Chapter 223 Military Advisor and Mortals

Nothing happened in the past two days, and the Cao Gang was so quiet that it was frightening.

Li Bailong’s suspicions rose and fell like the water of a river.

He absolutely refused to believe that the Cao Gang would stop and admit defeat.

But all the speculations could not be confirmed, and all the temptations were useless.

He had even thought of fabricating a crime, arresting Ling Daoist again, and torturing him with the Ghost of Urging for More Time, but the newly appointed Yunhua Hall Master was extremely cautious, and whenever he met Director Li, he would throw a cup to protect himself beforehand. The pleasure he had felt when he used the Thunder Poison Ghost to kill everyone that day had turned into a boomerang and hit him on the head.

Yun Huatang lowered his head, lay down and accepted the ridicule, and cooperated closely with any request. However, the more submissive he was, the more vigilant Li Bailong became.

Because from beginning to end, the attacker who broke into the government office and killed people never showed up.

“Why haven’t the Cao Gang taken action yet?”

“What are they waiting for?”

No one can answer this question.

Almost all the relevant personnel have devoted 100% of their enthusiasm to their work.

As the secondary towers rose one after another and the light shone again and again, the loyalty of the people became stronger, and they even forgot about the threats from the Cao Gang. They were not irrational, and their logic was completely self-consistent: “Don’t worry, sir. No matter what the Cao Gang wants to do, as long as we are well prepared, we can kill them one by one!”

“Perhaps the Cao Gang was deliberately setting up a false front. Seeing that we were well prepared and difficult to attack, the thief secretly escaped.”

The beacon’s radiation had no effect on Li Bailong, so it was difficult for him to be so optimistic.

In view of the fact that the Cao Gang had not taken any action, Li Bailong put forward a hypothesis.

“What if the Cao Gang also hopes that the beacon will operate successfully? In other words, they will only carry out their plan after the beacon is activated, or even worse…”

Such an idea was deemed nonsense by the participants.

Because it’s really just speculation.

There is no evidence to support this.

Therefore, Li Bailong’s proposal to “temporarily postpone the construction of the secondary tower” was fiercely opposed.

“If this is the Cao Gang’s strategy of creating confusion and making you hesitate and stop your plan, then you have fallen into the trap, right?”

“It’s easy to postpone, but how long can it last? When can we continue?”

“Stop now. There are more loopholes. Including the main tower, there are eight targets in total for them to choose their targets at ease. My lord, victory is in sight. Why hesitate?”

The argument almost turned into a quarrel.

In the end, the proposal came to nothing.

Because of these questions, Li Bailong also found it difficult to answer.

That meeting could even be described as ending in an unpleasant mood.

The letter written to King Zhao earlier also received a reply. The emperor’s uncle was also in a difficult situation. He first emphasized the safety of the beacon. After all, it had been tested in the capital for a long time before being put into use. There were also many files and reports from the Ministry of Education during the previous emperor’s reign to prove that there should be no problem with this thing itself.

Then he encouraged Li Bailong not to think too much and transferred him to Beijing after the Huazhou matter was settled.

As for the Cao Gang, the emperor’s uncle said that he would do his best to suppress it and let Li Bailong do it.

But at the end of the day, it’s “plans proceed as usual”.

Even at this moment, the emperor’s uncle’s attitude is insignificant.

Because the Beacon Project could no longer be stopped by one person’s will, this evil thing had already influenced people’s hearts invisibly. Looking at the enthusiasm of the people, even if King Zhao ordered them to stop in writing, they might not obey… Li Bailong just felt it was ridiculous.

It is now the morning of the third day.

The sky was about to shine, and the builders of the Education Department had been busy all night, and the eighth sub-tower was about to be completed.

Although the previous incident was not pleasant, Li Bailong still showed up because the matter was of great importance. He looked at the lively crowd not far away, and the enthusiastic shouts echoed in the cool morning air.

This enthusiasm even made him feel helpless.

A hot aroma wafted over, and an armored hand handed over an iron cup.

“Concentrate your mind and calm your breath. Try the magical drink from the army.”

Li Bailong took it, took a sip, and said, “Picking radish drink, the taste of the Northern Army.”

Zhang Mao was startled, then laughed and said, “I forgot that you had been in the army.”

He also took a drink and looked at the secondary tower that had already taken shape: “You look a lot like Marquis Wolong.”

Li Bailong laughed and said, “You don’t have to say that to praise me, right?”

“I have only met Marquis Wolong a few times. When my fathers were shining in the troubled times, I was still a child. The war was over before I grew up.” Zhang Mao smiled, “So I have only heard about Marquis Wolong from my uncles… You are very similar to him, I mean, in terms of cowardice.”

