Chapter 1389: Chapter 449: Accelerated Fission, Military Power Transfer, Military Petition and Mutiny (Part 6)
Zhu Qingkaiās words were like pressing Duan Mingās face into the ground and stomping on it.
Duan Mingās face alternated between blue and white upon hearing the words, clearly seething with anger inside, yet he dared not retort Zhu Qingkai, just stood there clenching his fists.
"Useless!"
Even though they were of the same clan, Duan Mian couldnāt help but curse inwardly upon seeing Duan Mingās disgraceful display. He slowly stepped forward, gazing at Zhu Qingkai with malice and threatening harshly, "Captain Zhu, itās a grave crime to defame the Lord. Iām giving you a chance to take back your words, or else donāt blame this Commander for acting according to military law."
Indeed, old ginger is spicier; Duan Mian avoided Zhu Qingkaiās challenge to Duan Mingās strength, instead seizing the loophole in his words, accusing him of defaming the Lord and actually gaining the upper hand in momentum.
"Enough with all the nonsense! Lord Duan just needs to tell us why the Third Army is to be commanded by Duan Ming! The Lordās orders, first they defy logic, second they violate regulations. Iām now suspecting these orders are haphazardly fabricated by your Duan Family. We absolutely refuse to believe that the Lord is so muddle-headed!"
Unfortunately, Zhu Qingkai seemed fully prepared today; he first patched up his defamation of the Lord, then smoothly separated Duan Hong and the Duan Family, directing his criticism straight at the entire Duan Family.
"How dare you!"
Duan Mian finally couldnāt hold back. He and Mu Qinghe were of the same status, Zhu Qingkai was the son of Mu Qingheās junior Zhu Ziying, being rebutted so publicly by a junior, how could he maintain his dignity.
"Defaming the Lord, Iāll make sure you suffer today!"
Seeing over a thousand soldiers glaring at him, Duan Mian quickly realized that without thoroughly intimidating these troops, Duan Mingās chances of smoothly seizing the military authority were impossible. So he didnāt bother with words, drew his silver saber from his waist, and charged straight at Zhu Qingkai.
Duan Mian didnāt notice that as he drew his saber, Mu Qinghe, who had been observing coldly from the front of the main tent, a glint flickered across his eyes.
Swish......
The uproar of the blade swept in like a storm, Zhu Qingkai barely hesitated, instantly fleeing backward.
Unlike other useless members of the Duan Family, Duan Mian had served as Deputy Army Chief for over ten years, his Basic Strength reaching 43 Saeta, even surpassing Mu Qinghe. With just 28 Saeta strength, directly confronting him would be certain death.
But since he had been standing in front of the soldiers, upon retreating, he immediately backed into the middle of the troops.
The soldiers of the Third Army evidently recognized Zhu Qingkai, Captain of the First Camp. Seeing him retreat over, they quickly opened a path, allowing him in smoothly, then swiftly closed ranks, blocking Duan Mian.
"Get out of my way!"
Starting a move without turning back, having decided to strike, Duan Mian wasnāt going to hesitate any longer. Seeing the soldiers of the Third Army blocking his path, he didnāt slow down, just first roared angrily, and seeing they didnāt retreat, he flipped his wrist, changing the blade to the back, attempting a sweep to clear away over a dozen soldiers standing in his way.
Splat......
However, shocking events occurred when he executed this sweep.
The armor of over a dozen soldiers facing him split open simultaneously, bursting into dozen of gory blood sprays, the three soldiers at the forefront even flew backward over ten meters, crashing onto the ground with the sound of bones breaking.
Splat......
Two soldiers directly fell dead, while another clutched his bleeding gash on his chest, looking up at Duan Mian, face full of disbelief, as if unable to comprehend heād be struck down.
"You... you......"
The soldierās lips trembled, uttering a few words, then abruptly spat out blood, closing his eyes as he fell to the ground, unmistakably dead.
"This......"
Duan Mian was momentarily stunned, glancing at the bloodstains on his bladeās back, faintly sensing something amiss, yet couldnāt respond immediately.
But soon, he realized.
"Duan Mian, dare you slay my brothers!"
"Slaughtering oneās own, what kind of Deputy Army Chief are you?"
"Brothers, the Duan Family never intended us to survive, should Duan Ming assume the Commander position, the Third Army will undergo restructuring like the Second Army; the Duan Family wonāt let us remain in the military."
"The Duan Family intends to give away Chui Mountain to Beishuo. Once the Third Army is restructured, weāll merge into Beishuo under the Duan Family, becoming second-class citizens there!"
"Revolt!"
"Chui Mountain belongs to us all, not just the Duan Family alone; brothers canāt endure anymore; enduring further, thereās no future."
"Revolt!"
.........
The soldiersā words arose one after another, especially the wordsā contents shocked Duan Mian, Duan Xian, Duan Ming, paled their expressions drastically.
"Ever since the Army Chief met his fate at Hongmen, the Duan clan has been swaying the Lord to suppress the loyal, filling the Town with grievances; to curry favor with the Yang Family, allowing Beishuo infiltrators into the city, itās likely soon youāll hand over Chui Mountain Town to Beishuo;
Furthermore, now raising knives against our own, slaughtering comrades, the Duan clanās crimes are countless, if the Lord wonāt remove you, I Mu Qinghe wonāt tolerate you anymore, brothers, if Duan clanās treacherous arenāt removed, the Lord might never wake up again..."
After observing for a long time, Mu Qinghe finally spoke.
He continued to separate the Lord from the Duan clan, his tone increasingly somber as he listed the Duan clanās numerous sins over the past year or more, pausing briefly, drawing a saber from his waist, facing the soldiers, sharply raised it toward the sky:
"Brothers, weāre not revolting, weāre staging a military remonstrance, expel the Duan clanās treacherous, awaken the Lord, revitalize Chui Mountain!"
"Military remonstrance, revitalize Chui Mountain!"
"Military remonstrance, revitalize Chui Mountain!"
.........
"Mutiny, thereās mutiny, First Army, Second Army, encircle the camp, hurry!"
"Hurry to encircle the camp, donāt let anyone escape, quick!"
One soldier after another roared angrily, the entire Inner City Camp suddenly surged with blood, the neighboring Yellow Armor First Army and Second Army had long been alerted, under Duan Mian and Duan Xianās fierce commands, two thousand soldiers swiftly encircled the Third Armyās camp.
Seeing the Third Army camp surrounded, Duan Mian and Duan Xianās expressions slightly relaxed, but hadnāt relaxed more than two breathsā
Swish... swish... swish......
Amidst earth-shattering roars, the Second Camp Captain Mu Ziming, who had been silent, suddenly took out a Longbow from behind, lit three Iron Arrows, then successively shot them toward the sky.
Those three Iron Arrows appeared specially made with coal powder, once shot into midair, swiftly ignited, leaving a straight line of fire, lingering midair for three or four breaths.
Just as the three lines of fire were about to vanish.
Other skies above the Town also lit up with similar fire arcs.
Counting closely, at least twenty or thirty!
"Mutiny, Mu clan launches mutiny......"
Duan Mianās face turned pale, his pupils became utterly panicked.
At this point, if he still couldnāt comprehend, heād be too foolish!
Everything today was pre-designed by Mu Qinghe, from the moment he struck at the soldiers, heād fallen into the trap.
"The Lord truly wasnāt wrong, Mu clan, truly dared to launch a mutiny!"