Slave Empire [Complete] - 22

Volume 9, Desperate Counterattack, Chapter 179: Challenging Authority
. In the central square of Changlong City, the recruitment area was bustling with activity.
Despite the Qiu family's 300,000-strong army besieging the city, a long queue of four men waiting to enlist, stretching back and forth dozens of times, filled the spacious square, which could hold 200,000 people! As far as the eye could see, it was estimated that at least 150,000 people had come to enlist as reserves for the Free Army!
The recruitment notice, posted only yesterday afternoon, quickly spread throughout Changlong City—the Free Alliance, facing a joint invasion from five major powers, announced plans to add twenty divisions to its reserve force.
Changlong City allocated four division slots: two for the central square and the remaining two for the four major districts of East, South, West, and North. As the temporary capital of the Free Alliance, a large influx of immigrants and builders, along with a large influx of refugees, had brought Changlong City's population to over 800,000, many of whom were young men and women, thus ensuring ample manpower.
The Free Army's undefeated record of consecutive victories, coupled with the fact that joining the Free Army meant rapid promotion for anyone with ability, and even those without a position could obtain a rank based on their martial arts prowess, resulted in extremely high status and excellent benefits for its soldiers—these were the most basic conditions enabling the Free Army's massive expansion.
In the martial arts-driven and merit-based Hua Long Continent, who wouldn't want to achieve fame, fortune,
and children with the Free Army's continued victories? Unlike the frenzied expansion by Sima Cheng and his son Sima Yuan in Wuling Prefecture and other places, which involved forced conscription, with forty- or fifty-year-olds and teenagers being "grabbed," the Free Army's expansion involved careful selection—today, not just any Tom, Dick, or Harry could join the Free Army!
"Good! Good!..." A continuous cheer rang out from the west corner of the central square.
At the west corner of the square, a temporary recruitment checkpoint, about two hundred paces square, had been set up. Those wishing to join the Free Army, regardless of gender or origin, must pass three tests: first, lift and drop a 200-pound stone weight ten times consecutively with one hand; second, draw a 10-stone longbow and fire ten arrows in rapid succession, accuracy irrelevant, but the distance must reach 150 paces; finally, withstand three moves from soldiers arranged by the military.
Those who successfully pass all three tests receive a specially made slip of paper and are sent to the Free Army headquarters' parade ground to report—the cheers were the applause earned by those who passed the tests.
At the end of Chen Shi (7-9 AM), Hua Yinghong, along with Liu Yufei, Feng Yanran, Fang Shiling, eighteen guards, and thirty-six Fire Phoenix Guards, rode through a specially designated passage to the recruitment platform in the central square, immediately eliciting a deafening roar of cheers!
No introduction was needed; Hua Yinghong's unique armor, reserved only for marshals, clearly identified him. Only the "Son of Freedom" could enjoy such an honor and treatment, appearing accompanied by two peerless beauties, Alliance Leader Liu Yufei and "Freedom Army Flower" Feng Yanran.
"Fellow countrymen! Brothers and comrades!" Hua Yinghong's voice was not loud, calm and composed, yet it clearly reached everyone's ears amidst the cheers of hundreds of thousands. The cheers immediately subsided, and everyone listened intently to Hua Yinghong's speech following his unique opening remarks.
In the history of the Hua Long Continent, only those in high positions had ever referred to the people as "subjects" or "children," and only officials were called "parents and officials." Only the walls of the Freedom Army's camps bore heartwarming slogans like "Treat the people as parents, treat the garrison as home."
No one would accuse this of deceiving the people, because the Freedom Army's strict discipline was renowned throughout the land. Not only did they never disturb the people, but they also frequently helped them with voluntary tasks. Now, these words, uttered by Hua Yinghong, the de facto leader of the Freedom Alliance, were enough to ignite the people's passion, inspiring them to fight to the death for the Freedom Alliance!
"Thank you for stepping forward when the Freedom Alliance was in its most critical moment! War is cruel, and death is ever-present. Perhaps many of you will never see your parents, your wives, or your children again, but I swear in the name of the sons of freedom: every drop of blood shed by the soldiers of the Freedom Army will not be in vain, every life lost will have value, and every parent, wife, and child will be cared for! ...
Brothers and sisters who did not pass the test, do not be discouraged. Everything you have done in the rear is the strongest support for the Freedom Army! ... Long live the Freedom Alliance! The Freedom Army will prevail!"
Hua Yinghong's recruitment speech became a classic speech for the Freedom Army's recruitment and has been passed down through the ages...
"Long live the Freedom Alliance! The Freedom Army will prevail!" "The fervent shouts of over a hundred thousand people soared into the sky, followed by deafening responses from the recruitment offices in the four major districts of Changlong City—east, south, west, and north.
This unparalleled momentum left the Qiu Clan's Jade Dragon Army, stationed outside the North Gate, bewildered: Where was this city once ruled by the Qiu family for generations? Where was this city on the verge of collapse?
" The recruitment office leader reported, "Reporting to Alliance Leader Liu, Marshal Hua, and Commander Feng: Twenty-three thousand people have been tested within an hour, with twenty-one thousand four hundred successfully passing the three tests. Most are disciples of the Ship Guild and people from all walks of life from Treasure Island who came to participate in the construction of Changlong City."
"Excellent! Recruiting should be done with quality, not quantity. All those willing to participate in the test should be allowed. If there are excesses, record them, issue certificates, and assign special personnel to train them as reserve soldiers. They will not need to participate in the test again next time. Do not dampen their enthusiasm."
Under Hua Yinghong's "everyone is a soldier" ideology and militia system, almost everyone in Changlong City who came from Zhenbao Island to participate in the construction has practiced the Heaven and Earth Technique, or the Void-Breaking Technique and the Blazing Sun Technique, for a period ranging from a month to three or four months, with dedicated instructors. Passing the test is not a problem. With
a little training and proper equipment, these people will become a formidable fighting force. This is not only true in Changlong City, but also in other newly occupied major towns on the mainland.
After withstanding the first wave of attacks launched by several major forces, the potential of Hua Yinghong's widely disseminated Two Divine Techniques hidden among the people will become a nightmare for all adversaries!
—If we don't consider the pressure of internal affairs, finances, and logistics, expanding the army is not a difficult task for the Free Army. Not to mention expanding by twenty divisions, even expanding by ten divisions is something the Free Alliance can do now!
The enthusiastic recruitment scene quickly spread through the spies of various forces...

One quarter to noon. Xiankelai Inn.
"Okay! Okay!" "Alright!..." The crisp, slow sound of horses' hooves approached from afar, but to Ma Zhiyuan, the owner of "Cyclamen," it sounded quite unpleasant—
The "Sword Inquiry Pavilion" commands respect throughout the land. Ma Zhiyuan is merely the person in charge of the Sword Inquiry Pavilion within the Qiu family's controlled area, yet even the former head of the Qiu family, Qiu Haoyu, treats him with utmost courtesy, addressing him as a brother and showering him with rare gifts—they are incredibly friendly!
After the Free Army occupied Changlong City, they completely disregarded "Xiankelai," treating it no differently than any other inn, let alone offering any hospitality or gifts. This greatly displeased Ma Zhiyuan! —Isn't this blatant disregard for the "Sword Inquiry Pavilion"?
This time, "Xiankelai" accepted over a hundred experts from the Qiu family to protect them, intending to use the Sword Inquiry Pavilion's prestigious reputation to suppress the Free Alliance's arrogance and also to repay the Qiu family for their years of generosity. Ma Zhiyuan never expected to stir up such a hornet's nest!
Hua Yinghong is someone who doesn't give the Sword Inquiry Pavilion any face either. Thousands of troops and experts surrounded "Xiankelai," showing no respect whatsoever to the Sword Inquiry Pavilion!
"Noon is approaching. Senior Ma, if even one of the 123 members of the Qiu family is still in the inn by then, don't blame me for showing no mercy!" Hua Yinghong's voice clearly reached the ears of everyone in "Xiankelai" outside the gate. "
Senior Ma, perhaps we should leave," said Qiu Shuixiao, a slightly round-faced, smiling young man opposite Ma Zhiyuan, bowing casually. "How can you bear to implicate the Sword Inquiry Pavilion for the sake of us?"
“Nephew Qiu, there’s no need to worry. Has the Sword Inquiry Pavilion ever feared anyone?” Ma Zhiyuan knew perfectly well that “Laughing Tiger” Qiu Shuixiao was using a feigned retreat to incite conflict between the Sword Inquiry Pavilion and the Free Alliance, but he had no choice but to bite the bullet and say, “Let’s go to the gate and see. I don’t believe the Free Alliance would dare to attack the Sword Inquiry Pavilion!”
As the saying goes, “He who eats another’s food is bound to do his bidding.” At this moment, Ma Zhiyuan had completely forgotten the order from “Lingbo Fairy” Shui Xinyue. What “full authority”? As a veteran who had devoted so many years to the Sword Inquiry Pavilion, did he fear a junior like Shui Xinyue?
“Senior’s righteousness is boundless; this junior is deeply grateful.” Qiu Shuixiao’s nickname, “Laughing Tiger,” was indeed well-deserved; his expression was always smiling, and this time it was an even more genuine smile!
Besides launching the first wave of attacks and dealing with the food problem, the third trump card arranged by the patriarch Qiu Shuibo against the Free Alliance was about to take effect: Within the vast city of Changlong, where could Qiu Shuixiao and his more than one hundred top experts not hide? Hiding in "Xiankelai" was merely a pretext to provoke a full-scale confrontation between Wenjian Pavilion and the Free Alliance!
According to Qiu Shuixiao's understanding, there were at least fifty Saint-level experts under Wenjian Pavilion alone in "Xiankelai"! They might still not be able to withstand the Free Army's large-scale attack, but as long as some of Wenjian Pavilion's subordinates were killed or wounded, no matter how strong the Free Alliance was, it couldn't surpass Wenjian Pavilion! —Has Ma Zhiyuan received so many benefits from the Qiu family over the years for nothing?
The area around "Xiankelai" was already completely surrounded by five thousand Free Army soldiers and experts from the Security Department and Military Intelligence Department. After inspecting the various recruitment sites, Hua Yinghong and Feng Yanran went to "Xiankelai" to deal with the Qiu family experts who were lying in wait. Allowing these experts to remain in the city would tie down many of their own elite troops, severely hindering their next move.
At this moment, Hua Yinghong and Feng Yanran stood side-by-side four zhang in front of the inn, with Fang Shiling, eighteen guards, thirty-six Fire Phoenix Guards, and a large number of crossbowmen, archers, and Fire Phoenix Guards standing guard behind them. Even the rooftops across the street were filled with Free Army soldiers! This display showed that Hua Yinghong was not bluffing; even if the "Sword Inquiry Pavilion" was a tiger, he dared to pull its teeth from its jaws!
"Senior Ma, it's almost noon. What are your thoughts?" Hua Yinghong asked politely. "Are our guests ready to leave?"
Ma Zhiyuan led twenty of his subordinate Saint-level experts and Qiu Shuixiao out. Hua Yinghong and Feng Yanran's power was concealed, making it impossible to gauge their strength. However, the guards and Fire Phoenix Guards behind them were all clearly experts who had advanced to the Innate Saint-level. The thousands of elite Free Army soldiers were silent and composed, demonstrating their strict discipline and formidable combat strength!
Ma Zhiyuan was secretly alarmed, but replied aloud, "Marshal Hua, treating the guests of Wenjian Pavilion this way might not be good for Shui Xianzi's feelings, would it?"
"Senior Ma, there's no need to use Wenjian Pavilion to intimidate us," Hua Yinghong said with a dark expression. "Shui Xianzi has already informed me that Wenjian Pavilion will not take sides in this matter. Very well, for Shui Xianzi's sake, I will make an exception and allow the Qiu family to send one expert to fight me fairly. If they win, they can leave Changlong City safely with their men without any hindrance; if they lose, these 123 people will have to condescend to be guests. What does Brother Shui Xiao think?"
Qiu Shuixiao's smile vanished, and he thought to himself how shrewd Hua Yinghong's move was: Hua Yinghong's move was a combination of offense and defense. With a clear advantage, he proposed a one-on-one fight to decide the fate of his group, which was a great concession to Wenjian Pavilion. If Ma Zhiyuan insisted on intervening, he would be completely in the wrong and asking for trouble!
The key point was that regardless of the outcome of this battle, Hua Yinghong would not suffer any significant losses. If they win, the Free Alliance can capture over a hundred experts from the Qiu family; if they lose, their group will have to leave Changlong City. Everyone knows Hua Yinghong is renowned for his wisdom and strategy, and he's only been practicing martial arts for a few months. Even if he loses, it won't significantly damage the Free Army's reputation. Unless they can kill Hua Yinghong in a duel—but even their ancestor Qiu Wanli warned them to be extremely careful—killing him easily is something even their ancestor might not be able to accomplish!
These thoughts flashed through Qiu Shuixiao's mind as he smiled lightly and said, "I'm merely entering the city to deliver some New Year's goods to Senior Ma, and to see what new developments Changlong City has under Brother Hua's rule. The New Year is a time for celebration, not for swords and spears, Senior Ma, do you agree?"
Qiu Shuixiao wasn't one to be easily swayed, and naturally wouldn't let Ma Zhiyuan and the Wenjian Pavilion remain uninvolved. Moreover, this group of experts from the Qiu family had indeed brought a large quantity of valuable New Year's goods, sneaking into the city under the guise of "paying New Year's respects" to Ma Zhiyuan before the year's end.
"Hua Yinghong is, after all, wary of the prestigious reputation of the Sword Inquiry Pavilion." Ma Zhiyuan, momentarily blinded by greed, failed to grasp the situation and replied, "This nephew Qiu is truly paying New Year's respects to this old man. I wonder if Marshal Hua could consider the past for the sake of this old man and the Sword Inquiry Pavilion, and let this matter rest?"
Hua Yinghong sighed lightly and said, "Even if the Water Fairy were here, she wouldn't openly protect the enemies of the Freedom Alliance. I am not capable, but I can make decisions on behalf of the Freedom Army. Senior Ma, it seems you cannot represent the Sword Inquiry Pavilion, do you?"
"I represent the Sword Inquiry Pavilion here!" Upon hearing this, Ma Zhiyuan's anger flared: Wasn't this blatantly saying that he was merely a subordinate, unqualified to make decisions?
Ma Zhiyuan's words were firm and resolute, causing Qiu Shui's smile to deepen!
"Senior Ma, don't make a mistake!" Hua Yinghong's expression changed, and he suddenly seemed like a different person, exuding an aura of dominance. He slowly said, "Pass down the order: take action immediately at noon! I want to see who truly represents the Sword Inquiry Pavilion, and what they represent!"
"Yes!" Thousands of Free Army soldiers responded in unison. Hua Yinghong was now a god in the eyes of the Free Army soldiers. As long as he gave the order, gods and Buddhas alike would be killed if they stood in his way. What did the authority of the Sword Inquiry Pavilion matter?
Ma Zhiyuan's expression also changed, and he burst forth with a powerful aura, shouting, "Pass down the order: be prepared for any eventuality! I want to see who dares to attack the Sword Inquiry Pavilion!"
Seeing that the conflict between the Free Alliance and the Sword Inquiry Pavilion was about to erupt—
"Wait!" An old voice came from inside the door: "Manager Ma, you have openly disobeyed the Sword Inquiry successor's order. You have gone too far."

Volume 9, Counterattack, Chapter 180: The King of Killers
. The words had barely left his lips. An elderly man with white hair, carrying a bald broom, slowly walked out of the "Xiankelai" inn. His cloudy old eyes were almost slits, and his steps were unsteady, as if he might collapse at any moment.
But to discerning people like Hua Yinghong, it was a strange feeling: the old man seemed to be full of flaws, as if he knew absolutely no martial arts; yet every step he took was flawless, as if all martial arts techniques had been perfected and reduced to a simple thing—walking!
The old man did not have any intimidating aura, but he gave people a feeling that could only be understood but not explained—that no matter who tried to attack him, they would never gain the slightest advantage!
"Uncle Fu, you—" Ma Zhiyuan was greatly surprised: this old man had been sweeping the floors of "Xiankelai" for at least thirty years, and apart from keeping the floors clean, he had not noticed anything unusual about him.
The "Sword Inquiry Pavilion" has changed hands several times in this area, and Ma Zhiyuan is the fifth person in charge. In ten years, he hadn't even realized that Uncle Fu was actually a hidden master! He was simply pitied for being alone and an old man, so he was kept at the inn as a form of charity. When "Fairy Lingbo" Shui Xinyue visited last time, she brought him a gift before leaving. It was initially thought to be just a young girl's respect for the elderly, but it turned out to have a deeper meaning!
"May I ask your name, sir? I humbly accept your guidance." Hua Yinghong was always very respectful and polite to the elderly, especially to someone as clearly skilled as the unfathomable Sword God Lang Qingyun. He wasn't afraid of facing any enemy, but he didn't want to easily make one, especially such a formidable one!
"Everyone calls me Uncle Fu. I've lived too long; I don't even remember my original name," Uncle Fu said with a touch of melancholy, squinting his old eyes.
"Fifty years ago, when Shenying was still a young girl, I was sweeping the floor here; in the past fifty years, four Pavilion Masters have come here, and ten years ago, when Hanyan was still a young girl, she and Lang Qingyun also came once. I originally didn't want to deal with these mundane matters anymore, but when the young girl Xinyue came a few days ago, she brought me my favorite osmanthus cake, and today she specially sent me a message. I'm obliged to help her, so I had no choice but to offer up this old body."
"Shenying" is the "Shenying Fairy," the successor of the Sword Inquiry Sect who supported Emperor Liu Suifeng in unifying the Hualong Continent fifty years ago. By that calculation, wouldn't "Uncle Fu's" seniority in the Sword Inquiry Sect be terrifyingly high?
"Old Immortal Master, with the Free Alliance coming to our door like this, how can the Sword Inquiry Sect show weakness?" Ma Zhiyuan was still not giving up! If a master like Uncle Fu were willing to step forward, even the audacious Hua Yinghong would have some reservations.
"Young man, you are the most audacious and arrogant person I have ever seen in decades!" Fu Bo's words to Hua Yinghong delighted Ma Zhiyuan and Qiu Shuixiao, but then he changed the subject:
"However, I like arrogant people, because I was even more arrogant than you back then. Before that brat Liu Suifeng became anything special, he disrespected the Sword Inquiry Pavilion, so I beat him up in a fit of anger. As a result, I fought three battles with the Heavenly Elder, and was finally punished by my master to sweep the floor. After sweeping for decades, my temper has worn off."
Everyone present looked at Fu Bo as if he were a monster: beating up the "prodigy" Liu Suifeng and fighting three battles with the already ascended Heavenly Elder—it sounded like a myth!
"You're a murder king!" Ma Zhiyuan suddenly realized Fu Bo's identity, and his face turned ashen!
In the legends of the martial arts world of Hua Long Continent, over seventy years ago, the Sword Inquiry Pavilion produced a disciple of unparalleled martial arts prowess and a fierce hatred of evil. Alone with his sword, he would kill anyone who dared to defy justice, regardless of their noble birth or aristocratic lineage. The number of martial arts masters who fell to his blade alone was well over eight or ten thousand, including many top-tier experts at the ninth rank or even the saintly rank. No one could suppress him, thus earning him the title of "King of Killers"!
Much of the Sword Inquiry Pavilion's prestige over the past seventy years was earned by this "King of Killers." Although Ma Zhiyuan hadn't committed any major crimes, he had violated the Sword Inquiry Pavilion's rules and openly defied the "Lingbo Fairy" Shui Xinyue's order to become his successor. Now, with the fiercely righteous "King of Killers" before him, how could he not feel guilty?
"Senior is the King of Killers?"
In the past few months, Hua Yinghong had devoted himself to the crucial decisions of the Freedom Alliance, meticulously collecting and researching the history and figures of the Hua Long Continent. He had naturally heard of Uncle Fu's deeds, but remained unfazed, saying, "With thunderous methods and a compassionate heart, Senior's heroic spirit is truly admirable. However, how many villains can Senior kill alone with his sword? I am unworthy, but I aspire to sweep across the world and vow to kill all the treacherous villains!"
"What a fine combination of thunderous methods and a compassionate heart!" Uncle Fu's eyes lit up, his spirits blazing, and he laughed loudly, "Good! Good! Good! What spirit! Truly, the younger generation is to be feared. Qiu boy, you are no match for Hua boy. If you surrender, you will still have a sliver of hope. However, those who disobey the orders of the Sword Inquiry Pavilion—die!"
The word "die" had barely left Uncle Fu's lips—"Poof!" A finger-sized blood hole suddenly appeared between Ma Zhiyuan's eyebrows, piercing straight from the front of his head to the back of his skull!
"Killer King" Uncle Fu killed a top-tier Saint-level expert with a flick of his wrist, his figure vanishing into the inn in a flash, leaving only a worn-out broom on the ground. A voice echoed from inside the inn: "Young Hua, tell Miss Xinyue for me that my worldly affairs are finished, and I can't wait to drink her wedding wine!"
"Brother Shuixiao, today's enemy may become tomorrow's friend." Hua Yinghong advised Qiu Shuixiao calmly, "A wise man doesn't do foolish things. Why fight like a cornered beast?"
Qiu Shuixiao's smile finally froze on his face, turning into an awkward, stiff smile: With Ma Zhiyuan's skill and cultivation, even if he faced "Killer King" head-on, he wouldn't have died in one move under his finger sword. It was only because he heard the name of "Killer King" that he dared not even think of resisting, which led to this.
Neither Hua Yinghong nor Shui Xinyue were cunning individuals. Their plan to instigate conflict between the Free Alliance and the Sword Inquiry Pavilion had failed. With the Sword Inquiry Pavilion remaining neutral, Qiu Shuixiao and the others had no choice but to surrender, as the "King of Killers" had suggested, to survive, unless they were killed in battle…
"Today's enemy may become tomorrow's friend." Qiu Shuixiao, also exceptionally intelligent, pondered Hua Yinghong's meaningful words for a moment before smiling again: "In that case, we'll trouble Brother Hua. We're afraid our appetites are large, and staying too long might be a disturbance."
"Ha! Ha! Ha!…" Hua Yinghong laughed loudly: "If I have food, Brother Shuixiao will have plenty; even if I don't, Brother Shuixiao is a guest here, surely Brother Shuibo wouldn't lack food for you? Baiyang City has plenty of food!"
"Ha! Ha! Ha!..." Qiu Shuixiao laughed loudly, her laughter radiant, yet a deep worry lurked beneath the surface...
If Hua Yinghong wasn't even worried about the food supply, what tricks could her second brother, Qiu Shuibo, possibly have up his sleeve?

