The Fourth Volume: The Military Mind Stabilized

  After Wei Zhen left the mountain stronghold, news of 'hunting' spread rapidly under Zhao Yun's deliberate publicity.

  Moreover, Wei Zheng's promise to his twenty subordinates before departure was also transmitted to everyone without missing a single word.

  Although everyone had no hope for Wei Zheng's trip, what he did still conquered all the people in the mountain stronghold, making everyone more confident and admiring of their own leader.

  But just then, an unexpected event occurred beyond everyone's expectation.

  The master of the house who had no hope from everyone not only brought back prey but also brought back a whole wild boar.

  Similarly, bandits in the interior can eat meat and drink wine in large bowls. However, those located at the border can barely get a full stomach.

  Especially after the golden pony knocked on the pass, surrounded the military town of Zunhua City, and the entire mountain stronghold had no source of income due to the war. In a situation where food could not meet various needs, let alone pork, even a little oil was hard to come by.

  And now, the big boss has actually brought back a whole wild boar for everyone, which can't help but make everyone feel excited.

  Twenty men carrying wild boar and other game had not yet entered the stockade when all 42 remaining people in the stockade gathered at the gate under Zhao Yun's mobilization, waiting for everyone to return and take a look at the wild boars brought back by everyone.

  "Great Eldest Master has worked hard, I really didn't think you'd actually catch the prey and bring back a whole wild boar of this size..." Zhao Yun, also known as Mountain Stronghold's Second Master, was the first to welcome him. After taking a look at the wild boar that weighed at least 150 kilograms, he said with a sigh to Wei Zheng who was walking in front.

  Wei Zheng waved his hand and said in front of everyone at the mountain stronghold, "This is nothing, it's all the result of our collective efforts.... Looking at the brothers' eyes, they must not have eaten meat for a long time.... Tell Old Wang in the kitchen to stew this whole wild boar tonight and give the brothers a good supplement. As for the remaining pheasants and rabbits, also stew them and give them to the wounded members of our mountain stronghold as an extra meal to replenish their nutrition."

  Zhao Yun hesitated, and reminded Wei Zheng: "Master, it's not easy to catch a wild boar. Is it too wasteful to stew the whole thing at once? Shouldn't we save half for later? After all, our food is limited, and these pork can last us one more day."

  "Wei Zheng waved his hand and replied, "It's precisely because the food in our hands is limited that I let you brothers eat to your heart's content tonight. Only when we're full will we have the energy to train, go out and plunder for more food, and hold on until the Jin army withdraws. Besides, we've dug many pitfalls in the mountains behind us, and as long as we're not too unlucky, I guarantee there'll be wild boar meat to eat tomorrow."

  After taking a deep look at the increasingly confident master in front of him, Zhao Yun directly faced the dozens of eyes around him and shouted loudly: "Brothers, the master said: tonight we will eat wild boar meat to our heart's content. The wounded will each have an additional large bowl of chicken soup and rabbit meat. So, tonight all of us will be in luck."

  "Long live... the great master's long life... we'll have meat to eat tonight..." As soon as Zhao Yun finished speaking, more than sixty of his subordinates suddenly shouted in unison.

  In the cheers of more than seventy bandits, a wild boar weighing over 100 catties was quickly rushed to the kitchen by everyone.

  At the same time, the remaining men in the village were worried that the wild boar would run away and surrounded the kitchen, staring at the wild boar being cut into pieces of pork by Old Wang's knife.

  Just then, Zhao Yun suddenly came to Wang Feng's side and asked him: "Old Wang, tell me about the situation outside today. I feel that our master has changed into a different person since he got injured in the head. Not only is he more talkative than before, but his martial arts skills are also more powerful."

  Under Wang Feng's introduction, Wei Zheng 'shot and killed wild rabbits and pheasants with a hundred steps', 'used a long spear to pierce the head of a wild boar'... These shocking things that made Wang Feng feel shocked all the way, just like watching a movie, appeared in front of Zhao Yun.

  Although he felt that Wei Zheng was somewhat different from yesterday, Zhao Yun still did not expect that Wei Zheng's change would be so great, as if possessed by a god, becoming all-powerful.

  With a puzzled face, Zhao Yun asked uncertainly: "Old Wang, what you just said is true, didn't deceive me. Our family's really become so formidable?"

  Wang Feng said loudly and affirmatively: "Brother Zhao, I'm not the only one following the master, of course I won't cheat you."

  Upon hearing this, a bold idea suddenly emerged in Zhao Yun's mind, and he consulted with Wang Feng in front of him: "Old Wang, yesterday's heavy losses, the remaining brothers on the surface seem to have nothing to say, but there must be many people who are resentful in their hearts."

  "Now that the master of the house has suddenly become so formidable, our lives and livelihoods will depend on him from now on."

  "My idea is to spread the word about what Big Brother did today, tell the brothers that the current Big Brother is no longer the original Big Brother, but a god sent by heaven to save us. Only by following Big Brother can everyone survive. Let's eliminate all the resentment in everyone's hearts and further increase Big Brother's prestige in the mountain stronghold."

