The Little Tyrant of the Ninth Battalion

Chen Xian, Ding Chen, and the others rode their horses with expressionless faces, their eyes radiating coldness as they slowly entered the Ninth Battalion of the Ninth Army.

Facing the stunned expressions of everyone, they kept their gaze straight ahead.

Behind them were rafts woven from vines and wooden sticks, upon which lay the corpses of Cook Soldiers.

"What are they doing?"

From a military tent, a youth in silver armor emerged, frowning slightly as he asked.

A Demon Slayer Soldier quickly appeared before the silver-armored youth and respectfully replied, "Reporting to the General, our Ninth Battalion's Cook Soldiers have just returned from the battlefield."

The silver-armored youth was named Pei Menglong, a Major General of the Ninth Battalion's Demon Suppression Army. He frowned, "Who allowed them onto the battlefield?"

He could tell that Chen Xian and the others were Cook Soldiers, but why were they returning with the corpses of their comrades from outside the military camp so early in the morning?

The Demon Slayer Soldier replied, "Reporting to the General, we heard it was arranged by the Head Chef Army. We don't know anything else."

Pei Menglong narrowed his long, narrow eyes, "Head Chef Army?"

He muttered to himself and said nothing further. He waved his hand at the Demon Slayer Soldier, who then retreated.

"Is the Head Chef Army no longer planning to be a turtle in a shell?"

Pei Menglong stared at the receding figures of Chen Xian and the others, snorting coldly to himself, "Even so, they shouldn't let cooks fight demons. This Liu Dingchun is truly courting death!"

When Chen Xian and the others returned to the camp, they naturally alerted hundreds of cooks.

The news quickly reached Liao Zipeng, who personally led Second Lieutenant Lu and others to the cooks' military camp.

"Ding Chen, I haven't even given the order yet, why did you bring your men back in retreat?" Liao Zipeng roared at Ding Chen as soon as they met.

Wang Yan, standing behind Ding Chen, became angry upon hearing this. Not only did this scoundrel betray them, but they had also agreed to hold off Black Wind Valley for a day. Was there a problem with them returning this morning?

Wang Yan wanted to rush forward and argue with Liao Zipeng, but Ding Chen grabbed his wrist.

"Lord Liao, yesterday you only said to hold Black Wind Valley for a day, and we have achieved that. Moreover, with so many brothers dead, they have been cold for a day and a night. Shouldn't I bring them back and arrange for their burial?"

Ding Chen's anger was even greater than Wang Yan's, but he remained expressionless, neither servile nor overbearing.

Chen Xian watched from the side, also admiring Ding Chen. He was clearly at the peak of his anger, yet he could still speak calmly with Liao Zipeng.

Just based on this temperament, he would accomplish great things in the future.

Liao Zipeng's face still showed anger. His gaze swept over the dead Cook Soldiers, and his anger subsided by half.

"I ask you, how did you hold back the Great Demon?" Liao Zipeng stared coldly at Ding Chen.

"Great Demon? Never seen one!" Ding Chen shook his head.

He and Chen Xian had discussed the matter of Great Demons and Demon Men. If Liao Zipeng asked about it upon their return, they would say they hadn't seen any Great Demons or Demon Men.

It was too outrageous, and it would also expose Chen Xian's strength.

"Never seen one?"

Liao Zipeng was slightly taken aback, thinking to himself: No wonder they could survive. So the Great Demon from the demon squad didn't follow them.

"Hmph! This is your first offense, I'll let you go this time. If you disobey orders again, you will be severely punished!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Liao Zipeng led his men away.

Ding Chen quickly stepped forward, chasing after Liao Zipeng to demand people and healing pills.

Deep within the Head Chef Army, in a larger military tent.

Pei Menglong rode his horse over. The Head Chef soldiers guarding outside the tent immediately saluted upon seeing the Major General of the Demon Suppression Army.

"Greetings, General Pei!"

Pei Menglong did not have anyone announce his arrival. He simply waved his hand and walked into the tent.

Inside the tent was a man in fiery red armor, drinking ginger soup to sober up. Seeing Pei Menglong enter, he became much more alert.

This person was none other than the Major General of the Head Chef Army, Liu Dingchun.

"Brother Pei, what brings you to our Head Chef Army camp?" Liu Dingchun quickly greeted him with a smile, his attitude very polite.

"Old Liu, you're living quite comfortably as the Major General of the Head Chef Army!" Pei Menglong walked into the tent and glanced around. Various cooked meats and fine wine were placed on the table.

