Chapter 141: Leading the Army

Chu Tian, Haizi, and Guangzi were basking in the sun at the entrance, while the other brothers were diligently training. They already knew that the more than a hundred of them were now without a gang or faction. They were no longer the disciples of the Jiang Bang that once occupied half of Shanghai's underworld. However, there was no sadness or pessimism on their faces. During their days in the Jiang Bang, they had long realized that although they were like sons of the legitimate wife, they were treated worse than the sons of a stepmother. Over the past few years, the number of brothers willing to fight had gradually decreased, while the grievances they endured had increased. The various halls were rolling in wealth, but they, the loyal subordinates, could only barely make a living. So when Chu Tian and the others led them to leave the Jiang Bang with nothing, they actually felt a sense of relief. Moreover, Chu Tian's intelligence, courage, and martial arts skills had earned their utmost admiration. When he severely criticized Zhangsun Jincheng and the others in the hall, it had ignited their enthusiasm even more. They were willing to lay down their lives for a confidant.

Chu Tian held a tender blade of grass in his mouth, chewed it a few times slowly. The smell of the grass carried the fragrance of the soil in his mouth. Looking up at the sky, he said lightly, "Two brothers, we need to establish a gang and give it a name now. Only in this way will the brothers have a sense of belonging and be willing to fight and shed blood for it. What would be a good name for it?"

Guangzi suddenly sat up and said with great pride, "The name should be more imposing than the Jiang Bang and overpower it. Zhangsun Jincheng and the others are from the Jiang Bang, so let's call our gang the Shuai Bang (Commander Gang). It's one level higher than theirs and will make those old-fashioned people die of anger." Now, in Guangzi's eyes, all he wanted was to humiliate the Jiang Bang. Just thinking of their embarrassed appearance at the dinner that night made Guangzi feel elated.

Haizi shook his head, stared at the sky, and obviously didn't agree with the name Guangzi suggested. He smiled and said, "The name Shuai Bang is a bit vulgar. Names with words like 'gang', 'faction', or 'cult' are all rather vulgar and lack class. What do you think, Third Brother?"

After hearing Haizi and Guangzi's words, Chu Tian's heart stirred slightly. He spat out the tender grass in his mouth and said excitedly, "The name Shuai Bang is indeed a bit vulgar, but the character'shuai' (commander) is quite good. Since the two of you have a military background, why don't we call it 'Shuai Jun' (Commander Army)? It not only surpasses the Jiang Bang but also has class. It's not as vulgar as those 'gangs, factions, or cults'. Moreover, we should train our elite brothers according to military standards and create a 'Shuai Jun' that can sweep through the underworld of Shanghai. What do you two brothers think?"

Upon hearing this, Haizi and Guangzi pondered it carefully and said in unison, "Shuai Jun? Shuai Jun! Good, very good, excellent! Let's call it Shuai Jun. From now on, Third Brother will be called the Young Marshal, leading our brothers of the Shuai Jun to sweep through Shanghai and unify the underworld."

Chu Tian was slightly taken aback. The Young Marshal? He suddenly remembered the students of Class 13 in Tiandu Middle School calling him that. Could it be that he really couldn't get away from the term "Young Marshal" in the future? These two words were not only a term of respect but also a great responsibility.

More than a hundred brothers gathered at the entrance of Shui Xie Hua Du. Chu Tian, Guangzi, and Haizi stood at the front. Looking at these more than a hundred passionate men, Chu Tian's enthusiasm soared. He shouted, "Brothers, you have risked your lives and shed blood. You are our life-and-death brothers. When we were in the Jiang Bang, we couldn't give you glory, wealth, or a life of luxury. Today, the three of us brothers are leading you to leave the Jiang Bang and establish our own faction, known as the 'Shuai Jun'. We have no territory and no money, but the Shuai Jun has you more than a hundred life-and-death brothers who are willing to risk everything, and it has the passion of me, Chu Tian, Haizi, and Guangzi. That's enough for us to sweep through the entire underworld of Shanghai. Given some time, the Shuai Jun will be able to carve out territory, gain wealth, and win you a lifetime of glory. Men of the Shuai Jun, do you believe it or not?"

