Ambush

Zabol took office as Vice President and Commander-in-Chief of the Defense Forces, and simultaneously controlled three provinces. For a time, he was arguably the most sought-after figure in the entire Gangge Republic.

He is second only to the emperor and above all others, making him the undisputed number two figure in the entire Gangge Republic.

Zabol has finally officially stepped onto the political stage at the center of power in the entire Gangge Republic.

Invitations to various parties and gatherings poured in like raindrops.

Zhang Yang, the true mastermind behind the scenes and the number two figure in the Gangge Republic, has once again become very busy.

As the newly appointed Commander-in-Chief of the National Defense Forces and the nominal Supreme Commander of the National Government Army, Zabol, although he could not truly command the entire national government army, could access information about its structure and personnel.

Soon, the information was presented to Zhang Yang.

"The thousand slots for elite soldiers should be allocated now," Zhang Yang muttered to himself.

A thousand elite soldier slots, if distributed among tens of thousands of soldiers in a provincial government army, would be enough to firmly control those tens of thousands of people from top to bottom. However, at present, it seems more cost-effective to distribute them more widely.

Of the twenty provinces in the Gangge Republic, three are within Zabol's sphere of influence.

These 1,000 slots were distributed among the government troops in the remaining 17 provinces. On average, with tens of thousands of government troops in each province, less than 60 people could be distributed among them.

It may seem like little, but it's actually quite substantial.

Think about it, a provincial government army of tens of thousands, from top to bottom, officers at all levels, key positions, dozens of his people are scattered throughout. Although it can't be said that he can firmly control the entire army through these people, he can at least say, "They're all my men."

Without hesitation, Zhang Yang spent an entire day, as usual, adding the one thousand "King of Soldiers" slots one by one, until evening before finally finishing his work.

"Alright, that's settled then," Zhang Yang said with a smile.

At this moment, in addition to the three provinces he firmly controls, his people are also scattered throughout the government forces and key positions in all other provinces.

It can be said that his influence extended throughout the entire country.

In this way, it seems that the day when Zabol ascends to the pinnacle of power is not far off.

But there's no rush.

Haste makes waste; everything is still lacking the right timing and opportunity.

··

During my stay in Gango, we had a small banquet every two days and a large banquet every three days.

Gango is poor, and the lower classes are starving, but the upper classes, who control the nation's wealth and resources, are unimaginably rich.

That evening, Energy Minister Gango's invitation to a banquet arrived.

Zhang Yang and Zabol traveled together to the Energy Minister's estate outside Jinsa for a banquet.

Throughout the banquet, almost all the dignitaries of the Gangge Republic were present; it was a scene of singing, dancing, extravagance, and decadence.

Energy Minister Gango has seven wives, the youngest of whom is just over eighteen years old.

His eldest son is already in his thirties.

Zhang Yang stood in the hall, watching the son of the Minister of Energy, grinning with white teeth, embracing his two supermodel girlfriends, chatting animatedly.

"Really, so tasteless."

Zhang Yang drank his wine, his eyes indifferent, as if he were sizing up a group of charlatans...

After the banquet, Zabol and Zhang Yang left by car.

As night fell, the convoy cut through the darkness, heading back to Jinsa.

The Energy Minister's suburban villa was too far away, and the return journey involved a considerable stretch of uninhabited wilderness.

Along the way, apart from the convoy, we didn't see a single car for quite a while.

Suddenly, the convoy in front braked sharply.

"What's going on?" Zhang Yang, who had been resting with his eyes closed, opened them.

Several cars in front and behind stopped.

"Mr. Vice President, the car in front has a flat tire, and there seems to be something on the road..." A servant quickly came over to report the situation.

These convoys, including the accompanying personnel, were all security forces arranged by Jinsa. Zhang Yang did not use the security forces left in the capital Jinsa, because he alone was better than a hundred or eighty armed men.

Suddenly, a scream came from ahead.

Then, sparks flew and gunshots rang out.

Zabol sat up straight abruptly, looked around, and instinctively placed his hand on the car door handle.

"You don't need to get out of the car." Zhang Yang squinted and pulled out his gun, then, just to be safe, he also cast a "Injury-Free Card" on himself.

Then, he got out of the car.

As for the armored vehicle behind them, Zabol was inside, completely safe.

At this moment, Zhang Yang has once again become invincible.

Bang!

