Chinese animation: Starting with Bad Guys

From searching everywhere to gathering here to re-select a leader, they had long since lost their edge in despair.

"Raise your heads!" Qin Chuan suddenly raised his voice, like thunder rolling across the desert, "Look me in the eyes and tell me, without Yuan Tiangang, are you still the Bad People?"

"Tell me!" he roared again, his voice causing the banners along the city walls to flutter wildly. "Without him, can you even manage?"

A one-eyed man suddenly looked up, the scar on his face glowing red in the sunlight, and he held the flag of a thug high in his hand:

"We can do it!"

"The scoundrels have never backed down!"

More people roared, their voices going from hoarse to booming, like wildfire spreading across the land.

They gripped the flag tightly in their hands, and the word "bad" on the flag seemed to come alive with their roar.

As Qin Chuan raised his hand and the sound gradually subsided, his voice carried a power that could pierce through clouds and split rocks:

"Since it can be done, then come with me to end this chaotic world and rebuild our Great Tang Dynasty!"

His gaze swept over the entire city of scoundrels, and over the flags clutched so tightly they were creased in their hands:

"When the world is at peace, I promise you that you will no longer have to live in anonymity. Your names, and the flags you hold, will be engraved in the Lingyan Pavilion, your names will be remembered for eternity, and your fame will last for generations!"

"End the chaos! Rebuild the Tang Dynasty!"

"His name will be remembered for eternity! His fame will last for generations!"

The roar shook the sand so much that a layer of yellow sand fell.

Jia Ren stood in the crowd and exchanged a smile with Jing Xinmo.

Look at the bustling crowds throughout the city, look at those heads that have been raised again.

Re-elect a commander-in-chief? No need.

With just a few words, the young commander rekindled the spirits of the scattered Bad Guys and reignited the light of their dormant flag.

He has replaced Yuan Tiangang, the leader of the Bad Guys, as the pillar of the Bad Guys.

Chapter 116 The Wind Rises in the Northern Desert, A Prelude to the Storm

The night wind swept across the desert, stirring up the lingering heat of the day, and the echoes of that passionate shout seemed to still reverberate over the small town.

The inn was brightly lit, making the old lantern tassels hanging from the beams sway slightly.

The seats around the room were filled with members of the Bad Guys, each with a deep and imposing aura, their eyes fixed on the square table in the center—where Qin Chuan and several Heavenly Gang Captains sat, including "Jia Ren".

"Your subordinate, Sanqian Yuan, pays his respects to the young marshal. Please forgive my earlier offense."

As he cupped his hands in greeting, the contours of his face subtly shifted. The original "Jia Ren" face receded like the tide, revealing another handsome face that concealed a sharp edge.

The disguise was so exquisite that no one could detect the slightest flaw.

Qin Chuan reached out and helped him up, a smile playing in his eyes: "Tian Cang Xing's disguise skills are indeed well-deserved."

Tianzangxing, one of the Thirty-Six Captains of the Three Thousand Courtyards, is also the leader of the Bad Guys.

He disguised himself as "Jia Ren" and made things difficult for Qin Chuan in every way, both to test Qin Chuan's adaptability and to secretly pave the way for his own success.

With his cooperation, Qin Chuan was able to reunite the scattered Bad Guys into a cohesive force in a short period of time.

"Young Marshal, you've come here, presumably for the Northern Desert," Sanzenin said, getting straight to the point, his voice lowered. "I've recently gathered some information."

"The leader may speak frankly."

Qin Chuan, without any hesitation, let Sanzenin continue speaking in front of everyone.

This warmed everyone's hearts.

This young marshal truly regarded them as brothers.

"After Li Siyuan's death, his son-in-law Shi Jingtang seized control of the Jin state."

Sanzenin said:

"About ten days ago, Shi Jingtang personally came to Tanzhou to meet with the Queen of Yingtian in the northern desert. It seems they reached some kind of agreement, and my subordinates are still investigating."

"No need to investigate further." Qin Chuan raised his hand to stop him, his fingertips pausing lightly on the table. "I can roughly guess what they're planning."

The deal between Shi Jingtang and Shuliduo was nothing more than a transaction with ulterior motives on both sides—Shuliduo sent troops to help Shi Jingtang conquer the Central Plains, and Shi Jingtang in return handed over the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun to the northern desert.

Both were trying to outwit the tiger, unaware that the tiger had already set its sights on them.

"A good idea indeed." Qin Chuan's lips curled into a cold smile, a glint of cold light flashing in his eyes. "Unfortunately, it won't come true."

Back when Yuan Tiangang was still alive, he had no choice but to temporarily spare Shuliduo. But now, even if Yuan Tiangang were to be resurrected, this woman wouldn't be able to cause any more trouble.

A sharp glint flashed in Sanzenin's eyes: "I've heard that Yelü Abaoji is seriously ill, and the military and political power in the northern deserts have fallen into the hands of Shuliduo... Why don't I lead the Bad Men to infiltrate the royal court, take her head, and end it all?"

"Why use the Bad Guys to deal with a mere Shuliduo?" Qin Chuan slowly shook his head, his gaze sweeping over everyone present. "You all return to your respective cities immediately, gather all your brothers, and await my instructions."

"Young Marshal, you want to..." Sanzenin suddenly looked up, his eyes flashing with an astonishing light.

"With peace restored to the frontier and the chaos quelled in the northern deserts," Qin Chuan's voice, though not loud, carried immense power. The light surging in his eyes shone brighter than the stars in the sky. "The Central Plains have also reached the point where they should be unified."

