The moment Chen Sheng spoke, the air around them seemed to freeze solid.
All eyes focused on him and Gao Qiheng in unison. Everyone held their breath, focused and silent. No one had expected this newly appointed young commander to be so forceful, leaving not the slightest shred of face, openly humiliating Gao Qiheng.
The false smile on Gao Qiheng's face abruptly froze. After a moment, a flash of shock and anger vanished in an instant. He drew a deep breath, suppressing his surging fury, and let out a cold laugh.
"Commander Chen truly is... throwing around quite a lot of official authority!"
"What," Chen Sheng's gaze was indifferent, sweeping over him as if looking at rotten wood, "you have an objection?"
"With Commander Chen's overwhelming might, how could this humble Vice Commander Gao dare to have an objection?"
Gao Qiheng's voice carried a note of veiled sarcasm before he shifted his tack. "However, though this humble Gao is of lowly station with little voice, I would still like to remind the commander of one thing: here in the Armed Forces Camp, in the end, it is strength that does the talking."
"Since you have no objections, then withdraw."
Chen Sheng acted as if he hadn't heard the latter half of the sentence. His tone remained flat, yet carried an unquestionable weight. "Didn't you claim you had caught a chill, that you were unwell? This official shows consideration for his subordinates and specially grants you leave to return home and recuperate for a time. Your duties as Vice Commander shall temporarily be handled by Yan Ming."
Two light, casual sentences, and he intended to directly strip Gao Qiheng of his authority!
How could Gao Qiheng accept this?
He had come today precisely to suppress Chen Sheng's prestige; if he were instead manipulated by the other party on his own turf, how could he establish himself going forward? He immediately responded with a hollow smile.
"Heh, my thanks for Commander Chen's 'concern.' However, this Gao's body is strong and sturdy. I recovered long ago—nothing serious. No need to trouble the commander."
He stepped forward, his sharp gaze fixed on Chen Sheng.
"If Commander Chen does not believe me... you may test me personally."
"Oh?" Chen Sheng's brows rose slightly, as if he had anticipated this. "How shall we test it?"
"I've heard rumors from the brothers below that Commander Chen is a fierce general, his strength unfathomable and his methods extraordinary."
A challenging smile lurked in Gao Qiheng's eyes. "This humble Gao is untalented, having trained in martial arts for many years. Having encountered a worthy opponent today, my heart stirs with delight. I wish to ask Commander Chen for a few pointers, to exchange some moves. In this way, the brothers in the camp can also witness the commander's might firsthand. Would that not be the best of both worlds?"
"Insolent!"
Chen Sheng's face turned abruptly cold, his voice like ice. "Gao Qiheng, do you mean to violate your superior?!"
"This Gao wouldn't dare!"
Though Gao Qiheng's mouth claimed he didn't dare, his posture grew increasingly aggressive. "It is merely that I have long admired the commander's great fame, and my heart itches unbearably. I wish to seek instruction for a few moves, that is all. Of course, if Commander Chen is unwell today, or finds it inconvenient... then consider my words unsaid. You may simply return to your office and sit at ease."
On the surface he seemed to be offering a way out, but in reality he had backed Chen Sheng into a corner.
Whether Chen Sheng accepted the challenge or not, Gao Qiheng was certain he had already secured Chen Sheng's loss of face today.
Sure enough, once these words were spoken, the gazes of the surrounding soldiers toward Chen Sheng took on a subtle cast.
The Armed Forces Camp was not like other places. Here, strength was venerated; only hard fists could truly command awe. If Chen Sheng retreated or proved inferior, then even with the title of commander, he would likely have little real authority in the Northern City Military Camp going forward.
Chen Sheng did not immediately respond. He merely rubbed his fingers unconsciously against the icy hilt of the She Han blade at his waist, his gaze profound.
"A military camp is hallowed ground. How could it be a place for private duels? Unauthorized armed combat is a grave crime."
