Chapter 587
Chapter 587
Shen Lang's gaze then swept over the crowd, and he began pointing.
“That one… and that one. The one with the scar on his face, and the one with half an eyebrow.”
With each person he pointed to, the Nirvana Army promptly entered the crowd and dragged them out. In a very short time, twenty men were caught, all of them trembling before Shen Lang. He had already memorized their faces. They were the ones who had hurled the most vicious and unbearable insults. Telling Shen Lang to sell his ass, telling his wife to take on clients—all these curses had come from them.
Racking his memory, Shen Lang soon discovered something surprising. Half of them were the local ruffians who had once bet him they could eat ten catties of feces. After the ruffians lost the bet, Shen Lang had driven nearly a thousand of them into a compost pit outside the city, where the majority drowned, though a few hundred luckily survived. And now, a dozen of those lucky survivors stood before him.
It was truly strange. Having been trapped in a dung pit for a time, hadn't they learned a lesson they would never forget? Shouldn't they fear Shen Lang to the very depths of their souls? Having luckily survived that disaster, shouldn't they have been grateful for their remaining lives, cherished their existence, and never provoked Shen Lang again? How long had it been since that incident? In just half a year, had they forgotten everything and come to challenge Shen Lang again? Do people really forget the past so easily?
Yes. People are inherently forgetful creatures. Some commit crimes again less than three days after being released from prison. A gambling addict might have his fingers cut off and swear never to gamble again, only to return to the gambling den three days later. With the bandages from his severed fingers still on.
Shen Lang took the list and read it, slightly stunned. Ning Zheng had investigated so meticulously. He had truly risked his life for this Spring Thunder Operation. Of the twenty-five men before him, a full twenty-four were on the list; only one was not. Shen Lang asked that man.
“What’s your name? Speak!”
The man trembled all over as he spoke.
“I… I… I’m… I’m not a ruffian, and I’ve never done anything wrong before!”
“Then what do you do?”
“I was a shop clerk.”
“Then why did you show up here telling me to sell my ass and my wife to take on clients to pay off debts? I’ve never provoked you, so why did you curse me?”
The man was so frightened he wet his pants.
“I recently went to a matchmaker, but the young lady didn’t find me suitable, so it failed. I was angry, so I did it.”
“And because of that, you cursed me, you cursed my unborn child, and you cursed my wife?”
“I don’t know, I don’t know… Anyway, I was furious, I wanted to ruin a woman, I wanted to vent my anger.”
The man trembled in fear, pissing himself, yet his expression was vicious. Watching him, Shen Lang felt a headache coming on. There were many such people on modern Earth. People who seemed honest on the surface but were filled with endless resentment toward the world, who would one day suddenly do something that shocked everyone.
“What is your name, speak.”
The man shook his head desperately.
‘I won’t tell you. I won’t tell you even if I die.’
Suddenly, someone in the crowd shouted.
“His name is Zhang Pin!”
Shen Lang wrote Zhang Pin’s name on the list, then drew an X over it. A guard captain took the list, and the guards dragged the twenty-odd men to a corner of the wall.
“Kneel!”
Swish!
The guards’ hands rose and fell, and in an instant, their heads dropped to the ground. The stench of urine filled the air. Many who witnessed the scene had wet themselves. The captain shouted loudly again.
“By His Highness’s command, this Spring Thunder Operation must be carried out thoroughly, leaving no blind spots. It doesn’t matter how high your family’s title is or how many merits you’ve accumulated. Kneel…”
As his thunderous voice echoed, all the young masters from the powerful and noble families present knelt in unison. Shen Lang took the list and once again scanned the young nobles with his eyes. Those his gaze passed over immediately trembled uncontrollably, on the verge of fainting. It was like the gaze of the God of Death, terrifying to behold. Among the young nobles present, there wasn't one who didn't keep a retinue of ruffians, who hadn't bullied the weak or forced themselves upon women. Not a single one of them hadn't committed evil deeds. The deteriorating security in the capital was largely their fault. Countless ruffians caused trouble, and half of them were doing the dirty work for these young nobles. If a name was on the list, it was confirmed, and an X was drawn over it. In the end, their lives were the only price for their sins.
Shen Lang truly drew an X over name after name. The King's intention was crystal clear. This Spring Thunder Operation was not only targeting local ruffians but also aimed to kill all the gang leaders and a whole swath of the powerful figures behind them. They had to kill enough to send a chill down everyone's spine. A war that could topple the nation was imminent, so the capital had to be cleansed beforehand. Otherwise, if the tide of war turned against them or they were at a disadvantage, chaos could easily erupt in the capital.
Shen Lang drawing an X meant that person's life was forfeit. But would any of them die unjustly? Absolutely not. Ning Zheng had worked meticulously, and these young nobles had committed their atrocities so brazenly—murder, arson—that they didn't even try to hide them. Of course, they hadn't dirtied their own hands but had given the orders from behind the scenes. Perhaps a few of the ruffians might die wrongfully, but among these young nobles, not a single one would be an innocent victim. In the end, dozens of large X's were drawn with a brush dipped in red ink.
After marking the list, Shen Lang asked them.
“My kind brothers here, I hear you’ve been saying I swindled you?”
The place fell into a dead silence. After all that commotion, now no one speaks? Shen Lang picked up the red brush again, walked over to a young noble, squatted down, and asked.
