Chapter 28 The Operation Begins
Chapter 28 The Operation Begins
Three days later, I left the Imperial City with my twenty personal guards. These twenty had all been carefully selected by the Beast Emperor. Just as he had said, they were all mixed-blood individuals whom he had personally trained since childhood. They had learned how to cultivate chi and practice martial arts, and after many years of training, their internal strength was not far behind mine.
Before departing, I had one final audience with the Beast Emperor.
“Father, I will leave tomorrow. Do you have any other instructions?”
“Lei Xiang, the situation on the frontlines is not very encouraging. I’m afraid we may have to retreat.”
I frowned. “Is it really that bad? Were the losses severe?”
“The losses were enormous,” the Beast Emperor said heavily. “But there was also a benefit. Your father’s Behemoth Army lost more than three hundred soldiers. This is the largest loss the Behemoth Army has suffered in hundreds of years of war. Of course, the enemy also paid a heavy price. Four Dragon Knights were killed.”
“Besides the Wild Lion Army and the Behemoth Army, the remaining forces together suffered more than three million casualties. Don’t you think that qualifies as a massive loss?”
“However, since every tribe has suffered such tremendous casualties, it will be easier to implement our plan. Do you want to wait for your father to return before you leave?”
I shook my head. “There’s no need, Father Emperor. Who knows how long it will take for him to return? I will follow the original plan and depart tomorrow.”
I had no desire to see him. In my heart, he was nothing more than a murderer who had indirectly caused my grandmother’s death.
The Beast Emperor nodded. “Very well. Tomorrow I will issue a decree ordering each tribe to eliminate the bandits within their own territories. Whether they obey willingly or not, it will still benefit your operation.”
“You also do not need to worry about the bandits near the Imperial City. I will send the Imperial Guards to deal with them in secret.”
“Meanwhile, the first group trained in farming can begin their work. In the name of the Beast God Religion, I will have them establish the first farms around the Imperial City.”
“My child, your father supports you. If the operation is delayed or you encounter difficulties, return immediately.”
“Thank you, Father Emperor. This son obeys your imperial command.”
And so I left the Imperial City.
The weather that day was terrible. Sand blew against my face under a gloomy sky. The veil of my bamboo hat blocked most of the dust as I wondered whether it would rain.
I ordered the twenty guards to disguise themselves as ordinary civilians and spread out along the road. Each maintained a distance of five hundred meters from the others so that we would appear less suspicious and attract bandits more easily.
I rode Black Dragon alone while slowly studying the map in my hands.
The Beastmen Kingdom was divided into seventeen territories, each roughly the size of a province in the Dragon God Empire. At the center lay the Imperial City, which was about the same size as one of those territories. Each territory was dominated by a primary race.
Our first destination was the Yuna Territory, home of the western werewolves. Although it was not the closest territory to the Imperial City, the land there was completely flat and ideal for cultivating a wide variety of crops.
At the same time, the Yuna Territory produced a rare kind of iron ore.
This ore was perfect for forging armor and weapons. Not only was the steel of exceptional quality, but its durability was extraordinary. Even the most powerful heavy cavalry in the Dragon God Empire could not compare to armor forged from this “dark iron.”
Yet such an important resource had remained largely unused within the Beastmen Kingdom.
For years the Beastmen had relied on supplies from the Demon Clan to survive. My mission was to change that. If the Demon Clan controlled the lifeblood of our economy forever, the Beastmen could never become truly strong.
Two days later—
“Reporting, Young Master. There is a situation ahead.”
The foxman nearest to me leapt to my side and spoke.
I frowned. “In the future, do not call me ‘Your Highness.’ Call me Young Master or Vice-Pope. Understood?”
“Yes.”
“What is the situation?”
“The vanguard brother discovered a group of bandits plundering a small village ahead.”
My heart tightened.
Bandits frequently roamed the Beastmen Kingdom, but they rarely gathered in large groups to attack villages. Doing so would inevitably provoke the authorities.
