Apocalypse I Have One More Keyword Than Others
Chapter 345 - - 343 The secret of heaven must not be revealed_1
—————✧✧✧✧—————
At the same time, the warriors who had come to watch the battle from Alien Star also left.
The battle prowess that Leng Shi displayed was so insane that it silenced everyone.
They even feared that leaving late would lead to Leng Shi discovering them and wiping them all out in one fell swoop.
Withdrawing early meant they could start looking for a way to deal with Leng Shi sooner.
Great Chu’s Wu Tong and Qu Xiangdong of the Beggar’s Gang had revealed their identities through secret signals, but due to various concerns, these individuals had not chosen to defect; but now, they decided to go and regroup with persons from their own planet.
Having recruited Cao Lin, Leng Shi’s power would certainly grow increasingly stronger; going up against him alone was no longer a viable option.
The competitors from Qiyuan Star who had come to watch also realized this.
However, they didn’t dare to defect to Duge immediately after the war had ended.
Having not helped before the war and then defecting as soon as they saw victory was akin to being a fair-weather friend, which could easily lead to Duge’s disdain.
Waiting a couple of days, pretending to be late, made it seem more natural when they defected.
…
The news of Cao Lin’s crushing defeat reached Linyang City that very day.
The anxious wealthy households of Linyang City finally breathed a sigh of relief.
It was good that Luo Shuang had won.
If Luo Shuang had been defeated, although their action of aiding the enemy was done out of necessity, if Chongming Country investigated, they would probably have faced imprisonment.
Just as they were feeling fortunate, they suddenly realized something.
Without noticing it, they had already become bound to Luo Shuang.
This realization depressed them, but it also made them realize that this might be an opportunity; the wolf culture incessantly promoted in Duge’s camp was perhaps not only for soldiers, but also applicable to them, right?
No.
The wolf culture was indeed applicable to them too!
Leng Shi hadn’t killed Cao Lin, but had indeed won him over, obviously his ambitions were great; he was not content with just helping Luo Shuang take revenge and reclaim Qingwu Country, clearly, he also intended to lay his hands on Chongming Country.
Moreover, he now possessed not just the ambition but also the corresponding strength.
Once Luo Shuang succeeded, being meritorious ministers, they would get a share of the resources, and even the smallest leak from Luo Shuang would be enough for their families to prosper for generations.
Therefore.
The wealthy merchants, having received the news, lined up early at the Princess’s residence with Silver Coin before Luo Shuang had even returned to the city…
…
Huangfu Yue was busy accommodating the prisoners, reorganizing them, and indoctrinating them with the wolf culture, accelerating the process of their integration into her own forces.
Luo Shuang was meeting with the wealthy households of Linyang City, taking the opportunity to win over hearts and minds.
Duge was performing surgery on Cao Lin in the backyard of the Princess’s residence.
In the last battle on Alien Battlefield, he had learned many surgical techniques at the Medical Immortal Sect; even without the “Plucking Feathers in Passing” ability on this Alien Battlefield, performing minor surgeries like stitching up intestines was still no problem.
Cao Lin was a Grandmaster, with an extremely strong self-healing ability, so there was no need to worry about wound infections.
What about the dirt?
After being washed for nearly a quarter of an hour, there was no one cleaner than Cao Lin in all of Linyang City.
“Good job, Yizhi. You’re getting better at cooperating,” Duge praised as he stitched up Cao Lin with catgut, shedding light on the task with a lantern held by Zhang Yizhi.
Without his earlier blunder, he might have had to spend some words convincing the Cao family’s army to surrender.
Although Grandmasters played a big role on the battlefield, there were too few of them, and the territory he conquered needed these ordinary soldiers for defense, so, no matter what, he had to secure the thirty thousand elite troops under Cao Lin’s command.
The elites trained by Cao Lin were much stronger than the soldiers under Huangfu Yue’s command.
“It’s all thanks to the Imperial master’s teaching,” Zhang Yizhi chuckled happily, feeling extremely pleased.
In this battle, he had played a pivotal role, soaring more than thirty ranks and breaking into the top two hundred. Once Duge publicized the situation of the battlefield, his ranking would surely climb even higher.
It must be said.
Collaborating with Duge was much more comfortable than with Shi Pingchuan.
Shi Pingchuan only cared about standing out himself, but Duge truly helped him make a name!
