Chapter 54

Daoist Liang Zidao led Liu Wanbao through the courtyard behind the main hall to a room on the opposite side. Upon entering the room, they saw three people sitting behind a long table. Two of them were dressed as Taoists, while the other wore a spotted outfit similar to that of the guards. In the middle of the room was a chair, presumably prepared for the captive. Indeed, Daoist Liang Zidao gestured for Liu Wanbao to sit in the single chair in the middle of the room, then went to the table and whispered a few words to the three people, likely informing them of Liu Wanbao's identity. The three people were surprised by this and began to scrutinize Liu Wanbao.

The Taoist sitting in the middle looked at Liu Wanbao, who, despite being bound, still sat with a straight back. He nodded slightly and said to another Taoist who had brought Liu Wanbao in, "Dazhi, although Liu Er Dangjia is our enemy, he is still a hero of the green forest. How can we treat him like this? Quickly untie him." He then picked up a teapot from the table, poured a cup of tea, and asked Dazhi to serve it to Liu Wanbao.

Liu Wanbao, while massaging his numb arms, looked suspiciously at the three people opposite him, unsure why they were being so courteous to him, their enemy. He wondered if there was some kind of conspiracy or trap, or if the tea was poisoned, intended to make him suffer before he died. Should he take the opportunity to attack and escape now that they had untied him?

After a moment of consideration, Liu Wanbao decided against it. First, as a martial artist, he could clearly sense that the people in the room were all skilled in martial arts. The Taoist who had untied him was not someone he could easily defeat, let alone the other three. Second, if he ran away, the others might kill his subordinates out of anger, nullifying all his previous efforts. With a "since I'm here, I might as well stay" attitude, Liu Wanbao picked up the teacup, took a couple of sips, and calmly waited for the others to make their move.

Liu Wanbao's composure earned him some respect from the three people opposite him, who silently praised him as a "man of character." This strengthened their resolve to follow their previous plan, hoping to have a good conversation with Liu Er Dangjia, who might be the key to their plan's success.

The three people sitting behind the table were Wang Xiaojun, Zhang Weixin, and Xu Shaoran. They were surprised to have captured Liu Er Dangjia, but this gave them confidence in the plan they had proposed at the expanded committee meeting.

Just over an hour earlier, most of the穿越者 (time travelers) and Yu Xu Zi, Qingchen, and Zhong Shiwen had gathered in the main hall of the back courtyard of Yu Xu Palace to summarize the recent bandit raid and discuss the follow-up actions.

Wang Xiaojun was the first to speak. He praised all those who had participated in the previous night's operation, especially Zeng Zhilin, who had first discovered the bandits spying on Yu Xu Palace.

Amidst the enthusiastic applause, Zeng Zhilin scratched his head, a bit embarrassed, and said, "There's nothing to praise. I was on duty and saw three people lurking and drawing something in the distance through the telescope. As a sentry, it's my duty to report any unusual activity to the team leader. It's my job to do it well, and a failure to do so would be a dereliction of duty. Besides, I wasn't the only one to spot the spies. Wu Peng, who was on duty in another watchtower, also saw them, but I reported to Team Leader Xu first. Later, Qingchen tracked the three bandits to their hideout, and it was Qian Lian and Cheng Fei who discovered the spies returning at night. Yu Xu Zi even kept an eye on the so-called second-in-command who was hiding in the side hall to avoid the cold."

Qingchen's eavesdropping confirmed that they were bandits from Xiasun Ridge, and that the second-in-command had only brought two scouts, with the main force not yet arrived. When Qian Lian and his team discovered the scouts returning at night, it allowed them to determine that the bandits planned a night raid, giving them time to prepare, which led to their success. The technology team, including Liu Wendong and Zhou Gong, did not directly participate in the battle, but their modified machine guns, small bombs made from artillery shells, and the searchlights made from car headlights played crucial roles. Without their contributions, the victory would not have been so easy.

Zeng Zhilin's humility earned him another round of applause, making him even more embarrassed. Wang Xiaojun finally intervened, saving him from further discomfort.

Seeing that everyone had calmed down, Wang Xiaojun said, "Dazhi is right. The success in repelling the bandits is a collective effort of all members of Yu Xu Palace, and everyone deserves praise." He paused and changed the subject, "However, it's not time to celebrate yet. Although the bandits have been driven back, they have not been completely eliminated. According to the initial confession of the three captured bandits, they came with a total of three hundred men. Two hundred were eliminated in the front courtyard, and another hundred were hiding on the back mountain, planning to cut off our retreat. Unfortunately, we were a bit slow, and the hundred bandits escaped before we could surround them.

Additionally, the captives mentioned that over two hundred bandits remained in the stronghold, not participating in the raid. This means that over three hundred bandits are still a threat, ready to seek revenge. While we are confident in our weapons, the saying goes, 'We are not afraid of thieves stealing, but of thieves remembering.' Even if the bandits dare not attack Yu Xu Palace again, they might ambush our members far from the palace. Once we move to Liangxiang City, our interactions will increase, and our members will be more dispersed. The security team cannot provide 24/7 protection for everyone, giving the enemy opportunities to threaten our members' safety. This is a situation we cannot accept. Therefore, we need to brainstorm and find a solution."

