Republic of China Era: Entering the Dao through Divine Strike.

What kind of upheaval is hidden in Guangping? And which sea is being stirred up in the legend of the "sea disturbance"?

Li Xin frowned slightly, pondering to himself.

Suddenly, a loud and chaotic commotion came from the direction of the main gate.

It penetrates through layers of courtyards, pavilions, and towers, reaching the backyard!

"Corrupt officials, corrupt bureaucrats, unscrupulous merchants, and wicked gentry all deserve to die."

“Magnificent mansions and luxurious residences... are all made from the people’s hard-earned money... plundering the people and indulging in extravagance.”

"Fellow villagers, we suffer endless oppression and go hungry, while these corrupt officials enjoy endless pleasures. Why not sweep away these scoundrels today?"

"I'm willing to risk my life to ensure that these wealthy and powerful will never be able to oppress the common people again..."

A surging roar rose and fell.

"Halt! This is Li Garden! The residence of the current martial arts champion and the imperial advisor! How dare you cause trouble? Retreat at once, or you will be killed without mercy!"

Li Xin frowned upon hearing this.

Sure enough, no one knew who issued such a solemn warning, but instead of intimidating the crowd, it drew ridicule.

"What martial arts champion, what national advisor?"

"They're nothing but corrupt bureaucrats selected through the imperial examinations..."

"Now the new policies are reforming, the imperial examination system is being abolished, and schools are being built! The fame and fortune of the old era are no longer worth mentioning, I spit on them!"

"They are all parasites who oppress the people, enjoying wealth and luxury while completely ignoring the suffering of the common people."

"Charge in! They're in high positions, pampered and spoiled, they wouldn't dare lift a finger! Today we must tear down this Li Garden!"

Immediately following the angry shouts, a cold, orderly command rang out...

"Foreign Riflemen! Form ranks!"

"If anyone in the mansion dares to resist, open fire immediately."

The crisp sound of guns being cocked rang out clearly and distinctly throughout the courtyard.

The tranquil atmosphere inside the room vanished instantly.

"Is it the work of foreigners?"

Li Xin's voice was slightly cool, with a hint of chill.

Upon hearing this, Zhuang Hongxiu abruptly stood up, her movement causing the table to shake slightly and the teacups to tremble. She frowned, listened intently, and shook her head, saying:

"I'm afraid they're not foreigners."

"They are poor people."

……

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Chapter 182 Karmic Fire, Killing Intent

In the Beijing afternoon, the sky was overcast, the clouds hung low, and it looked oppressively humid.

The previous showers had just stopped, and the air was still damp with moisture.

It feels even hotter and more humid.

There were few pedestrians on the street, and every household had its doors and windows closed.

It appears peaceful on the surface, but there is a lot of unrest brewing beneath.

An inexplicable sense of hostility slowly accumulated in the streets and alleys.

Fuyuan Restaurant in the west of the city is usually very lively, with guests coming and going and constant noise. It is considered one of the best places in the capital.

But today, there's not a sound at all.

The entire building was sealed off, with no way in or out.

The wall was specially carved with rows of slanted cuts, which were just enough to lock the entire street below firmly, leaving no blind spots.

Anyone walking down this street will be constantly under the watchful eyes and gun barrels of those upstairs.

The atmosphere on the second floor of the restaurant was so oppressive that it was hard to breathe.

More than thirty soldiers from the German Empire stood in neat rows, their postures ramrod straight, and they remained silent.

These men were all veterans who had been on the battlefield; their faces were cold and hard, and their eyes were sharp.

The air was heavy with the smell of iron and gunpowder, making one feel uneasy.

Several modern rifles and heavy machine guns were steadily mounted on the openings in the wall and near the windows.

The black gun barrels protruded out, lined up densely together.

In the innermost position, there were two 77mm field guns.

The cannon was heavy and its muzzle was steadily pointed towards Liyuan in the distance.

The artillerymen knelt on the ground, slowly loading explosives and shells, preparing high-explosive and shrapnel shells one by one.

We are just waiting for the order to fire, ready to open fire at any time.

Colonel Hans, dressed in a neat gray-green military uniform, stood alone in the shadows by the window.

Looking towards Li Garden from half a street away, his eyes were filled with complex emotions, a mixture of apprehension and resentment.

He just stood there quietly, not moving for a long time.

"Li Xin has been staying in the city, and sooner or later he will become a major threat to us."

After a long while, Hans slowly spoke, "Those people in the embassy are all cowardly and afraid of trouble. They only know how to back down when something happens. They have no backbone at all."

My brother Nolan went to a foreign land to serve the empire, and in the end, he lost his life here.

Forget about any reward, they couldn't even find his remains.

To this day, no one is willing to stand up for him and avenge him.

He reached out and gently touched the cold windowsill, his knuckles tightening slightly, a pang of sadness welling up inside him.

This sadness was quickly suppressed by the intense killing intent, and no emotion could be seen on his face.

"If Li Xin is not eliminated, the empire's plans in East Asia will only become more and more difficult."

This is something everyone knows, right?

Hans's eyes were calm, and he understood perfectly. "We've been preparing for so long, but we haven't achieved anything yet. There's been a lot of gossip about us back home."

