Volume 1: White Body Cold Gate Chapter 11 Only for Survival

  The suppression of Heifeng Mountain has ended. More than half of the black bandits have been killed, leaving only over 380 people, with half of them being wounded.

  At the same time, Wen Han had Zhou Lian count the losses of the people and horses of Xie County. The statistics made by Zhou Lian instantly made Pei Yuanshao, who was unintentionally listening in, feel extremely ashamed.

  The soldiers of Xie County were unharmed, with no deaths and only 26 injuries.

  After the withdrawal of troops, Pei Yuanshao took the initiative to offer Wen Han the property of Heifengzhai for the past few years. Wen Han knew that this was a convention, and even if Pei Yuanshao did not take the initiative, Yang Tian would lead his army to sweep away Heifengzhai.

  Wen Han agreed, but secretly instructed Pei Yuanshao to leave a portion behind, in preparation for future needs. Wen Han understood the principle of the cunning rabbit's three burrows and guessed that Pei Yuanshao would hide some property very securely.

  Pei Yuanshao was taken aback, and couldn't help but admire Wen Han's intelligence even more. He indeed had hidden several treasures in the mountain stronghold, and if he hadn't voluntarily brought them out, no one would have been able to find them.

  Yang Dian heard Pei Yuanshao and was willing to hand over the property of Heifengzhai. He was overjoyed and said he would bring troops to help move gold, silver and jewels.

  Wen Han smiled and knew that this guy was hanging a sheep's head to sell dog meat. On the surface, he went to help, but in secret, he wanted to supervise Pei Yuanshao and his men.

  Wen Han and Yang Dian were as clear as a mirror, but pretended to be humble and weak. After a loud laugh, they each went about their own business. Zhou Luan and Li Qiang looked at each other in confusion, not understanding what the two of them were secretly competing with each other.

  Yang Dian is Yang Hong's man. Wen Han still needs Yang Hong's protection for the time being, in order to gain a foothold in Xie County and plan for future development.

  Some property, to be honest, Wenhan didn't care about. No need to quarrel with Yang Hong over these properties and make things unpleasant.

  However, he has now taken in 380 Black Wind Mountain bandits. The money for their food and drink must be managed by Wen Han. Although nominally these bandits will become personnel of the gambling house in the future.

  Wen Han can reach out to Yang Hong, the major shareholder of the casino, for money, and Yang Hong wouldn't dare not give it. But given Yang Hong's stingy nature, he won't give much! Moreover, this way, these mountain bandits will eventually listen to whom - their benefactors or Wen Han who controls them?

  These three hundred and eighty mountain bandits are the foundation of Wen Han's power! Wen Han cannot allow their loyalty to be affected in any way! So, Wen Han made arrangements for Pei Yuanshao to secretly set aside a portion of his wealth as provisions for these three hundred and eighty people in the future.

  "Money is a problem. It seems that every era needs money! Without it, you're in big trouble!" Wen Han rubbed his sore head and let out a deep sigh.

  At this time, Zhou Lian suddenly walked towards Wen Han, pulled Wen Han to a secluded military camp, and let Li Qiang guard outside.

  "Brother, be honest with me. What do you really want to do? That day, you actually dared to bring Pei Yuanshao under your command. Aren't you afraid that Yang Dian will tell Yang Xianzhi about this?"

  Zhou Luan was no longer calm as before, and looked at Wen Han with a serious face.

  "Big Brother Zhou, if I tell you that the imperial court is about to fall into chaos, and it's going to be a huge mess! When the time comes, it will be so chaotic that people will be forced to flee, wives will be sold, children will be abandoned. The common people will be so hungry they'll have to eat their own children, and corpses will litter the ground everywhere. Do you believe me?"

  Wen Han's eyes were like a sharp knife, staring straight at Zhou Lian. Zhou Lian was not afraid at all, his eyes were clear and calm, and he stared back at Wen Han.

  "Alas... In recent years, there have been successive droughts and floods, and bandits are rampant. The imperial court sees but does not see, hears but does not hear. It's really that the people can't make a living, and the common folk suffer unspeakable hardships."

  The emperor favored eunuchs Zhang Rang, Zhao Zhong, Feng Xu, Du Shu, Cao Jie, Hou Cheng, Jian Shuo, Cheng Yu, Xia Yun, and Guo Yan. The emperor even called Zhang Rang "imperial father". The ten attendants manipulated the imperial court, their power reaching the heavens, and all officials dared not speak out, each fearing for their lives.

  "Alas, with such a court, how can it not be in chaos?"

  "Brother Zhou, you know that the chaotic world is coming, and it's not easy to survive in a chaotic world. Without soldiers or power, how can one resist the tigers and wolves born from chaos?"

  "If we don't establish our own forces now, are we going to wait until the chaotic era arrives and those tiger-like bandits put a knife to our throats before we start building?"

  "Brother! You!!! How dare you build up your own power, aren't you trying to become a warlord?!" Zhou Lun seemed extremely frightened, the words Wen Han was saying now were enough to get him beheaded if they got out.

  "No! Brother Zhou, my heart isn't that big. I just want to survive, to survive in the chaotic world of the future! And protect the people I care about!"

  In the end, Wen Han almost shouted. Fortunately, this camp was remote, and except for Li Qiang outside, no one else heard it.

  Zhou Luan's breathing became rapid, and he pointed at Wen Han, shouting loudly: "Younger brother! Do you know that if we fail, we will be doomed forever. Not a single one of our wives and children will survive. Everyone who follows you will die!"

  "I won't fail! Brother Zhou, we just want to survive! Is it wrong to do so?! Must we really struggle to survive in the chaotic war of the future? Starving and helpless, yet unable to do anything?"

