Lu Bu, the Thunder General, is my adoptive father in Genshin Impact.

Xiao Yi vaguely remembered that the Yuying Furnace Core was an important strategic area, and the garrison stationed nearby were basically elites capable of fighting ten men each, so it was impossible for them to be wiped out so easily.

There's no time to worry about that now.

He knelt on one knee, his voice filled with righteous indignation, and said, "Since I came to serve under my godfather, I have not achieved any merit. However, considering my mistake today, it is the perfect opportunity for me to make amends. Godfather, please allow me to lead the army to attack and wipe out the evil bandits who have defied your authority!"

After a moment's thought, General Raiden agreed, "Permission granted. You will be the commander-in-chief, and Kujo Sara the deputy commander, leading five hundred Heavenly Commander-in-Chief soldiers to annihilate the remnants of the War Maniacs."

"Yes, sir!" Xiao Yi turned and ran.

"Wait a minute." The general suddenly remembered something important. "Let's drink this pot of... this pot of stuff first."

You know this is something, don't you?

Chapter 52 Narukami's Expedition

Kannazuka is located between Narukami Island and Hachiyū Island.

At the location called Tatsuna, stands Inazuma's most magnificent military factory, which absorbs the energy of the evil spirits through the "Mikage Furnace" to smelt steel or engage in other production.

Xiao Yi ordered 500 elite troops to be stationed near Tasha to prevent the war madmen from making a comeback, while he rode in an army carriage to personally go to the attacked factory to find out what was going on.

During the journey, Xiao Yi recalled his elder brother's experiences.

Looking back at those rumors now, it is clear that the countless sins committed by Miyamoto Jiro were actually done by his unrelated sister, Miyamoto Tsubasa, but Miyamoto Jiro bore the entire blame alone.

Before the elder brother knew Miyamoto Tsubasa's true nature, he thought she had been corrupted by a demon. Perhaps he considered letting her live a peaceful life after she recovered from her illness. With this mindset, the elder brother willingly took all the blame upon himself.

Unfortunately, Miyamoto Tsubasa's so-called "illness" was incurable, or rather, only death could completely cure it.

Xiao Yi shook his head: Forget it, I don't want to think about these things. Anyway, the person is already dead.

He waved his hand to summon the system panel.

(Lord: General Thunder; Trust Value: 15)

The trust level has increased again, by a full 7 points, almost doubling.

The inexplicable surge piqued his curiosity.

Ask the movie forum.

He opened the chat room.

(Xiao Yi: Miss Ying, are you there?)

(Shadow: What is it?)

(Xiao Yi: Have I done anything lately... to please you?)

(film:???)

(Shadow: Probably not. But then again, your courage to fight the wandering samurai, your unconventional laws, your innovative way of making money by selling tickets for the Grand Examination, and your "rebellious" spirit of disrupting the Grand Examination at all costs have greatly inspired me.)

(Video: I shouldn't be so rigid and mechanical, clinging to the old and eternal. Instead, I should seek a completely new kind of eternity, an eternity that is conducive to the vigorous development of Inazuma, a "fresh" eternity that can bring vitality and energy to the people.)

(Shadow: Thank you for your unseen help, Xiao Yi.)

Xiao Yi roughly understood that his inspirational quotes, along with his "performance match" with his older brother, had greatly stimulated Thor, like a blow to the head that shattered his stubbornness, making Miss Shadow's thinking more flexible.

Her gratitude towards herself, accumulated gradually, transformed into a significant amount of trust.

Incidentally, the policy of selling tickets for the Grand Trial was also Xiao Yi's idea. Originally, the entire competition would be fenced off, and only participants, staff, and nobles could watch it. Commoners had no right to watch the main competition.

However, Narukamiko designated viewing areas, and people entering these areas had to buy tickets from the community officials, while merchants also had to pay more taxes, ultimately resulting in a scene of massive crowds.

The common people enjoyed watching it, the merchants made money, and the shogunate made a fortune. This is probably a key factor in the increase in trust levels.

The carriage stopped.

Knock, knock, knock. Someone is gently knocking on the car door.

Kujo's voice came from outside the door: "Lord Narukami, we have arrived at our destination."

Xiao Yi closed the chat room, jumped off the carriage, and looked around. A magnificent scene came into view.

The massive military factory was built into the mountainside, giving the impression of being embedded in the mountain. Winding paths led to higher ground, with houses for workers to rest and warehouses for storing materials along the way. In addition, there were countless furnaces and large chimneys for ventilation.

Although the Mikage furnace core has been out of service recently and the fire has not been lit for a long time, one can still feel the residual warmth of the silent giant furnace from afar, exuding a magnificent and awe-inspiring aura. This is the shock brought about by the industrial system.

At the highest point of the factory, suspended in the air is a device that combines secret arts and technology. Slightly smaller than the building, it is the energy source that supports the entire industrial system—the Shadow Furnace Core.

The reason why the Mikage Furnace was shut down was because the War Maniacs were launching continuous attacks, so the workers were forced to evacuate and replaced by three hundred elite soldiers stationed there.

However, the elite troops were almost completely wiped out overnight, while the attackers suffered no casualties.

Before Xiao Yi arrived, the advance team had already been there for some time. They settled the bodies of the deceased and checked the entire area for any damage.

“Sir.” A soldier from the advance team came to Xiao Yi. “We have completed the inspection. The Yuying Furnace Core is undamaged, and no important materials have been lost from the factory. It seems that the attackers did nothing other than kill people.”

Xiao Yi touched his chin in surprise.

Tatara Sand possesses a considerable amount of high-quality ore, expensive materials for maintaining the Mikage furnace core and other equipment, and holds significant geographical and industrial value. However, the members of the War Maniacs remain steadfast, focusing solely on killing without taking advantage of the chaos to gain more profit...