This must be connected to the Beast Emperor’s decree.
Most likely they intended to seize as much loot as possible before hiding to avoid the coming purge.
Since you have appeared before me today, none of you will leave alive.
This area lay on the outskirts of the Imperial City’s influence. The bandits probably acted so boldly because they believed no one would intervene.
“Pass down my order,” I said. “Everyone gather and advance at full speed.”
“Yes!”
Because the blowing sand obscured the sunlight, we did not clearly see the situation until we approached the village.
Many houses had already been burned down. Children cried while searching for their parents.
Although I could not yet see the exact number of bandits, most appeared to belong to stronger races. They slaughtered villagers without hesitation and looted everything they could find. Even the female villagers were not spared.
I sighed quietly. “Begin. Leave one alive.”
“Yes!”
The twenty guards responded in unison.
Carrying Black Sable across my shoulders, I slowly walked into the village.
These bandits were nothing more than mobs. Against the Imperial Guards who had undergone rigorous martial training, they had no chance to resist.
Blood sprayed through the air as Beastmen fell one after another.
As I walked forward, a terrified scream suddenly erupted from a nearby house.
“No!”
I swung my blade horizontally toward the door, releasing a flash of yellow chi.
Boom!
The door exploded inward.
Inside, a bearman bandit with his lower body naked was tearing the clothes from a young Beastman girl whose race I could not identify at first glance.
His pleasure interrupted, the bearman roared furiously and charged at me with bloodshot eyes while pulling up his trousers.
Fool.
If I could destroy the door with a single strike, how could I possibly be an easy opponent?
I did not even bother speaking.
Black Sable flashed as Mad God Chi surged outward. The blade swept horizontally. His lower body continued rushing forward while his upper body separated cleanly from it.
I released my chi, stopping the spraying blood about a meter away from me. I refused to let such filthy blood stain my clothes.
I stepped inside the house.
A Beastman girl with long white fur was curled into a trembling ball.
I softened my voice. “Are you alright? Don’t be afraid. I’m here to save you and your village.”
The girl had covered her face with her hands. Through the narrow gaps between her fingers she saw my gentle smile and relaxed slightly.
“A-are you really not a bandit?”
“Of course not. I’m here to kill the bandits. We are emissaries of the Beast God, sent to help the Beastmen resolve their suffering. Believe me.”
Hearing this, the girl slowly lowered her hands and looked at me with wide eyes.
She turned out to be a rare white bear girl, nearly as tall as I was and very beautiful. No wonder that bandit had been tempted.
“Don’t be afraid,” I said. “Put your clothes back on. I still need to rescue the other villagers.”
She nodded. “Thank you for saving me.”
As I turned to leave, I paused and looked back.
“Don’t thank me. Thank the Beast God. It was by his will that we arrived in time to save you.”
“The Beast God?”
…
Just as I stepped outside, a sharp whistle pierced the air.
Not good.
These bandits were not completely stupid. They were gathering together to resist.
One of my lionman subordinates quickly ran toward me.
“Reporting, Vice-Pope. The enemies are gathering at the other end of the village. What should we do?”
This lionman was named Mink. Tall and powerful, he possessed human blood in his lineage. His face carried obvious human features, and if not for the fur covering his body he would have looked entirely human.
Among all the guards, he was the one I valued most. Not only was he bold, he was also quick-witted.
“Did any of our brothers suffer injuries?” I asked.
Mink laughed contemptuously. “With tricks like theirs? Impossible.”
I nodded. “Good. Gather everyone immediately. We will confront them directly.”
This was our first encounter with bandits since leaving the Imperial City, and it was a large group. I felt a faint excitement rising in my chest.
Eliminating them will save the villagers and spread the name of the Beast God.
Once the screams in the village faded, I ordered two guards to organize the villagers to extinguish the fires.
