at a ti like this to share his command authority.
So Xu Yuan ultimately returned empty-handed.
As for that, he could only sigh. “This world really is one gigantic ramshackle operation…”
Han Li may well have considered the possibility that the Bai Family would strike at the supply line again.
But he clearly had no desire to waste his attention on such trivial matters. In the end, there was not much credit to be gained from them anyway.
“The Shangyang Residence has deep roots and a profound foundation. It can withstand failure. But as one of the people directly involved, if sothing goes wrong, what I lose is my own life.”
If the people above could not be relied on, then Xu Yuan could only rely on himself.
All he could do was devote himself even more to the hard training of his martial arts in every aspect and improve his ability to stay alive.
At the sa ti, he also began inquiring into the new route of the supply line, just in case.
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