  Wen Han furiously shouted at Zhou Lin, who looked like a lion cub that refused to back down, bursting with an intimidating aura. Zhou Lin was startled and stood still on the spot, staring with his eyes wide open, but unable to utter a word in response.

  The two of them fell silent for a moment, staring at each other in mutual defiance.

  Finally, Zhou Leng let out a deep breath, as if he had made up his mind: "Eh... when I heard my younger brother say that day, 'I should not be ordinary in the world, why should I be humble in front of people', I knew that my younger brother was not willing to be inferior, and was a person who would do great things.

  I don't know how many blessings I have received from heaven to be able to rescue my younger brother in the mountains and forests. Afterwards, my younger brother repeatedly saved me. First, that magical "horse hanging" allowed the declining gambling house to regain its vitality. Later, when I was bullied by the dog thief Ma Zong, my younger brother didn't say a word and stood up for me, almost losing his life. And later, when my sworn brother Guan Changsheng's life was bought by the dog thief Ma Zong, my younger brother came up with a plan to borrow troops and provide assistance. All these things, I have seen with my own eyes and remembered in my heart.

  That day, my younger brother said that when we were not separated from the family, I mistakenly treated him as a close relative in the family. As an older brother, I am incompetent, but whatever you want to do, I will definitely help with all my might, even if it means losing my life, I won't regret it.

  "You treat me like this, I will repay you with my life!!! Only regret that there is no power to help my brother!!!"

  Zhou Luan raised her head and spoke, as she spoke, she thought of the past and tears flowed down unknowingly.

  "Dear brother, in the future I will be willing to follow your lead!"

  Zhou Luan said and wanted to kneel down, scaring Wen Han who hastily stopped him: "Brother, don't make me a ingrate. You saved my life, like rebirth from parents, now you want to kneel down, I'd rather be struck by thunder! We are not separated, the power I established is yours too, what's the difference between master and servant?"

  Wen Han respects Zhou Leng, and Zhou Leng's character is even more admirable to Wen Han. Although Zhou Leng has no great talent, Wen Han doesn't mind; as long as it's someone he cares about, Wen Han is willing to share everything with him!

  "The master is kind and righteous, with talent and strategy. It seems that losing that bet to him was a blessing in disguise."

  Li Qiang, who was standing guard outside, heard everything inside the camp and couldn't help but sigh.

  Later, Wen Han and Zhou Xuan discussed for a long time in the camp, discussing the expansion of the gambling house and the formation of forces in the future. They talked for almost an entire morning until Pei Yuanshao and Yang Dian returned to the military camp, and Li Qiang came in to report, only then did they stop their discussion.

  "Master, Pei Yuanshao has something to discuss with you." Li Qiang said as he walked into the military camp.

  Wen Han nodded and smiled at Li Qiang: "Call him in to talk. And, Li Qiang, from now on don't call me Master, just call me Young Master. The term 'Master' sounds too formal and it's not good if some people with ulterior motives hear it."

  Li Qiang's heart skipped a beat as he gazed at Wen Han's smiling face, his eyes filled with gratitude: "Yes! Young Master!"

  Li Qiang had just left when Pei Yuanshao came in. Wen Han didn't wait for Pei Yuanshao to speak, and asked first: "By the way, Yuanshao. Yesterday was chaotic, I forgot to ask you something."

  "This month, have you met a red-faced hero? Ma Zong told me that he had made a deal with you to launch a surprise attack and kill him when he passed by Heifeng Mountain."

  Pei Yuanshao's face suddenly changed, and he couldn't help but shout: "Could it be that the Red-Faced Hero mentioned by the great man is Guan Yu, Guan Changsheng?"

  "That's right."

  "When it comes to this matter, I am ashamed! That Guan Changsheng is indeed formidable. Ten days ago, when passing through Heifeng Mountain, I sent the second and third masters of my stronghold with a hundred men to ambush and kill him. However, that Guan Changsheng beheaded the second and third masters at the forefront of the battle array, and later killed more than a dozen people before leaving triumphantly."

  That Guan Changsheng, before leaving, had said he wanted to go down the mountain and fight. I was watching from the tower in the stockade, knew it was a fierce battle, didn't dare go down the mountain. This matter is shameful, I ordered the young men in the stockade not to spread it outside."

  Pei Yuanshao's face changed with his words, sometimes angry and sometimes fearful.

  "Oh, and which direction did he go in?" Wen Han moved his lips, and Guan Yu, who was like a murderer with a garden at home, became more and more speechless.

  Wen Han thought to himself that if Guan Yu were present, he would have sent him up the mountain and brought back Pei Yuan Shao's head.

  A thousand thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant, and after a moment's pause, he came back to himself.

  "Towards the north. Should be going to Yang County."

  "Alright, good." Wen Han gave Zhou Lian a sideways glance, as if to say "You can rest assured now". He then calmly said to Pei Yuanshao: "What is it that you want to report? Speak."

  "Yes, sir. In the past, I had dealings with Huang Zhangshi of An County. He provided me with some conveniences and protection, and in return, I gave him 50 pieces of white silver every month as a form of filial piety money."

  Just two days before the adults attacked the Black Wind Stockade, Li Er, the dog leg of Huang Zhangshi from Jie County, came to the stockade to inform them. Later, the Black Wind Stockade kept him in the mountain stronghold for a few days. Originally, this time the Black Wind returned to the mountain stronghold and wanted to hand over Li Er to the adults, but found that Li Er had escaped on his own.

  "I think he knows that our Black Wind Fortress was defeated by the adults. I'm afraid something bad will happen, so I immediately report to you, sir."