The middle and lower-level personnel in the base area suddenly discovered that the leaders in high positions had changed. In the past, these people were urging everyone to work like their lives depended on it, but now, for some reason, these leaders began to talk about future plans with middle and lower-level comrades. "Comrade XX, what is your view on the revolution?" suddenly became one of the most popular questions in the base area.

The party members and cadres in the base area all knew there was a conversation content called "Heart-to-heart meeting," which roughly meant everyone speaking words from the bottom of their hearts. Of course, this was just talk; for comrades born in Fengtai County, the words from the bottom of their hearts were actually just one sentence: "I want to eat my fill. I don't want to starve to death." If they had to say something more idealistic, it was just "I want land distribution," or "Can our People's Party honor that painting of the new countryside drawn on the poster for us?"

But obviously, those big leaders in high positions didn't want to hear this. They hoped the young cadres from Fengtai County could have "more pursuit," for example, whether they wanted to become higher-level cadres.

Finally, they could display their skills fully! Finally, they could create a career belonging to themselves! This was the common aspiration of almost all senior cadres. Under Chen Ke's leadership, these comrades at least saw with their own eyes and personally participated in creating a revolutionary cause within the scope of a county. This was not the "roving bandit rebellion" that Chen Ke had criticized and ridiculed many times, but a cause that truly united tens of thousands of people under one banner. And how great the power of tens of thousands of people was, these comrades also saw clearly. In a disaster year, this power could overcome natural disasters. They firmly believed that in the period of getting rid of the trouble of the disaster year, this power was enough to create a new world. So besides facing their own duties, they tried their best to win over the cadres around them, hoping they could follow them. To create a career belonging to themselves.

These things would of course begin to be summarized level by level through various reporting channels. Before these reports reached Chen Ke's desk, Chen Ke had already left the office. Finally able to get rid of tedious office work, Chen Ke felt a carefree sense of relief. As the leader of an organization, perhaps what is needed most is an extreme desire for power. Of course, there are differences in this desire. First-class power holders desire to use power to get things done, while second-class power holders desire to obtain the power to do things. As for third-class power holders, they only desire the various privileges brought by power.

For Chen Ke, the power he possessed brought various obligations. This was not just the obligation implied by power itself, but more of a psychological obligation. One of Chen Ke's reflections these days was his sense of obligation to the revolution and to the comrades. In this regard, it was He Zudao who gave Chen Ke the greatest inspiration.

He Zudao, as the "General Political Commissar" of the troops, straightforwardly expressed refusal after receiving Chen Ke's formal inquiry "Do you want to be the Fengtai County Party Secretary?"

Once Shouzhou was captured, Chen Ke did not plan to stop. His goal was to take the entire Fengyang Prefecture, and even take Anqing Prefecture. In this case, the various county towns of Fengyang Prefecture must also be taken. Chen Ke couldn't command everything personally; People's Party organizations must be established in each county, so every county committee in the liberated areas would have its own County Party Secretary.

After listening to Chen Ke tell him these things bluntly, He Zudao did not show excitement or surprise. He asked, "Then Secretary Chen, what work will you be responsible for?"

This question made Chen Ke feel somewhat surprised. If it were someone else, they would probably fully consider the authority of their County Party Secretary and wouldn't consider what work Chen Ke would be responsible for at all. Seeing Chen Ke looking at him doubtfully, He Zudao hurriedly explained: "Secretary Chen, I don't want to be a County Party Secretary; I just want to work with you. I haven't learned many things yet."

This answer moved Chen Ke very much, but it couldn't satisfy Chen Ke. "Zu Dao, revolution doesn't mean we only stay with like-minded people. Revolution is to promote the new system to the whole of China. At this time, you have to comprehend your own working methods."

Hearing Chen Ke's criticism, He Zudao explained somewhat embarrassedly: "But I always feel that compared with you, Secretary Chen, I always have an indescribable gap."

Chen Ke felt he could understand the "gap" He Zudao mentioned. Things seen by people in the 21st century are absolutely unimaginable to Chinese people 100 years ago. He said: "Gap? That's because you have seen little, and when considering problems, you have to consider them from the perspective of the whole general environment."

"Secretary Chen, I feel our biggest gap is not this gap." He Zudao said hurriedly, "I mean in your view, Secretary Chen, everyone in the world is the same. In your view, no one is different from others. I mean, in your eyes, Secretary Chen, there are no good people or bad people. No matter what everyone has done, Secretary Chen, you feel it is only right and natural for these people to do so. No matter how hard I try, I can't do this."

Isn't this how it should be? Chen Ke was somewhat puzzled. Whether a person is objective or not, the first thing is to discard their own interest considerations. Not pleased by external gains, not saddened by personal losses; if one only thinks about one's own gains and losses, how can this person be objective?

Just as he was preparing to teach He Zudao a bit, he saw He Zudao frowning, as if words were stuck in his throat but couldn't be said no matter what. Because of excitement, He Zudao's face was held red. Chen Ke was not in a hurry either; he waited quietly for He Zudao to organize his language himself. After another good while, He Zudao finally spoke. "Secretary Chen, you really want to be good to everyone. Your actions have always been for others. Whether revolution or establishing a new order in the base area, you are doing it for others. Although I can't say it very clearly, I understand it clearly in my heart. And our People's Party comrades can also see it clearly. I also want to be like you, but I just can't do it. If you let me be so sincere to you, to Huishen, to You Gou... Secretary, to comrades inside the Party. I can do it. But for those common people, every time I want to treat them well, they just don't understand. So I always have to keep an eye open. Hold a hand back against them."

