Chapter 113: Kill Them All, Leave None— This General Doesn’t Want To Be Blamed By Future Generations Centuries From Now For Not Razing The City
“Beloved Minister, do you truly intend to transfer three thousand iron cavalry from Qin Li? Your Majesty can mobilize elites from the Capital Garrison, and will certainly not let you suffer any grievances.”
The Emperor learned of Lin Fan’s thoughts.
The first thought was that it was inappropriate.
He was most afraid that Qin Li would send our beloved minister old, weak, sick, and disabled soldiers. Wouldn’t this be making our beloved minister suffer hardship?
Although our beloved minister single-handedly deterred the Mengye Country’s royal army, he still hoped our beloved minister could take it easier and not overexert himself.
“No need. The Capital Garrison’s troops cannot be mobilized; they are for protecting Your Majesty and the Imperial Capital. Besides, this minister has not yet met Qin Li. I would take this opportunity to meet him.”
Lin Fan’s interest in Qin Li had waned from strong initial interest.
It was entirely after meeting Tudan.
He no longer held any expectations for Qin Li’s uniqueness.
He was searching for the reason behind these people’s uniqueness. Although he had no clues yet, it did not affect his plan to take significant steps toward the world with the Central Plains Dynasty as his foundation.
The world is vast, and the truth will eventually emerge.
And before the truth emerges, all he had to do was follow his heart and do as he pleased. He detested arrogant, fanatical clamoring the most, and even more so, he could not stand to see those with whom he had a deep connection suffer miserably and helplessly.
The Emperor was moved. He wasn’t foolish.
How could he not see that his beloved minister was very overbearing and showed no deference to anyone, yet in the Imperial Court and in private, he gave the Emperor ample face?
This beloved minister of his, towards him and the country, was absolutely sincere and trustworthy.
“Beloved Minister, I will give you an Imperial Decree. When you go there, do not have too fierce a conflict with Qin Li. Prioritize resolving matters, and let other things wait.” the Emperor said.
Lin Fan smiled, “Your Majesty, rest assured. I have always been very friendly with people and will absolutely not have any conflict with Qin Li.”
“Oh…”
The Emperor blinked his eyes, his meaning clear, as if to say, “I truly believe you in other matters, but when you say this, it truly makes it hard for me to believe.”
Leaving the Imperial Palace, he returned home.
“Master, you are too amazing.” Ning Yu hadn’t seen her Master for several days. Of course, she had also heard the news that her Master had captured Tudan, but since her Master went to the Imperial Palace, she could only wait at the mansion.
Lin Fan smiled, “There’s no need to be surprised. It’s all basic operations, not worth mentioning.”
Ning Yu’s face was full of pride and satisfaction. “Master, I know this is definitely not worth mentioning, but Master, the outside world says you single-handedly deterred the Mengye Country’s royal army. What was the scene like then?”
To be honest, Ning Yu was extremely curious about the scene.
Rumors were rumors.
It definitely wasn’t as vivid as when Master told it himself.
“Let’s eat first, and we can talk while we eat.” Lin Fan smiled. While he was rushing to the border, the Divine Martial Department was also rapidly preparing. With the Emperor’s financial support, their actions were naturally swift.
Just as Ning Yu imagined.
Hearing it from others was completely different from hearing it directly from Master. Especially the scenes Master described, Ning Yu held her bowl, chopsticks in hand, her mouth agape, unable to recover for a long time.
She truly regretted it deeply.
If she had known earlier, she would have secretly followed Master there.
She had actually missed such a domineering scene.
The Ninth Prince lowered his head, shoveling rice into his mouth, but his mind was filled with the situation Brother Lin had just described. To be honest, he truly couldn’t imagine how explosive the scene must have been.
“Master, you said you were going to conquer Japan. Could you take me along to see the world?” Ning Yu pleaded. She dreamed of following Master. Even though the war with Japan had not yet broken out, she had already imagined in her mind the domineering scene of Master sweeping across with his staff.
Lin Fan said, “War is not child’s play. What are you going there for? The Divine Martial Department is currently preparing. They are unfamiliar with the people in the Imperial Capital, so it’s impossible without you.”
He had no intention of taking Ning Yu with him.
His trip to Japan was to go on a killing spree, and the scenes would be extremely brutal and terrifying. Although Ning Yu appeared carefree and had strong resilience, it was better not to let her witness such bloody scenes.
