Huang Wen and his comrades watched Colonel Wen Liang led about 3,600 men away from Gutian town. They marched toward the battle between
the army from Ningde against Fuzhou.
Each one of them carried a riffle, but each one of them only had one magazine.
Colonel Wen Liang and some of his staff tried to get more ammunition. First they plead, when Huang Wen flatly refused their request, they began to
accuse Huang Wen for being unfair.
"If you send us out there with only magazine, isn't it the same as send us to die? You're lying to us! You pretend to give us road to live but the truth is you just want those who oppose you to die!", Colonel Wen Liang shouted angrily.
Huang Wen coldly stared at him, "Then you could stay and face trial."
Colonel Wen Liang looked around, there were Captain Zhao Qing and his friends. Lots of people from Gutian town also watched the scene. Now that they found out the battle ended and Huang Wen came up as the winner, one by one they came out of their house to watch the end of Colonel Wen Liang's tyranny. Wherever Colonel Wen Liang looked, there was nothing he could find but disgust and hatred.
Colonel Wen Liang looked back to Huang Wen and snorted, "You treat us like this, can I expect a fair trial from you?"
Huang Wen grinned threateningly, "You will find it very fair..."
Colonel Wen Liang felt his heart dropped to his stomach, with forced arrogance he answered, "Hmph! As if I will believe that."
Huang Wen straightened his back and took the sword that was slung on his back, "Then leave. I'm running out of patience now. I could kill you all
with the thousands of zombies under my influence. You are dead men!"
Huang Wen walked forward menacingly, "YOU..."
"ARE..."
"DEAD..."
"MEN..."
He spoke each word, with each step he moved forward. Colonel Wen Liang and a few of his trusted men who decided to complain, unconsciously step back under Huang Wen's piercing gaze.
"LEAVE !!!"
When he heard Huang Wen roared, Colonel Wen Liang stumbled. He would fall if there were no one behind him. Trying to regain the little bit of
respect he had, he quickly got up.
"Fine, fine, you will regret this day. One day I'll pay you back ten folds.", he tried to threat, but his body kept on moving away from Huang Wen.
When they reached their own men, they quickly led them to leave the town. Behind them they could hear people cheered and jeered. Even with 3,600 men leaving the town, Huang Wen still had more than 3,000 men who decided to face a trial to join his force. In total with all Captain Zhao Qing's men and the men who came from Nanping, Huang Wen had 6,000 men under his command.
They also had plenty of guns and ammunition. Machine guns, mortar thrower and anti tank rocket launcher. Not to mention two armored vehicles, although one of them need some repairing.
It could be said that the strength of his army after this battle, wasn't below Zhang Hu's army.
Huang Wen sent all the zombies back to the army of Fuzhou. Although some of the captains wished them to stay, Huang Wen refused the idea. Huang Wen said that he didn't have the power to keep them under his command for a long time. But the truth was, he knew that the army from Fuzhou would definitely lose the battle without them. By sending them back, Huang Wen hope that at the end of their battle, whoever won it, the army from Ningde wouldn't have enough strength to claim Gutian town.
He wouldn't have problem to raise the morale of his army, if their opponent was the demon lord. On the other hand, he would worry of his
troop loyalty, if their opponent was the PLA from Ningde.
After they watched Colonel Wen Liang and the zombies disappeared into the horizon, Huang Wen turned and his gaze fell on the citizen of Gutian
town. At this moment, everyone knew that he was the leader of the army who occupied their town. They cheered the fact that Huang Wen got rid
Colonel Wen Liang. At the same time, they wondered would he just be another wolf who kept them like a lamb in a pen.
Toward these Huang Wen's gaze softened, "I know, you had suffered a lot and it might seem unfair that most of those who wrong you walk away freely. Even of those who surrender and face trial, you might think the punishment is too lenient."
His voice was loud but gentle, there were no sign of anger or arrogance. Completely different compared to the way he spoke to Colonel Wen Liang and his men. Although he was apologizing, much of those who listened felt relieved rather than annoyed, because previously they were afraid of having another tyrant to lead them.
"But we're facing far more dangerous enemies than these people."
"If we want to survive in this time, then we need to work together, help together, defend one another. To those who has been choosing the wrong
path till this moment, I give you a chance to redeem yourself."
"But to anyone, be it those who used to be my enemies in the past, or those who are my allies. To anyone who harm other and greedily try to enrich
themselves upon other people's misery, ... I won't give any tolerance."
With hardened gaze, Huang Wen looked around and said, "I hope no one entertain such thought, but for anyone who do... I dare you to do it."
"And I'll make you an example to all.", Huang Wen ended his speech a bit threateningly.
Later Huang Wen left the trial of those who were captured to Chen Fang and Xia Bao. Assisted by the three captains, they opened a line, for those
who wanted to report someone among the captured. A list of offense was made, a quick trial was done. The punishments were vary depended on the case, but as Huang Wen said, the punishment was quite lenient. More importantly, it was done as quick as possible. So rather than put someone in jail, Huang Wen preferred to flog them publicly.
