Since ancient times, the common people had never fought officials. The character for "official" had two mouths, one above and one below; they could call black white and white black.
With a single accusation of "You are colluding with the Black Lotus Society," they could sentence you to death in minutes.
These people truly killed without blinking. Joining their clamor was simply courting death.
Therefore, no matter how the hearts of everyone at Black Iron Stronghold bled, they could only watch helplessly as the other side carted away the weapons forged by the entire stronghold.
The Big Beard Commander paced through the stronghold with his hands behind his back. When he reached the main hall, his eyes suddenly caught sight of the Godslayer Sword in Lu Wangchuan's hand, and they immediately lit up.
"Fine sword!"
He strode forward and said coldly,
"Kid, this Commander is requisitioning the sword in your hand."
Lu Wangchuan's expression remained indifferent.
"This is a sword I bought privately. It was not forged by Black Iron Stronghold."
The stronghold master also stepped forward to plead.
"Commander, you may take any sword in my stronghold, but you cannot seize the sword from my client's hand. If you do, Black Iron Stronghold's reputation will be utterly ruined."
In these chaotic times, reputation was more precious than anything when doing business.
If word got out that a customer of Black Iron Stronghold had been robbed within Black Iron Stronghold itself, who would dare come here to commission swords in the future? That would be the true blow to Black Iron Stronghold.
Unfortunately, the other party did not buy that at all.
"Get out of my way! Others may not be able to seize it, but does that mean I can't? Besides, I'm not seizing his sword for myself. I'm doing it to suppress rebels.
"This Commander is requisitioning every weapon in Black Iron Stronghold! Not a single one will be exempt."
As soon as he finished speaking, one hand had already landed on the Godslayer Sword.
Lu Wangchuan's gaze was calm.
"I advise you not to take it."
"What? Kid, you want to defy orders too? Are you an accomplice of the Black Lotus Society?"
Big Beard Commander's tone was threatening, but Lu Wangchuan's eyes did not waver in the slightest.
A moment later, he released his grip.
The other party was merely at the peak of the late Source Opening Realm, still a thread away from the Dantian Realm. Killing him would be as easy as lifting a hand.
But there were too many people here. The soldiers alone numbered over a thousand, not to mention the disciples of Black Iron Stronghold.
He was not some murderous devil. He could not possibly slaughter them all!
If these people leaked word that he had killed an Imperial Court commander, he would probably end up on the wanted list in minutes.
A starving camel was still bigger than a horse. Da Qian still had many experts, and Lu Wangchuan did not want to stir up too much trouble.
He would let him take it for now, then deal with it once they reached somewhere deserted.
Seeing him release the sword, the other man finally revealed a smug smile.
"That's more like it. You must learn to serve the nation. Under the whole heaven, is there any land that is not the king's land? Within the borders of the realm, is there anyone who is not the king's subject? What is yours and mine? All of this belongs to Da Qian. If necessary, even you belong to Da Qian. Hahahaha."
With that, he left amid wild laughter.
After everyone departed, the stronghold master clasped his hands toward Lu Wangchuan and apologized with deep guilt.
"Young hero, today Black Iron Stronghold failed to protect your sword. Black Iron Stronghold is willing to forge you another Godslayer Sword, but in these troubled times, the materials cannot be gathered in a short while. Could you grant us some time?"
Seeing that he was an honest man, Lu Wangchuan did not make things difficult for him.
"No matter."
"Many thanks, young hero."
Night soon fell. Heavy rain poured from the sky, lightning flashed and thunder roared, and all the soldiers in the camp hid inside their tents.
The tents were brightly lit with lamps fueled by sheep fat. The tables were covered with fragrant roast meat—beef, mutton, pork ribs, roast chicken, roast duck. The endless delicious meat that fell to the ground was trampled into the mud.
The soldiers drank fine wine and feasted to their hearts' content.
"Brothers, what do we do if the Imperial Court doesn't issue our military pay?"
"Rob!"
