Iron-Blooded Methods

"So... we're here. This is the eighty-first low-tier barracks!"

The journey had indeed not been far. In roughly the time it took to burn an incense stick, Wei Zhenbei had led Jian Shang and the others to the gates of a military camp spanning around five thousand meters. Pointing at the number 81 plaque hanging beside the gate, he spoke.

"Thanks. You can leave now!"

Jian Shang nodded. Though there had been a whiff of extortion about it, Wei Zhenbei had indeed saved him many detours, so Jian Shang still thanked him politely.

Looking in from the entrance, there were antique wooden houses to the left, right, and rear. In the center stood a three-story pavilion of redwood and glazed tiles, while between them lay a drill ground for the soldiers' training.

Though the entire camp lacked artificial hills and lakes, wooded groves and little bridges, it was still filled with lush trees and decent greenery. Living here would be quite comfortable—at the very least, far better than the towering concrete buildings of reality.

More importantly, this was a column barracks built for five hundred men. There was plenty of space.

"This is only a low-tier barracks. What about medium-tier, high-tier, giant, and super barracks? It truly deserves to be called a giant-city-level base."

Sighing inwardly as he looked at the camp, Jian Shang swiftly composed himself and strode inside.

Wei Zhenbei did not leave just like that. Instead, he followed with a grin, trailed by Gao Hong, Gao Gong, and the others, along with the Black Wolf Cavalry. Their grand procession drew many players over, and the crowd only continued to grow.

"Who's in charge here?"

Jian Shang went straight to the center of the drill ground and shouted, causing the several dozen soldiers training there to stop and retreat to one side.

In truth, Jian Shang did not even need to ask. Seeing his formation, nearly a hundred players had already rushed out from the wooden houses on both sides and the central three-story pavilion.

"I'm the centurion here, Shangguan Shangren. Who are you? Why have you brought people here? You should know this is Xu Family Guild territory!"

A young man of around twenty, still somewhat green-faced yet brimming with high spirits, stepped forward. He pointed at Jian Shang and answered loudly, utterly fearless.

"Call out whoever can make decisions!"

Jian Shang frowned and spoke directly, too lazy to waste words.

Xu Family Guild—Wei Zhenbei had introduced it on the way. It was a guild ranked somewhat above average, supposedly formed by players from Xu Family Village Township in reality. Its leader was a rich second-generation heir, and it had over three hundred players and more than a thousand NPC soldiers.

"I'm the one in charge here. Spit it out if you've got something to say!"

Shangguan Shangren's face darkened as he shouted, as if afraid others might not hear him.

"Haha..."

The surrounding people burst into laughter, though most were from inside the camp. The onlookers did not laugh much, because everyone knew that one who dared climb Liangshan must have more than a few ounces of skill. Since this player had dared come knocking with such a formidable force, it could not be that simple!

Bang...

Jian Shang gave a cold laugh and tossed the barracks token before Shangguan Shangren. Then he said slowly:

"We've been assigned this barracks. I'll give you one hour to move your things!"

"What?"

Shangguan Shangren froze, staring at Jian Shang in surprise before looking down at the barracks token. Seeing that Jian Shang did not appear to be bluffing, he turned to the people around him and shouted with a laugh:

"Haha... What did he say? He's been assigned this barracks and wants us to move out? Did I hear that right?"

"Haha..."

"Overestimating himself!"

"Has he gone stupid? The rule here is that whoever occupies it owns it..."

"Where did this idiot come from? Did he drink too much?"

"Brothers! Get out here! Someone's come to challenge the camp!"

For a moment, laughter, curses, mockery, and calls to friends blended into a chaotic din.

Yet at that shout, quite a few people rushed from the wooden houses on both sides, swords and sabers in hand, looking fierce and menacing. They were mostly players, with very few NPCs. It seemed the NPCs from earlier had only been using the grounds for training—though they were naturally NPC soldiers under Xu Family Guild.

"Pah... Where did this idiot come from? Go stay wherever it's cool. Laozi doesn't have time for you!"

Shangguan Shangren glanced around, spat viciously, and cursed.

"This is our barracks. Can you bring yourselves to kill these Otherworlders, reclaim it, and establish our might?"

