Rewarding Merit

2024-07-31

"I understand. Thanks, Brother Lu," Song Changming said gratefully.

The two exchanged a few more words before Lu Gang finally left.

Song Changming casually picked up a thin twig from the stone table and swung it through the air a few times.

He pondered for a moment.

As Lu Gang had said, the more bandit soldiers he killed, the more he needed to stay on guard against their covert retaliation.

The lesson of Sun Wenyen being surrounded and hacked to death at night was still vivid in his mind.

For those vicious, desperate men with nothing to lose, the official status of a Patrol Captain could not guarantee their safety. He had no desire to follow in Sun Wenyen's footsteps.

I still can't afford to let my guard down, Song Changming thought.

With a snap, the twig in his hand broke in the wind from the excessive force.

Noticing that his back no longer hurt much when he exerted himself, Song Changming decided to resume a certain intensity of daily martial arts training starting today.

Several dozen miles from Donglai Commandery City stood a continuous range of towering mountains, shrouded in vast clouds and mist. The Luolong River wound through the sprawling mountain range, flowing all the way toward the distant Prefecture City.

The mountains were thick with emerald-green, thorny vines, while countless Black Crows nested and roamed there.

Thus, people called this place Tengya Mountain, or Laoya Mountain.

In the past, villagers and hunters would enter these mountains to hunt game and capture exotic beasts for sale.

But in recent years, no one had dared come here anymore.

Many people knew that a powerful bandit army was entrenched here.

Even the Prefecture City's troops could do nothing about those bandit soldiers.

A mountain wind swept through, flattening a patch of tall grass. A man wound his way through the mountains before arriving at the rear side of a peak.

A stronghold stood atop a large mountain hollow, with many armored troops constantly moving in and out.

"Why have you returned?"

"There's been a situation in the Prefecture City. I need to see Flag Lord He."

"Come with me." After hearing this, a soldier guarding the stronghold led the man inside, where he met a burly man seated in a tiger-skin chair.

"What is it?" The burly man half-squinted as he stared at the newcomer.

The scantily clad maid beside him immediately set down the fruit platter and lowered her head.

"Flag Lord, Lord Cao is dead," the spy said, kneeling on the ground.

"Hm?" The burly man opened his eyes slightly wider, his face growing colder.

"What happened?"

Faced with the question, the spy immediately gave a detailed report of the intelligence he had gathered.

He explained everything clearly, including how the Nine Bends Society had been destroyed and how Cao Fushan had died.

"What a disappointment. Send word for all the other personnel in the city to withdraw," the burly man said blandly.

"Yes." The spy rose to leave, but hesitated before asking, "Should we notify the other Flag Lords about this?"

"That is none of your concern. They probably already know," the burly man said, rubbing his forehead and waving him away.

"And how should we deal with the person who killed Lord Cao?"

"Kill him."

The burly man issued the order lightly, as if it required no further thought.

A few more days passed. Thanks to a Martial Artist's healing ability, the saber wound on Song Changming's back had healed seventy to eighty percent. As long as he did not immediately engage in fierce combat, it no longer affected his normal martial arts training.

After that, he received a summons from Liang Chuanshan to be rewarded for his merits.

Song Changming had played a crucial role in wiping out the Nine Bends Society, adding another weighty entry to his record of merit.

Then came the monetary rewards. There were three in total.

The first was distributed by Liang Chuanshan to everyone according to their contributions in the battle. Song Changming's share was one hundred silver.

The second was an exclusive reward for Patrol Captains, available only to them.

Again based on his performance, Song Changming received three hundred silver.

It was also the largest reward among the six Patrol Captains.

The last was the bounty on Scarface Cao Fushan, the bandit army Leader. It belonged solely to Song Changming, a full five hundred silver. Liang Chuanshan gave it all to him without taking a single coin.

Altogether, the three rewards came to nine hundred silver for Song Changming.

To him, it was undoubtedly an unexpected windfall, far beyond what he had anticipated.

It was equivalent to two and a half years of his total salary—more than enough to buy a large two-courtyard residence on Houli Street.

Used for cultivation, this money could also further accelerate his progress in practicing martial arts.

For example, instead of a twenty-year wild mountain ginseng worth ten silver, he could buy a fifty-year one, whose medicinal potency would only be purer and stronger.

The same went for Bone Tempering Powder: he could select only the finest quality. Even his daily meat supplements could come from exotic and precious beasts.

The more money one had, the more ways there were to spend it.

If he truly wanted to be particular, these nine hundred silver would not last him very long.

After handing over the reward silver, Liang Chuanshan offered Song Changming a few words of encouragement before getting to the main matter.

"There are traces of the bandit army behind the Nine Bends Society. This has drawn serious attention from the headquarters. In the coming days, every Urban Patrol Guard Headquarters will likely have plenty to do.

"We are no exception. Changming, how are your injuries? You must be prepared now. A mission could come at any time."

"My injuries are no longer a serious problem," Song Changming replied.

"That's good." Liang Chuanshan nodded.

Song Changming was capable and trustworthy. If Liang Chuanshan entrusted the same matters to others, he would not feel nearly as assured.

Many times, Liang Chuanshan truly could not do without a trusted subordinate like Song Changming.

After leaving Liang Chuanshan's study, Song Changming first went to see his Patrol Guard Team.

Fortunately, not a single one of his subordinates had died in the previous battle against the Nine Bends Society. At worst, they had only suffered a few injuries.

Among the Patrol Guard Headquarters' six Patrol Guard Teams, only the team under Song Changming had casualties comparable to the Patrol Guard Team sent by the headquarters.

As the courtyard gate opened, the Patrol Guards inside appeared fairly relaxed. Many wore smiles, and the air was filled with celebration.

Like Song Changming, they had been rewarded for their merits today, each receiving a share of the reward silver.

Though it could not compare to Song Changming's amount, it was still enough to make them happy for the entire day.

After all, it was real silver. Who would not like that?

"Boss! You're finally back!"

At the sight of Song Changming returning from his recuperation, the Patrol Guards all rose to their feet.

Compared with before, Song Changming could clearly sense that this group held him in even deeper respect.

Ever since he had displayed his true strength in the battle against the Nine Bends Society, his subordinates had treated him this way, becoming increasingly respectful around him as a matter of course.

Even Jiang Chunzi, his closest deputy whom he had personally promoted, was the same. He was less flippant around Song Changming now.

Before, Song Changming had relied more or less on his connection to Liang Chuanshan to keep all the Patrol Guards—including the other Patrol Captains—under him.

But things were different now.

With his own illustrious achievements, he had earned everyone's heartfelt respect.

(End of Chapter)