He personally told Chen Fang and Xia Bao, "If possible, I would like to see at least we could use these men to replenish our division of 3,000
men from Nanping. I will personally train and lead this division. And within a week, the rest could be divided among the three captains and
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ready to defend this town. Unless the case really severe, in that case, just do whatever you think need to be done."
Xia Bao and Chen Fang nodded their head.
Xia Bao said, "Hmm... so far, it seem none of them committed capital crime. Those who did it, would join the colonel and leave this town."
Huang Wen replied, "That's what I hope for, when I give the chance for them to leave the town. To kill them all is a waste, to keep the trash is
problematic."
Chen Fang then asked, "Do we need to send report to Nanping?"
Huang Wen smiled and answered casually, not too quick, not too slow, "Of course, I will leave this matter to both uncle. Send someone to report
our victory here. I bet Uncle Zhang Hu will be thrilled to hear it."
His eyes secretly watched their expressions and for a moment, Huang Wen saw both Chen Fang and Xia Bao exchanged glance.
He secretly wondered, 'Is there something happening between them and Uncle Zhang Hu? This is interesting.'
Xia Bao smiled back, "I'll take care of it. We should also prepare a little celebration. We just won a big battle and now you rule a town. What do
you say about that?"
Huang Wen chuckled, "Well, why not. But make sure it's nothing big. Just let the people and the troops relieve their stress but not too far that it create a ruckus."
Xia Bao nodded, "Of course, I'll tell you when we're ready."
They still had a chat for a little while, before Xia Bao and Chen Fang left him alone. After they left, next were several representatives from the
town people.
After the formal greeting, one of them asked Huang Wen, "My apology Young Master Huang, do you plan to rule over Gutian town? If you do, then wouldn't it put you in the same group as that traitorous colonel?"
Huang Wen smiled amiably and answered, "I do plan to rule over this town, but surely I will treat them fairly. Rather than for my own, actually I'd like to think that I act as a leader for the survival of all. As I said before, there are many threats out there and we have to work together if we want to
survive. In order for that to happen, we need a leader and I'd like to take that responsibility."
"But what if the people want other people to lead?", one of the representative asked.
Huang Wen stared at the one who asked the question, "Oh? Is that the case? It will be a different story then. Is there anyone aside from me want to
take that responsibility?"
The moment Huang Wen's gaze fell to him, the man who asked that question felt inexplicable pressure. Huang Wen asked that question cordially, yet that man felt threatened. For a moment he couldn't answer. His mind tried to find, what part of Huang Wen gave him that scared him.
He couldn't find it and decided it was created by his own mind. He calmed himself and wanted to tell Huang Wen of their plan. Before these people met Huang Wen they already discussed it among themselves. Each one of them had numbers of people who support them. They planned to force Huang Wen to hold an election to choose someone to lead the town. Despite his achievement in battle, those older men perceived Huang Wen as a young man, not even in his twenty, lack of experience and soft hearted.
They planned to use his kindness for their own benefit, to get themselves a good position within the town. Or control the town as a group.
That man was ready to spoke, but the moment he opened his mouth, once again he felt that inexplicable feeling and couldn't spoke a word. Helplessly he turned to his companion. Feeling annoyed, one of his companion decided to speak.
He opened his mouth, "So this is what we thought...."
And he couldn't continue, because at that moment, he felt this pressure as well.
Huang Wen leaned forward, not threateningly, but amiably showing interest to their suggestions, "Well... please continue. I'm young and
inexperienced, I'm happy if any of you could help me."
"Uhm.... well ...", that man turned to the other.
At that moment, everyone could faintly feel this pressuring atmosphere and no one dared to open their mouth.
"Well...?", Huang Wen now leaned back and waited curiously.
Finally one of them had enough courage to speak, "Well ...., we just thought... maybe... of course, it will be the best for all of us if Young Master
Huang is willing to take that responsibility. But... just in case... if someone oppose it... Maybe... maybe an election could give you more legitimation."
"Ah... an election...Well, that's a good idea. Of course, that will be the best.", Huang Wen smiled.
When they saw Huang Wen received their suggestion warmly, they felt relieved.
Huang Wen continued, "I believe you already talked with other people in the town. Why don't you organized everything? I only take the role to lead
this town, until such election is held. Once the people choose their leader, I will gladly give that position to that person. How about that?"
They were surprised and happy at the same time, after having that dreaded atmosphere, it was quite a shock that Huang Wen easily agreed to their suggestion. Suddenly they didn't feel any pressure anymore and thought that it must be their own mind who created it. After all, before them was the man who easily killed hundreds of men in the battle. They had chatted for a while, before excused themselves and left.
Huang Wen sighed and wondered, whether he really wanted to rule over this town. But he wanted to have a place for his sister in law and nephew to live peacefully. Now, that he couldn't fully trust Zhang Hu, he wanted to have his own place.
Mean while, out there, those group of men talked among themselves, feeling satisfied.
"Now, who want to be nominated as the candidate for the election?", one of them finally asked.
When they heard that question, suddenly their heart were filled with fear for no reason. No one said anything.
Finally one of them said, "Let's think about this later."
They finally had their chance, but as of now, no one among them had the courage to take that chance.