With the remaining eighteen guards, I headed toward the opposite side of the village.
Just as Mink had reported, the bandits were gathering there.
They wore mismatched clothing and belonged mainly to the tigerman, werewolf, bearman, and cheetahman races.
There were more than a hundred of them.
Most were still clutching their stolen goods as they glared at us and slowly advanced.
When they realized that we numbered only nineteen, their tense expressions visibly relaxed.
I lowered my voice.
“Mink, you and your brother will be responsible for killing anyone who tries to escape. Not a single one is to survive. Understood?”
Mink’s eyes gleamed with a sinister light. “Don’t worry, Young Master. None of these scoundrels will escape today.”
With Black Sable resting on my shoulder, I strode forward.
The bandits raised their weapons and stared at me cautiously.
A tigerman who appeared to be their leader stepped forward and raised his machete.
“Where did you come from? Why did you kill my men? Are you tired of living?”
I said flatly, “We are people of the Beast God. Why do we need to kill each other?”
A werewolf standing beside the tigerman shouted angrily, “Rubbish! Why the hell do you care? This is how we live! If we’re not allowed to rob, then send us some girls for us to play with!”
The tigerman laughed loudly. “Stop talking nonsense. Kneel down and beg quickly. Perhaps I’ll spare your life. Otherwise… hehe.”
Seeing there was no better option, I shook my head and answered with a single word.
“Kill.”
I was the first to dash forward, charging toward the tigerman and the werewolf who had spoken earlier.
The tigerman roared furiously as his machete split downward from above his head.
I halted abruptly two meters in front of him. The sudden contrast between my rapid movement and complete stillness was strangely unsettling.
When his machete chopped down, I flicked my wrist.
Black Sable flashed upward with a strand of yellow light. With that single motion, the tigerman was split cleanly in half.
I did not even blink.
My body flashed to the left, dodging the werewolf’s sneak attack. Black Sable stopped beside his neck.
Since he appeared to be a leader, he might possess useful information. I decided to keep him alive for the moment.
My chi locked firmly onto his body. The murderous aura terrified him so badly that he dared not move an inch. His face turned pale as a ghost.
“Spare me, great master! Please spare my life!”
I laughed coldly. “Spare your life? Have you ever spared the lives of anyone you robbed?”
I raised my voice. “Listen carefully. We are emissaries sent by the Beast God to eliminate the trash who harass the Beastmen. Brothers, the one who will remain alive has already been chosen. Cleanse the rest.”
From the corner of my eye, I glanced toward the village behind me. The villagers who had survived were slowly gathering at the entrance, silently watching the slaughter.
Even before I killed the tigerman, my guards had already begun attacking, their different colors of chi erupting across the battlefield.
There was no suspense in this fight.
Although the bandits had the advantage in numbers, they had no ability to resist. Their bodies were either torn apart or crushed by chi. Very few corpses remained intact.
The one enjoying the killing most was Mink.
Only a few minutes into the battle, the bandits had already begun fleeing in chaos. Mink swung his two massive axes left and right, cutting them down relentlessly. The bandits who died by his hands numbered far more than twenty.
The captured wolfman’s eyes filled with despair.
In an instant, the bandit gang was wiped out under the overwhelming strength of my eighteen guards. Bloody flesh littered the ground.
The wolfman’s legs trembled uncontrollably. He collapsed to the ground and prostrated himself. Feces and urine flowed out simultaneously, filling the air with a foul stench.
I kicked him violently, sending him tumbling away.
“Mink! Come here!”
Mink ran over happily, swinging his axes. “Young master, what is your order?”
I pointed toward the wolfman lying ten meters away. “That one is the only one alive. Find somewhere to wash him and bring him back to me.”
Mink stared blankly. “Wash him? Young master, are you planning to eat him? Wolf meat doesn’t taste very good…”
I slapped him so hard that he somersaulted on the ground.