Having said all this in one breath, He Zudao did not have the kind of carefree feeling after pouring out his heart; on the contrary, pouring out made He Zudao have more doubts. He gently bit his teeth, his lips pursed tightly together, looking helpless. After a while, he spoke again. "Secretary Chen, you can always come up with ways to solve problems. I have been learning from you to handle affairs. But to tell the truth, the more I handle affairs, the more uncomfortable I feel. With you, things follow a logical pattern, but every time I do as you say, I am full of anger. But I dare not make a sound. So I am becoming more and more stifled."

Hearing such a sincere outpouring, Chen Ke couldn't help laughing. Yes, He Zudao must be stifled. Let alone He Zudao being stifled, if Chen Ke were five years younger, he also wouldn't be able to understand what kind of power is nurtured among the people. What kind of miracles this power can create.

Chen Ke always believed that the gap between China and first-class powers opened after the completion of the Second Industrial Revolution. When electricity and internal combustion engines expanded the scope of mechanization to a larger range, places that originally couldn't build factories became industrial centers, and places originally unreachable by transport vehicles were flattened by wheels and tracks; only then was China completely left behind by the industrial age. If the failure of the Opium War was due to fighting will, then the Anti-Japanese War was the Chinese people under the leadership of the Party fighting bloody battles against the enemy with extremely backward equipment. Relying on countless people to complete the construction of grassroots organizations, completing the construction of the People's Liberation Army possessing infantry squad and platoon tactics standing at the peak of the world. This relied on millions of human lives. And millions of people who dedicated themselves voluntarily.

In the Chinese revolution of Chen Ke's time and space, it was relying on the awakening of the broad masses of people that the great achievement of liberating themselves was completed.

Chen Ke knew how arduous this road was and how great a price had to be paid. So Chen Ke knew what powerful force was nurtured among the people. This force could even change the pattern of the whole world. But He Zudao didn't know these things. This child might know Chen Ke represented something, but he didn't know what exactly Chen Ke represented.

Chen Ke laughed, "Zu Dao, if you think I want to promote you, you are thinking wrong. I am asking you to face a mountain of swords and a sea of flames. If before I was protecting you, then in the future you can only rely on yourself to protect yourself. And you not only have to protect yourself; before you protect yourself, you have to protect others first."

After saying this, Chen Ke saw He Zudao's face slowly turn red. That was not because of dissatisfaction, but because of shame. He Zudao stood in front of Chen Ke with a flushed face like a child. Soon He Zudao tried his best to suppress this shame and said in a tone as firm as possible: "I know, Secretary Chen, I will definitely obey your orders. If you let me go to work in the county, I will go to work in the county."

But Chen Ke's expression changed. The words just now were heartfelt words that could only be said when facing such a firm follower as He Zudao. Chen Ke now required comrades to go to various places to establish new base areas; actually, it was asking comrades to face greater risks. It could even be said, asking comrades to face the threat of death directly.

It seemed other areas were not far away, but in this era, dozens of li away was a completely different world. Not to mention anything else, the straight-line distance between Shouzhou and Fengtai County was only more than thirty li, but the common people of Shouzhou and the common people of Fengtai County were in two completely different worlds. The common people of Fengtai County had already seen the dawn of the new world, while the common people of Shouzhou were now struggling in the darkness of the old era. This was not Chen Ke boasting about himself; needless to say more, how many Shouzhou common people could survive until next year's spring sowing? Even if they endured until the spring sowing season, where would they get seeds for sowing?

The common people of Fengtai County could well cultivate on the land seized by the People's Party. The People's Party would not only provide free seeds and seedlings but also provide more farm tools for production. These didn't require the common people to revolutionize themselves; these things that originally required bloodshed and sacrifice to obtain fell on the heads of Fengtai County common people like snowflakes. The common people of Shouzhou absolutely couldn't have such luck. A straight-line distance of thirty-some li—these thirty-some li meant heaven and hell.

When Chen Ke scattered comrades like seeds to other areas, it was letting these comrades leave the "sunny sky of the liberated area" and plunge back into the dark world. In those worlds, these comrades would face a terrible environment. For these comrades, this was by no means a promotion. They not only had to fight against this dark era but also had to create a truly sunny sky of a liberated area.

Until now, Chen Ke could pat his chest and say, "At the most dangerous time, I go first, I die first." But at this moment, Chen Ke finally couldn't say such words anymore. He understood the reason why he refused to make this decision before; he himself hoped too much to sacrifice fewer comrades and shed less blood of revolutionaries. But no matter how much Chen Ke hoped to protect these comrades, no matter how much Chen Ke hoped these comrades could live to see the day of the Republic's liberation, without the dedication and sacrifice of these comrades, the revolution could absolutely not win. And ordering comrades to create new base areas was undoubtedly ordering comrades to face death.

Chen Ke said, "Zu Dao, whether you go to be the County Party Secretary in the county or not, let's suppress this matter for now. Let's solve the military work first and then talk."

So, Chen Ke and He Zudao wore the uniforms of the Anhui New Army together, standing behind Pu Guanshui. On more than a dozen ships, there were People's Party soldiers disguised as the Anhui New Army. The fleet sailed rapidly towards the foot of Shouzhou City.