Chapter 82: Repeated Provocations

Chapter 82: Chapter 82: Repeated Provocations

"Who’s causing such a ruckus?"

A man with narrow eyes and a gloomy expression walked out, accompanied by several Guards.

His gaze lingered on Vili for a moment before he feigned a look of sudden recognition.

"Ah, it’s Captain Vili. My apologies. Things have been so hectic that I haven’t had a chance to pass down the news of your arrival yet."

The man bowed slightly to Vili and explained with a smile, "I am Tanliwei, vice-captain of Diamond Team One."

Vili’s expression was unreadable. He sized up Tanliwei; Ricker had already mentioned that a vice-captain from Diamond Team One would be assisting him in defending the northwestern border.

"You’re delaying military communications!"

Sandoor rebuked, not buying Tanliwei’s excuse.

"Captain Ricker only just relayed the message to me. If you want to question someone, go question Captain Ricker."

Tanliwei sneered, paying Sandoor no mind whatsoever.

"You..."

Sandoor was about to lose his temper, but Vili stopped him.

"Forget it. If Ricker’s order was delayed, then it has nothing to do with him."

Vili dismounted, walked over to Tanliwei, and looked at him with a strange smile.

’It’s all just an excuse,’ Vili saw it clearly.

"Thank you for your understanding."

Under Vili’s strange gaze, Tanliwei felt slightly uneasy.

Vili waved his hand. "Get my men settled."

With that, Vili gave Sandoor and Dane a look. They understood and followed him into the camp.

Guided by Tanliwei, Vili arrived at his personal command center—a spacious tent.

"Captain, that Tanliwei is clearly trying to put us in our place."

Dane, who had been silent until now, also had a grim look on his face.

Anyone could see this was aimed at Vili.

"Don’t take it to heart."

Vili chuckled softly, took a few steps around the tent, and sat down at the table. "The enemies from the Wata Duchy are our primary targets. As for everyone else, as long as they don’t go too far, just ignore them."

"But Tanliwei has already gone too far. If you let him get away with this, he’ll only become more outrageous."

Sandoor was ultimately too inexperienced and just couldn’t swallow this insult.

The disdainful look Tanliwei had given him earlier still left a sour taste in Sandoor’s mouth.

"More outrageous?"

Vili suddenly smiled. "More outrageous would be a good thing."

"You..."

Sandoor and Dane looked at Vili’s calm expression, not quite understanding what he meant.

Vili didn’t explain, simply starting to flip through the frontline reports on the table.

’Everything Tanliwei says and does is on Ricker’s orders. This is the collective will of Ricker and the other three Guard Captains.’

’Vili was well aware of all this.’

The afternoon passed quickly, and Diamond Team Six was settled in the camp.

During this time, Sandoor and Dane finished assigning duties to Diamond Team Six.

Ten cavalrymen and fifty Guards headed to the front lines to be stationed, while the rest remained to guard the camp. This deployment was similar to that of Diamond Team One on the northwestern border; of their fifty men, twenty were stationed at camp while thirty defended the front line.

「Dinnertime.」

Inside his tent, Vili ate a piece of flatbread while flipping through the frontline reports.

He had already gained a thorough understanding of all the major and minor incidents that had occurred on the border. What he was reading now was an analysis of the Wata Duchy’s soldiers.

"Captain!"

Just then, Dane burst in.

His face was a mask of fury. Suppressing his indignation, he said to Vili, "There’s a problem with Diamond Team Six’s food."

"What’s the problem exactly?"

Vili put down the document in his hand and looked up at Dane.

Dane explained quickly, "I just went to the mess crew and found they’d prepared two different qualities of meals. The men from Diamond Team One are eating fresh wheat flatbread and porridge, but we in Diamond Team Six are getting flatbread made from wheat bran, and our gruel is just broth with barely any grain in it."

Vili’s face was expressionless, showing no reaction. "Has it been dealt with?"

"It has. After I found out, the mess crew remade the flatbread, mixed the gruels together, and served it out again."

Dane’s anger still hadn’t subsided. "It’s a good thing I discovered it! If the food had reached the hands of every Guard and they’d seen the difference in treatment, the morale of Diamond Team Six would have shattered!"

Dane saw it clearly. Diamond Team One was trying to suppress Diamond Team Six, even at the risk of causing internal conflict.

"Since the matter is resolved, let it go for now."

Vili was unconcerned, as if he hadn’t taken it to heart at all.

"But..."

Dane couldn’t fathom Vili’s attitude.

’He had looked into Vili before and knew he wasn’t the type to be easily intimidated. Was he bowing his head to those old-timers now?’

Dane’s mind was in turmoil. He could only take his leave of Vili.

As Dane walked out of the tent, the corner of Vili’s mouth curled into a strange smile.

「In another tent.」

"You’re saying that after Vili discovered the food had been tampered with, he didn’t react at all?"

Tanliwei sat in his chair, looking at the bowing Guard before him, and asked for confirmation in a doubtful tone.

The Guard gave a fawning smile. "Yes, Captain Tanliwei. That fellow named Dane seemed quite angry about it. He went specifically to see Vili, but he came out looking completely frustrated. It was obvious Vili had reprimanded him, probably for making a fuss."

Tanliwei burst out laughing. "How unexpected. Captain Ricker repeatedly instructed me that Diamond Team One absolutely must suppress Diamond Team Six. He even told me this young man Vili was no ordinary person and that I should proceed with caution. I never expected him to be so tolerant..."

The Guard laughed along dryly but said nothing.

"Very good," Tanliwei said again. "Go and report everything that happened here to Captain Ricker, exactly as it was."

"Yes, sir."

The Guard nodded in acknowledgment and then left the tent.

"Vili?"

Tanliwei smiled, and then his gaze suddenly turned cold and sinister.

...

"You’re saying that Vili kid chose to endure both of our provocations?"

Ricker, who had been sitting, suddenly stood up, a look of amusement on his face.

"Yes, Captain Ricker."

The Guard replied respectfully.

Just like Tanliwei, Ricker burst out laughing upon hearing the news, clearly not expecting Vili to react this way.

’If Bamos found out about this, he’d probably be hopping mad, wouldn’t he?’

Ricker waved his hand and instructed, "Tell Tanliwei not to go too far, either. Otherwise, it will make Young Master Bamos lose face."

"Yes, sir."

The Guard replied in acknowledgment.