Under one person: I, Zhang Zhiwei, the arrogant Zhang.

Inside the office, Xiao Shuai received the order to kill without mercy. He felt a chill run from the soles of his feet to the top of his head as he forcefully suppressed the unarmed students.

This...this is absolutely insane! This is blatant self-destruction!

He was deeply resentful and disappointed, resolutely rejected the order, and went to his office for a final conversation.

Upon learning that Xiao Shuai had disobeyed his orders to suppress the rioting students, the Chairman pointed his finger at him and said:

"A general cannot be weak-willed!"

"Sir, it's not that I'm weak-willed. I just don't understand why you're doing this. For the country? For the people? You talk about serving the country and the people, but as I see it, you're just doing it for yourself?"

"You're talking nonsense!" The Chairman roared in anger, slamming his fist on the table and standing up. "Am I doing this for myself? My heart is only for the country, not for myself."

"Then we absolutely cannot continue fighting. What's the point of continuing? Regardless of who wins or loses, we're just wasting our own time. Who benefits? Our enemies do the favor..."

Seeing that the young general was about to launch into another long-winded speech on high moral ground, the Chairman felt increasingly irritated and slammed his fist on the table, angrily saying:

"Alright! Alright! Alright! Stop talking!" He threatened, "I'm telling you, even if you shoot me dead right now, I will never change my plan!"

"What do you mean?"

"That's all."

"So resolute?"

"Yes, that's it! Either carry out the order, or... you choose!"

The two parted on bad terms.

The Chairman watched the other man's retreating figure, his fists clenched tightly. Not only was he carrying out his combat orders, but now he was refusing to carry out even the suppression orders. What was he trying to do? This was tantamount to rebellion!
Once his central army arrived, he relieved him of his command and replaced him in that position.

This sworn brother, who had once provided him with invaluable assistance in the Central Plains War and helped him secure victory, had now completely turned against him, becoming an obstacle and enemy that needed to be eliminated.

At this moment, Xiao Shuai, who had left, saw that the Chairman was beyond redemption and had no more thoughts in his heart.

He recalled the outcome of his last visit to Longhu Mountain to see the Little Celestial Master; as expected, it had come to this.

He had made up his mind that since reasoning with him was useless, he would have to resort to force. Since his elder brother was unwilling to fight the Japanese with dignity, he, as the younger brother, had no choice but to "help" him to be dignified in order to prevent him from becoming a sinner for all time!
Subsequently, he secretly contacted General Yang, who also advocated resisting the Japanese pirates in Daxing City, and the two quickly finalized the action plan in a secret room.

This is a high-stakes gamble, betting their lives and fortunes, and even more so, the future of the nation.

The operation began in the early hours of the next day, when the wind was biting cold and the sky was still dark.

Five years ago, when faced with the invasion of Japanese pirates, the soldiers of Northeast China retreated without a fight and abandoned their hometown. They had been harboring resentment for a long time. They felt deeply ashamed of their countrymen and had dreamt of returning to their homeland countless nights.

At this moment, upon receiving the commander-in-chief's order, although they all knew that this action was an act of insubordination and could lead to annihilation regardless of success or failure, not one of them hesitated!
Five years of suppressed shame and anger transformed into resolute action at this moment!
A hundred elite troops were quickly mobilized and, under the guise of an exercise, quietly surrounded the place where Chiang Kai-shek was staying.

Around 5 a.m., gunshots shattered the pre-dawn silence of Daxing City.

Chiang Kai-shek's personal guards began to clash with the soldiers from the Northeast.

Inside Huaqing Pool, the sleeping Chairman was awakened by the intense gunfire and the panicked shouts of his guards.

"What's going on?! Where are they shooting from?!"

He demanded an answer in a stern voice, but his voice trembled slightly.

He already had a guess about what was going on, but he couldn't believe that his sworn brother would actually dare to attack him.

He wanted to go out and raise his arm to call for them to lay down their weapons, but he was afraid of being shot dead.

As the gunfire grew closer, he ultimately didn't dare step out the door. Instead, he escaped through the window. As long as he survived, he could always rebuild. If he could escape Daxing City and rejoin the central army, the situation would instantly become clear again.

He was in such a rush that he didn't even have time to put on his dentures or change out of his pajamas.

Protected by several loyal guards, in the dim light of dawn, he stumbled and staggered up the mountain in his pajamas, hoping to use the rocks of Mount Li as cover to evade pursuit.