"What do we do if the Imperial Court doesn't deliver our rations?"
"Rob!"
"What if the Imperial Court doesn't provide weapons and armor?"
"Still rob!"
"Hahaha, well said! Those corrupt officials of the Imperial Court dare withhold our pay and provisions, so we'll rob the common people of their gold, jewels, chickens, ducks, cattle, and sheep. Only when we're full will we have the strength to fight the Black Lotus Society and earn merit. Once the war is over, we'll all be covered in military achievements. We can become officials too, with food and clothing without worry for the rest of our lives."
"Follow the Grand Commander, drink wine and eat meat, rise in rank and make a fortune!"
Everyone raised their arms and shouted in excitement, until midnight came and the revelry gradually subsided.
By then, the thunder had grown louder and louder, covering the camp's earth-shaking snores.
Lightning flashed, and a shadow silently slipped into the military camp. Not long after, veteran soldier Zhang San, awakened by the urge to urinate, was about to get up and relieve himself when he suddenly felt a chill at his neck. A large hand had locked it tight.
Cold sweat broke out over his entire body from fright. Just as he was about to call for someone, he realized that apart from the occasional thunder, the entire tent was deathly silent. Usually, the snores here were like thunder.
The nearly hundred soldiers in this tent were all dead.
"Don't shout. I ask, you answer, and I'll spare your life."
Zhang San nodded.
"Where is the Dragon Scale Patterned Sword that was taken during the day?"
"Answering Hero, it's in the Grand Commander's tent. He couldn't bear to put it down and planned to keep it for himself."
"Which tent is his?"
"The small tent to the left of the Central Army Tent. The Grand Commander is suspicious by nature and cautious in all he does. He never stays in the main tent."
The instant he finished speaking, Lu Wangchuan snapped his neck.
Zhang San's eyes widened, his face full of disbelief, as though he were saying that Lu Wangchuan had broken his word.
In truth, Lu Wangchuan had never intended to spare him. Keeping one's word with evil people would only make one die faster.
Using the lightning as cover, Lu Wangchuan swiftly moved through the military camp and soon reached the small tent to the left of the Central Army Tent.
He slipped inside silently, and a streak of cold light immediately rushed at his face.
Lu Wangchuan tilted his head slightly and easily dodged it. The cold light brushed past his ear and pierced through the tent's hide.
"Hmph, you've got some skill. You actually dodged that."
"You've got some skill too."
Lu Wangchuan looked at the Grand Commander sitting on the bed, his expression icy.
The other man smiled faintly.
"I sleep with half an eye open, otherwise how could I have lived until today? At Black Iron Stronghold during the day, the look in your eyes told me that you would not let this rest. If you were going to steal it back, it would be within these next few days."
He drew the Godslayer Sword from beside the bed, looked at the alluring dragon scale patterns on its blade, and lifted the corner of his mouth.
With a casual swing, the treasured sword let out a sword cry through the air and effortlessly severed a brass candlestick as thick as an arm beside him. The cut was flat and smooth, like two mirrors.
"Such a fine sword is wasted on a little brat like you. Better leave it to me."
As soon as he finished speaking, two sharp glints suddenly flashed in his eyes. Then he stamped his foot, and his body shot forward straight at Lu Wangchuan.
The strength of the peak Source Opening Realm gave him speed utterly mismatched with his burly body, swift as lightning.
A flash of cold light streaked through the air, and he had arrived behind Lu Wangchuan.
Yet the smile on his face slowly vanished, gradually turning into terror. His eyes widened, filled with utter disbelief.
Rumble—!
A bolt of lightning split the sky, illuminating his terrified face and his neck, where blood spouted like a fountain. At some unknown moment, two bloody holes had appeared there.
Lu Wangchuan took back the Godslayer Sword from his hand.
"What use is all that petty cleverness? Without strength, everything is empty talk!"
Many thanks to reader 20210604103907065 and reader Grass Strawberry for the rewards. My deepest gratitude.
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