Chapter 142

"Sword Master need not be so polite."

Jian Lao laughed sinisterly,

"If it were the era in which I, the old man, was alive,"

"Those who dare to verbally insult the Heavenly Pride deserve a hundred deaths!"

"Even without me lifting a finger, countless people would be willing to kill these scum for the Heavenly Pride!"

That is, Gu Chen is still constrained by the rules.

Otherwise, given Jian Lao's temperament, he would have already flown his sword and taken heads!

Gu Chen smiled faintly, and would not change his own values because of Jian Lao.

Just then, everyone suddenly heard the sound of wings flapping.

They followed the sound and discovered that Guan Zhen had grown wings on his back, flying from afar.

Everyone hurriedly clasped their fists in salute,

"Greetings, General Guan!"

Guan Zhen landed beside the Martial Arts Platform and slightly raised his hand toward the crowd,

"No need for formalities."

"Today I will personally serve as the referee for Gu Han and Liang Fang's sparring match."

"The victor will be appointed commander of the grain transport duty."

"Whoa!"

As Guan Zhen's words fell, an uproar rose across the field.

As the highest-ranking person in Mu Shan Cheng,

In their impression, he seems never to have personally served as a referee before.

General Guan actually values Gu Han so highly that it warrants him personally acting as referee?

Pei Guang beneath the Martial Arts Platform angrily slapped his own thigh.

Had he known General Guan valued Gu Han so much, he should have challenged Gu Han before Liang Fang!

If he won, he could also show off well in front of General Guan.

Meanwhile, Liang Fang on the Martial Arts Platform naturally knew that General Guan was not coming for him.

But it did not affect his desire to defeat Gu Han!

As long as he defeats Gu Han, General Guan's favor will shift from Gu Han to himself.

This is absolutely a surefire profit!

Even if he lost, it would be a loss to the renowned Gu Han of the military camp, nothing to be ashamed of!

"I declare that the match between Gu Han and Liang Fang begins now!"

As Guan Zhen's words fell.

Liang Fang stomped his foot, bursting with violent aura as he rushed swiftly at Gu Han.

He held a ferocious bone knife, and when he was four or five meters from Gu Han, he swept it horizontally at the waist.

Facing Liang Fang's all-out strike, Gu Han's Silver Dragon Spear suddenly appeared.

Its pure white silver shone brilliantly in the sunlight.

"What a handsome spear!"

The crowd below gasped.

Gu Han lightly kicked the spear blade, the tip tearing through the wind.

Swish!

From the tip burst a blinding spear-light, which collided loudly with Liang Fang's blade-light.

Liang Fang only felt an excruciatingly sharp stabbing pain.

The blade-light he had slashed out was easily destroyed by the spear-light!

Only a piercing clang of metal on metal rang out.

The long knife in Liang Fang's hand was flung away with a swish.

And Gu Han's Silver Dragon Spear steadied itself a few centimeters before Liang Fang's throat.

As long as Gu Han lightly moves his right hand.

the Silver Dragon Spear will pierce Liang Fang's throat!

"I... I lost."

Liang Fang hadn't even reacted before he found himself facing this situation.

One move decides victory!

Liang Fang, dazed and dejected, sighed and turned to walk down the Martial Arts Platform.

Many of the watching Combat Soldiers felt as if they had merely blinked, and the outcome was already decided.

They didn't even see clearly what had happened.

Guan Zhen was not at all surprised by the battle's outcome, and immediately shouted loudly,

"I declare that the victor of this battle is Gu Han!"

As Guan Zhen's announcement of the result fell, the field first fell into a moment of dead silence.

No one expected that the highly anticipated Bijang duel

would actually be decided in a single move!

But immediately after, the field erupted with cheers like a tsunami, rising and falling.

"Gu Han! Gu Han!"

Gu Han's speed is too fast; although they say the onlooker sees clearly, I simply cannot see Gu Han's move at all!

Many people, although they did not see Gu Han's battle clearly.

But it does not affect their cheering for the victor!

The vast majority of people are even more proud from the bottom of their hearts that Mu Shan Cheng has produced such a heaven‑chosen talent!

And those who had previously mocked Gu Han are like clowns, slinking away from the crowd in embarrassment.

They fear being caught by the people they just had a dispute with and humiliated!

Gu Chen, Gu Qianyue and others also cheer and applaud from the bottom of their hearts for Gu Han's performance.

Amidst the cheers, Guan Zhen announced loudly,

"Since Gu Han has won, this time Gu Han will be the commander of the escort mission!"

Pei Guang in the crowd let out a long sigh of relief at this moment.

Fortunately he did not proactively challenge Gu Han.

Otherwise, the one embarrassing himself on the Martial Arts Platform now would be him!

After the battle ended, Guan Zhen and the others quickly left, and the onlookers gradually dispersed.

Gu Han, Liang Fang, and Pei Guang returned to their respective camps, selected fifty able soldiers, and set out after an hour to head for Zhong Cheng.

After Gu Han returned to the camp, all the Dutongs and Captains of Hundred volunteered themselves.

Everyone, upon hearing they would go to Zhong Cheng to carry out the mission, wanted to vie for this slot!

Gu Han also had no idea of conducting a fair selection.

Besides taking the five brothers Gu Chen, Gu Lin, Gu Jing, and the five direct descendants of the Gu family, Gu Qianyue and Gu Wannan etc.,

He also selected five Dutongs, twenty Captains of Hundred, and fifteen squad leaders.

In normal marching, besides combat soldiers, they also need to equip many auxiliary and logistics soldiers.

But in this world there exist storage rings and storage bags and such implements.

They only need to prepare dry rations, so they don't have to worry about food problems.

Some of the Newly Promoted Dutongs and Captains of Hundred who need to stay behind are somewhat unwilling.

But under Gu Han's combination of grace and authority, they have already wholeheartedly submitted to him.

The reason they are unwilling is merely envy that others can get the chance to undertake the mission together with Gu Han.

Compared to other camps lacking cultivation resources.

Gu Han, from the many treasure chests he obtained in the previous defense battle of Mu Shan Cheng, gained unimaginable cultivation resources.

Gu Han himself does not need these cultivation resources, so he distributes part of them to his subordinates.

For combat soldiers, the most important thing is precisely those cultivation resources.

Although saying "having milk makes one a mother" does not apply, giving them cultivation resources to make them betray Ben Lang Guo is tantamount to daydreaming.

But it can make them utterly loyal to Gu Han's leadership!

Therefore even if Gu Han did not choose them, they will not resent him.

Moreover, each one vied to promise Gu Han that they would surely guard the camp well.

After an hour, Gu Han brought Gu Chen and the other fifty people to wait at the north gate of the camp.

Everyone rode tall horses for the journey.

Although most of the people present had contracted war beasts.

However, although the wolf beasts have strong short‑distance sprint ability, their long‑distance raiding capability is far inferior to that of war horses.

Therefore when marching, most people choose to ride war horses.

Liang Fang and Pei Guang, after the time it takes to finish a cup of tea, also led their respective camps' fifty‑person teams here.

Liang Fang did not meet Gu Han's gaze, merely cupping his fists toward Gu Han.

He evidently has not forgotten the previous battle.

Gu Han also knows it is not that easy to change someone's mind.

He also has no intention of subduing Liang Fang.

As long as Liang Fang does not deliberately hold him back, that is enough.

"Let's go, striving to reach the next lodging city before nightfall."