Chapter 149 Don't Underestimate a Temporary Worker

Many people were waiting to see Chen Hao make a fool of himself. Aside from Guan Ning, Xuanyuan Jian and Sanshenshi also wore sneering expressions. Seeing Nie Shicheng's personal guards treat Chen Hao with utmost politeness made Guan Ning's expression turn ugly, while Xuanyuan Jian and Sanshenshi felt a sense of foreboding. Nie Shicheng had repeatedly delayed making a final decision on who would command the player army, seemingly waiting for something. Chen Baxian had performed remarkably well while serving Nie Shicheng, and if...

Chen Hao followed the personal guard into Nie Shicheng's commander tent. Seeing Chen Hao arrive, the veteran commander stood up with a gratified expression and said, "Baxian, you've come at just the right time. The foreigners have formed an allied coalition intending to infringe upon our Great Qing. My forces are insufficient, leaving me with no choice but to recruit irregulars to participate in the battle. However, I lack a trusted individual to command the irregular forces, and you are the most suitable candidate."

Chen Hao accepted the order without hesitation. "I am willing to serve Your Excellency."

Not far from Nie Shicheng's commander tent was the player encampment. The players participating in the quest saw Chen Hao enter the tent and immediately began guessing whether he would be assigned the quest. Shortly after, Nie Shicheng walked out wearing a first-rank qilin robe, with Chen Hao following closely behind him. Approaching the front of the auxiliary troops' camp, Nie Shicheng said with dignified authority, "Since you irregulars have joined my Front Guard of the Martial Guard, you must strictly abide by military regulations. Anyone who dares to disobey orders shall be dealt with according to military law."

With that, Nie Shicheng produced a tally token and issued his command: "Chen Baxian, hear my order! This commander appoints you as the Thousand-Man Commander of the auxiliary camp, assisting me in resisting the foreigners at Langfang. Should any auxiliary irregular dare to disobey orders, execute them on the spot."

"Player Chen Baxian, Zhili Governor-General Nie Shicheng has issued the quest 'Battle of Langfang'. Quest completion conditions: Assist the Front Guard of the Martial Guard in defeating the Eight-Nation Alliance vanguard. Quest reward: Various rewards will be granted based on combat performance."

As Chen Hao accepted the tally token from Nie Shicheng's hands, the system defaulted to him accepting the quest. A surge of quiet satisfaction washed over him; commanding a player army made it effortlessly simple to scheme against others. If Xuanyuan Jian, Sanshenshi, and Guan Ning were unwilling to give up the hard-earned quest opportunity, he wouldn't mind scheming against them either.

A few players who had previously cooperated with Chen Hao burst into cheers, whereas Xuanyuan Jian and the others turned pale with anger. Guan Ning stepped out of the ranks and said, "Governor-General, sir, you posted a notice stating the recruitment of one thousand irregular auxiliary troops, and announced by noon that the quota was already full. Chen Baxian arrived so late, yet not only did he join the Front Guard of the Martial Guard, but he also became the commander. This subordinate is unconvinced."

Nie Shicheng replied coldly, "This official was authorized to recruit fewer than one thousand subordinates for this campaign. By noon, only nine hundred and ninety-nine had been recruited. I reserved a slot specifically for Chen Baxian. What is wrong with appointing him as the Thousand-Man Commander of the auxiliary camp?"

Guan Ning said with intense agitation, "You are a Governor-General of the first rank, sir! How can you openly show favoritism? Leaving a slot reserved for Chen Baxian aside, by what virtue or ability does he possess to become a Thousand-Man Commander and command the likes of us?"

The players under Guan Ning's command began to clamor noisily, and the followers of Xuanyuan Jian and Sanshenshi joined in the commotion, bringing a look of smug triumph to Guan Ning's face. Just as he was reveling in his self-importance, Nie Shicheng sneered, "I am the Governor-General of Zhili and the commander of the Front Guard of the Martial Guard. I have the authority to freely appoint any rank below Commander. Yet you point fingers and make a fuss here over the appointment of a single Thousand-Man Commander—where do you put military law?"

"Guards! Drag the irregular Guan Ning out of my sight."

Seeing two personal guards step forward to haul Guan Ning away, his subordinates panicked and hurriedly stepped out of formation, pleading, "Governor-General, sir! Guan Ning is a new recruit unfamiliar with military law. We humbly beg Your Excellency to pardon him for his first offense."

