Starting with a Wei Wu soldier

Chapter 124 A Famous General Emerges

Starfire Fortress was still basking in the afterglow of its lord's birth of an heir, but the military and political machinery continued functioning without interruption. The three-prefecture structure was becoming increasingly complete, and the newly recruited officials were gradually becoming familiar with their duties and beginning to play their roles. Smooth official roads extended into the new territory, wasteland was reclaimed, and the circulation of "Star Coins" in the markets steadily increased. Everything was developing in an orderly manner towards greater stability and prosperity.

However, Chen Xing knew all too well that in this chaotic world, behind the temporary peace and prosperity always lurked crises and challenges. Military preparedness could not be relaxed, and talent needed to be recruited more widely. He possessed a vision ahead of his time and technological advantages brought by the system, but to transform these advantages into real power, he needed a sufficient number of excellent people to execute and lead them.

On this day, Chen Xing was reviewing the performance evaluations of a new batch of junior officers with Chen Wei at the Military Affairs Office when Li Shu quietly walked in, holding a thin silk book in his hand.

"My lord, we have a summary of new information from our spies on all fronts in the north." Li Shu presented the silk scroll.

Chen Xing took the report and unfolded it for a closer look. The intelligence was complex, containing clues about the power shifts within the White Sheep tribe in the north, records of frequent exchanges between the Rock Fortress in the east and envoys from a certain county in the south, and rumors of panic and alliances among several small forces in the west due to the destruction of Black Mountain. One seemingly insignificant piece of information caught Chen Xing's attention.

The news came from the northwest, about four hundred li away, in a mountainous area that was originally on the periphery of the "Western Liang King's" territory. According to reports from passing caravans and local spies, a new band of bandits had recently emerged there. They were small, numbering only a few hundred, but extremely fierce. Their leader was said to be a giant named Dian Xiong, wielding a long, iron spear and possessing the strength of ten thousand men. This man was apparently a fierce general under the Western Liang King, but his upright character offended his superiors and made him a target of his lord's suspicion. In a fit of rage, he killed the supervising officer who had been making things difficult for him, and led a group of his trusted brothers in a rebellion, fleeing the army and becoming outlaws in the mountains. The Western Liang King had sent troops to suppress them, but Dian Xiong and his men, relying on the mountain terrain, repelled them several times, suffering some losses. Later, it seemed that internal instability led to a temporary halt to the campaign.

The message concluded with an exaggerated description from a local: "That Dian Xiong was nine feet tall, with a waist ten spans wide, a voice like thunder, and the momentum of a galloping horse. When he charged into battle, ordinary soldiers who came near him died instantly, and those who touched him were wounded. He was truly a fierce and powerful general!"

"Dian Xiong..." Chen Xing tapped the intelligence report lightly with his fingers, his eyes thoughtful. He recalled the original plot; this name seemed to vaguely overlap with the image of a fierce general known as "Ancient Evil Lai." Unparalleled in strength and courage, yet hampered by character flaws or a foolish lord, ultimately...

"Is our lord interested in this man?" Chen Wei asked, noticing Chen Xing's expression. He had also read the intelligence report and, as a military general, instinctively had some doubts about the claim of "unmatched bravery," but he wouldn't underestimate him.

"The King of Xiliang... this man is ambitious but incompetent, suspicious and ungrateful. He has capable men under his command, but he often fails to use them, or if he does, he cannot trust them." Chen Xing put down the silk scroll and slowly said, "This Dian Xiong rebelled because of his superior's harassment and his lord's suspicion. Although his actions were fierce, it also shows that his fierce and loyal heart has not been extinguished. He just hasn't met a wise ruler. If his bravery is truly as rumored..."

He didn't finish speaking, but Chen Wei understood his meaning. Xinghuo Fortress, with its expanding territory and growing army, desperately needed capable generals who could lead independently. A man like Dian Xiong, if he could be used, would undoubtedly be a sharp weapon. However, if he couldn't be subdued, his ferocity could make him a threat to the border in the future.

"Does the lord intend to recruit this person?" Chen Wei asked.

"Talented men are hard to find, and fierce generals are even rarer." Chen Xing turned his gaze to the northwest. "Such men are being forced into exile due to the suspicion of a foolish ruler. Isn't that a pity? My Starfire Fortress needs such brave and loyal men. Moreover, although the King of Xiliang and I have no direct conflict for the time being, his power is entrenched in the west and will be a threat sooner or later. If we can win over the hearts of his fierce generals, we can also blunt his arrogance and enhance our prestige."

He paused, then said to Li Shu, "The information about Dian Xiong is still too brief. Send more people to investigate thoroughly: his exact background, why he offended his superior, how the King of Xiliang suspects him, the composition of his forces, the exact mountain he currently occupies, his personality and preferences, whether he has any family ties... the more detailed the better. Also, pay attention to the King of Xiliang's latest attitude on this matter."

"Yes, I understand." Li Shu accepted the order and hurried away.