Dusk fell, just as dinnertime approached.
The four golden characters of "Hongchu Restaurant" fluttered in the wind, bustling with people!
Despite Nangong Chuchu's seemingly delicate and fragile appearance, she was decisive and efficient. After discussing the establishment of the "Hongyan" cake shop and the "Hongchu" restaurant on Feng Yanran's birthday, Nangong Chuchu acted on her impulse, pestering Hua Yinghong to teach her for half a day amidst his busy schedule.
Chuchu was a business genius; she quickly trained a group of chefs and pastry chefs, and within ten days, she had secured a prime location in the heart of Changlong City. The two significant shops were an instant hit, with long queues forming as soon as they opened!
The influential "Liberty Daily" dedicated two articles to introducing the origins and unique features of the two restaurants' names. This was undoubtedly a collaboration between the commercially astute Nangong Chuchu and the eccentric Liu Lan—anything associated with "Son of Freedom" Hua Yinghong and "Free Army Flower" Feng Yanran was already highly sought after, especially since the cakes and restaurant dishes were supposedly invented by Hua Yinghong himself, attracting patrons from both wealthy merchants and ordinary people alike. Fortunately, Chuchu tiered the pricing of the dishes and seating, catering exceptionally well to both the rich and the common folk.
"Hongchu Restaurant" had five floors, and the lower four were consistently packed. Despite the chaos of war and the presence of 300,000 Qiu troops at the city's gates, many within the city refused to believe that a fortified city, defended by the Free Army and personally overseen by the Son of Freedom, could be breached. Reservations were booked for five days into the future, with each table limited to one hour – a spectacle that prompted Nangong Chuchu to consider opening one or two more branches.
The top floor held only one large table for twenty people, yet it remained empty. Since its opening, this floor had been closed to the public; it was rumored that this table was reserved solely for Hua Yinghong and the various alliance leaders, and had never been used.
"Waiter, can you hurry up with the food?" someone urged a waiter in the main hall.
"Coming!" The main hall had fifty tables, with over ten waiters moving swiftly and skillfully, clearly experienced and well-trained, yet still incredibly busy.
"Business is tough, but when it's bad, I'm worried sick; when it's booming, I'm running myself ragged." A young man who used to work as a waiter at the old restaurant complained, but inwardly he was overjoyed. Before, business was bad, and he only earned five silver coins a month, often with delays. After the "Hongchu" restaurant opened, according to the new boss's base salary plus commission, he had already earned a gold coin in just over ten days—a truly gleaming gold coin! By the end of the month, he was sure he'd earn at least three gold coins.
"Welcome!" Two beautiful and shapely hostesses smiled at the six men in casual clothes. "Do you have a reservation, sir?"
"No, are there any seats available?" The young man in the lead nodded with a smile. "Business is really good!" Although he was of average appearance, his words made the beautiful hostesses feel like they were basking in a spring breeze.
"Excuse me! All seats are reserved. Please wait in line at the tea room over there, okay?" The hostess smiled so sweetly, it melted one's heart—a female disciple of the Peach Blossom Palace, generously sponsored by the Peach Blossom Fairy Xue Qianqian, how could she not be charming?
"Isn't there one room on the fifth floor?" A handsome young man leaned close to a hostess's ear and whispered, "Don't make a sound, just lead us to Miss Chu Chu."
"You!—" The hostess, who had likely encountered many lecherous men trying to take advantage of her, was about to use some tricks to punish them when she suddenly remembered their identities from their words and couldn't help but exclaim, "Hua—" She quickly covered her cherry-like mouth, which was wide enough to fit an egg, and fell silent!
"Please follow me!" The hostess, regaining her senses, her heart pounding, led the way. Her respectful demeanor was several times greater than that of any high-ranking official.
"Weren't there no seats left? Let's have a first-come, first-served rule!" Some sharp-eyed customers who were waiting shouted as they watched the hostess lead a group upstairs...
to the top floor. Nangong Chuchu was resting her chin on her hands, lost in thought. She had poured even more effort into this "Hongchu Restaurant" and "Hongchu Foundation" than into her own "Linglong Tower." Add to that the several "Hong"-named foundations and the management of numerous shares, and she had become much thinner these past few days.
"I grow thinner and thinner, yet I have no regrets, for I am wasting away for you"—he was busy with state affairs and laughing and joking with several beautiful women, but did he know that his unrequited love had nowhere to be expressed?
"Hongchu... Hongchu... Hongchu..." Nangong Chuchu murmured to herself, softly humming the tune of "Love Like a Tide," her eyes blurry with tears, lost in thought—when would his love also envelop her like a tidal wave?
Lost in thought, even with Nangong Chuchu's cultivation level, she failed to notice someone silently standing behind her, a pair of large hands gently resting on her shoulders—Nangong Chuchu was startled: if it were an enemy, she would have no choice but to await her death… Fortunately, the voice that haunted her dreams rang in her ears: “Chuchu, I'm sorry I'm late!”
“Brother Hua!” Nangong Chuchu excitedly threw herself into the man's arms behind her, tears streaming down her face. Some people may spend a lifetime together and still not fall in love; others only need one glance to fall in love for a lifetime. Love is such a wondrous thing!
"Don't cry..." Hua Yinghong cupped Nangong Chuchu's tear-streaked, noticeably thin face, kissing away the droplets of tears on her smooth skin. Gazing into her bright, beautiful eyes, he said, "I understand your feelings completely, but I'm sorry to have wronged you."
Nangong Chuchu's beautiful eyes, filled with tears, met Hua Yinghong's deep gaze, speechless with emotion... That ordinary face, however, became so alluring and magical in her eyes—slowly, in her anticipation and hope, his lips pressed against hers...
"Bang!" A deafening crash suddenly came from downstairs, and a rude voice rang out: "Damn it! If you don't let this young master up to the fifth floor today, I'll tear this damn building down!"
"Boom!" The two, lost in a passionate kiss, were startled apart. Their lips parted, and Hua Yinghong and Nangong Chuchu looked at each other, then couldn't help but laugh.
In the Free Alliance's territory, everyone knew that the "Hongchu" restaurant was a joint venture between Hua Yinghong and Nangong Chuchu.
Like a toad yawning—who was so blind to have such a boastful tone?

Volume 9, Counterattack, Chapter 181: Responding to Each Move.
North of Changlong City, the Qiu Clan's army camp.
Qiu Shuibo held Hua Yinghong's letter, utterly bewildered: Qiu Shuixiao and his group, who had infiltrated Changlong City, had fled to the "Xiankelai" inn, intending to provoke a conflict between the Free Alliance and the Wenjian Pavilion, effectively forcing the Wenjian Pavilion to stand on the same side as the Qiu family.
With Ma Zhiyuan, who had been essentially bought off by the Qiu family for years, stepping forward, what should have been a sure thing was ruined by "Lingbo Fairy" Shui Xinyue, who remained neutral and even brought in the "King of Murder" to clean house. In the end, 123 experts, including "Laughing Tiger" Qiu Shuixiao, were captured without resistance, putting Qiu Shuibo in a very passive position—wasn't this just shooting himself in the foot?
"...Brother Shuibo, I have always admired your talent. If you could bring your followers back, I would gladly offer you a position. Brother Shuixiao and the others are all staying with me and are doing well. However, the city is severely lacking in food, so I dare not linger. I request that Brother Shuibo exchange all the grain for 20,000 shi for each ninth-rank expert and 50,000 shi for each saint-rank expert. The exchange should be held at noon tomorrow; otherwise, it will be cancelled. I am not a bloodthirsty person, but Brother Shuixiao and the others have not achieved their cultivation levels with great difficulty. I hope you will consider this carefully..." Hua Yinghong sent a ninth-rank expert from the Qiu family to deliver this letter, presenting Qiu Shuibo with a huge dilemma!
All Hua Yinghong requested in the letter was three million shi of grain, a condition that was not harsh. The Qiu family had extremely abundant grain reserves in Baiyang City and could easily provide that amount. Normally, each shi (a unit of dry measure) of grain costs only one and a half silver coins. Even with the current wartime price surge, each shi costs three and a half silver coins, so three million shi of grain would only amount to about one million gold coins. However, training twenty-one Saint-level experts and one hundred and two Ninth-level experts would cost far more than a million. The value of these experts in critical moments would far exceed that amount of gold coins.
But the key issue is that whether they exchange grain or not, Qiu Shuibo would be at a disadvantage at this moment.
If they could exchange grain for these hundred-plus experts, it would certainly be a worthwhile deal for the Qiu family, and the cost wouldn't be too high. Moreover, three million shi of grain might be enough to sustain Changlong City, which has over a million soldiers and civilians, for a few months, but for the entire Free Alliance, which consumes at least 500,000 shi of grain every day, it would undoubtedly be a drop in the ocean!
However, the Qiu family, as the initiator of the full-scale attack and blockade against the Free Alliance, had just announced that not a single grain of food could enter the Free Alliance, and all the major forces were fully cooperating in blocking transportation. For Qiu Shuibo to immediately contradict himself like this is indeed unreasonable—it's feared that if this happens, the other families, already harboring their own agendas and lacking sufficient cooperation, will suspect that Qiu Shuibo has reached some secret agreement with Hua Yinghong!
At the very least, the other families will suspect that Qiu Shuibo is deliberately trying to alleviate the food crisis in Changlong City, allowing the Free Army in Tianshui Prefecture, Dongguan City, Baiyi Tongzi County, and other places, desperately struggling with food shortages, to fight to the death and deplete the strength of the other families—in the chaos instigated on New Year's Eve, a considerable number of experts from each family will likely fall into the hands of the Free Alliance. If everyone follows suit with their own ulterior motives, the policy of blocking food supplies to await the collapse of the Free Alliance will crumble!
What if we don't change it? "Laughing Tiger" Qiu Shuixiao is Qiu Shuibo's second uncle and the son of Qiu Haocang. He is an outstanding young talent among the family's younger generation and the head of the Qiu family's intelligence system. With over a hundred loyal direct and collateral descendants, losing a group of experts would be a minor blow to the family's strength; the real danger would be incurring the discontent of various branches within the family, which would be disastrous for the family head!
Most people in the family would only see the mere one million gold coins worth of grain in exchange for over a hundred elite experts and soldiers. As the family head, Qiu Shuibo had no reason to refuse such a cheap deal—how many people could see as far ahead as Qiu Shuibo?
"Shuixiao, why don't you just die fighting?" This thought flashed through Qiu Shuibo's mind, and he shook his head with a bitter smile. It was like playing a game of Go. Qiu Shuibo seemed to be making brilliant moves everywhere, leaving Hua Yinghong struggling to cope, but unknowingly, every brilliant move by Qiu Shuibo turned into a disastrous one—how could such a game continue?
"Go to Changlong City and deliver a message to Hua Yinghong: I'm willing to pay five million gold coins, five times the price, to ransom you, but without a single grain of food. If the deal falls through, let him do as he pleases." Qiu Shuibo said calmly to the expert who returned with the message, "I hope you won't blame me for being heartless. If this matter leaks out, you'll never be able to return to your family again."
"Yes!" The young expert resolutely stood up and strode out of the tent—compared to being expelled from the family, he would rather die at the hands of the Free Alliance.
After a headache, Qiu Shuibo couldn't think of a better solution than this compromise.

"Shiling, who's making such a racket outside?" Hua Yinghong held Nangong Chuchu's soft, boneless waist tightly, the pair of firm, elastic breasts pressed against his strong muscles, sending waves of intoxicating tingling sensations through him.
Nangong Chuchu's beauty and figure were absolutely no less than Liu Yufei, Xue Qianqian, or Miao Youlan, and her unique, subtle fragrance was particularly intoxicating to Hua Yinghong. Chuchu's appearance and demeanor were so delicate, yet she possessed a bold, fiery, and fiercely independent spirit—this contradictory combination of appearance and personality constituted Chuchu's fatal allure to men!
Perhaps this was the real reason why Nangong Chuchu was ranked fifth among the "Top Ten Beauties of Hualong"?
“Young Master Yuan…it was a young master who insisted on coming up after seeing us go up to the fifth floor. He has several attendants with him, and they are quite skilled; they just broke a table.” The captain of the guards, Fang Shiling, almost forgot that Hua Yinghong had instructed her beforehand that when traveling in civilian clothes, she should not call him Marshal but “Young Master,” and quickly corrected herself.
Normally, Hua Yinghong rarely appears in public, and when he does, he is fully armed, almost unrecognizable from his civilian attire. Therefore, most people only know his name but not his face. After taking off his marshal's uniform, unless accompanied by guards like Fang Shiling, with Hua Yinghong's ordinary face, even if he introduced himself to some people, probably few would believe he was the famous Son of Freedom, the dashing Marshal, and the King of Love Songs!
“Have the security personnel arrived yet?” Hua Yinghong asked casually. In this critical period, most of Xue Qianqian's security personnel were deployed to monitor various movements within the city and should have arrived as quickly as possible.
"Who dares to touch me, Gui Baoqi?" Before Fang Shiling could answer, the same gruff voice shouted, "My father is Gui Yuanhai, and my second uncle is Gui Yuande, the Minister of Transportation. You lowly constables, if you dare to touch me, I'll break your hands!" Fang
Shiling said from the corridor outside, "That young master is Gui Baoqi, the only son of Commissioner Gui Yuanhai. I heard that because Madam Gui was thirty-two when she gave birth to her only son, she spoiled him excessively, resulting in his unruly nature. Commissioner Gui, however, is very strict with him. I don't know why he came here to cause trouble today. He probably doesn't know the background of this restaurant. Three people from the Security Department have come to ask Gui Baoqi to go back and assist in the investigation, but he refuses. I'm afraid these people from the Security Department are no match for his servants."
"Is that so?" Hua Yinghong frowned slightly. He had always admired Gui Yuanhai, the leader of the ship gang and now a member of the "Supreme Nine Council"—from the very beginning of the Free Army's uprising, Gui Yuanhai and his ship gang had secretly supported and cooperated with the Free Army's actions, which can be described as having unique insight. They were the ones who contributed the most to the Free Alliance, except for the Gaoshan tribe, Peach Blossom Palace, and Nangong family, far exceeding the Treasure Merchant Guild, which was somewhat timid and hesitant—otherwise, the ship gang would not have a seat in the "Supreme Nine Council".
“Actually, Gui Baoqi has been coming here every day for the past few days, always thinking about coming up to the fifth floor.” Nangong Chuchu’s soft, fragrant lips almost touched Hua Yinghong’s ear, her breath sweet and tender as she whispered with a gentle laugh, “It’s because I’m here waiting for you every day at this time…”
“Young Master Gui, Article 73 of the Security Law states that those who cause trouble in public places are dealt with by the security department. Everyone is equal before the law. Please cooperate with our investigation, otherwise you will be considered to have openly violated the law, which would not look good for Committee Member Gui.” A voice from downstairs said neither humbly nor arrogantly.
“This person’s skill isn’t high, but it’s rare that he handles things reasonably and with restraint. Shiling, you guys go down and assist him, and while you’re at it, ask for his name and department.” Hua Yinghong lightly kissed Chu Chu’s fragrant cherry lips, the soft, smooth, and electrifying sensation making his heart flutter. He whispered, “So it’s a beautiful lady, a gentleman’s desire…”
Before Fang Shiling could go downstairs, Gui Baoqi’s voice rang out, “Hmph! You’re just a lowly constable. Why should I cooperate with you?” Then he shouted, “Get out of my way!”
“Ouch!” The constable cried out in pain, followed by the sound of tables crashing and screams. Clearly, Gui Baoqi had made his move, and the constable was no match for him and had suffered some losses.
“Chu Chu, let’s go out and take a look!” Hua Yinghong’s face was a little gloomy. He put his arm around Nangong Chu Chu’s waist and they flashed into the corridor.
The restaurant’s staircase was located in the center of the entrance, with floors surrounding it on all four sides. Looking down from the corridor, one could see a security officer in a constable's uniform lying on the ground, being helped up by two constables. A young man, remarkably similar in appearance to Gui Yuanhai, was surrounded by six skilled guards. Despite having injured the constable, he showed no sign of tension.
The diners watched the spectacle from a distance. Because the Free Alliance's "Security Law" strictly prohibited private brawls, and with the security personnel already in charge, and several experts from the Nangong family positioned three zhang away—it seemed unlikely that Gui Baoqi and his group would easily escape the restaurant.
"Shiling, you five go down and seize them all, handing them over to the security department. If they resist arrest, except for Gui Baoqi, kill them all without exception," Hua Yinghong said calmly, a murderous intent lurking beneath his words.
In the Free Army, discipline was the strictest; in the Free Alliance, the law was paramount. If it weren't for Gui Yuanhai's sake—Gui Baoqi started the trouble first and dared to openly injure law enforcement personnel—in this wartime situation, killing him on the spot wouldn't be an exaggeration! Otherwise, how could the Free Alliance restrain the powerful clans under its jurisdiction, and how could it face the millions of people under its rule?
Gui Baoqi was smugly pleased that no one dared to arrest him when suddenly five people descended from the sky, forming a plum blossom shape around him and his group of seven. The handsome young man in front of him had a cold and stern face and said in an icy tone, "You dare to openly injure a constable? You're quite arrogant, aren't you? My young master has ordered that if you surrender, you will be dealt with according to the 'Security Law.' Anyone who dares to disobey will be killed!"
"Who does your young master think he is?" Gui Baoqi was oblivious to the impending disaster and shouted disdainfully, "If you want to meddle in other people's business, you should at least weigh a few ounces of cotton first—who dares to touch my young master Gui?"
"Of course I'm nobody!" Hua Yinghong's face turned even uglier. He spoke from upstairs, "Shiling, what are you dawdling for!"
Fang Shiling hadn't made a move after going downstairs, probably because she was afraid that Hua Yinghong would clash with Gui Yuanhai and it would look bad. She wanted to give Gui Baoqi a chance—even the captain of the Marshal's Mansion's guards had reservations. It seemed that the Free Alliance had some internal problems that needed to be addressed.
"Miss Chu Chu, I've been searching for you for so long!" Gui Baoqi's eyes lit up when he saw the petite, smiling, and dazzlingly beautiful Nangong Chu Chu beside Hua Yinghong. He leaped into the air—he had used this opportunity to cause trouble to force the beauty Nangong Chu Chu out, and now that she had appeared, he was naturally impatient!
"Make your move!" Fang Shiling sighed inwardly: the marshal was truly enraged and even seemed to be blaming herself—this reckless young master Gui Baoqi was doomed!
Gui Baoqi's skill was not weak, at least at the eighth rank. He leaped three zhang into the air with lightning speed, but could not rise any further—because Fang Shiling simply swayed, reached out her left hand, grabbed his right foot, and forcefully pulled him to the ground, then casually struck his pressure point and threw him next to the injured constable!
"Release my young master!" Caught off guard, the six skilled guards of the Gui family had their young master captured in the blink of an eye. In their panic, they drew their swords and lunged at Fang Shiling, seemingly intending to forcibly snatch Gui Baoqi back!
"How dare you!" Fang Shiling and her four guards moved like plum blossoms among bamboo, their figures shifting and changing positions in a dazzling flash of light. The six skilled guards of the Gui family lay dead on the ground!
"Ah!—" The onlookers gasped in unison, all looking up at the fifth-floor corridor. Such fast and powerful swordsmanship! Such a formidable Plum Blossom Five Elements Sword Formation! Who had such highly skilled guards? Who dared to kill the skilled guards of the Gui family?
A voice drifted down from upstairs, and Gui Baoqi, lying on the ground, turned ashen-faced!
—Simply because the seemingly unremarkable young man coldly uttered the words: "Notify Gui Yuanhai to come to the Marshal's Mansion immediately!"

