Volume One, Chapter Seven: The Lone Lantern Gunmaster—Zhao Tieqi

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Bai Suier’s face was full of shyness; though angry, she did not show it, struggling to suppress the fury within her heart.
“Sir, please have mercy and let us in. My father is barely holding on.”
Bai Suier secretly slipped the few remaining pieces of broken silver she had into the soldier’s hand.
The soldier took the silver, saw that they were not thieves, and stepped aside, ushering them forward.
“Hurry inside, don’t infect all of us out here.”
[Disgust +1]
[Disgust +1]
[Disgust +1]
...
Lu Yunduan covered his face with his sleeve and helped Bai Suier inside.
His gaze radiated wrath; he remembered them. Once his business was done, not one would escape.
As they entered the city, Lu Yunduan whispered into her ear,
“How much silver did you give them just now? I will repay you a hundredfold.”
So close to Lu Yunduan, Bai Suier’s face flushed deeply.
“Sir, no need. As long as those corrupt officials are killed, even if it costs me my life, I will have no regrets.”
Lu Yunduan cleared his throat.
“Rest assured, none of them will survive.”
On their way to the Yuelai Inn, a large group of soldiers gathered in the distance, approaching him.
Lu Yunduan eyed the approaching troops, suspecting his identity was exposed. He intended to flee with Bai Suier, but the voice ahead stopped him.
“The man up front is Zhao Tieqi. Capture him, reward of a thousand taels of silver.”
Dust swirled as a dense mass of people chased a robust man wielding a long spear, blind in one eye.
The name Zhao Tieqi reached Lu Yunduan’s ears.
In an instant, he remembered who he was: the Lone Lantern Spear God—Zhao Tieqi.
A famed spearman in the martial world; calling him a Spear God was no exaggeration.
Legend had it that Zhao Tieqi, amidst thousands of soldiers, could take enemy generals’ heads as easily as reaching into a bag.
Such a hero, beloved by all.
Lu Yunduan pushed Bai Suier aside and instructed her,
“You go ahead to the Yuelai Inn and meet Luo Yi and the others. I have some business to attend to.”
Though uncertain of Lu Yunduan’s intentions, Bai Suier dared not disobey and cautiously slipped through the crowd.
Lu Yunduan hid nearby, observing Zhao Tieqi’s escape route.
He noticed Zhao Tieqi’s running was off—he seemed injured or poisoned.
The city guards arrived, surrounding Zhao Tieqi tightly with no escape.
“Zhao Tieqi, surrender now. You have nowhere left to run.”
“Surrender, and we might spare your life; otherwise, you will die without a grave.”
“Hahaha...”

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Zhao Tieqi laughed loudly, his spirit imposing. Despite having only one eye, he showed no fear, disdainfully snorting.
“You think you can kill me?”
In an instant, he overwhelmed them with sheer presence, a killing intent so fierce none dared advance.
After a brief standoff, a voice came from the guards.
“Don’t be afraid. He’s alone and wounded. If we attack together, we’ll surely capture him. Then riches and glory will be ours.”
The words lifted their morale, suppressing Zhao Tieqi’s aura.
“Attack!”
Countless soldiers surged forward toward Zhao Tieqi.
He wielded his long spear, spinning and striking to repel them.
More and more came, and soon he could barely hold on; his wounds worsened, blood staining the earth.
Zhao Tieqi’s consciousness blurred; his body weakened, but his grip on the spear never loosened.
Bodies piled up like a living tomb.
Finally, Zhao Tieqi collapsed, propping himself up with his spear to avoid falling.
“Attack together! He’s done for.”
As thousands of blades descended, a long halberd blocked all the strikes.
“Who dares oppose the Yongcheng Army?”
Lu Yunduan appeared before them, grasping a Fangtian halberd.
“It’s me, your grandmaster.”
A sharp, commanding voice echoed, breaking the stalemate.
[Anger +1]
[Anger +1]
...
Lu Yunduan grinned wickedly—coming here to gain experience wasn’t bad at all, but the anger points were still too few. They weren’t angry enough yet.
“You, you, and you.”
Lu Yunduan pointed at a group of soldiers beside him, holding his halberd.
“You...”
Before they could speak, Lu Yunduan’s words poured out like a mighty river, relentless and overwhelming.
“Silence, you shameless scoundrels! Oppressing the people, raping women—do you not know that all under heaven wish to exhume your ancestors’ graves? How dare you bark so wildly before me?”
Lu Yunduan’s fierce rebuke enraged them; their fury soared.
[Anger +100]
[Anger +100]
...
It seemed effective.
In that case...
Lu Yunduan’s smile turned devilish.

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“Old fools, gray-bearded thieves! Soldiers who fail to defend the homeland and patrol the borders but instead wreak havoc here—what a disgrace! Lifetimes without merit, only bullying the common folk. Know this: after death, you shall descend eighteen layers of hell.”
The soldiers, consumed by rage, spat blood.
“Ahhh—”
[Anger +200]
[Anger +200]
[Anger +200]
...
At this moment, their morale shattered completely. Lu Yunduan allowed them no respite, and with a single stroke of his Fangtian halberd, many fell.
“Ahhh—”
[Fear +100]
[Fear +100]
[Fear +100]
...
After the slaughter, only a few remained, curled on the ground, so terrified they were trembling uncontrollably.
They kowtowed to Lu Yunduan, their voices trembling with fear.
“Demon, demon! This man is a demon...”
The bloody scene before them chilled them to the bone; trembling, they knelt.
“Sir, sir, I didn’t know better, I didn’t know better. Treat me like a dog, spare this dog’s life, please...”
A single strike to the head ended him instantly.
All the soldiers were dead.
Zhao Tieqi looked up at Lu Yunduan, dazed, and murmured,
“Thank you for saving my life...”
Then he fainted.
Lu Yunduan lifted him and headed toward the Yuelai Inn.
Behind them lay nothing but corpses and blood.
A hell on earth, rivaling even the infamous carnage of the Battle of the Somme.
At the Yuelai Inn:
“Miss Bai, aside from ordering you here, does the master have any other instructions?”
Luo Yi paced inside the inn, coming and going.
Bai Suier shook her head.
“No, sir only told me to wait here for him.”
Outside the inn, a heavy scent of blood wafted in with the air, drifting inside.