“Master…” Ning Yu said coquettishly.
“Be good,” Lin Fan said with a stern face.
“Alright.”
Ning Yu was helpless. As an understanding disciple, she naturally understood that since Master had said so, she definitely couldn’t be taken along.
What a pity, truly a pity.
At this moment.
The First Prince’s Mansion.
“Grand Tutor, this situation… this Prince truly cannot see the path forward.” The First Prince frowned, “Ever since Lin Fan appeared, all our plans have been disrupted.”
The Grand Tutor pondered, “Your Highness, please calm yourself. In my opinion, there will inevitably be a struggle between Lin Fan and Qin Li. When the snipe and the clam fight, it will be our opportunity.”
The First Prince said, “Grand Tutor, Qin Li holds military power. What do you think are his chances of winning against Lin Fan?”
This question actually stumped the Grand Tutor.
Qin Li had not taken sides with anyone, but holding military power, he was an unstable factor that could erupt at any moment. Moreover, even if the First Prince truly inherited the throne and became Emperor, he would need to be wary of the military power in Qin Li’s hands.
The Grand Tutor said, “From the current situation, in terms of personal martial prowess, Qin Li is inferior to Lin Fan. But do not forget, Qin Li holds the authority to transfer hundreds of thousands of soldiers, which Lin Fan cannot compare to.”
“You should see the Emperor’s current situation, gradually promoting Lin Fan, even to the point of having a tendency to get involved in military power. Once he touches Qin Li’s military power, you’ll see, a bloody storm will be unavoidable.”
The Grand Tutor was also pleased.
He didn’t want to provoke Lin Fan now, mainly because this fellow didn’t play by the rules. Moreover, to be honest, he also knew that the Lin fellow relied on his powerful fists and would often resort to violence if they disagreed.
After the violence, the Emperor would still side with him.
It was quite frustrating to think about.
At this moment, the First Prince’s eyes darted, and an idea struck him. “Grand Tutor, I have a plan.”
“Oh?” The Grand Tutor was surprised, “Tell me about it?”
The First Prince said, “He is going to lead three thousand elite soldiers to conquer Japan, isn’t he? In that case, this Prince will send people across the sea to Japan to inform them in advance, so they can catch Lin Fan off guard. It would be best if he died in Japan.”
As soon as these words were spoken.
The Grand Tutor’s eyes widened abruptly, staring directly at the First Prince, and he said, “First Prince, absolutely not. Principled mistakes must never be made. No matter how we fight between you and me, it is at least within the rules. If we lose, it’s because we are less skilled. But if we collude with Japan, it is treason and defection, and we will bear eternal infamy.”
He never expected the First Prince to have such an idea.
He, as the Grand Tutor, wielded immense power, but he had never considered doing something that would bring eternal infamy.
Defecting, usurping the throne, he had never even thought of it.
“Grand Tutor, if you don’t say it, and I don’t say it, how will anyone know?” the First Prince said.
The Grand Tutor suddenly stood up, his gaze sharp, and warned, “First Prince, do not speak of such matters again. If you truly still have such thoughts, this Grand Tutor will not be able to help you contend for the throne.”
Seeing the Grand Tutor’s fury, the First Prince quickly said, “Grand Tutor, please do not be angry, I was merely speaking casually.”
The Grand Tutor said, “Your Highness, this matter is not even worth mentioning, let alone thinking about it. Our great Central Plains Dynasty is the central kingdom, and it should naturally receive tribute from all nations. However, in recent years, the Mengye Country has been strong and has repeatedly invaded, weakening our dynasty’s national strength. As a result, small neighboring countries have become ambitious. You have also seen the National Letter from Japan; a mere small land dares to call itself the Son of Heaven, which is utterly rebellious.”
“Yes, yes, Grand Tutor, you are right.” The First Prince repeatedly agreed.
Seeing that the First Prince had indeed let go of such thoughts, the Grand Tutor slowly breathed a sigh of relief. Then, without further ado, he got up and left.
After the First Prince saw the Grand Tutor out of the mansion.
He returned with his hands behind his back.
A look of solemnity on his face, he pondered, then summoned his confidant and personally handed him a letter, instructing him to depart overnight by merchant ship to Japan.
The Grand Tutor did not want him to do this, but he felt that Lin Fan’s existence was a disaster.
