Chapter 128: The Fierce Tiger Takes Command of the Military Intelligence Corps

"Halt! This is the Fierce Tiger Army camp. Unauthorized personnel are strictly prohibited from entering!"

As Chu Yun and his group arrived at the entrance of the narrow valley, the soldiers on the ramparts called out to stop them. One of Chu Yun’s guards immediately stepped forward and declared, "Count Chu Yun is here. Why haven’t you opened the gates yet?"

"What? Count Chu Yun?" The soldiers on the walls gasped in astonishment. It was common knowledge that members of the Fierce Tiger Army had participated in the Witch Doctor Sect’s attack on Chu Family Town a few days prior. They all knew that Chu Yun’s master, the Thunder God, had unleashed his lightning arts, sending the three-thousand-strong army of the Witch Doctor Sect fleeing in terror. They were, to put it mildly, quite fearful of Chu Yun.

However, after a brief moment, the soldiers responded, "Orders are orders. This is a military restricted zone; without an official military command, we cannot open the gates for anyone."

Hearing this, Chu Yun couldn't help but sigh inwardly. Although Lin Yang was a man who imposed heavy taxes and was known for being opportunistic and ungrateful, the soldiers he had trained were truly impressive. Chu Yun then raised his military authority token. "I, the Count, have taken command of the Fierce Tiger Army. I order you to open the gates immediately!"

Seeing the token, the soldiers were stunned at first, then erupted into sheer joy. Moments later, they threw open the gates and bowed to Chu Yun with radiant faces. "Welcome, Lord Count! Ha! It is truly wonderful that you have taken command of the Fierce Tiger Army!"

Chu Yun was surprised by this reaction. It made sense for the commoners of Nanhai Town to want him as their lord, as Lin Yang’s oppressive taxation had made their lives miserable. But why would the soldiers of the Fierce Tiger Army feel the same? This was a well-trained, disciplined force; logically, Lin Yang should have treated them well enough that they would have no reason to feel this way.

Chu Yun couldn't help but ask, "Why are you so happy that I am taking over the Fierce Tiger Army?"

Several sentries replied eagerly, "Lord Count, Lin Yang has been secretly embezzling our military pay and treating us poorly. We only get two meals a day and haven't seen meat in half a month. We have long hoped for him to be replaced."

"Furthermore, we deeply admire the 'Compendium of Materia Medica' fitness exercises and the one-mile obstacle course training you created. We hold you in high regard, and hearing that your personal guard unit is fed three meals a day with meat, we have long wished for you to become our commander."

Chu Yun let out a sharp scoff. "Nonsense! If Lin Yang were embezzling your pay and treating you poorly, would you be so obedient to his commands? Would the Fierce Tiger Army be a well-trained, disciplined force? Tell me the truth at once!"

His four guards immediately stepped forward, shielding Chu Yun against any potential threat. Chu Wencai and Liu Fei also wore expressions of concern.

*Thump! Thump!*

The sentries immediately kowtowed. "Spare us, Lord Count! We will tell the truth, the absolute truth."

"Speak!" Chu Yun commanded.

"Lord Count, some of our soldiers participated in the Witch Doctor Sect’s attack on Chu Family Town and witnessed the terrifying power of your master, the Thunder God’s lightning arts. For the past few days, we have been living in constant fear, worried that your master would come to bombard us with lightning."

"Now that we know you are taking command of the Fierce Tiger Army, we no longer have to fear that your master will strike us. That is why we are so happy! Even though Viscount Lin Yang hasn't treated us too harshly, we are still very happy to have you as our leader. And we really do admire the training regimens you created!"

Chu Yun nodded, finding this explanation credible. He waved his hand and said, "Very well, I believe you. Stand up."

The soldiers scrambled to their feet. A messenger then bowed and said, "Lord Count, I will go inform the deputy commander of your arrival."

Chu Yun nodded, "Go." He was not worried about any treachery, as the soldiers feared him, and he held the official authority to command them. The messenger turned and rode off inside, while Chu Yun led his party slowly into the camp. Once they had passed, the sentries closed the gates and returned to their posts on the walls, keeping a vigilant watch.

Before long, as they neared the drill ground, they encountered a group of twenty-three men. Chu Yun recognized them from his previous visit with Lin Yan, and he was particularly familiar with four of them: Deputy Commander Luo Hu and three battalion commanders. Although the Fierce Tiger Army previously consisted of only two hundred and fifty men, they maintained a structure where each soldier was at least a squad leader, allowing them to expand into a full force of two thousand five hundred in times of war. These twenty-three men were all at least company commanders. Seeing them, Chu Yun finally relaxed; had the army intended to resist, these leaders would not have come out to meet him.

"Welcome, Lord Count!" Luo Hu led the officers in a respectful salute. However, four of them knelt on the ground, unlike the other nineteen who merely bowed. Among those four was one of the battalion commanders, whom Chu Yun remembered by name: Wang Meng.

"Wang Meng, why do you four kneel?" Chu Yun asked.

"Lord Count, we four participated in the attack on Chu Family Town. Please, spare our lives!" Wang Meng’s body trembled as he spoke, and the three behind him buried their heads low, breaking out in a cold sweat. It was clear that the memory of the bombs, the sight of soldiers being blown to pieces, and the sheer carnage of that battle had become an inescapable nightmare for them.

Chu Yun waved his hand dismissively. "Though you participated in the attack on Chu Family Town, you were acting under orders. It is understandable. I grant you amnesty."

"Thank you, Lord Count! Thank you!" the four men kowtowed repeatedly.

Chu Yun turned to Luo Hu. "Deputy Commander Luo, have all the soldiers assemble on the drill ground!"

"Understood, Commander Chu!" Luo Hu promptly arranged for the officers to summon the troops. Once assembled, they reported the numbers: exactly fifty soldiers had been lost during the campaign, leaving two hundred men remaining.

Chu Yun declared, "From this moment on, I, Count Chu Yun, am your commander. As a token of our meeting, I shall teach you ten lethal combat techniques!"

Passing on these skills was secondary; his true purpose was to further establish his authority and ensure the Fierce Tiger Army would be completely devoted to him.