If we can accomplish this important task today, no one, regardless of who it is, will be able to find fault with it.

All the previous inaction can be covered up.

The adjutant, Lansk, quickly stepped forward and said cautiously, "The colonel's consideration is very thorough. However, I have a concern: should we send someone to eliminate Li Cheng's men outside first?"

I'm afraid Li Xin is too composed and won't want to come out of the courtyard.

We lay in ambush here for ages, only to come up empty-handed in the end.

"No need." Hans shook his head slightly, his gaze still fixed on Li Yuan.

"Lansk, neither you, nor the people from the embassy, ​​nor Bishop Bernard's group, truly understood Li Xin."

He genuinely acknowledged this opponent: "Everyone thought that Li Xin, who became famous at a young age, must cherish his reputation and be afraid of being criticized or being labeled as oppressing the people and being cruel and bloodthirsty."

Faced with a group of ordinary people causing trouble, he would definitely have reservations and wouldn't dare to use lethal force.

"But everyone is wrong." Hans shook his head and sneered.

In his eyes, there was no distinction between high and low, noble and lowly, local and foreign.

No matter who it is, as long as they dare to plot against him or cause him trouble, he will treat them all the same.

Kill those who deserve it, show no mercy whatsoever.

For that reason alone, I admire him greatly.

Everyone says we are the executioners, but I think he is.

Lansk paused for a moment, not daring to interrupt, and listened quietly as he continued.

Hans had lived in this land for a long time, seen all kinds of people, and understood the thoughts of most people.

He knew that most people in the world had their own weaknesses and concerns.

They can all be manipulated and controlled by others.

Many martial arts practitioners and government officials have reservations about what they do.

They feared ruining their reputation, feared criticism from others, feared offending the powerful and influential, and feared failing the weak...

If you have too many things on your mind, you will be hesitant and passive in your actions, making you easy prey for others.

Some people only know how to compromise and back down when faced with problems, weighing the pros and cons of everything, and never daring to completely break off relations.

Some people bully the weak and fear the strong; they are obsequious to their superiors but ruthless to their subordinates.

There is another type of person who hates the oppression of the powerful and is ruthless towards their superiors, but is soft-hearted and tolerant towards the common people.

Even if the other party does something wrong, they are willing to let it go easily.

These people each have their own personality, their own obsessions, and their own weaknesses, and there are ways to deal with them.

Those who are soft-hearted and compassionate towards the people are the easiest to be exploited and manipulated.

The Red Lotus Cult, which spearheaded this disturbance, has clearly grasped this principle.

They deliberately incited ordinary people to cause trouble, pushing them to the front as shields, and using moral and public opinion to bind Li Xin.

They wanted to force him into a dilemma, ultimately leading to his disgrace and a miserable death.

In Hans's eyes, the Red Lotus Cult's schemes, though seemingly clever, were actually quite foolish.

They went down the wrong path from the very beginning.

“Berna, Tan Sijing, Quan Longxiu and others thought they were extremely clever and had calculated everything, but they misjudged the most crucial person, Li Xin.”

Hans said with a hint of sarcasm, "This person does whatever he wants, is not bound by worldly rules, and has no absolute sense of good or evil."

He lived with such profound understanding that he was almost godlike.

He wouldn't feel any pleasure after killing bad guys;

They won't feel guilty even if they hurt good people.

He never took action to vent his anger, establish his authority, or gain fame; he simply eliminated trouble and protected himself.

To him, people in the world are not distinguished by wealth, good or evil, or nationality; the only difference is whether they deserve to die.

If he believes the other person is a menace and harbors murderous intent, then death is certain.

Such a person's temperament is beyond common sense; no one can fathom his thoughts, let alone control or restrain him.

Lansk was startled and nodded repeatedly: "The colonel sees things clearly."

So, by using the common people to control Li Xin, the Red Lotus Sect is essentially courting death. This time, they're probably doomed to a complete defeat?

"If they don't die, how can Li Xin obediently join the game?"

Hans's face showed a hint of helplessness and mockery. "I really don't understand these common people. They have such narrow vision and shallow knowledge, yet they dare to cooperate with our empire and try to change their fate by relying on outsiders."

Based solely on a set of empty doctrines and a non-existent Holy Mother Red Lotus, they truly believe themselves to be superior; how utterly foolish!

Lansk was silent for a moment, then asked the question that had been bothering him: "There's something else I don't understand. We have ample firepower, complete artillery positions, and elite soldiers..."

With such a significant advantage, why not advance three hundred meters directly, fire the cannonballs into Li Garden, and kill Li Xin in one fell swoop?

Why bother lying in ambush here?

This is something he has never been able to understand.

With their strength, they don't need to sneak around; a direct, forceful attack would completely crush their opponents.

“You don’t understand the intricacies of Central Plains martial arts.” Hans’s eyes showed a hint of apprehension as he explained earnestly, “Don’t underestimate these Central Plains martial artists. The martial arts they cultivate are very profound. High-level martial artists have sharp minds and can sense danger and killing intent in advance.”

"If we advance in a grand and imposing manner, with our cannons pointed directly at Liyuan..."

The murderous aura was fully exposed; Li Xin could sense it immediately without us even lifting a finger.