(First update)
Yang Ming bid everyone farewell, declined the close protection of the Sky-Blasting Gang members, and walked alone through the streets of Gengxin City.
Following the sudden war a few days earlier, Gengxin City had changed hands and was now under the Heaven Dou Empire's control.
Along the way, there was no sign of the initial panic. The old order and tranquility had returned.
Although Yang Ming did not consider himself a good person, he would not make life difficult for ordinary citizens. He also governed his subordinates with extreme strictness, even demanding that the Heaven Dou Empire's soldiers hold themselves to the same standards as the Sky-Blasting Gang. They were not to take so much as a needle or a thread from the people, and burning, killing, and pillaging were absolutely forbidden.
To be honest, once war broke out, the victors usually committed many atrocities that enraged heaven and man alike against the defeated. Seizing the wealth of the city's rich and carrying off other men's wives were practically everyday occurrences.
What? You said there were laws?
Sorry, there really weren't.
Even if the victims of plunder were full of grievances, it did them no good. If they tried to lodge a complaint, soldiers would probably intercept and kill them halfway there.
Thus, there was actually considerable opposition within the Heaven Dou Imperial Army to Yang Ming's demands.
But after Yang Ming disposed of a few troublemakers as easily as slicing melons and chopping vegetables, none of them dared show their resentment, however much they harbored. The severed heads hanging at the entrance to their camp were still dripping blood, proclaiming Yang Ming's unquestionable, absolute authority.
It was thanks to Yang Ming's iron-fisted methods that the people of Gengxin City settled down so quickly and reopened their businesses,