Otherworld Advance Team
Chapter 1790 - 1783: The Change of the New Army

Chapter 1790: Chapter 1783: The Change of the New Army

Therefore, it’s not that the Dongsheng army is unwilling to reform, closed off and self-serving, but rather they await a breakthrough in the Demon Clan’s army before they start reforming themselves.

From this, Cheng Ziang finds it easy to understand why the Wen Family Court agrees to cooperate with the Wu Family faction to launch an expedition, even though invading West Outer Heaven offers no benefits to the Court.

On the positive side, the Wen Family Court is compelled by the Wu Family force’s coercion, and has no other choice. On the negative side, the Wen Family Court uses the Demon Clan’s army as a training target, while actively absorbing the military tactical experience from the Demon Clan.

A country’s internal situation is extremely complex, so one cannot perceive the nation as a singular entity or personify it. Doing so would lead to many unresolved contradictions.

The Dongsheng Empire is inherently conservative, but this doesn’t mean they aren’t willing to reform. Especially the ruling Wen Family faction, which is urgently seeking a power to resist the cultivation forces.

Undoubtedly, military technology from another world becomes the best choice for the Wen Family faction.

Magic holds the advantage in the Otherworld, but this does not mean Earth’s military technology is necessarily at a disadvantage.

In fact, even with their home-ground advantage, the Otherworld Allied Army couldn’t overrun the forefront of the multinational troops at that time, only managing a stalemate.

Ultimately, the multinational troops had to surrender to the Otherworld Allied Army due to their retreat being cut off and supplies unable to catch up.

Thus, despite the second Otherworld War ending in Earth’s comprehensive defeat, Earthlings never doubted their weapons.

Because they understood the deeper reasons for this defeat, and subsequent facts verified their suspicions.

After the second Otherworld War ended, Earth’s military equipment rapidly flowed into the Otherworld, dominantly ruled by cold weapons.

Indeed, magic is powerful but can only be possessed by a minority. Meanwhile, the Kalashnikov rifle from Earth became the most reliable companion for all Otherworld people.

In conclusion, whenever the Wen Family faction seeks a power to counter magic, firearms relying on chemical reactions are their most ideal choice, without exception.

Cheng Ziang, hands behind his back, inspects the new army formed with the company of three generals. He notices the new army comprises not only Kyushu citizens but also Demon Clan members. Considering their population proportion in Kyushu, it makes sense.

"You even recruited Demon Clan people into the army?" Cheng Ziang couldn’t help but ask in surprise.

"Oh, yes," Jiuyun Shuang quickly explained upon noticing, "Most of those joining the new army are commoners and slaves. The court promises that commoners can rise in rank and be knighted upon meriting. For slaves, they can earn freedom and be awarded land and food."

"You genuinely plan to bypass the Wu Family force and establish a new army independently." Cheng Ziang couldn’t help but smile.

"Manor Lord jests." Jiuyun Shuang was startled and replied with a sheepish smile.

"But this is good too. Rewards can stimulate morale." Cheng Ziang nodded and said.

"What does Manor Lord think?" Jiuyun Shuang cautiously asked.

"Hm, this formation is alright, is it learned from the Demon Clan?" Cheng Ziang asked.

"Uh, yes..."

Jiuyun Shuang hesitated, seemingly embarrassed to admit such a thing.

"Show me the formation march and firing." As Cheng Ziang walked away, he instructed Jiuyun Shuang.

Having directly experienced the West Outer Heaven War, Cheng Ziang had seen many army combats. The trained Demon Clan army couldn’t be compared with their discipline and combat prowess.

"Yes!"

Jiuyun Shuang, like a lower-ranking officer, immediately ordered the troops to start the drill after Cheng Ziang’s request.

"Form ranks!"

Ziyan drew his waist knife vertically and shouted loudly, clearly echoing the Demon Clan army’s formation command mechanism.

His voice was loud, and as a cultivator, it was deafeningly loud. Those closer could even hear their ears buzzing.

Cheng Ziang and Hu Daoke stood by, arms crossed, watching their drill expressionlessly.