Guan Ning and Sanshenshi also stepped forward to intercede on his behalf. Nie Shicheng let out a cold snort and said, "Guan Ning, considering this is your first offense, I will spare you this once. But should you ever dare to violate military orders again, you will be executed without mercy."

Having said that, Nie Shicheng flicked his sleeves and strode away. Chen Hao walked up to the gathered players with a smiling expression and said, "Brothers, this quest requires us to resist the Eight-Nation Alliance at Langfang. Regardless of the final outcome of the battle, I believe we have no reason not to give it our all. If everyone is willing to follow orders, I will treat no one unfairly. But if anyone dares to violate military regulations, do not blame me for being heartless."

"Boss Chen Baxian, we support you!"

"I've been wanting to experience the feeling of slaying foreign devils for a long time. Boss Chen Baxian, you must lead us to kill a few more foreigners!"

Chen Hao smiled and waved at the supportive players. These individuals had all cooperated with him before, so their support was only natural. The subordinates of Xuanyuan Jian and the others remained silent, while the neutral players were indifferent. Guan Ning, who had narrowly avoided being dragged away just moments earlier, wore an angry expression and sneered coldly, "A petty person riding the coattails of success."

The smile vanished from Chen Hao's face in an instant as he said coldly, "Guards, give Guan Ning forty heavy military杖 (strokes of the staff)."

Nie Shicheng had organized the one thousand players into an auxiliary troop camp consisting entirely of players, but he had assigned two NPCs to serve as military law officers. Upon hearing Chen Hao's order, the two military law officers strode menacingly toward Guan Ning. Unfazed, Guan Ning sneered, "Chen Baxian, don't even think about abusing your official position for personal vendettas! I haven't violated any military regulations—what right do you have to beat me?"

Chen Hao replied with a mocking sneer, "I am the Thousand-Man Commander of the auxiliary camp appointed by the Governor-General himself—your superior. You have insulted your superior with your words, so giving you forty strokes of the staff is already showing you mercy. Guards, carry out the punishment immediately!"

To be pinned down and beaten with military staves under the orders of his enemy in full view of everyone would cause Guan Ning to lose all face. Once the military law officers pinned him to the ground, panic washed over his face. He raised his head and shouted, "I am immediately withdrawing from the Patrol Defense Camp! You cannot beat me!"

Chen Hao adopted a righteous and awe-inspiring tone. "The state has its laws, and the army has its regulations. The Eight-Nation Alliance has invaded our Great Qing, and at this moment of national crisis and peril, you actually wish to desert. Military law officer, how should desertion in the face of battle be punished according to military law?"

The military law officer stepped forward and reported, "Reporting to Your Excellency, according to the law, the punishment is decapitation."

Chen Hao nodded and said, "In that case, behead Guan Ning. A player's soul remains undying after death, but I will report this to the Governor-General and have him notify the local magistrates everywhere. Should the deserter Guan Ning ever be found, he shall be captured immediately and executed publicly according to the law."

Every player present shivered upon hearing Chen Hao's words. If Nie Shicheng truly notified the local governments in the name of the Zhili Governor-General, Guan Ning's fate would be far more complicated than simply respawning a few times. Having been branded a deserter and ordered to be hunted down personally by a high-ranking official of the first rank like Nie Shicheng, Guan Ning would essentially be blacklisted by the authorities. For someone like Guan Ning who believed in monarchical authority, this was nothing short of a nightmare.

A Thousand-Man Commander in the Front Guard of the Martial Guard was a fifth-rank military officer, much higher than Deng Wentong, the eighth-rank auxiliary Thousand-Man Commander of Yongshun County. Because the auxiliary camp was merely a temporary establishment, Chen Hao's fifth-rank commander position was also a temporary role, which would be revoked once the quest concluded.

Xuanyuan Jian and the others hadn't taken him seriously previously simply because they figured that once the quest ended, Chen Baxian would revert to being a mere nobody—as long as they were careful not to let him scheme against them during the quest, it would be fine. But seeing Guan Ning's current predicament, the expressions of Xuanyuan Jian and his peers turned grave. Chen Baxian was truly ruthless!

