Chapter 13 New Moon

[Chief Huo Lian]

I awoke, realizing that I had spent the entirety of the day cultivating. The gnawing hunger in my stomach reminded me of the time lost. Glancing to my left, I saw Li Na asleep with her head resting on the table. Her delicate face, framed by strands of loose hair, bore the signs of exhaustion. She must have completed all her work at the estate. I felt a surge of gratitude for her competence and dedication. Letting her sleep, I prepared myself for what lay ahead, knowing it would not be pretty.

Stepping out of the commander’s tent, I was greeted by the inky blackness of a moonless night. The absence of the moon felt symbolic, a fitting backdrop for the transformation I was about to enact. The old chief, lazy and ineffective, was gone. In his place stood a new force, determined to restore order and strength.

"Go call all the officers immediately," I instructed the guard, who looked terrified before running off to carry out my command. Moments later, the five officers assembled, still in their uniforms, their faces betraying a mixture of confusion and unease.

I scrutinized each one. Despite catching a faint whiff of alcohol, I deemed it acceptable given their duties had ended hours ago. Nodding, I posed the question that would determine their fate. "Do any of you have slaves? Particularly women."

They looked puzzled until Li Ming, my second in command, spoke up. "Commander, slaves are very expensive, especially women. Only nobles own slaves."

I nodded, understanding the truth in his words. To sustain oneself in this harsh environment was challenging enough; maintaining slaves would be even more burdensome. Our kingdom lacked abundant farmland or resources, relying instead on our resilient people. Even though many cultivation beasts lived here, few were strong enough to hunt them.

My years of continuous training had left me somewhat detached from common sense. "Do we have any said nobles in our army?" I asked.

The officers exchanged uneasy glances before looking down. "Ahh, I see. Bring everyone that is confirmed to have a female slave," I ordered.

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The five officers—Li Ming, Wang Ying, Liu Fang, Chen Tao, and Sun Hui—stiffened. Li Ming seemed to want to speak but hesitated. "Li Ming, you are my second; you should only hold back if you think it would upset me."

Li Ming laughed nervously before clarifying. "Commander, this will anger you, but there are over a hundred martial artists who are noblemen and have confirmed slaves."

My eyes widened in realization. "So, the sons of nobles who are failures at combat come to serve under the weakest chief and simply enjoy life." A cold smile crept across my lips, causing the officers to swallow nervously. "Sun Hui," I addressed the youngest and most talented officer, "go get a list of all the noble soldiers within my army, with their names and addresses."

Li Ming sighed, knowing bloodshed was imminent.

It took seven hours to execute 135 people. Though I could have ended their lives with a mere thought, I chose a more hands-on approach. We freed all the slaves, employing them under my estate. Listening to the abused accounts of their suffering, my anger grew dangerously intense. Thankfully, my officers managed the transition, placing the freed individuals under my estate’s employment. Old butler Ran Yi was pleased to have the extra help, having endured much to protect the maids from the Luo hogs.

My reason for the purge was clear: these men disrupted the order within my army, much like the Luo father and son. I challenged those around me because I held the power to do so. As the sixth strongest in the kingdom, where might is right, I exercised mine to rid us of these parasites. Now, all the nobility is against me, but they dare not challenge me directly. They must plead to the council members, who consider themselves demi-gods, far above mere martial artists' complaints.

Returning to camp, I saw Li Na waiting outside my tent. Her face flushed red with embarrassment of falling asleep the night. I couldn’t help but laugh. Seeing me laugh, Li Ming and the others dropped to the ground, pleading, "No more, my lord, please. The rest of our soldiers are good people who care for their wives and daughters."

I stopped laughing and kicked all five of them. "You idiots, I'm not laughing to kill more. What do you think I am, a demon?" Given yesterday’s events, it wasn’t unreasonable for them to think so. Approaching Li Na, I expressed my desire for breakfast, pleasantly surprised to find it already prepared on the table—the same table where she had been sleeping.

Li Na had also kindly prepared food for the officers. They took the food from the table and started eating while standing. Li Na looked at them, then back at me, waiting for me to tell them to sit. But I chose not to. I was still upset that such atrocities occurred under their watch, even though I had verified that they committed none through accounts from their family members and neighbors.

"Thank you, Li Na, for the food," I said. "You five have not slept yet. Go to sleep and wake up within four hours. You will train with the rest of the men."

I saw Sun Hui almost whimper. I knew my subordinates feared me more than before, but I had vowed to make them men worth leading. Everything else could wait. Now that the parasites were removed, it was time to forge warriors out of these soldiers.

---

Three months passed in a blink. When I opened my eyes again, I felt a profound sense of accomplishment. A second core was now rotating in my mind's eye. I was not only twice as strong as before but also had twice the energy.

I exited the tent, feeling the fresh air on my face. The officers were waiting for me, their expressions grim. "What has happened?" I asked, my voice solemn.

The officers exchanged uneasy glances before one stepped forward, kneeling. "Commander, we are at war."