However, there are also some sinister methods. For example, this one uses endless yin energy to trigger a heavenly tribulation. Combined with the stimulation of a living person's energy, it forcibly awakens the corpse. In a sense, this zombie king has indeed become an immortal being. As long as there is a supply of blood, it can even become a being capable of flying and escaping into the earth, a being at the level of an immortal on earth.
"But is the Corpse King still the same person after he awakens?" Chen Yulou asked the philosophical question.
"That's hard to say. From the current perspective, this thing should already be a completely new existence. However, the Daoist sect has always had methods such as possession of souls. There might be a backup plan."
"The senior wants to keep this guy around to expose the masterminds behind the scenes."
"That's one way to put it. Cultivating immortality is one thing, refining pills is another. Just find a secluded place and figure it out on your own. But to use the safety of all living beings to achieve your own path is going too far. The Central Plains are currently engulfed in war, a time of great upheaval unprecedented in thousands of years. There are already enough hardships to begin with. Those who seek the Dao should at least refrain from causing trouble, if not help others."
"Senior, you are so righteous. We, the Unloading Ridge lineage, are willing to help you expose these villains."
"I, from the Banshan lineage, can also do my part."
"And me, Luo Laowai. I have about a thousand men under my command. I don't believe I can't deal with a few charlatans. They cursed me so much that I lost thousands of guns. If it weren't for Ma Zhenbang giving me one, I would have lost big time on this deal."
"It's not that pessimistic. This hillside is very steep. A large part of the collapsed rocks have slid down. The stone pile covering the tomb isn't actually as deep as you might think. With a little effort, we should be able to salvage quite a few good things."
"Is that so? Sappers, all of you, get out here. Dig it up. Get every single tile out and bring it back. Whether you eat meat or bran from now on depends on this job."
------------
Chapter 199 We knew each other in our past life (Seeking monthly votes)
The trip to Ping Mountain has come to an end. It wasn't a perfect trip, with quite a few casualties. But ultimately, it's still acceptable.
Commander Luo's engineering corps, together with hundreds of members of the Unloading Ridge gang, spent three days clearing away the rubble. They then conducted a second excavation of the Yuan Dynasty tomb.
All sorts of flattened gold and silver artifacts were looted. The broken porcelain shards were also packed up and taken back. Commander Luo wasn't interested in the broken items. Lu Xuan simply took them over himself. He planned to keep them and try to piece them back together and repair them when he had time.
He also specifically instructed Chen Yulou to dig up and preserve all the worthless weapons, armor, and chariots in the underground palace. Tomb raiding is ultimately a low-class activity. When the country is peaceful and prosperous, it will inevitably be punished. However, if the Chen family appears as protectors of cultural relics, they will not only avoid punishment but will also be well-off in the new era.
Chen Yulou was a very loyal and kind-hearted person. In addition, he came from a family with a strong academic background. As long as he resolved the issue of his family background, he would be able to make a good living in the new China.
As for Luo Laowai, Lu Xuan actually had a fairly good impression of him. Although he was vulgar and slovenly, he came from a poor background. Moreover, he was shrewd despite his rough exterior and commanded a decent army. If he could join the Party in the future, Lu Xuan would be making a contribution to the new China. However, this man's bandit-like behavior still needed to be changed.
Commander Luo is currently in high spirits. This adventure has been incredibly lucrative for him. Not only has he acquired a large quantity of valuable gold, silver, and jade artifacts, but more importantly, he successfully ambushed Ma Zhenbang, seizing a significant amount of his weapons and ammunition, thus eliminating a major threat. He was also able to incorporate Ma Zhenbang's remaining forces. This has expanded his team to two thousand men, and he's now a well-known figure in the Xiangxi region.
Once the artifacts from the Yuan Dynasty tombs are sold, he plans to replace them all with Western equipment, then dominate the surrounding area. He might even be able to scout out the entire territory of western Hunan.
"Why don't you get some machine guns or artillery? I see your men are all armed with rifles. That's an unreasonable firepower configuration," Lu Xuan said to Commander Luo.