If he could be eliminated sooner.
It would be good for everyone.
…
Two days later.
Lin Fan, holding an Imperial Decree, rode out of the capital alone.
Several more days passed.
The southeastern coastal defense line, Qin Mansion.
The mansion with flying eaves and arched roofs was built by the sea, its grandeur surpassing that of a royal mansion.
Qin Li was feasting with his confidant generals when a personal guard hurried in, “General, the Divine Martial Great General Lin Fan has arrived with His Majesty’s Imperial Decree.”
Qin Li was not in a hurry.
The confidant generals did not have much goodwill towards this Divine Martial Great General Lin Fan.
A few days prior, an eunuch had come to deliver a message, demanding that their military pay of two million taels be returned, which had enraged everyone. How could military pay be returned?
No one paid any attention to this.
Once the military pay arrived, it was theirs; no one’s demand was valid.
At this moment, Qin Li stood up, “Let’s go. We’ll go and meet this Divine Martial Great General appointed by His Majesty, lest we be accused of not entertaining him properly upon his return.”
“General, you are always busy with your duties, how can you have time to entertain him? Perhaps my subordinate can go.” a confidant general said.
Qin Li waved his hand, “No, I will personally welcome him. Although this is our territory, do not forget that he is the one who captured Tudan. If a conflict arises, I fear you might not even be able to save your life.”
Hearing what the General said, this confidant general pondered and felt it made sense.
At this moment.
Lin Fan, riding his horse, looked at the Qin Mansion before him and squinted slightly, surprised by how luxurious Qin Li’s residence was.
“Divine Martial Great General, you have traveled far. This Governor regrets not welcoming you sooner. Please do not blame me.” Qin Li said with a hearty laugh, appearing with a majestic stride, exuding power.
Lin Fan looked at Qin Li and said, “Governor Qin, this is our first meeting. This General is also quite curious about Governor Qin. I would like to see what someone who dares to bargain with His Majesty looks like.”
As soon as these words were spoken.
Qin Li’s expression turned cold, but he still forced a smile, “General Lin is joking. How would Qin dare to bargain with His Majesty? It is just that the hardships of the border soldiers cannot be fully explained in a few words.”
“Is that so? I see that Governor Qin’s residence is quite impressive. Building a Qin Mansion must have cost a considerable amount of silver.” Lin Fan’s aggression was strong.
From the brief exchange of words, Qin Li knew that this Lin Fan was not easy to deal with.
His words were barbed.
“General Lin, this mansion did not cost much silver.” Qin Li said with a smile. Suddenly, he noticed the horse Lin Fan was riding looked familiar, “This horse is…?”
“That’s right, this horse belongs to your son. He gave it to me.” Lin Fan said.
Qin Li would never believe Lin Fan’s words; let alone believe them, he wouldn’t believe even a punctuation mark.
Lin Fan shook the Imperial Decree in his hand, “Governor Qin, His Majesty’s Imperial Decree is here. Kneel down and receive it.”
Qin Li knelt on one knee, and the rest of his confidant generals also knelt.
Lin Fan read the Imperial Decree. When he heard its contents, Qin Li’s expression changed slightly. He hadn’t expected the decree to be to transfer three thousand iron cavalry from his camp, and they were to be elite soldiers.
Qin Li accepted the decree and said, “General Lin, do you truly intend to lead three thousand iron cavalry to attack Japan?”
“That’s right. I would trouble Governor Qin to personally arrange the transfer of three thousand iron cavalry and prepare ships. This General will depart tomorrow.” Lin Fan said.
He didn’t want to have a direct, fierce conflict with Qin Li right now.
There was no need for that yet.
The most important thing now was to flatten Japan and remove this thorn in his side completely.
Qin Li said, “General Lin, please rest in the mansion first. This Governor will arrange the troops for you shortly.”
Lin Fan waved his hand, “No need to rest. Governor Qin, please lead me to the barracks to select the iron cavalry.”
Qin Li thought for a moment and nodded. He then asked a confidant brigadier general to go to the barracks early to make preparations. The brigadier general who received the order naturally understood his governor’s intentions and left quickly.
…
The military camp’s training ground, banners fluttering in the wind.
Countless soldiers stood with their heads held high and chests out, all standing straight, exhibiting excellent spirit and morale.