Volume 9, Counterattack from Desperate Situation, Chapter 182: "Equal Punishment for the People" -
Returning to the Reception Room.
Gui Yuanhai, one of the nine leaders of the Freedom Alliance and a member of the "Supreme Nine Council," was discussing the current situation with his brother, Gui Yuande. As a high-ranking member of the Freedom Alliance, even without military expertise, he was naturally very concerned about the impending invasion.
Gui Yuanhai's insight was undoubtedly astute: from Hua Yinghong's extraordinary performance from the beginning—his overwhelming victory over the Jade Dragon Army with significantly weaker forces in battles such as Zhanpan Changgu, the capture of Jubao Town, the attack on Xigang City, and the destruction of the fishing net—as well as his governing strategies, Gui Yuanhai had keenly recognized the development prospects of the Freedom Army and the Freedom Alliance. After learning that Hua Yinghong was widely disseminating the "Two Gods" technique within the Freedom Army, and that Shui Xinyue, the successor of the Sword Inquiry lineage, had made a special visit, his confidence in aligning with the Freedom Alliance was further strengthened, and he offered unreserved and strong support to the Freedom Army's actions!
Having chosen the rapidly rising power of the Free Alliance, the ship guild, originally confined to activities across the Zhenbao Strait, has seen its influence grow daily. Gui Yuanhai himself has joined the "Supreme Nine-Person Council" as a member; his brother, Gui Yuande, the former owner of a car dealership in Jubao Town, is now the Minister of Transportation, in charge of transportation and infrastructure construction; the ship guild's members and hired hands exceed 300,000, with over 3,000 ships of various sizes and countless vehicles on land!
Within the Free Alliance, besides the military, the Gaoshan tribes, the Nangong family, and the Peach Blossom Palace, the ship guild has far surpassed the Chamber of Commerce and even other forces like "Wanmei Manor," ranking fifth!
Although the core content of the two "top-secret plans" of the military, overseen by Hua Yinghong, remains unknown, and the Free Alliance's current situation appears less than optimistic, the shrewd and astute Gui Yuanhai, through various signs and the collection and mobilization of strategic resources, deduces that the military, led by Hua Yinghong, will take a groundbreaking action and is confident of overcoming this crisis! Otherwise, how could Hua Yinghong dare to be so tough on Wenjian Pavilion?
The Free Army's massive expansion of twenty reserve divisions and eight hundred thousand men has given Gui Yuanhai an opportunity to intervene in the military. This is not for any other reason than that with a large number of Ship Gang disciples joining the Free Army, some outstanding individuals will inevitably become high-ranking military officers, which is a great boon for the development of the Ship Gang and the Gui family!
Many Ship Gang members have been practicing the "Two Gods" technique under specialized instruction for some time, each possessing a considerable foundation in martial arts. Most have also engaged in militia training in their spare time. With this massive expansion, the Ship Gang can legitimately begin to intervene in the military and truly become one of the core forces of the Free Alliance.
"Master, something terrible has happened!" The steward of the Gui family rushed in to report, "Young Master caused trouble at Hongchu Restaurant. Six guards were killed, and Young Master has been captured by the Marshal's men. Marshal Hua has sent word that you must go there immediately!"
"Bang!—" In a fit of rage, Gui Yuanhai smashed a mahogany table to pieces, cursing, "That unfilial son Baoqi! Didn't I have someone supervise his studies and martial arts practice? Who let him out?"
"It was...it was...Madam...she said Young Master was too tired, so she let him go out for a few days to relax, but I didn't expect..." The steward stammered.
"Master! Which blind fool dared to capture my Qi'er? He's our only son, the sole heir of the Gui family!..." Gui Yuanhai's wife, Madam Jiang, rushed into the living room, wailing and crying, grabbing Gui Yuanhai and making a scene. The news of Gui Baoqi's capture had already been secretly reported to Madam Jiang. As always, whenever Gui Baoqi caused trouble, Madam Jiang resorted to her usual tactics of crying, making a scene, and threatening suicide, forcing the powerful Gui Yuanhai to find a way to smooth things over.
"What kind of behavior is this, crying and making a scene! If you hadn't spoiled him since he was little, how could that rebellious son have become so useless and caused such a terrible disaster!" Gui Yuanhai, exasperated, angrily snapped, "Let him die, it'll be better, so he doesn't implicate countless brothers in the shipping guild!"
Madam Jiang fell to the ground, startled and stopping her crying—Gui Yuanhai was actually fifty-three years old, but his internal energy cultivation was so profound that it wasn't outwardly apparent. Madam Jiang's family was one of the most prominent clans on Zhenbao Island, and the core of the shipping guild was built around the Jiang family. After Gui Yuanhai's marriage to the Jiang family, the business flourished even more. For decades, although Madam Jiang was wild and often acted unreasonably by relying on her family's support, Gui Yuanhai had always been very well-mannered and had never been so angry with her before! Was it because his son had caused such a huge mess this time?
"My lord... we were both over thirty when we had Qi'er, our only son. You are one of the nine most powerful people in the Freedom Alliance..." Jiang said cautiously and hesitantly. Gui Yuanhai was furious like never before, and naturally exuded an air of authority that made her dare not act unreasonably any longer.
"Sister-in-law, you may not know, but this time my nephew Qi has really gotten himself into big trouble, offending Marshal Hua." Gui Yuande comforted him from the side, "Brother, Marshal Hua only ordered the killing of six guards and the capture of my nephew Qi alive, obviously showing mercy because of you. Although my nephew Qi has always been unruly, he has never been particularly evil. It's all because he's been instigated by those cronies who don't know their place. There should still be room for maneuver in this matter." Gui
Yuanhai was actually just worried about his only son, and he found Gui Yuanhai's words to be reasonable. He immediately said, "I'll go to the Marshal's Mansion right away. Second brother, pass down the order to make sure the gang members are restrained and behave properly."
Jiang Shi watched Gui Yuanhai's hurried departure and dared not say another word. It was true that Gui Yuanhai and the ship gang had great power, but compared to the Marshal's Mansion and the Free Army, even though she rarely left her house and was ignorant, she knew that they simply didn't have the strength to contend with them!

"Officer Bao, how are you feeling?" The officer who had been injured by Gui Baoqi was named Bao Zhengwei. Hua Yinghong greatly admired Bao Zhengwei's courage in upholding the law despite being a lowly constable, unafraid to offend the powerful Gui Yuanhai. He took Bao Zhengwei back to the Marshal's Mansion for treatment, intending to observe and cultivate him.
The Freedom Alliance's great cause needed countless individuals like him, fearless of authority and daring to uphold justice.
"Thank you, Marshal. I feel much better," Bao Zhengwei said, deeply moved. How esteemed was Hua Yinghong, the Son of Freedom? Just a light pat on the shoulder, channeling a large amount of vital energy that he greatly benefited him, not only healed his internal injuries but also significantly improved his martial arts. He was merely a lowly constable, doing his duty; to receive such treatment was truly overwhelming!
"Just now, I noticed that Constable Bao was quite familiar with the legal provisions. Have you studied them specifically?" Hua Yinghong asked.
"I was once a student in the short-term legal training program at the Tsinghua University School of Law," Bao Zhengwei replied respectfully. "The various laws of the Free Alliance are compulsory courses for the School of Law. Because I usually enjoy studying legal provisions, I am quite familiar with them. I dare not forget the motto that the Marshal inscribed for the School of Law: 'Do not recognize the powerful and wealthy, only know justice; take facts as evidence, and the law as the standard.'"
"I will tell Minister Lü and Minister Xue later that you should report to the Ministry of Security," Hua Yinghong said after a moment's thought. "Temporarily assume the position of Deputy Director of the Legal Affairs Department. Remember one thing: even a prince is subject to the law. If you have any difficulties, you can directly contact Minister Xue, Minister Lü, or me."
"Ah!" Bao Zhengwei could not believe that he could rise to the top in one step—how many levels were there between a constable and a high-ranking deputy director? The Free Alliance is now full of talent, with hundreds of thousands of students graduating from the various short-term training programs at Tsinghua University. It is no longer as short of talent as it was at the beginning of the alliance's establishment. Such an extraordinary promotion is like a dream!
"Marshal, Commissioner Gui has arrived. He is waiting in the front hall." Fang Shiling's voice came from outside.
"Brother Bao, there's no need to be surprised. Our alliance has always used talent without being bound by convention. This is the reward you deserve for your integrity and fearlessness of power. I hope you won't disappoint me." Hua Yinghong said calmly, "Come with me to see Commissioner Gui."

Outside the North Gate, in the Qiu Clan's main camp tent.
"Reporting to the Patriarch! Gui Baoqi has been captured by Hua Yinghong and taken to the Marshal's Mansion, where he killed six of Gui's guards. However, several of our clan's intelligence personnel have also fallen into the hands of the Free Alliance's Security Department." Qiu Side, the second-in-command of intelligence besides Qiu Shuixiao
, reported the latest news from Changlong City to Patriarch Qiu Shuibo. "Understood! Have people spread this matter widely throughout the city, making sure everyone knows. Report any new developments immediately." — Qiu Shuibo, whom Hua Yinghong once considered his greatest enemy, naturally prepared more than just one or two "grand dishes" for Hua Yinghong.
Changlong City was, after all, one of the strongholds of the Qiu family, built up over many years, and the Free Alliance was not a monolithic entity. Gui Yuanhai himself had no weaknesses, except for his good-for-nothing son.
These past few days, the Qiu family had sent intelligence agents to deliberately approach Gui Baoqi, quickly becoming his close associates, indulging in all sorts of pleasures, and even encouraging him to go to the "Hongchu Restaurant" to harass the renowned "Fifth Beauty of Hualong," Nangong Chuchu.
All these actions were aimed at instigating conflict between the two giants of the Free Alliance, Hua Yinghong and Gui Yuanhai—if the Ship Gang, one of the Free Alliance's pillars, were to become disloyal because of Gui Baoqi, not only would a complete break be necessary, but even a few acts of feigned compliance and shirking responsibility would significantly disrupt the Free Army's transportation and logistics!
Qiu Shuibo's tactics have now taken effect; the question is how Hua Yinghong will handle the matter: if he doesn't punish him severely, the law will not extend to the powerful and wealthy, and the Freedom Alliance's long-standing image of justice and equality will be tarnished in the hearts of the people, shaking the alliance's foundation; if he punishes him severely, he will fall right into Qiu Shuibo's trap of sowing discord!
Just as Hua Yinghong's demand for grain in exchange for people from Qiu Shuibo was a huge problem, Qiu Shuibo has also presented Hua Yinghong with a major dilemma!

Marshal's Mansion, Reception Room.
"Marshal Hua, I have failed in my duty to raise my son; please forgive any offense. My rebellious son has openly violated the law and committed a grave offense. I will leave it to Marshal Hua to handle; I will have no complaints." Having regained his composure, Gui Yuanhai decided to be straightforward. Given Hua Yinghong's temperament, pleading for leniency might backfire; if he retreated to advance, Hua Yinghong might spare Gui Baoqi's life.
Having ridden from Guifu to the Marshal's Mansion, Hua Yinghong had already witnessed many people pointing and whispering about Gui Yuanhai and his escorting cavalry. News of the incident had spread, and reporters from media outlets such as the *Liberty Daily* and *Treasure Daily* were waiting outside the Marshal's Mansion for the outcome—it seemed unlikely to pass easily.
"Old Gui and the boatmen have made invaluable contributions to the Freedom Alliance's current success," Hua Yinghong stated frankly. Without the support of the boatmen, the Freedom Alliance could not have developed so rapidly. Especially in transportation and naval construction, the boatmen's role was immeasurable.
"However, our alliance has always been clear about merits and demerits, and merits cannot outweigh demerits; demerits must be punished. Your son openly violated the law, first by provoking trouble, and then by assaulting and injuring security personnel. As the saying goes, even a prince is subject to the law. If our alliance does not punish him severely, we will have no face to face the world. But your son's crime is limited to himself."
"I understand, and I admire the Marshal's consistent impartiality." Gui Yuanhai felt relieved: Hua Yinghong did not hold a grudge against him and the entire ship gang because of Gui Baoqi's matter—
it should be noted that because of the internal strife among Mu Shanzhu and Miao Tieshan of the Gaoshan tribe, although Hua Yinghong did not pursue the matter further for the sake of Miao Youlan and Batian, he only ordered the execution of thousands of core members of the Gaoshan royal family who participated in the rebellion. However, with the massive expansion of the twenty reserve divisions beginning today, large numbers of Han Chinese soldiers are being recruited. Reserve division commanders and a large number of mid- to lower-ranking officers are being selected from among the Han Chinese, from families like the Nangong family, Wanmei Manor, Peach Blossom Palace, and even the Ship Gang.
No one can stand out in the Free Alliance and shake Hua Yinghong's position—this is the shrewd political maneuvering of this young man who is not yet nineteen!
What is the relationship between Miao Youlan, Batian, and Hua Yinghong? Gui Yuanhai knows perfectly well. Even the Gaoshan tribe, the largest power in the Free Alliance, is like this; how can the Ship Gang compare? It's fortunate that they can even protect the Ship Gang. As for his son, Gui Baoqi—he can only hope for the best.
"Brother Bao, greetings to Elder Gui." Hua Yinghong introduced to Gui Yuanhai, "This is Officer Bao, who was injured by your son for upholding justice. I have decided to recommend him to the Ministry of Security as the Deputy Director of the Legal Affairs Division, a promotion beyond the usual ranks. What do you think, Elder Gui?"
Bao Zhengwei bowed to Gui Yuanhai and said, "Greetings, Commissioner Gui."
"I apologize to Officer Bao on behalf of my unworthy son. I also congratulate him on his promotion." Gui Yuanhai breathed a sigh of relief: judging from Hua Yinghong's appearance, he didn't seem to have any intention of killing Gui Baoqi. Of course, he would definitely suffer a lot. "Commander Hua is unconventional in his use of talent; I can only admire him."
"I have personally investigated this matter. Although your son's behavior was eccentric, he was not a heinous criminal. This is also due to Elder Gui's strict discipline." Under Hua Yinghong's personal "Soul-Capturing Technique," everything Gui Baoqi had done was clearly known upon investigation.
"However, the security department arrested several intelligence agents from the Qiu family among the people your son frequently associates with. These are the very people who instigated your son to cause trouble just now." Hua Yinghong's next words made Gui Yuanhai's heart tighten!
"Commander Hua, you are very perceptive! This must be a divisive and provocative scheme by the Qiu family!" Gui Yuanhai was extremely anxious!
—If Gui Baoqi were implicated in a conspiracy with the Qiu family, the entire ship crew, including Gui Yuanhai himself, would be implicated!

Volume 9, Counterattack from Desperate Situation, Chapter 183: A Beautiful Woman
. "Old Gui, there's no need to be nervous." Hua Yinghong stopped short of a serious warning to Gui Yuanhai, then immediately changed his tone, saying, "This is precisely the difficult problem Qiu Shuibo has given me, simply to sow discord between us. However, precisely because of this, your son's crime doesn't warrant death. Brother Bao, you are well-versed in the law, so speak boldly. How should this matter be handled according to the law?"
Bao Zhengwei knew that Hua Yinghong was testing him on the law, and also on whether he could remain impartial and not use the opportunity to vent his personal grievances. Therefore, he said loudly, "According to the security regulations: those who provoke trouble shall be detained for a maximum of fifteen days; those who openly resist arrest may be killed on the spot, or, depending on the circumstances, sentenced to one to twenty years of re-education through labor, up to and including the death penalty; those who resist arrest resulting in death shall be sentenced to death without pardon. Given the circumstances of Gui Baoqi's crime, I believe three years of re-education through labor is appropriate."
"Elder Gui, your son has committed several minor offenses, and members of the Qiu family have used his name to commit acts of damaging public property and engaging in market manipulation. According to the wartime emergency decree, this matter need not be handed over to the Ministry of Justice. I propose that, by order of the Marshal, Gui Baoqi be sentenced to three years of re-education through labor, with the possibility of a reduced sentence if he performs meritorious service; and fined 100,000 gold coins, to be turned over to the treasury; when Elder Gui has time to supervise the case, I propose that he write a special article in the *Freedom Daily* to apologize to the entire alliance." Hua Yinghong said slowly, "The foundation of the Freedom Alliance is difficult to build but easy to destroy, and the same is true for any family or clan. Elder Gui, do you think this is fair?"
"I thank the Marshal for sparing my life!" Even the mature and composed Gui Yuanhai couldn't help but have tears in his eyes. Given Hua Yinghong's usual ruthless methods, and Gui Baoqi's actions, especially at this critical moment in the great war, even a death sentence would be unacceptable to Gui Yuanhai!
Gui Yuanhai was thirty-two years old when his village finally had Gui Baoqi, their only son; to say he didn't feel heartache would be self-deception. But Gui Yuanhai didn't have the guts to betray the Freedom Alliance for his son!
The tens of thousands of members of the Ship Gang might be willing to obey orders and fight to the death against other forces. But against "Son of Freedom" Hua Yinghong and the invincible Free Army, aside from a few thousand core members, most would probably be eager to offer their own heads for credit!
As for the 100,000 gold coin fine and an apology letter, it was worth every penny to save his son's life! Besides, sending him to a labor camp for three years meant Gui Baoqi would only be in his early twenties. Three years of hardship in the labor camp might truly mold him into someone capable of inheriting the Gui family's vast fortune—Hua Yinghong's handling of this matter was incredibly lenient. Besides gratitude, Gui Yuanhai had no other thoughts.
"Then let's do it this way. Shi Ling and Elder Gui will handle the reporters and the public outside. I have other important matters to attend to," Hua Yinghong said calmly.
After such handling, even Gui Yuanhai, a member of the Supreme Nine Council, apologized to the public. Shouldn't this curb some of the bad habits that were beginning to sprout within the Freedom Alliance?