“What’s your name? Tell me…”
“No, no! How could Young Master Shen possibly swindle us? That never happened. It’s not true!”
“Then what do you suppose happened?”
The young noble said.
“That money was a voluntary donation from us. A war is about to break out, and if the rise and fall of the nation is the responsibility of every citizen, how much greater is the responsibility for us who enjoy the state’s favor? That’s why we voluntarily sent the money as a donation.”
“Oh? Is that true?”
“Yes, it’s true.”
He nodded his head desperately.
“So I really didn’t swindle your money?”
He thumped his chest and said.
“Never! Who would dare slander Young Master Shen? If anyone did, I, Wang Ling, would be the first to take them on.”
‘Oh, so you’re Wang Ling. I didn’t recognize you. Quite the quick thinker, aren’t you?’
“Then what about the Golden Dragon’s Blood?”
“Young Master Shen saw that our bodies were weak and specially prepared a restorative tonic for us. After drinking it, my body feels much better. Thank you, Young Master Shen, thank you.”
“So the six thousand gold coins really have nothing to do with the Golden Dragon’s Blood?”
Wang Ling shook his head desperately.
“Nothing at all. The six thousand gold coins were a truly voluntary donation from us. That brilliant golden tonic was a gift from Young Master Shen, free of charge.”
Shen Lang patted his shoulder and said.
“Wang Ling, you’ve done well. Very impressive.”
Then, Shen Lang took out a notebook titled ‘The Glorious People Who Donated Voluntarily’ and said.
“Wang Ling, it is excellent that you have voluntarily donated six thousand gold coins for military expenses. His Majesty the King will be pleased. But shouldn’t you leave your name when doing a good deed? Come, come, come. Write your name here, and I will have a large plaque of commendation made. We must inscribe the names of all the donors to bring glory to their families, wouldn’t you agree?!”
“Yes, yes. It is an honor for the family!”
Wang Ling took the brush, wrote his name in the ‘The Glorious People Who Donated Voluntarily’ notebook, and even added his thumbprint.
“Young Master Wang, very impressive. Take this donation certificate home with you.”
Shen Lang then handed a red booklet to Wang Ling.
“Hurry on home now!”
Wang Ling kowtowed in thanks.
“Thank you, Young Master Shen! Thank you. I will treasure this glorious certificate.”
He then took the certificate and ran as if flying. The guards opened a gap in their cordon to let him through. Wang Ling ran for several li without stopping, then squatted on the ground and burst into tears.
‘It wasn’t easy. I finally survived. I was scared to death. Father, Mother. I was scared to death!’
After Wang Ling left, Shen Lang had a table set up right outside the Marquis of Changping’s estate and began conducting business on the spot.
“Who else among you has donated voluntarily? Everyone, come forward, sign your name, add your thumbprint, receive your certificate, and return home!”
In an instant, the young nobles came forward one by one to sign. Money was very important, but their lives were more so.
‘Even though I was swindled out of six thousand gold coins this time, let’s just pretend it never happened. That bastard Shen Lang is too terrifying. He’s not someone to be provoked. Not only does he swindle money, he tries to take your life too.’
The situation before them was crystal clear. If they didn’t sign and add their thumbprint, they couldn’t leave and would become targets of the Spring Thunder Operation. What? You say you’re innocent? That you’re clean as a whistle? Pfft! Nonsense!
In a flash, the young nobles lined up to sign, declaring that their voluntary donation of six thousand gold coins was a gesture of sharing the nation’s burdens, and definitely not a case of Shen Lang tricking them out of their money. But a signature was just a signature; inwardly, they were cursing.
‘Shen Lang, you bastard, you’re truly vicious. A vile and shameless scoundrel. May the child you bear be born without an asshole.’
However, the scene that unfolded next made them unable to even curse him in their hearts. A young noble came forward to sign, indicating his voluntary donation. But just then, Shen Lang held up a hand to stop him.
“That’s enough, you don’t need to sign. Guards, bring six thousand gold coins.”
A box filled with gold coins was soon placed before him.
“We will not accept your money. We will have this money sent to your home in full.”
Upon hearing this, the young noble turned pale with fright.
‘What does this mean? I… I can’t even give my money away?’
Shen Lang said with great anger.
“Is your name Zhang Anshi? You’ve committed a capital crime, and you think you can buy your life with money? What do you take the laws of the nation for? Are you trying to make a dirty deal? You are on the list for the Spring Thunder Operation. Your family should prepare for your funeral.”
Hearing this, Zhang Anshi desperately knelt and kowtowed, banging his head on the ground.
“Young Master Shen, Benefactor Shen, Lord Shen, spare me… I donated voluntarily. I love my country too. Lord Shen, please spare my life!”
Shen Lang gestured.
“Seize him!”
The guards came forward, shackled and cuffed him, and threw him into a prisoner cart. The many young nobles present were once again so shocked they wet themselves.
‘So it seems… accepting our money, swindling us, was actually a sign of respect. Some people can’t even get away with giving their money.’
After that, they couldn't even bring themselves to curse Shen Lang in their hearts and prayed desperately instead.
‘Shen Lang, please don’t return my money. You absolutely must not. Heavens, please let me sign smoothly and donate my money.’
But there are always unlucky ones everywhere; for every thirty people, one would have their money returned, be put in shackles and cuffs, and thrown into a prisoner cart.