This War Is a Cheat Code!

Du Chen stroked his nose as he rose, gesturing with a chuckle for Porter to continue reassuring the soldiers, before making his way alone to a corner of the commander's tent. "What is it? Speak quickly!"

Old Five mimicked an anxious tone, "Glynn, Steve is innocent!"

"Just that one line?"

"That's it!"

"Then keep monitoring! The moment you pinpoint their exact location, notify me immediately!" Du Chen waved over Deboning, who was inside the tent, and led him out into the snow-dusted camp. He shrugged helplessly. "The one who abducted my elder brother is..." He let out a long breath.

"It's Flaying!"

Deboning was startled. "Why would Flaying kidnap Steve!?" He, too, exhaled slowly, then gave a self-deprecating laugh. "If it truly was Flaying who spirited Steve away from the Death Row Cells, then at least we won't have to suffer in uncertainty!"

Du Chen smacked his forehead with a wry smile. "Is this good news or bad news? Regardless, my elder brother's life is no longer in danger! No matter how deranged Flaying might be, he, like you, is a Guardian Battle God to us three brothers. He wouldn't harm my elder brother!"

Deboning nodded. "Young Master, you can rest assured on that front. While Flaying has become very eccentric over the years, his loyalty to the Divine Cult is beyond question!"

Du Chen touched the tip of his nose, gazing at the snowy scenery. He retrieved a letter from his Precious Lotus Scripture and burned it.

The whereabouts of one of the individuals who left him the Three Letters on Battle God Isle had been confirmed!

"Now things are getting increasingly troublesome! Flaying used my elder brother to obtain a map from Salon... and has been carrying my elder brother as he races towards the Great Plains, with a mysterious tracker hot on their heels!" Du Chen extended his tongue to catch a snowflake, savoring its icy taste. "What exactly is he planning!?"

Du Chen mentally reviewed Flaying's past, attempting to discern The Clues.

As a youth, Flaying was the foremost among the Four Saints of the Holy Yessar Church, possessing extraordinary strength and a revered status! After the Holy Relic, The Weeping Tear, went missing, he followed Byron-Gale, infiltrating Battle God Academy to investigate. However, with the disappearance of Byron-Gale and Rogliff, the Holy Yessar Church plunged into turmoil. It was then that Flaying remained at Battle God Academy as Phil's Guardian Battle God... Subsequently, the Four Saints fractured, and Flaying, unable to defeat Philip, accompanied Phil into the Saint Sigurd Cain family.

Phil was captured by Margaret, then faked her death three years later to escape to the Celestial Capital. Yet, Flaying did not follow Phil to the Celestial Capital; instead, he stayed at the Saint Sigurd Cain Estate, serving as Francis's Guardian Battle God! Later, Deboning also traveled to Saint John City, where Flaying defeated him...

Until recently, Flaying abducted Steve!

Du Chen spoke slowly, "You've witnessed Flaying's early life and everything he's done in the last decade, Deboning. If something amiss occurred, it must have been in the period between my birth eighteen years ago and your defeat by Flaying eleven years ago..."

Deboning frowned. "Everything about Flaying during those seven years is a complete blank. It's impossible to say what exactly happened to him!"

Du Chen pondered, frowning, and muttered to himself, "More precisely, what happened between Flaying and my elder brother! To think my elder brother would willingly take the blame for Flaying—damn it, this means my elder brother knew of Flaying's existence all along! Deboning, you protected my elder brother and Charles for many years. Did you not discover anything suspicious?"

Deboning slowly shook his head.

Bearing his questions about Flaying, Du Chen continued to fulfill his duties as Quartermaster!

The entire battlefield was demarcated by Heaven's Ocean Pass. To the north lay an endless expanse of ice and snow—the Great Plains—while to the south stretched Lanning's rolling hills. Heaven's Ocean Pass, though named a pass, was in reality a cluster of war-fortresses, stretching for a hundred li horizontally and over thirty li vertically! Du Chen had initially imagined that war meant the beastmen's army of over eight hundred thousand would line up before Heaven's Ocean Pass, howling as they charged to assault the gates, while Lanning's million-strong army would defend within the fortresses, attritioning the beastmen's numbers...