Stones flew everywhere, and smoke filled the air.

The accompanying personnel were instantly covered in a mist of blood, and before they could even utter a cry, they all fell to the ground.

The car that had stopped at the front had long been blown to pieces by an RPG, and there wasn't a single person in sight. In the darkness ahead, shadowy figures were approaching.

Bullets rained down on him, from his ears, from his hairline, and from head to toe.

Click!

Zhang Yang casually chambered the bullet in his hand.

The two groups finally met face to face.

The air seemed to freeze, and the surroundings fell silent for a moment. The person opposite them was clearly not expecting it; in the end, they were facing only one person.

In the darkness, Zhang Yang grinned, revealing his gleaming white teeth, which looked somewhat sinister in the night.

The next second.

His body instantly surged forward, and the air itself was compressed and squeezed by the extreme force, bursting out with a sharp, explosive sound.

Two muffled thuds.

He punched two armed men in the chest.

His chest and back bulged out instantly, the force of the punch passing through his chest, killing both men instantly.

The two figures fell to the ground, but Zhang Yang continued his movements.

"Who sent you?"

Several gunshots rang out in succession. Zhang Yang strolled past the group as if walking on air, the muzzle of his gun flashing through the air as bullets seemed to have eyes and pierced the foreheads of the men.

He killed several people in one step.

He left no trace for a thousand miles.

Several figures collapsed to the ground with a thud, their eyes still holding a look of disbelief.

"Hmm? Will you talk or not?" Zhang Yang grabbed one of the men by the back of the neck, and before he could answer, he tightened his grip slightly.

Click!

His cervical vertebrae were snapped.

"And you? Are you going to talk?" Zhang Yang raised the gun again and pressed it against one person's forehead.

"You!" The other party had barely uttered a single word.

Without a second thought, Zhang Yang pulled the trigger and shot him dead.

Under the cover of night, he was like the Grim Reaper, ruthlessly reaping the lives of those who came. With every encounter, in every instant, lives were strangled in his palm like ants.

The air was filled with screams, flying bullets, and gun parts that had been shattered by the immense force.

After an unknown amount of time, only one person remained standing there, trembling all over.

"This is your last chance," Zhang Yang said. "Tell me, who sent you?"

"Devil! Devil!" The guy in this gear was shaking, unable to utter a complete sentence.

Zhang Yang sniffed the fishy, pungent smell coming from the tip of his nose and felt a wave of disgust.

His first instinct was to kill the person in front of him, but looking around, he realized this was the last survivor.

"Trouble! Another waste of my props."

He frowned and muttered to himself, then used the item from the system: the Truth Card.

When the Truth Card was used, the person in front of him suddenly became dazed, as if he were drunk and had been possessed.

"I'll ask you one more time, who sent you?"

"Yes... yes..." The person opened their mouth and uttered a name.

Zhang Yang frowned.

Because this name doesn't belong to the president at all, it seems to be...

He quickly figured out the identity of the culprit—it turned out to be a close confidant of the current president and a former leading candidate for vice president.

This person also holds the positions of a high-ranking official in a province and commander of the government's military.

In this way, the truth will naturally become clear.

Whether the president knew about this, whether he tacitly approved of it, or whether he was unaware of it, remains unknown.

However, none of that matters right now.

··

That night, an explosive news story broke.

On his way back from a banquet, the current Vice President Zabol was ambushed, but fortunately escaped unharmed, thanks to the life-saving efforts of his trusted advisors.

This incident has once again confirmed Zhang Yang's identity and influence.

A few days later...

"It was all a twist of fate," Zhang Yang muttered to himself as he sipped his tea in the official residence.

His public identity has always been that of Zabol's advisor and confidant. Even though Zabol himself has said that he is Zabol's alter ego and that his words carry the same weight, it still feels somewhat abrupt and inexplicable.

After all, who can give someone their complete trust without reservation?

They even went so far as to obey his every word.

Now everything makes sense.

The reason why he was second only to the emperor and enjoyed the deep trust of Zabol was because he was willing to risk his life to save Zabol's life at a critical moment, which naturally made him worthy of all Zapol's trust.

The logical loop is finally complete.

Now, after this incident, his status as Zabol's absolute confidant is directly recognized, which is good, saving him the time to lay the groundwork and explain in the future.

As for this attack...