The small embroidery room was furnished with noble elegance without being extravagant, its decor very stylish. A low embroidered couch, embroidered curtains, painted screens, silk canopies, and brocade quilts—all were meticulously crafted. A white jade table held a complete set of the Four Treasures of the Study, and in the corner stood a small, exquisite white jade incense burner, burning incense, its fragrance gently flowing through the room, soothing and refreshing.
What truly captivated Hua Yinghong was a small, soft, fragrant embroidered couch against the inner wall, covered with a brocade quilt. A deep, white silk canopy hung, completely enveloping the couch. Embroidered with mimosa flowers, the canopy appeared exceptionally elegant and beautiful against the almost transparent silk.
On the bed lay the alluring Nangong Chuchu, her voluptuous and delicate body exquisitely proportioned beneath a thin undergarment. Her long, beautiful legs and small, delicate, lustrous feet were exquisitely beautiful. Her fair insteps were slender yet boneless, with a few pale blue veins illuminating their whiteness. Her soles were slightly red, her toes long and pink, displaying a natural beauty without any adornment.
Nangong Chuchu's beautiful eyes were closed, her even, slightly rapid breathing causing her two snow-white breasts to trace elegant, dynamic curves in the air, exuding an alluring charm. The tight, thin undergarment further accentuated her breasts, making them seem as if they were about to burst forth. Her slender waist was so delicate it seemed one could encircle it with a single hand, and beneath the slightly exposed, snow-white skin, the mysterious and exquisite valley beneath her hazy undergarment was faintly visible, captivating and irresistibly alluring.
Tonight, she would become Hua Yinghong's woman, a prospect that filled Nangong Chuchu with both anticipation and slight nervousness. The young girl Liu Lan often whispered secrets about their private affairs and her lover's prowess in her ear, causing her some genuine concern, even though she was not entirely ignorant of matters of love and sex…
Hua Yinghong leaned down, his hands supporting the pillow beneath Nangong Chuchu's graceful neck, and lowered his head to kiss her soft, luscious lips. The cool, smooth, and fragrant sensation stirred his desire, as if the lingering venom of lust within him was being drawn back by the alluring scent of a virgin.
Nangong Chuchu's cherry lips parted slightly, her delicate tongue darting out... Hua Yinghong's nimble tongue gently pushed against her lips, slipping into Chuchu's cherry-like mouth, forcing open her bright, pearly teeth, and then sucking in her smooth, delicate tongue, licking it incessantly...
Chuchu's body convulsed slightly as if electrocuted, her small, fragrant tongue tentatively meeting his, and the two tongues began to intertwine and suckle. The unique fragrance of the young girl's mouth seeped into Hua Yinghong's lungs and flowed to his limbs, arousing a primal need within him...
After dealing with Gui Baoqi's matter, Hua Yinghong's "important task" was to cherish this beautiful Chuchu who silently loved him, giving her the joy and happiness of being a true woman. Because it was their first time, Liu Yufei, Xue Qianqian, and the other women, fearing Chuchu would be shy, all hid in another room next door.
Hua Yinghong skillfully sucked on Nangong Chuchu's alluring lilac, licking and savoring the fragrant nectar on her tongue. He rubbed his lips against her delicate cherry lips, finally making them rosy and moist, her face flushed. Her eyes blinked twice, then slowly opened…
Hua Yinghong gazed at Nangong Chuchu's shy, lustful face. His mind was already captivated by the soft body beneath him, feeling the breathtaking elasticity of her skin… The intoxicating friction of their bodies...
Lying down beside Chu Chu, Hua Yinghong wrapped his left arm around her slender neck, stroking her flowing, silky hair, while his right hand slipped inside her loosely clad undergarment, employing his "aphrodisiac peach blossom hand" to gently caress her smooth, jade-like breasts. His fiery lips then sought hers, kissing her passionately once more...
Nangong Chu Chu's delicate face flushed crimson, her lips trembling slightly. This powerful businesswoman, who had conquered the business world, was now unusually submissive, uttering soft, almost inaudible moans, which only fueled the man's desire to conquer her—
Hua Yinghong's hands moved behind Nangong Chu Chu's back, quickly unfastening her undergarment. The beauty trembled gently in his arms, her flawless, jade-like body flushed a beautiful pink with shyness. The captivating allure of this exquisite maiden, shy yet alluring, stirred Hua Yinghong's excitement. His manhood stirred, hard as steel, erect and towering!
Nangong Chuchu's red lips parted, exhaling a hot, fragrant breath. Her body burned like fire, and she let out seductive moans. Her chaotic mind had long since lost all restraint. Coupled with the unique seductive techniques of her beloved, her desire had already burned beyond her comprehension… If she could be united in spirit and body with her dream lover, even if she were burned to ashes, she would be willing!
In a daze, Hua Yinghong's hands gently removed the last piece of clothing from Chu Chu's body, revealing her flawless and alluring body. Her fair skin was delicate and smooth, with a luminous sheen beneath her jade-like skin. It was supple to the touch, exuding a charming and seductive allure. Hidden beneath the lush grass was a mysterious paradise, and her legs unconsciously parted, gradually releasing a trickle of moisture…
Hua Yinghong's lips slid down Chu Chu's smooth neck, gently licking her soft nipples in turn, causing the inexperienced beauty to tremble uncontrollably. A moment later, he slid down the path again, until he found the tender pink petals, which were already incredibly wet and slippery…
Chu Chu felt a hot, nimble tongue licking her incredibly sensitive clitoris, sending waves of intense, tingling pleasure through her… She couldn’t help but raise her head, panting heavily, her delicate brows furrowed, her eyes glazed, emitting intoxicating moans, before collapsing weakly onto the couch—
“Hua Lang, come on…” The beauty, her desires burgeoning, could no longer contain herself, forgetting her shyness, her soft calls could move even the most hardened heart!
Hua Yinghong didn’t hesitate any longer, quickly removing his clothes, his burning member thrusting towards the wet, pink paradise!
With a soft moan that sounded like a mixture of pain and pleasure, his erect and firm member entered her warm and narrow virgin paradise with precision and power. The thin barrier of her chastity was pushed to its limit, causing her to clench her teeth and struggle to suppress the low moans of pain in her throat…
Although he felt tenderness and pity, Hua Yinghong could no longer control himself. His heart burned with intense excitement, and the lingering venom of his ancient, lustful nature compelled him to firmly grasp Chu Chu's shapely, round buttocks and thrust forward! In the instant of penetration, he felt a slight emptiness; the resistance within her flower path suddenly lessened, and his burning erection had plunged deep inside!
“Ah!—” Chu Chu suddenly felt an intense pain within her body, involuntarily letting out a low cry of unbearable agony. Her starry eyes glazed over, tears welling up, revealing her delicate and pitiful beauty, like a pear blossom in the rain. Although her desire had been aroused early and she was well-lubricated, her first experience still caused her pain. However, this pain was mixed with waves of joyful pleasure, a sensation difficult to describe…
Gradually, Chu Chu was tormented by an itching sensation deep within her flower bud, as if bees and butterflies were flitting about, fish were leaping and insects were swimming, touching her lightly and then fleeting away, leaving her with an indescribable emptiness and sorrow. She was almost dizzy from that boundless feeling of being suspended in mid-air, her pert buttocks swaying slightly in a coy manner, her eyes overflowing with unspoken desire, her pink lips parting slightly in longing, and soft, sweet murmurs escaping from deep within her throat. Her jade buttocks trembled involuntarily, as if pleading for him to penetrate her further.
The thick, hot member writhed gently, rubbing tenderly against the soft walls of her flower path. Lubricated by the trickling spring water aroused by Chu Chu
's intense desire, it slowly penetrated deeper into her flower path, until it broke through all obstacles and successfully struck the soft, warm, and moist mysterious flower bud… The impact deep within her flower bud grew faster and faster, and Nangong Chu Chu's entire mind was completely overwhelmed by the rapid waves of pleasure. Her mind was utterly confused, her ten fingers digging deeply into Hua Yinghong's strong muscles, her slender legs tightly clamping his waist. All thoughts in her mind were filled with the ecstatic pleasure…
Hua Yinghong kept changing the position of the beauty beneath him, sometimes turning her body over to lie on her back on the beautiful bed; sometimes lying on her side to facilitate deeper penetration; sometimes facing the beautiful pillow, lying face down so that the beauty's weight rested on her bent knees; sometimes kneeling, watching with pleasure as the hot member between her high, snowy buttocks made love…
"Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah!..." As Nangong Chuchu let out a series of soft moans, completely forgetting her shyness, Hua Yinghong increased the pressure between his bodies, sprinting at an uncountable speed before his explosion!
Although half an hour of wild sprinting had passed, the seemingly weak Nangong Chuchu was becoming more and more vigorous with each battle. A powerful suction force emanated from the depths of her flower, no less intense than Xue Qianqian's Nine Revolutions Seductive Technique, bringing waves of unparalleled pleasure to the battle-hardened Hua Yinghong!
He tightly embraced Nangong Chuchu's plump, round buttocks, his hot, firm erection pressed against her smooth, hidden flower. He inhaled deeply, his lower abdomen convulsing violently, countless streams of fiery essence and primordial energy gushing into the depths of her body… Nangong Chuchu felt her flower core contract and spasm in waves, a wave of ecstatic pleasure washing over her. With a soft moan mixed with pain and satisfaction, she finally reached her first peak of bliss!
Through the dual cultivation of spirit and desire, their consciousness, souls, and true energy intertwined without reservation in that incredibly moving moment…
At that moment, tears of happiness finally streamed down Nangong Chuchu's flushed face! The true fusion of spirit and desire was more than ten times better than the sensations described by the little girl Liu Lan. How could words possibly describe such exquisite pleasure?
After a long while, Hua Yinghong, with a satisfied expression on his face, gently kissed the beauty's lips and said, "Chuchu, I didn't expect you to be so strong on your first try."
"I've practiced the Su Nu Heart Sutra!" Nangong Chuchu blushed slightly and said sweetly, "Hua Lang is even stronger, you were even mischievous inside me and wouldn't come out."
"How can once be enough?" Hua Yinghong gently kissed Chuchu's earlobe and laughed, "Let's do it again..."
"Hua Lang!..." Nangong Chuchu's soul-stirring voice was so captivating that one would be willing to die for her...
It's hardest to resist the kindness of a beautiful woman. Such a wonderful night almost made people forget all the lurking dangers...

Volume 9, Counterattack from Desperate Situation, Chapter 184: Food Panic
. On the fifth day of the first month of the 995th year of the Hualong Calendar, at noon.
The food crisis finally made the people, who were originally very optimistic about the situation of the Free Alliance, realize the cruelty of war: at first, they thought it was the Qiu family's spies spreading rumors that the Free Alliance was in a food shortage crisis. But as rice shops everywhere clearly had no stock and stopped operating, the people finally panicked. Countless people began gathering in front of the various levels of the Ministry of the Interior, demanding clarification!
The Ministry of the Interior was forced to announce that, including Zhenbao Island, the Free Alliance's official grain reserves were indeed only enough for five more days, and the entire Alliance was facing a severe food shortage! Only some far-sighted aristocratic families, merchants, and ordinary people still had some grain reserves, but even if they were all used, they could only supply for a maximum of eleven days!
This explosive news immediately caused widespread panic within the Free Alliance. Food is the most important thing for the people; without food, even the strongest Free Alliance is just a paper tiger. How could it resist the combined attack of millions of troops from several major powers?
In the central square of Changlong City, the Free Army held its first military parade since its major expansion—the city had the newly replenished Qu Qingbo 10th Division, Zhao Qingsi's Women's Division, and four newly recruited reserve divisions. Hua Yinghong selected one reserve division for the parade, which also served as a test for the reserve soldiers. After two days of intensive training, the carefully selected reserve soldiers, fully equipped with armor and weaponry, looked imposing and indistinguishable from regular troops.
In the vast central square, the Free Army reserve division demonstrated their formations, tactics, martial arts, and archery skills… Having longed to join the Free Army, these men had undergone rigorous training, and their discipline and spirit were no less than that of any regular army, inspiring confidence in the onlookers—the only thing lacking was the battle-hardened aura of combat!
"Fellow countrymen! Brothers and sisters! Soldiers of the Freedom Army!" Liu Yufei, Hua Yinghong, Miao Youlan, Xue Qianqian, Lü Jingwei, Gui Yuanhai, Bai Sisi, and Nangong Wang—the other eight members of the "Supreme Nine Meeting" except Hai Tianqing—were all present. Liu Yufei, the leader of the Freedom Alliance, began her speech with an air of composure and a voice as melodious as celestial music:
"As you all know, our food supplies are only enough to last eleven days. Who caused this? Who blocked all of the Freedom Alliance's transportation lines, preventing even a single grain of food from entering? Two thousand transport ships, fully loaded with over ten million shi of grain, have already departed from Oba. And who is attempting to prevent their return in the Treasure Strait? We only have three paths before us: one is to starve to death! Are you willing to accept this?"
"No!" Forty thousand Freedom Army soldiers, along with tens of thousands of onlookers, shouted in unison!
"One option is to surrender and return to the life of enslavement! Are you willing?" Liu Yufei's emotional rhetoric, learned from Hua Yinghong, proved incredibly effective: starving people, forcing them to give up the wonderful life and dignity they enjoyed in the Freedom Alliance... probably no one would be willing at this moment!
"The third option is to fight for freedom! To fight for our twenty million compatriots, even if it means dying on the battlefield! Are you willing?"
"Yes! I would rather die than not be free! I would rather die than not be free!..." Not only the forty thousand reservists, but also the tens of thousands of onlookers joined in the shouts, their voices shaking the heavens. It seemed that even the heavens were alarmed, and the originally gray clouds miraculously parted, revealing a ray of sunlight.
Seeing the fervent atmosphere, Hua Yinghong seized the opportunity to continue: "Baiyang City, Qingyuan City, Shunde City, Zhanjiang City, Baijiang City, Meijiang City, Quanzhou Port City, Jianghan County, Yulong County, Baiyi Kingdom... We have no food, but our enemies have it. In the name of the Marshal of the Free Army, I order: the entire army to launch a battle against all invading enemies, codenamed 'Desperate Counterattack'! With the army and people united, we will annihilate the enemy. The Free Army will prevail! The Free Alliance will prevail!"
"The Free Army will prevail! The Free Alliance will prevail!..." On the same day, outside Changlong City, military parades of varying sizes were held in Tianshui City, Dongguan City, Tenglong City, Maoming City, and other places, which were actually pre-battle mobilizations.
Taking advantage of the food crisis, the Free Alliance successfully further mobilized the morale of the entire army and people: they would rather die in battle than starve to death, and they would rather surrender!
In the hearts of the Free Alliance's soldiers and people, who could stop the advance of the million-strong army led by "Son of Freedom" Hua Yinghong?

Half a day passed quickly, and night fell. In the vast darkness, Long Feiyang stood on his horse atop a small hill, gazing at the lights of Bao'an Town in the distance, his heart surging with emotion.
This was a place Long Feiyang had once ruled and knew very well. What was once just a small town with only twenty or thirty thousand people including the surrounding villages had now become an unprecedentedly massive refugee city. The city walls, five zhang high, two zhang thick, and several li long on each side, provided extremely tight protection for nearly a million refugees. And the Free Alliance had completed such a massive project in just one month! Such high efficiency made even the renowned general Long Feiyang feel extremely impressed.
The 200,000-strong Long clan army had landed in Maoming Prefecture for almost five days, and Qiu Haoran, who was besieging Maoming City, still hadn't launched an attack. The reason given was that he was ordered by his patriarch to use the food shortage to wear down the Free Army, forcing them to abandon the fortified city walls and instead launch a strong attack on the fortifications and camps built by the besieging army.
Long Feiyang was naturally aware of the Free Alliance's food shortage and refrained from launching an attack. Instead, he focused on daily troop drills and the construction of fortified defenses.
In reality, Long Feiyang was also concerned about the consequences of a forced siege: news from various battlefields indicated that the Qiu family, Ding family, Baiyi King Duan Tiande, and Dingyi Company Ma Zhao—the five major powers that had launched their attacks on New Year's Eve—had gained no advantage whatsoever, suffering losses several times greater than the Free Army!
According to Long's intelligence department, although only one regular military division was currently stationed in Bao'an Town and Zhaoqing Town, many people had witnessed firsthand that during the initial construction of the city walls, the Free Army's seventh and eighth-rank experts were helping to move stones, cement, steel bars, and timber. Furthermore, almost every one of the more than 100,000 ordinary construction laborers from Zhenbao Island possessed considerable martial arts skills, with most ranking between the third and fourth ranks! This was also confirmed by intelligence personnel's observations of the recruitment tests conducted during the Free Army's subsequent major expansion.
Even if they breach the city gates, I'm afraid that these 200,000 Long clan Liang soldiers will not come out alive—this strange thought suddenly arose in Long Feiyang's mind: "Son of Freedom" Hua Yinghong spread the peerless skills of the "Two Gods" like a madman, first creating a large number of soldiers with excellent aptitude and martial arts foundation!
Driven by the selfish desire to maintain their own ruling foundations, the Qiu, Long, and Ding families, among others, despite subsequently spreading their family martial arts techniques, were always caught in a contradiction: a desire to improve their army's combat effectiveness, yet a fear that an army becoming too powerful would escape their family's control. Coupled with being a step behind, in terms of the individual combat strength of ordinary soldiers, the Free Army was now actually stronger than the major families!
"Qiu Shuibo, Hua Yinghong, Xu Shaopeng..." Long Feiyang shook his head. Perhaps he was truly getting old, losing his edge, and unable to fathom the thoughts of the younger generation of outstanding generals. Temporarily ceasing hostilities with the Qiu family and joining forces to attack the Free Alliance was a choice Long Feiyang had no other option but to make—the Free Alliance's growing strength, his repeated exploitation by Hua Yinghong, and Qiu Shuibo's proposal to return Zhanjiang Prefecture, allowing the Long family to possess a vast area in eastern Zhenbao Island, including Keelung City… all these factors made it impossible for Long Feiyang not to be tempted!
Now that a new sea route to the European continent had opened, how could the rich, beautiful, and populous Zhenbao Island not be coveted?
"Issue another order to all units and the navy to be on high alert!" Long Feiyang commanded his personal guards. "If any unusual activity occurs, prepare to implement Plan Two immediately upon seeing the signal."
Driven by the food shortage, the Free Army had already held a grand military parade and pre-battle mobilization. The Free Army had expanded its reserve divisions by twenty, clearly indicating its intention to fight to the death. Of these twenty reserve divisions, two were stationed in Dongguan City, Tianshui City, and Baiyi Baoyi Prefecture; four each in Changlong City and Tenglong City; four in Maoming City; and one each in Bao'an Town and Zhaoqing Town.
On the front of the 500-mile-long battle line connecting Changlong City, Qingshui Peak, Tenglong City, and Maoming City, facing the Qiu family's main army, the Free Army deployed 320,000 regular troops, mainly composed of Feng Yanran's Fire Phoenix Legion and Liu Litao's Fourth Legion, plus 480,000 reservists from twelve divisions, totaling 800,000 troops. Chang Shengqiu's Independent Cavalry Division was also positioned to provide support in the Yongda Town area, bordering Dongguan Prefecture and Changlong Prefecture, ready to be deployed at any time. Even with Hua Yinghong's cunning tactics, the Free Army's main attack direction was self-evident!
In these battlefields, the Qiu family's six legions, totaling 960,000 men, had already redeployed reserves to replenish losses, stockpiled large quantities of military equipment and supplies, constructed fortified positions, high walls and trenches, and even deployed five iron net formations learned from the Free Army. They were simply waiting for the Free Army to launch a suicidal assault!
When two tigers fight, the most likely outcome is mutual destruction. That would be the perfect opportunity for the Long family to regain the initiative, reclaim lost territory, and even seize the entire Baiyang County and Zhenbao Island…
What kind of fierce battle will unfold between Qiu Shuibo and Hua Yinghong, two brilliant young generals? In