However, this notion earned him an eye-roll from Porter, along with a small packet of sour plums. Porter informed Du Chen, "Ever since the sacred artifacts of war appeared, those barbaric methods of warfare in your head have long been obsolete! You big dummy!"

In reality, after the Second Army converged with the regular forces, the entire thousand-li radius centered around Heaven's Ocean Pass became a battlefield. The armies of Lanning and McAllen were scattered across this vast terrain, disorganized like a plate of loose sand—at least, that's how it appeared to Du Chen! It was as if Arges and Beast Emperor Rebadon were playing a grand game of chess on this immense board!

On this battlefield rife with skirmishes, Du Chen and his Second Legion were stationed within a colossal fortress at Heaven's Ocean Pass, engaged in logistical work, with no need to fight on the front lines! Of course, Du Chen's fifteen hundred men couldn't possibly handle the logistics for the entire army. They operated in conjunction with the Legion Command, effectively acting as "nannies" for the troops directly under Arges's command!

In the early morning, with wisps of cooking smoke curling upwards, Du Chen, cloaked in a white fur coat, walked with Dud trailing behind him. They crossed a snow-covered plaza within the fortress, heading towards the entrance of a church-like large building—the headquarters of the Second Legion.

As they walked, Dud's eyes were slightly closed, his voice colder than the falling snowflakes. "Godfather, the Eighth Division from Fortress Number Seventeen was ordered to attack yesterday. Their logistical support has been canceled from our department!"

"Heh heh, excellent! Another division's bellies are no longer our concern!" Du Chen rubbed his hands together, exhaling frosty breaths, feeling utterly relaxed. He asked with a hint of anticipation, "I hear a beastman unit has advanced a hundred li away, and the fighting is brutal! I just wonder when the wounded soldiers will arrive..."

Dud coldly uttered two words: "Soon!"

Du Chen glanced back at Dud, chuckling, "Are you truly unwilling to do these 'nanny' tasks!?"

"Godfather's command, Dud dares not refuse!"

Du Chen waved his hand, watching the falling snow. "Just bear with it for a bit! Those fifteen hundred brothers are all my people. I want them to live and return to their parents, wives, and children... Beastmen are not like bandits. I will not risk the lives of my own people!"

Dud remained silent for a long moment, then coldly spoke a single sentence: "Godfather is not suited to command troops!"

"Haha, that's why I've entrusted the army to you!" As the two spoke, Du Chen suddenly frowned! The "rumbling" sound of hooves approached from afar, unexpectedly interspersed with roars of lions. And the General seated atop a fiery red lion was none other than the Marshal, Arges!

To encounter such a person first thing in the morning was truly bad luck!

"Francis! Everyone at headquarters is busy, yet here you are, idling about!" Arges pointed a finger at Du Chen, his brow furrowed, his eyes blazing, displaying the Marshal's full authority! "The first batch of wounded soldiers has arrived. If even one of these brothers has their treatment delayed because of you, I'll chop off your head!!"

Du Chen was about to retort, but upon hearing that the wounded had arrived, his eyes lit up. "How many have come?" "Thirteen hundred!"

Thirteen hundred!

Thirteen hundred... War truly was a goddamn 'good deed' generator! Du Chen abandoned Arges and strode into the quarters. "Don't worry, Du Chen, the Divine's glory will protect them!"

Arges dismounted his lion and rushed ahead of Du Chen into the quarters. The troop of Generals behind him quickly followed, blocking Du Chen to let Arges enter first. "How dare you try to cut in front of the Marshal!"

"What brings the Marshal to my humble quarters?" Du Chen surged forward, moving even faster than Arges.

"Hmph, these are the first brothers wounded for the nation. As Marshal, it's natural for me to visit them!"

"Oh?" Du Chen nodded. "So, you're here to win hearts and minds!" He quickened his pace. Great good deeds, here I come!