“What nonsense are you talking about? Hurry up and do what I ordered.”
Anger flashed across Mink’s face, but it quickly faded. With a dejected sigh, he turned and walked toward the wolfman.
“Assemble.”
At my command, all the guards except Mink immediately gathered before me in neat formation.
I swept my gaze over them and noticed that some had suffered minor injuries.
My anger flared.
“Are you all useless? Some of you were injured fighting these worthless trash and laughable clowns? I really don’t know how you usually train. Go clean the battlefield. If any bandits are still breathing, without exception…”
I made a throat-cutting gesture.
“After everything is finished, assemble at the village entrance.”
After reprimanding them, I turned and walked toward the entrance of the village.
The villagers gathered there retreated with every step I took.
Suddenly, the person standing in front dropped to his knees.
Immediately, like wheat bending before the wind, hundreds of villagers knelt down.
An elderly bearman in front spoke with a trembling voice. “Lo-lord, please don’t kill us! Have mercy on our village.”
Before I could answer, a white figure rushed out of the crowd.
“Grandpa, have you gone senile? They’re not here to kill us!”
I focused my gaze.
It was the white bear girl I had rescued earlier.
She had already tidied her clothes. She stood nearly as tall as I did, and among bearmen her figure was relatively slender. A faint smile rested on her face.
The elderly bearman turned pale with fright. “Nie, hurry and kneel down! Don’t speak nonsense in front of the lord!”
I smiled.
“No. She didn’t speak nonsense. What she said is true. We came to rescue your village.”
“Everyone, please stand up. We will not harm you.”
“The families that were robbed may now reclaim their belongings. My subordinates are clearing the battlefield. If there is anything on the corpses that belongs to you, feel free to take it.”
“Everything belongs to the village. Consider it compensation.”
The kneeling villagers immediately began murmuring among themselves.
The elderly bearman slowly stood up, staring at me in confusion.
“Grandpa, what he said is true,” the white bear girl said quickly. “They are emissaries of the Beast God. The Beast God truly sent them to help us. If they hadn’t saved me, you might never have seen your granddaughter again.”
The old bearman hesitated. “Yo-you… are you really an emissary of the Beast God?”
I removed my bamboo hat and nodded with a smile.
“Yes. The Beast God has seen the suffering of the Beastmen. That is why He sent us to help you. The Beast God has not forgotten His people.”
Seeing my humanlike appearance, the elderly bearman stepped back several paces.
“You… are you human?”
I shook my head.
“No. I carry both human and Beastman blood. My father is a Behemoth.”
“Elder, if we wished to harm you or plunder your village, would we need to say so much?”
“You saw what happened just now. More than a hundred bandits could not withstand us for even fifteen minutes.”
“Do you think I need to lie to you?”
“What do you possess that would even be worth deceiving?”
“For years the Beastmen Empire has suffered under bandit harassment. The Beast God observed our suffering and appointed us to eliminate the bandits and help you live better lives.”
“That is why we founded the Beast God Religion.”
I paused briefly before shouting loudly.
“Beastmen brothers, don’t you wish to recover what you lost?”
“The bandits stole only a limited amount. Those who move quickly will gain something. Those who are slow will get nothing.”
The white bear girl trusted me the most.
The elderly bearman could not stop her as she rushed toward the pile of corpses.
As she passed me, she flashed what she likely believed was her most charming smile.
I am not a bearman after all.
Perhaps to them she was irresistibly beautiful.
The villagers watched as she ran toward the battlefield and began looting the corpses.
My guards had piled the bodies together. Some of them even searched the corpses and tossed items toward her.
Seeing that nothing dangerous happened, a few braver villagers ran over as well.
Soon the rest followed, unable to resist their greed.
Only the old bearman remained where he stood, staring at me in disbelief.
At that moment, Mink returned with a sour expression, dragging the wolfman behind him. He slammed the captive heavily onto the ground.