Shunchang City, the central prefecture of Daliang,
at the Pinjianzhai, "Lingbo Fairy" Shui Xinyue held several letters and an urgent report from "Xiankelai" in Changlong City. Her heart was inexplicably fluctuating, filled with sweetness and turmoil…
The situation in Shunchang Prefecture had stabilized. Although the Shangguan family was powerless to counter the massive Japanese army, they could still defend themselves on the current front lines. However, beneath the calm surface lay a great hidden worry, a great storm—
King Zhu Wen of Daliang seemed to have lost his soul, having issued no royal decree to organize any anti-Japanese resistance efforts across the Daliang Kingdom. Clearly, he was completely controlled by the Grand Eunuch Gao Zhongxian. Stimulated by the large amount of resources plundered from the occupied territories, the Japanese continued to send reinforcements from their homeland; more than four million Japanese troops had already landed! More than a million Japanese civilians have begun entering the Japanese-occupied areas of Wuyi and Zhongyang counties, producing large quantities of weaponry using local materials. A
puppet regime led by the traitorous Wang Jingwei has been established, ruling the Japanese-occupied areas alongside the Japanese. Qiu Denghui and Qiu Shuibian have been promoted to commander and deputy commander of the Japanese "puppet army" group army, respectively. Under the tutelage of Okamura Ningji, head of the Japanese officers' training corps, four puppet army corps, totaling 640,000 troops, are undergoing intensive training…
Even more worrying is the information gathered by the powerful intelligence system of Wenjian Pavilion: the Japanese army has received covert support from the United States, purchasing and transferring a large number of artillery pieces—weapons reportedly with a range even greater than the Free Army's projectiles and far more powerful: if a shell explodes nearby, even a ninth-rank master would be either killed or seriously injured; even the strongest city walls would collapse under continuous bombardment! The intelligence obtained by Wenjian Pavilion's intelligence personnel, who risked their lives to witness the Japanese army's artillery tests, is absolutely reliable!
The "Sword-Asking Order" must not be issued lightly. The powerful New Song Dynasty, with its million-strong army, is stationed on the Song-Liang border, yet refuses to cross the border to engage in combat. The New Song Dynasty's Grand Marshal, "Gun Saint" He Jiguang, replies to "Lingbo Fairy" Shui Xinyue with the reason: the American army across the Qionghai Strait in the north is making unusual movements, showing signs of crossing the sea to invade. The Americans have superior ships and cannons, and their army is extremely powerful; the New Song Dynasty cannot fight on two fronts—knowing full well that "Gun Saint" He Jiguang is waiting for the Japanese and Liang armies to become evenly matched, ideally resulting in mutual destruction, before settling the score, but Shui Xinyue is powerless to stop it.
Currently, the most powerful and sincere force resisting the Japanese invaders, the Free Army, is caught in a joint attack by five major powers and is facing a severe food crisis. It seems they have no choice but to leave their fortified city and fight a desperate battle! Regardless of who wins or loses, it will damage the vitality of the Hua Long Continent! Such a situation was bound to trouble the heir of the Sword Inquiry Pavilion, who always considered it his duty to safeguard the safety of the Hua Long Continent.
But what brought sweetness to "Fairy Lingbo" Shui Xinyue was that, amidst this grave crisis, Hua Yinghong had been sending her handwritten letters every day for the past few days, sometimes two a day. The letters were brief, refusing to discuss the crisis, filled instead with anecdotes and tender poems—such romantic sentiment would surely move even a true fairy. Moreover, Shui Xinyue herself knew that despite the title "fairy," she was merely a young, beautiful girl with profound cultivation and a transcendent status! The fact that
Hua Yinghong hadn't recalled the two naval divisions that had been harassing the Japanese pirates' sea lanes off the coast of Daliang under such difficult circumstances—this spoke volumes about his affection beyond the letters themselves!
"Xin Yue, once this matter is resolved, on the night of the full moon, I will come to fetch you to the Ice and Fire Cave." Hua Yinghong's latest letter exuded immense confidence, seemingly certain he could resolve this unprecedented crisis within ten days!
"What other assassins does Hua Yinghong have at his disposal?" Even with Shui Xin Yue's intelligence
, she couldn't fathom it. "The successor of the Sword Inquiry bears immense responsibility. The heart is not in control, the body is not in control..." Her master Ling Hanyan's words were penetrating—Shui Xin Yue gently closed her beautiful eyes, pondered for a moment, picked up her pen, and began writing a reply, "Swish...swish...swish..."

Volume Nine, Desperate Counterattack, Chapter 185: A Gamble on the World
. At 9 PM on the fifth day of the lunar month. Suddenly, the north wall of Changlong City was illuminated by countless torches, and tens of thousands of disciplined Free Army soldiers exuded a chilling murderous aura. The sentries on the Jade Dragon Army's high observation tower hurriedly sent a signal to the main camp—the Free Army, most skilled in night combat, might be making a move!
Then, the north gate of Changlong City roared open! To the great bewilderment of the Qiu Clan's Jade Dragon Army sentries, only a little over a hundred riders emerged from the city gates, slowly making their way towards the Jade Dragon Army's camp.
"I am Qiu Shuixiao. Let us into the camp to see the patriarch," said "Laughing Tiger" Qiu Shuixiao, his voice booming. Contrary to Hua Yinghong's threat to Qiu Shuibo in his letter—Qiu Shuibo was willing to pay five million gold coins for the prisoners without food—Hua Yinghong simply and generously released all the captured Qiu Clan experts without harm! —Comparing the two, it seemed the difference in their abilities was clear!
"Open the camp gates!" The officer on duty, "Fierce Tiger" Ling Tong, gave the order in a low voice. Although he didn't know what trick "Son of Freedom" Hua Yinghong was up to this time, "Laughing Tiger" Qiu Shuixiao's loyalty to the family was beyond question. And if the remaining hundred-odd people were experts sent by Hua Yinghong to raid the camp, even if they were all Saint-level or higher, they wouldn't pose much of a threat to an army of hundreds of thousands.
"Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!" The north gate of Changlong City was only a little over two miles from the front gate of the Jade Dragon Army's camp. As soon as the camp gate opened, "Laughing Tiger" Qiu Shuixiao immediately led 122 captured Qiu family experts on horseback at breakneck speed, disappearing like a whirlwind behind the camp gate.
The remaining 21 riders stopped when they were about a mile from the camp gate. Two riders were in front, and nineteen riders lined up behind them.
"Brother Shuibo, I, Hua Yinghong, have come to pay my respects at the camp. Why not come out and meet me?" The lead rider suddenly raised his voice, a booming sound that echoed for miles above the Jade Dragon Army camp.
"Hua Yinghong!" "Tiger" Ling Tong's sharp eyes gleamed with admiration: the already renowned "Son of Freedom," Hua Yinghong, dared to come to pay his respects with only twenty-one riders amidst over a hundred Qiu Clan experts, treating the hundreds of thousands of Qiu Clan soldiers as nothing! His audacity was truly admirable.
"Brother Hua, your presence is an honor! I, Shuibo, have failed to greet you properly. My apologies!" Qiu Shuibo's voice also boomed like a tiger's roar across the plains, resounding throughout Changlong City. Qiu Shuibo and Qiu Shuixiao led nineteen riders of the "Autumn Wind Platinum Guard" to greet Hua Yinghong and his group.
No one could have imagined that these two outstanding generals, renowned throughout the younger generation of the Hualong Continent, would meet again under such circumstances!

North of Dongguan City, the Ding Clan's army camp.
Tonight, Ding Zixing dared not rest for a moment. The Ding family's three cavalry divisions had severed Dongguan City's eastern, western, and southern connections with the outside world, leaving the city isolated.
Inside Dongguan, the Free Army's regular forces, plus the two newly established reserve divisions, numbered only 200,000, posing no threat to the Ding family's 480,000-strong army, which had constructed deep moats and high walls in a defensive formation.
Although the Free Army's troop distribution clearly indicated that their main attack was aimed at the Qiu family, Ding Zixing still dared not be careless—with the Free Army already driven to the brink of despair by a food crisis, and Hua Yinghong, the "Son of Freedom" whose tactics never followed convention, anything could happen!
"Has the order to the cavalry division been delivered?" From the intelligence relayed from various key towns regarding the Free Army's military parade and pre-battle mobilization, Ding Zixing deduced that the Free Army would definitely launch a major operation tonight. He had already quietly ordered the three cavalry divisions responsible for cutting off communication to clear the passage eastward to Changlong Prefecture—if the Free Army in Dongguan City were allowed to send one or two divisions to the main battlefield in Changlong City, the fiercer the fighting and the greater the losses, the more advantageous it would be for the Ding family to clean up the mess.
"It has been delivered. The young master of Tianshui City has also confirmed receiving the order."
To ensure absolute certainty, Ding Zixing not only used the best carrier pigeons to deliver the order tonight but also dispatched elite cavalry scouts to confirm it. This night was truly a night of life and death for the family. He hoped everything would go as planned, and that the worst-case scenario wouldn't occur—
in Ding Zixing's hands lay the "Spring and Autumn Limitless Order," a token only used when the Ding family's survival was at stake and annihilation was imminent!

Qiu Shuibo and Hua Yinghong stood three zhang apart on horseback, their eyes fixed on each other, unblinking, as if the other's face were blooming with desire—a sight that might lead someone with a disturbing sense of illicit pleasure to mistake the two men for having some kind of perverse interest.
Fifty paces behind each of them were twenty guards. From afar, soldiers on both sides with good eyesight could see that the two seemed to be conversing. But even the highly skilled warriors like Ba Tian, Fang Shiling, and Qiu Shuixiao couldn't discern the content of their conversation. A layer of almost tangible true energy shield sealed their voices, preventing any leakage!
“Brother Shuibo, it’s been several months since we parted at Sun and Moon Lake. You’re even more impressive than before,” Hua Yinghong said jokingly. “The problems you’ve presented me with have truly given me a headache, and I’m afraid they might even shorten my lifespan by a few years!”
“Brother Hua, you’re too kind,” Qiu Shuibo sighed. “You’re at your peak right now, manipulating events with ease, surrounded by beauties, full of vigor. You don’t seem to be struggling at all. It’s you who’s effortlessly devised plans that have given me a real headache. I finally came up with a few schemes, thinking I had the upper hand, but you cracked them so easily, leaving me with losses. Brother Hua’s abilities are truly unpredictable.”
The two of them glossed over their previous exchanges with great composure.
"The lives of millions of soldiers and civilians are now in our hands. Once the decisive battle begins, it will be a scene of corpses floating for miles and rivers of blood. Brother Shuibo, why don't you lead the Qiu clan to join the Freedom Alliance? I will welcome you with the position of deputy commander." Hua Yinghong brought up the previous proposal again.
"My clan is now well-trained and well-supplied. Why don't you lead your people to join us, Brother Hua?" Qiu Shuibo said, "Brother Hua's position is only below Shuibo's." Qiu Shuibo's words were sharp and pointed, subtly implying that the Freedom Army had no strength for a prolonged war, and he refused to yield an inch, using the Freedom Alliance's food crisis as a pretext.
What would happen if Hua Yinghong, the "Son of Freedom," led the Freedom Alliance to submit to the Qiu family?
“Brother Shuibo, if you think my Free Alliance is without food, you are sorely mistaken. As far as I know, Baiyang City has ample grain reserves, enough for ten million soldiers and civilians for two or three years. I only need to lead my troops straight in, and even if Brother Shuibo has a million troops, it will be as easy as turning his hand. However, I really cannot bear to see my soldiers bleed and my Hualong's strength weakened.” Hua Yinghong sighed softly.
"Tongzi Prefecture, Dongguan City, Qingshui Ridge, Qingfeng Ridge, Qingshui Town—where on the battlefield would the allied forces of the five major powers gain even the slightest advantage in a direct confrontation?"
Qiu Shuibo remained silent for a moment before speaking, "However, the Free Alliance is currently facing a food shortage. If they were to launch a direct assault on our fortified positions, even with the Free Army's bravery and your brilliant military strategies, Brother Hua, you would likely be helpless. Moreover, the combat strength of your numerous newly established reserve troops is uncertain. Baiyang City has ample food supplies; once the Free Alliance returns, the crisis will be resolved. The situation is so clear. With your exceptional intelligence, Brother Hua, why insist on initiating a war and wasting countless lives?"
In Qiu Shuibo's plan, he did not wish to engage in a direct confrontation with the Free Army. That would only allow the Ding and Long families to reap the benefits—using the crisis to force the Free Alliance to submit, and then consolidating the Free Alliance's power to sweep away the remaining forces. This was the true purpose of Qiu Shuibo's "Year-End Plan"!
Since Qiu Shuibo took power, his various policies and strategies have been largely the same as those of the Free Alliance. Hua Yinghong, with his keen insight, could see that to resolve the Free Alliance's food crisis without bloodshed, pledging allegiance to the Qiu family was the best option!
And given Hua Yinghong's character, once he publicly declared his allegiance to the Qiu family, he would never betray them again. The Qiu family would then possess tens of millions of people and millions of soldiers, and with the support of the Sword Inquiry Pavilion, which always supported the strong, no one could stand against them in their quest for world domination!
"Only strength can prove everything!" Hua Yinghong said without disappointment, "Since neither of us wants to see the carnage of thousands of miles of bloodshed and millions of corpses, we made a gentleman's agreement before. Why don't we make another gentleman's wager this time? Brother Shuibo, are you interested?"
"How to wager? I'd like to hear the details!" A sharp glint flashed in Qiu Shuibo's eyes.
"Tonight, we'll settle this with a single battle. The stakes are: if I lose, the Free Alliance will unconditionally join the Qiu Clan, and I will wholeheartedly assist Brother Shuibo in his quest for supremacy; if I win, the Qiu Clan will unconditionally join the Free Alliance, and Brother Shuibo must help me achieve our great cause. Are you up for the stakes?" Hua Yinghong's eyes flashed with a piercing light as he stared directly at Qiu Shuibo.
"How will we fight? Will it be a battle of formations?" Qiu Shuibo's eyes blazed with fighting spirit: if both sides sent an equal number of elite troops in formation, the Qiu Clan's world-renowned "Iron Triangle Formation" would be no match for them, especially with the assistance of a large number of Saint-level experts hidden within the family. Victory was assured. Such a heroic battle to decide the fate of the world would be a legendary tale!
"A battle of formations is too easy. How about we set the timeframe from tonight until 9 AM tomorrow? I'll rely solely on the city's troops. If Brother Shuibo can capture Changlong City by the end of 9 AM or the beginning of 9 AM, then you'll be considered the victor!" Hua Yinghong smiled.
"Brother Hua, are you perhaps toying with me? Perhaps it would be better not to mention it at all?" Qiu Shuibo said with a wry smile. This kind of bet was clearly putting him in a difficult position: Changlong City currently has 80,000 regular troops, plus four divisions of reserves, totaling 240,000. Qiu Shuibo only has two large army corps with 320,000 troops outside Changlong City. Even if he were to bring in Qiu Shuiba's Hundred Sheep Legion from Qingshui Peak, with Hua Yinghong in command, if the Free Army weren't severely lacking in supplies, it might take two or three years to capture the city.
If Changlong City could be easily taken in a single night, Qiu Shuibo wouldn't need to resort to the food shortage tactic!
"Then let me propose another wager," Hua Yinghong said with a relaxed smile. "Let's see if Brother Shuibo has the courage to take this gamble: Baiyang City's walls are over seven zhang high, its moat is over twelve zhang wide, and its weaponry is extremely abundant, making its defenses absolutely formidable. If my intelligence is correct, there should currently be a division of 40,000
men stationed there. If I capture Baiyang City before the end of Chenshi (7-9 AM) tomorrow, will Brother Shuibo admit defeat?" It was already past Haishi (9-11 PM), and for the Free Army to break through the current 320,000-strong army's lines was already difficult enough; to capture the heavily fortified and well-prepared Baiyang City was nothing short of a pipe dream! Hua Yinghong's audacity in proposing such a wager was practically tantamount to admitting defeat!
—But to be on the safe side, Qiu Shuibo still asked with unease, “Brother Hua, your boldness is admirable, but is there any additional condition?”
If Hua Yinghong were to demand that he be allowed to lead an army of 100,000 or 200,000 to attack Baiyang City through the Jade Dragon Army’s defenses, given his unpredictable methods and cunning, he might actually be able to breach Baiyang City. This gamble, betting the entire family, was far too huge, and even Qiu Shuibo, with his carefree spirit, had to be extremely cautious!
“There is only one condition: Brother Shuibo, you can inform Baiyang City to prepare its defenses and not send any more reinforcements. Then, Brother Shuibo, you can accompany me, Batian, and the nineteen guards behind us to the walls of Baiyang City to see how I attack. Brother Shuibo, will you gamble or not?”
To conquer the Qiu family’s stronghold, Baiyang City, in one night with only twenty-one men—even the Sword God Lang Qingyun, the Knife God Guan Shanyue, and the Spear God Yan Nanfei together couldn’t do it—Hua Yinghong’s words were more insane than a madman’s!
"A bet! A gentleman's word is his bond!" Qiu Shuibo almost suspected that Hua Yinghong was using the pressure of food shortages as an excuse to hand over the Free Alliance to the Qiu family. If he, Qiu Shuibo, didn't even have the courage to accept such terms, he had no right to boast about conquering the world! Besides, if Hua Yinghong really had some means to make the Free Army capture Baiyang City overnight, the Qiu family would have no choice but to surrender unconditionally!
"A promise is a promise!" Hua Yinghong removed his true qi shield and shouted:
"I, Hua Yinghong, Marshal of the Free Army, hereby declare, authorized by the highest nine-person meeting, that if Baiyang City cannot be captured before the end of Chenshi (7-9 AM) tomorrow, the entire alliance will unconditionally join the Qiu family! There will be no going back!" His voice was so loud that it could be heard throughout the entire Changlong City.
"I, Qiu Shuibo, the current head of the Qiu family, hereby declare with the Wanli Beifeng Decree: if the Free Army captures Baiyang City before the end of the battle at Chenshi (7-9 AM) tomorrow, the Qiu family will unconditionally join the Free Alliance! Absolutely no regrets!" Qiu Shuibo's voice, delivered with concentrated true energy, was loud enough for the Qiu family's Jade Dragon Army outside the city, and even the Qingshui Peak garrison more than ten miles away, to hear!
The Qiu family's Jade Dragon Army and the million soldiers and civilians within Changlong City were all stunned by this explosive news! —Have these two outstanding young generals gone mad, making such a reckless gamble on the battlefield?
"Sizzle! Sizzle! Sizzle!..." Countless fireworks immediately rose in Changlong City, spreading this explosive news far and wide!
"Brother Shuibo, you're doomed! Welcome to the Freedom Alliance." Hua Yinghong smiled and said, "The 7,300 soldiers you sent to infiltrate my Changlong City reserve army are already under my control."
Qiu Shuibo also smiled nonchalantly and said, "I know this deception probably won't fool you, but how can you attack a city with only twenty riders? Let me tell you, Brother Hua, most of the thousands of intelligence agents you infiltrated in Baiyang City are also under my surveillance. I'm afraid they won't be of much use during the siege."
"Ha! Ha! Ha! Brother Shuibo is indeed formidable! But unfortunately, you've forgotten my true trump card—the Special Forces Division and Top Secret Number One!" Hua Yinghong couldn't help but burst into loud laughter...

Volume 9, Desperate Counterattack, Chapter 186: Flying Dragon Warship.
"As far as I know, this afternoon, the Special Forces Division was still stranded on Treasure Island. Even if they had a plan to deceive everyone, how could they possibly evade the massive navy and sentry ships of the Qiu and Long clans blocking the Treasure Strait? Even if they successfully crossed the sea, how could they possibly breach our army's formidable defenses and attack Baiyang City?"
Qiu Shuibo absolutely refused to believe that, under the surveillance of the Qiu family's powerful intelligence network and the blockade by the overwhelmingly superior navy, the Special Forces Division could safely cross the Treasure Strait and once again silently advance into Baiyang City for a surprise attack.
Moreover, judging from the timeline, the Special Forces Division definitely didn't have enough time!
"Hearing is believing, seeing is believing." Hua Yinghong turned his horse around, pointed diagonally at the sky south of Changlong City, and said,
"Brother Shuibo, what is wider than the land is the ocean, what is wider than the ocean is the sky, and what is wider than the sky is the human heart. You will lose, simply because you can never imagine the true content of my top-secret Plan
No. 1. Look over there—" Qiu Shuibo looked up in the direction Hua Yinghong was pointing and was immediately dumbfounded: in the distant sky south of Changlong City, thousands of yellow fluorescent lights were flashing with a strange luster. They were thousands of phoenix patterns, arranged neatly like a battle formation, flying towards them!