"Keep up the good work," Duge said with a smile, "make the most of your time to improve your martial skills. There will be sieges ahead, and plenty of opportunities for you to shine."
"Mhm," Zhang Yizhi nodded excitedly.
As they talked,
Duge felt Cao Lin beneath him tremble, and his fingers moved quickly, pressing several points on his body to immobilize his acupuncture points: "General Cao, don't move. I'm stitching up your wound. If the needle slips, it would be problematic."
Cao Lin sensed the movement behind him and, with a mix of shame and anger, he hung his head in silence.
"General Cao, I know you're upset, but I had no choice," Duge hurried his stitches and said, "I know you're loyal to Emperor Chongming, and surrendering has insulted your honor. Perhaps you're even thinking of waiting for me to let my guard down before assassinating Luo Shuang, or taking your own life. But have you ever thought about whether Emperor Chongming is truly worth your loyalty?"
Cao Lin remained silent, as if he were dead.
"Through the ages, how many have risen from soldier to general?" Duge continued, "General Cao, climbing from a soldier to your position was extremely hard, wasn't it? The Princess is advocating for gender and social equality to break this despairing promotion system, to give all those outstanding people like you, who have no connections, an opportunity to rise. Or do you, having become a Grandmaster, forget the hardships of your youth and only wish to merge with the nobility, to maintain your privileges, and like them, suppress the chances for the common people to advance? I've heard that those who have been in the rain are more willing to share their umbrella. After experiencing the rain, is it your desire to tear others' umbrellas?"
Cao Lin jerked in surprise: "Leng Shi, I am forever grateful for the emperor's grace..."
He was cut off mid-sentence by Duge: "General Cao, have you ever thought about leaving a legacy that endures through the ages?"
Cao Lin was stunned.
Duge spoke earnestly: "We aim to create a world where everyone is equal, whether born to rich families or to ordinary citizens, and every child has the right to be educated. They will learn various basic knowledge in school.
Then, based on their interests, whether literature, martial arts, or craftsmanship, as long as they are diligent and eager to learn, they can achieve success and fame in this world. Or put it another way, be able to easily support their families without being exploited by anyone..."
Suddenly,
A voice interrupted Duge: "Imperial Master, human nature is selfish. Such a world cannot exist. You cannot convince Cao Lin with this..."
Duge waved his hand, and the Longsword was drawn. He quickly turned around to face the direction of the voice: "Who?"
The State Preceptor's tall figure emerged slowly from the darkness. He sized up Duge, and then cast a glance at Cao Lin on the table, whose entrails were nearly pulled out, and frowned slightly. He bowed deeply to Duge: "State Preceptor Chen Su of Chongming Country, at your service, Imperial Master Leng."
"The State Preceptor?" Duge looked over puzzled, not quite understanding why the State Preceptor would come into his net willingly.
Cao Lin also struggled to turn around, looking at the State Preceptor with a face full of shock.
"Indeed, the State Preceptor," said the State Preceptor, nodding with a smile.
"What brings the State Preceptor to me?" Duge did not sense any hostility from the State Preceptor, smiled slightly, sheathed his Longsword, and asked.
"To surrender," said the State Preceptor.
"Hmm?" Duge's eyes widened.
"State Preceptor, you..." Cao Lin could not help but cry out in surprise, "His Majesty trusts you so much, how could you?"
"How could I betray him, you mean?" The State Preceptor sighed long, "Before today, I had the ambition to turn the tide and join you to eliminate the Demon Star and remove the hidden dangers for Chongming Country. But having observed today's battle and the new celestial patterns tonight, I saw the world's general trends. To follow them is to prosper; to go against them is to perish."
Damn!
Quite the insight!
Did he see through the skill that changes the whole situation with a single move?
Duge looked at the State Preceptor in astonishment, his shock was beyond measure. He had been through several worlds, but the State Preceptor before him was the first to see through his abilities.
Coincidence?
Ignoring his back pain, Cao Lin sat up abruptly, looked at the State Preceptor with a shaky voice: "So, the trend is with the Princess?"
"Yes, the trend is with the Princess," the State Preceptor glanced at Cao Lin, then ignored him and turned back to Duge, "Imperial Master, not only did I see the world's trends, but I also saw signs of a nation's demise, and the people's hope lies with the Imperial Master..."
"What do you mean?" Duge asked.
The State Preceptor pointed to the sky, sighed once more, shook his head, and said, "I can't tell. The secrets of heaven must not be revealed."✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