Eunuch Liu stood before them, smiling as he watched Zhang Baofu and the others. Xuanyuan Jinkang had his hand on his saber, releasing a wave of his aura as he glared at them.
After boarding, Zhang Baofu was still hesitant and couldn’t help but size up Eunuch Liu.
Eunuch Liu stood just beside and slightly behind Chu Lingguang, looking like a harmless little old man. At some point, he had hung an Identity Token from his waist.
It was inscribed with the words: Chief Eunuch, Liu Xun.
THUD!
"This subordinate greets Lord Chu!"
In that instant, the hair on Zhang Baofu’s arms stood on end, and he involuntarily dropped to his knees before Chu Lingguang.
He was a Junior Sixth Grade official, and Chu Lingguang was Senior Sixth Grade. Both were Captains. Normally, he would only need to offer a cupped-fist salute.
Yet here he was, so terrified he had knelt to Chu Lingguang.
This took even Chu Lingguang by surprise.
As soon as Zhang Baofu knelt, he was filled with regret. But just as he was about to rise, the three Captains and the crowd of Centurions behind him saw his state. Reacting as if they were facing a formidable enemy, they all dropped to their knees in unison and saluted, "This subordinate greets Lord Chu!"
The shout of a single frightened man might not travel far, but the collective cry of a group was deafening.
Not only did the sixty-odd soldiers on the ship hear it, but every soldier on Black Bear Island also heard those words: "This subordinate greets Lord Chu!"
For a moment, an exceptional silence fell over all of Black Bear Island.
Chu Lingguang rose from his chair as well.
Only then did Zhang Baofu slowly get to his feet. He said fawningly, "Lord Chu, the men are all on the island, waiting for you."
"Then please, Lord Zhang, lead the way. I would like to see what the men have prepared,"
Chu Lingguang said calmly.
"Yes, Lord Chu. This way, please."
Zhang Baofu didn’t dare walk ahead of Chu Lingguang, so he could only lead the way from the side.
When Eunuch Liu passed him, he bowed even lower. Although Eunuch Liu had already put the Token away, the two words "Chief Eunuch" were like a death warrant, filling him with unending dread.
Even though the heavens are high and the emperor is far away here, it didn’t matter what Eunuch Liu’s official status was. His Combat Power alone was more than enough to crush Zhang Baofu effortlessly.
Besides, the man was from the Imperial Palace.
He cursed inwardly, damning the person responsible for investigating Chu Lingguang’s background dozens of times. ’A man personally escorted by the Chief Eunuch to his new post... how could he possibly be a mere Advanced Scholar from a common family?’
’His surname is Chu.’
’Throughout all the dynasties, who were the notable figures with the surname Chu?’
’Chu Renwang!’
’He recalled a king, not of the imperial line, who killed without blinking. It was said he was a sworn brother to the founding emperor, that he could ride his horse, sword at his side, straight into the Imperial Palace. He could even discipline the Princes and Imperial Grandsons on the emperor’s behalf. Legend also said he wielded a God-Beating Whip, personally bestowed upon him by the founding emperor.’
’With it, he could execute a foolish emperor above...’
’...and eliminate treacherous ministers below.’
’Dukes and Ministers trembled at the mere mention of his name, and the Princes and Imperial Grandsons lived in constant terror.’
’Chu Lingguang had to be a descendant of Chu Renwang.’
’It was the only explanation he could think of.’
’Otherwise, not even a Martial Champion Scholar would have a Chief Eunuch escorting him to his post.’
CLANG!
The more he thought, the more terrified he became. A cold sweat broke out all over Zhang Baofu’s body. As he descended the ship’s stairs, he stumbled and went tumbling all the way down. It was as if someone had kicked him right off the ship. He rolled to a stop on the docks below, shattering the illusions of the watching crowd.
His helmet had fallen off and his sword had clattered to the ground. After scrambling to his feet, he stared blankly up at Chu Lingguang and the other two as they slowly descended from the ship.
As an expert at the Qi Sea Perfection realm, even if Zhang Baofu had missed a step, he should have been able to stabilize himself instantly. He certainly shouldn’t have rolled all the way down the stairs.
But he was so panicked and terrified—the fear growing with every thought—that it was as if his soul had fled his body. He hadn’t even had time to use his skills. By the time he’d rolled off the ship, his pathetic figure on full display for all his men to see, he was still immersed in shock. He watched Chu Lingguang cautiously, not daring to even breathe too loudly.
"We welcome Lord Chu!"
