Dongfang Kun thought he was about to succeed, but despite all his ticulous planning, he didn't anticipate the return of the Dragon Emperor. Nor did he predict that such a strong master stood behind Lin Tian.
Stronger even than Duan Sandao.
With the strength of the Fusion Realm, just a flick of a finger could obliterate him.
If he had known this, even if Lin Tian lent Dongfang Kun ten or a hundred tis the courage, he wouldn't have dared to co and kill Lin Tian!
If there were such a thing as a regret dicine, Dongfang Kun would surely have swallowed a whole bottle of it.
"You... who are you?" Dongfang Kun asked, pointing at the Dragon Emperor with trembling hands.
The Dragon Emperor didn't give him the ti of day, pointing at him and asking, "I have no interest in your personal feud with Lin Tian, but you assisted the Li Family in their oppression and killed innocent people. Do you admit to this cri?"
In the face of the Dragon Emperor's formidable power, Dongfang Kun had no choice but to admit to it, whether he wanted to or not.
"I... I admit it!"
Dongfang Kun said weakly, filled with fear, not knowing what awaited him next.
The Dragon Emperor continued, "Considering you are not the principal offender, the death penalty may be spared, but you cannot escape punishnt. I shall sever one of your arms. Do you have any objections?"
One arm!
A chill went through Dongfang Kun's heart. From that mont on, he would be a cripple. His cultivation would greatly diminish, and any hopes of revenge would be even more unattainable.
But losing an arm was better than losing one's life, and in front of the Dragon Emperor, he had no room to bargain.
"No objections!"
Dongfang Kun spoke listlessly. Imdiately after, the Dragon Emperor pointed a finger, and a stream of Ability Source transford into a sharp sword edge that cleaved off Dongfang Kun's arm.
"Scram!"
With a single word "scram" from the Dragon Emperor, Dongfang Kun didn't even dare to look up as he clutched his bleeding limb and resentfully led his n away.
Once out of everyone's sight, Dongfang Kun sat on a piece of bluestone, clutching his severed limb as blood gushed out, the pain so intense that it contorted his face.
A disciple without a bandage tore off a piece of clothing and wrapped it roughly around Dongfang Kun's wound.
Accidentally touching the stump of Dongfang Kun's arm sent him into even greater agony. Enraged, he struck the disciple dead with a palm.
The disciple died a wrongful death. The others sighed with pity, each stepping back, not daring to approach. In their eyes, there was nothing but extre fear of Dongfang Kun.
Dongfang Kun's arm had been severed, and he dared not bla the Dragon Emperor for it. He could only channel his fury towards Lin Tian.
"Lin Tian, I want you dead, I! Want! You! Dead..."
A long howl carried with it waves of raging fury. Dongfang Kun was indignant, resentful, and determined to kill Lin Tian.
..., ...
With Dongfang Kun's escape, only Li Xiangqian, Li Xiangshang, the Dragon Emperor, Lin Tian, and their fellows remained.
Dongfang Kun did not recognize the Dragon Emperor, but Li Xiangqian did.
He was very fearful of the Dragon Emperor's power but still braved forward.
"Dragon Emperor, the vendetta between our Li Family and Lin Tian is personal. Nidhogg has its responsibilities, and I wonder if this is truly your concern. Are you not overreaching?"
Hmph!
The Dragon Emperor laughed and glanced at Li Xiangqian without saying a word, then turned and left. Following this, several figures appeared.
About a dozen mbers of Nidhogg appeared, with the old general standing among them.
The old general had actually co in person.
He was still in his Sun Yat-sen suit, his face kind, the sa old deanor as always.
"Old General!"
Lin Tian waved from the side, happily greeting him.
The old general looked at Lin Tian and responded with a slight smile, acknowledging Lin Tian's greeting.
The two exchanged greetings with an understanding that stunned everyone, especially Li Xiangqian and Li Xiangshang.
"Lin Tian... he... he actually greeted the old general... What is their relationship? This... Lin Tian, what really is... his background!"
Both Li Xiangqian and Li Xiangshang recognized not only the Dragon Emperor but also the old general.
The Li Family had a hidden compartnt, which held treasures of imasurable value that the Li Family had accumulated over the years. However, on the walls of the Li Family ho hung the photograph of the old marshal. Li Xiangqian's grandfather had once told him that this man was his comrade in arms and that with him around, the Li Family would be protected.
Although Li Xiangqian and Li Xiangshang had never t the old marshal, they deeply rembered his appearance. Wasn't he their grandfather's warti comrade?
The old marshal was one of the few people standing at the forefront during the founding ceremony of Huaxia. He was a founding general, and Huaxia owed its prosperity today to his trendous contributions.
The old marshal had been a soldier since the 1930s, starting as a humble private and fighting his way up the ranks with illustrious military achievents, earning him the right to stand at the very front during the founding ceremony.
The old marshal once had a close comrade nad Li Hao, who had a slight limp in one leg, earning him the nickna "Iron Crutch Li."
