Starting with the titmouse, seventy-two transformations

Chapter 328 Cleverness Backfires: Scheming Against Qian Zhong
The setting sun paints an ink-like scene.

The afterglow fell on the broken wall, spreading like blood, turning it into a dark red, carrying a pungent, burnt smell, seeping into the cold, scorched earth.

Scattered body parts, broken swords and spears, shattered armor, collapsed carts and ladders, fallen banners...

The trail extends upwards from the outpost at the foot of the mountain, all the way to the vicinity of the suspension bridge and cableway.

The smoke of war still lingers across the mountains and plains.

"The bandits have cut the cableway, making it difficult for the army to move. Tonight, we will temporarily set up camp at the front camp and order all commanders and captains to come to my tent for a meeting."

The spider-shaped avatar stood on the edge of the cliff, looking solemnly at the main body of Crouching Tiger Village opposite.
"This Crouching Tiger Stronghold... has become quite a force to be reckoned with!"

As dusk settled, a fortified village, no less impressive than a military town, stood against the mountain, its buildings standing side by side, its fortifications complete, and its menacing aura soaring into the clouds.

It can only be taken by force.

But if we launch a direct attack...

"Today, we lost nearly two thousand elite soldiers just by capturing the front camp. If we want to capture the rear camp, which has more complete fortifications, we will probably lose another three to five thousand."

Inside the command tent, a commander spoke, his eyes darting around.

The Crimson Scale Guards who came to attack the mountain this time numbered only about 10,000, with the rest remaining to guard the camp.

If another three to five thousand are lost, it would be equivalent to a 70% reduction in manpower. At that point, it would be a miracle if morale didn't collapse.

Moreover, the main terrain of Wohu Village is treacherous, easy to defend and difficult to attack, making it even more difficult to attack than the previous village. To say that it can be taken down with only three to five thousand casualties is already an exaggeration.

After the fierce fighting during the day, morale in the camp was low and there were signs of instability.

Who would have thought that the supposedly ragged refugees and bandits were all strong and burly, fully armored, and no less elite than the Red Scale Guards?

Ordinary mountain strongholds are mostly built of wood and stone. A few rounds of crossbow fire can break through the walls and allow the invading force to rush in.

As for this Crouching Tiger Stronghold, not to mention the main rear stronghold, even the gates and walls of the front stronghold were built with blue bricks and stone blocks, making it as sturdy and solid as a military town.

Moreover, all the defensive fortifications were very complete, leaving no room for trickery except for a direct assault.

In plain terms, it means we can only use human lives to fill the gap.

But the Crimson Scale Guard was practically the private army of the Cai family of Hedong, with huge investments made, all of which were used to suppress bandits for the imperial court...

Are you sick?
"This gang of bandits is different from the ones we've wiped out before. I wonder which organization put forward this group..."

Some captains speculated that the rebels in Wohu Village might be, like them, private soldiers of some powerful clan.

Some even advised the spider-like avatar to stop while he was ahead and preserve his strength:
"General, these Lian bandits are impossible to kill or eradicate completely. We have already gained some spoils today, so why don't we retreat?"

“That’s right. Just bringing back the corpses of the hundreds of bandits we killed today will be enough to write a report of victory.”

"General, do not forget that the master instructed us to assess the situation, strengthen our foundations, and consolidate our power..."

It may seem absurd, but it is actually a true reflection of the world today.

After all, the ass decides the head.

The spider-like avatar smiled to himself; this was precisely the purpose for which he had summoned the generals.

Seeing that the atmosphere was quite right, he immediately spoke, a look of unease on his face:
"It seems that you all have the same idea as me, but I'm afraid we won't be able to explain ourselves to Supervisor Qian."

The moment these words were spoken, the tent fell silent.

These past two days, Qian Zhong has been acting like a mad dog, causing all sorts of trouble in the army, making him universally hated.

But since he was acting as a military supervisor and remained silent in his spider-like avatar, they couldn't do anything about it.

During the daytime attack on Wohu Village, Qian Zhong intervened repeatedly, forcing the soldiers to launch a direct assault, resulting in heavy losses.

The generals had long harbored resentment and were seething with anger.

The spider-like avatar watched coldly, its eyes flashing with a strange light. It noticed the greenish-blue color inside their heads and understood what was going on.

Anger injures the liver; when liver fire is excessive, the ears feel hot, which corresponds to the color green.

However, it's still a bit lacking.

Just then, Qian Zhong lifted the curtain and entered, his face contorted with anger:

"General Cai, why didn't you inform me before you discussed attacking the rear stronghold of Crouching Tiger?"

"Lord Qian has arrived? Please have a seat!"

