Chapter 49 Starting a Massacre

"Then, in your opinion, how should we proceed from here?"

Red Lotus looked eagerly at Xu Feng, hoping he could offer some useful advice.

"Naturally, we strike while the iron is hot and take over the Brocade Guard garrison directly. The more flamboyant we are, the more cautious they will be. Your arrival is hardly a secret."

"Beating around the bush will only make the other party suspicious. Don't forget your identity and who stands behind you—we shall conduct our business openly and aboveboard! As long as we follow the rules, they won't dare to do anything to us on the surface."

These words felt like a sudden enlightenment to Red Lotus. Her previous actions had indeed been far too conservative.

She had only wanted to preserve her forces, completely overlooking the fact that she was carrying out an imperial decree to investigate a case. There was simply no need to compromise so much with those people.

Just as Xu Feng said, the higher profile the Brocade Guard kept right now, the better.

In the capital, the momentum of the Brocade Guard might be suppressed, and high-ranking civil and military officials would not allow the emperor to hold a power independent of all other systems.

But this was the borderlands; there were not so many things to consider.

Nor was there anyone backing the scumbags of the Six Fan Sects. With the emperor standing behind them, they had no need to fear anyone.

"Moreover, marching directly into the city has another advantage: it allows us to clearly see who will jump out to make trouble. The more uninhibited you act, the more apprehensive they will become. Once they throw themselves into chaos first, we can find an opportunity to defeat them one by one."

Xu Feng saw the situation with absolute clarity. It wasn't that Red Lotus lacked intelligence; rather, she had fallen into the trap of being too close to the situation, while he remained a clear-headed observer.

"As long as you can bear the pressure from behind, I dare to start a massive slaughter."

At these words, Red Lotus was somewhat stunned, not understanding why Xu Feng felt such intense loyalty to the imperial court. In truth, however, his willingness to engage in a massive slaughter was entirely for his own benefit.

The Emperor's Banner of Souls had not absorbed new souls for a long time, and Xu Feng's cultivation had hit a bottleneck. If he wanted to break through as soon as possible, he had no choice but to forge a new path.

"Very well! If a newcomer like you dares to wager your life for your future, what do I have to hesitate about? I'll accompany you in this madness. The two of us will join forces and cleanse this world!"

Red Lotus did not realize that, nominally speaking, she was Xu Feng's superior. Yet in their conversation, she had fallen behind and gradually let Xu Feng take the initiative.

While it seemed like a coincidence, it was actually the most natural thing in the world. Xu Feng had lived two lifetimes; manipulating someone like Red Lotus was exceptionally easy.

From beginning to end, he had continuously guided Red Lotus with his rhetoric, making her act according to his plan. Of course, he harbored no malicious intentions toward her and would not harm her; their fortunes were bound together—they would either triumph together or fall together.

***

"Men, muster the troops! We are descending the mountain right now."

"Remember to tell them to put on their Brocade Guard uniforms, so everyone in Gusu knows the Brocade Guard has arrived. The higher our profile, the safer we are. If we appear in broad daylight, at least they won't dare to frame us overtly."

Colluding with the enemy was a treasonous crime of the highest order. The people behind the scenes would certainly not allow them to investigate freely.

Once the guards secured the evidence, execution of the nine clans would be the lightest penalty. This was enough to drive those culprits to take desperate risks, so they still needed to proceed with caution.

The only thing they needed to consider now was that the enemy was in the shadows while they were in the light; dragging the culprits out into the open wouldn't be easy. However, Xu Feng was not flustered. After all, time was on his side; the ones who ought to panic were the masterminds pulling the strings from behind.

The troops on Red Maple Mountain might not have looked like much at first glance, but once they gathered, they formed a massive, overwhelming sea of people.

"How are there so many?"

"Did you seriously think a Centurion only had a hundred people under their command?"

Hearing this, Xu Feng realized he must have misunderstood something.

His understanding of the Brocade Guard was limited, and its personnel structure was probably quite different from what he had imagined.

"Currently, Red Maple Mountain has a total of ten Banner Leaders, a hundred Lesser Banner Leaders, and over five hundred auxiliary guards. With logistics and baggage trains included, there are at least a thousand people."

This made Xu Feng's eyes light up. Red Lotus had far more usable manpower at her disposal than he had anticipated, which meant what they needed to do next would be even simpler.

However, those five hundred auxiliary guards were likely soldiers drafted from the regular army. Putting them on the front lines to charge into battle was certainly not a problem, but having them go toe-to-toe with martial arts experts from the pugilistic world would probably fall short.

As a result, they had to avoid their own weaknesses as much as possible. These five hundred men must never be scattered. In this era, armored cavalry were the meat grinders of the battlefield; no matter how high one's martial arts skills were, they still feared a broadsword.

A simultaneous charge by five hundred cavalrymen was something even Red Lotus couldn't endure for long. This was their true purpose.

"My Lord, the assembly is complete. Everyone is gathered here."

Red Lotus nodded and then led Xu Feng up to the high platform. Aside from a small handful of people, the rest had no idea who Xu Feng was, nor why he was standing beside their Centurion.

Yet soon, Red Lotus announced Xu Feng's identity right in front of everyone.

"This is Lord Xu Feng, a newly appointed Assistant Centurion assigned by the court. From now on, he will assist in our operations. No one is to treat his commands lightly; you are to obey him just as you would obey me. Is that understood?"

***

"We strictly obey your orders!"

These people were all reliable individuals personally selected by Red Lotus's elder brother, so they naturally would not act obediently in public while defying orders in secret.

Once everything was properly arranged, the two of them rode side by side at the very front, and the procession galloped imposingly toward the Brocade Guard garrison.

No one could block their path along the way. They rode straight to the gates of Gusu City, and after presenting the imperial credentials, they barged right in, ignoring the guards' attempts to stop them—not that so many people could be stopped anyway.

"Quick! Go notify the Lord! Something huge is about to happen!"

"If I had known it was this easy, there was no need to hole up on Red Maple Mountain. If only I had met you sooner, we wouldn't have wasted so much time for nothing."

Red Lotus appeared somewhat excited, but Xu Feng's face remained entirely expressionless; he knew things probably weren't that simple.

"What do we do now? Should we head straight there after entering the city?"

"There's no need to rush just yet. Take it slow. We must give the people in the city a chance to react. If I'm not mistaken, someone is already watching us."

The factions within Gusu City were extremely complex. Aside from officials at all levels, there was the Six Fan Sects—which even held a faint upper hand, maintaining ties with various pugilistic sects.

The procession arrived imposingly at the Brocade Guard garrison. To their surprise, the garrison was bustling with people coming and going. Even though they hadn't moved in yet, someone had already occupied the magpie's nest.

Faint shouting could be heard echoing from inside:

"Big! Big! Big!"

"Damn it, why is my luck so rotten today?"

...

Clearly, the place had been converted into a gambling den, reeking of smoke and chaos from inside out. Red Lotus and Xu Feng exchanged glances, their expressions turning rather grim.