The next day, just as dawn broke, the morning light pierced through the clouds.

The wind suddenly picked up, and the various flags of bad influence were whipped around and fluttered like countless eagles poised to pounce, their wingtips almost slicing through the sky.

Qin Chuan mounted his horse, his blue robe billowing in the wind like a flag breaking through the sky.

He reined in his horse, looked back at the men standing solemnly, and declared loudly, "The day we reunite will be the day the world is at peace!"

The sound of horses' hooves broke through the morning mist first, followed immediately by a wave of footsteps.

Amidst the swirling yellow sand, countless banners of the rebels scattered in all directions, like countless rushing streams, plunging headlong into the major cities of the Central Plains, advancing relentlessly.

After watching the procession disperse, Qin Chuan turned his horse around, flicked his whip, and galloped off into the depths of the northern desert.

Several days later, the outline of the Northern Desert Royal Court began to appear on the horizon.

Qin Chuan did not approach, but instead turned into a military camp outside the royal court.

When the soldiers guarding the camp saw him, they all bowed their heads in salute, and no one dared to stop him.

Inside the central command tent, only two people were seated.

Yelü Abaoji and his daughter Yelü Zhiwu stood up at the same time.

The girl's voice trembled uncontrollably, her fingertips gripping the hem of her clothes so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

Since the news of the Longquan Underground Palace came, she has been unable to sleep at night.

Countless times I've dreamt of my master's blue robe stained with blood, and when I wake up, my pillowcase is soaked.

Seeing him safe and sound with my own eyes, I finally let out the pent-up anger that had been building up in my chest for so long, but my eyes welled up with tears.

Qin Chuan raised his hand and ruffled the top of her head. The girl subconsciously rubbed against his palm, like a young animal that had finally found its way home.

This habitual little gesture made Yelü Abaoji sigh slightly—his daughter hadn't shown such dependence on anyone for a long time, not even him, her father.

"You've lost weight." Qin Chuan's thumb brushed against the faint dark circles under her eyes. "Haven't you been eating properly these days?"

Yelü Zhiwu opened her mouth, her throat feeling like it was stuffed with cotton, and the words that came out trembled: "I...I thought you..."

"You thought I was dead?" Qin Chuan chuckled, then ruffled her hair. "Your master is incredibly resilient."

This familiar movement finally made Yelü Zhiwu stop crying and start laughing, but as she laughed, tears started falling again.

She hurriedly tried to wipe it with her sleeve, but the more she wiped, the more it spread.

Finally, in despair, she buried her face in Qin Chuan's shoulder and mumbled, "If you really die, I'll go to the underworld and snatch you back..."

Qin Chuan patted her on the back and turned his gaze to Yelü Abaoji.

The king of the northern desert had a sallow complexion and dark circles under his eyes. Despite being a monarch who ruled over a vast territory, he looked like a middle-aged man bent under the weight of a heavy burden.

"Brother Yelü, you've still softened your heart." Qin Chuan sighed softly.

Back in the Tianshan Mountains, he had already instructed Yelü Zhiwu to be wary of Shuliduo.

Thus, Shuliduo's plan to poison Yelü Abaoji ultimately failed.

In his opinion, since Yelü Abaoji had already seen through the true nature of his wife, he should at least have imprisoned this wicked woman. How could he have allowed her to gather an army and cause the current situation to develop?

"She is, after all, my wife, and Zhiwu's mother..."

Yelü Abaoji's trembling fingers gripped the edge of the table, and he sighed several times, his voice full of exhaustion.

Just as Qin Chuan said, he softened his heart.

Even though he knew that Shuliduo had poisoned him, he still let it go without pursuing the matter.

But Shuliduo was unwilling to give up.

She amassed a large army, intending to seize the throne by force.

After escaping the encirclement under his daughter's protection, Yelü Abaoji rallied the remaining troops to defend the emperor.

Thus, the current situation has come to be.

Shuliduo and her followers occupied the royal court, while Yelü Abaoji led his army to besiege the outer perimeter.

The two sides were locked in a stalemate.

"Hesitation will only lead to more trouble." Qin Chuan patted him heavily on the shoulder. "For the sake of the people of the northern desert, Brother Yelü, it's time to make a decision."

Yelü Abaoji remained silent for a long time, then suddenly took out a tiger tally from his bosom. It was carved from animal bone, and there were still some old bloodstains on the lines.

He handed the tiger tally to Qin Chuan, his voice hoarse: "Shuliduo may be right, I am weak by nature and unworthy to be king. I entrust the rest to Brother Qin."

Qin Chuan took the tiger tally. It was slightly cool to the touch, but he could feel its heavy weight—it was the power to mobilize all the troops under Yelü Abaoji's command.

He turned and walked out with Yelü Zhiwu. As the tent flap was opened, a cold wind blew in, carrying sand and gravel.

"Brother Qin..." Yelü Abaoji suddenly stood up, his voice trembling slightly.

Qin Chuan turned around and saw that he had already turned away, his back hunched over like a bow: "If...if it's possible, spare her life..."

"I'll do my best." Qin Chuan nodded slightly, turned around, and stepped out of the tent.

This honest man still cherishes the bond between husband and wife even now. But from the very first day he stepped into this arena of power, he and Shuliduo were destined never to be an ordinary couple.

Outside the tent, Yelü Zhiwu had already wiped away her tears. She gazed in the direction of the royal court, her eyes filled with complex emotions. There lay her mother, her blood relative, and also the enemies who sought to kill her father.

"Master..." she asked softly, "What should I do if the moment truly comes when we meet on the battlefield?"