The Wind Rises in 1898: Becoming a Warlord Starting in Southeast Asia

Chapter 107 Corpse Ashes Obscuring the Moon

Chen Feng ultimately couldn't find the time to attend the opening ceremony.

As soon as night fell, the U.S. military liaison officer came to his door under the moonlight, telling him that he needed to leave that night and head to the Cavite naval base for a meeting.

Guiyan Beach was shrouded in the inky darkness of night, and the campsite was so quiet that you could hear the whistling of the wind whistling through the sand.

On the beach, the indigenous prisoners, exhausted from a day's work, lay sprawled out, each covered only by a tattered burlap sack, shivering in the night wind.

Meanwhile, in the wilderness far from the beach, several torches flickered, and Free Army soldiers, guns in hand, vigilantly monitored another group of prisoners as they repaired the road.

The air was thick with the lingering, pungent smell of burning corpses.

Chen Feng stared at the leaping fire in the distance, his brow furrowing almost imperceptibly, and asked in a low voice, "How many died?"

Zhang Xiuwu stepped forward in response, the two hideous scars on his face gleaming coldly in the moonlight.

His eyes were bloodshot, clearly he hadn't slept for days, and his voice was hoarse like sandpaper scraping: "Reporting to the general, there are 312 left."

indivual."

Chen Feng's gaze swept over the impatiently pacing U.S. liaison officer not far away, his eyes darkening. He leaned close to Zhang Xiuwu's ear and whispered, "This needs to be kept secret. Burn the dead far away, so no one smells it and it causes unnecessary trouble."

"clear!"

Zhang Xiuwu nodded vigorously, his scars contorting with the movement; he then leaned closer and lowered his voice, "General, these prisoners are almost dead; they won't last until the road is finished. Tian Gang and the others are still idle. Should we go north and capture another batch to replace them?"

Still going to arrest them?

Chen Feng's brows furrowed instantly.

Those natives who managed to escape had already gone to Aguinaldo's independence army to complain. Even Luna sent a liaison officer to question them, and he had to go to great lengths to brush it off by saying that "these natives have a grudge against the Free Army."

Now, the area 20 kilometers north of the camp has been completely cleared. Further north lies the plain, which is on the edge of the Independent Army's territory. Such a large-scale arrest is likely to cause a major problem!

But we can't do it without manpower!

The road connecting Guiyan Beach and the camp is nearing completion, the mining site is short of manpower, and the irrigation canals in the reclamation area have not yet been dug. There is a need for manpower everywhere!

Chen Feng frowned and remained silent for three breaths, finally gritting his teeth and saying in a deep voice, "Have Tian Gang and his men break up into smaller groups, operating in squads! Only capture any lone able-bodied men, and leave no trace!"

"Yes! I'll arrange it right away!" Zhang Xiuwu's eyes sharpened, and he turned and strode away quickly.

Chen Feng watched him disappear into the night, then turned to the impatient US liaison officer and said coldly, "Let's go."

The liaison officer quickly responded and led him onto the steam merchant ship at the temporary dock.

When we arrived at the Cavite naval base, the sky was already turning a pale white, and the eastern horizon was tinged with orange-red.

The meeting was scheduled for 9 a.m., and there was still plenty of time. Chen Feng declined the lounge arrangement and instructed Pang Li, "Go and take a look at the merchant ship repair yard."

This repair shop is not only going to be a cash cow for the Free Army, but it will also be an indispensable part of the fleet's future plans. The orders are now more than expected, so it's a good time to take a look at it in person.

The two walked along the main road of the base and soon came into view of the outline of the repair workshop.

Several merchant ships awaiting repair were docked in the shipyard, and the workers were already busy at work. The clanging of hammers striking steel plates could be heard clearly from a distance.

Chen Feng slowed his pace, his gaze sweeping across the factory area.

Inside the spacious dock, three thousand-ton merchant ships were moored at their berths, their hulls mottled, their decks cracked, and their sides bearing dents from impacts with reefs, all bearing the marks of long voyages.

Dozens of workers were scattered around, some climbing on scaffolding to tighten rivets, others squatting on the deck to repair seams, creating a bustling scene.

Upon seeing Chen Feng and his entourage dressed smartly and exuding an air of distinction, the workers on duty at the factory gate quickly informed them.

A moment later, a stocky middle-aged man strode up to greet them; it was none other than the factory director, Zhao Defa.

He was a capable man recommended by the Zheng family. He had ventured to Luzon in his early years and was quite famous in the Chinese business community for his ship repair skills. He had only been in charge of the factory for a little over half a month and had not yet met Chen Feng.

Zhao Defa wiped the grease off his hands, glanced at Chen Feng for a moment, and cautiously asked, "You two gentlemen are unfamiliar faces. Are you here to discuss business or for important matters? I am Zhao Defa. Please feel free to ask me anything."

Chen Feng nodded and smiled, his tone calm: "Director Zhao, there's no need to be so formal. My name is Chen Feng, and I've come to check on the factory area."

"Chen Feng?"

Zhao Defa was startled, his caution instantly turning to shock. He quickly took two steps forward, looking Chen Feng up and down, his tone uncertain, "You...you're the General Chen of the Chinese Free Army that Zheng Jiaxin mentioned?"

"Exactly." Chen Feng nodded calmly.

Zhao Defa then realized what was happening and quickly cupped his hands and bowed, his face full of respect and apology: "Your subordinate was blind to your greatness!"

I apologize for my negligence earlier, General!

After taking over the factory, he only knew from the Zheng family that the boss was young and promising and a core member of the Free Army, but he did not expect him to be so calm and capable. He was at a loss for a moment.

