Chapter 130: Chief of the Second Artillery Corps

Zhao Wuji did not stop after his first strike failed; instead, he unleashed an even more ferocious attack.

Just then, the roar of trucks echoed in the distance. Looking up, a long, military-green column appeared on the horizon. Leading the convoy was a Beijing Warrior jeep, a vehicle commonly used by the military as a field command car. Behind it followed three military trucks bearing the license plates of the People's Liberation Army Hong Kong Garrison.

Zhao Wuji stopped in his tracks, stunned, staring blankly at the military vehicles. He was utterly bewildered, unable to fathom what was unfolding. Not only were the members of the Mainland Alliance shocked, but the men of the Yi Sect were equally perplexed. These soldiers were clearly targeting both sides, yet they had never had any connection with them from the start.

When the command vehicle came to a halt, the first thing to emerge was a pair of black military boots, followed by a pair of slender, shapely legs clad in a knee-length military-green skirt. A strikingly beautiful female officer stepped out, radiating spirit and grace. On her shoulders, she wore the rank of a First Lieutenant. It was Huang Le, whom he hadn't seen in days.

Upon recognizing her, Chen Erpao was momentarily taken aback. As Liu Yuan’s secretary, why had she been sent to lead the soldiers?

Next, the three military trucks stopped, and dozens of imposing soldiers leaped out, steel rifles in hand. Their sudden appearance stunned everyone present—both the Mainland Alliance and the Yi Sect members—with the exception of Chen Erpao. He was their commanding officer, the temporary leader of this platoon-sized force.

Huang Le stood with a solemn expression, her head held high and her chest puffed out, looking striking in her uniform. In this moment, she displayed the true bearing of a soldier; though a woman, she was, first and foremost, a member of the military. She walked straight to Chen Erpao, executed a standard military salute, and shouted, "Commander Erpao, please state your orders!"

The title "Commander" struck the ears of the Alliance and Yi Sect members like a thunderclap. Everyone stared with wide eyes, ears perked, filled with questions. How could a rising boss of a Hong Kong underworld organization be addressed as "Commander" by soldiers of the Hong Kong Garrison? It made no sense!

Wang Xing, his hair standing on end, leaned toward Huang Le and asked cautiously, "Tomboy—no, wait, beautiful lady—no, that’s not it—Officer, are you sure you haven't got the wrong person? This is our boss. If you're looking for a commander, you can't just pick one at random. You've come all the way to the underworld to recruit!"

Huang Le’s brows furrowed, her eyes flashing with a chilling intensity that forced Wang Xing to back away while muttering, "Fine, fine! A gentleman doesn't fight with a woman, even if you are a tomboy."

Huang Le was itching to lash out; in her usual style, she would have kicked him by now. But with the "Commander" standing right there, she couldn't act out. She shared the crowd's confusion: how could this young commander also be an underworld boss? It defied all logic. However, a soldier’s duty is to obey orders, especially those signed by both the Chief of Staff and the Commander.

Chen Erpao smiled faintly, his grin remarkably radiant. Yet, to the members of the Four Great Alliances, this smile seemed sinister, causing a chill to run down their spines. No matter how powerful their backing was, or how skilled their martial arts, they stood no chance against dozens of submachine guns; they would be riddled with holes in an instant.

"Aim your weapons at them. Do not fire without my command."

Chen Erpao’s voice was resonant, filled with the feeling of returning to the ranks, once again becoming a soldier.

"Click, click..."

Dozens of steel barrels aimed at the nearly one hundred men of the Mainland Alliance. The soldiers did not hesitate. The Alliance members had no doubt that if Chen Erpao gave the word, they would pull their triggers without a second thought.

"You... what do you want?"

Zhao Wuji’s face turned deathly pale. He might have been a top expert of the younger generation, and he might have hailed from the thousand-year-old Hengshan Sect, but in the face of the military, he was nothing. To challenge the authority of the military was to make an enemy of the nation itself.

Chen Erpao chuckled coldly and reached out to pinch Zhao Wuji’s cheek. "Your skin is actually quite nice. Honestly, you have the potential to be a pretty boy. Why come all the way to Hong Kong to cause me trouble? Look, you even smashed my chair. It was made of extremely rare wood and was a gift from a very dear friend. Its significance and value are immeasurable. Now that you've ruined it, I’m truly heartbroken. Tell me, what should we do? Should I shoot you dead, or hand you over to the judicial authorities for the crimes of plotting against a commander and opposing the military?"

Cold sweat beaded on Zhao Wuji’s forehead. Chen Erpao felt like a demon to him—even worse than a demon. Though filled with disdain and rage, he had no choice but to bow to the devil.

"This is... my fault. For breaking such a precious item, I should pay for the damages. Here is a bank card I use in Hong Kong. It has over three hundred thousand Hong Kong dollars in it. Take it! The password is..."

Zhao Wuji pulled out the card with trembling hands, looking incredibly reluctant. Chen Erpao, however, smiled with satisfaction, accepted it without hesitation, and tucked it into his pocket.

Huang Le, watching from the side, nearly rolled her eyes. That broken chair on the floor probably came from any cheap furniture store! He had made it sound so extravagant, only to flip between being mysterious and imposing, then acting like a greedy miser.

Chen Erpao, still smiling, slowly walked over to the elders of the Four Great Alliances, causing their faces to turn pale. The elder of the Iron Sword Sect, who looked the most terrified, lowered his head. Not long ago, he had vowed to trample this place, but in reality, he didn't even have the qualification to crush an ant here anymore.

"I’ll give you two choices. One: oppose the military. You can imagine the consequences; even your sects on the mainland won't escape the fallout. Two: pay a little compensation for my brothers—consider it mental distress fees, psychological trauma fees, and human resource fees. A few million will suffice. Then, you must leave Hong Kong within two days. Otherwise, I’ll keep the money, but I’ll make you regret it regardless. For the four of you, with your twenty-some factions, this sum is truly nothing—just a drop in the ocean."