Zhou Weiqing dismissed the Demonic Change State, but he did not put his clothes back on. Just like that, bare-torsoed, he walked with Shangguan Fei’er to the head of the troupe.
Xiong Guangming said: “Battalion Commander, you can go to my tent to rest first. It has been a long time since we had a Battalion Commander, so we do not have a specialised tent for one.”
Zhou Weiqing nodded and said: “Alright, I’ll use your tent first. You should be one of the Company Leaders of our Battalion right? Go and gather all the other Company Leaders, and let them know what happened. As for any retaliation from the Sixteenth Regiment, I will deal with it, all of you need not worry. Since I am now the Ruffian Battalion Battalion Commander, I will deal with any problems that come. I have my reasons for daring to do something like that.”
“Yes, yes, Battalion Commander Zhou is wise indeed.” For a man of such stature like Xiong Guangming to have such a deferential and respectful look, it was almost amusing. However, this actually let Zhou Weiqing have a higher opinion of him. The reason was simple, Zhou Weiqing did not particularly like people who had the unbending character, who would rather break than bend. That was because normally such people would not live long. What he needed was an intelligent army, not an army who would only fight to the death foolishly.
The camp was situated between some of the hills, not too far from where they were currently. At the same time, they could see how shabby the camp was, with many of the tents with holes. This was after all far up in the north, and the temperature was extremely cold. In the day, it wasn’t so bad, especially for those like Zhou Weiqing who had strong Heavenly Energy, and they could dismiss the weather. However, at night, the temperature would be even lower, and how could such tents block out the cold winds. That was probably the reason why they had set up their camp in the small valley of the hills, to help block out some of the biting wind.
Xiong Guangming brought Zhou Weiqing to one of the relatively whole tents, inviting him in. The tent was only about ten square metres large, with about six or seven large patches. Still, in comparison, it was already extremely solid and tight. Even so, after entering the tent, they could still feel the wind entering from all around, though it had the unexpected benefit of having good ventilation and air within.
Zhou Weiqing furrowed his brow, then said to Xiong Guangming: “Go ahead then, gather all the Company Leaders and bring them here.”
Xiong Guangming turned and exited the tent. The moment he did so, a cold light flashed in his eyes. Among the ten Company Leaders of the Ruffian Battalion, he was actually the lowest ranked in terms of power.
Previously, having been beaten and threatened by Zhou Weiqing, he had no choice but to obey him temporarily. However, now that they were back in the Ruffian Battalion… hmph… a mere twenty year old kid wanted to command them? He must be daydreaming.
At last, only Zhou Weiqing and Shangguan Fei’er were left in the tent, and she looked at him exasperatedly before saying: “I can’t understand what you are doing, why must we come to this desolate and godforsaken place, where even the birds won’t deign to shit in [1. That latter part is the literal translation, an idiom meaning a desolate place.] What can we develop or grow here? If we don’t leave this place, you’ll be stuck here forever as a Battalion Commander.”
Zhou Weiqing smiled faintly and said: “Although this place is much shabbier and tattered than I had hoped for, it is still not a bad thing. You should understand that what I need and want is not an army that belongs to the ZhongTian Empire, but one that belongs to me alone. So what if it is the Ruffian Battalion? This is the place where I shall rise to power, you just wait and see.”
Chapter 124 Ruffian Battalion, Battalion Commander! (3)
Before long, a loud tumultuous clamour was heard outside their tent. The next moment, Xiong Guangming’s loud resonant voice was heard: “Zhou Little Fatty, get out here now! Your ‘Fathers’ have come…”
Zhou Weiqing chuckled and said: “That fellow sure changes face quickly… interesting.”
Shangguan Fei’er’s ears twitched, and she furrowed her brow slightly, saying: “It looks like the entire Ruffian Battalion is gathered outside, you want to face them all alone?”
Zhou Weiqing laughed heartily, clapping her shoulder without thought, saying: “There is a saying - No matter facing hundreds of thousands are against me, I will forge on ahead. [1. This is a quote from Meng Zi, an ancient philosopher]” As he said that, he stepped out of the tent without hesitation.
