316 To Violate the Army’s Disciplinary Laws (1/2)
The day after the army had set off… or to be more precise… on the midnight of the day the army had set off — the real client of the Blood Sword Hall, the Emperor of the Tian Xiang Empire — finally received the news he had been waiting for. The Zhao Family's men who had had crossed into the Capital's region had been wiped out along with the troops they had hired from the Southern Trade Union. The Second Prince's Devine Storm Guard had suffered the same fate.
The Emperor didn't find this news-report shocking; in fact, it was expected. Otherwise, wouldn't things have failed to live up to his arrangements? However, the news-report wasn't limited to this information. This was because the annihilation hadn't been limited to the aforementioned deaths. The members of the Blood Sword Hall who had taken part in the operation had also died a violent death.
The three Sky Xuan experts, fifteen Earth Xuan assassins, and forty Jade Xuan assassins — all had been eliminated. This news was shocking; in fact, it was extremely shocking.
One would've needed immense fighting-strength in order to destroy such a force. And, this was different from an ordinary defeat… perhaps even an 'attack and a rout' situation. Rather, it was the complete destruction of an entire military group; not a single person had been able to escape.
In addition, the main reason for these events had disappeared without a trace. That is… the meticulously manufactured ultra-killing weapons made using the Xuan Beasts' tendons and highly tempered steel — which several powers had been vying and hoping for — had also disappeared without a trace.
The Emperor had ransacked his table, and had his cup had fallen down. The spirit of his gloomy face didn't revive for many days to come. The crossbows and the strength of the Blood Sword Hall had held great importance for the Emperor. He had never expected that his flawless arrangements would go awry instead of capturing those crossbows. In fact, he hadn't merely lost-out on the crossbows. He had also lost the elite troops that constituted nearly half of the covert martial strength under his command to this unfathomable mystery.
The fact that made him even angrier was that this event had left no clues behind. So, he couldn't determine who had been behind this incident. So much so, that even the tiniest clues hadn't been left behind. How wouldn't the Tian Xiang Empire's Emperor be gloomy? How could he not be angry? This gloom and anger resulted in a cloud of worry and a fog of misery in the Imperial Palace. Everyone trembled with fear and treaded with caution since no one wanted to anger the 'unhappy' Emperor.
As for the effect of the news of this event on the Second Prince… he fainted when he heard this news. This isn't an exaggeration… he had genuinely fainted on the spot.
That was understandable. After all, he had suffered the greatest damage amongst all the participants. He had expended the highest amount of resources from the start to the finish. In fact, he couldn't afford the final outcome of it. The Second Prince had paid for the raw materials that were required for the manufacturing. In fact, he had paid a very high price for them. Perhaps, one should say that he had paid an astronomically high price. Then, he had paid double for the manufacturing cost. The Prince had also engaged a lot of manpower for the transport arrangements. And now, he had suffered a dead loss. Moreover, his Devine Storm Guard had also been annihilated in its entirety; they were the Second Prince's most elite troops!
One could say that he had gone bankrupt while paying for another's wedding dress. The fact that was even more exasperating was that he didn't know who that 'other person' was… The Second Prince probably wouldn't have been able to figure out a way of responding to this situation if he hadn't already fainted in the first place…
Another person was similarly gloomy. It was Li You Ran. The Young Master Li hadn't suffered the loss of a fortune like the Second Prince. But, he had still paid a considerable amount. One could say that he had lost his hard earned savings…
He had sent half of the most elite of his family's secretly trained warriors for this task. And, they had been completely annihilated. Moreover, one of his senior brother-disciples was killed, and turned to minced-meat.
However, the fact that made him even more depressed was that — he didn't know whom to retaliate against. [Should I look for the Blood Sword Hall? Should I find that assassin and take revenge?] Wouldn't the Great Cold-Blooded Master Lei Wu Bei go mad if he didn't take revenge? Moreover, his two remaining senior disciples had been so shaken that they hadn't even brought their deceased brother-disciple's body back. In fact, he reckoned that his senior brother-disciple and his senior sister-disciple wouldn't stay with him for long either.