  Wei Zheng's display of formidable power throughout the day had shaken Wang Feng to his core. Moreover, since Wang Feng joined the mountain stronghold, he had already acknowledged Wei Zheng as his big boss, and naturally, he wanted to see Wei Zheng's strength grow stronger and stronger.

  Because, with the strengthening of Da Dangjia Wei Zheng's power, as a subordinate, he felt safer in this chaotic world.

  "Zhao brothers, I understand what you mean. I'll go find the brothers who came back with me and have them tell everyone about the great master's performance today. Tell the brothers that our current great master is a god incarnate, sent by heaven to protect us. Otherwise, how could the great master become so powerful in just one day..."

  The thick stewed meat fragrance quickly spread throughout the mountain stronghold, and more and more bandits began to gather towards the kitchen. At that time, Wei Zheng, the head of the household, was possessed by a divine spirit, and rumors specifically came to protect the beaten began to spread throughout the mountain stronghold.

  What's more, all the brothers in the mountain stronghold also believed it to be true.

  Because, the several large pots in the kitchen stewed wild boar meat that told everyone the truth. If the master of the house wasn't possessed by a god, how could he catch wild rabbits and mountain chickens, and even catch wild boars that are more ferocious than bears?

  When Wei Zheng appeared around the kitchen, everyone's gaze towards him had changed from original respect to worship and awe. And automatically gave way to Wei Zheng, letting him walk directly to the kitchen door.

  Wei Zheng couldn't help but reveal a hint of bitter smile after having already learned from Zhao Yun's mouth the specific reasons behind this series of changes.

  However, Wei Zheng also knew that in order to have a completely independent army and power of his own in the chaotic world, this change would only be beneficial, not harmful.

  After quickly adjusting his mood, Wei Zheng quickly shifted his gaze to Old Wang in front of him, who was stirring a large pot of wild boar meat with a big ladle.

  Taking a deep breath of the savory aroma, he smiled and asked Old Wang, "Old Wang, look at our brothers around us, they're all waiting anxiously, do you know if your braised pork is done yet?"

  Seeing the master who was already present in front of him, Old Wang hastily replied: "Master, everything is ready and waiting for you... Also, I specially stewed a chicken for you, it's in the small pot at the back, keeping warm, I'll go get it for you right away."

  "A whole chicken stewed just for me..." Wei Zheng muttered to himself, furrowing his brow.

  Although he knew that the current society had a very strict hierarchy, in order to gain the loyalty of the more than sixty people under his command, Wei Zheng, who was eager to drink a bowl of chicken soup to replenish his energy, still said with a dissatisfied face: "I'm not injured, what's the point of stewing chicken for me? Have you forgotten my previous orders?"

  After finishing speaking, he directly faced his back and shouted loudly.

  "Brothers, I don't care about the rules here before. From now on, whatever you eat, I'll follow. Send the stewed chicken to the wounded, they need the chicken soup to nourish their bodies more than I do..."

  After finishing, without waiting for everyone to react from their astonishment, he directly turned around and said to Old Wang: "Old Wang, it seems that your cooking skills are getting better and better. The aroma of the pork is even better than the head chef's at Zunhua City Wine Tower... Hurry up and serve me a bowl of wild boar meat, I haven't had any for a long time..."

  "Yes, of course, sir..." Old Wang hastily replied, and with a swift motion, he scooped up a bowl of the best pork for Wei Zheng.

  Eating from the same pot as his subordinates, this was a very ordinary thing in Wei Zheng's eyes. However, when it spread to the strictly hierarchical bandits, it directly caused a huge stir.

  Everyone eats the same food as their own, and shares the same joys and sorrows. What reason do they have not to go all out for everyone? This is what everyone silently vowed in their hearts after seeing Wei Zheng eat braised wild boar meat with them without any complaints.

  Everyone in the room was holding a large bowl of pork, and some couldn't resist the temptation, closing their eyes with a look of enjoyment as they savored the aroma of the meat. Zhao Yun, also known as Mountain Fortress II and one of Wei Zheng's trusted subordinates, suddenly stood up from his seat, holding a bowl filled with wild boar meat, and asked everyone.

  "Brothers, everyone tell me, who brought back the wild boar meat in our hands?"

  "Great leader....." Without any hesitation, more than sixty subordinates shouted in unison.

  "Very good....." In response to everyone's answer, Zhao Yun nodded his head in great satisfaction.

  Then, facing everyone, he continued to ask: "Brothers, without the master of the house, we wouldn't be alive today. Without the master of the house, even if we died, perhaps we couldn't even eat a bowl of this delicious wild boar meat. Tell me, how should we repay the master of the house..."

  "Swear to be loyal to the great master... Swear to be loyal to the great master..."

  Another roar of cheers erupted around the barracks, and only then did Zhao Yun give a satisfied smile under the gaze of eager eyes, finally commanding: "Alright, I hope everyone won't forget what was said tonight... Now, by my order, start eating meat..."