Enlightenment: Beginning as a Disposable Warrior-Chapter 212 - 154: Iron Arm Crossbow, Rolling Thunder and Fire (Part 2)

At this moment, two Changfeng Army soldiers immediately advanced with disgust, supporting the condemned prisoner from each side and leading him onto the execution platform.

"Kneel down!"

With a sharp shout from the soldiers, many of the condemned trembled like chaff and knelt to the ground. However, among this first group of five, there was one who did not kneel.

Instantly becoming the center of attention, countless gazes gathered on this person. His figure was more burly and robust compared to the four beside him. Moreover, the shackles on his hands and feet were more than twice as thick as those of the average condemned prisoner, and steel needles were driven into his shoulder blades, abdomen, and other vital points.

"Steel needles locking the vital points, sealing power and qi blood flow. It seems this person is Silver Sword Yuan Dong."

Su Mu of the Changfeng Army, who had been resting with closed eyes, slowly opened them, casting his gaze on Yuan Dong for a moment before moving on, surveying the entire scene. However, the current noise was deafeningly loud, and Su Mu's ears were buzzing.

"Bold villain, kneel down at once!"

The junior official dressed as a scholar shouted sharply. Immediately, a few Changfeng Army soldiers approached Yuan Dong, who snorted coldly before kneeling, the shackles on his feet clanging heavily against the ground, clearly indicating the weight of his restraints.

After the first group of five stepped onto the execution platform, the hood of the first condemned on the left was removed, the midday sun blindingly bright, forcing the condemned to squint and, upon reopening his eyes, his face turned pale as paper, teeth chattering with grinding sounds.

Immediately, the junior official and two Changfeng soldiers took out a portrait. The junior official verified the identity against the portrait, while the two soldiers on the execution platform displayed the portrait to the public.

"Zhou Erdao, from Sanhe Village, Changfeng County. Last winter, you attacked a government convoy with Black Wind Stronghold villains... committing heinous crimes of murder and arson. Are you aware of your crimes?"

Zhou Erdao's eyes were vacant, and he remained silent, tacitly acknowledging his guilt.

On the execution platform, Liu Qing suddenly threw the green execution token.

Clang!

The execution token hit the ground, and the executioner immediately took a swig of strong liquor and sprayed it onto the large blade. At the moment of lifting it high, Zhou Erdao trembled violently, feeling as if darkness suddenly fell.

Ssshh!

The blade sliced through flesh, blood, and bone. A head plummeted, rolling off then falling off the execution platform, with blood spurting out instantly, and the body collapsing powerlessly.

Upon witnessing this, many in the crowd grew excited and enthusiastic, surging forward to take out already purchased buns and dip them in the decapitated head's blood—some for treating illnesses in their families, others as a rare commodity, planning to sell blood-stained buns.

"Indeed, the fierce folk custom of Changfeng County."

In the ranks of the Changfeng Army, Su Mu shook his head secretly. This so-called human blood bun was naturally a sham. If it truly cured all diseases, ordinary people wouldn't have the chance to obtain it.

In contrast to the crowd's jubilation below the execution platform, upon seeing a headless corpse lying there, the second condemned prisoner shivered with extreme fear, letting out terrified cries.

"No, I don't want to die. I still don't want to die!"

"Liu Feng... execute!"

Another execution token fell, and the executioner's large blade swung, another head hit the ground.

"Execute!"

The sound of heads hitting the ground was incessant, and outside the execution field, the crowd was boiling like never before. Among them, those who vomited were rare, while many children clapped and cheered, then ate the blood-stained buns on the spot.

After four condemned prisoners were beheaded in succession, it was soon the turn of the last one. Changfeng Army soldiers removed Yuan Dong's black hood, revealing a face that was rather elegant, akin to that of a scholar.

Seeing such a face, many in the crowd were taken aback. This was entirely different from the fearsome, sinister face they had imagined.

"Yuan Dong, Black Wind Mountain Chief, you claimed the mountain as your domain, repeatedly slaughtering passing merchant convoys over the years, and forcefully seized women, committing acts of rape and murder, massacring over a hundred people in Huangniu Village, Wuli Village, and Qinghe Village. Last year, you led bandits to attack the Changfeng Government convoy in Xiaoshan Town, committing heinous crimes..."

"I ask you, Yuan Dong, are you aware of your crimes?!"

The County Captain enumerated the charges item by item, causing the crowd outside the execution field to change their expressions dramatically. The bloodstains on this villain's hands were more than a hundred. After the charges were read, the crowd roared like boiling water.

On the execution platform, Changfeng County Captain Liu Qing looked down with fury and shouted.