Lin Fan stood with his hands behind his back, looking at the soldiers.
Qin Li said, “General Lin, these are the elites of the elites. They have always been stationed here. The surrounding fishing villages have always been harassed by sea bandits, and it is thanks to them.”
Immediately, Qin Li shouted, “All soldiers, this is our Great General Lin Fan of the Divine Martial Department. He is here today by His Majesty’s decree to mobilize three thousand iron cavalry to set sail and conquer Japan. Anyone who wishes to accompany the Great General, step forward voluntarily. Do not say there are no opportunities to achieve merit; now the opportunity has arrived.”
The soldiers remained unmoved.
Not a single one stepped forward.
“Reporting to the Governor, this subordinate suffers from seasickness,” a soldier shouted.
Qin Li looked at Lin Fan and said, “General Lin, as you can see, these elite soldiers I have are drawn from various regions. For land warfare, they are all skilled. However, when it comes to naval warfare, they are truly not good.”
“Seasickness is their biggest drawback.”
Qin Li appeared very helpless.
Lin Fan’s expression was indifferent, with no emotional change. However, the brigadier generals who followed Qin Li were either lowering their heads and smirking, thinking that it was a pipe dream to get elite soldiers from them.
These soldiers only obeyed Governor Qin’s orders.
Even the Emperor’s decree was useless.
“Are there any who are not seasick?” Lin Fan asked.
“There are…” Qin Li pretended to hesitate, “but they are all locally recruited. Although they can swim, they are not considered elite soldiers. If the General does not mind, perhaps you could take a look.”
He led Lin Fan to a corner of the camp.
The soldiers gathered here were indeed much thinner, and their equipment was also simple, but compared to the elites just now, their eyes actually held a hint of ferocity.
“Are these all locals?” Lin Fan asked.
Governor Qin said, “That’s right, they are all locals. Brigadier Liu, step forward.”
A dark-skinned man stepped out and shouted, “Governor.”
Governor Qin nodded and introduced, “This is General Lin of the Imperial Divine Martial Department. He is here to transfer three thousand elite soldiers to Japan. Do you dare to lead troops to march with General Lin?”
Brigadier Liu’s expression became somewhat excited upon hearing that it was to conquer Japan, “General Lin, did you say you were going to conquer Japan?”
Lin Fan said, “That’s right.”
Brigadier Liu said, “If General Lin does not mind, this subordinate is willing to lead troops to march with the Great General.”
Lin Fan looked at Brigadier Liu and the soldiers behind him, nodding with satisfaction. So-called strong soldiers were those who had experienced many battles and had robust physiques.
But these soldiers who grew up by the sea all appeared very thin.
To Qin Li, these local soldiers were not taken seriously. However, the court had its rules; border defense required recruiting local civilians as soldiers.
Compared to the soldiers he personally trained and were loyal to him, these local soldiers were like wild children who were born but had no milk to drink.
“Good, then it’s you,” Lin Fan’s requirements for soldiers were very low, as long as they had hands and feet and could carry things.
Subsequently, he looked at Qin Li and said, “Governor Qin, preparing a set of armor and a warhorse for each of them should not be a problem, right?”
Governor Qin said, “There’s no problem with that, but warhorses are difficult to procure. Unlike in the interior, the demand for warhorses here is very low, so it might be difficult to gather enough for so many people.”
Lin Fan smiled slightly, “Governor Qin, please try your best to gather as many as possible.”
“Alright, I will do my best,” Qin Li said.
After a long while, after Lin Fan left.
A confidant said, “Governor, do we really have to gather warhorses for him?”
Qin Li snorted coldly, “Gather what? People can be found anytime, but you know how long it takes to breed fine warhorses. However, this is His Majesty’s decree, and I do not wish to fall out with Lin Fan for now. Find some weak horses and make up the numbers for him.”
The confidant suddenly understood and smiled, “Understood.”
Qin Li said, “Those going with him this time are all locals. They do not have much combat experience. Three thousand men to conquer Japan, I think he is dreaming. After he leads all these people to their deaths in Japan, let’s see how he faces the scolding of the local villagers upon his return.”
The confidant smiled, then frowned with a headache, “But for these three thousand men to march to Japan, all the ships and logistics must be provided by us. The court is clearly taking advantage of our newly acquired military pay.”
