Chapter 326: Dominance
Chapter 326: Dominance
September 25, 2017
"A mere Strength of 79 dares to provoke me? It seems the new guy doesn't hold me in high regard." Lu HaiKong smirked, then waved his hand. Behind him, Ma Pen immediately understood and led the Wild Wolf Guardians to barge in. They crushed through any obstacles in their path, displaying an overwhelming and domineering force.
The scene instantly descended into chaos. Zhang Yang's men quickly surrounded them, and a confrontation seemed imminent. At that moment, Zhang He's voice echoed from the tavern.
"Lu Warlord, please spare Zhang a face," Zhang He pleaded.
Lu HaiKong swung his Savage Axe, signaling the Wild Wolf Guardians to halt their attack. A smile appeared on his face as he said, "Alright, I'll give you this one. Han Ma, you stay outside with them."
Lu HaiKong dismounted and, carrying his Savage Axe, kicked open the tavern door and strode in.
Inside the tavern, Zhang Yang's face turned ashen at the sight of Lu HaiKong barging in with such dominance.
"Good, good, Lu HaiKong. You dare to kill an official of the court right on the street. How audacious of you!"
After entering, Lu HaiKong scanned the room and glanced at Zhang He, who looked helpless. Then, he approached Zhang Yang with a cruel smile on his lips. "Is this audacity? If I kill you, or if I raise an army in rebellion, that would be true audacity."
"You!" Zhang Yang was infuriated by Lu HaiKong's domineering words. He pointed at Lu HaiKong, his anger building, but eventually, he suppressed it.
Lu HaiKong coldly humphed, then ignored Zhang Yang and turned to Zhang He, asking, "What's going on? Have you been dismissed?"
Lu HaiKong wasn't a fool; the events that had transpired were clearly meant to intimidate him. Seeing Zhang Yang's arrogance and Zhang He's helplessness, Lu HaiKong could easily guess the reason.
Zhang He nodded and introduced Lu HaiKong, "This is my seventh uncle, Zhang Yang, also known as Zhang Ziyang, the new Governor of Dingxiang County."
Zhang Yang was still fuming over Lu HaiKong's disregard for him. When Zhang He introduced them, he didn't bother to show Lu HaiKong any respect.
Lu HaiKong glanced at Zhang Yang with a sidelong look, his eyes filled with unconcealed killing intent. "I'm not interested in him, but the fact that you've been replaced does give me a slight headache. This guy doesn't seem easy to deal with. It's more comfortable working with you. Should I kill him for you, and you can continue being the Governor?"
"What audacity! How dare you speak such nonsense! Don't you know whose territory this is?"
Zhang Yang's anger reached its peak. He slammed the teacup in his hand onto the ground, and in an instant, over a hundred soldiers emerged from every corner of the tavern, surrounding Lu HaiKong and his two companions.
"See that? Do you believe that with just one order from me, you'll never leave Dingxiang alive today?"
"I don't believe it," Lu HaiKong said, unafraid. He grinned and exuded confidence, "Do you believe that even with all these wastes here, killing you would be as easy as taking something from a bag?"
As he spoke, Lu HaiKong slammed his Savage Axe onto the ground. The tavern floor, made of green stone, shattered beneath his feet, and an overwhelmingly domineering aura burst forth. In that moment, Lu HaiKong became a peerless god of slaughter, and under this aura, the surrounding soldiers trembled in fear. Even Zhang Yang's face showed a hint of panic.
It was then that he remembered the man before him was capable of instantly killing his top generals. Zhang Yang felt a sudden sense of unease.
"What are you doing? You can't kill me! If you do, my Zhang family will never let you off. By then, not only you but your bandit camp will be slaughtered to the last man!"
"Slaughter my bandit camp?"
Zhang Yang, after hearing these words, finally couldn't help but take a few steps back. However, he maintained his composure and refrained from accusing Zhang He of colluding with outsiders. Instead, he hoped that Zhang He would stand up for him.
As for Zhang He, he couldn't help but sigh softly as he observed the domineering and awe-inspiring Lu Haikong before him, realizing he had underestimated this man. Lu Haikong's performance today was truly impressive in Zhang He's eyes.
From the initial difficulty at the wine shop to the ruthless display at its entrance and the ultimate display of dominance inside, Lu Haikong seamlessly transitioned into the role Zhang Yang had intended for himself. Zhang Yang had planned to intimidate Lu Haikong, but the tables turned, and Lu Haikong intimidated him instead. Despite being alone, Lu Haikong's aura dominated the situation.
Zhang He, however, felt that Lu Haikong was a bit reckless. Without his presence, the situation could easily spiral out of control.
As Zhang He pondered this, he caught Lu Haikong's gaze and momentarily froze, followed by an involuntary bitter smile.)
"This guy is far more cunning than I expected. He's been plotting against me from the start, and it's only because of my mediating role that he dares to be so direct and domineering. How is it that in just over two months, he seems to have become so much more formidable?"
In the 1619 version of the novel, Zhang He inwardly sighed. Being forced into a compromising position was an unpleasant feeling, but he had no choice but to step up as a mediator.
"Uncle Qi, Chief Lu, please give He some face. Let's not get worked up; let's sit down and talk this through, shall we?"
With this olive branch extended, both Zhang Yang and Lu Haikong gracefully accepted the offer.
In truth, neither Zhang Yang's initial assertiveness nor Lu Haikong's subsequent dominance was a result of their innate nature. Instead, it was a calculated move driven by their desire for personal gain.
While neither side could be considered entirely rational, they both understood the effects they wanted to achieve. Zhang Yang, having successfully ousted Zhang He, now faced a challenge: he needed to perform better than Zhang He to secure his position.
Zhang Yang had seized the opportunity by exploiting Zhang He's decision to forgo millions in profits, and now he had to deliver results. Only by achieving success could he solidify his position. To do so, he couldn't simply follow in Zhang He's footsteps, as that would not yield quick results. After all, Zhang He wasn't a fool, and he wouldn't have willingly given up such a substantial profit if he had a choice. Thus, Zhang Yang immediately asserted himself, showcasing his new stance.
Zhang Yang aimed to leverage the Zhang family's influence to intimidate Lu Haikong, forcing him to relinquish some of his interests.
On the other hand, Lu Haikong, upon realizing the change in personnel and their attempt to intimidate him, immediately understood their intentions. He responded with a show of dominance, not to seek justice for Zhang He, but to suppress and crush their newfound ambition.
This wasn't a matter of Lu Haikong's inability to compromise; rather, he was keenly aware that if he gave them an inch, they would take a mile. His ambitions were clear, and he couldn't afford to let them gain any ground, as it would only lead to more severe consequences.
(End of Chapter)
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