Chapter 162 - 57: The Desert King
While Jinghang was busy assembling a massive "fleet" in the Yuehu District, sharpening his blade to take down the desert bandits of Heifeng Stronghold as a grand opening act, Kawashima Tsumi was indulging himself on his large bearskin bed, engaged in a wild romp with two prostitutes from the Land of Rain.
Recently, life had been treating him quite well. Riding the wave of his resounding victory at Bianchengyi, he had successively absorbed over ten desert bandit factions of varying sizes in the Black Prince Desert. His forces had swelled to over four thousand men, and the resources seized from these groups had elevated Heifeng Stronghold to an unprecedented peak in its history.
Of course, the process hadn't been entirely smooth. Several "recruitment" efforts encountered resistance. One particularly thorny group was Sharifei, the second most powerful bandit faction in the Black Prince Desert. With over a thousand members, its leader was a well-known figure in the region. Why should he submit to Kawashima Tsumi?
No matter how much Mr. Kuang, the second-in-command, tried to persuade or threaten him, explaining the advantages of joining forces, Sharifei's leader refused to yield. Frustrated, he even flipped the negotiation table, sneering, "Who are you, a mere accountant, to lecture me? If Kawashima Tsumi himself wants to talk, let him come here."
This left Mr. Kuang red-faced and humiliated, forcing him to return to the stronghold to report the failure to his boss.
Upon hearing the news, Kawashima Tsumi was enraged and immediately prepared to mobilize his troops to crush Sharifei. However, the third-in-command, Azhao, stepped forward. "There's no need for the boss to act personally. I'll bring you his head," he declared confidently. With that, he led his three hundred elite ninja directly to Sharifei's camp.
Ten days later, Azhao returned to Heifeng Stronghold, tossing a bloodied head onto the main hall floor. Everyone recognized it as the head of Sharifei's leader.
"Second-in-command, all the troublemakers have been dealt with. Six hundred men remain, and their resources have been secured. You can take over directly. I'm exhausted and need some rest. If anyone else dares to act up, let me know."
Without waiting for a response, Azhao, still covered in blood, walked off to his quarters, leaving everyone in stunned silence.