When Old Master Li of the Li Family slowly regained consciousness, the surroundings had already emptied. Apart from the bloodstains on the ground, the eight corpses had also been carried away.
Fang Zhiyi hadn’t even bothered to check on him!
Old Master Li nearly choked on his rage again, and a servant hurriedly patted his back.
"Fang Zhiyi! Fang Zhiyi! After all the help our Li Family gave you back then, you repay us with betrayal and murder my son?!" Old Master Li’s eyes bulged with fury. "Fine! If this is how it’s going to be, don’t blame me for being ruthless!"
His eldest son had returned from Wacheng with news of another warlord’s proposal for cooperation—asking the Li Family to act as insiders. Old Master Li had initially planned to negotiate terms, but after today’s events, he made up his mind. Not only would he avenge his son, but he’d also make a fortune out of it!
Fang Zhiyi was well aware that his actions today would accelerate the Li Family’s plans to assassinate him. But he didn’t care.
He’d never intended to let them live anyway.
That afternoon, Wang Biao, Zhao Dezhu, Cao Wenjie, and Liu Baocai all arrived.
Fang Zhiyi sat with his eyes closed, idly rolling walnuts in his hand.
"Commander, I heard you executed Li Shun? Why didn’t you tell me? I’ve had it with that bastard for ages!" Wang Biao blurted out loudly.
Zhao Dezhu kicked him.
"Damn right! A man who can’t even take a bullet yet struts around calling himself deputy regimental commander—disgraceful!"
Fang Zhiyi opened his eyes, a cold glint flashing in them.
An inexplicable pressure settled over the four men.
"You’ve all worked hard these years. I’ll admit, I’ve grown complacent. If not for the enlightenment I received in a dream from a wise man, I might’ve been dead by now."
It was as good an excuse as any to justify his sudden change.
"Liu Baocai."
"Here!" Liu Baocai rubbed his hands nervously.
"I’ve heard the soldiers haven’t received their full pay in two months. Care to explain?"
Liu Baocai froze, a sheen of sweat breaking out on his forehead. "Commander, funds have been tight lately. The new taxes were just imposed, but collections have been slow. There’s nothing I could do!"
Fang Zhiyi leisurely wiped his gun. "Oh? If you can’t handle it, maybe I should find someone who can. What do you think?"
Liu Baocai’s sweat poured like rain. "Commander, just give me a little more time—just a little!"
Fang Zhiyi studied him, then turned to Cao Wenjie. "What’s your take?"
Cao Wenjie straightened. "Commander, I’ve heard the county magistrates have been withholding funds."
Fang Zhiyi fixed him with a stare.
Cao Wenjie swallowed hard. "I can handle it."
Fang Zhiyi smiled, satisfied. Cao Wenjie was a schemer, but also the smartest of the four.
"Zhao Dezhu."
"Here."
"Take me to see the troops."
"Yes, sir!" Zhao Dezhu couldn’t hide his relief. The commander hadn’t visited the barracks in ages, and morale had been slipping. But today’s move reignited his hope.
"Wang Biao, later you’ll take a few men and follow my orders—whatever I say, you do."
Wang Biao nodded. His brain wasn’t wired for anything more complicated.
"Liu Baocai, don’t just stand there. Bring me the latest list of officials."
The group headed to the barracks, where the soldiers had already gathered. Many were uneasy—news of the commander executing eight of their comrades had spread, and rumors swirled that even the nephew of the deputy quartermaster had been shot.
Fang Yaozu hadn’t expected his father to show up just after he’d been forced into the army. Bruised and aching, he dragged himself out, knowing full well that lying around might earn him another beating.
"Brothers! You’ve endured much!" Fang Zhiyi began with the usual formalities.
"I’ve failed you!" He sighed. "You’re my brothers-in-arms, yet I’ve let you down. For that, I apologize." Inside, he cursed the original owner of this body—this was the second apology he’d made today because of that fool.
"Your pay will be delivered within three days. From now on, if there’s ever another delay, I’ll take my own life in atonement!"
The weight of his words stunned the soldiers, who were still processing his apology.
"Commander!" An officer quickly interjected. "We’ve followed you through thick and thin! We understand the difficulties! Please don’t say such things!"
Fang Zhiyi glanced at him. This one had potential.
"Wang Biao!"
"Here!"
"Bring me the quartermaster!"
Wang Biao and his men dashed off, returning shortly with a man dragged onto the platform.
Fang Zhiyi eyed him. The man was clearly grieving—likely over his nephew’s death.
"Embezzling army funds, building a fortune—you’ve got nerve."
The deputy quartermaster stammered, "C-Commander, I didn’t—"
Fang Zhiyi’s gaze flicked to Liu Baocai, who stiffened before stepping forward. "I’ve verified the properties under your name. The evidence is irrefutable. How dare you deny it?"
The deputy quartermaster gaped at Liu Baocai. "You... you—"
"By military law, embezzlement is punishable by execution!" Liu Baocai declared, drawing his pistol and firing before the man could react.
Fang Zhiyi remained expressionless. After a long pause, he sighed. "Today, I dealt with a few criminals. Some of you weren’t there, but Adjutant Zhao was. What did I say?"
