Chapter 72: Mighty in All Directions·Region Submits

The establishment of the Elite Soldiers Battalion and its extraordinarily intense training.

Like a massive stone thrown into a calm pond.

The ripples it produced far exceeded Jiao Tu Zhen itself.

These ripples, through Qian Gui's meticulously woven Investigation Network.

and the channel of the steadfast ally Li Family Village, quickly spreading to the surrounding areas.

At first, they were merely scattered rumors.

"Have you heard? The drilling over at Jiao Tu Zhen is eerie!"

"They wail and howl like ghosts and wolves before dawn."

"That posture, tsk tsk..."

"Indeed, I have a distant relative working there."

"They say their Leader Chen can turn stone into gold!"

"Their troops, each one as if they'd taken immortal pills, have frightening strength and run faster than horses!"

These rumors.

In the ears of the various big and small powers nearby, most merely laughed them off.

In these chaotic times, boasting of military might is commonplace—nothing more than a means to inflate one's prestige.

However.

As more impactful 'eyewitness evidence' emerged, the wind began to shift subtly.

Once, scouts from a nearby stronghold, relying on their agility, attempted to sneak into the outskirts of Jiao Tu Zhen to spy.

The result: they saw a scene on the training field from afar:

Thirty bare-chested men, carrying astonishingly heavy loads,

ran up the slope as if on level ground, their movements uniform and in unison.

The white breath they exhaled merged into a sheet, that soaring killing intent making the scouts tremble with fear even from a distance.

Even more shocking, they saw with their own eyes a man

barehandedly push a millstone-sized stone so that it rolled with a thunderous rumble!

That scout fled back, crawling and rolling, declaring with conviction that Jiao Tu Zhen trained not soldiers, but 'heavenly soldiers and generals'!

Moreover, the caravans traveling between Jiao Tu Zhen and Li Family Village also became the best promoters.

They vividly described the sharp gaze of Jiao Tu Zhen's militia on patrol, their excellent and uniform equipment.

and their strict discipline of orders being carried out without fail.

Especially when they mentioned that mysterious 'Elite Soldiers Battalion'.

Although few in number, but whenever they appeared,

that silent yet oppressive aura!

it made even veteran escorts who had seen countless battles secretly feel a chill.

Li Chong, too, often unintentionally let slip when meeting other power leaders,

he would sigh:

"Leader Chen, he is no ordinary man."

"The troops under his command are elite, even surpassing border armies."

"Allying with him puts my mind at ease."

These words, spoken by the deeply rooted and highly reputable Village Lord Li, carried great weight.

As for Chuanshan Bao, his reaction was the most subtle.

Since the meeting in Black Pine Forest, he has outwardly kept the agreement,

but he has always harbored a smoldering resentment, never relaxing his surveillance of Jiao Tu Zhen.

When rumors about the Elite Soldiers Battalion kept coming, especially upon learning that Jiao Tu Zhen was undertaking nationwide mobilization,

after military production ran nonstop day and night, Chuanshan Bao sat in his stronghold, fingering the scar on his face, and remained silent for a long time.

He finally issued the order:

"Strengthen defenses, but no one may approach within ten li of Jiao Tu Zhen's territory without his order!"

At the same time, he sent his second-in-command, carrying a gift that was not substantial but of special significance,

— ten fine horses, to Jiao Tu Zhen.

"Under the guise of"

"Congratulations to Leader Chen on successful troop training, a modest expression of neighborly goodwill."

This was a veiled show of submission and a probe.

Even the strongest Chuanshan Bao acted this way, and lesser powers were even more quick to follow suit.

First came the elders of several tiny villages that barely survived in the cracks,

trembling as they expressed their willingness to affiliate with Jiao Tu Zhen, seeking protection.

and promised to deliver a certain amount of grain and supplies, obeying dispatch.

Next, a group of about fifty or sixty people.

were small bandits who made a living by raiding homes.

After their leader was crushed in a clean and swift suppression operation by the militia led by Zhang Cheng, which was not part of the Elite Soldiers Battalion,

they actually came forward to surrender, willing to be reorganized, seeking only a way to survive.

Even farther afield, manors that had previously had no dealings with Jiao Tu Zhen

also sent envoys, their words full of courtesy and intent to make friends.

Hope to open trade routes and establish friendly relations.

Jiao Tu Zhen, this place that was unknown a year ago, a wasteland.

After defeating Liu Du Tou and intimidating the Mountain-Piercing Leopard.

Especially after demonstrating the ability to create extraordinary elite forces.

Has become the undisputed hegemon of this region.

Its sphere of influence and controlled population.

In less than two months, it secretly expanded nearly double!

Chen Wen stood on the watchtower of the Garrison Command.

Overlooking the increasingly prosperous town with bustling crowds, and the newly reclaimed fields and newly built subsidiary villages in the distance.

He could clearly "see" the intangible "Fortune Momentum" vortex above his head.

With the expansion of forces, the submission of population, and the rapid increase of influence in the region.

It is growing and solidifying at an unprecedented speed!

Originally the vortex was somewhat illusory; now it seems to have turned into a faint, almost visible miasma.

Enveloping the skies above Jiao Tu Zhen, as it slowly rotates, it exudes a sense of stability and vigor.

At the core of the vortex, there is even a faint, hard-to-detect golden sheen.

This represents the consolidation of foundations and the unity of the people's hearts.

He knows, this is not merely a symbol.

It is also potential capital for future response to greater crises.

【Growth Progress Bar: 68%】

The significant increase of the progress bar again stems from his successful control of the regional situation.

To subdue the enemy without fighting, turning potential enemies into vassals or allies.

To gather scattered forces into a whole.

Such expansion achieved through strategy and strength brings growth far surpassing pure combat.

He is transforming from a commander skilled at defending cities into a leader capable of scheming and determining the situation.

"Chief, the Mountain-Piercing Leopard sent ten fine horses, and the people are still waiting outside."

Qian Gui stepped forward, reported in a low voice, with a hint of a smile on his face.

"Also, the Black Water Gully side sent people, wanting to discuss the specific terms of submission."

Chen Wen nodded, his gaze still toward the distance, calmly said:

"Accept the horses, reciprocate with corresponding salt and iron."

"Tell the Mountain-Piercing Leopard's people, peace is not easy, hope we maintain it together."

"The Black Water Gully people, you go receive them, handle according to our agreed rules."

"Yes."

Qian Gui withdrew in response.

Chen Wen took a deep breath, feeling the surging power within his body and the crystal-clear progress bar in his mind.

Obstacles within the region have basically been cleared, foundations are already solid.

Next, the true challenge will come from the north!

From the cold black hand that tries to control the "plan".

Jiao Tu Zhen, this sword just forged and tempered, is about to face a true test.