After Wang Xiaojun finished speaking, everyone engaged in a lively discussion. Yu Xu Zi was the first to speak. After a moment of thought, he stroked his beard and said, "Although I do not understand the secrets of your weapons, I have seen their power, which far exceeds any weapons from our land. I believe these weapons are both your protection and a potential source of disaster. As the saying goes, 'An innocent man is not blamed, but a man with a treasure is.' If people with ill intentions, especially those in power, discover these weapons, they will stop at nothing to obtain them, using threats, bribes, and other means. Whether you give them the weapons or not, whether you align with them or stay away, the outcome will not be what you want. Therefore, you should not only consider the threat from the remaining bandits but also how to minimize the number of people who know about the power of your weapons."

Wang Xiaojun and the others nodded in agreement, recognizing the wisdom in Yu Xu Zi's words. While the modern weapons had proven effective, the potential consequences were serious. Apart from the three captured bandits, only their own people had seen the weapons' power. It was unclear if the escaped bandits had witnessed the battle, but they needed to interrogate the captured bandits to confirm. However, they could not afford to take any risks. If the escaped bandits had seen the weapons, the news would spread quickly. They needed to find a way to keep the information from spreading.

At this moment, Qingchen stood up and bowed to Wang Xiaojun, saying, "Uncle, I have a suggestion, but I'm not sure if it's appropriate to share."

"Of course, it's appropriate," Wang Xiaojun replied, knowing that Qingchen had a good understanding of the bandits and was eager to hear his opinion.

Qingchen's face showed a hint of ruthlessness as he said, "I often hear that failing to kill a snake is a sin, and letting a tiger return to the mountain is a disaster. Although the bandits have been driven back, their base remains intact. After suffering such a heavy loss at Yu Xu Palace, they will surely seek revenge once they recover. As Uncle mentioned, our members will be more dispersed in the future, giving the bandits more opportunities. Moreover, as Master pointed out, we cannot guarantee that the escaped bandits will keep quiet about last night's events. Such news will spread faster than the wind. Therefore, I suggest we take further action. Since we have already eliminated nearly half of their strength, we should use the captured bandits to lead us to their stronghold and eliminate them completely, to prevent future threats and keep our secrets. What do you think, Master and Uncles?"

Qingchen's words left everyone speechless. They thought he was being ruthless, planning to eliminate the bandits entirely to prevent retaliation and leaks. This would achieve two goals: preventing revenge and keeping their secrets. After a brief silence, the security team expressed support for the suggestion, while others had mixed opinions. Most agreed with the idea, but a few had concerns.

Those who disagreed were mainly worried about their small numbers. Including the young Taoists, they had only about thirty martial artists, while the bandits, despite their losses, still had over three hundred men. If they left the defensive advantage of Yu Xu Palace and fought on the bandits' territory, they would be at a disadvantage in terms of numbers and terrain, making them vulnerable to ambushes and potential losses. Moreover, the saying "do not pursue a defeated enemy" was relevant. If the bandits were cornered, they might fight to the death, and even with modern weapons, ensuring everyone's safety would be difficult. They also considered the possibility that the bandits might flee in fear of the modern weapons, making it hard to capture them. These concerns were valid, but Zhang Weixin's subsequent words addressed them.

Zhang Weixin, aware of the challenges of an offensive, smiled and said, "Some of you have concerns about an offensive, which is understandable. The saying 'do not pursue a defeated enemy' is wise. However, have you considered what would happen if we give the bandits a way out? Would they still fight to the death, or would they abandon their stronghold and scatter?"

"Give them a way out?" This idea confused the opponents. In their view, the two sides were irreconcilable, and giving the bandits a way out would be like letting a snake live or a tiger return to the mountain.

Seeing the confusion, Zhang Weixin explained, "By 'giving them a way out,' I don't mean letting them escape, which would defeat our purpose. I mean guiding them down a path we choose. Under the threat of our weapons, we can subdue the bandits and make them serve us, following our commands. This would eliminate the threat of retaliation and help keep our secrets."

"Will the bandits accept our terms? What if they refuse?" an opponent asked.

"I believe that with effort, we can achieve our goal. In the current situation, this is the best approach. If anyone disagrees, please suggest a better plan," Xu Shaoran countered.

Xu Shaoran's words silenced the opponents. While they had concerns about an offensive, they could not come up with a better solution in the short term.

A vote was held, and the proposal to "actively attack and subdue" the bandits received overwhelming support. It was approved and given the code name "Operation Ten Thousand Jun." The committee authorized the External Relations Group, Security Group, and Audit Group to form the "Operation Ten Thousand Jun Executive Committee" to carry out the plan. Wang Xiaojun was appointed as the chief coordinator, with the heads of each functional group reporting to him. He would command and coordinate the actions of the groups and provide financial support.

After receiving the task, Wang Xiaojun discussed with the heads of the three functional groups and decided to start by interrogating the captured bandits to gather as much information as possible about the bandits' internal situation. They would then identify the weaknesses of the captives and use them to gain control over the bandits.

Unexpectedly, fate was on their side, and the bandits' second-in-command, Liu Er Dangjia, was delivered to them. If they could successfully persuade him, "Operation Ten Thousand Jun" would be halfway to success. The rest would depend on Wang Xiaojun and his team's skills.