Chapter 4: Arranging Mountain Stronghold Affairs (Revised)

  The first dinner in this time and space, Xu Bin followed Second Uncle and Li Chengbing, who was the first to express his support for himself, and had a sumptuous dinner that was hard to come by. When he finished eating, Xu Bin looked at Li Chengbing, who was preparing to leave the dining hall.

  "Uncle Li, if you're not in a hurry to rest, later when there's time, Xiaobin wants to ask you some things privately."

  He became the taciturn Li Chengbing again, and when Xu Bin privately suggested a meeting, he only hesitated for a moment before nodding. He put down his unfinished meal and returned to the kitchen in the mountain stronghold, following Xu Bin to the conference hall at the center of the stronghold.

  Seeing Li Chengbing silently find a chair to sit down, Xu Bin quickly searched the room for the tea leaves that his late father had treasured and said: "Uncle Li, please have a seat and drink a cup of tea."

  For Xu Bin's enthusiastic hospitality, Li Chengbing, who had almost seen him grow up from a young age, didn't stand on ceremony and picked up the well-brewed tea, downing it in one gulp. He then quickly said: "Master, if there's anything that needs to be done, just arrange it!"

  It's really refreshing and straightforward!

  Xie Bin, who was a bit stingy with his words, didn't hold back and directly said: "Uncle Li, you've seen me grow up, and usually you're the closest to my father. This time we went down the mountain to make a fortune, as far as I know it should be a very secretive action. But why did we encounter an ambush by the city's official army on the mountain path?

  "With the courage of those government troops, how could they ambush us on our way down the mountain so accurately, and still be there so early in the morning? Haven't you ever thought that there might be some unknown reason behind this?"

  Xu Bin, who had entered the role of the leader of the mountain stronghold, thought back to today's ambush and felt that there was a problem with it. Compared to the young man from before, who had been frightened and disoriented when encountering an ambush, and hadn't even had time to react before being knocked unconscious. With his past experience as a special forces operative in ancient China and his adult mindset, Xu Bin thought that this was a pre-planned ambush specifically targeting their mountain stronghold.

  As far as he knew, that cheap father was a cautious person, every time before acting, he would be careful and cautious again. In theory, these government troops should not have run into the deep mountains, and they even set up an ambush on their way down.

  But today's sudden change told Xu Bin that the news of their mountain stronghold making a fortune today should have been leaked to those officials and soldiers outside the mountain in advance. Otherwise, why would the county government troops who were more than ten kilometers away from the mountain stronghold be waiting in ambush in the valley where they went down the mountain early in the morning after eating their fill?

  Xu Bin's first reaction to understanding this was that it was very likely that there were government soldiers or spies from opposing forces hiding in the Black Wind Fortress. If there really were malicious spies within the fortress, Xu Bin couldn't guess what kind of sabotage they would carry out next.

  From Xu Bin's words just now, Li Chengbing, as the leader of the mountain stronghold, could easily hear the meaning behind them. He frowned, seemingly not daring to believe it, and said: "Does the master mean that there is a traitor in our mountain stronghold?"

  Seeing Li Chengbing understand his meaning, Xu Bin nodded calmly and said: "Uncle Li, do you think there's any other reason that can explain why we were ambushed by government troops halfway down the mountain as soon as we came down today?"

  It seems that Li Chengbing, who was possibly startled by this, said with some surprise: "Listening to you say this, it's really possible. But as far as I know, today's descent action, except for me and the two masters, absolutely no more than five people know the route down the mountain. Moreover, every time only before departure, the master will announce where to go to make a fortune.

  Even if there is a traitor in the bandits who wants to inform on them, it's impossible for him to spread the news of their descent so quickly to the government troops in the county town, isn't this a bit illogical?

  Listening to Li Chengbing's analysis, Xu Bin thought for a moment and said: "Actually, Uncle Li, think about it. Every time our mountain stronghold went down the mountain in the past, it seemed like there was no pattern. But if you really pay attention, there are still clues to be found."

  "Every time before going down the mountain, Father would arrange for someone to go down and gather intelligence in advance. Once the target is selected, it will be acted upon within three days at most. Do you think that traitor could have informed those officials to set up an ambush on the road based on Father's habit?"

