Chapter Fifty: Black Wind City

The victory of this battle was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, stirring up ripples across the surrounding region.

The reputation of the new city soared once again, and an increasing number of bandits and displaced refugees, having heard of the situation here, came in droves to offer their allegiance.

Looking at the swelling population day by day, Chen Tong felt a mixture of gratification and apprehension.

What gratified him was that the labor shortage had finally been resolved, which was undoubtedly a powerful boost to the construction and development of the new city.

What worried him was that the sharp increase in personnel made the situation extremely complex, inevitably allowing some people with ulterior motives to slip in.

As the infrastructure of the new city gradually improved, Chen Tong realized it was time to give this new city a formal name.

Without further hesitation, Chen Tong summoned the key stronghold leaders, including Liu Meng, Chen Feng, Old Zhao, Xie Hu, and Xie Qingshuang, gathering them all together to discuss the matter collectively.

Everyone sat around the conference table.

Chen Tong spoke first, "Everyone, our new city is gradually taking shape, but it has never had an official name."

"I've called you all here today to hear your thoughts."

"This name needs careful consideration; it is not just a designation, but must represent the spirit and vitality of our new city. In the future, it might even spread far and wide, letting the entire world know!"

Liu Meng, with his straightforward temperament, spoke up loudly first.

"In my opinion, we should just call it Huaijiang City! Our place here leans against the Huai River; what a resounding name that is, and at a glance, everyone will know this is our territory."

"From now on, whenever others hear the name Huaijiang City, they will know we are the ones in charge here. How majestic is that!"

Chen Feng, however, furrowed his brows and raised objections.

"Liu Meng, I'm afraid that won't do."

"Although we are setting up our camp here now, if we use Huaijiang for the name, it will easily put us at odds with the imperial officials."

"We've had more than a few run-ins with the authorities before, and they've been keeping their eyes on us all along. This name might just invite trouble."

"Think about it, the officials have always considered the Huai River basin as their territory. If we name it Huaijiang City, wouldn't that be tantamount to directly provoking them?"

"When that happens, they'll come making trouble every other day. How can our new city develop peacefully then?"

Chen Feng argued persuasively, gently tapping his fingers on the tabletop as he spoke.

Old Zhao also nodded in agreement from the side.

"Chen Feng makes sense. We mustn't bring unnecessary trouble upon ourselves just because of a name."

"We've finally secured the peaceful days we have now, and we can't let all our previous efforts go to waste over a name."

After saying this, he glanced at Liu Meng, a hint of warning in his eyes.

Xie Hu stroked his chin, and after a moment of reflection, said.

"What about calling it Qingfeng City? Qingfeng implies that our place here will be honest, upright, and peaceful in the future, allowing everyone to live in stability."

"Besides, the two characters 'Qingfeng' sound pleasing to the ear, making people feel that this place is a utopia, which can attract even more people to come and join us."

Xie Qingshuang smiled faintly and said softly.

"The name Qingfeng City is not bad, but I think we should ponder it a bit more."

"As pleasant as Qingfeng is, it feels like it lacks a bit of our own distinct character. We developed from the Black Wind Stronghold, and the hardships and struggles along this journey don't seem to be reflected in this name."

Everyone chimed in, discussing the matter with great enthusiasm.

Chen Tong listened quietly to everyone's opinions, having already formed his own thoughts in his mind.

When the discussion had nearly wound down, Chen Tong slowly began to speak.

"Everyone, I have an idea. I think our new city could be called Black Wind City."

"First, we are close to Black Wind Mountain here, and everyone used to operate around the Black Wind Mountain area. This name has our roots."

"Second, just as Chen Feng mentioned, naming it after the Huai River would easily spark conflicts with the officials."

"As for the name Black Wind City, it is low-profile yet reminds everyone of our past."

"Back when we were at Black Wind Mountain, although we were bandits, we had our own rules and brotherhood, none of which we can forget."

At this point, Chen Tong paused slightly, then continued with a somewhat sheepish expression.

"Actually, I also have a bit of selfishness in this. I hope this name will remind everyone that we walked step by step from the Black Wind Stronghold to where we are now. No matter how we develop in the future, we must never forget our original aspiration."

"When we gathered together in the first place, it was so we could have a secure home and let our brothers live good lives."

"This point can never change."

Upon hearing Chen Tong's words, the group was momentarily stunned, and then nodded one after another to express their understanding and support.

Liu Meng patted his chest and said.

"Chief Chen, you are entirely right! If not for your leadership, where would we find the good days we have now, let alone this new city?"

"The name Black Wind City is great, I support it! This name is like a reminder to us that no matter how far we travel, our roots remain at the Black Wind Stronghold."

Chen Feng also smiled and said.

"Indeed, Black Wind City, let's settle on that! This name holds our past and allows us to move forward steadily with our feet on the ground. From now on, let's build Black Wind City better and better together!"

Xie Hu and Old Zhao both expressed their approval as well. Xie Hu said,

"Black Wind City, this name has real character, just like our bond as brothers—solid and genuine!"

Old Zhao nodded along, "Right, Black Wind City. From now on, we will guard this city and carve out our own world!"

Xie Qingshuang looked at Chen Tong with eyes full of admiration and said,

"Brother Chen, this name is very fitting. I believe that under your leadership, Black Wind City will surely grow better and better."

Just like that, the new city officially gained its name—Black Wind City.

Everyone's hearts were filled with longing for the future, knowing that from this moment on, Black Wind City would embark on a completely new journey.

As time passed, Chen Tong noticed that more and more people were coming to pledge their allegiance, and the scale of Black Wind City continued to expand.

After the battle concluded, Chen Tong arranged for men to carefully repair the city walls damaged in the fight, ensuring that the defense of Black Wind City remained foolproof.

"Everyone, put in a bit more effort! These city walls concern the safety of everyone in Black Wind City, so they must be repaired sturdily!"

Standing atop the city wall, Chen Tong commanded in a loud voice.

"Rest assured, Chief Chen! We will definitely fix the city wall properly, so that those bandits will smash their heads and bleed if they dare come again!"

A young lackey responded loudly, swinging his hammer with even greater force.

Once the city wall repairs were completed, Chen Tong set about distributing the post-battle compensation funds.

He gathered all the participants of the battle together and stood solemnly before them.

"Brothers, in this battle, you all put your lives on the line and sacrificed so much for the safety of Black Wind City."

"These compensation funds are what you rightfully deserve and serve as a small token of gratitude for your efforts."

As he spoke, Chen Tong personally handed out the compensation packages to each and every brother.