Director Li rolled his eyes at him.

“I didn’t mean to make fun of him,” General Zhang recalled. “My father said that the military advisor seemed to be in control of the situation, but in fact, he would think hard and make plans behind the scenes. He would always consider all kinds of unlikely situations, worry about them, and even prepare plans… even if those situations would not normally happen.”

Li Bailong said: “Usually.”

“Yes…Once it happens, it will be a horrific defeat.”

Zhang Mao sighed: “Dad said, how can one always win in life? Some failures can be avoided, some failures are unforgivable, and some failures are… helpless. In that kind of failure, no one is wrong, everyone is working hard, everyone is doing what they should do, so everyone drags others down, and everyone rushes into the abyss…”

Li Bailong’s eyes flickered: “But?”

“But the military advisor considered the worst possible scenario and responded in advance. Sometimes, he turned defeat into victory. Sometimes, even though the situation was unstoppable, he still tried his best to mediate and preserve his vitality…”

Zhang Mao stretched out his other hand and patted Li Bailong’s shoulder hard.

“I dare not say that what you are worried about will not happen, but it is obvious that the situation is difficult to control. The establishment of the beacon is inevitable and difficult to stop. However, you can still make a defense plan for the worst possibility that is almost impossible to happen, just like Marquis Wolong.”

“If it comes true then, the Emperor’s uncle will definitely take your opinion more seriously than he does now.”

When he said this, he couldn’t help laughing.

“That’s how my dad obeyed me.”

Li Bailong sighed and said, “This thing is almost built, and you’re telling me this?”

“Didn’t you just have a quarrel last night?” Zhang Mao said casually, “If it goes wrong right away, there’s nothing you can do but hesitate. If it goes slowly, you’ll have a chance to prepare. Of course, the greater possibility is that you’re just worrying for no reason, and all your worries are in vain.”

“But even so…” He laughed, “I will still respect you like my father respects the military advisor.”

Li Bailong squinted his eyes and said, “Your temperament is very different from the legendary father.”

“That’s thanks to my mom.”

Zhang Mao said helplessly, “Except for my appearance and martial arts, I don’t look much like my father. The soldiers often tease me, saying that I don’t drink and don’t like to fight, and I don’t have the reputation of my father at all.”

Director Li also smiled. He returned to the main topic: “Anyway, I just realized now that I have boarded the Emperor’s uncle’s pirate ship.”

“I didn’t hear you say this when you mocked Fenglin Volcano and bullied Huazhou before.”

“Did I do a bad job at that time?” Li Bailong was dissatisfied. “Before the beacon arrived, everything was perfect and under my control… until the uncle sent this brainwashing machine!”

He complained, “Why do you think it’s okay? Zhang Chun even dared to speak to me! Relying on this weird thing is problematic no matter how you look at it. The emperor’s uncle shouldn’t use it… Without this thing, my Tongwen Bureau is doing well, isn’t it? Why are you so eager for quick success?”

Zhang Mao listened to his complaints silently with a smile on his face.

My father told me that the military advisor is actually a chatterbox, but he thinks he hides it well and thinks no one knows it. In fact, everyone knows it. When the military advisor is under a lot of pressure, he will find a certain person to talk to.

This feeling… seems pretty good.

He listened for a while, then advised softly, “Uncle Huang has no other choice. Because of the Ministry of Education, he is under siege in the court. He is under great pressure and needs a decisive victory. He can’t wait.”

Li Bailong said unhappily: “So I said, I got on the Emperor’s uncle’s pirate ship.”

Zhang Mao laughed and was about to say something else when he suddenly felt something and turned around to look.

There was the sound of metal colliding.

Then there were people’s exclamations.

“It’s done!”

“It’s done!”

The two looked at each other and were both a little nervous.

“The eighth tower…” General Zhang whispered, “Is it ready?”

Li Bailong suddenly raised his head and his expression changed slightly, but he saw the auxiliary tower standing not far ahead was vibrating, as if it was resonating with the auxiliary towers in various places in the city, and then it shone with a bright light.

Invisible ripples spread in all directions.

“The range…” Long Aotian shouted, “It has increased!”

It is early morning now.

As daylight dawned, a night watchman took a ladder from the watchtower and walked slowly on the street with his colleagues. Their last task of the night was to turn off the street lights in the patrol area one by one. However, they could have a bowl of hot rice porridge and two glasses of liquor at the breakfast stall and go home to sleep.