When he walked out of the tent, he saw a sea of people gathered outside, almost a thousand of the Ruffian Battalion soldiers, all dressed in simple, torn clothes, and they all stared with hostile intent at Zhou Weiqing. In front of the crowd were ten men, two of whom Zhou Weiqing easily recognized. One was naturally Xiong Guangming, and the other was the one who had lost to him in the Sixteenth Regiment Duelling Corner, Green Wolf.
“It’s you?!” Seeing Zhou Weiqing, Green Wolf started. Sizing him up from top to toe, he said: “You’re the one from the Duelling Corner yesterday?”
Zhou Weiqing smiled faintly and said: “Yes, it is me.”
A look of surprise flickered across Green Wolf’s eyes, and he leaned over to the middle age man of medium stature next to him, and whispered something softly in his ears.
Zhou Weiqing’s gaze focused on the middle aged man. Green Wolf was after all one of the Company Leaders, and for him to speak like that in such a manner, this middle aged man must be of some importance or status in the Ruffian Battalion… perhaps even the leader amongst the ten Company Leaders.
The middle aged man looked to be around forty years old, only about 1.7metres tall, and he might seem rather inconspicuous next to all the massive Company Leaders he was standing amongst. He was also not wearing any form of army uniform at all, instead with a cloth robe, looking a little scholarly. His gaze was peaceful, and his ordinary features the sort that would not draw attention in a crowd.
Hearing Green Wolf’s words, the middle aged man lifted his head to look at Zhou Weiqing, a faint smile on his face as he said: “Hello, Battalion Commander Zhou, let me introduce myself. My name is Wei Feng, and I’m the Vice Battalion Commander of the Ruffian Battalion. Of course, this title of Vice Battalion Commander is not official, without any actual rank from above, more of a… self proclaimed one. So, Green Wolf tells me that yesterday, Battalion Commander Zhou only just joined the army?”
Zhou Weiqing smiled faintly as well, replying: “That’s correct.”
Wei Feng said: “So… that means… yesterday in the Duelling Corner, Battalion Commander Zhou should have won the overall ringmaster of the Sixteenth Regiment. According to the Duelling Corner rules, the overall ringmaster is the Regiment Commander of each Regiment… meaning that Commander Zhou managed to defeat Regiment Commander Shen Bu. If I remember correctly, she is a Six-Jeweled Upper Level Zun Stage Heavenly Jewel Master!”
From the few simple words that Green Wolf had told him, this middle aged man had already estimated Zhou Weiqing’s power. Zhou Weiqing couldn’t help but think that perhaps he had gotten the respect of the others, and the position of Vice Battalion Commander, due to that brain of his.
Wei Feng continued: “However, what I do not understand is… such a talent like Battalion Commander Zhou… how could Regiment Commander Shen Bu actually be willing to send you to our Ruffian Battalion? Could Battalion Commander Zhou have committed some crime?”
Heavenly Jewel Change Volume 7 (Chapter 106-Chapter 156)
Tang Jia San Shao's books
- Heavenly Jewel Change Volume 1 (Chapter 1 - Chapter 7)
- Heavenly Jewel Change Volume 2 (Chapter 8 - Chapter 14)
- Heavenly Jewel Change Volume 3 (Chapter 15 - Chapter 21)
- Heavenly Jewel Change Volume 4 (Chapter 22 - Chapter 24)
- Heavenly Jewel Change Volume 5 (Chapter 25 - Chapter 35)
- Heavenly Jewel Change Volume 6 (Chapter 36 - Chapter 54)
- Heavenly Jewel Change Volume 7 (Chapter 55-Chapter 105)
- Heavenly Jewel Change Volume 7 (Chapter 157-Chapter 207)
- Heavenly Jewel Change Volume 7 (Chapter 208-Chapter 258)
- Heavenly Jewel Change Volume 7 (Chapter 259-Chapter 308)