In the quarters' backyard, rows of heated tents had already been erected. Over a thousand wounded soldiers had been brought in this time, and Porter was systematically directing soldiers to treat and care for them. Arges waved for them to forgo formalities, then casually chose a tent. Upon entering, he waved genially with a touch of gratitude. "You brothers have worked hard!"

"Mar—Marshal, we..." Closest to Arges was an old soldier whose left leg had a large chunk of flesh brutally torn off by a beastman. It was clear he wouldn't keep the leg, yet he stubbornly tried to sit up and salute. The other twenty-plus wounded inside the tent also attempted to rise and salute.

Arges waited for the old soldier to settle, then sat beside the bed, patting the shoulder of the veteran who was sweating profusely from pain. He sighed sadly. "You were wounded for the nation, and the people of Lanning are grateful!" He waved a hand, and several attendants stepped forward, offering a dozen Silver Coins. "Marshal, this is..." "You were wounded for the nation, this leg... Ah, don't worry! If you can't stand, I, Arges, will ensure you never have to worry about your future! And if you can stand..."

Behind Arges, a personal guard cast a cold glance at the old soldier.

The old soldier nodded in astonishment, forcing a look of excitement. "If I can still stand, I—I'll kill a few more beastmen for you, Marshal!"

Arges smiled contentedly, patting his shoulder again. "Not for me; we all fight for the nation, for our compatriots, our parents, wives, and children, so they are not plundered by beastmen! Wouldn't you all agree...?"

"Yes..." came a weak, listless reply!

Damn it, Marshal, please leave quickly. We know it's customary for officers to inspect the first batch of wounded, but... we're waiting for someone to change our dressings! We don't want bureaucrats; we just want... medicine!

Du Chen, who had just finished giving Porter a few instructions outside, now entered. Seeing the old soldier's bandage still seeping blood, yet struggling to express gratitude to Arges, Du Chen's expression immediately changed. "Marshal, please step aside!" He gently helped the old soldier lie down, then used his own white fur coat to carefully wipe the cold sweat from the veteran's brow, feigning surprise. "Brother, what on earth took such a big bite out of you!?"

The old soldier cracked a smile, but quickly reined it in, replying respectfully, "Sir, it was the bear-kin!" Seeing Du Chen's kind and friendly smile, he couldn't help but add with a grin, "They're not even human!"

Du Chen let out a hearty laugh and began to undo the bandage. "Sir, you—how can you personally change my dressing, Sir!" Seeing Du Chen taking matters into his own hands, the old soldier instantly turned pale with fright and began to struggle up, baring his teeth. "I order you to lie down!" Du Chen barked coldly, thinking, *You dare interrupt my good deeds, you bastard? Are you courting death!?*

The old soldier swallowed a few mouthfuls of saliva, opened his mouth, then closed it again. Finally, unable to hold back, he whispered, "Sir, I can still..."

Du Chen gently slapped the old soldier's injured leg, causing him to instantly break out in a cold sweat from the pain. Yet Du Chen chuckled, "I dare to slap you like this, so tell me, can you still stand up!?" As he spoke, a golden light flashed from Du Chen's hand. The old soldier initially felt nothing, but gradually, his eyes widened. "My leg... it's healed!?"

"The glory of Du Chen, the Divine, is omnipresent!" Du Chen nodded with a smile, then clapped his shoulder heavily. "Get up, go to Number Three tent and claim your tonics! You're a strapping fellow; don't hog space from the wounded!" Du Chen laughed heartily. "Ha, haha!" The old soldier let out two crazed laughs, leaped off the bed, and thumped out two military salutes to Du Chen! "Thank you, Sir!" He then ran out, overly excited, forgetting to acknowledge Arges...

Who was this Sir? He looked much more agreeable than the Marshal!

Arges's face turned ashen. He gave two dry laughs and walked towards the next wounded soldier, shaking his hand cordially. "Brother, you fought for the nation..."

"Hey, Marshal, I understand. Fighting for the nation, I have no regrets even if I die. A stab wound is nothing..." He stared intently at the golden light in Du Chen's hand. "What are you looking at me for? Get in line! This old brother here is more seriously wounded than you! Here with Francis, we follow rules!" Du Chen scolded him with wide eyes, but this only provoked roaring laughter.