Liu Dingchun gave a bitter smile, "Brother Pei, don't mock me. If I had your strength, I would be on the battlefield fighting demons and earning merits."

"Why bother drowning my sorrows in wine here!"

"Heh heh, so you're drowning your sorrows here. There's a demon force of three thousand in Blood River Forest, led by a Demon Man. Take your Head Chef Army and wipe them out, and I guarantee you won't have any worries from now on!"

Pei Menglong said with a sneer.

Upon hearing this, Liu Dingchun's expression turned as ugly as if he had eaten a dead fly. He waved his hands repeatedly, "Brother Pei, no, no, I'm not worried, not worried at all. Recently, I've been training my troops day and night, always ready."

"Is that so?"

Pei Menglong sneered. He knew very well what kind of state the Head Chef Army was in.

Although Liu Dingchun held the same rank in the military camp, his strength was far inferior.

He's only able to get by on his ancestors' influence; otherwise, how could he possibly be a major general in the Head Chef Army?

"You mean to have the cook soldiers under your command go to the battlefield." He stared coldly at Liu Dingchun.

Liu Dingchun was stunned at first, then he realized, "Brother Pei, so that's why you were looking for me!"

The Cooks' Camp and the Head Chef Army both fall under his jurisdiction.

Recently, he had indeed formed a hundred-man cook soldier unit, but it wasn't his idea; it was something Duke Li's son, Li Sheng, had initiated.

"Li Sheng?" Pei Menglong frowned. "He's in the Ninth Battalion of the Ninth Army?"

Liu Dingchun nodded. "Brother Pei, it's best if you don't get involved in this. That Duke Li is backed by the Sixth Prince, the current crown prince. If you go against him, you'll be ruining your own future."

Pei Menglong snorted. "Duke Li? Hmph, don't forget this is a military camp. He's just a duke's grandson. Even if the duke himself came to the camp, he'd have to follow the camp's rules and regulations."

Liu Dingchun was a little stunned. Pei Menglong truly lived up to his reputation as the little overlord of the Ninth Battalion of the Ninth Army; he really dared to say anything.

"Brother Pei, I'll pretend I didn't hear what you just said. Besides, those cook soldiers are all in the Blood Moving Realm. It's time they were tempered on the battlefield."

Liu Dingchun said with a smile.

"Blood Moving Realm?"

Pei Menglong's narrow eyes flickered slightly. If that were the case, he had nothing more to say.

"Blood River Forest, your chance to earn merit has arrived. Are you going?" He stared at Liu Dingchun.

Liu Dingchun quickly shook his head. "Brother Pei, I still want to train them for a while longer."

Pei Menglong shook his head inwardly and turned to leave.

Liu Dingchun walked him to the outside of the camp tent and stared at Pei Menglong's departing back, a cold glint of disdain flashing in his eyes.

He turned and walked towards another camp tent.

Inside that tent, Liao Zipeng was reporting the situation to Li Sheng and two others.

Liu Dingchun lifted the curtain and walked in.

Upon seeing him, Liao Zipeng quickly stepped forward to pay his respects.

Wang Pei and Mu Feng also stood up to bow, but only Li Sheng remained seated. Instead, Liu Dingchun stepped forward and said with a fawning smile, "Greetings, Young Master Sheng."

Li Sheng put down the wine cup in his hand and glanced at Liu Dingchun. "General Liu, it's not appropriate for you to bow to me, is it?"

"It's appropriate, very appropriate!" Liu Dingchun didn't seem to care if Liao Zipeng was present, his face full of smiles.

Hearing this, Li Sheng's face broke into a proud smile. "Brother Liu, have a seat."

Liu Dingchun smiled and nodded, sitting down on one side of the table. He gestured to Wang Pei and Mu Feng, "Sit, sit!"

Liao Zipeng remained standing, reporting the situation.

"You can go."

Li Sheng waved his hand. After Liao Zipeng respectfully withdrew, he looked at Liu Dingchun and said, "Brother Liu, you came here early in the morning. What's the matter?"

Liu Dingchun nodded. "Pei Menglong just came to see me!"

"The little overlord, Pei Menglong?" Li Sheng and the other two were surprised.

Pei Menglong, who always looked down on the Head Chef Army, would come to their camp?

Liu Dingchun recounted what Pei Menglong had said to him.

After listening, Li Sheng said coldly, "Did he say anything else?"