He spoke slowly, his voice not loud, yet it clearly overpowered the whispered murmurs in the field. "It is not that this official is unwilling to 'test.' Rather, it is this official's habit... I never spar with others."
He paused, his gaze scraping across Gao Qiheng's face like the edge of a blade.
"When this official strikes, I only kill."
"If you have the guts, you may strike now. If you lack guts..." Chen Sheng's tone abruptly sharpened, "then get the hell back and rest, and stop being an eyesore here!"
Having spoken, he made as if to turn and leave, as though Gao Qiheng was not worth mentioning at all.
These words not only threw Gao Qiheng's provocation back in his face but also forced him into a dead end—either strike, and bear the consequences of life or death himself, or back down, and have his dignity thoroughly trampled.
Gao Qiheng's face instantly flushed crimson, his blood surging. In his intermingled shame and fury, he immediately wanted to strike without a care for anything else!
"Brother Gao! You must not!"
Vice Commander Cheng, watching from the side, was greatly alarmed. He hurried forward to grab Gao Qiheng's arm tightly, urgently signaling with his eyes. Chen Sheng had already made himself very clear: taking the initiative to strike here, regardless of victory or defeat, the crime of "assaulting a superior and inciting rebellion" would be inescapable!
However, how could Gao Qiheng heed any advice at this moment?
Standing behind him was the Gao Clan, entrenched in Changshan for many years. Even if he truly did strike, he believed that as long as he didn't kill Chen Sheng on the spot and leave things completely irreconcilable, the aftermath would at most amount to some reprimands and docked pay.
Conversely, if he allowed himself to be intimidated into inaction today by Chen Sheng's few words, he would never be able to hold his head up again in the Northern City or anywhere in Changshan.
Moreover, Chen Sheng's repeated prevarication was, in his eyes, clearly a sign of being outwardly strong but inwardly weak, of insufficient strength!
Gao Qiheng shoved Vice Commander Cheng aside in one push, fierce light blazing in his eyes as he stared fixedly at Chen Sheng's back and bellowed, "Commander Chen, since that is the case, this Gao will give offense! Commander, please instruct me!"
Before his voice faded, he snatched a long spear from the hands of a trusted aide beside him. His arms surged with power, the spear shaft shook, and cold light burst forth like a venomous dragon erupting from its cave. Carrying a sharp whistle of tearing air, it stabbed straight toward Chen Sheng's back!
This spear strike was fast and vicious, clearly executed with full, unrestrained strength!
"Commander, watch out!"
Yan Ming's pupils abruptly contracted. In his alarm, he reached for his blade to rush forward.
But how could his movements be faster than that long-premeditated spear strike, and... Chen Sheng's long-awaited thunderous counterattack!
At the instant Gao Qiheng thrust his spear, Chen Sheng, his back still toward the crowd, curved up a cold, nearly imperceptible smile at the corner of his mouth.
The accumulated torrential blood qi in his dantian erupted instantly, surging through his four limbs and every bone in his body! The hand gripping his blade seemed not to move, yet his strength had already been driven to the absolute peak!
"Zheng—!"
A clear, resonant blade cry exploded like a dragon's roar!
The treasured She Han blade erupted from its sheath!
In an instant, a bone-chilling spectral light illuminated the eyes of everyone nearby—a radiance that seemed capable of freezing one's very gaze!
The next moment!
"Kacha—!"
An ear-piercing sound of metal snapping rang out! The ferocious long spear in Gao Qiheng's hand was severed cleanly through the middle by this counterstrike, which arrived first despite striking second, as easily as cutting through rotten wood!
The blade edge did not pause for an instant. The spectral blade light followed its momentum, advancing at a speed the naked eye could barely track, flashing precisely across Gao Qiheng's pupils, which contracted in sudden horror!
"Sila—!"
A sickening sound of steel rending flesh and bone echoed dully!