"Believe it! Believe it! Believe it!" The more than a hundred brothers roared from the bottom of their hearts. They were all extremely excited. From this day on, they had their own banner, the "Shuai Jun", and a goal to fight and shed blood for. Moreover, they believed that although Chu Tian was young, he was definitely a brother they could entrust their lives to. They were willing to shed the last drop of their blood for him.

Chu Tian looked at the more than a hundred energetic men of the Shuai Jun with satisfaction and shouted with great pride again, "Men of the Shuai Jun, remember, our knives are prepared for the enemy, and our blood is shed for our brothers. Here, I, Chu Tian, vow that anyone who wants your lives, I will shed all their blood."

Haizi and Guangzi looked at each other and shouted in unison, "We are willing to fight on the battlefield with the Young Marshal and follow him to the death."

The more than a hundred men of the Shuai Jun roared again and said in unison, "We are willing to fight on the battlefield with the Young Marshal and follow him to the death."

Chu Tian secretly sighed. The term "Young Marshal" was indeed the bane of his life.

Just as Chu Tian was lost in his thoughts, a figure flashed down from the second floor and in an instant, arrived in front of him. The person cupped his hands and shouted, "I am willing to fight on the battlefield with the Young Marshal and follow him to the death."

Chu Tian and the others took a closer look and were secretly shocked. It was actually "Lone Sword". Was this some kind of joke? Was "Lone Sword" also going to join the Shuai Jun?

Chu Tian smiled slightly. Looking at "Lone Sword", who looked haggard but much more energetic than a few days ago, he asked with concern, "Lone Sword, how is your body recovering? Do we need to ask a doctor to come for another examination?"

"Lone Sword" shook his head. At this moment, there was no longer the cold aura he used to have. He secretly sighed that Chu Tian was truly a kind person. Instead of asking him why he wanted to join the Shuai Jun first, Chu Tian asked about his physical condition. This order of questions showed that Chu Tian truly put people first and was someone worthy of entrusting one's life to. This further strengthened "Lone Sword's" determination to follow Chu Tian. So he said seriously, "I, Lone Sword, am indebted to the Young Marshal for saving my life and using his true qi to expel the poison. My body has recovered by half. I have no way to repay you. I am willing to live and die with the Young Marshal and follow him to the death."

Chu Tian shook his head. How could he accept "Lone Sword"? After all, "Lone Sword" was a renowned master in the underworld. So he said with a为难的表情, "Lone Sword, you have a great reputation and outstanding martial arts skills. How can I, Chu Tian, let you condescend to follow me? Won't that make others laugh at me?"

"Lone Sword" knelt down straight, his face showing unwavering determination, and his voice was loud and clear, "I, Lone Sword, never care about other people's opinions when I do things. Today, I have decided to follow the Young Marshal until death."

Chu Tian reached out to help "Lone Sword" up, but he found that "Lone Sword" had already used his inner strength, and it was difficult to lift him. If he used his own strength to forcefully help him up, he was afraid of hurting "Lone Sword's" still-recovering body. At this moment, he was in a rather difficult situation.

The more than a hundred men of the Shuai Jun had witnessed the extraordinary battle between Chu Tian and "Lone Sword" that night. They naturally knew "Lone Sword's" martial arts skills. Now that even "Lone Sword" wanted to join the Shuai Jun and follow Chu Tian, their sense of pride and belonging to the Shuai Jun instantly became stronger.

"Lone Sword" looked at Chu Tian with calm but serious eyes and shouted persistently again, "If the Young Marshal doesn't agree, I will kneel here until you do."

No one thought that "Lone Sword" was putting on an act. Everyone knew that "Lone Sword's" inherent pride made every word he said carry weight. He was a man of his word.

Chu Tian let out a long sigh and said helplessly, "Alright, Lone Sword, get up. I promise you."

