Romance of the Four Kingdoms

Chapter 61

After obtaining the supplies from the bandit camp Mitsuko and her forces stay at the bandit camp while they make their next move. The soldiers are in high spirits that they don't have to worry about starving as they start eating hungrily. The generals meet up in a tent along with Mitsuko gathered around a table as they talk about what their next move should be. Though Gyuki sticks his head in the entranceway the rest of his body is hanging outside.

'You are the one that suggested going south in the first place, now you're saying we should change course?' Mitsuko asked Pang Tong who chuckled.

'Only for a brief moment, while going south to make allies with the sun family is overall what we should aim for we should also consider allies in places where people wouldn't know where to look.'

'What do you mean, what allies would we find north?' LingQi questioned. Unsure what he was talking about.

'Do you really think bandits tribes are far away form each other?'

'Wait...do you mean of allying ourselves with bandits!?' Mitsuko exclaimed.

'I do indeed.' He stated simply.

'Why would we need to do that, what do we gain from allying ourselves with scum like that.' LingQi questioned, sceptical of Pang Tong's idea.

'Allying may be the incorrect term, think more...integrating.'

'What are you talking about strategist?' Dodomeki asked.

'Its all well and good going south however once we cross the river with our current situation and strength, we won't have any allies in the north and we'll be blind when it comes to Cao Cao so he may strike us when we're unprepared which is bad. However if we ally ourselves with one of the bandit tribes they'll be able to keep an eye out for us. Also giving us potential to get more troops and supplies which always are good when you're trying to raise an army.' Pang Tong explained.

'What makes you think they'll continue to be loyal? These are not common soldiers we're dealing with here. We're dealing with thieves and backstabbers. What makes you think they'll continue to be loyal?' Dodomeki inquired. Not agreeing to this plan.

'Are you saying our black turbans are not loyal?' Diamondback asked, turning his head at Dodomeki, almost insulted at the idea that his men are not loyal to Mitsuko.

'Not at all, you trained them and had time with them which made them disciplined. The ones in the mountain are less so and are more self-conceited and don't know the meaning of the word loyalty.' Dodomeki defended.

'He has a point, the only reason why these black turbans follow you is that you had a lot of time to make them into what you wanted, there's not much of a guarantee that they'll do the same thing.' Gyuki interjects. Both demons assuming the worst.

'Our black turbans are proof that they can change though, there's no reason why we can't train and discipline them if need be. We can always show them what happens when they become disloyal.' Diamondback extends his halberd in front.

'Not to mention that the increase in banditry is due to our glorious Han Empire is crumbling and they don't know what they can do. That's why the yellow turbans are still around to this day in such a large number as bandits. They're doing what they have to do in order to survive and that just happens to be in their eyes banditry. If we do show them that there is another path and a leader worth following much like what Diamondback did then they'll quickly pledge their allegiance.' Pang Tong explained.

'What if they don't, what if when we leave they turn to their own ways or give us false information to mess with us? There's quite a substantial risk of recruiting bandits that you don't seem to be addressing. Once we turn our backs on them they won't hesitate to backstab us for a quick profit.' Dodomeki replied.