Then, Ziyan commanded the troop to demonstrate formation marching and firing. Although they didn’t load bullets, just firing the gunpowder, the hundred-plus formation emitted thick white smoke, the air filled with a pungent gunpowder smell, making the two seem as if they were back on the West Outer Heaven battlefield.

Clearly, the new army’s formation almost hundred percent borrowed from the reformed Demon Clan army, fully equipped with muskets and bayonets. However, each soldier still had a waist knife strapped, indicating their worry about bayonet effectiveness on the battlefield.

After quietly observing for over ten minutes, Cheng Ziang noticed some flaws, so he halted the drill and started pointing out mistakes.

"Why does the formation commander stay behind instead of advancing with the formation during march?" Cheng Ziang asked, arms crossed.

"Eh, should follow the formation?" Ziyan was puzzled for a moment and asked.

"Not follow, but accompany the formation." Cheng Ziang corrected.

"But, but..."

"I know what you want to say, whether the commander advancing with the formation is too dangerous and could become a target," Cheng Ziang said leisurely, "But have you considered that soldiers push forward hard while the commander stays behind issuing orders? If you were a soldier, would you feel comfortable?"

"Don’t tell me that soldiers can’t be compared with commanders, or always talk about slave commoners and noble hierarchies. Since you’ve established a new army, at least within the army, you should all be equal, distinguished only by ranks, without class inferiority. You’re all comrades-in-arms."

"Demon Clan commanders accompany the formation when commanding advancement. Some even take the lead when charging."

"The so-called new army shouldn’t just be novel in weapons and construction, but also advanced in military thought. You must let soldiers understand that everyone may die on the battlefield, not just soldiers, while officers survive."

"Manor Lord’s words are enlightening." Jiuyun Shuang was greatly shocked by Cheng Ziang’s remarks and humbly replied, bowing.

"I’m enlightened!"

Seeing Jiuyun Shuang voluntarily concede, Ziyan and Yungui also gratefully bowed.

"I won’t say much else, you’ve learned well, at least seven or eight-tenths, which is basically adequate. But I still don’t know who your new army targets as enemies." Cheng Ziang asked.

"Uh..."

This question was obviously sensitive, and the three looked at each other without anyone daring to speak.

"It’s okay if you don’t say, I’m just asking, with no intent to pry." Cheng Ziang waved his hand and said.

"Manor Lord is the court’s esteemed guest and trusted by His Majesty, so it wouldn’t be right to conceal. Please follow me to the camp for a discussion. It’s inappropriate to speak here due to the crowd." Jiuyun Shuang pondered briefly, seemingly having figured it out, and respectfully said.

"Alright, let’s go." Cheng Ziang appeared generous, without suspicion.

The group left the exercise ground and came to a wooden barrack, Jiuyun Shuang directed Ziyan and Yungui to dismiss the servants and had personal guards secure vital passages. After arranging everything, he sat facing Cheng Ziang.

"Although this matter is sensitive, it isn’t necessarily undiscussable," Jiuyun Shuang took a deep breath and spoke earnestly, "With the formation of the new army, the court wishes it can achieve good wartime results to awe those petty Wu Family members. Therefore, the court planned an eastward and westward strategy from its inception."

"Oh?"

"The court plans to cross the Forbidden Sea east and conquer the North Beichang impostor state. Westward, they’ll move to Yun State to defeat the three Yipa tribes. I am ordered to soon embark on the western expedition, but I still feel uneasy about the new army, so I’ve come to seek Manor Lord’s assistance in training them."

Jiuyun Shuang didn’t hesitate, after brief stalling, he spilled everything like beans from a bamboo tube.

Upon hearing this, Cheng Ziang couldn’t help but gasp. Unexpectedly, after retreating from West Outer Heaven, the Dongsheng Empire is preparing for a new war, and on two fronts.

The Advance Team came to Kyushu aimed at mediating the conflict between the Dongsheng Empire and West Outer Heaven. But conflicts between the Dongsheng Empire and other countries cannot be mediated, nor are they qualified, so they can only watch with open eyes.