"Lone Sword" stood up with a smile and said respectfully to Chu Tian, "Thank you, Young Marshal." After saying that, he leaped back to the second floor to continue recuperating. He left as quickly as he came. Although "Lone Sword" talked a bit more than Tian Yangsheng, he was also a straightforward person. At this moment, there was nothing else for him to do here. It would be better to recover from his injuries as soon as possible, which would be of greater help to Chu Tian and the Shuai Jun.

Until now, Chu Tian still hadn't asked "Lone Sword" how he got injured that day and who had injured him. Chu Tian knew that "Lone Sword" would tell him when he wanted to. There was no need for him to pry into other people's affairs, just as he hadn't asked about Tian Yangsheng's background.

Not far away, Tian Yangsheng sighed. He was a bit disappointed. He had thought he could have a battle with "Lone Sword". After all, masters always value other masters.

At the main entrance of Yunshui Shanju, Master Ba was feeding the fish, and Uncle Zhong stood beside him respectfully. Master Ba carefully scattered the fish food evenly and then said, "Chu Tian, Haizi, and Guangzi led more than a hundred of their loyal subordinates to leave the Jiang Bang with nothing? Zhangsun Jincheng has returned to the Jiang Bang as the leader? What on earth is Zhangsun Jincheng up to? He's already so old but still so restless."

Uncle Zhong nodded respectfully and said calmly, "Yes. I heard that they had a meal, and it didn't go well. Then Haizi and the others were forced to leave the Jiang Bang by Zhangsun Jincheng. Moreover, I heard that after Chu Tian and the others left the Jiang Bang and established their own faction, they called it the 'Shuai Jun'. Master Ba, I'm a bit worried about whether they can establish themselves. After all, there are more than a hundred of them, with no territory, no money, and most of them are still injured. I'm afraid they might even have trouble getting enough to eat. Should we offer them some support?"

Master Ba didn't answer Uncle Zhong's question directly. Instead, he said lightly, "There's going to be a storm in Shanghai."

A mountain breeze blew through Yunshui Shanju, and ripples suddenly appeared on the lake, lingering for a long time.

Deng Chao of the Tianlang Sect had obviously also received the news. He was pacing back and forth in the hall. Suddenly, he stopped, raised his eyebrows, and said to Hei Jian, "Quickly transport three thousand catties of rice and three hundred thousand yuan in cash to Shui Xie Hua Du for Chu Tian. Tell him it's a small token of my appreciation."

Hei Jian hesitated for a moment. After thinking for a while, he said cautiously, "Leader, Chu Tian and the others have left the Jiang Bang with nothing and have no backing. Is it really necessary for us to show our goodwill at this time? Moreover, it's easy to offend the Axe Gang and the Jiang Bang."

Deng Chao laughed heartily a few times and said, "The Jiang Bang owes its current status to Haizi and the others. Without them, Zhangsun Jincheng is nothing. Can you guarantee that Chu Tian and Haizi won't be able to build another Jiang Bang? Giving these things to Chu Tian and the others in their time of need is called offering help. Giving these things when they are successful is what you call showing goodwill. Besides, I truly admire Chu Tian and his brothers. They are all tough men. Given some time, the entire underworld of Shanghai might belong to their Shuai Jun."

Deng Chao then sighed again, "As for whether we offend the Jiang Bang and the Axe Gang, that's their business. If they think we've offended them, then we have. If they don't, then we haven't. Dancing on the tips of these two knives is really tiring. Even if we get our teeth knocked out, we have to swallow them. We still haven't avenged the dozens of brothers who were killed by the Secret Killing Hall of the Axe Gang. One day, when I'm fed up, I might just join Chu Tian."

Hei Jian nodded in agreement, clearly approving of what the leader said. He said loudly, "The leader is wise. I'll go and handle it myself right away."