At that moment, any soldiers on the island who had still been hesitant—whether they were standing at the gate or on the city walls—all knelt in unison as they saw Chu Lingguang disembark. They saluted with a single voice.
"Men! I, Chu Lingguang, have traveled a long way to get here. I didn’t come here to waste time. I came to serve the Court and secure these waters. As long as all of you work together with me, I guarantee that no one will be treated unfairly!"
Chu Lingguang announced loudly.
"Li Santong!"
After speaking, he called Li Santong forward.
"Your subordinate is present!"
Li Santong ran forward from the back and knelt.
"Effective immediately, you are my Deputy. Compile a roster of all personnel on this island for me,"
Chu Lingguang commanded.
"Thank you for the promotion, my lord! Your subordinate will serve you to the death!"
Overjoyed, Li Santong quickly kowtowed to Chu Lingguang.
The group of Centurions who had been following Zhang Baofu now exchanged glances. With a single sentence, Chu Lingguang had made Li Santong their direct superior.
They had originally assumed that Zhang Baofu would remain in charge of Black Bear Island and that Chu Lingguang would be reduced to a powerless figurehead. They thought they could continue to slack off and live lavishly, just as before.
Who would have thought that Zhang Baofu would be so thoroughly cowed in a single encounter? If Chu Lingguang was truly using his post on Black Bear Island as a stepping stone, he would surely enforce strict military discipline.
Not only would they lose their various perks, but they would also have to charge into battle against pirates at sea. Their lives were only going to get harder.
That was why, from the moment they heard their new superior was an Advanced Scholar, they all assumed Chu Lingguang was just here to pad his resume. They had planned to make things difficult for him, hoping he would give up and just waste time with them.
But they never expected that just by being called aboard the ship, things would change so drastically. The image of Zhang Baofu tumbling down the gangplank made everyone lose any will to resist Chu Lingguang.
In the end, with Eunuch Liu’s help, Chu Lingguang took control of Black Bear Island with surprising ease and without any real danger.
「Inside the General’s Mansion.」
"Thank you for your help, Eunuch. I, Lin Guang, will never forget this."
Chu Lingguang knelt before Eunuch Liu.
He knew that Eunuch Liu’s interference in the affairs of Black Bear Island could be spun into a major or minor issue. If someone with ill intentions chose to exploit it, Eunuch Liu would find himself in a great deal of trouble, even if he could eventually handle it.
Furthermore, the eunuch’s single action had made everyone on Black Bear Island completely subservient, saving Chu Lingguang a great deal of future trouble. It was a huge favor, one that Chu Lingguang had to remember.
"When I help you, I am also helping my disciple. Only when you have Black Bear Island under control can you two leave this place,"
Eunuch Liu explained.
He had his own motives for doing so, mainly for Xuanyuan Jinkang’s sake. Of course, he also appreciated Chu Lingguang’s grateful nature.
"Rest assured, Eunuch. In the future, I will not forget to credit Xuanyuan for his part in wiping out the pirates and securing these seas."
Chu Lingguang understood Eunuch Liu’s intentions.
"Mm. I’ve had a good look at everyone. The men here are undisciplined and lax, with no morale whatsoever. It’s almost as if *they’re* the pirates in these waters. You must correct this as soon as possible. Don’t let them all become jaded slackers. Otherwise, no matter how strong you are personally, you won’t be able to secure these seas without their help,"
Eunuch Liu warned.
"I understand."
Chu Lingguang already had a plan.
「That night.」
He summoned Zhang Baofu and the other officers to the General’s Mansion.
Zhang Baofu had wanted to take him to the Fengyue Building to enjoy himself for a few days.
Black Bear Island was a decent size. In addition to the two thousand stationed soldiers, it was also home to tens of thousands of civilians.
Ships came and went every day. It had a thriving fishing industry and a rich trade in goods, serving as a supply station and safe harbor for passing vessels.
Unfortunately, its reputation wasn’t very good.
Many ships preferred to take a detour rather than dock at Black Bear Island. They would only come seeking help if they ran into pirates or needed to take shelter from a storm.
"Tomorrow, I will inspect the men’s capabilities. Have everyone prepare. Also, all of our ships—good or bad—so long as they are vessels provided by the Court, I will inspect each and every one. Nothing is to be overlooked,"
Chu Lingguang commanded.
"Yes, sir!"
Zhang Baofu and the other officers departed with heavy hearts.
They had feared Chu Lingguang would take his duties seriously and actually try to wipe out the pirates. It now looked like Chu Lingguang was indeed ambitious, determined to make a name for himself in these waters. Their comfortable days were over.