Zhao Dezhu hesitated, then remembered as he looked at Liu Baocai’s gun. "The commander doesn’t like others making decisions for him."
"Wang Biao! Arrest him!"
Without hesitation, Wang Biao seized Liu Baocai.
"You conspired with him to steal army funds. Did you really think I wouldn’t notice?" Fang Zhiyi smirked. "Brothers! What should we do with men who steal what’s rightfully yours?"
Soldiers had far less patience than civilians.
"Kill! Kill! Kill!"
"Wang Biao!" Fang Zhiyi waved.
A gunshot rang out. Liu Baocai collapsed.
"You’re also in charge of confiscating his assets," Fang Zhiyi told Wang Biao, who grinned and nodded.
Fang Zhiyi scanned the shocked soldiers before his gaze landed on his own bastard of a son. "There’s one more matter."
Fang Yaozu’s stomach dropped.
"That little... troublemaker. I heard he’s been organizing underground fights in the barracks. Is this true?"
After a pause, someone answered, "Yes."
"Good. My order is simple: Starting today, every soldier here is free to fight him—until one side can’t stand. Understood?"
"Commander?" Zhao Dezhu tried to intervene.
Fang Zhiyi raised a hand. "Did you all hear me?!"
"Yes, sir!"
ial death, also known as "shè sǐ" in Chinese, generally refers to... well, never mind, it's not important. My name is Ye Cheng, and I'm about to experience social death firsthand. ... 【Host, your mission is to confess your love to the young lady of the Dongfang family, the current student council president, in a way that will be unforgettable for everyone at the freshman ceremony!】 【Host, assist the girl with a sprained ankle in front of you to reach the infirmary, and fulfill the wicked thoughts in your heart!】 【Host, act on your desires and punish the arrogant young lady before you mercilessly!】 【Host, follow your instincts—abandon shameful surrender, begging, or groveling, and ruthlessly criticize the domineering, ill-mannered young lady in front of you!】 【Host...】 Ye Cheng: "Here, here, you take this host role—I quit!" Wait, why is the girl with a sprained ankle the daughter of a mafia boss? And what kind of punishment method is this for the arrogant young lady? Also, who the heck said anything about wicked thoughts in my heart? Come out here, let’s settle this one-on-one!!! ... The haughty student council president, the scheming mafia princess, the fragile yandere young lady, the airheaded maid-in-waiting, the mixed-blood loli/...
u Chenyuan transmigrated into a female-oriented novel about a real and fake heiress, becoming the CEO elder brother of both. Unfortunately, the entire Lu family—including himself, the CEO—were mere cannon fodder in the story. Determined to save himself, Lu Chenyuan took action. The spoiled, attention-seeking fake heiress? Thrown into the harsh realities of the working class to learn humility. The love-struck real heiress? Pushed toward academic excellence, so lofty goals would blind her to trivial romances. As for the betrayed, vengeful arranged marriage wife… the plot hadn’t even begun yet. There was still time—if he couldn’t handle her, he could at least avoid her. "CEO Lu, are you avoiding me?" Mo Qingli fixed her gaze on Lu Chenyuan. For the first time, the shrewd and calculating Lu Chenyuan felt a flicker of unease.
or! A blessing for those who struggle with love, a guidebook for dating novices. Quickly match with your dream goddess! Complete walkthroughs earn rewards, and perfect walkthroughs unlock limited achievements!】 Shen Yi, an ordinary office worker, accidentally downloads a mini-game called Dating Simulator. The mini-game is simple: randomly search for dating targets, simulate dates, and receive rewards upon successful confession. Rewards include but are not limited to money, attributes, and skills. The higher the evaluation, the better the rewards, with perfect ratings unlocking mysterious achievements. Shen Yi plans to use this mysterious mini-game to continuously pursue targets and improve himself, making his life better and better. ...... However, after several successful walkthroughs, Shen Yi suddenly notices something strange - the targets he previously simulated dating seem to be searching for him in real life?
reezy rom-com) Good news: Jiang Liu is quite the ladies' man. Bad news: He’s lost his memory. Lying in a hospital bed, Jiang Liu listens to a parade of goddesses spouting "absurd claims," feeling like the world is one giant game of Werewolf. "Jiang Liu, I’m your first love." "Jiang Liu, you’re my boyfriend—she’s your ex." "Jiang Liu, we’re close friends who’ve shared a bed, remember?" "Jiang Liu, I want to have your baby." The now-lucid Jiang Liu is convinced this must be some elaborate scam... until someone drops the bombshell: "The day before you lost your memory, you confessed your feelings—and got into a relationship." Jiang Liu is utterly baffled. So... who the hell is his actual girlfriend?! ... Before recovering his memories, Jiang Liu must navigate this minefield of lies and sincerity, fighting to protect himself from these women’s schemes. But things spiral even further out of control as more people show up at his doorstep—each with increasingly unhinged antics. On the bright side, the memories he lost due to overwhelming trauma seem to be resurfacing. Great news, right? So why are they all panicking now?