Qin Li waved his hand, “Give it to him, give it all to him. Transporting three thousand men will require about forty sea ships. Prepare provisions and fresh water for them. A battle is not something that can be initiated at will. I want to see how he commands.”
“Understood.”
Several days later.
Everything was ready. Dozens of sea ships of various sizes were docked by the shore, and the soldiers were loading supplies onto the ships.
Qin Li stood beside Lin Fan and smiled, “General Lin, this Governor congratulates you in advance on your victorious return.”
Lin Fan looked at Qin Li and smiled, saying nothing more.
Brigadier Liu came over and said, “Great General, everything is ready. We can set sail at any time.”
Lin Fan said, “Then let’s set sail now. There’s no need to waste time.”
“Yes, General.” Brigadier Liu responded and immediately went to notify them to set sail.
“Governor Qin, farewell,” Lin Fan said.
“General Lin, have a safe journey,” Qin Li said with a smile.
Lin Fan looked at Qin Li with a meaningful gaze, which gave Qin Li a bad feeling, as if the other party was saying, “Our business hasn’t even started yet. When I return victorious, it will be time to settle accounts with you.”
If Lin Fan knew Qin Li’s thoughts, he would definitely give him a thumbs-up.
Correct.
You guessed accurately.
He was currently leading troops to conquer Japan and did not intend to fall out with Qin Li for the time being. After the war ended and Japan was flattened, it would be time for him to settle accounts with Qin Li.
As the ships sailed out of the harbor in a mighty procession, the local common people waved their hands. Their children were on those ships, and who among parents wouldn’t worry about their children going on a distant expedition?
“Governor Qin, how long will this battle take to end?” a commoner couldn’t help but ask.
Qin Li remained silent.
But a brigadier general beside him couldn’t help but sigh, “Whether they can return from this expedition is still unknown.”
“Ah?”
Upon hearing this, the faces of the common people changed drastically, and they looked at the speaking brigadier general with confusion.
The brigadier general said, “The expedition to Japan was the decision of this Divine Martial Great General. He only wanted three thousand men. How can such a small force conquer Japan? Our Governor Qin tried to dissuade him, but it was useless. This is a favored official of the current Emperor; no one can stop what he decides.”
The common people looked anxiously into the distance.
But it was too late to say anything now.
Because the ships had already sailed away.
…
On the ship.
Brigadier Liu, holding a map, entered the ship’s cabin and spread out the map, “General, this is a map of Japan. We will land here.”
Lin Fan glanced at the map with no interest, “Mm, who is the current ruler of Japan?”
“Reporting to the General, twenty years ago, after many warring shogunate periods, it was unified by a regime calling itself the Toyotomi regime. Its leader is ambitious and once boasted that he would conquer Silla in three years and pacify the Central Plains in five.”
“Heh.” Lin Fan tapped the table with his fingertips, “A mere small land dares to claim to pacify the Central Plains?”
Brigadier Liu said, “Yes, very arrogant. In recent years, Japan has been paying tribute, and relations have eased. Japanese merchants often come here to trade. When they get drunk, they openly talk about how terrifying their Toyotomi regime is and how they want to annex our Central Plains Dynasty.”
Lin Fan pressed his hand on the map and sneered, “Toyotomi regime? It won’t last long.”
Brigadier Liu heard what the General said and felt his blood surge with excitement, “General, will we have any strategies then? For example, taking advantage of the opportunity to strike directly at the heart and capture the high-ranking officials of the Toyotomi regime?”
“No strategies.”
“Ah?”
Lin Fan said, “Japan has wolfish ambitions and cannot be allowed to exist. After landing, keep your swords sheathed and your armor on. Kill whoever you encounter. Fight all the way to the center of Japan.”
Brigadier Liu’s mouth was slightly agape, “General, isn’t this a bit impulsive? Japan’s military strength is not small. Although their equipment cannot compare to ours, such an open advance might lead to a siege crisis.”
“Don’t be afraid, just trust this General. I’m not good at military deployment, but the only thing I’m good at is killing. You’ll see.” Lin Fan said.
Brigadier Liu stood stunned, looking at the General before him, seeming to want to speak but hesitating.
The sea breeze, carrying a salty scent, rushed into the ship’s cabin, and he inexplicably shivered.
Sailing all the way.
The soldiers on the sea ship looked into the distance. They were also discussing the expedition to Japan.
“What do you think is the background of our Divine Martial Great General?”