"What? Hua Yinghong actually made such a crazy bet with Qiu Shuibo?"
The Ding family's intelligence personnel used fireworks to report the high-stakes bet that had taken place under Changlong City to Ding Zixing's tent as quickly as possible.
Specially trained intelligence operatives know how to relay different messages in a relay, using various combinations of colorful fireworks signals, at top speed—a hundred times faster than the best carrier pigeons or swift horses.
Of course, using fireworks signals to transmit messages in enemy-occupied territory easily exposes the operatives' positions, potentially leading to devastating consequences. Therefore, unless it's a particularly important and urgent message, it's generally not used lightly in enemy-occupied areas. However,
the news of Hua Yinghong and Qiu Shuibo's high-stakes gamble was so shocking that the Ding family's intelligence operatives were willing to risk being exposed and killed!
"Order Ding Baijian's army in Tianshui City to immediately march towards Dongguan City; order Jianghan Prefecture and Nanjiang Prefecture to enter a state of full alert; order the garrison in Beijiang Prefecture to be ready to reinforce Nanjiang Prefecture at any time..." Ding Zizhi quickly issued a series of contingency orders, because the worst-case scenario he had anticipated had already occurred!
—If the Qiu family and the Free Alliance reached some kind of agreement in private, their combined forces would be a huge disaster for the neighboring Ding and Long families! According to the bet made between Qiu Shuibo and Hua Yinghong at the foot of Changlong City, everything will be decided after Chenshi (7-9 AM) tomorrow. However, regardless of who wins or loses, it will not benefit the Ding family in the slightest!
Their cunning schemes have backfired spectacularly; the Ding family may very well end up losing more than they gain!
Ding Zixing suddenly realized that the wise saying, "The older the ginger, the spicier it gets; the older the man, the more shrewd he becomes," seemed to have completely lost its meaning in the face of Qiu Shuibo and Hua Yinghong! The shrewdness of these two formidable young men far exceeded his expectations and imagination!
Fortunately, there are still several hours until Chenshi tomorrow, enough time to adjust the Ding family's army deployment and make the best possible response…

Maoming Prefecture.
Upon receiving intelligence about Hua Yinghong and Qiu Shuibo's "betting the world," Long Feiyang's first reaction was, "I can't believe I've been tricked by those two juniors, Qiu Shuibo and Hua Yinghong, again!"
From the "gentleman's agreement" on Zhenbao Island to the bloody battle of Qingyuan, Qiu Shuibo had twice secretly colluded with "Son of Freedom" Hua Yinghong, driving Long Feiyang to the brink of defeat and causing him to lose his troops and territory. It's lamentable that Long Feiyang, a renowned general, has now been outmaneuvered by the two for the third time; he has truly disgraced his reputation and lost all face!
"If I had known this would happen, I should have listened to Xiaotian's advice and firmly defended Meijiang Prefecture and Baiquan Prefecture with 800,000 troops." Long Feiyang shook his head. Before setting out, his eldest son, Long Xiaotian, had advised him not to heed Qiu Shuibo's proposal to join forces with the five families and to use the internal strife of the Gaoshan tribe to destroy the Free Alliance, nor to heed Qiu Shuibo's threat to "unconditionally join the Free Alliance"—if they had set up their formations and relied on fortified cities and strategic passes to wait for the enemy to tire themselves out, and with the support of Donghai County on the east bank of the Yulong River, what could the Free Alliance and the Qiu family do even if they joined forces?
"The desire for fame and fortune has truly ruined people." Long Feiyang sighed to himself.
Ultimately, Long Feiyang still wanted to rebuild his reputation as a renowned general and secure greater benefits for the Long family, which is why he mobilized 400,000 troops from both land and naval forces to participate in the "Year-End Plan." This time, it was another fruitless effort, and it's time for him to withdraw from the stage!
Perhaps Long Xiaotian, also from the younger generation, is better suited to deal with Hua Yinghong and Qiu Shuibo?
"Order all units to quickly board ships and retreat to Baiquan Prefecture. The Quanzhou Port Navy will retreat to escort them; order the Meijiang Legion and Baiquan Legion to cancel their second plan..."
In Long Feiyang's original second plan, if the Free Army and the Qiu family fought to a standstill, any victory would be a Pyrrhic one. Long Xiaotian's newly formed Meijiang Army and Baiquan Army, totaling 400,000 troops, were ready to advance by land. After capturing Qiu Shuibo's army and withdrawing, only a newly formed reserve division would remain to guard Zhanjiang Prefecture, Baijiang Prefecture, and Shunde Prefecture, respectively. His own Liang Army's Western Army and Quanzhou Naval Army should have no problem dealing with the Pyrrhic victory of the other side!
Who would have thought that Hua Yinghong and Qiu Shuibo would make such an astonishing and ambitious bet, putting Long Feiyang's army at risk of facing a combined attack from Qiu Haoran's 320,000 Jade Dragon Army and Liu Litao's 320,000 Free Army in Maoming Prefecture!
At this point, no amount of cursing Qiu Shuibo for being treacherous would help. If they didn't withdraw by sea while the outcome was still uncertain and neither side would launch an attack on the Liang Army, it might be too late to withdraw after the bet was settled!
At the landing point on the southeast coast of Maoming Prefecture, Long Feiyang had left a large number of empty transport ships and supply ships, enough to transport all 200,000 troops, including men, horses, weapons, and supplies. The distance to the coast is over seventy li, mostly open plains, making troop withdrawal extremely convenient; it would take at most two hours to board the ships.
Long Feiyang, after all, possessed the foresight of a renowned general. Before calculating victory, he had already planned his retreat, demonstrating that he hadn't been entirely unprepared for today's situation and had made thorough preparations—but was it truly too late to withdraw now?

"Top Secret Number One" finally revealed its true form—
one thousand and one enormous airships, painted with a phoenix rising from the ashes using special fluorescent paint and bearing serial numbers, stood silently in a line of twenty, hovering over a hundred zhang in the air, neither ascending nor descending. Looking up from below, each airship was the size of a large ship, their imposing presence awe-inspiring!
All the Jade Dragon Army soldiers and the Free Army soldiers on the city walls stared in disbelief at this incredible miracle, their mouths agape in astonishment!
Flying had been the dream of countless Hualong people since ancient times, but neither with the aid of tools nor with true energy could they remain in the air for long. Even the most elite Divine-grade masters could only reach a height of over thirty zhang (approximately 133 meters) with their lightness skills, and could not remain airborne for long. Without something to lean on, they would eventually fall.
Could this be the legendary divine soldiers and generals? The sheer power of those 1001 massive airships silently hovering in the air was enough to deeply awe everyone present!
The foremost airship slowly descended—
"Your subordinate Zeng Guozhong greets the Marshal." Zeng Guozhong leaped down from the airship, which had descended to a height of over five zhang (approximately 133 meters), saluted Hua Yinghong, and respectfully presented him with the "Jade Bow" and nine "Sunset Arrows" he had seized from Miao Tieshan, as well as a small jade ring shimmering with green light. He said, "I have fulfilled my mission!"
"Guozhong, you have worked hard!" Hua Yinghong returned the salute, accepted the three items, and turned to Qiu Shuibo, saying:
"Brother Shuibo, this is my latest secret weapon, named the Flying Dragon Warship. Each warship can fly up to 1,300 zhang high, carry 50 fully armed soldiers, and can also carry 200 Demon Dragon Blood Bullets and 100,000 arrows. Its flight speed is about 120 li with the wind and 180 li with the wind every hour. My special forces division of 40,000 soldiers is currently on these 1,000 warships. If we want to attack Baiyang City, I wonder if we can do so before the end of Chenshi (7-9 AM)?"
Before leaving Zhenbao Island, Hua Yinghong was inspired by the grassland allied forces' use of the "Flying Divine Garment" to break through Taihe Pass, which was guarded by Li Wenlong. He estimated that with the existing technology and the manufacturing level of Lu Shen Gong and the ordnance department, with slight modifications, they should be able to create another world-renowned "Zeppelin" airship.
Because of his deep passion for military affairs, Hua Yinghong was extremely familiar with this earliest flying object, far ahead of its time. He deliberately delayed his departure from Zhenbao Island by a day, meticulously writing down and drawing the materials, methods, and blueprints for the airship's construction from memory, listing it as the core content of "Top Secret No. 1"!
In the Alang Mountains, Hua Yinghong designated a 50-mile radius area as the "Top Secret No. 1" base, guarding it with a large number of loyal Free Army and military intelligence experts who had passed the Peach Blossom Palace's Soul-Capturing Technique, designating it
a restricted area. Lu Shenggong led his team to work day and night. Because Hua Yinghong's memory of the data was comprehensive and the blueprints were very detailed, a prototype was produced in just eleven days. However, due to technological limitations, it was much simpler than a genuine "Zeppelin" airship. But in this otherworldly era, as long as it could successfully take off, it was an unprecedentedly powerful tool; at least Lu Shenggong and his group of military researchers were overjoyed!
After several test flights and modifications to some technical details, the Flying Dragon airship, with the support of the Ministry of the Interior, began mass production day and night. Various ordnance battalions produced standard components for the airships, which were then transported to Base No. 1 in the Alang Mountains for final assembly. Thanks to the strong production capacity of several ordnance battalions of the Free Alliance and the abundant resources of Zhenbao Island, hundreds of airships had actually been produced before the end of the year!
The Special Forces Division returned to Zhenbao Island under the guise of a long vacation, but their main mission was to resolve the internal strife among the Gaoshan tribes and train airship operators—when the Special Forces Division needed to participate in combat, weather permitting, they could cross the more than 300-mile Zhenbao Strait in just two or three hours!
Hua Yinghong's Flying Dragon airship was a rigid, elliptical-shaped airship. Its frame consisted of a longitudinal beam in the belly, twenty-four long braces, and sixteen lightweight aluminum alloy frames, using numerous longitudinal and transverse tension lines to enhance structural strength. The hull structure was covered with a waterproof fabric skin. The airship contains seventeen gasbags, producing large quantities of hydrogen using a water-gas-to-hydrogen process. The total volume of the gasbags reaches an astonishing ten thousand cubic meters, with an effective payload of thirty-six thousand kilograms!
Lacking steam engines and electric motors, Hua Yinghong employed a four-unit, sixteen-person foot-operated propeller system for propulsion. Fortunately, the special operations division consisted of highly skilled soldiers; using the propellers for power was a form of training, with shifts rotating during long-haul flights. The speed was not much slower than using engines, and importantly, fuel efficiency was not a concern. Weather permitting and the airship's hull remaining intact, it could fly almost continuously.
Several combat positions were designed beneath the airship, allowing for aerial attacks such as firing arrows and dropping "Dragon Blood Bombs." Hua Yinghong's initial statement of "not needing to increase the army by a million" was not an exaggeration. Having such an "air force" to support ground operations was truly a super-powerful weapon ahead of its time!
"I never imagined Brother Hua possessed such extraordinary talent, capable of even creating such a weapon of war!" Upon hearing Hua Yinghong's introduction, Qiu Shuibo was utterly impressed. However, he said,
"Brother Hua seems to have forgotten that my Qiu clan has over a thousand Saint-level experts and tens of thousands of elite clan protectors, not included in the reserve divisions defending the city. Moreover, as long as I issue the 'Ten Thousand Miles of Sorrowful Wind Order,' at least two hundred thousand of the seven hundred thousand people in Baiyang City will participate in the battle. Even if the special forces division had three heads and six arms, it's impossible for them to take Baiyang City before the end of Chenshi (7-9 AM) just by flying in the air, right?"
"Brother Shuibo, there's no need to forcefully argue," Hua Yinghong laughed heartily. "Currently, there are no more than three hundred Saint-level clan protectors remaining in Baiyang City; the rest are in various military units. The condition I just mentioned, requiring that the main force here not return to reinforce Baiyang City, was simply to prevent further casualties among the Qiu clan's soldiers and civilians."
“To be honest, Brother Shuibo, my Special Forces Division has no fewer than four hundred experts who have just reached the Innate Saint Rank. Add to that the Sun-Shooting Arrows, the Divine Crossbows, and the Demonic Dragon Blood Bullets, and taking Hundred Sheep City will be a piece of cake. If Brother Shuibo were to use the ‘Ten Thousand Miles of Sorrowful Wind Order,’ perhaps even an additional three hundred thousand civilians could join the battle, but that would only add countless more innocent souls. My heart is as firm as iron; I will not show mercy. Besides, before dawn, I still have time to airlift at least two divisions from Changlong City to fight in Hundred Sheep City. The outcome of this battle is already clear. With Brother Shuibo's wisdom and talent, do you really need to go through actual combat and bloodshed before you are willing to admit defeat?”
“As far as I know, the Free Alliance currently has no more than three hundred Saint Rank experts. Where would a mere Special Forces Division have so many experts? Brother Hua is exaggerating; it's hard to believe.” Qiu Shuibo still refused to admit defeat.
After all, the Qiu family has built its foundation over generations and fought several bloody battles. It makes no sense for them to give up and admit defeat because of a bet without even fighting. Unless the Free Alliance truly possesses irresistible strength, then no matter how many deaths and blood feuds there have been, Qiu Shuibo must consider the survival and continuation of his family, even if it means bearing the eternal infamy of being a spendthrift!
"Brother Shuibo, have you forgotten my top-secret Plan No. 2? Actually, Plan No. 2 is to improve the cultivation level of a large number of Free Army soldiers in the shortest possible time." Hua Yinghong released his true energy shield again, suppressing their voices, and said:
"For thousands of years, the Hualong martial arts world has deeply believed in the way of martial arts, emphasizing talent and comprehension, as well as diligent practice and gradual progress. Apart from evil martial arts such as the 'Dual Absorption Technique' that harm others for personal gain by absorbing the true energy of others, no one has ever been able to find a shortcut or a rule for quick success. During my seclusion, I used a quick method to create a large number of experts at the top-secret Base No. 2. Otherwise, how could we resist the joint attack of several factions?" "
Create experts? Shuibo is willing to humbly accept your guidance!" Qiu Shuibo completely forgot that they were currently in a hostile state, and was once again deeply shocked by Hua Yinghong's amazing words about "creating experts," almost blurting them out!
If Hua Yinghong could even create a large number of Saint-level experts, then who in this world could be a match for the Free Alliance?

