Overgod Ch50

 Chapter 50: Nine Mountains Army

Wu Ming had discussed a few things, modified it slightly, and discarded all the items that would easily cause suspicion, and then set off.

Passing through the small village last night, he saw a bunch of thick smoke rising, dark as ink, and straight to the sky like a black Ganoderma lucidum [1], and underneath it, was a sea of flames.

"This is..."

"The village was here yesterday, how did it suffer a Zhurong disaster?"[2]

Xiao Jidu murmured, his eyes suddenly moved, showing an unbearable, resolute, and hateful expression. 

"No one has escaped and fought fire..." Xiaodi, who was next to him, also faintly added.

This fire was obviously set by Yu Shaojun, and even before the fire, there might be a slaughter in the village.

It was all for the sake of guarding secrets against the people.

Otherwise, the news of tooth soldiers was annihilated would spread and he and the others will become suspects. Even joining the Nine Mountains Army would become a problem, let alone assisting the king.

Such disposal does not even leak a single drop of water, clean and neat.

"Let's go!"

Wu Ming and Xiao Jidu looked at each other. If Yu Shaojun hadn't taken action, they had a similar plan, but at most, they would send out silver and sever karma. Now someone has done it, but it has invisibly helped them.

These people were all human beings. Looking at each other, they understood it a little; no longer entangled, and so, left quickly.

When the fire broke out, a tooth soldier was killed, which would inevitably lead to an investigation but it won't last long.

After walking out a few dozens of miles, there was finally another town. Xiaodi and Yuan Tai stepped forward, they have heard that Li Rubi has risen up and occupied the Nine Mountains County at that time, and was awarded the position of General, his momentum wasn't small.

At the moment, he asked about directions again, and took out the gold and silver to buy four yellow-maned horses, and rushed to the Nine Mountains.

On the way, Xiaodi told the news she inquired:

"This Li Rubi was originally the Wang's family governor of the Nine Mountains County. His family had ten thousand acres of land and once had a lot of people and fame, he is no trivial matter!"

Wu Ming and Xiao Jidu both nodded their heads.

It has always been rare for real grassroots to rise. The real subversion of a dynasty often started by the betrayal of its own interest groups.

The common people who did not know the rules, although they could gain power for a while, would never be able to keep it.

Only a big family, an Aristocratic Family, can understand the power in the system, know how to use it, and make themselves a king. 

In Wu Ming's previous life of the dynasties of ancient times, the only low-born who won the world was Zhu Yuanzhang.

Although Liu Bang started humble, he was still a small officer of the pavilion, a figure in the system. His starting point is much higher than that of Zhu Yuanzhang, who had been a beggar.

"... This Li Rubi has a huge family wealth. He has good fortune, a good friend, death warriors under his shadow, and has hidden three hundred armors and a thousand longbows."

Xiaodi said.

"This is deliberate! I am afraid it is not the work of a generation!"

Both Wu Ming and Xiao Jidu were silent.

In ancient times, armors, bows, and crossbows were big killer weapons. Hiding them is akin to treason, and there were so many; even the prefecture's arsenal might not have so many.

Even spreading fame, making connections with heroes, training death warriors [3], any of them are complicit in rebellion. More importantly, it is impossible for the country not to know about this.

"Originally the Prefecture Governor of the Nine Mountains, I'm afraid that he was in deep waters long ago..."

Xiao Jidu gave out a sigh.

"Well! It is rumored that the Li family has an ancestor's spirit which is buried in the dragon's veins, the point in a hidden hole. The fortune is long and used slowly. It is enough to ensure the wealth of thirteen generations. Only, this generation's Patriarch Li Rubi met a stranger, known as Old Man Nanshan, and changed the Earth Veins to make the dragon's energy flow faster, thinking to succeed."

"This Old Man Nanshan has a strange origin and odd plans. He had made great contributions to Li Rubi's foundation and is worshipped as a military commander. Also named 'True Daoist Nansheng, his position in the Nine Mountains Army is only second to Li Rubi and above 10 000 people..."

Xiaodi said slowly.

"Such a secret, came out so easily?"

Wu Ming was very surprised.

"This world is ignorant. This kind of Fengshui geomancy and the rumor of Dragon Qi can expand prestige. I suspect that Li Rubi deliberately spread it!"

Xiao Jidu said: "After all, the dragon veins have already been ordered, it will be difficult to break it so you can spread without fear!"

"Old Man Nansheng? True Daoist Nansheng? True Daoist!"

Wu Ming faintly sighed and smiled bitterly: "Daring to call himself that way, he must be at least Law Master level, maybe even a True Daoist!"

"Supporting the Hidden Dragon with a different set of skills to compete for the world, this person is really bold!"

Xiaodi had an icy face: "This world's Struggle of Dragons, in order to stay alive, Dao Sects do not dare to get involved. This Old Man Nansheng is 80% a rogue cultivator or demon cultivator! Or a foreign spirit entering the world to cheat fate!"

"In any case, even if this person only has the rank of Refined Master or Law Master, relying on the strength of the Nine Mountains Army and the fate given by his title, it would be difficult for us to resist..."

Xiao Jidu said: "Fortunately, this person is with us!"

Yuan Tai finally got it: "Yes! That's the reason! The stronger the Daoist Nanshan is, the greater our confidence. As long as we can survive for three months and assist Li Rubi in becoming king, we can immediately turn around and leave. What are we afraid of?"

Hearing this, it had completely described the situation in laymen's words.

Wu Ming and Xiaodi looked at each other, and couldn't help but shake their heads with a wry smile.

