Peacekeeping Vanguard

"Seventh Master, you seem to be in a good mood!" Feng Yunjie rode alongside Dug, turned to glance at him, and smiled.

"I felt our previous plan was a little rough. Just now, I thought of a new idea and was so delighted that I couldn't contain myself. I didn't expect Third Young Master to notice. As expected, I'm still not mature enough to keep my emotions from showing!" Dug turned to look at Feng Yunjie and smiled.

"What new idea?" Feng Yunjie asked with a smile.

"The Qiao Family inspired me." Dug tugged the reins and slowed his horse. "Back then, Qiao He acted chivalrously and helped many sects improve their Martial Arts manuals. In the end, he earned the title of the foremost martial arts family and remained prosperous for a hundred years. Why can't we learn from him?

The Feng Family is currently too small. Even if I protect it with all my strength, it cannot grow very quickly. But once the Feng Family becomes a colossal force, things will be different. With the Feng Family's power, if I uphold martial arts morality and peace in the martial world, who knows how powerful I'll become? With me protecting it, forget a century-old family—even a thousand-year family may be possible..."

"How do we learn from him?" Feng Yunjie was captivated by the beautiful vision Dug had painted, but reality soon dampened his spirits. "Qiao He was invincible as soon as he entered the world. We don't have his strength."

"Third Young Master, that is not quite right. There has only been one Martial Saint in the past hundred years. He cannot be replicated. But one person's strength is ultimately limited. We must learn to borrow the power of a team. We can take another path," Dug said.

"The power of a team?" Feng Yunjie froze.

"That's right." Dug said, "I plan to establish an organization that eliminates harm for the people, punishes evil and promotes good, strikes at criminal forces in the martial world, and upholds justice. This organization will recruit more righteous heroes and grow stronger and stronger. Once the entire martial world recognizes us, we will have established our influence. I've even thought of a name for it: the Peacekeeping Vanguard..."

"Peacekeeping Vanguard?" Feng Yunjie was stunned.

"That's right," Dug said. "It upholds peace in the martial world and advocates justice in the jianghu. Peacekeeping Vanguard for short."

"But where will we find righteous heroes to join?" Feng Yunjie asked.

"Seventh Master, this so-called Peacekeeping Vanguard has already separated itself from the Feng Family, hasn't it?" Feng Shiyi said.

Their voices rang out almost simultaneously.

One was puzzled; the other cold.

Feng Yunjie came to his senses and frowned at Dug.

Zhang Han cast Dug a glance, then silently urged his horse behind Dug, blocking him off.

The three members of the Feng Family formed a triangle around Dug, vaguely sealing off all his escape routes.

Feng Shiyi looked at Dug and continued, "Seventh Master, surely you aren't planning to use the Feng Family's influence for your own personal gain?"

"Second Master, you underestimate me." Seemingly unaware of his predicament, Dug smiled. "What does a martial arts family or sect rely on to establish itself in this world or gain fame? Martial Arts?"

"Isn't that so?" Feng Yunjie asked.

"Of course. Martial Arts are the foundation of one's standing. That cannot be denied." Dug smiled. "But besides Martial Arts, one must also have distinguishing characteristics. Let me ask you: why is the Beggar Gang the largest gang?"

"Because there are many beggars in the world?" Feng Yunjie asked uncertainly.

"Correct. That is one aspect of it." Dug gave them an approving look. "The threshold is low. As long as one is a beggar, one can join the Beggar Gang. That is unity of profession. From no bags to nine bags, there is a clear promotion ladder. That means suitable advancement channels. After joining the Beggar Gang, even vagrants receive basic living and security guarantees. That means logistical support is in place..."

He paused. "Those are the Beggar Gang's characteristics. Whenever someone wants to move against the Beggar Gang, they must weigh whether they can afford to provoke such a colossal force. Other sects are the same. The Taishan Sect, for example, consists entirely of Daoists and occupies the religious niche. The River Transport Gang controls water transportation... What does the Feng Family have?"