Volume 9, Counterattack from Desperate Situation, Chapter 187: Completely Convinced.
Hua Yinghong's deep eyes gleamed strangely in the darkness as he smiled slightly, "As long as one understands the laws of martial arts and makes good use of all conditions, creating masters is not an insurmountable difficulty. The most reliable things in the world are: first, wisdom; second, selflessness."
Gaining the Qiu family's submission and unconditional allegiance without bloodshed is crucial to the Free Army's operational plan and even the Free Alliance's unification of Hualong and the entire Holy Continent. However, without displaying overwhelming strength, it's impossible to truly convince a brilliant figure like Qiu Shuibo, or to gain the unconditional submission of the Qiu family, which commands a million troops and controls tens of millions of people!
Hua Yinghong had no intention of holding back against Qiu Shuibo—because everything would be under his control!
"Before going into seclusion, I visited 174 Saint-level masters from allies such as Peach Blossom Palace, Wanmei Manor, the Ship Gang, and the Nangong Family who had joined the Free Alliance. I inquired in detail about their experiences and feelings when breaking through to the Innate Supreme Realm. Combined with my own insights, I discovered the patterns in martial artists' breakthroughs to the Innate Saint-level Realm and their connection to the Heaven and Earth Bridge—in other words, a method for rapid advancement."
Qiu Shuibo listened attentively, not missing a single word—for thousands of years, no one had ever tried to find a rapid method for martial arts advancement in the way Hua Yinghong had done. Every Saint-level master's experience of breaking through their realm was different. After breaking through, although they possessed immense strength, they focused even more on their own cultivation, understanding, and pursuit of higher realms, rarely communicating with others.
To advance to higher realms, many chose to challenge powerful opponents. For example, Ximen Jie, known as the "Divine Sword Prince" and hailed as the number one master among the younger generation, advanced towards the Heavenly Dao by constantly challenging his senior masters.
In this constant process of challenges, many once-renowned young masters suddenly disappeared, and those who succeeded mostly continued to bury themselves in rigorous training, seeking new breakthroughs, never sharing their insights, making the path of martial arts increasingly difficult.
Yet Hua Yinghong was able to find common patterns in the experiences of over a hundred Saint-level masters—perhaps this was the source of his wisdom?
“Generally, masters who break through to the Innate Saint-level realm fall into several categories: one is the stimulation of spiritual medicine. About 30% of masters fall into this category. Spiritual medicine is actually the accumulation of heaven and earth's primordial energy over millions of years in a special form, such as the inner core of spirit beasts, ten-thousand-year-old snow lotus, and thousand-year-old vermilion fruit. Most of the Saint-level masters under Brother Shuibo fall into this category, right?”
Hua Yinghong's words forced Qiu Shuibo to nod—if it weren't for the incredibly precious “ten-thousand-year-old snow lotus” spiritual medicine that produced a large number of Saint-level masters, the Qiu family might have been able to maintain their ancestral business for generations, but they would never dare to aspire to dominate the world.
"Secondly, there's the pressure of life and death. About 40% of cases fall into this category. Masters at the peak of the ninth rank often unleash astonishing potential during life-or-death battles, when severely injured or on the verge of death, or suffocating. They might even break through to the Innate Saint Rank realm in one fell swoop. Therefore, battlefield battles, gang fights, and life-or-death duels can very likely give rise to Innate Saint Rank masters, but this method is extremely dangerous.
Thirdly, there's the transfer of power. About 30% of masters fall into this category. Highly skilled senior masters use their superior cultivation to transfer power to others, helping them open their Ren and Du meridians, connecting the bridge between heaven and earth, and breaking through to the Innate Realm. However, this damages their own power and consumes a large amount of vital energy, so this method is generally not used lightly. However, it is rumored that there are secret methods on the continents of Oba and Meisi where masters can accumulate their life's power into an object before death, which is then received by others—a process called inheritance. Therefore, the continents of Oba and Meisi often have super masters such as Divine Knights, Sword Gods, and a large number of Holy Knights and Sword Saints, possessing immense strength." " What I said, Brother Qiu, do you find reasonable?"
"Indeed," Qiu Shuibo nodded and said, "Could it be that Brother Hua used these three methods to create a large number of masters?" As a young talent of the Qiu family who plotted to dominate the world, he naturally had some understanding of the situation in the Ouba and Meisi continents.
"Spiritual medicines are rare and hard to come by. Nowadays, apart from some remote and desolate places on the continent that no one dares to venture into, they are rarely heard of in any place where people have been. Whether one can successfully break through at the moment of life and death is extremely difficult to control, and the transfer of power is subject to many restrictions. It is impossible to create a large number of masters by using any one method alone. So I will use all three methods together—" Hua Yinghong paused before recounting this astonishing secret method that overturned the traditional understanding of Hualong martial arts: "Brother Shuibo should know about the Dragon King's three bows and the return of the king?"
"Could it be that the Sea Dragon King was actually willing to have his subordinate sea dragons offer a large number of inner cores for Brother Hua's use?" Although Qiu Shuibo hadn't personally witnessed Hua Yinghong's return riding the sea dragon, he couldn't disbelieve the numerous accounts of what people had witnessed and spoke of with such certainty.
Moreover, the Free Alliance's successful opening of the new sea route through the "Death Triangle" must have been aided by the Sea Dragon King. If the extraordinary Sea Dragon King was willing to offer his inner core, then Hua Yinghong could certainly use it to create a large number of experts—if that were truly the case, Hua Yinghong would indeed be destined for greatness, unstoppable!
Thinking of the newly built, top-secret military port east of Longtan Town, Qiu Shuibo suddenly understood!
"To harm others for personal gain is not what I desire," Hua Yinghong said with a slight smile. "Brother Shuibo, do you know that Bai Sisi, the Holy Maiden of the Bai Clan, is a direct descendant of the Divine Physician Sect?"
Qiu Shuibo nodded, "That's not a secret." Hua Yinghong said, “
The inner core of the sea dragon is formed only once every thousand years, making it extremely precious. Even the Sea Dragon King would not order his subordinates to offer up their inner cores. However, the inner core chamber of the sea dragon contains a large amount of pure inner energy accumulated over thousands of years, transformed from the primordial energy of heaven and earth. Before the core is formed, it is essentially idle and is very effective in increasing one's cultivation. Before I went into seclusion, I absorbed a large amount of inner energy from the sea dragon in the Sea Dragon King's inner core chamber to improve my cultivation.”
"The Free Alliance now covers a vast territory. Although it lacks peerless spiritual medicines like the ten-thousand-year-old snow lotus, it possesses a considerable number of mid-to-high-grade spiritual medicines such as hundred-year-old ginseng and thousand-year-old he shou wu, as well as a large quantity of common medicinal herbs. Sisi used the energy of the Sea Dragon Pill as a guide to refine these herbs into hundreds of thousands of power-enhancing pills. These pills are almost useless for enhancing the power level of experts above the Saint rank, and are insufficient to help ninth-rank experts break through to the Innate Saint rank realm. However, they are extremely effective for ordinary experts below the ninth rank in enhancing their power, breaking through bottlenecks, and restoring their power. Coupled with the exercise training method I created, one day of cultivation is equivalent to ten days of cultivation for an ordinary person. It is not surprising that a large number of eighth and ninth-rank experts have emerged."
"Brother Hua's magnanimity and breadth of vision are truly admirable," Qiu Shuibo said sincerely. "His method of training through exercise is indeed unprecedentedly ingenious. Even I, having practiced the basic techniques of the Heaven and Earth Manual and this method of training, along with the family's spiritual herbs, have achieved my current level of skill. Most of the soldiers in my army have also benefited greatly from Brother Hua's training methods, which has enabled them to rapidly improve their combat strength."
"As for how to cultivate Saint-level experts, I have set up several secret chambers in the top-secret No. 2 base, drawing spring water from Qingshui Peak to form pools. I have carefully selected individuals from among the many eighth and ninth-level experts to practice asphyxiation techniques in the water, supplemented with spiritual herbs. Then, Saint-level experts will channel their true energy to propel them to the peak of the ninth level. When they are on the verge of death, I will personally intervene and channel my energy to help them break through to the Innate Saint-level realm in one fell swoop," Hua Yinghong said.
"The selfless spirit advocated by the Free Alliance has led many Saint-level experts among its allies to generously share their cultivation to help others. Although this temporarily damages their own power, they can recover with just a few days of quiet cultivation and the aid of elixirs. In this way, they can even turn misfortune into blessing, expanding their meridians and deepening their grasp and understanding of the primordial energy of heaven and earth. The path of martial arts is truly one of 'use it or lose it,'"
"Brother Hua, how many Saint-level experts can you create in less than twenty days by yourself?" Qiu Shuibo, ever as astute, immediately spotted the flaw in Hua Yinghong's words. The true energy consumed in helping others break through to the Innate Saint-level realm is immense. How could Hua Yinghong alone possibly help thousands of experts achieve this?
"Actually, the ones who have worked the hardest these past few days are my few confidantes," Hua Yinghong said with genuine affection. "
Every time I finish transferring my energy, my confidantes use the Dual Cultivation Technique to replenish their true energy. Afterward, they go to the seaside and enter the large number of Sea Dragon Pill Chambers waiting there to absorb and refine the pill energy. The strange changes in the spiritual energy near Qingshui Peak these days are due to them and a large number of Saint-level experts using the Plum Blossom Five Elements Formation to absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth and refine the Sea Dragon Pill energy. This cycle has been repeated until the task is finally completed. If Brother Qiu had postponed the launch of the plan any further, and allowed me to stay in seclusion for a longer period, I'm afraid even more Saint-level experts would have appeared." Recalling
the more than ten days of seclusion spent in entanglement with the six beautiful beauties Liu Yufei, Xue Qianqian, Miao Youlan, Liu Lan, Liu Ju, and Feng Yanran, and the daily dual cultivation experiences that were both arduous and endlessly enjoyable, Hua Yinghong couldn't help but smile with pleasure.
"Brother Hua, aren't you afraid of being harmed by telling me all these secrets?" Qiu Shuibo's sharp eyes stared directly into Hua Yinghong's, as if trying to see through all the secrets in his heart.
"After tonight, the Qiu family will either become a member of the Free Alliance or be removed from the ranks of aristocratic families, becoming history." Hua Yinghong's tone was filled with undeniable confidence as he arrogantly said,
"Since I dare to tell you frankly, I am not afraid of Brother Shuibo using it against me. Helping someone break through to the Innate Saint Realm sounds easy, but it is actually extremely risky and difficult to control. Moreover, Brother Qiu may not be able to obtain the help of many sea dragons. I was able to ask the Sea Dragon King to send hundreds of sea dragons over a thousand years old to offer up the excess pill energy in my alchemy room, firstly because I was giving the Sea Dragon Clan the Heaven and Earth Technique, and secondly because I promised the Sea Dragon King that I would help the Sea Dragon Clan avert a prophesied thousand-year calamity in exchange. Where will Brother Qiu find such an opportunity?"
Qiu Shuibo gave a bitter smile, shook his head, and remained silent—he did not have Hua Yinghong's good fortune of turning misfortune into blessing!
Hua Yinghong continued, "To be honest, with the current strength of the Free Alliance, even if it were to confront the Sword Inquiry Pavilion head-on, we would have at least a 50% chance of not being defeated. If the Qiu family still refuses to submit and join the Free Alliance, I will show no mercy and the first family I will eliminate is the Qiu family—does Brother Qiu intend to make his family a sinner for all time?"
"Brother Hua is too arrogant!" Qiu Shuibo sighed, "No family has ever had the strength to confront the Sword Inquiry Pavilion head-on. Among the experts above the Saint Rank in the Hua Long Continent, the Sword Inquiry Pavilion's direct lineage accounts for at least 40%, and there are quite a few who can fight against experts at the God Rank. Once the Sword Inquiry Order is issued, it is not a problem to gather millions or even tens of millions of troops—however, I am willing to believe your words, and I concede defeat in tonight's gamble."
In fact, when Qiu Shuibo saw these thousand airships, he had already basically admitted defeat. As a military expert, he knew without a doubt that this was a complete overhaul of previous warfare methods—forget about conquering Baiyang City, even the formidable defensive line built by these 320,000 men was practically useless.
At hundreds of feet in the air, a fist-sized rock could kill someone! If the Free Army continued to drop "Dragon Blood Bullets" from their airships and launched aerial attacks with crossbows or sun-shooting arrows, combined with ground offensives, the Jade Dragon Army would have absolutely no chance of victory, unable to retaliate!
After conceding defeat, Qiu Shuibo suddenly felt a strange sense of relief: facing an opponent like Hua Yinghong who seemed to always have the upper hand, letting go was actually the best choice to preserve the Qiu family's lineage!
Given Hua Yinghong's character and governing style, the Qiu family's political and military privileges would certainly be revoked, but they could still expect to integrate into the Free Alliance like the Nangong family, Peach Blossom Palace, the Ship Gang, and Wanmei Manor, gaining political and economic benefits under the new rules of the game!
"Good! On behalf of the Free Alliance, I welcome the Qiu family's joining." Hua Yinghong also said decisively, "The Supreme Nine Council cannot be reorganized immediately, but several alternate members can be appointed. Brother Shuibo, please bear with it. As for the army, Brother Qiu, you will temporarily be a general, ranking only after myself and General Hai Tianqing. How about that?"
"Your subordinate Qiu Shuibo greets the Marshal!" Qiu Shuibo suddenly dismounted, gave a Free Army salute, turned and silently glanced at the Qiu family soldiers who were still staring at the Flying Dragon warship in the distance, stunned and dazed. Then he glanced at Baiyang City, and suddenly channeled his inner energy and proclaimed in a loud voice:
"I, Qiu Shuibo! In the name of the Qiu family head and with the Wanli Beifeng Decree, declare: From this moment on, the Qiu family unconditionally joins the Free Alliance!"
The booming voice spread this earth-shattering news throughout the entire Jade Dragon Army camp and almost the entire Changlong City. This sudden news, like a thunderclap, shocked everyone's mind, so much so that everywhere suddenly fell into a deathly silence, completely still!
"Victory!" Suddenly, the Free Army on the north city wall erupted in cheers.
Although they didn't know what the two commanders had said together, every Free Army soldier cheered for Hua Yinghong's astonishing strategy of subduing the enemy without a fight! They cheered for the sudden surrender of the Qiu family, the enemy they were supposed to fight to the death!
Then, deafening cheers echoed throughout Changlong City!
The Qiu family's joining forces had solved the Free Alliance's food crisis. With the two powerful forces united, even those unfamiliar with military affairs could imagine the fate that the other four families who had joined forces to attack the Free Alliance would face!
"Good!..." To Qiu Shuibo's surprise, many soldiers of the Jade Dragon Army under the Qiu family also cheered! Perhaps, the unwillingness to shed blood and the unwillingness to fight the invincible and powerful Free Army was the true wish of many Jade Dragon Army soldiers from the bottom of their hearts...
Countless fireworks rose, and carrier pigeons took flight again, carrying this explosive news to all corners of the Hualong Continent.
This news should be one of the most shocking news in the entire Hua Long Continent during the New Year...

Volume 9, Desperate Counterattack, Chapter 188.
Hua Yinghong gazed eastward toward the Great Liang Kingdom and said, “Brother Shuibo, after all this talk, my intelligence and security departments’ efforts to eliminate intelligence personnel from various factions should have begun to take effect. On the eastern front, the land forces will be led by Brother Shuibo’s main force, with Commander Liu Litao’s Fourth Army Corps as support; the naval forces will be led by General Hai Tianqing’s First Naval Corps, with Yun Shalang’s Second Army Corps and General Qiu Su’s Yangjiang Navy as support. With coordinated land and sea operations, plus three hundred Flying Dragon warships, we must capture the entire territory under the Long family’s control within ten days, and directly confront the Japanese front. I have already drafted a general strategy; with your talent and adaptability, you will surely succeed.
On the western front against the Ding family and the Yinming Army, I will personally lead the army; I request Brother Shuiba and Brother Lingtong to lead their troops in cooperation.” "Furthermore, please arrange for the personnel responsible for coordinating the supply of grain to Baiyang City and the transfer of internal affairs in various prefectures..."
As if he had already foreseen this outcome of his gamble with Qiu Shuibo, Hua Yinghong handed Qiu Shuibo a pre-written battle plan.
Qiu Shuibo took it and said, "I will order all my subordinate units to cooperate fully, and appoint Qiu Shuiling to handle the transfer of internal affairs and defense with the family's supreme token, the Ten Thousand Miles of Sorrowful Wind Token. Brother Hua, be careful of the Ding family's Spring and Autumn Limitless Token!"
There were no more words, as both Hua Yinghong and Qiu Shuibo were at a high level and needed no further explanation. Upon joining the alliance, Qiu Shuibo was granted the position of the third leader of the Free Army, and hundreds of thousands of Free Army soldiers were completely entrusted to him—Qiu Shuibo had no other way to repay such trust except by successfully completing the battle plan.
"Give my regards to Shuiling. As for the Ding family's possible issuance of the Spring and Autumn Limitless Token, I have made proper arrangements, Brother Qiu, please rest assured." Hua Yinghong had a deep impression of Qiu Shuiling, the beautiful woman who had once served as an envoy to Zhenbao Island. With her help, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Free Army should have no major problems taking over the military and political power of the area currently controlled
by the Qiu family. This unprecedented gamble, later known as the "Number One Gamble in the World," ended with a complete victory for Hua Yinghong, the "Son of Freedom." But this high-stakes gamble was also the only one with no real losers—Qiu Shuibo, with his amazing judgment and wisdom, enabled the Qiu family to board the unstoppable chariot of the Free Alliance at a crucial moment, and from then on, they shone brightly!
But that night, the Ding family and the Long family faced completely different fates...
***********
Outside the North Gate of Dongguan City, in the Ding family's main camp tent.
"What! Qiu Shuibo surrendered unconditionally so quickly?" Ding Zixing suddenly felt dizzy and disoriented!
For a family that has endured for generations, establishing a firm foundation and dominating the world is certainly not easy, but bowing down and submitting to any side is equally difficult—with Ding Zixing's mind and thinking, he simply couldn't believe that Qiu Shuibo and the Qiu family would surrender so easily, completely disregarding how many Qiu family members and civilians had died at the hands of the Free Army in the previous battle!
If it were his old rival, Qiu Haoyu, he would never have acted so carelessly!—Ding Zixing really couldn't understand today's young people; were they simply irresponsible, or were they just too clever for their own good?
Ding Zixing received the message by carrier pigeon from the intelligence personnel in Changlong City nearly an hour later. Previously, because of the use of smoke signals... Eager to report the news of Hua Yinghong and Qiu Shuibo's "Number One Gamble in the World," the intelligence agents whose locations had been exposed within the Free Alliance's controlled territory were immediately subjected to a fierce crackdown by the Free Alliance's military intelligence, security departments, and assassination squads, preventing Ding Zixing from obtaining new information at the fastest speed. An hour is enough time for many things to happen!
Hua Yinghong intentionally allowed time for the Flying Dragon warship to appear after the bet was made, and then discussed two secret plans at length with Qiu Shuibo. In reality, this was to eliminate intelligence agents from various factions whose identities and locations had been exposed, at least to cut off the fastest communication system between the Ding and Long families—a crucial part of the entire "Desperate Counterattack" plan.
"Order all units to immediately prepare for battle." "Ding Zixing thought for a moment and then ordered, 'All units should secretly prepare to withdraw to Jianghan Prefecture...'
The Free Alliance and the Qiu family have turned hostility into friendship and joined forces, restoring the mobility of at least one million troops. If only half of them are sent west to Dongguan Prefecture, along with the 200,000 Free Army troops in Dongguan City, and the 'mysterious monster' that the intelligence agent mentioned via carrier pigeon, which can fly in the air, even if Ding Zixing adds Ding Baijian's 160,000 troops, his 640,000 troops will be overwhelmed! Not only will the northern part of Dongguan Prefecture be lost, but Jianghan Prefecture will likely soon be plunged into extreme crisis!
'I, Hua Yinghong, have come to pay my respects to General Ding!'" Shortly after Ding Zixing issued his latest order, a powerful, resounding voice, like a dragon's roar from the heavens, echoed across the entire army's camp for miles!
Hua Yinghong had finally arrived, and so quickly!—Ding Zixing was finally about to face this young man, now arguably the most formidable figure in the world!

Long Feiyang, leading the Liang army, withdrew over twenty miles and heard deafening cheers from Bao'an Town and Zhaoqing Town. Had the Free Alliance actually achieved victory in such a short time? Although the Long Clan's intelligence network's signal fires hadn't arrived in time, perhaps the intelligence that had previously sent out signals... "The personnel have been exposed and captured by the Free Alliance's intelligence and security systems, haven't they?" — Within the Free Alliance, the danger of intelligence work by various factions is extremely high, especially when the Free Alliance intentionally blocks information; intelligence personnel whose positions are exposed rarely survive!
Long Feiyang secretly rejoiced that he had seized the opportunity to retreat quickly: if he had waited any longer, the Free Army of Bao'an Town and Zhaoqing Town would have received the news and launched an attack, potentially leading to a protracted battle. In that case, Liu Litao and Qiu Haoran's Jade Dragon Army in Maoming City only needed to send tens of thousands of cavalry to join the battle, and he could very well be utterly defeated!
"Report! The Free Army of Bao'an and Zhaoqing Towns, totaling 160,000 men, has left the city to pursue, but their marching speed is slow." "Report
! Qiu Haoran's army and the Fourth Army Corps of the Free Army in Maoming City show signs of heading east!" ..."
Messages kept pouring in for Long Feiyang—clearly, the Free Alliance had won, and Qiu Shuibo had unconditionally surrendered!
Despite being known as a "famous general," Long Feiyang couldn't fathom how Hua Yinghong could possibly break through the formidable defenses of Qiu Shuibo's 320,000-strong army in such a short time, and even capture Qiu's stronghold, Baiyang City—he himself had besieged it for over a month with hundreds of thousands of troops without success! But regardless, his only option at the moment was to safely withdraw his 400,000 troops by land and sea back to Baiquan Prefecture, hold Baiquan and Meijiang Prefectures for self-preservation, and then observe how the situation developed.
"Order the troops to discard heavy objects and march lightly." Long Feiyang felt a pang of regret: to cover the army's retreat, he had concentrated almost all of his 50,000 cavalry in several strategic locations to ambush and cover the rear, waiting for the Free Army to pursue impatiently before ambushing them, hoping to dampen their arrogance. Unexpectedly, the Free Army was extremely cautious during the pursuit, meticulously following orders, but greedy for merit and unwilling to advance rashly, giving Long Feiyang's Liang army ambushes no chance whatsoever!
If it weren't for the experienced commanders of the various ambushes, who retreated in time, they might have been surrounded and annihilated by the Free Army's flanking maneuver—the Free Army was unexpectedly cunning.
"Trying to annihilate me? You bunch of slaves are still lacking." When the Free Army from Bao'an and Zhaoqing reached the seashore, Long Feiyang stood on a ship and let out a cold laugh. Two hundred thousand Liang soldiers had all boarded the ships, raised the sails, and sailed away from the shore towards the deep sea to the east… "
Heh! Heh!" "...The Free Army general, having failed to achieve his goal and gain no merit, watched the receding mass of dark ships, a cold smile playing on his lips, though it was unclear what he was laughing at...