.....

The Nine Mountains Prefecture is located in the middle of Caozhou. With undulating hills and broken mountains and rivers, the nine giant peaks formed a natural barrier, making it easy to defend and hard to attack.

Li Rubi's uprising was very fast and immediately defeated the soldiers when he raised the matter at the beginning of the year.

Old Man Nansheng even repeatedly that the green forests in the mountains are to be depended on. Three months later, they had more than 10 000 troops and defeated the army sent by the governor.

At this time, a group of military horses was robbed, and several counties were taken in succession. The momentum was huge and shocked the whole nation.

The Nine Mountains Prefecture is the base camp of this person. Wu Ming and others walked all the way, but all they saw was devastation, ruined villages, dilapidated counties, and more chaos raging, it was unbearable.

Fortunately, Wu Ming and the group appeared strong and healthy. Armed with a sword, they looked quite intrepid so ordinary soldiers did not dare to offend them.

After walking for half a day, they've finally arrived at the old camp of the Nine Mountains Army.

Wu Ming looked around and several camps standing in the wilderness with fifty to a hundred people forming a battalion. Drains were built and there were patrols around the camp and were heavily guarded. The Red and Black Qi were continuous and inspired awe, it was still a little bit of weather.

"Gentlemen and heroes, please listen! My family's general is thirsty for talents, if you have martial arts, you can enter the camp for selection. Only talents can have gold, silver, and women! We are rich!"

At the camp's gate, there were several people holding gongs and drums and shouting loudly and posting a recruitment list next to them.

From time to time, there would two or three hooligans, desperadoes, hunters, and even riders who would join and enter the camp gate.

"The state soldiers were defeated and the imperial court is furious. They've dispatched generals and 6000 elite soldiers to reinforce the state and county's soldiers. It is necessary to fight again... Li Rubi naturally wanted to guerilla warfare and fight to the death..."

Wu Ming and the others all knew the inside story. Seeing that the army was in good shape and hopeful, they stepped forward: "I will join the army too!"

"Good! You few are all heroes, please come inside!"

The eyes of several doormen immediately brightened.

They greeted and sent people every day. With fierce eyesight, wherever they had freeloaders or heroes, they can see it in one glance.

Moreover, even if it is a straw bag [4], someone who can bring his own bow and harness can be considered an elite.

He immediately did not dare to neglect and led the way to the door.

As soon as they've entered, they saw several huge school fields, which could accommodate thousands of people without being crowded. There are wooden racks next to them, on which are placed blades, spears, swords, halberds, and axes, a longbow's target, and few horses to one's riding skills. Some people were training with some foaming from their mouths.

Everyone was here for the assessment. In a few stockades away, there were sounds of chants and battle cries. They were obviously recruits who were still training.

The guards at the door went in to report. No longer after, the camp opened. A big-eared military commander with a full-face beard and a half-naked torso walked out and saw Wu Ming, who stood out like a crane in a flock of chickens.

This class of soldiers, they could only accept everything. If nothing else, the horse and bow are enough to pay back the fare.

It was a little strange to see a woman like Xiaodi but he didn't care.

"Is it you who wish to join the army?"

He squinted but it did not show in his face, which was fastidious.

"Yes, I am Wu Ming, and next to me is Xiao Jidu and Yuan Tai are all foreign rangers. They admire General Li and came here!"

Wu Ming went out of the line and cupped his fist.

Instead, Xiaodi couldn't help roll her eyes when she heard him change into another name.

"Our army does not accept useless people, what are your skills?"

"I, myself, am not talented but I have practiced martial arts for several years. I have a martial skill and can recognize a few words!"

This made him laugh: "Good! Tang Sheng, you go try his martial arts!"

"As you bid!"

A soldier next to him saluted and came to the field with a cold face, and as he slowly pressed his waist knife, a trace of murderous aura emerged.

'This person's martial temperament is different from the previous tooth soldiers!"

Tooth soldiers are close to generals and are not ordinary. They would naturally preside over the barracks.

"Excuse me!"

Wu Ming came off gracefully, his hands drooping slightly: "Please!"

"You don't need weapons!"

"Too big!"

A look of disdain on the tooth soldier's face next to Tang Sheng but the tooth soldier Tang Sheng's face remained unchanged, only a cold light flashed in his eyes and he suddenly rushed forward. Like a tiger descending from the mountain, his long knife slashed Wu Ming's head.

These elites soldiers have crawled out of the mountain of corpses and the sea of blood and are unmoved by the outside world. They do not care about the reputation of the strong bullying the weak if the battle is won.

The martial arts learned are all to be used in a large group, killing and injuring with minimal cost.

Even the murderous and suffocating aura that he carries with him can greatly reduce a weak person's martial skills in a fight.

Chi!

When the blade fell, Wu Ming burst his right and grabbed the blade light and incomprehensibly grabbed Tang Sheng's wrist!

Dang!

The long knife landed and Tang Sheng stood up with one arm dislocated. Cold sweat fell but this person was a true man and did not say a word.

[1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ganoderma_lucidum

[2]: Zhurong is the god of fire and the south in Chinese mythology.

[3]: I've considered using <dead men> since it's the literal translation while <men of sacrifice> seems too westernized. Death warriors do seem cooler and a good compromise. Please note that death warriors are not Death Knights like in fantasy but men who charge in the battlefield head first. They are elites of every army and can act as assassins, bodyguards, and other danger-related roles and will not hesitate to die if ordered.

[4]: Degotary term to describe's a person inability to hold a straw bag. Meaning, weak, and unfit.