OFTLHFRO C130
by NininiaChapter 130: All Relying on Comprehension
Beaten up by Luo Mingchen, Wu Qing could only swallow his anger even though he knew they’d hauled away far more grain than agreed. Otherwise, he could forget about getting tomorrow’s antidote.
Watching Wu Qing’s men distribute relief grain to the disaster victims of Bing City, Luo Mingchen sneered as they left:
“If we ever find out you secretly snatched the grain back… I won’t kill you. But we’ve got plenty of ways to torment and humiliate you. Better watch yourself when you sleep at night.”
Wu Qing shivered on the spot.
Were these even human?!
Huo Yan’s eyes gleamed with amusement as he watched Luo Mingchen threaten Wu Qing.
Not wanting to look at Wu Qing’s pig-like face any longer, Luo Mingchen said, “Let’s go.”
“Alright.”
They led the carts of grain back toward Han City.
Outside Bing City, Hu Zhongyi muttered, “That bastard sure hoarded a lot.”
Ruan Feng added, “Bing City’s land has always been more fertile than Han City’s. Their harvests are bigger. On top of that, they didn’t distribute relief grain to their people and even collected more from the citizens, so of course their stores are plentiful.”
Hearing this, Luo Mingchen asked, “What crops does Han City usually grow?”
Hu Zhongyi replied, “Wheat. And rice too, though the yields are low.”
Luo Mingchen nodded.
It was about the same as what was grown in the northern lands of his own world.
After answering, Hu Zhongyi recalled Luo Mingchen’s earlier display of strength and remarked, “Never thought Brother Luo would also be a martial artist.”
Luo Mingchen gave a vague smile.
Hu Zhongyi asked, “Which master did you study under?”
“No master,” Luo Mingchen said. “All relying on comprehension.”
And that was the truth.
Everything about his abilities in the apocalypse, he had figured out step by step on his own.
Hu Zhongyi wanted to probe further about his techniques, but Huo Yan cut in: “Once we return, I’ll need to trouble the Great General to distribute the grain to Han City’s people.”
“No problem.”
Hu Zhongyi was about to return to the earlier topic when Huo Yan suddenly said, “Let’s race back to Han City. See who arrives first.”
Catching the look in his eyes, Luo Mingchen understood and smiled. “Alright.”
The couple urged their horses forward, quickly leaving the others behind.
Hu Zhongyi sighed.
Was the rejection really necessary to be that blatant?
Once back, they distributed most of the grain to the people. The rest was split half and half.
Hu Zhongyi oversaw his men at work and, for now, stopped questioning Luo Mingchen.
With the grain issue temporarily settled, Huo Yan held the roster in hand, comparing it against the training records, selecting names to form a brand-new unit.
Meanwhile, Luo Mingchen went to inspect farmland suitable for growing vegetables.
Truthfully, Han City’s sorry state had its reasons.
Releasing his spiritual sense, he could clearly detect large amounts of ore beneath the ground. That made farming much harder here compared to Bing City.
“Brother Luo, what are you looking at?”
Startled, Luo Mingchen turned and saw Ji Bowen. “Strategist Ji. Do you need something?”
He really disliked talking to men like Ji Bowen—schemers who wove traps with every word, forever probing and digging for information.
If he came over now, he was surely up to no good.
Ji Bowen didn’t understand why Luo Mingchen was so wary of him but quickly hid his doubt, smiling. “I heard you were looking for land to plant crops. Is that true?”
“No.”
Ji Bowen raised his brows slightly, then tried again: “In this frozen wasteland, if not for farming, are you perhaps simply here to enjoy the scenery?”
“No.”
The utterly flat tone left Ji Bowen’s smile faltering. “Does Brother Luo perhaps have some objection to me?”
Still, the answer was the same: “No.”
“…Very well.”
Luo Mingchen had already finished surveying. “I’m leaving.”
“Mm…”
Ji Bowen watched his retreating back, lost in thought.
Of course Luo Mingchen never intended to tell him anything. Ji Bowen was one of Huo Yuntao’s men. Talking too much was a good way to get exploited.
He had no intention of working hard with Huo Yan only to let all the credit fall into Huo Yuntao’s lap. That would be revolting.
Back at the compound, the thousand men chosen by Huo Yan were lined neatly in the training yard, with Xiao Lin delivering a speech.
“If any of you are dissatisfied, come challenge me. Beat me, and you’ll be the boss. Lose, or don’t even dare step forward, and if you ever gossip or disobey behind my back—I’ll cripple you on the spot!”
He swept his gaze across them. “Alright then, who’s first? Hands up.”
After a brief silence, quite a few hands rose.
Xiao Lin grinned.
Better they show their discontent now. What he feared was silence today only to deal with disobedience later—that would be the real headache.
The men formed a circle as challengers stepped forward one by one.
Luo Mingchen came to Huo Yan’s side, leaning into him as usual. “Brother Xiao fights pretty well.”
“Not bad,” Huo Yan said, sliding an arm around his shoulders. “Back in the day, when dozens were chasing him down, he ran even faster.”
Hearing Huo Yan calmly expose Xiao Lin’s embarrassing past, Luo Mingchen nearly laughed aloud. Childish, he thought, before switching the subject. “I ran into Ji Bowen earlier.”
“What did he ask?”
“He asked if I planned to grow grain. He felt off to me. Whatever we’re planning here, maybe best not to tell them yet.”
“It’s fine if we do,” Huo Yan replied.
Seeing Luo Mingchen’s puzzled look, Huo Yan smiled faintly. “The Huo family army belongs to the emperor first.”
“Oh…”
If they weren’t rebelling, then naturally their loyalty was to the emperor before Huo Yuntao.
“Besides, with us so far away, even if they wanted to send letters, they’d have to get them delivered first.”
They had brought five shadow guards with them—experts in tailing, tracking, and intercepting letters. Seizing a few messages was child’s play.
Just like yesterday, when Xue Kang’s report had already been swapped out.
“You’re right,” Luo Mingchen said. “Then next time I’ll just tell him. Make him help too.”
“Good.”
While they talked, Xiao Lin had already beaten challenger after challenger.
With his strength proven, he secured his position as deputy general.
Huo Yan then handed him a training regimen—one thousand men divided into ten teams of one hundred, strictly trained each day. Each night, different teams would rotate out for night runs and patrols.
And not just within the city. Outside the walls as well.
Liu Changlian was baffled. “General, in such cold weather, isn’t night running outside the city a bit much?”
“Worry about your own men. I know what I’m doing. If you’re really that idle, go check whether the holes in the wall have been patched yet.”
Seeing how firm he was, Liu Changlian dared not press further.
Still, both Huo Yan’s chosen thousand and the new patrol system struck them as peculiar.
Who ever heard of a general ordering his troops to lay traps outside the city walls at night?
And then not telling the next night’s runners, just to test their reaction speed in the dark?
But as deputy generals, unable to best Huo Yan in combat, they had no choice but to keep silent.