Being Deprived of Everything

They'll eat up the bloodline of the dying! If all the men in the family are gone, what about those once friendly, laughing fellow villagers?

But they really will take advantage of your family and leave you with nothing. Your wife and daughters will either become someone else's women or be sold off.

This disaster wiped out many families. It wasn't uncommon for entire families to die out together.

But that's the greed in people's hearts. They not only want the property of those whose entire families have passed away, but they also want to seize the property of those who are still alive.

Otherwise, what do you think all that lavish feast outside is all about?

Is it really a prayer to the gods?

There are some things that are better left unsaid; this is a generally accepted fact. As long as no one speaks out, everyone benefits.

But once someone exposes it...

That would be a different story.

"Lord Samurai." The old man didn't seem afraid of Li Pu at all; apart from being slightly angry, he didn't seem to show any other signs.

"Are you really going to continue like this?" the old man asked. "You're still young."

"We shouldn't go down a dead end."

"Actually, the village still needs someone to guard it," the old man said methodically. "So..."

"So what?" Li Pu retorted. "Do you think I would agree to anything? Or do you think you can force me to make a choice?"

"Then you can't blame us." The old man shook his head and said, "I'm sorry, Lord Samurai."

"Yes," Li Pu said, picking up his two pistols. "I'm sorry, everyone."

The old man looked at the weapon in Li Pu's hand and suddenly seemed a little panicked. But he quickly regained his composure and said, "Lord Samurai, do you intend to kill us?"

"You are the guardian of Yae..."

"Bang!" Li Pu shot the old man right between the eyebrows.

Blood was instantly splattered all over the ground.

"When old and new ideas collide, there will always be some people who become victims," Li Pu said calmly. "Some support the new ideas, while others want to maintain tradition."

"There is no change that can be accomplished without bloodshed and sacrifice."

"Let's start with you now!"

Chapter 228 Lipkaren

"Looks like you've miscalculated, Otto."

In a small room, Yae Sakura sipped her tea and said, "Things didn't turn out the way you imagined."

Otto was also holding a teacup.

Events had indeed unfolded beyond his expectations. Giving Li Pu the gun was his way of hoping to see Li Pu shoot the villagers! Otto knew very well that although Li Pu was the reincarnation of Kallen, he was no longer the Kallen he knew now.

He absolutely has the courage and the awareness to kill the person he once protected.

But according to Otto's script, that's not how the play is supposed to go.

Li Pu needs to leave with the bell.

Then the villagers discovered Li Pu's actions and surrounded him, trapping him in a desperate situation. Left with no other choice, Li Pu finally chose to fire his gun, all of which had to be done just as Kallen arrived.

Kallen is made to watch Li Pu kill the villagers, and then Kallen's made to grapple with this issue.

She needed to create a rift between her and Li Pu without letting them completely break up.

Creating such a situation is difficult, but not entirely impossible. More importantly, Li Pu is very clever; he may not follow your script.

He has his own ideas.

Moreover, Kallen is very stubborn and inflexible.

Therefore, if any mistake occurs that causes a serious conflict of opinion between Li Pu and Kallen, all of his efforts will be in vain.

This is how it looks now.

Li Pu did not choose to run directly, which was something Otto had expected.

But Li Pu made the decisive choice to fire.

Otto really hadn't expected this.

A single gunshot rang out, and it really did push the matter to an almost irreconcilable conclusion!

"It was a bit of a miscalculation," Otto said, stroking his teacup. "I didn't expect Li Pu to be so decisive, choosing to fire directly. Things have definitely become a bit complicated."

But these are all minor incidents, nothing more. What kind of incidents hasn't Otto seen?

The situation was still manageable.

It can be kept in check.

Perhaps...

Otto had a feeling that things were getting out of control, that things were gradually slipping out of his grasp. This Li Pu was even smarter than he had anticipated.

Moreover, his goals became clearer, and he acted with greater composure and decisiveness.

If things continue as planned...

"I'll go and get Kallen out of here," Otto said, putting down his cup. "You're in charge of the rest of the way."

Otto was already feeling the pressure. Even the wisest can make a mistake, and such a small miscalculation could very well lead to his complete defeat.

The best way to remedy this now is to cool things down quickly.

But will things cool down so easily?

Of course not.

Kallen acted faster than anyone else. The abrupt end of the banquet and the gunshot piercing the night sky told Kallen that something terrible had happened. By the time she ran towards the sound of the gunshot, it was already too late.

There were only corpses on the ground.

The crowd had scattered like birds and beasts, and they were only just beginning to see Kallen arrive. Some of the braver villagers picked up hoes, sickles, and other farm tools, seemingly intending to fight alongside Kallen.