These night watchmen are the city’s night watchmen, and besides them, there are also many people who have not slept all night in the prosperous Huazhou. At the docks and brothels, in the food stalls and brothels, some people stay up late to work, while others stay up late to have fun. The fate of the world is separated by a chasm, and the night watchmen who wander between the night and dawn can sometimes see it more clearly.

As the sky gradually brightened, there were pedestrians on the road. A horse-drawn carriage whizzed by, and a man with a regretful look and dishevelled clothes ran hurriedly. The two night watchmen winked at each other and exchanged a knowing look.

——This must be the guest who had a great time last night. He enjoyed himself too much and did not return home all night. He woke up in the morning and felt fear and regret. Now, the old cat at home needs a shave.

There were also people who looked tired and walked hurriedly. The night watchmen had seen countless people and could tell the clues at a glance.

——His expression was wooden, he looked tired but not anxious, he was wearing sturdy coarse cloth clothes, and his eyes, hands and even skin showed that he lived far away to save on rent, and had to get up early in the morning to catch the boat and go to work on the other side.

The night watchmen’s work for the day has come to an end. Observing and guessing the passers-by is their leisure and entertainment. Apart from that, there is endless walking, knocking, and shouting.

Little pay and a lot of work. If there are other good places to go, no one would do this stupid job.

The two of them set up a ladder and turned off the street lights one by one. The lamps burned whale oil, which could illuminate the city in the dark as if it were daytime. This is a new gadget that has only appeared in recent years. It is said that it came from the Haisha Gang in Bac Ninh. Before the appearance of street lights, the work of night watchmen was full of loneliness, darkness and even danger.

“Okay, Sanping Lane is closed. Oh, yes, when I went out tonight, Zhutou San’s wife said that the street light near the weaving mill where she worked was broken. She was very scared when she returned home at night, and no one repaired it. She asked us to go and check it out. Shall we go?”

The watchman on the ladder lowered his head and asked, “Did you pay?”

“Did not give.”

“Then why not? The damn government gave me two balls of money, but I don’t care about repairing it.”

“I see.” The night watchman who was supporting himself by using his feet on the ladder looked up and asked, “Yang Luqiu said that the street lights in Qingdong Lane should be ignored? Should we not go there? Fuck, you have a really big ass.”

“Go and see your father. Hold the ladder carefully, don’t let your grandfather fall.”

The night watchman who had climbed up the ladder lowered the loose-leaf partition to block out the air. When he saw the bright firelight gradually dim, he stamped his feet and said unhappily, “You keep yelling nonsense all day long. Be careful not to get used to it. Next time, yell it in front of him and I’ll have Yang Lingshi hang you on the streetlight.”

As he spoke, he stepped down the ladder. His companion couldn’t help but slapped him on the butt. The night watchman jumped down and kicked, but was dodged. He then quickly rushed up, and his companion ducked his head. The two of them laughed wildly and twisted into a ball, hitting each other a few times, then moved the ladder and prepared to call it a day.

“We really don’t need to go to Qingdong Lane?”

“Didn’t Envoy Yang say that we don’t need to go?”

“Why?”

“What do you care? Isn’t it better to work less and go home earlier?”

“Hey, let me tell you, there might be a ghost in there.”

“Donkey Ball, you are a night watchman, walking around at night every day, and you still believe in ghosts in the world.”

“It’s not a ghost, it’s a human. I heard that the Tongwen Bureau has been drawing circles and building up spires in the city these past two days. Do you know what that is?”

“You know you’re going to fart soon.”

“I’m telling you, don’t listen. It’s scary! That thing is incredible. It’s used to suppress evil. It can emit a kind of qi that is very harmful to the human body, especially pregnant women. You must not hang around it. Even a good man with enough yang energy will lose his energy, spirit, soul and mind if he stays around it for a long time…”

“Are you taking the exam?”

“What’s the matter? You laugh at me every day.”

“You’re talking about spirit and energy, who told you that?”

“I heard it last night when we were drinking. As you know, my brother is in charge of the docks and he is very powerful.”

“Who cares? I don’t even know your brother…”

Before he finished speaking, a breeze blew through the street. An invisible force swept over the two people’s bodies, swept over the pedestrians hurrying back and forth on the street, swept into the distance, and the river tide echoed.

The two night watchmen seemed to be stunned, standing there motionless. After a moment, they shuddered together and looked at each other with puzzled expressions.

“What, what?”

“What’s up? Why are you in a daze?”

“Aren’t you too?”

“Weird, weird, go home, go home.”

“Wait a minute.”

“What?”

The night watchman hesitated and whispered, “Why don’t we go and fix the street light that Pighead Sanhu mentioned? After all, we are on the government payroll.”

“……Row.”

(End of this chapter)