Blood erupted like a long-suppressed fountain, madly gushing from a massive wound and spraying ten feet into the air!
The savagery and shock on Gao Qiheng's face instantly froze. His body swayed, and then, along a perfectly straight diagonal line, it slowly split into two halves and crashed heavily into the dust.
*Thud!*
*Thud!*
The two halves of the corpse hit the ground with heart-pounding dull impacts. Entrails and blood instantly dyed a wide swathe of the ground red, and a thick metallic stench permeated the air in moments.
The entire drill ground sank into a deathly silence.
Time itself seemed to stop completely at this moment.
Everyone stared with widened eyes, disbelieving, at the bloody and horrifying scene in the field, and at the newly appointed commander who stood holding a blade, his expression terrifyingly calm.
Chen Sheng's gaze was as still as an ancient well, as if he had merely swatted a fly to death. With a gentle flick of his wrist, the blood droplets staining the She Han blade all slid away. The edge remained bright as new, untainted by the slightest trace of blood.
"Shua—"
The treasured blade returned to its sheath with perfect precision.
That crisp sound of sheathing struck like thunder, shattering the deathly silence gripping every heart.
In an instant, over a hundred gazes locked onto Chen Sheng, filled with extreme horror, fear, and an indescribable, instinctive reverence.
Even their breathing was subconsciously held, for fear of drawing the attention of that killing god.
Vice Commander Cheng stood frozen in place, his face ashen, his heart already surging with towering waves. No matter how he racked his brain, he could not fathom that Chen Sheng's strength would be so terrifying!
That seemingly casual strike had possessed such world-destroying, all-severing might!
Even more unimaginable was Chen Sheng's audacity—his methods so brutal! He had actually dared, right here in the Armed Forces Camp, in broad daylight before everyone, to cut down Gao Qiheng on the spot without the slightest hesitation!
One must remember, this was a military camp! One must remember, Gao Qiheng was not only the Vice Commander of the Northern City Military Camp, but also a direct-line scion of the Changshan Gao Clan, held in extremely high regard!
How did Chen Sheng dare?!
Was he not afraid of the Gao Clan's mad vengeance? Was he not afraid of prosecution under military law?
Or could it be that all of this was precisely Chen Sheng's intention?
Vice Commander Cheng could not puzzle it out. He only felt a chill shoot from the soles of his feet straight to his crown, the back of his neck tingling coldly. He did not even dare to look directly into Chen Sheng's bottomless, indifferent eyes.
In contrast, those old subordinates Chen Sheng had brought with him, after their initial shock, now felt a surge of exhilarating vindication. They might not fully comprehend the immense consequences of killing Gao Qiheng, but they had witnessed with their own eyes just how decisive and overwhelmingly powerful their commander was.
The ostracism, contempt, and pent-up frustration they had suffered over the past days vanished completely beneath this blade strike! A surge of blood heated their hearts, filling them with reflected pride.
Chen Sheng's icy gaze slowly swept across the entire field before finally coming to rest on Vice Commander Cheng's bloodless face.
He spoke, his voice not loud, yet every word fell like iron, clearly smashing into everyone's ears with unquestionable authority:
"Gao Qiheng, Vice Commander of the Northern City Military Camp, openly assaulted his superior officer and incited rebellion. The evidence is conclusive. He has been executed on the spot in accordance with military law!"
"From this day forth, Squad Leader Yan Ming shall temporarily assume the duties of Vice Commander."
"Vice Commander Cheng." His gaze turned to that terrified deputy. "Immediately collect Gao Qiheng's corpse. Together with this official's written order, deliver it to the Armed Forces Main Camp to be disposed of by the Grand Commander. Report today's events in full and without omission to County Commandant Lord Wu!"
"All others, return to your posts and rectify camp discipline. Whoever again shows contempt for a superior or provokes trouble shall end up like this wretch!"
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Seeking monthly tickets and recommendation tickets.