However, Gu Yun was neither provoked by his emotions nor was he angered. His face seemed to be covered with a mask that could not be penetrated even by raging winds and storms, turning to leave: "Can you control what I think?"

"Ji Ping, you take the Eagles and move one step ahead, be sure to take over the Southwest storage before the bandits, Xiao An —"

The little Black Iron Camp soldier who followed Chang Geng in Sichuan stepped out of line as he was called.

Gu Yun: "Lead a branch of the Southern Frontier Garrison troops and pretend to attack the hills where the bandits gathered."

Xiao An: "Roger!"

"Wait," Gu Yun said. "Take their armor and splash a bit of black ink on it. It doesn't have to be very realistic, just be flexible."

This trick was learned from Liao Ran. Xiao An was startled at first, then immediately understood Gu Yun's intention and ran away with joy.

The three major bandit leaders in the Southern Frontier had already finished examining their subordinates. Jing Xu looked at the soundless group of bandits before him. In an instant, he also felt the pride and exhilaration of holding a thousand troops in his hands.

He made a praying gesture to the sky above and raised his voice: "The local garrisons let their armors run rampant. The Black Iron Camp resembles a demon crow descending from the sky, their fame running across the seas. Great Liang's military was this strong. However, in the past ten years, Fujian and Jiangnan Navy both previously rebelled. What was the reason for this?

"If it was not because of an incompetent ruler in power, letting sugar-coating subjects run rampant, why must us commoners be like a moth in fire and put our lives on the line? Today, us brothers have been forced into a dead end, our lives and the lives of our families have been placed onto thin ice, only the path towards death is left under our feet.

"But if we do not risk death, how can we find the hope for surviving? Are you gentlemen willing to join me by blood, to seek a common cause, to share blessings and to shoulder disasters together?"

The mountain bandits only ever robbed during their entire lifetime, the number of words they recognized were not as many as their own fingers. Jing Xu's calm voice had caused blood to rush to their heads in an instant, feeling as if they had placed themselves into the ranks of royalties.

Jing Xu took hold of a wine cup handed to him by one of his men, downed it in one go, and dropped the cup to the ground: "Success or failure is set onto this one move!"

The bandits all drank to gain courage, smashing their cups, and moving out of the spacious secret chamber one after another.