In the night sky, six Flying Dragon warships, larger than naval vessels, hovered silently 120 feet above the Ding Clan's army camp, their fiery phoenix flags gleaming with dazzling fluorescence.
On the Marshal's special vessel, "zy00001," Hua Yinghong's left ring finger, adorned with the "Jade Finger," a sacred artifact from the Miao Tieshan tribe, shimmered with a crystalline green light. Carrying the Dragon's Roar Blade, he gazed at the heavens, lost in thought.
For the people of this world and this era, the appearance of the Flying Dragon warships was an unimaginable miracle!"
After a month of preparation and meticulous planning, the Free Alliance, having established a firm foothold on the continent, was finally poised to unleash its full potential. The Qiu, Long, Ding, Yinming Army, Baiyi, and even the Sima family—who had secretly reached a compromise with the Ding family—were all within the scope of Hua Yinghong's "Desperate Counterattack" plan!
Hua Yinghong's urgency stemmed from the fact that time was of the essence! News from the Nangong family's intelligence agents on the Oba continent revealed that the "Sword in the Stone" had been successfully removed by Edmund, the ninth prince of the Kingdom of England. Edmund had been appointed "Guardian Knight" by the Pope of the Holy Spirit Church, the largest religion with influence across the Oba and Meisi continents, and simultaneously appointed Crown Prince and Grand Marshal of the Kingdom's army by the current King of England.
In just one month, the British Royal Family's five legions—the Red Dragon, White Tiger, Mad Lion, Giant Elephant, and Grey Wolf—commanded a million-strong army to launch a powerful offensive. Backed by the reputation of the "Stone Sword Winner" and the Holy Knight, and supported by various factions within the Holy Spirit Church, they achieved twenty victories in twenty battles, eliminating or forcing the surrender of twelve small duchies and principalities that had defied the British Royal Family. Under the dual pressure of the Holy Spirit Church and the British Royal Family, neighboring small states surrendered one after another.
Latest news: the British Royal Army's field army alone has expanded to two million men, controlling more than two-thirds of the Kingdom of England. Only the Duchy of Wellington, bordering the Ross Empire in the northwest, received covert support from the Ross Empire, England's northern neighbor, and temporarily assembled an army of 600,000 to halt the advance of the Crimson Dragon Legion and the Mad Lion Legion. In the northeast of England, the Duchy of Blair, supported by the Kingdom of Faria, temporarily assembled an army of 500,000 to block the attacks of the White Tiger Legion and the Giant Elephant Legion. In the southeast, the Duchy of Nottingham, supported by the Kingdom of the Netherlands, was reduced to just over 500,000 men defending the last two fortified coastal cities, Nottingham and Livermore, under the combined land and sea attacks of the Grey Wolf Legion and the Royal Navy!
If the English royal family could defeat the interference of the Ross Empire, the Kingdom of Faria, and the Kingdom of the Netherlands, they could quickly unify England, and even potentially unify the entire continent of Oba with the support of the Papal States!
The intelligence personnel of the Nangong family had not personally witnessed the combat prowess of the Divine Knight Edmund, who wielded the "Sword in the Stone." However, legend has it that Edmund personally led a 10,000-strong Holy Knight Order to attack Attenborough, a major city in the Duchy of Wellington. With the support of his mage troops, he unleashed the Sword in the Stone, striking three times with his aura to shatter the 25-meter-high, 10-meter-thick city walls, creating a ten-zhang-wide passage!
The 300,000-strong Wellington garrison, after suffering 60,000 casualties at the hands of the Holy Knights, crumbled and surrendered. In that battle alone, at least ten high-ranking Holy Knights and high-ranking Sword Saints under the Grand Duke of Wellington perished at Edmund's Sword in the Stone!
The war styles of the Ouba and Meisi continents differ greatly from those of the Hualong continent. This difference is evident in the rules of the Ouba and Meisi wargames versus the Hualong wargames: in Ouba wargames, the King and Queen are powerful offensive pieces who personally lead their armies into battle; while in Hualong wargames, the King is confined to a small corner of the city, rarely venturing beyond the royal palace, with the most elite forces primarily dedicated to protecting the emperor.
If Hua Yinghong had started his Free Army on the Ouba continent, he might have been annihilated by the elite royal army almost immediately. Only on the Hualong continent, on the remote Treasure Island, could he have waited until his forces were strong enough to directly confront the elite forces of the major powers. Perhaps this was a twist of fate.
What further solidified Hua Yinghong's resolve to expand rapidly was that a man named Wald on the continent of Oba had invented the steam engine five years prior, and it was already being widely used in various fields across Oba and Meisi continents—essentially an industrial revolution! The Japanese army invading the Great Liang Kingdom had begun purchasing artillery supported by the United States, which also shocked Hua Yinghong: even after he produced the formula for powerful explosives, the ordnance department led by Lu Shenggong had still failed to manufacture them!
—Perhaps Hua Yinghong's arrival in this world was not without reason; others from his original world might have also come, or perhaps some achievements of a trans-dimensional civilization had fallen into this world, or perhaps an invisible giant hand was manipulating everything—otherwise, there's no way to explain the many similarities between this world and Earth's civilization!
The way of Heaven is fair. If Hua Yinghong wanted to unify the Holy Continent with his current achievements, wouldn't it seem far too easy? In the history of Earth's civilization, European civilization also suddenly experienced an almost inexplicable leap from the Dark Ages: in the progress of the civilized world, history doesn't simply repeat itself, yet history can be remarkably similar!
"Even if there truly are gods above, I will never allow myself to be manipulated!" A thousand thoughts raced through Hua Yinghong's mind. What secrets lay hidden in the deepest recesses of the endless universe?
"Marshal Hua has come in person; I have failed to greet you properly, utterly disrespectful! May I disembark to speak?" Ding Zixing, true to his old fox nature, remained composed despite being shocked by the astonishing aura of Hua Yinghong's flight in his flying dragon warships.
With Ding Zixing's keen eye, he could naturally discern that these six airships could carry at most three hundred people. If used to launch a surprise attack on a city, it might be effective. But against an army of hundreds of thousands, even if every single person on board was a Saint-level expert, it would be impossible!
"I am preoccupied with military duties and cannot linger," Hua Yinghong said, his voice booming as he pulled himself back from his wandering thoughts. "I have come here only to ask Elder Ding for one thing: that the Ding family immediately join the Freedom Alliance unconditionally, just like the Qiu family!"
"Ha! Ha! Ha!..." Ding Zixing couldn't help but laugh wildly.
"My Ding family has a long and illustrious history, deeply rooted and flourishing. Now, with a population exceeding ten million and a strong army of over two million armored soldiers, how could we be deceived by an ignorant brat like Qiu Shuibo? Use whatever means you have, but to expect me to surrender before even fighting, to betray the ancestors of the Ding family, is absolutely impossible!"
There are some people who won't shed tears until they see the coffin—Ding Zixing was undoubtedly one of them. No matter how powerful the Freedom Army appeared, how could the Ding family, with its boundless potential, easily surrender?

Volume 9, Chapter 189: The Sea Pursuit.
In the previous stage of the battle, the Ding family had generally fared well, except for some minor losses at the hands of the Free Army in Dongguan Prefecture and Sima Cheng in Wuling Prefecture. They gained approximately 300 li of new land in the northeastern part of Binjiang Prefecture and Wuling Prefecture, along with nearly four million people and abundant resources.
To deal with the Free Army and seize the fruits of the "Year-End Plan," the Ding family had almost exhausted all their resources, massively expanding their army. Now, the total strength under the Ding family's command, both overt and covert, exceeded two million. Coupled with the large-scale development and production of new weaponry, their strength was formidable. This was a golden opportunity for the Sima royal family, which was in decline, so how could they easily admit defeat?
"Elder Ding, I know that the Ding family's power is unprecedentedly strong now," Hua Yinghong said, recounting the details with great familiarity.
"Besides the four existing legions in Dongguan and Tianshui prefectures, Wuling, Binjiang, Nanjiang, Beijiang, and Jianghan prefectures have each established and trained a legion, either openly or covertly, along with a naval legion, six reserve divisions, and a large number of top-tier warriors to protect their clans. However, the Free Alliance has now gained the Qiu family's support, solving the food problem. With the success of two top-secret plans and a large number of Flying Dragon warships, the war is no longer a matter of numbers. Why must Elder Ding insist on causing the deaths of millions of soldiers and civilians in Jianghan County for the sake of his own clan's interests?"
The Ding family's power must be eliminated. However, according to Hua Yinghong's own strategy of "allying with powerful families," the Free Alliance will not easily forge a life-or-death feud with powerful clans unless absolutely necessary.
As long as they are willing to relinquish their current political and military privileges and abide by the new rules and unified laws, the Free Alliance's inclusive approach is the fastest, least contradictory, and least resistant path to expansion.
However, if the Ding family remains obstinate, Hua Yinghong is not afraid to use ruthless methods to establish his authority in one battle, to make an example of those who oppose him, and to set a precedent for all the major powers on the vast Hualong Continent and for those self-important and deeply rooted aristocratic families!
"Even if the Free Alliance and the Qiu family join forces this time, they may not be much stronger than the combined forces of the Ding and Long families. Besides, the Free Army also has to face the million-strong army of the Baiyi Kingdom! Marshal Hua, why say any more!" Ding Zixing resolutely said, "I will never become a sinner who loses my ancestral homeland!"
"Since that's the case, what more is there to say!" Hua Yinghong's sigh, filled with regret and pity, rang out in the night sky:
"Soldiers of the Jade Dragon Army! The decisive battle is about to begin. Before the battle, I only hope that everyone will think carefully: Why are you fighting? For whom are you fighting? Why are you dying? Think of your parents, wives, and children at home. Surrender when it's time to surrender. I, Hua Yinghong, in the name of the Son of Freedom and the Marshal of the Free Army, declare: The Free Army will treat prisoners of war well and will not kill those who surrender. This paradise on earth welcomes everyone..."
His loud voice echoed for dozens of miles, lingering for a long time. Six flying dragon warships flew around the Ding family's Jade Dragon Army camp, and countless snowflakes fluttered down.
Ding Zixing reached out and grabbed a fluttering piece of paper. It read: "I was once an ordinary Jade Dragon Army soldier captured in Tenglong Port. Now I am a captain in the Free Army, with a monthly salary of four gold coins. I have a house on Treasure Island and a beautiful wife..."
He grabbed another, which read: "I was once a company commander captured by the Sima Clan's Jinghai Regiment. Now I am a reserve regimental commander in the Free Army, with the rank of colonel, and a monthly salary of five gold coins. In the Free Army, officers and soldiers are all equal. As long as you are loyal to the Free Alliance, you can learn the most profound Heaven and Earth Techniques and the Void-Breaking Technique. My martial arts have now reached the eighth rank, but there are far, far stronger people here than me..."
"What a vicious tactic!" Ding Zixing gritted his teeth.
Taking advantage of the Flying Dragon warships' aerial superiority, Hua Yinghong distributed these propaganda materials written by former surrendered soldiers to Ding's already unsettled army. A single piece of paper was worth more than a hundred thousand soldiers!
"Swoosh!" A signal was issued from the "zy00001," also known as the "Freedom One" Flying Dragon warship. The real battle of the "Desperate Counterattack" plan had begun!

Outside Baijiang Prefecture, in the Treasure Strait.
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!..." "Boom! Boom! Boom!..." "Ah! Ah! Ah!..." The whistling sound of the Demonic Dragon Blood Bullets falling from the sky, the explosions, and the incessant screams of the Liang soldiers engulfed in flames on their warships mingled together...
"The Marshal is truly a god!" Hai Tianqing stood in the command room of the "zy00701" Flying Dragon warship, looking down at the Long Clan's naval warships engulfed in flames under the attack of the "Demonic Dragon Blood Bullets," and couldn't help but sigh.
According to Hua Yinghong's battle orders, Hai Tianqing led two divisions of the Free Army's First Naval Legion, totaling four hundred warships, to follow Long Feiyang and protect the retreating Baiquan Naval Legion's transport ships, waiting for reinforcements to arrive before launching an attack.
Every person involved in "Top Secret No. 1" and "Top Secret No. 2," including engineers and procurement personnel, had to undergo a loyalty test using the "Soul-Capturing Technique" from the security department beforehand, and Marshal Hua Yinghong personally issued a gag order—therefore, even Hai Tianqing, the second-highest-ranking officer in the military, was not entirely clear about the true details of these two plans.
Even with the addition of Yun Shalang's reserve division, which secretly departed from Donggang City, Hai Tianqing only had six hundred warships at this time. Attacking a thousand escort warships of the historically strong Daliang navy was extremely difficult. Although Hai Tianqing believed that the Free Army navy, which he had personally strengthened and trained, was no weaker than the Daliang navy, in naval warfare, the advantage of manpower was difficult to compensate for with the strength of individual ships.
If they were to engage in a head-on naval battle with fewer troops, even if they could achieve the ideal one-to-one loss ratio to annihilate the Daliang navy, the Free Army navy's hard-earned foundation would likely be completely wiped out in a single major battle!
Only when Zeng Guozhong arrived with two hundred Flying Dragon warships to assist and handed over Hua Yinghong's latest battle orders did Hai Tianqing truly breathe a sigh of relief! Like Hua Yinghong, Hai Tianqing spoke with Long Feiyang from the "Flying Dragon Warship" in the air, demanding that the Long family surrender unconditionally. The result was almost exactly the same as Ding Zixing's: the arrogant general Long Feiyang was unwilling to let the deeply rooted Long family be swallowed up by the Free Alliance, which had only risen a few months ago. After the airship dropped leaflets, an unprecedented naval battle quickly broke out!
Long Feiyang's five naval divisions, with a thousand warships, formed a plum blossom formation, protecting more than three thousand transport ships in the middle, and quickly rushed towards the shore more than ten miles away: the destruction of food and weapons was not a big deal, but the two hundred thousand elite soldiers of the Western Army of Daliang were currently on more than one thousand transport ships, and in the naval battle, they had almost no power to fight back except to retaliate with bows and crossbows.
If the Long family's 200,000 elite troops were to perish, the Long family would face immense hardship in the ensuing defensive battles, and might even be crippled!
Had he known this would happen, he would have been better off fighting his way eastward by land, at least there would have been hope of breaking up into smaller groups and escaping under the cover of night—Long Feiyang watched in anguish as over a hundred warships on the outer perimeter were engulfed in flames caused by the "Dragon Blood Bullets," and the soldiers of the Liang navy screamed as they jumped into the icy sea seeking escape. He deeply regretted once again underestimating Hua Yinghong's wisdom!
He had thought that in Maoming Prefecture, he had acted quickly and decisively, and that the Free Army couldn't catch up. With a thousand warships escorting him, he would surely be able to safely return to Baiquan Prefecture. Now Long Feiyang realized that the pursuit by the 160,000 Free Army troops in Bao'an Town and Zhaoqing Town was not intended to entangle and detain the Liang army, but rather to force the 200,000 powerful Liang army troops onto transport ships, reducing the potential casualties for the Free Army in the decisive land battle!
—With the unprecedented assistance of the "Flying Dragon Warships" from the air, the Liang army's warships and transport ships were nothing more than live targets for the "Flying Dragon Warships" to practice launching "Dragon Blood Bullets" and shooting arrows from the sky!
"General Long, your impulsive bravery is futile. Surrender now to benefit the 400,000 Liang soldiers and the millions of Hualong civilians!" Hai Tianqing's naval warships followed the Long family's navy at a distance and did not participate in the battle.
Zeng Guozhong's 100 "Flying Dragon Warships" alone launched more than 2,000 "Dragon Blood Bullets," of which 1,600 to 1,700 landed on nearly 100 Liang navy warships in the vanguard, exploding and setting them on fire!
After the "Dragon Blood Bullets" were introduced, various forces devised many ways to protect themselves, such as using fireproof cloth to form a shield on the ships and preparing wet sandbags for fire extinguishing, but their design and testing were all aimed at attacking warships at an angle. Such incredibly precise "Dragon Blood Bullets" falling vertically from the sky had never been considered for countermeasures!
Aside from experts of the sixth or seventh rank or higher who could barely escape the calamity of the explosion by protecting themselves with their true energy, six or seven out of ten of the twenty thousand soldiers on the hundred Liangshan warships would be directly injured by the explosion, either engulfed in flames or forced to jump into the sea to escape!
With at least forty thousand Dragon Blood Bullets on these two hundred Flying Dragon warships, and eight thousand special operations division soldiers, they would be enough to wipe out an entire Liangshan naval legion—accepting Hai Tianqing's renewed persuasion to surrender was actually Long Feiyang's best option.
"Divine Fire Flying Crows, prepare! Fire!" Long Feiyang, expressionless, ordered, watching as the dozen or so Flying Dragon warships descended to a height of over eighty zhang for more accurate firing.
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!..." Suddenly, thousands of sparks flew from the fifty Longshan naval warships, soaring a hundred zhang into the night sky, heading towards the ten arrogant Flying Dragon warships!
"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!..." The special forces soldiers on the ten Flying Dragon warships were shocked and tried to block the attack with bursts of true energy, but how could they possibly withstand the thousands of arrows of the "Divine Fire Flying Crows"?
After the hydrogen gas bags on the Flying Dragon warships were hit by the rockets, the hydrogen leaked out and came into contact with the air, immediately igniting and causing a chain explosion. Then, the "Dragon Blood Bullets" carried on the Flying Dragon warships were also ignited and detonated one after another. The ten Flying Dragon warships turned into balls of raging fire and slowly fell downwards!
The special forces soldiers on the Flying Dragon warships were forced to jump off the ships, and snow-white parachutes bloomed in the air, like beautiful white flowers!
"Good!—" The Dragon Clan naval soldiers, who had been afraid of the monsters flying in the sky, cheered when they saw that the "Divine Fire Flying Crows" attack had worked, and their fear subsided.
The "Divine Fire Flying Crow" was actually a specially designed bow and arrow. A crow-shaped object was attached to the arrow shaft, sealed with cotton paper, and filled with gunpowder. A head, tail, and wings were added to enhance its stability and endurance in flight. Four rockets were mounted diagonally beneath the crow's body as auxiliary propulsion. When fired from the bow, it soared like a bird, the gunpowder exploding within the crow's body propelling it over 500 paces. It not only set targets ablaze but also released poison gas, causing enemies to become unconscious and poisoned. The dense smoke also obscured enemy vision, making it extremely effective.
Normally, even a highly skilled archer wielding a powerful bow would find it difficult to shoot rockets over 100 zhang (approximately 33 meters) into the sky. If they managed to do so, the force would be exhausted, and the rockets could be blocked by the special forces soldiers with shields and other objects—a result derived from countless experiments. Therefore, the special forces division's flying dragon warships generally maintained an attack altitude of over 100 zhang for safety.
To counter the Free Army's long-range "Dragon Blood Bullets," the Long family specially developed the "Divine Fire Flying Crow" as a secret weapon. Utilizing the propellant from the ignited gunpowder on the arrow, it could fly hundreds of feet high and over five hundred paces. Unexpectedly, instead of being used in land battles, it first proved effective against the "Flying Dragon Warships"!
"Damn it! Order each boat to rise another ten feet and maintain a safe altitude! Anyone who dares to risk sinking will be court-martialed! Concentrate fire and destroy those one hundred warships ahead!" Seeing the ten invaluable warships reduced to ten giant fireballs burning on the sea, Zeng Guozhong was furious!
Before the battle, Marshal Hua repeatedly instructed the Flying Dragon Warships to maintain a safe altitude during attacks, but the squadron of ten boats, seeking greater accuracy and merit, sank and was immediately destroyed! Despite the specially designed parachutes, it's likely that some of the hundreds of special forces soldiers on board will still be killed or wounded.
Zeng Guozhong had heard Hua Yinghong say that each Flying Dragon warship cost as much as 20,000 gold coins, otherwise only a little over a thousand would have been built. Losing ten ships in a single battle meant that even if the next battle was fought brilliantly, he would definitely face a stern reprimand and punishment!
The Special Forces Division was currently the elite fighting force of the Free Army besides the Free Iron Guard, even more formidable than Ye Zhiqiu's First Legion. Coupled with their consistent performance in crucial missions and outstanding achievements, they had inevitably developed a sense of arrogance, and now they were reaping the consequences—Zeng Guozhong, in a fit of rage, forgot Hua Yinghong's order to "force surrender through fighting!"
"Wait—" Hai Tianqing, as the commander-in-chief of the naval attack, hurriedly intervened to stop the Special Forces Division's reckless actions.
If the Daliang navy suffered too many casualties, Long Feiyang, in his rage, might fight to the death rather than surrender, which would be a major contradiction to Hua Yinghong's orders!
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!..."
Watching the ten flying dragon warships plummet into flames, the other ninety adjacent flying dragon warships, their eyes bloodshot with rage, saw Zeng Guozhong's signal from the flag boat. Before Hai Tianqing's order to stop them could even reach them, the well-trained soldiers had already hurled more than twenty "Dragon Blood Bullets" from each of their boats down at the Long Clan's naval warships below!
"Boom! Boom! Boom!..."
Each warship hit by the attack was struck by at least a dozen "Dragon Blood Bullets," and the resulting explosions ignited flames on the ships. The cheering Liang naval soldiers suffered heavy losses instantly, and their cheers turned into screams and wails!
"Divine Fire Flying Crows, attack with full force!" Long Feiyang was so enraged by the fierce battle that he almost lost his mind: after
only two rounds of attacks from the flying dragon warships, more than half of the two hundred warships of the Long Clan's naval division leading the way were on fire and severely damaged, with some warships already listing and about to sink. Countless casualties were among the forty thousand naval soldiers! Such a naval battle was originally impossible to fight, but Long Feiyang was misled by the appearance of the "Divine Fire Crows" shooting down ten flying dragon warships earlier, and stimulated by the hatred of the heavy casualties of his soldiers, he ordered a full-scale counterattack!
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!..." Tens of thousands of "Divine Fire Crows" shot wildly at the flying dragon warships in the sky!

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