Warlords: Rising from the Northwest Border and Sweeping Across the Powers

Chapter 574 The Whereabouts of the Huang Brothers

After successfully taking over Wanbei City, Chen Tong stood on the ruins and looked resolutely at the once prosperous city. The smoke had not yet dissipated, and the air was filled with a tense and expectant atmosphere. He took a deep breath, turned around and gave instructions to the adjutant beside him.

"Organize people immediately and build a temporary government system." Chen Tong's voice was sonorous and powerful, without a trace of hesitation. "We need to restore order in the city as soon as possible, appease the people, let them know that the Chinese army has taken over here, and they will get the protection and care they deserve."

The adjutant nodded and quickly turned away. Soon, teams of soldiers began to get busy in every corner of the city. They set up simple tents as the office of the temporary government, and posted notices on the streets to inform the citizens that a new government had been established and called on everyone to maintain order and wait for further notice.

At this time, some curious citizens began to gather in front of the announcement, talking about it, confused and uneasy about the sudden war and the arrival of the Chinese army. Chen Tong knew that he needed to come forward in person and communicate with the citizens to dispel their doubts.

So he changed into a neat military uniform and came to the square in the city center. When the citizens saw him coming, they gathered around him and asked all kinds of questions. Chen Tong smiled and waved to everyone, signaling everyone to be quiet.

"Dear fellow citizens, I am Chen Tong, the commander of the Chinese Expeditionary Force." He said loudly, "We have successfully taken over Wanbei City and will establish a temporary government here to restore order and stability in the city."

"I know you may have a lot of doubts and concerns right now," Chen Tong continued, "but please believe that the Chinese army is here to protect you. We will do everything we can to ensure your safety and interests."

"In the coming days, we will restore the city's basic facilities such as water supply, electricity and transportation as soon as possible." Chen Tong added, "At the same time, we will also organize medical teams to provide treatment for injured citizens. Please rest assured that we will definitely get everyone's life back on track."

Hearing this, the citizens gradually showed relieved expressions on their faces. They expressed their gratitude to Chen Tong and promised to actively cooperate with the work of the provisional government.

During the tense and orderly post-war cleanup, Chen Tong's guard battalion commander hurried into the temporary command center with a serious look on his face.

"Report to the general, we found the bodies of Chang Tai, Song Yuanqing and the Huang brothers while cleaning the battlefield." The guard battalion commander reported respectfully and handed over a detailed report.

Chen Tong took the report, quickly scanned the contents, and frowned slightly. He knew very well that Chang Tai was extremely loyal to the Huang family and would never abandon Huang Guangtai's family at a critical moment. The information in this report seemed true, but it was unusually strange.

"Have these bodies... been confirmed?" Chen Tong asked in a deep voice, with a hint of doubt in his voice.

"Yes, General." The guard battalion commander nodded, "But their bodies are already unrecognizable, making identification quite difficult."

Chen Tong pondered for a moment and said in a deep voice: "This is probably a trick. Chang Tai couldn't have failed to arrange a retreat for the Huang brothers in advance.

Pass on my order, and have the troops remain silent on the surface, but actually block the entire Bay North City and conduct a secret investigation to see if there are any other clues. "

The guard battalion commander nodded and quickly turned around to carry out the order. Chen Tong continued to sit in the command center, thinking deeply.

In an inconspicuous farm in the north of the city, the two brothers Huang Changfeng and Huang Changlin were sitting at a simple small table. The table was filled with simple food, but the two brothers ate with gusto, as if this was the most sumptuous meal they had had recently. They were wearing rough cloth clothes and straw hats commonly used by farmers, blending in with the surrounding men dressed like farmers.

Several farmers sitting around them began to talk about the recent situation. A man called "Uncle Chen" said indignantly while picking up food: "The damn Southern Government is really a piece of shit. Look at the Chinese side. As soon as they entered the city, they distributed relief food and gave us some clothes. But our Southern Government's bandits only robbed us of our food."

Another farmer said, "Uncle Chen is right. I heard that the entire family of Southern President Huang Guangtai died. This is really retribution."

Another person echoed, "Yes, even the new president Chang Tai is a short-lived ghost, but it's good, our good days are coming!"

These comments pierced Huang Changlin's heart like needles. His face was gloomy, he had put down his bowl, clenched his fists, and seemed ready to stand up and rage at any time. However, at this moment, his younger brother Huang Changfeng gently pulled his sleeve. Huang Changfeng's eyes were full of vigilance and warning, and he signaled his brother not to get angry.

Huang Changfeng understood that the two of them came here in hiding, and this was the last way out Chang Tai left for them. Once they acted impulsively and exposed their true identities, all their previous efforts would be in vain. At this critical moment, they must remain calm and rational, and not ruin their future because of a momentary anger.

Huang Changlin took a deep breath and tried to calm his anger. He nodded, indicating that he understood what his brother meant. The two of them continued to eat, but their thoughts were like a turbulent sea and it was difficult to calm down.

After dinner, the sun was still high in the sky, scorching the earth mercilessly. A group of farmers put on straw hats, put on worn-out raincoats, picked up farm tools, and started a day's work under the scorching sun. Huang Changfeng and Huang Changlin were among them. Their hands had never been so rough, their skin was red from the sun, and sweat slid from their foreheads, dripped into the soil, and evaporated instantly.

They bent over, busy in the fields, harvesting, weeding, turning the soil, each task made them feel exhausted. Sweat soaked their clothes, sticking to their bodies, making them feel extremely uncomfortable. But they still gritted their teeth and persisted, not daring to slack off for fear of being noticed by others.

After a lot of hard work, it was evening, and the farmers finished their work and went home. Huang Changfeng and Huang Changlin also returned to their residence exhausted. Huang Changlin's face was still gloomy, and his mood was as dull and depressed as the sky covered by dark clouds. During the day, the farmers' comments were like sharp knives piercing his heart, and every word made him feel angry and humiliated.

"Those shameless farmers actually belittled our Southern Government and insulted our father!" Huang Changlin angrily punched the table with a dull sound. His eyes were red, as if they were about to spit fire.

Huang Changfeng looked at his brother's angry expression, and his heart was filled with helplessness. He knew that his brother's anger needed to be vented, but at this special moment, they had to remain calm and rational. He walked silently to his brother's side and gently patted his shoulder to comfort him.

"Brother, we are in a very dangerous situation now. We must not act impulsively." Huang Changfeng whispered, "We must hide our identities and not let others see any abnormality. Otherwise, all our previous efforts will be in vain."

Huang Changlin took a deep breath and tried to calm his anger. He nodded to show that he understood what his brother meant. But the anger in his heart did not subside, but became even stronger. He knew that he would have to take revenge sooner or later. But now, he had to be patient.