Chen Wei pondered and said, "Since this man has already become an outlaw and has a deadly feud with the King of Xiliang, it will probably be difficult to recruit him. Ordinary wealth and official positions may not be of interest to him. Moreover, he has a fiery temper, and if we do not handle him properly, it may cause trouble."

"A person of strong character often values ​​loyalty and righteousness over life and death, and admires heroes," Chen Xing said. "If he truly rebelled because of injustice, he must harbor resentment and yearn for a 'wise ruler.' Our Starfire Fortress's 'Star Laws' proclaim fairness, recruiting officials regardless of background, and awarding titles and punishments based on military merit. These may be exactly what he seeks but cannot obtain. As for how to make contact..." A hint of consideration flashed in Chen Xing's eyes, "After the intelligence is more detailed, perhaps... I should go there myself."

"My lord, you mustn't!" Chen Wei immediately objected. "The situation in the northwest border region is complex. The influence of the King of Xiliang is not far away, and there are also fierce bandits like Dian Xiong entrenched there. My lord is of noble birth; how can you lightly venture into such a dangerous place? It would be better to first send a capable general with a letter and generous gifts from my lord to probe and recruit him."

Chen Xing shook his head: "For someone like Dian Xiong, empty letters and gifts will likely backfire and only make him look down on you. Only sincerity and strength can win him over. My mind is made up. Once everything is ready, I will go in person. Of course, I will not go rashly; I need to make careful arrangements. Chen Wei, select two hundred of the most elite cavalrymen from the army. They must be alert, skilled in battle, and have outstanding endurance. Train them in mountain marching and how to deal with emergencies beforehand. Also, inform the Murong tribe. If necessary, we can ask them to send guides or provide support."

Seeing that Chen Xing was determined, Chen Wei knew that further persuasion was futile, so he could only clasp his hands and reply, "This subordinate obeys! I will definitely select the most reliable brothers to protect our lord!"

In the days that followed, more detailed information about Dianxiong was intermittently compiled and presented to Chen Xing.

Dian Xiong, courtesy name Ziwei, was a native of Liangzhou in Longxi. From a young age, he possessed extraordinary strength, loved martial arts but disliked literature. He rose through the ranks of the border army due to his merits, truly renowned for his bravery. Dissatisfied with his superiors' withholding of pay and mistreatment of soldiers, he repeatedly defied them, making him a thorn in their side. Later, in a small-scale conflict with the Qiang people, Dian Xiong led his troops to a great victory, achieving a significant victory. However, his superiors sought to strip him of his credit, falsely accusing him of recklessness and greed, resulting in the loss of soldiers. The King of Xiliang, swayed by biased opinions, issued a reprimand. Just then, the supervising officer arrived, taking the opportunity to extort money and verbally abuse Dian Xiong and his fallen comrades. Enraged, Dian Xiong killed the supervising officer on the spot, then led some equally resentful soldiers in a mutiny, marching north until they finally settled at "Black Wind Ridge," about four hundred li northwest of Xinghuo Fort. The King of Xiliang was initially furious and sent troops to besiege him, but Dian Xiong took advantage of the treacherous terrain of Black Wind Ridge to win two consecutive battles against overwhelming odds. Later, due to the sudden outbreak of other rebellions within the King of Xiliang's territory, he was temporarily unable to attend to the matter, which allowed Dian Xiong to gain a foothold in Black Wind Ridge.

Currently, Dian Xiong commands about five or six hundred men, mostly former border soldiers or destitute refugees, and they are quite formidable in combat. Based in Black Wind Ridge, they occasionally descend the mountain to rob passing caravans or wealthy and unscrupulous local tyrants, but they rarely harass ordinary people. Among the people in the nearby mountainous areas, their reputation is mixed, but they are all in awe of their bravery.

Dianxiong himself was indeed as rumored to be exceptionally tall and strong, with a rough and hot temper, but he was quite loyal to his men, sharing both good times and bad. He was not greedy for money or lustful, but he loved strong liquor and martial arts duels. He had no family; it was said that his parents had died early, and he had a younger sister who had been separated from him many years ago, and her whereabouts were unknown.

As the intelligence became clearer, Dian Xiong's image gradually became more vivid in Chen Xing's mind: a brave and loyal general who was forced to rebel due to the injustice of the system and the incompetence of his superiors. He harbored resentment and anger, but still maintained certain bottom lines after joining the outlaws.

"Black Wind Ridge... four hundred li..." Chen Xing marked the location on the map. It was already the northwestern edge of Starfire Fortress's new territory. Beyond that lay the more complex no-man's-land and the area under the influence of the Western Liang King. "It's a problem, but also an opportunity."

He closed the intelligence report, his mind already made up. Such a fierce general, who had the potential to grow into a "former evil master," could not be allowed to be buried in obscurity, nor could he be allowed to become a sharp blade in the hands of the enemy.

"Pass down the order," Chen Xing said to his attendant, "have General Chen Wei expedite preparations. Ten days from now, once Mingyue's pregnancy is more stable, I will personally go to Black Wind Ridge to meet this Dian Xiong, Dian Ziwei!"