Chapter 145: Suppression (2)
Chapter 145: Suppression (2)
September 25, 2017
With gratitude to 'Gourmet?' and 'justforlhq' for their generous rewards!
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As soon as Lu Hai Kong spoke, the group that had been keeping their heads down like chicks, silent and obedient, suddenly stirred again.
"What right do you have to drive us away? Where else can we go if we leave here?"
"Yeah, we can't leave. If we go, we'll all starve to death. It's you who forced us to move, and now you can't chase us away."
"If you want us to leave, you'll have to kill us!"
At this moment, the very people who had previously complained about the place, the citizens ruled by bandits, suddenly felt that this place was heaven on earth, and they no longer wanted to leave.
Unaware of their defiance, Lu HaiKong's anger grew.
"You don't want to leave, is that so? Now that you know the good here, I'll give you a chance. I want one hundred ringleaders. Hand over all those who led the unrest, and I might consider it!"
As Lu HaiKong spoke, the atmosphere among the rebellious citizens in front of him began to shift.
All eyes turned to Zhang Tie, for he was undoubtedly the leader, and if anyone was to be handed over, it would be him first.
Zhang Tie, a man of character, smirked as all eyes fell on him, "I, Zhang, have acted for the future and well-being of everyone. If you all believe that I deserve to die, then so be it. I'll offer my head, but will he be appeased after taking my head and a hundred others from among us?"
Zhang Tie took a step forward and bowed to Lu HaiKong, "I, Zhang, only ask for your word. If you can forgive and forget, and continue to treat my brothers as before, you may take my head!"
With Zhang Tie's bold move, he instantly appeared noble, a true hero willing to sacrifice himself for justice, in stark contrast to the domineering Lu HaiKong.
His strong build and crimson arms caught the attention of many he had riled up, including some on Lu HaiKong's side, who now saw Zhang Tie as a remarkable figure.
"Brother Zhang, don't beg him. If we can't stay here, we'll find another place."
"That's right. I don't believe that with thousands of us, we won't find a place to live."
"I still have a house back home. We can go there first."
Zhang Tie's move was a brilliant one, instantly becoming the pillar of support for the thousands. They believed that following him would lead to better days.
Lu HaiKong couldn't help but laugh as he watched them pledge their loyalty to Zhang Tie.
Lu HaiKong's laughter caught everyone's attention, even though the citizens dared not challenge him. They knew his laughter was a mockery.
"My apologies, I couldn't hold it in. It's my fault; I'm not used to seeing such things. In my life, it's the first time I've seen someone worship a bandit, a slave dealer who sells Han people to foreigners, as a great hero. I couldn't help but laugh."
Lu Hai Kong's words immediately sparked discontent among many present. Zhang Tie's recent performance had been exceptional, and the crowd was not about to tolerate Lu Hai Kong, the domineering leader of the mountain bandits, slandering him.
The crowd was about to voice their condemnation once more, but Lu Hai Kong's furrowed brow and raised hand signaled the archers on the rooftops to nock their arrows, immediately silencing the dissenters.
"Actually, I was just thinking about letting you all leave. I know that guy with the surname Zhang is a bandit and a slave dealer. I was really looking forward to seeing the look on your faces when he sells you to the Xianbei Tribe. That would have been a truly satisfying scene."
Lu Hai Kong's reconnaissance skills allowed him to discern Zhang Tie's identity instantly. Li Xiong, while robbing Zhang Tie, had also mentioned to Lu Hai Kong what this guy did for a living, so Lu Hai Kong had some impression of Zhang Tie.
What Lu Hai Kong said was indeed what he had been thinking, but he had dismissed the idea.
Lu Hai Kong smirked and said in a cold voice, "But, I have a short temper, and I'm no gentleman. I'm not the kind of person who can wait for revenge. If I don't get this anger out today, I won't be able to sleep well."
Aside from this reason, Lu Hai Kong had a deeper consideration. He had to 'kill the chicken to scare the monkey.'
Lu Hai Kong's mountain bandit camp was not in a good situation. At present, enemies surrounded them, and if imperial troops were to launch a crackdown in the future, the environment would become even worse. In this situation, the loyalty of the citizens was of utmost importance. If the cost of betrayal was minimal, who could guarantee that no one would dare to commit such acts in the future? Governing the mountain bandit camp ultimately required a combination of rewards and punishments.
The mountain bandit camp had already fed many carrots, and it was time to wield the stick.
In the 1619 edition of the book, there was no mistake!
Although the rioting citizens didn't believe that Zhang Tie was a bandit, it didn't matter to Lu Hai Kong at this point.
"I'll say it again: hand over a hundred of the ringleaders of the riot, and I'll let you leave. If you can't produce them, then you'll die here today." His icy tone was filled with murderous intent.
The rioting citizens looked at each other, some even starting to curse.
But as soon as they opened their mouths, the archers launched their attack. Hundreds of archers with a strength of 15 were like marksmen, and the rain of arrows that followed killed over a hundred rioting citizens.
Under this brutal suppression, the rioting citizens finally realized that Lu Hai Kong was serious, and they were truly going to kill.
The person who felt this most deeply was Zhang Tie. Lu Hai Kong's cold gaze made him understand that his death was certain, and in this situation, he would surrender without a fight.
"Brothers, let's fight our way out together! Believe me, we can make it!" Zhang Tie shouted, waving his arms.
But when he turned around, he realized that there was not a single person left behind him.
What was so surprising about this? In reality, most of those Zhang Tie could incite were local rowdy ruffians or those with better living conditions in the village. They were the type to forget loyalty for personal gain and were afraid of death.
These people were the most willing to follow Zhang Tie's incitement, but they were also the most afraid of dying. No one was foolish enough to step forward when it was clear that Lu Hai Kong intended to kill.
(End of Chapter)
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