Chapter 22: Accepting Overtures from a Traitor? Clearing Out Nearby Bandit Strongholds

An Imperial envoy? Isn’t that just a fancy term for a spineless traitor?

The Japanese invaders, in their bid to woo Nationalist government troops and local bandit gangs, had invented the title of "Imperial Envoy." These were essentially sycophants and lapdogs, handpicked by the Japanese to slither between the enemy and various local factions.

"Bring him in. I’d like to hear what he has to say."

"Yes, sir!"

A moment later, a man who looked every bit the parasitic bootlicker was brought before him. Sun Hansan, already sensing a shift in the atmosphere of the Black Dragon Society, was inwardly panicking, though he did his best to maintain a facade of composure.

"May I ask which of you is the leader here?" Sun asked, assuming the Black Dragon Society had installed a new chief. He could be forgiven for the confusion; the soldiers of the New First Regiment, lacking proper uniforms, were dressed in such a motley assortment of rags that they looked no different from bandits.

Li Yunlong didn't bother to correct him. "The Black Dragon is dead. If you have business, speak to me."

"And how should I address you, brother?" Sun asked with a sycophantic smile. "I represent the Imperial Army, here to discuss a partnership."

"Call me Li Long," Li Yunlong replied, tossing out a fake name. He then asked with feigned curiosity, "And how exactly do the 'Imperials' wish to cooperate?"

Seeing an opening, Sun Hansan struck a posture of importance. "If you help track the Eighth Route Army, capture their men, or provide intelligence, the Imperial Army will reward you handsomely. If you can capture an Eighth Route officer, the bounty will be even more generous!"

Li Yunlong nodded slightly. "Easy enough, easy enough."

"I hope you’ll put in a good word for me later—I’ll make sure you’re well compensated," Sun added, praising Li for being a "reasonable man."

Through this back-and-forth, Li Yunlong finally extracted the information he needed: Sun Hansan had been instructed by a Japanese Captain in Xijing Town to recruit local bandits to better monitor the movements of the Eighth Route Army. There were many others like Sun, part of a wide-reaching Japanese dragnet.

Knowing this, Li Yunlong felt at ease. Since the previous leader, Zhou Haoyue, had already agreed to Sun’s terms, Li Yunlong gladly accepted the proposal.

"Since there’s profit to be made, we certainly won't miss out. However, Brother Hansan, could you ask the Imperial Army to grant me a formal designation as a regimental commander?"

Sun Hansan was taken aback by such a greedy request. "Brother Li, that might be a bit difficult..."

Li Yunlong gave him a meaningful look. "Don't worry. Once it’s done, I’ll make sure you get your share."

"Three bars of gold!" Sun Hansan demanded, testing the waters with a lion’s share.

Li Yunlong chuckled and nodded readily. "If this works out, three bars of gold is nothing. We’ll all be rich soon enough!"

"Good! You’re a straightforward man!" Sun laughed.

They chatted for a long time, the atmosphere remarkably jovial, until late afternoon when Li Yunlong finally sent Sun Hansan on his way, secretly ordering his men to keep him under surveillance.

Li Yunlong had put so much effort into this traitor because he had his eyes on Xijing Town. It was a local hub situated along the Taihang Highway—a key town occupied by the Japanese, vital to their control over the Taihang Mountains. Eliminating the enemy presence there would be a boon for the development of his base, not to mention the wealth of supplies to be seized. The New First Regiment was receiving support from the locals, but relying on others was not in Li Yunlong’s nature. He intended to use this opportunity to raid the enemy’s stores and weaken their blockade. Securing a formal designation would also play a crucial role in his future plans.

To keep the ruse going, Li Yunlong moved quickly. Over the next few days, the bandit strongholds around Huangyadong in the Taihang Mountains were systematically cleared. They were either forced to surrender and join the New First Regiment or were wiped out entirely. Those who surrendered were integrated, though every recruit had to pass Li Yunlong’s personal screening to ensure no "fair-weather friends" were hiding in their ranks.

As the battalions returned from their missions, the captives and defectors were gathered for indoctrination. Through Li Yunlong’s filtering, the strength of the New First Regiment swelled from 1,200 to over 1,500—the size of a full-fledged, formal regiment. Only those who passed the loyalty checks were accepted; the rest were relegated to labor for the base's construction.

One day, while training the new recruits, Li Yunlong heard the chime of the system.

[Ding! Congratulations, Host. Your fighting force has reached 530 men. Reward: One Nationalist Army battalion's worth of weapons and ammunition.]

[Ding! Congratulations, Host. Your fighting force has reached battalion level. Reward: Personal Charisma maxed out.]

The equipment included standard-issue Zhongzheng rifles, 18 Czech light machine guns, and 6 heavy machine guns, along with an abundance of ammunition—nearly 100,000 rounds and 2,000 hand grenades.

This was a massive windfall! The New First Regiment would no longer face ammunition shortages. As for the maxed-out charisma, it made it easier to earn trust, win over hearts, and inspire absolute loyalty. It was a perfect reward, especially with so many new recruits and recent defectors. It saved him endless time on ideological work.

Li Yunlong realized that reaching major milestones like battalion or regiment level granted special skill bonuses rather than just raw numbers. He grew eager to see what the rewards for regimental and brigade levels would bring.

After shaking off the excitement, he returned to training. He had his first and second battalions focus on developing the occupied areas, spreading out from the Black Pine Ridge base to create layered defenses. With his new charisma, he found it remarkably easy to win people over. Within a week, the new recruits' loyalty ratings soared. They looked at him with genuine admiration, a testament to his dedicated guidance and the new skill.

Li Yunlong was ecstatic. At this rate, he could build a truly loyal, elite force within six months.

Just as he was putting the troops through their paces, Sun Hansan returned to Black Pine Ridge. He sensed a subtle change in Li Yunlong and was momentarily stunned.

"Brother Li, good news! Lord Watanabe has agreed to your request."

"However..."