"It's alright, you haven't been in this position for long, it's normal that you don't know them yet."

Chen Feng waved his hand, his gaze falling on the nearest merchant ship. "How long will it take to deliver this ship?"

Zhao Defa composed himself and quickly replied, "General, this is a ship under your name. The hull is leaking and the gun barrel is damaged. The spare parts were prepared the day before yesterday, and it will be repaired within two days!"

"Not bad efficiency." Chen Feng nodded, then pointed to the other two ships. "What about the other two?"

"On the left is a US military supply ship, and its rudder is malfunctioning; on the right is a Chinese merchant passenger and cargo ship, and some of its hull plates need to be replaced."

Zhao Defa's tone grew steady, a hint of pride appearing on his face. "Our orders are booked until the middle of next month! Since Manila Bay was blockaded by the US military, merchant ships have needed repairs and maintenance. Everyone says our craftsmanship is solid, our speed is faster than foreign shipyards, and our prices are 20% cheaper. We're getting more and more repeat customers!"

Chen Feng's brows furrowed abruptly, and his tone instantly turned serious: "Why weren't those twenty-odd dilapidated merchant ships that Connor handed over recently repaired first?"

The pride on Zhao Defa's face vanished instantly, and his tone became cautious as he replied in a low voice, "General, Mr. Connor is one of the factory's shareholders. He said that if the ships under your name are repaired, the factory will not be paid. He only allows me to use one dock to handle your ships, and other docks must give priority to profitable orders."

You bastard!

They're really obsessed with money!

Chen Feng cursed inwardly, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

Connor only cares about making a profit and completely ignores the needs of his side. He's utterly despicable!

He suppressed his anger and said in a deep voice, "From now on, all my merchant ships will be prioritized for repair, and all shipyards will be allocated manpower to support them! You can calculate the cost based on the normal repair price for merchant ships, and I will have Wang Liang's fleet settle accounts with you as soon as possible, without shortchanging you by a single penny!"

"Yes! Yes!" Zhao Defa replied hastily, not daring to hesitate for a moment. "I'll adjust the arrangements immediately, postpone other orders, and do everything I can to repair your ship!"

After saying that, he turned around and rushed towards the place where the foremen were gathered, afraid that if he was even a second late, he would miss something important.

Chen Feng turned and left the repair shop area, heading straight for the core area of ​​the Cavite Naval Base.

As soon as I stepped into the dormitory area, I saw Connor standing at the door, dressed neatly, his face so gloomy it could drip water.

"Chen, when did you arrive?" Connor hurried over, his tone tinged with impatience.

Chen Feng said calmly, "I just went to the repair shop. My twenty-odd ships will be prioritized for repair, and the cost will be paid according to the normal standard."

Upon hearing the words "pay up," Connor's tense expression eased slightly, and his gloomy aura dissipated somewhat, but his brows remained furrowed, and his tone became heavy: "Chen, I have bad news for you."

"What news?" Chen Feng had a bad feeling.

Connor lowered his voice: "The Army has changed its mind at the last minute and wants to land at the Cavite naval base instead!"

What?

Chen Feng's pupils suddenly contracted, and his heart sank.

This wasn't just bad news, it was a bolt from the blue, completely disrupting all his plans!

The original landing point chosen by the U.S. Army was the Bataan Peninsula, which was far from the core area of ​​Luzon and where the Spanish colonial government was weak. The U.S. military would be able to advance rapidly after landing, and the Free Army would only need to hold the two basic strongholds of Guiyan Beach and the camp, and incidentally help with the fighting and escorting of logistical supplies.

But now it's been moved to Cavite, which is less than 20 kilometers away from Manila as the crow flies, and there's a wide road leading directly there, making the transport of heavy equipment extremely convenient!

Clearly, the U.S. Army has its eyes on Manila and wants to swallow this key city whole!

Chen Feng's heart sank to the bottom. Just as he was frantically thinking of a solution, a familiar figure suddenly appeared from around the corner of the barracks.

Smith was dressed in a crisp army uniform today, the epaulets on his shoulder under his cap gleaming coldly in the morning light. He wore a standard fake smile and waved his hand warmly: "Chen, it's nice to see you again."

A flicker of wariness flashed in Chen Feng's eyes, but he instantly plastered an equally forceful smile on his face, quickly stepped forward to shake hands, and said in a calm yet sharp tone, "Mr. Smith, good morning. I didn't expect you to be here too."

After the pleasantries, he cut to the chase, lowering his voice to get straight to the point: "I'd like to know, are there any members of the Independent Army attending this meeting? Also, your army changed the landing plan; what are the specific operational tasks assigned to the Free Army?"

"Of course the Independence Army has come!"

Smith's fake smile deepened. He pulled Chen Feng to a corner and lowered his voice, saying, "For the sake of our friendship, I'll give you a heads-up: the army will land on June 30th. After a three-day rest, they will join forces with Liu Hengzeng's Southern Independent Army to launch a fierce attack on the south of Manila."

He paused, a calculating glint in his eyes, and continued, "Your Free Army, along with the Independent Army assembled by Malolos, are responsible for taking down the four tough nut to crack north of Manila."

As soon as he said that, the map in Chen Feng's mind became clear instantly!

The San Juan del Monte Line, the core fortress on the northern outskirts of Manila, is only 5 kilometers from the city center. Relying on the natural barrier of the Marigana River, it is a network of earthen fortifications and trenches, garrisoned by 2000 Spanish regular troops and colonial militia, and equipped with field artillery and machine gun positions. It is known as an impregnable fortress.