Iron Crutch Li fought alongside the old marshal, supporting each other like brothers closer than kin, comrades whose friendship was unbreakable.
However, during one operation to cover an enemy retreat, Iron Crutch Li was gravely injured by a bullet. The old marshal risked his life to save Iron Crutch Li. Before dying, Iron Crutch Li implored the old marshal to look after his son, and then he passed away.
After the founding of the country, the old marshal gradually faded from public view, but he continued to support the Li Family from behind the scenes, eventually turning them into one of the three great hereditary families of the Capital City, and indeed, the strongest among them.
As the Li Family grew stronger, in recent years, they have been reckless and powerful, committing evil deeds, framing the upright and loyal, and bullying n and won. The old marshal witnessed all of this, but because of his warti friendship with Iron Crutch Li, he had been reluctant to step in.
Just a few days ago, the Li Family brutally killed innocent civilians to pressure Lin Tian, causing over two thousand casualties. This act brought about an incalculable negative impact. The old marshal was exceedingly disappointed with the Li Family, feeling that if he allowed this to continue, he would be betraying his own conscience and those civilians who had been killed or injured.
When Li Xiangqian and Li Xiangshang saw the old marshal, they were shocked and then overjoyed because their grandfather had said that with the old marshal around, the Li Family would be protected.
"Senior!"
"Senior!"
The brothers bowed respectfully to the old marshal.
The old marshal did not speak, his eyes flashing with a shade of self-reproach.
Li Xiangshang's eyes darted about, and he quickly raised his head, playing the victim first, "Senior, that Lin Tian, to fra us, has slaughtered innocent civilians and smashed all of our family's assets. Senior, you must uphold justice for us!"
Lin Tian sneered inwardly, despising him to the extre. They were all grown n, yet still playing such childish tricks.
He did not argue. He believed that the old marshal was soone who could discern right from wrong; true justice lies within one's heart, and surely the old marshal would have his own understanding.
The old marshal took a step forward and began to speak.
"In 2002, you were just a deputy minister at the ti, yet you frad your superior for personal gain, leading to his wrongful death. Did this happen?"
These were events from over a decade ago, which Li Xiangshang thought no one knew about. Yet, unexpectedly, the old marshal was aware. His heart shuddered, a sense of dread setting in. Rendered speechless and bewildered, he looked up at the old marshal, not knowing what to do.
Without contestation, the absence of denial was akin to admission; the people around them started whispering and pointing at Li Xiangshang.
The old marshal then turned to Li Xiangqian, saying, "In 2006, to secure the Zhonghai cross-sea bridge project, you cruelly hired an assassin to kill your competitor. The imperial court allocated thirty billion for you to construct the bridge, yet in reality, you only spent five billion on a shoddy construction project, pocketing the rest.
"The Zhonghai bridge collapsed less than ten days after its grand opening, and the accident resulted in the death of three hundred and twenty-seven people. What's more significant is that the incident had a dreadful impact on Huaxia, with foreigners ridiculing our technological understanding and talent, leaving our architects unable to hold their heads high worldwide."
"After the accident, you shifted all the bla onto your assistant. In this accident, a total of thirty-seven people were sentenced, two of whom were executed. Did this happen?"
Li Xiangqian was stunned, looking at the old marshal in disbelief, not having expected the old marshal to know about this matter.
What the old marshal had said was the truth. Back then, to avoid responsibility, Li Xiangqian had maneuvered and bribed his way up and down, assuming a flawless cover-up. Over the following years, fearing the spread of the truth, he frad and caused the death of those who knew the details. He thought it was a secret buried in the deep sea, but to his shock, the old marshal knew every single detail.
The two brothers panicked, their legs trembling. Their grandfather had said that the old marshal could protect the Li Family, but now it seed quite the opposite, not to protect but to doom the Li Family.
The brothers, not daring to speak, lowered their heads and exchanged looks, not knowing what to do.
The old marshal looked at the two n and questioned them again, "Yesterday, you sent out thirty-three n to detonate thirty-three bombs in Wu'an City, resulting in over two thousand civilian casualties. Just now, you sent n to ruthlessly slaughter over a hundred more. Did this happen!"
"This...!"
Li Xiangqian stepped forward, wanting to argue but, seeing the old marshal's piercing gaze, he lost even the courage to make excuses.
Truth is stronger than eloquence. In the face of truth, all cunning defenses are futile.
"Alas..."
The old marshal sighed deeply, filled with regret and self-reproach.
He spoke to himself, "Iron Crutch Li, a man of valor and integrity, a staunch and steely comrade, my dear war friend, a proud child of the party."
"For the cause of Huaxia, he sacrificed his life and blood and ultimately died on the battlefield. A man of iron, his body was wrapped in horsehide."
"Though he is gone, he lives forever in my heart. My forr comrade-in-arms often appears in my mories, his spirit still pulsing, as if I were back on those battlegrounds."
"But..."
The old marshal's tone shifted, growing cold.
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