Nine senior brother-disciples and one senior sister-disciple had come to Tian Xiang City a fortnight ago in order to help him with his plans. However, eight had already died by now. And, the remaining two had transformed into thoroughly frightened creatures.
The Li Family's Young Master — Li You Ran — resented this situation to no end.
Something else had also added to the fire. He had sent some of his powerful seniors to formally gain control over Tian Xiang City's underworld a few nights ago. However, they had unexpectedly been attacked the same night, and had been forced to retreat. And, the Jin Yang gang had engulfed the entire underworld as a result.
The Jin Yang gang had already become the biggest group in Tian Xiang's underworld. In fact, they didn't have any competitors.
[Senior Brother Lei Jian Hong and Senior Sister Fang Piao Hong fought the enemies tonight. These two Sky Xuan experts battled the counterparts. Their enemies' strength was indeed greater than my seniors, but these two senior-disciples have failed in the true sense. They become flustered, and lost all intention to fight-back. A Sky Xuan expert must at least be able to maintain their composure and status!] Li You Ran was especially angry at that point. And, the two seniors had also realized their problem. They were ashamed of letting their junior down, and asked him to let them leave. They wished to find Master Lei Wu Bei in order to discuss the countermeasures with him.
Li You Ran had readily agreed. He had naturally provided them with a great amount of money for their travels. He had politely seen them off to their journey as well. However, muttered curses had arisen from the usually calm Young Master Li You Ran's mouth after the two left. He had suddenly raised his leg, and had smashed his family's door with a kick…
He had already reached Jade Xuan realm. Therefore, he had become quite powerful. His ferocious kick had thoroughly destroyed the door.
It was a proper and incisive kick.
”Jin Yan Gang…? You think that I don't know that you're Jun Mo Xie's people?” Li You Ran's fists clenched. Then, his expression had gradually calmed down, and he had slowly loosened his fists. Suddenly, a gentle smile had stretched across his face. ”Jun Mo Xie has left the Capital now. Do you think that I won't be able to deal with you now? Do you think that I won't be able to handle you now? I have many ricks. It would be hard to beat you head-on, but round-about ways can also achieve the same goal!”
The Young Master Jun's blood had boiled during the ceremony of vows that had taken place before they had set out to war. This was the first time that he had felt like a hot-blooded heroic son of a military family. However, Jun Mo Xie had found himself unable to bear the military's customs after merely half-a-day's journey from the Capital. It was too much for him to take!
[That's forbidden! That won't do either!] Jun Mo Xie had later discovered walking without consent, and even laughing or speaking out-of-turn was improper in his third Uncle's eyes.
Jun Wu Yi had stayed away from the military for more than ten years. But, this barbaric control of the army had brought victories in the past. He seemingly watched over those who weren't pleasing to his eyes with a cold and scowling face, and acted against them with swift and decisive decisions. He would especially nitpick with the group of debauchees — headed by his own nephew — even more harshly for no reason since they weren't pleasing to look at. So, if he saw one of them… he would scold that 'one' youngster. If he saw two of them… he would scold them both.
Therefore, it was fair and reasonable that Jun Mo Xie, Murong Qian Jun, Meng Hai Zhou, Meng Fei, Li Zhen, Li Feng, etc… these Young Masters of the various families were left to whine to no end.
Jun Mo Xie knew that his uncle would need strict authority over the military to hold the battle formations. For that, his uncle needed to establish his prestige. He would need to set-up the image of harsh and firm military discipline since that would ensure strict obedience when they marched into a battle. Could they possibly go to war if indiscipline was rife in the Army? That would be like marching to their death!
Therefore, Jun Wu Yi needed several 'out of luck' and 'damnable' scapegoats in order to establish his prestige.
It was a classic case of 'killing one to warn the many'. He would set an example as a warning to others in order to implement military discipline.