What exactly are they protesting for?

Moreover, how exactly should the deployment and planning be carried out to eliminate three hundred elite warriors without a single casualty?

A bald man with a dark complexion and an iron fist approached Xiao Yi: "Reporting to Lord Ming Shenzi, the advance team has found the survivors of the soldiers who were guarding the area last night in a pile of coal."

Xiao Yi blinked, observing the bald man in front of him: "You look familiar... why is it you again?"

"I am deeply honored that you still remember me, sir!" Takatsukasa Maru said, bowing his head. "I am a junior officer in your punitive expedition, commanding 125 men."

Because the troop deployment was arranged according to the Nine Rules, and the preparations were made overnight before departure this morning, Xiao Yi had no time to get to know his subordinates.

He steered the conversation back on track: "The only survivor of the three hundred defenders? What's his condition?"

"The survivor's surname is Morishita. He is the captain of the garrison's reconnaissance team, a high-ranking position," Takatsukasa Maru reported. "His right hand was severed at the wrist, and the wound was severely burned. His mental state is not very good, but he can barely communicate normally with people."

"Give him something to eat and some water," Xiao Yi ordered. "Once he's calmed down a bit, bring him to me. I want to ask him some questions."

"Yes."

About half an hour later.

Xiao Yi sat on a small stool where the workers were resting, maintaining a posture similar to an Asian squat, when Takashimaru came to him again.

"Lord Narukami, Morishita has calmed down a bit and we should be able to talk now."

Xiao Yi nodded: "Bring him over."

Although the chaos of the Great Trial and Unity made his face known to everyone, to the point that the statues made according to his appearance were sold out, the guards in this important area far from the city probably still don't know what Thor's adopted son looks like.

Xiao Yi did not intend to reveal his identity. When he met Morishita, he introduced himself as the shogunate commander and asked him questions.

Takatsukasa Maru waved his iron hand, and two soldiers, supporting the wounded survivors on either side, slowly approached Xiao Yi.

The soldier had a resolute face; his right hand was missing at the wrist, the clean wound wrapped in neat gauze—presumably bandaged by the advance team. His body was covered in dark grime, yet his eyes held a resolute expression.

But when Morishita saw Xiao Yi's face clearly, he suddenly struggled violently. The two soldiers who were supporting him tried their best to hold him back, but they couldn't, until he sat down on the ground with a thud.

Morishita stared intently at Xiao Yi, then backed away, howling loudly as he tried to escape.

"It was him, it was him... He killed my comrades, he killed my comrades!!!"

Chapter 53: Military Review! Military Review!

The previously calm Morishita suddenly went berserk, shouting and yelling as he moved away from Xiao Yi.

After sitting down, he moved back a few steps, then picked up a clod of mud from the ground with his still intact left hand, aimed it at Xiao Yi who was getting up from the chair, and threw it with all his might.

Takatsukasa Maru immediately stood in front of Xiao Yi, and the mud hit his shiny head right in the face.

"Damn it, how dare they disrespect Lord Narukami!" Takashimaru's temper flared up again.

Just as the bald man was walking toward the struggling soldier, Kujo Sara quickly stopped him.

The scene became extremely chaotic.

"enough."

The voice of the Son of God, though not angry, was authoritative and intimidating, and even the survivor, Morishita, fell silent for a moment.

“That bastard from the Takatsukasa family…you step aside.” After giving the order to the hothead, Xiao Yi looked at his deputy, “Saro, go and tell that wounded soldier that I am not the one who killed his comrade. I am General Raiden’s adopted son.”

Kujo Sara patiently explained Narukami's identity to Morishita. The wounded soldier believed her, but was still afraid to look Xiao Yi in the eye.

Shaluo explained the situation to Xiao Yi.

"That's easy. Just find a piece of cloth to cover my face, and the problem will be solved."

As soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Yi saw a tattered rag on the ground at his feet.

Saro hurriedly stopped him, saying, "My lord, you are of noble birth; you cannot use such filthy things!"

"What should we do then?" Xiao Yi asked helplessly.

“I…I have a way…” Sara hesitated for a moment, then made up her mind and said, “If you don’t mind, please come with me.”

She led Xiao Yi to a secluded corner. Not long after, Xiao Yi returned to the wounded soldier with a white cloth covering his face, but Sha Luo disappeared without a trace in a short time, and no one knew where she had gone.

“I’ve covered my face now, you don’t need to be afraid,” Xiao Yi reassured him. “Tell me, what exactly happened? How many people were there in total?”

Although the soldier with the severed arm was trembling, he still tried his best to recall and tell Xiao Yi about his experience last night.

"Breathing sounds, I hear breathing sounds..."

……

A dozen hours ago, night fell over Tasha.

More than ten soldiers, carrying torches, were patrolling the perimeter of the factory.

They held the standard long guns issued by the Heavenly Commander, their piercing eyes revealing unwavering determination, and none of them relaxed their vigilance despite the darkness.

There are a total of three hundred of these elite troops. They are well-equipped, brave, and skilled in battle. They are disorganized and undisciplined bandits. Even if three thousand people came, they would not be able to take this place.

When the team returned to their starting area after patrolling around, everyone heard a muffled sound that seemed to come from outside the world, which even the elite soldiers couldn't help but feel a chill run down their spines.

whoosh—whoosh—whoosh—

The sound came from the nearby darkness. The soldiers began to concentrate, the archers aimed, and the vanguard, carrying torches, walked toward the source of the sound, trying to illuminate the thick night.

But before the torches could do anything, the darkness was dispelled by something else.