“I don’t know, but Brigadier Liu said that this Divine Martial Great General is very powerful. He did something that single-handedly deterred the Mengye Country’s royal army.”
“Ah? That powerful?”
“Yes, quite powerful. However, he is only leading us three thousand men this time. Can we really conquer Japan?”
“Who knows. Anyway, we were not valued by Governor Qin. Now that I have a chance to go on an expedition, I cherish it very much. If I die on the battlefield, my family will receive compensation, and my brother will have money to get married.”
“Yes, we have armor. This is the first time I’ve touched armor with my own hands. With Governor Qin, only elite soldiers were qualified to wear it. We, at most, wore rattan armor.”
“Nonsense, once we put on armor, we’ll be a match for ten men, even twenty men.”
Obviously, they all knew how formidable armor was.
Several days later.
The coastline appeared.
The soldiers on the ship were nervous and expectant. Brigadier Liu immediately announced that the soldiers should put on their armor and prepare all supplies, ready to land.
Lin Fan leaped from the ship onto the shore and stepped on the solid mud, feeling at ease.
Under Brigadier Liu’s command, the soldiers, clad in armor, disembarked one after another, all appearing very excited. They formed orderly lines.
Lin Fan shouted loudly, “All my men, this is Japan. Today, I, Lin Fan, bring you to this land with the intention of destroying Japan. You must have often seen Japanese pirates harassing the coastal defense, burning, killing, and looting, committing all sorts of evil. Now is the time to teach them a lesson.”
“Rest assured, since I, Lin Fan, led you out, I will definitely lead you back safely.”
“After this campaign ends, you will surely be recorded in history.”
The soldiers shouted and cheered.
Brigadier Liu, however, looked solemn. He had a feeling that this expedition might not lead to a return. He truly did not expect that this Divine Martial Great General had no ability whatsoever in troop deployment.
Sigh!
To be honest.
Brigadier Liu was truly despairing, but even despair was useless.
Suddenly.
A deafening roar of battle came.
On the distant plain, Japanese soldiers suddenly appeared, vast and a dark, dense mass. This scene instantly sent Brigadier Liu’s heart into his throat.
“Enemy attack! Everyone prepare.”
He hadn’t expected Japan to know so quickly. And judging by the appearance, they were clearly prepared. How could this be? They had only just landed.
Even if Japan’s military movements were swift, they couldn’t be this fast.
A bad premonition arose in his heart.
That someone had leaked their whereabouts, allowing Japan to know their movements in advance.
Lin Fan looked calmly into the distance, squinting slightly.
“Were our movements leaked?”
Of course, he didn’t think Qin Li did it, as Qin Li had been under his constant watch. This meant that someone had informed Japan before he even left the Imperial Capital?
The only one capable of doing such a thing was probably the Grand Tutor.
Good, good, you dog of a Grand Tutor, just wait until I return to settle accounts with you.
“Fire arrows!!!”
A jabbering cacophony came from the Japanese side.
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
The sound of piercing air resounded.
Brigadier Liu roared, “Raise your shields! Protect the General!”
Facing the overwhelming volley of arrows, Lin Fan showed no panic. Instead, he charged towards the Japanese army with his iron rod. He roughly estimated that this Japanese army consisted of about five to six thousand men.
Their equipment was simple; except for the leaders who wore armor, the rest wore rattan armor.
But when he looked at the General, he was completely shocked. He saw General Lin charging into the Japanese formation, swinging his rod and sweeping through.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
A series of booming sounds echoed.
As the Japanese pirates were swept by the iron rod, their bodies exploded, and blood mist permeated the air, leaving Brigadier Liu dumbfounded. After the arrow rain caused them no harm.
Brigadier Liu roared, “Charge!”
Clad in armor, they charged towards the Japanese pirates under Brigadier Liu’s command.
At this moment.
The Japanese general leading the troops to intercept was stunned speechless by the sight of Lin Fan’s slaughter, as if he had seen a ghost. He had no recourse but to shout and rave.
“Haha, this is the real thrill of fighting!” Lin Fan roared. Every swing of his rod displayed his dominance. He felt no pressure fighting Japanese soldiers.
He even felt refreshed seeing the Japanese pirates being smashed by him.
As the soldiers in armor joined the battle, the Japanese pirates were instantly routed, mainly because the pirates discovered that the armor they wore was too terrifying.