Kallen's heart sank to the bottom instantly, and her original worry and anxiety were instantly replaced by anger.

These bodies belonged to villagers from this area.

Just moments ago, these villagers were singing, dancing, drinking, and enjoying food with her. And now, in just a short while, they are lying here as corpses.

How could Kallen not feel angry?!

She rushed into the house in one stride.

He glared angrily at the person.

The only person capable of causing these harms.

Li Pu!

He didn't seem to have run away, and he didn't appear to have changed much, except that his expression was rather indifferent. The girl who had been used as a sacrifice was also sitting properly next to Li Pu.

She felt no fear or apprehension whatsoever towards those lying on the ground.

They didn't even seem to be in any pain or distress.

It was as if no one had ever died around her and there was no smell of blood.

It was as if nothing had ever happened!

"Li Pu!" Kallen roared, "This... you did all of this?!"

"Otherwise what?" Li Pu asked, sitting cross-legged. "What do you think?"

Li Pu toyed with the Colorless Serenade in his hand and said, "Besides me, who else could cause this kind of harm?"

"Why did you do this?" Kallen demanded. "The weapons in your hands are supposed to protect the people from harm! But look at what you're doing!"

"Is this what you're meant to protect?!"

"Yes! This is what I'm protecting!" Li Pu said confidently. "Are these the only people whose lives matter?"

"Isn't Rin's life a life too?!"

"Who gave them this right?!" Li Pu retorted, "To allow them to seize other people's property and take their lives in the name of sacrificial rites?!"

"You are supposed to protect the people," Li Pu countered, "But isn't Ling one of the people you are supposed to protect?"

"Is it acceptable for her to die for the sake of some so-called Sacrifice Ritual?"

"No... that's not how it is..." Kallen's momentum weakened after Li Pu's words, and she said, "I know! This is not right."

"But you can't do this! I'll find a way to protect Ling."

"But you're like this..."

"How can there be a way to have it all?" Li Pu said. "Do you think you can persuade these people? You don't understand that this kind of thing can't be resolved with just a few words."

"That's impossible! Kallen, you're too naive."

"These people don't just have ideological problems."

"There are also interests involved, naked interests."

"I don't know what you're thinking." Kallen was speechless, unable to find a reason to refute Li Pu's words. She could only stubbornly say, "This kind of thing just won't do!"

Li Pu shook his head helplessly.

How should we evaluate Kallen's ideas? She was indeed a naive idealist, still carrying the romanticism of the petty-bourgeois Giorgio. She also had very obvious historical limitations.

It can only be said that Kallen was undoubtedly progressive compared to her era.

Kallen's ideas were naive compared to those of Li Pu's time.

This gap, created by the times, perceptions, and ideas, could never be bridged from the very beginning.

Li Pu didn't want to compete with Kallen for anything, because reality always teaches those naive people a lesson unexpectedly. Reality and human nature are just that cruel.

Seeing that Kallen was silent, Li Pu wanted to make a comment about Kaslana's will.

But before I could even say anything, I smelled smoke.

"What... what's going on?" Kallen asked, frowning slightly. "It smells like there's a fire over there?"

Soon it wasn't just a smell anymore; smoke began to rise from around the window, followed closely by flames.

"There's a fire here?!" Kallen exclaimed in surprise.

"It wasn't an accidental fire." Li Pu stood up from the ground, and said with a mixture of pity and helplessness, "These people set the fire. They were trying to burn me to death."

How could they do this?!

Kallen's mood right now is like an overturned spice jar, with all sorts of flavors mixed together.

But more than anything, people are puzzled!

"That's why I said you're too naive," Li Pu said, shrugging. "You have no idea what will happen if I stay here and try to change things my way."

"But there will always be someone here who knows, and they will know very well."

"I'm different from you."

"Some of them know very well," Li Pu said. "If I continue to do things my way in Yae Village, I will strip them of their privileges, help people like Rin reclaim what was taken from them, and reduce them to the same level as ordinary farmers."

"And more importantly, I will not compromise with this group!"

"What you don't know, Kallen, some people do." Li Pu pointed to his head. "My existence directly threatens them."

"To them, I am comparable to Honkai Beast."

"You..." Kallen was speechless. Yae Village had once again shattered all moral boundaries. Li Pu tried to stop the Sacrifice Ritual but was beaten and imprisoned. The villagers discussed Li Pu 'Li Pu fate; if it weren't for Kallen and Yae Sakura's strong opposition, they would have executed him for impiety.

And now, she's still here.

Those villagers actually set it on fire!

Kallen was confused and even began to waver as these villagers repeatedly crossed the line.

The Kaslana family's will is to protect the people.

But are people like this really worth protecting?