Chapter 1389: Chapter 449: Accelerated Fission, Military Power Transfer, Military Petition and Mutiny (Part 6)

Zhu Qingkai’s words were like pressing Duan Ming’s face into the ground and stomping on it.

Duan Ming’s 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 couldn’t help but curse inwardly upon seeing Duan Ming’s disgraceful display. He slowly stepped forward, gazing at Zhu Qingkai with malice and threatening harshly, "Captain Zhu, it’s a grave crime to defame the Lord. I’m giving you a chance to take back your words, or else don’t blame this Commander for acting according to military law."

Indeed, old ginger is spicier; Duan Mian avoided Zhu Qingkai’s challenge to Duan Ming’s 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 Lord’s orders, first they defy logic, second they violate regulations. I’m 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 couldn’t hold back. He and Mu Qinghe were of the same status, Zhu Qingkai was the son of Mu Qinghe’s junior Zhu Ziying, being rebutted so publicly by a junior, how could he maintain his dignity.

"Defaming the Lord, I’ll make sure you suffer today!"

Seeing over a thousand soldiers glaring at him, Duan Mian quickly realized that without thoroughly intimidating these troops, Duan Ming’s chances of smoothly seizing the military authority were impossible. So he didn’t bother with words, drew his silver saber from his waist, and charged straight at Zhu Qingkai.

Duan Mian didn’t 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 wasn’t going to hesitate any longer. Seeing the soldiers of the Third Army blocking his path, he didn’t slow down, just first roared angrily, and seeing they didn’t 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 he’d be struck down.

"You... you......"

The soldier’s 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 blade’s back, faintly sensing something amiss, yet couldn’t respond immediately.

But soon, he realized.

"Duan Mian, dare you slay my brothers!"

"Slaughtering one’s 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 won’t let us remain in the military."

"The Duan Family intends to give away Chui Mountain to Beishuo. Once the Third Army is restructured, we’ll 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 can’t endure anymore; enduring further, there’s no future."

"Revolt!"

.........

The soldiers’ words arose one after another, especially the words’ 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, it’s likely soon you’ll hand over Chui Mountain Town to Beishuo;

Furthermore, now raising knives against our own, slaughtering comrades, the Duan clan’s crimes are countless, if the Lord won’t remove you, I Mu Qinghe won’t tolerate you anymore, brothers, if Duan clan’s treacherous aren’t 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 clan’s 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, we’re not revolting, we’re staging a military remonstrance, expel the Duan clan’s treacherous, awaken the Lord, revitalize Chui Mountain!"

"Military remonstrance, revitalize Chui Mountain!"

"Military remonstrance, revitalize Chui Mountain!"

.........

"Mutiny, there’s mutiny, First Army, Second Army, encircle the camp, hurry!"

"Hurry to encircle the camp, don’t 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 Xian’s fierce commands, two thousand soldiers swiftly encircled the Third Army’s camp.

Seeing the Third Army camp surrounded, Duan Mian and Duan Xian’s expressions slightly relaxed, but hadn’t relaxed more than two breaths—

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 Mian’s face turned pale, his pupils became utterly panicked.

At this point, if he still couldn’t comprehend, he’d be too foolish!

Everything today was pre-designed by Mu Qinghe, from the moment he struck at the soldiers, he’d fallen into the trap.

"The Lord truly wasn’t wrong, Mu clan, truly dared to launch a mutiny!"