"These trumped-up charges are nothing but the court's hound's fabricated accusations!" Yuan Dong struggled, causing his shackles to clatter, and laughed sinisterly upward, "I robbed dirty silver from corrupt officials, performing acts of robbing the rich to help the poor. I plead not guilty!"

Yuan Dong suddenly rose and spat a mouthful of blood toward the execution platform, his expression rebellious, "Spit, you court lackeys."

Before he could finish, the executioner's saber back slammed heavily onto Yuan Dong's spine. Despite the saber back hitting flesh and blood, it emitted a metallic clang, causing the executioner's hand to go numb from the shock.

Liu Qing's face was as somber as water, a slight raise of the eyebrow, with an invisible aura of destiny flickering around him. He took out an execution token with one hand.

"Audacious villain, your crimes are monstrous. How dare you distort the truth, the evidence is overwhelming. Execute!"

Liu Qing's official robe billowed as he flung out the execution token.

"Execute!"

The enraged shout echoed above the execution ground, and Yuan Dong began to struggle violently. Immediately, a few Changfeng County Captains guarding Liu Qing stepped forward in large strides.

"Bold rebel, you dare to resist!"

At once, two Changfeng Captains, their Qi Blood surging and Power bursting forth, one kicked Yuan Dong in the calf, while the other forced him to the ground. When Yuan Dong calmed down, the executioner raised the knife high and swung it down.

Clang!

In an instant, blood splattered out.

But at the critical moment, Yuan Dong struggled vigorously, causing the executioner's steel blade to veer off course, slicing into his skull instead of his neck.

"Hmm?"

Amidst the military formation, Su Mu squinted slightly. He saw clearly that Yuan Dong, by struggling, had loosened the steel needles in his body, thus managing to muster a bit of Power to protect his head.

It was unclear whether this was purely accidental or part of Liu Qing's calculation from his seat on the Execution Platform.

Seeing that the prisoner had not been beheaded by a single blade, the crowd began to stir. Just then, the sound of something piercing through the air suddenly cut across the sky, causing Su Mu to narrow his eyes and immediately infuse Power to shout a warning.

"Enemy attack!"

Swish, swish, swish!

From several different directions, a dozen or so small metal balls suddenly shot into the execution ground. The metal balls were not only aimed at the Crossbow Carriage and the Changfeng Army formation, but some also directly landed among the people.

"Damn it!"

Su Mu, briefly distracted by his thoughts, clenched his five fingers into a fist, only managing to intercept a few metal balls falling among the people.

In an instant, the metal balls exploded, unleashing thunderous fire and a surging airwave, igniting a great fire.

In an instant, wails filled the sky. Even though the metal balls exploded in the air, many onlookers were still flung by the airwave, throwing the scene into chaos.

The Changfeng Army clad in Armor fared even worse, with many soldiers instantly blasted into bloody shreds. Some soldiers who encountered the explosive metal balls head-on had several limbs blown off, continuously emitting hideous screams.

The explosive airwaves from the gunpowder swept up a skyful of dust, obscuring the view, and from within, sounds of slaughter suddenly erupted.

"Save my son!"

A powerful voice emerged from the rolling smoke and dust, followed by a series of dense footsteps and supportive shouts.

"Save Young Master Yuan Dong!"

"Young Master, we are here to save you!"

Taking advantage of the chaos, a group of black-clad figures pushed the escaping crowd aside and rushed into the execution ground amidst the swirling smoke, drawing bright blades one after another.

The crowd became even more chaotic. These people were merely here to watch the spectacle, who would have thought someone would brazenly storm into the city to rescue at the execution ground!

"Murder! Help... help!"

No matter how fierce the local customs, these ordinary people, when faced with a Rebel Army composed entirely of Martial Artists, behaved like ordinary men. Many, in the dual horror of gunpowder explosions and the Rebel Army, fell to the ground wailing, while others, fleeing blindly, collided with the blades of the Rebel Army and were hacked to death on the spot.

"Form up, protect County Captain Liu!"

Several Cyan Cloud Army Captains quickly came to their senses, shouting aloud. Instantly, the soldiers on either side of the execution platform formed up and moved forward, creating an iron wall in front of Liu Qing.

A towering silver armored figure strode forward, holding a Nine-Ring Ghost Head Saber, shattering the swirling dust.

The hulking man's silver eyebrows were raised, and his tiger eyes, opening and closing, exuded a palpable aura of hostility. Even the Changfeng Army Captains felt a sting in their eyes when they met his gaze, as if knife blades scraped against their pupils, forcing them to avert their gazes in fear.