During this process, his pajamas were torn by thorns, his feet were cut by rocks, and his former dignity was gone. He was in a sorry state, filled with shock, anger, fear and a trace of regret.
It wasn't that she regretted not agreeing to Xiao Shuai's request, but rather that she regretted not listening to her wife and coming to this dangerous place, giving Xiao Shuai an opportunity.

Supported by several guards, he limped up the mountain. During his escape, he couldn't help but recall the scene of being chased during the Eastern Expedition.

"Damn it, we've weathered so many storms, how could we possibly capsize in a ditch like this?"

…………

In the dark sky, a tall figure with a solid upper body and black mist lower body silently watched the scene below.

The person who arrived was none other than Zhang Zhiwei, who had rushed over after hastily ending Zhang Mazi's operation.

Zhang Zhiwei didn't want to get involved in this, but over the years he has done a lot. People say there is a butterfly effect, but what he has done is more than just the flapping of a butterfly's wings.

He was worried that something unexpected might happen, so he came to Daxing in person. He didn't participate in the matter, but only provided support. He would only intervene forcefully if something unforeseen happened.

He watched quietly as this far-reaching "mountain climbing competition" took place!
Wearing pajamas, he was far ahead, leading the pack and giving no chance to the runners behind him. Due to the intense running, one of his shoes was lost.

But driven by the desire for the championship and the fear of being overtaken, he pressed on, displaying an astonishing talent for mountaineering. Even in pajamas that restricted movement, even with a sprained ankle, a lost shoe, and a draft due to not wearing dentures, he still completed a two-hour journey in half an hour, leaving hundreds of competitors behind. The race was nearing its end, but Zhang Zhiwei had lost sight of the champion. Adjusting his position mid-air, he realized that the man in pajamas had already reached the summit, standing between two large rocks in a perfectly upright posture, awaiting the arrival of the next competitors.

Second place, third place, fourth place, fifth place...

The game is over!
……

Standing behind Tiger Striped Rock, Chairman Chiang Kai-shek proclaimed his identity. As he was escorted down the mountain by soldiers from the Northeast, a mountain breeze blew, and he, dressed in pajamas, felt a chill all over his body. He wasn't so worried about the danger to his life, but rather that the events that followed were beyond his control and were sliding into the unknown.

At the Daxingcheng Mansion, Xiao Shuai breathed a sigh of relief upon learning that the Chairman had been captured. However, when he learned that the Chairman had not been captured and had gone hiking, he was terrified.

He wasn't worried about failing to capture Chiang Kai-shek, but rather about him falling to his death while climbing the mountain. That would be a huge problem. If something happened to Chiang Kai-shek, the warlords, who were already outwardly united but inwardly divided, would likely fall apart instantly, leading to an even bigger civil war.

He had even planned that if the other party had an accident while climbing the mountain, he would have General Yang bring his head to explain himself, thus appeasing their anger. Fortunately, however, they escaped unharmed.

Subsequently, he sent a telegram to the whole country, making a passionate speech and inviting people from all walks of life to convene a national salvation conference to discuss the grand plan to resist the Japanese pirates and recover the lost territories in Northeast China.

This telegram was like a thunderclap thrown into the silent land of China, shaking the entire nation.

This news caused an uproar in Nanjing. Some people advocated for the immediate formation of a punitive army to launch a military attack on Daxing, while others even clamored for the air force to bomb Daxing and "rescue" the Chairman at all costs.

The situation was extremely tense, and the risk of a major war was greater than ever before!

At this critical moment, countless people of great integrity stepped forward, disregarding their personal safety and enduring immense pressure, rushing to the perilous city of Daxing to seek a solution.

During this time, Zhang Zhiwei remained secretly stationed in Daxing City. However, he did not appear directly, but rather acted as an invisible guardian, hidden in the shadows of the ancient city walls and the hustle and bustle of the city, observing the evolution of the situation.

During this time, he accidentally discovered that Zhang Sanjia, the last martial arts champion of the previous dynasty, had also come here with the crowd. He took out a piece of yellow paper, wrote a sentence on it, folded the yellow paper into a paper crane, blew a breath, and the paper crane flapped its wings and flew out of the window.

The winter sun pierced through the thin clouds, bathing the ancient city in a warm, golden light.

The turmoil within the city had not yet subsided, and undercurrents were surging, but the everyday life of the people still retained some of its former vibrancy.

Inside a long-established mutton stew restaurant, steaming hot food filled the air with its aroma. Diners were engrossed in breaking apart their bread, chatting about everyday matters. Occasionally, a few words about current affairs would be heard, but they were quickly drowned out by their focused concentration on breaking the bread and the sizzling sound of the meat cooking.