Their swords, when slashed against it, caused no damage, leaving only a white mark.
The soldiers led by Lin Fan, when facing the pirates’ swords, felt immense fear in their hearts, but when they saw that the slash caused no damage,
Their confidence soared, and they retaliated with a sword, only realizing how formidable wearing armor was after cutting down their opponents.
Now, the thousands of Japanese pirate soldiers were quickly dispersed, it was a one-sided slaughter.
There was no chance of victory.
The general leading these Japanese pirate soldiers was named Kato.
He looked at the scene with horror, especially the man wielding the iron rod, who was like a devil among devils, terrifyingly powerful.
“Run!”
Some Japanese pirates wailed and shouted.
Kato, seeing the situation turn bad, knew that the defeat was like a mountain collapsing. He tightened the reins of his horse and turned to run, but where would Lin Fan let him escape? He directly hurled his iron rod, piercing the horse beneath the opponent.
With a bang.
Kato fell from his horse, utterly disheveled.
Just as he tried to get up and continue his escape, he was surrounded by a group of soldiers.
Kato looked at them in extreme terror.
Lin Fan walked up to him, “Ask him how he knew we were coming.”
Brigadier Liu spoke some words to Kato in Japanese.
“General, he was also following orders. As for how he knew, he doesn’t know either,” Brigadier Liu said.
Lin Fan waved his hand, “Kill him.”
“Yes.”
Brigadier Liu drew his sword and, under the man’s terrified gaze, severed his head with one blow.
Lin Fan looked at the soldiers, “Is anyone injured?”
“No.”
“General, he sprained his ankle,” a soldier shouted.
Lin Fan looked at the soldier limping and said, “Mm, good. Charging into battle and bravely injured, you will be credited.”
The soldier with the sprained ankle lowered his head shyly.
His ankle was twisted because the ground was uneven, and he wasn’t paying attention while charging too fast.
“Thank you, General.”
Lin Fan nodded, “Clean up the scene, keep their horses, and continue our journey.”
At this moment, Brigadier Liu looked at Lin Fan with shock. He had witnessed everything that had just happened. General Lin was too terrifying, as fierce as a monster.
The main force continued to advance.
With ample provisions, conquering Japan presented no difficulty. As for encountering large enemy forces, he was not afraid at all. He only needed to charge forward and kill the commanding officer to demoralize the Japanese pirates.
After an unknown period.
A village town appeared ahead. The city walls were not as grand as those in the Central Plains Dynasty, but were built with wooden palisades. Japanese villagers who saw these soldiers in armor, exuding an aura of killing intent, fled in terror back into the village town.
Brigadier Liu whispered, “General, are we going to massacre the city after entering?”
At this moment, Lin Fan did not immediately give an answer.
Instead, he frowned and pondered.
Massacre?
This was a heavy topic, and he was also conflicted.
But soon, when he saw the Japanese civilians picking up weapons and standing on the [Truncated: Max tokens]
But soon, when he saw the Japanese People picking up weapons and standing on the wooden city walls, roaring ferociously, he knew his kindness was unnecessary.
Perhaps, his momentary kindness now might very well lead to heavy casualties among the common people of the Central Plains Dynasty in a hundred years, or even several hundred years.
Perhaps later generations would cry out, “Divine Martial Great General, you had already reached Japan at that time, why did you show mercy and give them a chance to bite back?”
“Kill them all, leave no one alive,” Lin Fan said, his killing intent surging.
Liu Canjiang took a deep breath, “Yes.”
Lin Fan smashed open the wooden city gate with an iron rod, and the soldiers behind him rushed in. In an instant, cries of anguish erupted within the city. Lin Fan, standing at the gate, watched with a solemn expression.
His hand was clenched tightly around the iron rod.
Perhaps he will be called a man-slaughterer, a murderous demon.
But it didn’t matter. When dealing with certain peoples, he reminded himself from beginning to end that he must never be soft-hearted; weeds burned by fire cannot be completely eradicated, they will grow again with the spring breeze.
Liu Canjiang arrived in a hurry, “General, there are some children, and the soldiers can’t bring themselves to strike. Please decide, General.”
Lin Fan said coldly, “Are you all very merciful? Or do you wish for them to grow up and kill all your families, and rape your wives and daughters?”