The spider-like avatar had a seat arranged for him, then smiled faintly:
"The casualties during the day were too heavy, and the morale of the troops is low. We are trying to come up with a solution. What are your thoughts, Lord Qian?"

"General Cai, are you blaming this supervising officer?"

"In this bandit suppression, our Crimson Scale Guard dispatched 10,000 troops, and 2,000 were lost at the front camp alone. If we rashly attack the even more treacherous rear camp..."

"What, is General Cai afraid? Or are those soldiers planning a rebellion?"

Qian Zhong snorted coldly, his gaze like that of a venomous snake sweeping over the generals in the tent, and said with a sinister smile:
"You must know that military orders are absolute; disobedience will result in execution. If any of you are afraid of death, my sword will not be unfailing!" The military supervisor is the eyes and ears of the central government, in charge of auditing the merits, demerits, rewards, and punishments of the army.

His words, though called a threat, were indeed a threat.

For a moment, the tent was eerily quiet. The commanders and captains were filled with resentment but dared not show it. They all avoided Qian Zhong's gaze and remained silent.

Seeing this, Qian Zhong raised his head triumphantly and stared intently at the spider-like avatar:

"As the art of war says, speed is of the essence in war. Today, we captured the front camp during the day, which greatly shocked the Lian bandits. They are exhausted and think that our army is intimidated, so they will become complacent."

This is a golden opportunity for a night raid, a once-in-a-lifetime chance.

General Cai, what do you think?

"Great minds think alike. I also believe tonight is an excellent opportunity to defeat the enemy, however..."

The spider-like avatar glanced around, saw the resentment on the faces of the generals, and smiled faintly:
"It is true that morale in the army is low, and a hasty and forceful expulsion could lead to a mutiny."

Mutiny in the army is a serious matter; once it occurs, the mutinous soldiers will inevitably kill their generals first.

As the military supervisor, Qian Zhong strongly advocated attacking the stronghold overnight, and he would be the first to be hit.

When his own life was at stake, Qian Zhong immediately became cautious:
"General Cai means..."

"To boost morale, nothing is more effective than rewarding money, promoting officials, and having the commander-in-chief lead by example."

The spider-like avatar stared intently at Qian Zhong, as if looking at an insect caught in a web.

"I have investigated and found that although this group of lotus bandits has many people and great power, there are only four of them who have entered the Dao realm."

Tonight, I, the commander, will personally lead seven Dao Realm cultivators to infiltrate the rear stronghold and capture the Green Serpent Saintess and other bandit leaders.

After that, they set fire to the mountain, burning all the bandits in the stronghold to ashes and completely eradicating this gang of Lian bandits.

"What do you think, Lord Qian?"

"it is good!"

Qian Zhong slammed his hand on the table, his expression invigorated, and exclaimed in praise:
"General Cai truly lives up to the reputation of the Cai family of Hedong; he is loyal, courageous, and a brilliant strategist!"

The spider-like avatar lowered its eyelids, tapped the table with its finger, and chuckled softly:

"Since Lord Qian thinks it's feasible, then I'll trouble you to accompany me tonight to bolster our momentum."

"Okay... huh?"

Qian Zhong casually agreed, but then realized something was wrong. His eyes widened as he met the spider-like avatar's ambiguous, half-smiling gaze:

"What, has Lord Qian changed his mind and is no longer willing to serve His Majesty?"

"Do not……"

"Oh, I misunderstood. Someone, bring the marching orders!"

The spider-like avatar gave Qian Zhong no chance to change his mind, and stood up to give the order:

"At three quarters past midnight tonight, I, along with Lord Qian, will personally lead loyal and brave men to infiltrate the rear stronghold of Crouching Tiger and capture the bandit leader."

After the deed is done, you shall set the mountain on fire as ordered, without fail!
Anyone who disobeys the order will be killed! "

"Here!"

The generals in the tent all responded in unison.

Only Qian Zhong stood frozen in place, his face darkening, belatedly realizing what was happening.

That damned Cai Baimao had already woven his web, waiting for me, just like a spider catching an insect.

It's too late to back out now.

"Lord Qian..."

The spider-like avatar stared expressionlessly at Qian Zhong, its gaze deep and unfathomable.

"Military orders are as heavy as a mountain!"

"Here."

Qian Zhong lowered his head, his mouth full of bitterness.

A moment later, all the generals in the tent left, leaving only the spider-shaped avatar.

He weighed the military order in his hand, a slight smile playing on his lips.

Song Yingtian's henchmen, do they still want to cause trouble on our turf?
What does it mean to use someone else to do your dirty work? What does it mean to lure someone into a trap, leaving them speechless even when they are about to die?

(End of this chapter)