Battle Through the Heavens: Flame Emperor, Please Restrain Yourself—Your Brother Is Actually Quite Simple

"Only if they wanted to kill me and were colluding with the Illusionary Mist Nine Bandits could my plan succeed, so I did not report it to the commander beforehand."

At this point, Zhang Yuan paused before continuing, "But there was also an unexpected gain. I discovered that the Illusionary Mist Nine Bandits were not ordinary bandits, but Dark Cloud Guard agents from the Chuyun Empire."

What!?

Qin Zhendong, Qin Jingyan, and Wang Zhongli shot to their feet, their eyes widening in shock.

Two high-ranking Dou Wangs, along with a deputy commander of the Black Armored Guard—a twenty-two-year-old Nine-Star Great Dou Shi—were all utterly stunned.

Had the Illusionary Mist Nine Bandits been from any other empire, they would not have lost their composure like this. But they were from the Chuyun Empire, the nation with the deepest blood feud against the Jia Ma Empire.

The Illusionary Mist Nine Bandits had existed for over a decade without being eliminated, already making the Northeast Province—the empire's foremost province in resisting foreign enemies—lose face. And now they were being revealed as people from the Chuyun Empire.

If this news spread, they would become an even greater laughingstock.

Fortunately, Zhang Yuan had now wiped them out completely.

"Subordinate Mu Kun requests an audience!"

"Subordinate Ao Benyu requests an audience!"

"Subordinate Qin Zhenming requests an audience!"

"Subordinate Ge Donglai requests an audience!"

Just as Qin Zhendong was about to ask for more details, four vigorous voices rang out from outside the hall.

The four commanders of the Black Armored Guard had arrived at the same time after receiving the summons.

Among them, Ge Donglai, commander of the Yellow Character Camp stationed at the north gate, had been the first to learn that Zhang Yuan had destroyed the Illusionary Mist Nine Bandits. Before Zhang Yuan arrived carrying ten heads, he had sent his personal guards ahead to loudly spread the news.

If nothing unexpected had happened, the news had likely already spread throughout Qingyun Town.

"Enter." Qin Zhendong suppressed the emotions in his heart and spoke steadily.

Four middle-aged men clad in armor strode inside. They all clasped their fists toward Qin Zhendong in salute while secretly sizing up Zhang Yuan.

They had all heard of this young genius, who was highly valued by the commander and possessed the greatest talent in the Black Armored Guard.

However, as commanders in high positions, busy with military affairs and needing to cultivate, aside from Qin Zhenming, this was their first time seeing him in person.

His bearing was quite good, and he was also very handsome. He gave off the same dependable feeling as Qin Zhendong, though the traces of youth on his face still revealed his age.

They could not understand how the Illusionary Mist Nine Bandits, whom even a Dou Wang leading a force had failed to eradicate for over a decade, had fallen into his hands.

"Everyone, take a seat."

Qin Zhendong gestured for Mu Kun and the others to sit, then said to Zhang Yuan, "Tell us again how you dealt with the Illusionary Mist Nine Bandits."

Zhang Yuan was not bothered by the request and recounted the matter again in even greater detail, including how he had sought cooperation from Lin Zhengqing and Master Gu Ni of the Mittel Auction House beforehand.

Mu Kun and the other three were all surprised and secretly praised his ingenuity. They thought to themselves that rumors did not arise from nowhere—perhaps Commander Qin Zhendong really was learning military strategy from Zhang Yuan.

"In truth, I did not help much with this matter." Lin Zhengqing spoke at the appropriate moment. "By the time Master Gu Ni and I arrived, nine members of the Illusionary Mist Nine Bandits, along with Jia Lie Bi, the head of the Jia Lie Family who had colluded with them, had already been eliminated. Only their leader, Sen Ma Rong, escaped, but he was severely wounded. He certainly will not get away."

"You are too modest, City Lord Lin." Zhang Yuan smiled humbly.

Ao Benyu was a straightforward man. He asked, "The plan was indeed a good one, but I recall that three of the Illusionary Mist Nine Bandits were Great Dou Shis. Sen Ma Rong, in particular, was a Nine-Star Great Dou Shi like a deputy commander. Captain Zhang Yuan, how did you eliminate them without City Lord Lin's assistance?"

This was not a challenge, merely curiosity.

Zhang Yuan smiled faintly and released his aura. He had no intention of concealing his cultivation. There was no need to play the fool in the army.

"Five-Star Great Dou Shi!"

"Hiss!"

Everyone present sucked in a cold breath. Even Lin Zhengqing, who had known already, could not help sighing inwardly at this moment.

A sixteen-year-old Five-Star Great Dou Shi no longer merely possessed the potential to become a Dou Emperor. So long as nothing unexpected happened and he did not fall prematurely, he would certainly become a Dou Emperor—and he even possessed the potential to become a Dou Zong!

Not to mention that Zhang Yuan had a record of killing enemies above his level.

"I must notify the family and win this person over in advance. I should also have Zhan come apologize, so that we can establish friendly relations." A small scheme arose in Mu Kun's heart.

As a major power in the empire's military, the Mu family was the closest of the three great families to the Jia Ma Empire Royal Family. They were of one heart with the royal family.

For a genius like Zhang Yuan, Mu Kun's first thought was not to suppress him, but to nurture him. Of course, that was also because his nephew Mu Zhan had merely clashed with Zhang Yuan out of youthful pride; it had not yet reached the point of an irreconcilable feud.

"Good, very good!" Qin Zhendong nearly laughed aloud.

Such a genius possessed not only good character but also sharp intelligence, and he even served under Qin Zhendong in the Black Armored Guard. How could he not be delighted?

"By the way, regarding the Illusionary Mist Nine Bandits, there is another matter." Zhang Yuan said, "The Jia Lie Family and the Ao Ba Family colluded with the Illusionary Mist Nine Bandits, so they must be held accountable. Commander, you can dispatch one or two camps of the Black Armored Guard to wipe them out."

Everyone was stunned upon hearing this.

Then Qin Zhendong, Wang Zhongli, and Qin Jingyan's eyes lit up.

The Illusionary Mist Nine Bandits were not merely mountain bandits who had made the Northeast Province and even the imperial royal family lose face. They were people of the Chuyun Empire, and members of the Dark Cloud Guard.

Therefore, the Jia Lie Family and Ao Ba Family, who had colluded with them, were traitors. By law, their nine clans should be exterminated.

There was no problem with the Black Armored Guard handling this matter. It would count as a major merit.

However, Qin Zhenming and Ge Donglai spoke at the same time. "This cannot be done!"

A trace of subtlety appeared in Zhang Yuan's eyes.