  Xu Bin said that, and Li Chengbing felt a bit reasonable again. After thinking for half a day, he couldn't figure out the reason, so he could only smile bitterly and say: "Master, I'm a rough man, this kind of twisted thing is really hard to think about. Just tell me directly what you need me to do, as long as I can do it, I'll definitely help you get it done."

  Alright! Another genius who's too lazy to think for himself!

  As for Li Chengbing's confession, Xu Bin thought for a moment and said quickly: "Since Uncle Li is willing to help me, I hope you can take care of a few things for me next. First, we need to arrange the sentries at the mountain stronghold tonight, and even add two more hidden sentries, all of whom will be arranged by Uncle Li."

  The location of these secret signals, apart from me, Uncle Li doesn't need to inform anyone else, just set up the secret signals in the most critical positions, this is also to guard against those fellow villagers in the mountain who might have ideas about our stronghold at night or recently.

  Also secretly investigate all the survivors today, focusing on the brothers who have been in close contact with their father. Remember not to alarm them. Since this person can get in touch with the officials and soldiers in the city, they must have ulterior motives for the mountain stronghold.

  Even if we can't catch him this time, he will eventually reveal his true colors. What you and I need to do now is to pretend that nothing has happened on the surface, but secretly monitor some suspicious people, and once we find conclusive evidence of treason, immediately take him down and bring him to trial in front of our comrades.

  I want to see who in this group is so depraved as to betray their father and the rest of the dead brothers. If I don't skin that beast alive to avenge my father and brothers, I, the eldest son, will have no face to show anyone from now on.

  These two things need Uncle Li to take care of for the time being, I've just taken over the mountain stronghold and there aren't many brothers that I can fully trust. In the future, the mountain stronghold will have a lot of things going on and it won't be possible without relying on your support, Uncle Li. I also hope that you can work with me to make the mountain stronghold prosperous again, just like when Father was around.

  And I believe that in the near future, we may no longer need to hide in these mountains as bandits, but can walk down the mountain with our heads held high and tell the surrounding villagers that the people of Hei Feng Zhai are all good men. Even if we can't be good men, we should at least be good bandits. That way, even if we die, we'll die in peace. Uncle Li, don't you think so?

  Contrary to Xu Bin's expectations, Li Chengbing said indifferently: "Haven't you heard the saying 'good people don't live long'? I know it's tough here in the mountains, but at least it's quiet. Don't you really know what kind of life people outside are living?"

  I'm at this age, I don't have many years left to live. As long as the mountain stronghold can continue to operate, I am willing to be a good or bad person. If the master doesn't have anything else, I'll go down and make arrangements first. When there's any news, I will come to report to the master at the first time."

  Good people don't live long!

  It seems that in this era of warlords fighting each other, those who still have a kind heart may not even be able to keep their lives. After all, the old saying goes: 'A man has no intention of hurting a tiger, but a tiger always has the intention of harming a man.'

  Looking at Li Chengbing's slightly aging back as he walked out of the room, Xu Bin sighed that in this world, it was difficult to be a good person. Perhaps he also needed to start thinking about how the future of Heifengzhai should go. Staying in these mountains and living a life of small wealth and contentment was naturally the best life for those petty bandits and villagers who were satisfied with their current situation.

  He could be replaced by Xu Bin, a former Huaxia special forces soldier who yearned for battle and hot blood. This life of being a bandit, tying people up every day, was undoubtedly a waste and humiliation to his rebirth in this time and space.

  Although in this parallel space, the Dragon Flower Country in front of him is very similar to Huaxia, its future history may not be the same as that of the Republic of China he knew. However, Xu Bin would rather break the old rules and rely on his own abilities to make a name for himself in this space.

  Moreover, in the Longhua State where many Han people live, the common people are also suffering from hardships and difficulties. At this moment, the government of Longhua, which is dominated by returned overseas Chinese, is also facing internal and external troubles. The warlords in various regions are fighting each other to seize territories, causing widespread discontent among the people and making the lives of the common people even more miserable.

  Those Western European countries that supported these warlords also ran amok on the territory of Longhua. On their own soil, they enjoyed a second-class life. This made Xu Bin, who had a bit of an angry youth personality in his previous life, unable to sit idly by and watch his people suffer without taking action.

  "Truth is in the range of cannons" is now the true attitude of Western European powers towards Longhua State. Fortunately, Xu Bin was reborn in this space-time and has the advantage of military revolutionary experience that others do not possess. How could he be willing to stay in this mountain valley as a mountain bandit leader?