The Tianxiong Gang and the Ba Dao Association also sent some supplies to Chu Tian to show their respect for him and his men. This time, Chu Tian and the others didn't stand on ceremony with the various gangs and accepted everything. After all, the Shuai Jun had nothing now, and the help of these supplies could solve many troublesome problems. As the saying goes, with money and food in hand, one won't panic. The Qing Gang only sent a message: More than eighty brothers of the Qing Gang are ready to be dispatched by Chu Tian at any time. Master Ba's kindness made Chu Tian feel deeply grateful from the bottom of his heart.

This weekend, during dinner, Chu Tian suddenly thought of a question and asked, "Brother Hai, Brother Guang, I wonder how the brothers' injuries are recovering?"

Guangzi smiled slightly, put down his chopsticks, and said, "We're all used to living on the edge of danger. Injuries come quickly, and we recover quickly too. After these days of careful recuperation, except for dozens of brothers with severe injuries who still can't move freely, the others have almost recovered and are ready to fight at any time. Third Brother, are you planning to find a gang to eliminate?" Guangzi's injury had also almost healed, and he had long been eager to take action. What's more, this was the Shuai Jun that truly belonged to them.

Chu Tian nodded and answered Guangzi honestly, "Yes, otherwise we'll starve to death sooner or later."

Guangzi and Haizi perked up and asked in unison, "Which gang? When?" According to Guangzi and Haizi's thinking, there were dozens of gangs, big and small, in Shanghai. The development of the Shuai Jun naturally had to be step by step, starting from annexing small gangs with dozens of people and gradually growing their strength.

Chu Tian's eyes were filled with unwavering confidence. He smiled and said, "The Axe Gang, in a week."

Haizi almost fell onto the table in shock. His third brother really had a way of saying astonishing things. As soon as he opened his mouth, he mentioned the biggest gang in Shanghai. Although the Axe Gang had lost many of its elite members, its strength was still formidable.

Guangzi almost slapped the table in excitement and said, "Great! Finally, we can go and chop off Ye Sanxiao's head." Guangzi now knew that whatever Chu Tian said he could do, he could actually achieve. So he didn't even consider the difference in their strength.

Haizi, having been a leader before, had some strategy. After hesitating for a moment, he expressed his concerns, "But the Shuai Jun only has nearly a hundred men capable of fighting, while the Axe Gang still has nearly five hundred members, big and small. Fighting them head-on is like committing suicide. If we try to ambush Ye Sanxiao, not to mention that he has many高手 around him and strict security, even if we succeed in the ambush and kill Ye Sanxiao, the remaining members of the Axe Gang can still wipe us out."

Chu Tian took a sip of Zhuyeqing (a type of Chinese liquor) and said lightly, "It's simple. Break their left and right arms, go straight for the leader, and then let Gan Changshan do what he needs to do."

Guangzi and Haizi were slightly taken aback. What did Gan Changshan have to do with this? That guy was still locked in the basement. What could he do?

At this moment, Chu Tian's phone suddenly rang. Looking at the caller ID, his face changed slightly. He quickly put down his wine glass, picked up the phone, coughed four times, and said lightly, "Speak." Then he didn't say anything else. After listening for a few seconds, he put down the phone with a serious expression and said to Haizi and Guangzi earnestly, "Two brothers, secretly invite the leaders of the Tianlang Sect, the Tianxiong Gang, and the Ba Dao Association. Tell them that I, Chu Tian, have something important to ask of them."

Haizi and Guangzi were slightly surprised to see Chu Tian's serious expression. They knew that something big had happened and looked at him. Chu Tian didn't hide it from them and said lightly, "The Axe Gang and the Jiang Bang have joined forces to eliminate the Shuai Jun."

Haizi and Guangzi were shocked. How could these two gangs, which had been fighting each other to the death in the past, join forces to eliminate the Shuai Jun? It seemed that Zhangsun Jincheng and the others really didn't care about old feelings and had done such a cruel thing. But seeing that there was no sign of panic on Chu Tian's face, they knew that he had a plan in mind. So they went to do their part and secretly invite the leaders of the various gangs.

Looking at their departing figures, Chu Tian smiled slightly, "There's going to be a storm in Shanghai."