“Young master, I washed him clean. Damn it, that guy was filthy. If I hadn’t spoken earlier, I wouldn’t have ended up doing this job. Please don’t be angry with me.”
I smiled helplessly. “Alright. Stay here and guard him. I will speak with the villagers for a moment and come back later to question him.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
“My grandpa is not just some random villager. He is the village chief.”
The white bear girl ran back while carrying an armful of loot. Judging from her delighted expression, she had clearly found some valuable items.
In truth, I had already guessed the identity of the elderly bearman. I simply chose not to expose it.
I turned toward him. “My apologies. So you are the village chief. May I speak with you for a moment?”
The aged bearman suddenly dropped to the ground with a loud thud. Tears streamed down his face.
“Oh benefactor, please forgive this unworthy one’s disrespect!”
After saying that, he began kowtowing repeatedly, his forehead striking the ground with loud thumping sounds.
The white bear girl hurriedly knelt beside her grandfather and prostrated herself as well.
I quickly stepped forward and supported the old bearman with both hands.
“Please don’t do this. I truly don’t deserve such treatment. This is the will of the Beast God. We are merely carrying out His command.”
“Benefactor, please. Let us speak inside the village.”
“Alright.”
I pointed toward the wolfman lying on the ground.
“Mink, you will take charge here. After cleaning the battlefield, burn the corpses and wait for me here. Guard that man carefully and do not let him escape.”
“Don’t worry, Young Master. If he dares to run, I will chop off both of his legs.”
The wolfman lying on the ground immediately trembled.
“This unworthy one would never dare! I absolutely would never dare to run!”
Satisfied, I nodded.
Together with the white bear girl, I helped support the elderly bearman as we walked back into the village.
Because we had arrived in time, the village had not suffered severe damage.
The old bearman led me to the same house where I had rescued the white bear girl earlier.
When the white bear girl saw the corpse of the bandit I had killed, she rushed over and kicked it twice.
The old bearman scolded her.
“Nie, we do not hold grudges against the dead. Do not damage the corpse any further. Sir, please come inside.”
After entering the house, he led me to the seat of honor. No matter how strongly I refused, I could not overcome his stubborn insistence and was forced to sit in the master’s chair.
“Elder,” I asked, “what is the usual situation in this village?”
The village chief sighed.
“Lord emissary, the strong young men are all fighting on the frontlines. We do not even know how many will return alive. Normally we survive by farming. It is barely enough to sustain us.”
I nodded. “Are you often harassed by bandits?”
The village chief shook his head.
“A direct attack like this is the first time. Usually they only stop us on the road to rob our goods. If we hand everything over willingly, we are rarely killed.”
“Several days ago, when the Beast Emperor issued the decree to exterminate bandits, we were extremely happy. We believed the bandits would stop disturbing us.”
“Who would have thought that immediately after the decree, so many powerful bandits would appear?”
“If you emissaries had not arrived in time, our village would have been finished.”
Hatred filled my voice.
“It is precisely because of these scourges that our Beastmen Kingdom has become so weak.”
“Do not worry. The Beast God gave this order personally. Our mission is to eliminate bandits.”
“We are only the first group. Later, more emissaries will arrive—some dedicated to helping the people farm and produce.”
“All you need to do is follow the guidance of the Beast God, and you will certainly live a better life.”
The village chief’s eyes widened with joy.
“Really? I have waited for this day for so long!”
“Oh great Beast God, you did not forget your children. You still remember us!”
Seeing how excited he was, I knew my objective had been achieved.
I comforted him gently.
“Please calm yourself. It is not good for your health to be so excited.”
“The Beast God will never abandon His children. As long as you continue to believe in Him, peaceful and prosperous days will surely come.”
As I spoke, I removed a pouch of gold coins from my chest pocket and handed it to him.
“Distribute this money among the villagers. Use it to rebuild the damaged houses.”
The village chief quickly waved his hands.