Sanshenshi's mind worked quickly. He shouted to Guan Ning's subordinates, "Since Governor-General Nie Shicheng appointed players to official posts, he certainly won't let players act however they please! Why haven't you gone to report to Governor-General Nie that someone is abusing their power for a personal vendetta?"

Guan Ning's subordinates snapped out of their stupor as if waking from a dream and frantically scrambled toward Nie Shicheng's commander tent. Kneeling outside the tent, they shouted at the top of their lungs, "Governor-General, sir! The auxiliary camp's Thousand-Man Commander, Chen Baxian, is abusing private torture! We beseech Your Excellency to uphold justice!"

Chen Hao cast a cold glance at Sanshenshi. He had to admit that Sanshenshi was formidable; he had instantly zeroed in on the crux of the issue. NPCs appointing players to official posts to command other players came with very strict restrictions on those players. For instance, if Chen Hao engaged in mindless retaliation against Sanshenshi and the others, he could be stripped of his official rank at best, or dealt with under military law at worst.

However, Chen Hao had dared to act against Guan Ning precisely because he wasn't afraid of other players lodging complaints—he had valid justifications to convince Nie Shicheng.

After the tearful grievances of Guan Ning's subordinates, a personal guard quickly entered the commander tent to brief Nie Shicheng on the situation. Far from being angry, Nie Shicheng wore a gratified expression as he said to the deputy commander and major beside him, "They say benevolence does not command an army. Originally, I worried that Chen Baxian was too soft-hearted to keep those irregulars in line, but now I can rest easy. He knows how to establish authority; commanding the auxiliary camp should pose no problem at all."

Hearing Nie Shicheng's response, the personal guard knew how to handle the situation. Emerging from the tent, he harshly scolded the dozen or so weeping players and chased them away. Seeing their subordinates trudge back dejectedly, Guan Ning fell into despair. Although being a deserter would be detrimental to his future development, compared to the humiliation of being beaten with military staves by his enemy in public, he would rather die and remain wanted afterwards. Gritting his teeth, he declared, "I am quitting the Patrol Defense Camp right now! Do whatever you want with me—kill or carve me up as you please!"

The two military law officers drew their ghost-head broadswords, preparing to decapitate Guan Ning, but Chen Hao stopped them. With a cheerful smile, he said, "As a deserter, Guan Ning originally deserved to be decapitated and displayed to the public. However, Governor-General Nie is about to embark on an expedition, and executing soldiers brings bad luck. Guan Ning, although you intended to desert, you haven't actually left yet. This official will show leniency and spare your life. Guards, give Guan Ning forty strokes of the staff!"

Guan Ning was so stifled he nearly vomited blood. He shouted aloud, "I'd rather have my head chopped off! Do not beat me with military staves!"

Chen Hao shook his head. "This official has always been clear in his gratitude and grudges. Your crimes, Guan Ning, do not warrant death. Beating you with forty staves is to teach you a memorable lesson so that you will charge bravely forward in future battles. Otherwise, my military staves will be waiting for you."

The military law officers pinned Guan Ning down and began laying the blows on him with loud smacks. Some players quietly began recording video footage, confident that Guan Ning would soon become the laughingstock of the forums. After Guan Ning received his forty strokes, Chen Hao pointed at his dozen or so subordinates and instructed the military law officer, "What is the punishment for leaving formation without a superior's permission and falsely accusing a superior?"

The military law officer answered sternly, "Thirty strokes of the staff."

Chen Hao said coldly, "Why haven't you carried out the execution?"

The military law officer immediately pinned down Guan Ning's subordinates and began administering the blows. The beaten players no longer felt any shame; with their leader taking all the attention and absorbing all the spotlight, small fries like them wouldn't attract any notice!

Having seized the opportunity to torment Guan Ning's cavalry squad, Chen Hao smiled amiably at the gathered players and said, "My position as Thousand-Man Commander is temporary, but during my tenure, I am still your direct superior. Therefore, it is best not to provoke me. Don't mistake a temporary worker for someone without authority."

Guan Ning lowered his head in humiliation, but he no longer dared to throw a loud tantrum; heaven only knew whether that damned Chen Baxian would find another excuse to make a fool of him. Seeing his fate, Xuanyuan Jian and Sanshenshi similarly lowered their heads, hypnotizing themselves with the thought that it was better to offend a gentleman than a villain. A villain like Chen Baxian was not someone to mess with—at least, not while he held the position of temporary Thousand-Man Commander.