72: Chapter 72 Volunteering and Giving Up Comfort

The logistics spirit boat did not turn immediately.

In the main control room, everyone's gaze fell upon Lu Changyuan.

Superintendent Mu Yunshang's projection was still active.

The grey patterns on Xuangui Island were spreading in circles.

Several nearby shipping routes seemed to be strangled, their lights flickering on and off.

A Cultivator from the Zhenhai Military Warehouse couldn't help but say: "Superintendent Mu, Xuangui Island was originally the post guarded by the Zhao and Li Families. If you send Deputy Envoy Lu there now, the five thousand people on the island may not necessarily obey his orders."

Another person whispered: "Commander Zhao Lingyue is at the False Core stage."

"Deputy Envoy Lu is only at the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage."

These words were spoken very softly.

But everyone heard them.

Lu Hu gripped the hilt of his blade.

Lu Changyuan raised his hand, signaling him not to make a sound.

Superintendent Mu Yunshang did not rebuke the two Military Warehouse Cultivators.

Because they were speaking the truth.

What is most feared during wartime is not danger.

It is knowing that there is danger, yet pushing an unqualified person forward, and then writing a note in the ledger saying that reinforcements have been sent.

Footsteps came from outside the spirit boat's cabin door.

Several Family generals who had been temporarily summoned entered the main control room.

They were all people in charge of protecting ships on the nearby transit lines.

There were members of the Lu Clan's branch Family.

There were members of the Wang Family's outer branch.

There were also two venerated guests from the Loose Cultivator Alliance.

Superintendent Mu Yunshang did not offer much explanation.

She simply pushed the sand table of Xuangui Island in front of everyone.

"Who will take over Xuangui Island?"

No one spoke.

The grey patterns on the sand table were still expanding.

A Wang Family Cultivator coughed.

"Superintendent, it is not that we fear battle. The morale on Xuangui Island is already in chaos, and the remnants of the Zhao and Li Families have always been unwilling to submit to outsiders. Without a Golden Core Cultivator to suppress the situation, rushing over there would likely result in even orders failing to be passed down."

The Loose Cultivator Alliance guest also said: "Our escort fleet can deliver a batch of goods there, but taking over the island's defense is a matter that requires the main general of the military prefecture to attend in person."

"The main generals are all at the Meteor Trench."

"That is why we cannot take it over recklessly."

The excuses became more and more polished.

But the meaning was only one.

No one wanted to go.

Lu Changyuan looked at their faces.

He was not surprised.

If Xuangui Island were held, the credit would have to be shared with the old remnants of the Zhao and Li Families, the Military Warehouse, and the front lines.

If it could not be held, the person taking the blame would be nailed to the ledger.

No shrewd person would take on such a debt.

Lu Hu whispered: "Young Master, we can also deliver goods; we don't have to take over the island."

"Delivering goods and taking over the island are two different things."

Lu Changyuan said: "Delivering goods is merely bringing the crates to the door."

"Taking over the island is ensuring that the crates can be sent from the door to the front lines."

He looked at Superintendent Mu Yunshang.

"I will go."

The main control room was silent for a moment.

Immediately, several gazes turned toward him at once.

The Wang Family Cultivator frowned.

"Deputy Envoy Lu, you should think this through. Xuangui Island is not the Xingyan Outer Port, where sealing a few warehouse numbers is enough to suppress it."

The Loose Cultivator Alliance guest also said: "There are five thousand mixed garrison troops on the island, with Zhao Family members, Li Family members, Loose Cultivators, boat workers, and array masters all mixed together. If you take fifty cavalrymen over, you might not be able to suppress them."

Lu Changyuan said: "That is why I must first obtain the transfer order, then the military tally."

The Wang Family Cultivator smiled.

"Will Commander Zhao Lingyue be willing to hand them over?"

Lu Changyuan looked at him.

"If he doesn't hand them over, I will let him know what wartime military law means."

After these words fell, there were fewer smooth-talking voices in the main control room.

Superintendent Mu Yunshang looked at Lu Changyuan.

"You should be clear that staying on the spirit boat is the safest option."

"You have already proven that you can handle the first order."

"If you continue to run the line between Xingyan, Zhenhai, and Qingyuan, your merit will accumulate slowly."

"Going to Xuangui Island might mean losing everything overnight."

Lu Changyuan nodded.

"I am aware."

"But if Xuangui Island rots, the line I have built up over the past half month will also break."

"The goods I have delivered, the supplies Blue Moon Island has pressed there, and the military tally given to me by the Zhenhai Military Warehouse will all rot in the ledger together."

He paused for a moment.

"More importantly, what breaks on the front lines is not just crates."

"It is human lives."

These words were spoken steadily.

There was no impassioned fervor.

Yet it made the faces of those who were just playing dead feel a bit uncomfortable.

It was not that Lu Changyuan was not afraid.

He was afraid.

He was afraid that the supplies he had invested would be burned to ash.

He was afraid that this logistics line he had just obtained would be cut off.

He was afraid that Blue Moon Island would lose its external support during this round of the demonic tide.

But it was precisely because he was afraid that he could not sit in the spirit boat and wait for the grey patterns to expand.

Superintendent Mu Yunshang said: "The reason is not sufficient."

Lu Changyuan looked up.

Superintendent Mu Yunshang's tone remained cold.

"You want to protect your assets, protect your military merit, and protect the front lines; all these are correct."

"But these only explain why you should go."

"They do not explain why you can go."

Lu Changyuan took out the Zhenhai Military Warehouse Deputy Envoy military tally and placed it by the sand table.