However, the wounded soldier Du Chen was currently treating could only stare with lifeless eyes. His chest had been pierced, and he was drawing his last breath!

"All of you, shut the hell up! If your wounds rupture from laughing, don't blame me, Francis, for not warning you!" Du Chen cursed loudly. Golden light reappeared, and the wounded soldier was brought back from the brink of death!

The noise instantly subsided. The tent became quiet, silent, dead silent... A peculiar emotion began to brew... "You are Sir Francis!? The Glory of Saint John City!?" The cured soldier suddenly seized Du Chen's hand, dumbfounded, utterly devoid of his previous lifeless demeanor!

He was astonished by the divine skill of instant recovery, but even more shocked by the name Francis!

Du Chen was taken aback. "Indeed, I lead the Second Legion and am responsible for treating the wounded!"

"By the Heavens, brothers, this is Sir Francis's army!" He gripped Du Chen's hand tightly, choking up. "Sir, do you remember old Pike from Saint John City? The vegetable vendor who was nearly beaten to death and whom you eventually saved... We, my father and I, owe you two lives!"

Du Chen's hand was firmly clutched. He thought, *Brother, can you let go? I'm busy doing good deeds! Old Pike? Who can even remember who that is!?*

But the soldier adamantly refused to release his grip. He suddenly looked up, his gaze firm. "Sir, my unit has been scattered and needs reorganization. Can I—can I join your troops? Rest assured, I'll fiercely fight those beastmen for you! I guarantee I won't disgrace you!"

*My troops are all Elite Troops trained by Dud; you think you can just join them?* Du Chen secretly curled his lip, but spoke softly, "Not for me; we all fight for the nation, for our compatriots, our parents, wives, and children, so they are not plundered by beastmen! Wouldn't you all agree...?"

"YES!!"

The sound shook the heavens. Had one not witnessed it, no one could imagine such a thunderous roar emanating from the mouths of twenty-plus wounded soldiers!

Arges's face had turned green... That phrase sounded familiar to him!

Du Chen had already moved to the next wounded soldier, whose skin was fiery red, scorched by intense flames. Du Chen's eyes widened in surprise. "Buddy, did someone boil you!?"

Someone shouted, "Sir, he was just grazed by a beastman's Flame Cannon!" "Shut up! If Sir Francis says he was boiled, then he was boiled! Hahahahaha..."

In the boisterous tent, Arges silently rose, his legs somewhat stiff. Without a word, he stalked out, his face grim.

Over a thousand wounded soldiers. Du Chen initially treated them one by one, but after a while, he couldn't bear the slow pace. He simply took The Sixth and flew into the sky, muttering about the glory of Du Chen, the Divine, as he watched the wounded soldiers rise one by one under the gentle golden light. Deboning also cooperated, beginning to spread word of Du Chen, the Divine's, benevolence...

Unfortunately, while The Sixth's Holy Light possessed miraculous effects, it wasn't enough to regrow severed limbs or resurrect skeletons. He could only save those severely wounded on the brink of death. If the soldiers arrived having already perished on the way or were already crippled, Du Chen could do nothing.

By the end of the day, over nine hundred wounded soldiers rejoined the battle ranks, but more than three hundred others, dragging their injured and disabled bodies, embarked on the road home... Each, however, held a letter sealed with a Precious Lotus Scripture stamp, and Du Chen's resounding words echoed in their ears: "The Empire will provide for you, but if your lives are not satisfactory, then take this letter to Durkes City and become citizens of Newin's territory... No one shall starve in my domain, Francis's territory!"

After sending off the first day's wounded, Du Chen sighed with emotion for a moment, then patted his butt and chuckled. Over a thousand wounded! The twelfth Precious Lotus Scripture had opened more than halfway, a sliver of it blooming at a visibly rapid pace!

This was only the first day!