Feng Yunjie fell into thought.

"Third Young Master, you don't even have a nickname in the martial world that people can call out, do you?" Dug asked with a smile.

Feng Yunjie shook his head awkwardly.

"Then have you found a common point among these famous sects?" Dug asked again.

Feng Yunjie shook his head again.

"Characteristics, ideals, belief," Dug said. "The Beggar Gang preserves the integrity of its profession. Taishan preserves the integrity of its faith. The Emei Sect consists entirely of women, preserving the integrity of gender. The Blood Saber Gate has assassins, satisfying the needs of people with particular mindsets. These characteristics naturally attract similar people to join.

Therefore, the Feng Family must establish characteristics of its own. Only then can it take the first step toward becoming a century-old, or even thousand-year, family. Otherwise, even if I seize manuals for the Feng Family and recruit many Heavenly Demons, it will only be a nouveau riche family in some small county town. When a storm sweeps in, perhaps nothing will remain."

"But what does that have to do with the Peacekeeping Vanguard? We can start with the Feng Family!" Feng Shiyi said.

"Second Master, a small family cannot attract people by issuing such a call. But a new organization is different." Dug's eyes shone. "This is called using a shell to go public and developing separately. We start small and avoid any ties to the martial world's existing forces. Once we build our reputation and the martial world recognizes the Peacekeeping Vanguard, the Feng Family can merge into it. Would it not still be the Feng Family then? Sometimes, large forces do not necessarily have to be visible."

"What is the Peacekeeping Vanguard's ideal?" Feng Yunjie asked.

"Didn't I just say it?" Dug replied. "Justice. There is never a shortage of hot-blooded young heroes in the martial world."

"That does make some sense." Feng Shiyi looked thoughtful.

"Second Master, I won't harm the Feng Family." Dug looked at Feng Shiyi, shook his head, and smiled.

After seeing Feng Jiu narrow Taotie's path that morning, Dug had begun reflecting on whether he had also narrowed his own path of protection.

Then.

He thought of maintaining peace and upholding justice. Such broad, sweeping concepts would clearly yield far more than protecting the interests of one small family.

He had even considered safeguarding national sovereignty, but this Simulation Arena world was centered on the martial world, and the concept of nations had been infinitely diluted.

Unlike The Legend of the Condor Heroes or Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils, there was no grand cause of home and country, nor any invasion by foreign tribes. He could only regretfully abandon his lofty ambition of maintaining national stability.

Otherwise, he would have become a great hero like Guo Jing no matter what!

Even so, Dug felt that if he could maintain peace and justice throughout the entire martial world, his position as number one in the Simulation Arena would be secure.

The reason he had not revealed this plan within the Feng Family was that Dug preferred Feng Shiyi, who was so good at filling in the blanks. After all, Feng Shiyi had proposed the idea of Destiny and patched the holes in his story. Feng Shiren was too conservative and shrewd; communicating with him was too exhausting.

"Seventh Master, where do we find people to join this so-called Peacekeeping Vanguard?" Feng Yunjie asked the previous question once more.

"Aren't we looking right now? It would be best if we can find other Heavenly Demons to join. If not, we'll start doing things first. Once the work gets going and our reputation spreads, heroes will naturally join us." Dug said, "Weren't we just discussing the Beggar Gang? Its disciples are everywhere, and it controls the power of Public Opinion. We can use the Beggar Gang to publicize our reputation. Third Young Master need not worry about that. I'll arrange the details when the time comes..."

"But who are we supposed to fight?" Feng Yunjie said awkwardly. "None of the criminal forces in the martial world are people the Feng Family can afford to provoke."

"Do not commit evil because it seems minor; do not neglect good because it seems small." Dug smiled. "Third Young Master, trickling streams gather into seas, and tiny specks of dust pile into mountains. Aren't tyrants who bully merchants and dominate the market, or bandits who occupy mountains and block roads, criminal forces as well? We can start with small matters. Going after them works just as well."