The ambush of the vice president is a major event no matter what, but the official investigation results showed that it was the work of a nearby anti-government armed group.

Even after that, the government forces conducted a multi-day siege.

This is utterly ridiculous and absurd.

Undoubtedly, this is the president knowing the truth but deliberately trying to smooth things over.

Zhang Yang's expression remained calm, but his eyes flickered, as he brewed a momentous plan in his mind.

However, it's not convenient to do this right now.

We'll have to wait...

It can only be implemented after they have successfully returned to their own territory and are free from any worries.

On the eve of leaving the capital Jinsa, Zhang Yang received an unexpected invitation.

It turned out to be an invitation from the China's ambassador to the Gangge Republic.

Undoubtedly, this invitation is of great significance, signifying that the country is now truly recognizing and valuing his identity.

It represents a certain level of importance that has risen to the level of official recognition.

Inside the embassy.

Yuan Zhaohua, the China ambassador to the Gangge Republic, smiled and extended his hand to Zhang Yang.

"Mr. Zhang, your contributions to exchanges and cooperation between our two countries in Gango are admirable. On behalf of the China Embassy in Gangge Republic, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to you."

"You flatter me, Ambassador Yuan. I only did something insignificant, just a small matter within my duties," Zhang Yang said calmly with a smile.

At this moment, he exuded the air of a refined and elegant gentleman. Every gesture and movement was imbued with endless charm and personal charisma, inspiring admiration and boundless goodwill in all who beheld him.

Yuan Zhaohua grasped Zhang Yang's hand, sighing as he mentally reviewed the information about the man before him.

Yes.

From the perspective of those in power, nothing is a secret.

The person before us has a complex background and considerable influence; he is by no means an unknown nobody who has emerged overnight.

Domestically, this person owns a vast business empire, has extensive social connections, and his network of friends spans Beijing and Shanghai.

He is also a newly admitted member of the Yangtze Club.

In Gango, this person's status and influence are unimaginable, involving a wide range of people.

Once an advisor to General Zabol, a high-ranking official in a province, Zabol's status rose along the way, and this man's status became increasingly prominent. His influence and power have now reached an alarming level.

It's fair to say that Zabol is now a truly important figure whom even the president of the Gangge Republic is trying to win over.

In terms of absolute strength, he is in no way inferior to the current president.

In the near future, there is a very high probability that he will ascend to the presidency and become the true supreme ruler of the Gangge Republic.

This Mr. Zhang, as a close confidant of Vice President Zabol, is very likely to become a pivotal figure in the entire Gangge Republic in the future.

With such influence, it's impossible for people in China to wait until that day to start contacting this person.

Now is a good time to get to know each other, build good relations in advance, and lay the groundwork for further cooperation between the two countries in the future.

Although the Gangge Republic is poor, it is rich in mineral resources. The cooperation and diplomatic relations between the two countries are of profound significance and have almost risen to the level of strategy.

"Come, please."

Yuan Zhaohua had a banner presented to him as an envoy of friendly exchanges between the two countries.

Zhang Yang gladly accepted the gift.

The two men, each holding a banner, stood in front of the camera, their moment faithfully captured by the lens.

··

After meeting with Ambassador Yuan, it was time to return home.

Zhang Yang and Zabol quickly boarded a military aircraft and flew directly to Salito Province. The armed forces that had been deployed in advance in the capital Jinsa also withdrew to their headquarters in the three provinces in batches.

Once the plane lands and enters its own territory.

Zhang Yang finally felt much more at ease.

While his individual strength is terrifying, if an armed force were truly determined to kill them without regard for the rules, that would be quite troublesome.

Although he has many protective measures to ensure his life, he also has many limitations.

Once he's used up all his trump cards, even with his unparalleled martial prowess, his mere flesh and blood wouldn't be enough to withstand the encirclement and suppression of an army, with all sorts of heavy firepower deployed at once.

One person against an entire army? That's mythology, that's science fiction, not urban fiction.

"Zabol, let's stick to the original plan," Zhang Yang said in the car on the way back to the general's residence.

Not long ago, he added dozens of "King of Soldiers" templates to key positions in the provincial government forces, meaning that there were dozens of his people in key positions among the tens of thousands of government troops in each province.

They have just been ambushed and killed by agents arranged by a high-ranking provincial official.

It's impossible to pretend this never happened; now is the perfect time to put it to the test.