Zhang Zhiwei sat alone at a wooden table in the corner, slowly breaking apart a steamed bun. He did not deliberately hide himself, but seemed to be isolated from the surrounding noise, living in his own world.

At this moment, a burly man with a steady gait lifted the curtain and walked in. His gaze swept across the shop, and when it landed on Zhang Zhiwei, he trembled, and his eyes instantly burst with uncontrollable surprise and excitement.

He strode forward, stopped in front of Zhang Zhiwei's table, and, ignoring the surprised looks from the surrounding diners, clasped his hands and bowed deeply: "Zhang Sanjia, greetings to the Little Celestial Master!"

Zhang Zhiwei raised his head and looked at the weathered yet energetic face in front of him. His eyes seemed to be shining. He still remembered the confusion Zhang Sanjia had when he came to Longhu Mountain to see him a few years ago. Compared to now, they were completely different people.

"No need for formalities!" Zhang Zhiwei pointed to the person opposite him: "Sit down! Have some steamed buns!"

Zhang Sanjia sat down as instructed, his body still ramrod straight, his excitement overflowing. He said, "Little Celestial Master, I never expected you to come to Daxing City. Since our last parting, I have often been grateful for your guidance!"

“This is a matter of national survival, so naturally I must come to protect and support it!” Zhang Zhiwei said.

"So, Little Celestial Master, what do you think of the outcome of this negotiation?" Zhang Sanjia asked hurriedly.

“I think it will have a good outcome!” Zhang Zhiwei said.

Zhang Sanjia was taken aback. He thought the young celestial master would use cryptic language and not answer the question directly, but he didn't expect him to give a result directly, and a good one at that. He couldn't help but get excited and couldn't wait to take the news back immediately.

Seeing Zhang Sanjia's delighted expression, Zhang Zhiwei asked, "Is the penicillin I gave you effective?"

"That was absolutely amazing!" Zhang Sanjia's voice was filled with gratitude. "It's like a miracle drug! Many of our comrades were seriously injured and infected, with persistent high fevers, and they were on the verge of death. It was all thanks to that medicine that we were pulled back from the brink of death! Daoist Master, you have saved so many of our lives. I will never forget this kindness and virtue!"

As he spoke, he tried to get up again.

Zhang Zhiwei raised his hand and pressed down, a gentle force preventing Zhang Sanjia from getting up. He said, "This kind of thing is nothing to worry about. If those medicines can be used where they are meant to be, that is their good fortune."

Zhang Sanjia felt the unfathomable power steadily pressing down on him, and his awe deepened. He then sat firmly down.

Then, somewhat embarrassed, he rubbed his hands together and asked expectantly, "I wonder... if the Taoist priest has any more of this miraculous medicine? If so, we would be willing to..."

Zhang Zhiwei flipped his hand, and a small box appeared in his hand: "There's another batch. I contacted you because I wanted to give you this!"

Previously, due to the intervention of the United States in pharmaceutical companies, all drugs produced were not allowed to be exported and could only be supplied to the United States first, so the supply of penicillin was cut off.

Wang Ai then planned to build an unrestricted research lab in China to continue producing penicillin. The Tiantong Chamber of Commerce had always possessed pharmaceutical technology, but it had been hampered by a lack of essential high-precision equipment, which prevented it from formally commencing production.

In order to acquire the equipment, Wang Ai sent someone to approach a researcher named John. After getting to know him, he did not resort to tricks, but directly discussed with John his desire to bring the production technology of the drug back to China so that people there could also have access to the drug.

John was deeply moved upon hearing this. He then thought that the medicine was originally invested in by someone else, and it would be too domineering and unreasonable to prevent people from taking it back. So he used his authority to register several pieces of intact equipment as "scrap" and remove them from the laboratory. He then sold them to Wang Ai as scrap.

These "waste products" traveled a long way before finally arriving in Chongqing, along with a small batch of penicillin.

When Zhang Zhiwei returned from the Zhang Mazi operation, they arrived just in time. Considering the attendees, he brought these items with him.

Seeing the small box in Zhang Zhiwei's hand, Zhang Sanjia was overjoyed and hurriedly accepted it solemnly, promising, "Little Celestial Master has treated me with such kindness; I have no way to repay you. I will serve you like a slave from now on..."

Zhang Zhiwei interrupted him: "I don't want you to be my slave. Protecting those who deserve protection and saving those who deserve saving is the best way to repay me." (End of Chapter)