Jian Shang smiled faintly, then suddenly turned to Jiang Sheng, Luo Sheng, Gao Hong, Gao Gong, and the others behind him.

Gao Hong, Gao Gong, Yang Ning, and the others frowned in silence. They neither objected nor agreed.

"Aren't Otherworlders supposed to be immortal? If they aren't afraid of trouble, then kill them. Who told them to occupy our place and insult us?"

Ma Qiang curled his lip and muttered in a low voice. Though he was muttering, his voice was not particularly quiet.

"Such soldiers disgrace the very name of soldier. They are nothing but military bandits and soldier bandits. Killing them would be fitting—to set military discipline straight and establish our army's prestige!"

Jiang Sheng's expression turned stern as he answered seriously.

"Who dares cause trouble on Xu Family Guild territory!"

At that moment, a grand procession of nearly two hundred people appeared behind the Black Wolf Cavalry. At their head stood a burly man wielding a broadsword. He glared in all directions and shouted.

"You happened to occupy our barracks, and you happened to run into us. If you must blame someone... blame your bad luck! Next time, keep your eyes open and be smarter!"

Jian Shang ignored the burly man entirely. After glancing at Shangguan Shangren, he slowly walked back toward his warhorse as he spoke.

"Uh..."

Shangguan Shangren stared blankly, unable for a moment to understand what Jian Shang meant.

He swung himself up and mounted his horse, raising his spear...

Kill!

Unfortunately, Jian Shang gave Shangguan Shangren no time to think. He raised the Pear Blossom Wrought-Iron Spear in his hand and roared.

Crack...

With a snap of his reins, he took the lead and charged straight at Shangguan Shangren...

"You dare?!"

Shangguan Shangren's face changed from green to white to red in the blink of an eye. He roared in shock and fury.

Pfft...

Before his words had even faded, Jian Shang had already charged before him. His spear thrust out, piercing straight through his body and lifting him high...

The lifeless corpse, trailing sprays of crimson blood, flew through the air and crashed toward the surrounding players!

Kill!

Nearly two hundred Black Wolf Cavalrymen roared as one and charged forward on horseback.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...

Several dozen sharp arrows arced through the air, mercilessly shooting toward the players on the left, right, and front.

Pfft, pfft, pfft...

Aah! Aah! Aah!

Dense screams rose and fell in waves, mixed with the sounds of weapons piercing flesh and heavy bodies striking the ground. The Spear Riders and Axe Riders rapidly closed in, their long spears and battle axes striking out. Swathes of players fell, blood gushing forth...

Neighhh...

Jian Shang charged on horseback all the way to the front of the three-story pavilion, then pulled his horse to a stop. Amid his warhorse's whinny, he turned its head around!

Jian Shang had killed three players in succession, and the battle was already largely settled.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...

Another wave of taut bowstrings rang out. The surviving players, either panicked or stunned into blankness, were shot dead where they stood.

Had ten minutes passed? Had five minutes passed? Had even ten instants passed in the time it took to snap one's fingers?!

One charge of less than thirty meters, a turn back, two attacks...

A complete victory!

At most, it had taken two finger snaps, and the battle was already over. More than a hundred players and several dozen NPC soldiers had all fallen. Even the saber-wielding burly man who had arrived so aggressively, along with the group behind him, had not had time to join the battle!

On average, each Black Wolf Cavalryman had not even killed one person. The two sides were not on the same level at all. Many of their opponents had never even seen blood.

"Throw these trash out. Close the gates. Anyone who enters without permission... kill without mercy!"

By the time Jian Shang had turned his horse around and stopped, the battle had ended. He swept his spear out, coldly eyed the several hundred watching players, and shouted.

Clop, clop, clop...

Over a hundred Spear Riders and Axe Riders rode forward. With practiced tactical precision, they scooped up the corpses from the ground, turned their horses, and charged toward the camp gates. The players near the entrance fled backward in panic, including the broadsword-wielding man and his group.

Thud, thud, thud...

After two trips, all more than one hundred and fifty corpses had been tossed outside the camp, blood spraying through the air.

Creak, creak, creak...

Several Axe Riders leapt down from their horses. Ignoring the onlookers outside entirely, they pushed the military camp's gates—several yards high and several feet thick—slowly shut amid creaking groans...

*****