Hearing this, Liu Canjiang lowered his head and accepted the order, “Yes, General.”
After an unknown amount of time.
The village town was quiet, and the air was filled with the strong smell of blood.
The soldiers were still somewhat dazed. After experiencing this matter, they had a deep sense of awe towards the Divine Martial Great General.
Lin Fan said, “Have the soldiers rest in place.”
“Yes, General.”
Liu Canjiang responded.
And at this very moment.
A voice was heard.
“General, we’ve found something, we’ve found something…” a soldier rushed over.
Lin Fan asked, “What did you find?”
The soldier said, “We just found many raggedly dressed people in a cellar. When we were about to kill them, they claimed to be from the Central Plains and asked if we were from the Central Plains.”
“Bring them here.”
“Yes.”
Soon, dozens of emaciated people walked over in fear. They had seen corpses all along the way. When they saw Lin Fan, they all knelt down in unison.
“General, save us.”
Lin Fan asked, “Why are you here?”
“General, we were all captured and treated as slaves by the people here, forced to farm and build things for them. I’ve been captured for five years.”
The thin man speaking wiped his tears, and as he recalled the past years, he couldn’t help but cry out.
Liu Canjiang suddenly remembered something and exclaimed, “No wonder people have reported to the authorities every year about their missing family members, and no matter how they searched, they couldn’t be found. It turns out they were abducted to Japan.”
The man said, “Yes, we were all abducted. There were over a hundred people here before, but many have died over the years. Some women were also abducted and were wantonly violated by the locals. Their faces were ferocious and cruel when they became enraged and shouted. I personally saw a girl of thirteen or fourteen years old being publicly brutalized by a group of locals and tortured to death. They said we were low-class, despicable inferiors, only fit to be their slaves.”
Hearing these words, the soldiers, who were previously dazed, now clenched their fists, their anger burning.
They never imagined that their own countrymen were enduring such torture.
Disgusting!
Truly disgusting.
Liu Canjiang’s anger burned. He had initially thought the General’s order to leave no one alive was somewhat cruel, but now it seemed the General had foresight. Some races truly cannot be allowed to remain.
Lin Fan said, “I am the Divine Martial Great General Lin Fan, ordered to lead the army to quell Japan. Are you willing to join our ranks and work in logistics? When this General reaches the Toyotomi regime’s main base, I will then take you home. Are you willing?”
“We are willing, we are willing. It’s just that, General, I know a place that specifically sells our Central Plains people, and there are even Central Plains merchants who actively cooperate with them to sell our compatriots here.”
“Hmm?” Lin Fan heard this and waved his hand, “Rest period is over, everyone get moving. You, lead the way.”
“Yes, General.”
Lin Fan never expected that there were still Central Plains people who actively cooperated with the Japanese to sell their compatriots. Thinking of this, Lin Fan’s killing intent boiled, and he felt that beating them to death with a club would be a kindness to them.
He really wanted to skin them alive, tear them limb from limb, and dismember them.
…
Renji.
There is a very large market here, and Central Plains merchants often come here for human trafficking.
Since Central Plains merchants are the mainstream here, the Japanese have naturally learned some Central Plains languages.
“Come and see, Central Plains slaves, all top-quality goods.” A Central Plains merchant stood before a large cage and shouted, instantly attracting the attention of many Japanese.
To this group of Japanese, having one or two Central Plains slaves was a symbol of status. Most preferred male slaves, as they represented labor.
As for females, they were also popular.
They could allow the Japanese to do as they pleased, to ravage Central Plains women, as if ravaging the Central Plains Dynasty. Especially those with perverse tastes preferred to buy Central Plains female slaves.
“How much is this?” A wretched Japanese man stared intently at the disheveled woman in the cage, looking her over carefully and nodding from time to time.
Clearly, he was quite satisfied with these slaves.
“Five taels of silver.”
The Central Plains merchant smiled and spread his hands. This business was extremely profitable for them; the biggest loss was transportation, everything else was pure gain.
“A bit expensive,” the Japanese man frowned, clearly unable to accept such a price.
The Central Plains merchant said, “This is expensive? This female slave is thirteen years old, just at her prime. If you don’t buy her, plenty of others will.”
“Alright, five taels it is. Open the cage and let me inspect the goods with my finger.”
“Certainly.”
And at this moment.
From afar, panicked, terrified screams could be heard.