The war raged from mid-January to early March. King Lanning, Bargnar, ill-prepared for such a conflict, calculated the grain in the national treasury on his fingers. He then dispatched an order to Arges: "In a month and a half, your million-strong army has devoured the entire grain reserves of sixteen provinces! The Empire can barely last until April, but the spring harvest from the south won't arrive until May. So, Arges, you will win this war for me within a month!"

This order intensified the brutality on the front lines. Arges indeed demonstrated the demeanor of a renowned General on the battlefield. He exploited the advantageous terrain of Heaven's Ocean Pass to exhaust the beastmen's morale, then immediately pushed forward with full force. In a short period, the front line advanced three hundred li, moving from Heaven's Ocean Pass deep into McAllen's homeland. Du Chen, naturally, followed the command post, settling into a commander's tent on the icy plains.

However, Du Chen was currently slumped on his bed, unable to get up. A piece of news spread throughout the military camp: Sir Francis had continuously rescued the wounded for a month and a half, almost without rest, exhausting the divine power bestowed upon him by the great and benevolent Du Chen, the Divine, and had consequently fallen ill from exhaustion!

Inside the heated commander's tent, the brazier crackled. Porter, having just seen off a wave of visiting Generals, sighed and glanced at Du Chen, who lay deathly pale and bloodless on the bed! Suddenly, he leaned over, pinched Du Chen's nose, and yanked him from the bed. "Stop faking it!"

Du Chen rolled over and sat up, his movements agile—how could Du Chen, who constantly performed good deeds, and whose Lotus Internal Force came from such acts, possibly be exhausted to the point of collapsing? He chuckled, "Porter, don't look at your Old One like that! I can't help it. I've treated countless wounded soldiers consecutively, it's simply too conspicuous. It's better to hide my capabilities now! Besides..." He lightly tapped the gleaming General's sword on his chest. "Doesn't this make it seem like I've contributed immensely? Heh, otherwise, how could I have become a Brigadier General so quickly!?"

Porter glared at Du Chen, then flung his hand and walked out.

Du Chen let out a chuckle, but then his brows suddenly furrowed. He asked in his Divine Sense, "Dus! Is Flaying still carrying my elder brother around on the Great Plains?"

"Ah... *huff*!" Dus sounded like he was dozing off. "Hm, Flaying has been carrying your elder brother continuously, not separating even for meals or sleep. Fifth Brother now suspects they might have some kind of 'special' hobby! As for that tracker, they haven't appeared for a month!"

"Damn that Flaying!" Du Chen's emotional state had shifted from initial worry and doubt to curiosity and numbness. Dus, however, maintained his usual impudent demeanor. "Francis, is everything alright now? Then Fifth Brother will go back to napping!"

"Who said everything's alright!?" Du Chen's voice suddenly rose. "This morning, a sliver of the fourteenth Precious Lotus Scripture bloomed! But Twelfth-Floor Assistant and Thirteen still haven't shown a trace!"

Indeed, in just this short month and a half, the Precious Lotus Scripture had bloomed an additional two and a half petals! Just imagine, with a million-strong army battling daily, how many wounded would there be each day!? Du Chen had already lost count of how many people he had saved. He only knew that the Precious Lotus Scripture was blooming visibly faster every day... and had now reached its fourteenth petal!

However, there was an unexpected twist: Twelfth-Floor Assistant and Thirteen, those two brothers, vanished the instant the petal bloomed. No matter how much Du Chen searched, he couldn't find them!

Dus grumbled, "You ask me, but who am I supposed to ask? Didn't I tell you a long time ago? There would be a major change after the Fourth Trigram. I still can't pinpoint what that change is. Let me go back and research it slowly!" After pondering for a moment, he asked, "How's your current strength? Twelfth-Floor Assistant and Thirteen are gone, but surely your inner strength and Primordial Spirit Power haven't remained unchanged, have they?"

Du Chen chuckled, "My strength has indeed grown considerably. Last night, I sparred with Deboning, and he said I now possess ninety percent of the power of Tendon-Severing and Corpse Dissolution. If I encounter them, even if I can't win outright, I'm certainly not without the power to put up a fight!"

"Your strength has clearly improved, yet my brothers are missing..." Dus muttered, reflecting on this peculiar situation.