BXBX NOVEL Chapter 254 - 247 Bai Xuezhu 1
Many common folks live here.
Over seventy percent of the Black Tiger Gang’s food supply comes from this region.
On such a crucial piece of territory, no matter how strained their military forces are, the Black Tiger Gang cannot afford not to station troops for defense.
There must be a large army encamped nearby.
Along the way, Qin Niu saw quite a few corpses of the common people.
Some were holding children and trying to flee, likely overtaken by the Termite because they were too slow, bitten down to the ground.
Until their dying breath, they protected the child tightly beneath them.
But it was all in vain.
Both adults and children were killed by the Termite, their bodies now being consumed.
The Termite’s appetite is astonishing, their nature savage; just six Termite could clean out an earthworm as thick as a pinkie finger in thirty minutes.
Qin Niu couldn’t help these refugee commoners.
The insect swarm was too vast, and his force of twenty thousand white ants was akin to pouring a cup of water on a cartload of burning hay.
What he sought was the local defending army, not these fleeing commoners.
He ran about twenty li in one go, when clamorous noise up ahead mixed with the whinnying of horses and the flickering of many torches could be faintly discerned.
Qin Niu speculated that it was likely the army stationed along this battle line.
He immediately rushed toward that location.
“Who goes there?”
The Black Tiger Gang’s military discipline was strict; even in the dead of night upon learning of the insect invasion, they still appeared well-trained.
They were on full alert.
Qin Niu was still a kilometer away from the army camp when he was spotted by a sentry.
“Insect Master Qin Niu, with urgent military intelligence to report, please take me to see your general immediately.”
If it weren’t for Qin Niu’s abilities, it would have been impossible for anyone to realize that the enemy was preparing to launch a night raid on Luoshui Town, striking deep into the Black Tiger Gang’s territory.
“Your waist token!”
A sentry stepped forward to check his waist token, then leaned in to take a closer look at his face.
“Follow me.”
Most of these soldiers were blunt men, and they spoke very directly.
Leading Qin Niu to the camp, many men here were holding torches, lining up and preparing to set out.
“Wait here, I’ll go and report to the general.”
The sentry entered the largest tent in the center.
It wasn’t long before he came out.
“The General invites you!”
Qin Niu directly entered the main army tent, where a man in his forties dressed in white, with a scholarly look, a square face and large ears, clothed in a silver armor and wearing a cape made from tiger skin, sat at the desk.
Inside there were also several deputy generals seated on both sides.
Their expressions were all very grave.
“Insect Master Qin Niu pays his respects to the generals.”
“No need for formalities. What military intelligence does Master Qin bring?”
The man in the silver armor spoke unhurriedly, his tone gentle yet emanating an extreme pressure.
He was much more imposing than Young Master Fang.
His gaze was piercing as if he could see right through a person at a glance.
Qin Niu had many secrets and dared not meet the man’s eyes.
Moreover, when he sensed the man’s cultivation, it was unfathomable.
Not knowing the depths of the opponent indicated that the silver-armored general’s cultivation was truly terrifying.
Even compared to the five old ancestors of the Fang Family, he was not much inferior.
“On the banks of the Tianshui River in Luoshui Town, I discovered enemy forces gathering boats on the opposite shore, likely preparing to cross the river by night and mount a surprise attack on our Black Tiger Gang.”
“Have you seen clearly? How many are in the enemy army? Is it Shennong Sect’s army, or are they together with the Nine Insect Gang’s army?”
The silver-armored General faced the news, his originally calm and composed face showing a surge of ripples.
Not to mention the other deputy generals, many of whom changed colour.
“The number of the enemy troops is unclear, but when 1 observed, there were at least a hundred ships. Before this, the enemy released a large number of Termite warriors from the river surface. They bite on sight, move quickly, and are highly poisonous. Therefore, I speculate that there may be an Insect Master from the Nine Insect Gang assisting within the enemy forces.”
Qin Niu faithfully reported his observations.
“Hmm, you’ve done very well. This intelligence is extremely important to us. It was you who saved Luo Wanglei and others who escaped from Luoshui Town, wasn’t it?”
“Yes!”
Qin Niu readily admitted.
“At such a young age, Master Qin Niu must possess great skills to move freely within the swarms of enemy insects. Right now, battle is imminent, and there must be a fight tonight. Facing the enemy army head-on, 1 and my soldiers are not afraid. However, when it comes to dealing with those detestable insects, our soldiers might be insufficient. 1 have a presumptuous request, asking Master Qin Niu to enter our army and assist us in repelling the enemy.
Let’s leave the enemy’s insects to you Insect Masters to deal with, while 1 and my soldiers will handle the enemy forces.”
The silver-armored General spoke very politely to Qin Niu.
Even though he was temporarily conscripting Qin Niu into the army, he used the word “please.”
“Could you possibly be Lord Bai Xuezhu?”
Upon hearing this man claim his surname was Bai, the only person Qin Niu could think of was the legendary figure, Bai Xuezhu.
This man had climbed the ranks within the army through practicing the Iron Cloth Technique, a common skill, ultimately becoming one of the Deputy Gang Leaders of the Black Tiger Gang.
Such big shots, each held immense power.
“Haha, indeed, it is I, Bai!”
“I have no problem helping to repel the enemy tonight, but there are still many matters at home 1 haven’t settled. I beseech Lord Bai to allow me to return home after the battle ends.”
“Agreed.”
Lord Bai was a decisive person.
He didn’t hesitate and immediately nodded in agreement.
“When the country is in trouble, every man is responsible. After Master Qin takes care of his family matters, he can return to serve in the army later. There is home only because there is a country. If Black Tiger Gang were defeated, then at that time, all citizens of the Black Tiger Gang would face destruction, humiliation by the enemy, with no dignity to speak of.”
“Understood!”
Qin Niu naturally understood this principle.
“Master Qin Niu will temporarily serve as a Grade Three soldier, under the command of Master He Shan’s Insect Master camp. Your rescue of Luo Xinglei and others and reporting the critical military intelligence of the enemy preparing to cross the river for a night raid will all be recorded as merit, to be rewarded after the battle.”
“Thank you, Lord Bai!”
Qin Niu, well-versed in human relations, smartly omitted the “Deputy” from Deputy City Lord.
“This is Master He Shan, one of the top Insect Masters of the Black Tiger Gang.”
Deputy City Lord Bai then introduced Master He Shan to Qin Niu.
“I’ve seen Master He Shan!”
“Dispense with the formalities! How many Termite warriors are at the front? What are their characteristics? Tell me everything you know.”
Master He Shan was an old man with white hair and beard.
He seemed unsightly with his high cheekbones and one large brown birthmark on the left side of his face.
He had several Insect Bags hanging around his waist, and a bamboo tube on his back that also likely contained insects.
For an Insect Master, the most formidable weapon was their insects, not swords.
“The number of Termite warriors should far exceed a million. As for their characteristics, I’ve captured a few and can give two to Master He Shan.”
Qin Niu took out a metal cage, which held more than ten Termite warriors.
They were all Grade Three Termite warriors.
He had intended to capture them for research purposes.
The combat capabilities of the Termite warriors were worth investigating in many aspects.
“Excellent!”
Master He Shan immediately took out a jar, which appeared to be made of crystal-clear glass.
“Are they all Grade Three Termite warriors?”
“Not all. The weakest are Grade Two Termite warriors..”