“No, no! You have already helped us greatly. How could I possibly accept your money?”
I answered firmly.
“This money is not from me. It is a gift from the Beast God to His people. Please accept it.”
“When the time comes, our companions responsible for helping you farm and produce will arrive. Please cooperate with them.”
“Do not worry. The Beast God will care for you and your people.”
The village chief accepted the pouch with trembling hands and knelt down again.
“Oh Beast God, our god, thank you for giving us hope!”
Seeing that my goal had been achieved, I stood up.
“The matter here is finished. I must continue my mission and help other Beastmen escape their suffering.”
“I will take my leave.”
The village chief hurriedly grabbed my arm.
“How can that be? At least stay and share a meal before you leave. Otherwise the Beast God will blame us for neglecting His emissaries.”
The white bear girl also urged me eagerly.
“Yes, yes! Please stay and eat with us.”
I smiled.
“The Beast God is merciful and tolerant. He will not become angry over such a matter.”
“As His emissaries, we must do our utmost to fulfill His mission.”
“We truly cannot delay any longer. Please forgive me.”
However, the stubborn old village chief refused to let me go and insisted that we stay for a meal.
Just as we were arguing, Mink suddenly rushed inside.
I frowned.
“Didn’t I order you to guard the werewolf? Why did you come here?”
Mink bowed respectfully.
“My apologies, Young Master. The other brothers are guarding the werewolf bandit.”
“You should come outside and take a look. The villagers are waiting to see you.”
They want to see me?
The village chief and I exchanged glances before I turned and walked outside.
The scene outside was astonishing.
Every villager had gathered around the village chief’s house, all kneeling on the ground.
My guards had tried to help them stand up, but the villagers insisted on kneeling. The guards did not dare use force and were left helpless.
The moment I stepped out of the house, all the villagers shouted in unison.
“Thank you for saving our village!”
Although my actions were not entirely selfless, seeing such gratitude filled me with pride.
I raised my voice.
“Brothers and sisters, please stand up. If you continue kneeling, then I will kneel with you.”
As I finished speaking, I lifted my robe and prepared to kneel.
The old village chief rushed forward and stopped me.
Seeing this, the villagers finally stood up one after another.
“Everyone,” I continued, “there is no need to thank me. As I said earlier, I am merely an emissary sent by the Beast God to rescue our people.”
“We represent the Beast God.”
“The Beast God has not forgotten us. He still cares for His Beastmen.”
“As long as everyone can live happily, that will be the greatest gratitude toward Him.”
“We still have other tasks to complete, so please allow us to leave.”
Just as the villagers were about to make way, the village chief suddenly shouted.
“Villagers! The emissaries saved us from the brink of death. Should we not properly express our gratitude?”
“Can we simply let them leave like this?”
Immediately the villagers shouted together.
“No!”
The village chief continued passionately.
“If we allow the emissaries of the Beast God to leave like this, it would be disrespectful to the Beast God.”
“Therefore I propose that every household offer their most valuable possession as a gift to the lord emissaries.”
“What do you say?”
“Yes!”
I forced a smile.
“Village Chief, you are putting me in a difficult position. The Beast God commanded us not to accept even the smallest thing from the people. We dare not violate His command.”
The village chief laughed heartily.
“We offer these gifts willingly and happily. The Beast God will not blame you.”
“Everyone, begin!”
At that moment the dark clouds finally began to disperse.
A beam of brilliant sunlight pierced through the sky and illuminated the land.
The sunlight grew brighter as the clouds slowly parted.
The magnificent scene stunned everyone present.
My heart stirred.
I raised my voice loudly.
“My brothers and sisters, the days of suffering are ending!”
“Look!”
“The dawn of a new era of hope is shining upon us.”
“With hard work and under the guidance of the Beast God, we will move toward a better life.”
The villagers erupted into cheers.
Only moments earlier the village had been filled with despair and grief.
Now it had become an ocean of joy.