Chapter 895: Absolute Autonomy

Chen Wuji's deep gaze fixed on Fan Yang: "You volunteered yourself?"

Yes!

Fan Yang felt his scalp tingle under Chen Wuji's gaze, he forcibly straightened his chest and met Chen Wuji's eyes.

You were a deserter under Liu Yan, yet you want to achieve merit here, seek a future—give me a reason that can convince me. Chen Wuji said in a low voice.

This brat's so-called self-nomination made him quite displeased.

One who abandoned his old troops, yet in front of him he performed.

Fan Yang's heart gave a jolt; he knew where the problem lay, but he had no choice left.

Having come this far, there is no retreat left.

Reporting, Commander!

Fan Yang raised his hoarse voice as high as possible, clenched his cheeks with force, unwaveringly met Chen Wuji's eyes, and gave his reason: "I cannot let down my brothers."

They could have died honorably on the battlefield, but because the commander is incompetent, we will die of heat, exhaustion, and starvation in this jungle; their deaths would be worthless!

Chen Wuji shouted sternly: "But you have now abandoned your brothers!"

"But they survived!" Fan Yang shouted desperately, "They didn't choose to stand with me; I respect them and feel glad for them, at least they no longer have to worry about a miserable death!"

Chen Wuji stared at Fan Yang for a moment: "Your reason won't pass here, but I still want to give you a chance—I'll see what you do."

... Yes!

Fan Yang lowered his head, but his answer remained forceful.

That single word seemed not to come from his throat, but as if drawing a breath from the soles of his feet and forcing it out with his chest.

A deserter who volunteered himself, he clearly understood why Chen Wuji acted this way.

He even felt that Chen Wuji's actions were somewhat lenient.

Deserters are inherently despised.

To then volunteer for the enemy army is outright villainous conduct.

But the only explanation he could give Chen Wuji was this reason.

"You seven form a brigade!" Chen Wuji said, "How to fight is up to you to discuss; I only look at the results."

"Yes!" Fan Yang startled, then raised his head and shouted.

He had agreed, but a soldier beside him suddenly objected.

He suddenly shouted: "Reporting, Commander, you go back on your word. You previously said that if we smoothly reach the mountain pass, we would be promoted one rank and granted land and silver."

"Don't I have that?" Chen Wuji retorted, "Here I am a Brigade Commander, commanding two thousand troops; under me are Garrison Commanders; you seven form a brigade, he is the Brigade Commander, you are all Garrison Commanders—what's the problem?"

The soldier hesitated, "But… we have no troops!"

"Figure it out yourselves."

"Commander, how are we…"

The soldier was still arguing his point when Fan Yang suddenly spoke up, shouting loudly, "Commander, I have received the order; I dare not disgrace the Commander's trust."

Chen Wuji chuckled, "Let's not mention that word for now; trust is out of the question. I've given you the authority—speak up: how do you plan to fight next, and how will you fill out your brigade's troops?"

"Commander, our former troops…" the soldier who had been arguing earlier suddenly spoke again.

"Shut up!" Fan Yang swept a fierce gaze over, his expression vicious and brutal.

Chen Wuji glanced at that soldier, smiled, and said, "A soldier with ideas—good to make use of him in the future."

Fan Yang took a deep breath, forcing out a 'yes' from the corner of his mouth.

At this moment, he truly felt the urge to crush this subordinate.

The situation was already bad enough, yet this guy keeps chattering on.

Is it his former troops that he doesn't know about, or is it Commander Chen who doesn't know?

If it could be used, would Commander Chen not give it, and would he not strive for it?

"Commander, Liu Yan habitually wins hearts with profit and excludes dissenters with profit; among his subordinates there is no camaraderie, only scheming against each other." Fan Yang said.

"I'll add a few more words as a simple example. In Liu Yan's army, if a common soldier has enough money to bribe Liu Yan or other officers, they will remove an officer they dislike to make room for that soldier, who was originally just a private."

Even in peacetime, everyone lives in fear, terrified of violating Liu Yan's taboos, being dragged out on some pretext, even killed.

In this current situation of internal and external crisis, Liu Yan's side's hearts are undoubtedly more complex; without surprise, everyone surely has their own calculations. I can now affirm two things: first, Liu Yan's side's hearts are already in chaos; second, Liu Yan will surely begin to eliminate dissenters.

Chen Wuji was slightly surprised.

But he didn't show it, merely asking calmly: "Then what do you plan to do?"

"Induce surrender, let them fight like dogs!" Fan Yang said in a low voice.

"Confident?"

"I have sixty percent confidence; I have some acquaintance with a few of the Training Officers above."

"What difficulties?"

Fan Yang hesitated, then asked: "May I ask, Commander, do you know where Liu Yan's troops are now? As long as we find their location, we can proceed."

"Wushuang, make arrangements for them." Chen Wuji ordered.

"Understood!"

Fan Yang led his people and followed Chen Wushuang away.

After receiving a rough map, Fan Yang led the ragged few, who only ate a few bites, straight into the jungle.

The soldier who had been unable to hold back his words finally couldn't help but complain: "Marquis, Chen Wuji is bullying us terribly—isn't this just going back on his word, deliberately letting us die? You're already a Marquis; logically you should be promoted to Commandant or Training Officer, yet he instead demoted you to Brigade Commander."

As Fan Yang was gripping a bamboo pole to climb the mountain, he suddenly turned back: "Peng Zhou, if you want to leave, go now—don't drag the rest of us down."

Peng Zhou's face instantly filled with astonishment: "Marquis, how am I dragging you down? Isn't what I said the truth?"

"Before you speak such truth, first consider our status.' Fan Yang said in a low voice, 'On the way here, I already warned you—do you remember what I told you? Volunteering deserters turning themselves in is no good thing; make you speak less and observe more.'

"'What are you doing for me? Talking so much? If you think my judgment is flawed, seek a better position—don't get involved in this death‑sentence task.'

Peng Zhou was stunned for a moment, "But, Chen Wuji... that's going too far, right? What can we seven people accomplish? If we go like this now, aren't we just throwing away our lives?"

Fan Yang, with a pained expression, took a deep breath, "Go on, after you leave, find another way to live!"