"Hey, Brother Lu, you don't know. All the soldiers around here are the same. They're all infantry, armed with rifles. It's all about who has more men. After all, machine guns are just too expensive, they can't last long. But there are plenty of men. If they die, we'll just recruit more. Don't think I'm being harsh, but that's the truth. These days, if you have a gun, you're the boss. It doesn't matter what kind of gun it is."
Luo Laowai's words are very realistic. This is also the behavior of most minor warlords of this era. Essentially, the guns they wield are all for internal purposes: ensuring tax revenue from their own territories and suppressing rebellions. They never even consider external issues.
It is now 1925, the year of the Republic of China. Theoretically, the Republic of China government should achieve a nominal unification in three years. However, the reality within the country has not changed much. Countless warlords still exist, only now they have the title of "government army." Most of them obey orders but not proclamations, their allegiance being merely nominal.
This is also a major reason why the Republic of China government could not last. The so-called unification achieved through political compromise was nothing but a mirage. National unification ultimately requires some more forceful and direct means. However, achieving this requires a prerequisite: sufficient military strength. Ultimately, all of this stemmed from the nation's weakness. It's just that this time, Lu Xuan couldn't sweep across the world and save the Central Plains as he had before (those who know, know).
"General Luo, are you prepared to remain a warlord forever? Don't you want to climb the ranks?"
"I'm thinking... Once I buy this batch of goods and have the money, I'll get a batch of American equipment. Then, I'll recruit all these big and small competitors around me. Wouldn't that make me the Commander-in-Chief of the Hunan Army? (The nominal highest-ranking officer of the Hunan Army at this time should be Tan Yankai. However, after checking, I found that this person had many impressive credentials. And during this period, the higher the rank, the less likely one is to be mentioned. So I've omitted these historical figures; you understand.)"
Lu Xuan: "...The title of Commander-in-Chief is not something one can bestow upon oneself. It requires the recognition of the Supreme People's Government."
"The People's Government. Isn't that how everyone is these days? A few days ago, a group of people in a town to the east of us. About a hundred people dared to call themselves the Southern Hunan Army. The leader even gave himself the title of Commander-in-Chief. These days, nobody can say anything to anyone else."
"That's true. But this country won't stay like this forever. If one day it really does unify, what do you think will happen to all of you?"
At this moment, Partridge Whistle came to see Lu Xuan.
"Senior, Chief Chen has invited us to a banquet."
"That's great, let's go, let's go have a drink."
The victory celebration was a lively affair. Hundreds of people sat in Chen Yulou's courtyard. They clinked glasses, ate large chunks of meat, and were thoroughly enjoying themselves.
"Ladies and gentlemen, this trip to Ping Mountain, though fraught with difficulties, has ultimately been a great success. And with such a bountiful harvest, there must be wine. Raise a glass..."
"The first cup is a toast to our harvest. But brothers, let us not forget that tonight's feast was bought with the lives of many brothers. This second cup is a toast to those brothers who have died..."
"The third cup is to Commander Luo. He saved our Xieling clan by holding off Ma Zhenbang's gang..."
After three cups, Chen Yulou was clearly quite drunk. However, he still stood and refused to sit down.
"Tonight, I have another important announcement to make. As you all know, I have a younger sister. She's not my biological sister, but she's closer than a blood relative. She's over twenty and still unmarried. Today, as her older brother, I'll take the liberty of arranging a marriage for her. Brother Chen, I've fulfilled the request you made to me the other day. And my sister doesn't object, so let's celebrate this double happiness and get it done today."
Well done, Chen Yulou. Before, he hadn't even mentioned it. But now, he's skipped the intermediate steps and jumped straight to the final one.
"As long as Miss Hong is willing, I have no objection."
"That's good. People of the martial world don't need to be so formal. Today, we have the leader of the Mountain Moving Clan, Commander Luo, and so many brothers here as witnesses. After drinking this cup of wine, you two are husband and wife."
.............
That night, a large tabby cat was thrown out of the house. It meowed twice, and seeing that no one paid attention to it, it could only sullenly run to the roof and lie down.
Lu Xuan gently lifted the veil from the girl in red, revealing her face that made him feel somewhat dazed.
"What are you looking at? Don't you recognize me?"
"No, it's not that I don't recognize you, it's just that I feel... I knew you in a past life."
------------
Chapter 200: A glimmer of hope (please vote for me)