He then took out the duplicate seal of the Lu Clan Chief.

Finally, he took out the Xingyao Cross Badge.

The three items were placed down.

The atmosphere in the main control room changed.

Lu Changyuan said: "I have the allocation authority of the Zhenhai Military Warehouse and can take over the material sorting on Xuangui Island."

"I have the credentials of the Lu Clan's main lineage and can invite Elder Lu Qingyao to temporarily suppress the situation in the capacity of a clan Elder."

"I have the Xingyao Cross Badge, which can make some fleets and merchant firms in the Xingyan outer ring afraid to immediately cut off my retreat."

"Plus fifty Sword Ray Cavalry."

"This is not foolproof."

"But it is enough for me to enter the island first."

Superintendent Mu Yunshang glanced at the Xingyao Cross Badge.

She did not ask about the Witch Star Pavilion.

She also did not ask about Patriarch Lu Yunshen's old seal.

She only asked: "What do you want?"

Lu Changyuan said: "Three things."

"First, the temporary disposal rights for all cleansing, warding off evil, suppressing evil, healing medicines, and array base consumables on Xuangui Island for three days."

"Second, anyone who obstructs wartime transit, I can seal their warehouse, deduct their quota, and report to the Military Warehouse afterwards."

"Third, if Commander Zhao Lingyue resists orders, I ask Elder Lu Qingyao to personally escort me to the island."

Someone in the main control room gasped.

This was not asking for help.

This was sharpening the knife before going to the island.

The Wang Family Cultivator couldn't help but say: "Deputy Envoy Lu, you are staking the Military Warehouse, the Lu Clan's main lineage, and the Witch Star Pavilion's token all at once."

"If Xuangui Island fails, all these connections will turn into debt collectors."

Lu Changyuan said: "That is why I only need three days."

"Within three days, I will not change the ownership of Xuangui Island, I will not touch the original ledgers of the Zhao and Li Families, and I will not settle old scores."

"I will only take over the cleansing, warding off evil, suppressing evil, healing medicines, and array base consumables."

"Whoever blocks these five types of goods is blocking the front line's survival."

He looked at Superintendent Mu Yunshang.

"Three days later, if Xuangui Island can still operate, the Military Warehouse can send an official garrison commander."

"If it cannot operate, there is no need to wait for three days; the debt can be charged to me first."

These words stripped away the suspicion of trying to swallow the island.

It also plugged the hole of debt-bearing first.

The several escort fleet leaders who originally wanted to continue persuading him to retreat had nothing left to say.

Superintendent Mu Yunshang was silent for a moment.

Then she raised her hand.

A dark cyan transfer order flew out from the ledger wall and landed in front of Lu Changyuan.

"I grant the first two requests."

"The third one is not under my jurisdiction."

Just as she finished speaking, another purple sword message slashed into the main control room from the Void Realm.

The sword message stopped above the sand table and transformed into the voice of Elder Lu Qingyao.

"I grant the third request."

Everyone's expression changed.

Elder Lu Qingyao's voice was very light, yet it carried the coldness of someone who had just retreated from the battlefield.

The roar of the distant trench could still be heard in the message.

The muffled sound of heavy implements crashing into deep water pressed in, one after another.

Someone subconsciously looked at the sand table.

The black area of the Meteor Trench had expanded outward by another line.

"I can only leave the Meteor Trench for half an hour."

"Within half an hour, I will escort you to the island and suppress Commander Zhao Lingyue for you once."

"How you guard Xuangui Island after that is your business."

Elder Lu Qingyao did not say whether she could come a second time.

This sentence itself was the answer.

Being able to squeeze out half an hour was already a gap torn hard from the seams of the front line.

Lu Changyuan bowed.

"That is enough."

The sword message dispersed.

Superintendent Mu Yunshang looked at him.

"The transfer order is yours."

"But remember, Xuangui Island is not your fief."

"You are going to save the line, not to swallow the island."

Lu Changyuan put away the transfer order.

"I understand."

Superintendent Mu Yunshang continued: "If you hold it, the transit military merit for Xuangui Island within these three days will be calculated at the highest tier."

"If you cannot hold it, the Military Warehouse will pursue and clear all your allocation accounts."

She paused.

"Including that batch of supplies from Blue Moon Island."

Lu Hu finally understood why Lu Changyuan had just firmly set the three days and five types of supplies.

This was not about seeking glory for himself.

It was about drawing boundaries for himself.

The clearer the boundaries, the fewer places there would be for others to stuff black ledgers later.

Lu Hu felt a toothache just listening to it.

"This is too ruthless."

But Lu Changyuan smiled.

"Only when the accounts are clear can things be done well."

He turned and walked out.

Lu Hu followed.

After leaving the main control room, the sea breeze immediately filled his sleeves.

The spirit boat had already begun to turn.

The sea in the distance was pitch black.

In the direction of Xuangui Island, no firelight could be seen.

Only a patch of very low-hanging dark clouds.

Lu Hu whispered: "Young Master, those five thousand garrison troops on Xuangui Island are the remnants of the Zhao and Li Families, famous for being arrogant and fierce soldiers."

"Can we suppress them?"

Lu Changyuan looked into the distance.

"Relying on our fifty cavalrymen, we cannot."

Lu Hu was stunned.

Lu Changyuan said: "That is why I will first let them know who can suppress them."

Between the sea and the sky, a purple sword light bent over from the direction of the Meteor Trench.

It was very far away.

Yet it was blindingly bright.