The rope was thick, and the way it was tied was quite sophisticated. In short, even a second-rate martial artist would have difficulty breaking free without internal strength, let alone someone like you who was merely a "third-rate martial artist."
"Not bad." A soldier drew your longsword, tossed it to the ground without a second glance, because you only care about stats, not appearance. This "Mysterious Iron Sword" is of high quality, but not particularly flashy.
[One by one, the houses were searched clean. Some civilians, sensing something was wrong, hid in cellars or wells, but were also dragged out by the soldiers and taken to the center of the village, where they were tied up.]
After most of the people were found, you and the villagers were tied up and huddled together, watching as the soldiers gradually revealed their狰狞 (zhengning - ferocious/hideous) faces. With your keen senses, you could hear the conversation between two soldiers dozens of paces away.
"Clear every corner thoroughly, leaving no survivors! Afterwards, leave all of Wu Jun's weapons here."
Then you see them throw down some weapons and uniforms, and then someone sets fire to oil, and the houses start burning one by one.
As the flames soared into the sky, the villagers visibly panicked, while the soldiers approached with sinister grins.
"Sir..." someone pleaded, only to be met with laughter: "Sir? We are ruthless soldiers of the Wu Kingdom, specially disguised as Qing Kingdom soldiers to massacre your village!"
"So that's how it is! You're actually the Wu Kingdom's army. No wonder you're so despicable and inhumane!" you exclaimed with a look of sudden realization.
[Then, amidst the taunts of several soldiers, you broke free of the ropes. A surge of energy enveloped your entire body, and you shone brightly as if a god had descended to earth: "Since that's how it is, then I will kill you without shame!"]
"Powerful energy is being released!" Several officers were shocked. "It's a top-tier expert!" They quickly retreated, one of them shouting, "This is a misunderstanding!"
[You didn't care about such details; you punched a soldier squarely in the face, a loud cracking sound of skull breaking echoing from your fist. Then you kicked another soldier away, his spine snapping with a crack as he flew backward several meters, unable to move again.]
[Take a few steps forward, draw the "Mysterious Iron Blade" they had discarded beside you, and with a whoosh, unleash a swift, whistling motion, cleaving a charging soldier and his standard-issue sword in two.]
[Your attack was too sudden; the soldiers lost three before they could react. The commanding officer was immediately enraged, and a surge of energy emanated from him—he was also a first-rate martial artist!]
The officer's burst of energy was a bright yellow, a common martial art in the military: "Invincible in a Hundred Battles." When mastered, this energy is a bright yellow; at its peak, it becomes a deep yellow. While "Invincible in a Hundred Battles" isn't a high-level martial art, it's similar to "Iron Body Skill"—both are excellent examples of common techniques.
[The officer is in his forties and considers himself a martial arts genius. You look like you're only in your twenties (your foundational growth is too high, and the effect of extended lifespan is also reflected in slow aging). Even a first-rate martial artist at this age would at most be in the early stages of a breakthrough, and might not even have strengthened their internal organs yet, while he has already begun to internalize his energy!]
The officer wielded a long spear; a thrust forward was like a dragon crossing the river, a horizontal swing like a sweeping sweep of an army. His martial arts skills were superb. At the same time he attacked, five or six other second-rate sergeants also rushed up. With so many people attacking at once, how could you possibly be a match for them?
[The moment the spear and blade made contact, his expression changed drastically. The spearhead was forcefully deflected at a several-degree angle; the strength of your attack far exceeded his expectations!]
"Not even as good as that bandit leader," you thought disdainfully. With a burst of energy, you cornered him in just over ten rounds. However, five or six officers rushed nearby, and you didn't want to trade your own injuries for the officer's life, so you temporarily relinquished the chance to deliver the fatal blow.
[This officer can withstand ten of your moves, but those second-rate sergeants are a different story. You sidestep a slash from behind, then take a step to the side and strike a sergeant's ribs with an elbow, breaking them. Then you stab another sergeant, deflecting his spear, and your black iron blade pierces his chest!]
In a single exchange, he shattered one man's jawbone, causing severe injury, and simultaneously killed another on the spot!
"Stop! This is a misunderstanding!" Those familiar words echoed in your ears again, but this time, the one speaking was the same officer who had charged at you angrily just half a minute ago.
[You don't know until you fight. Just now, after exchanging blows, he was shocked to realize that your strength was far beyond that of a first-rate martial artist; it was more like that of a martial arts school owner, a martial arts master!]
Even he, along with all the second-rate officers present, wouldn't be a match for you. In fact, all one hundred or so elite soldiers might perish under your blade!
"Misunderstanding?" You sneered as you killed, "Why weren't you misunderstanding before? You only start misunderstanding now that you can't win?"
The officer was breathing heavily, not because you choked him, but because your ten consecutive strikes had churned his blood and qi, damaging countless capillaries, membranes, joints, and other delicate tissues. A single misstep could leave him with a chronic injury that would last him for years.
Seeing that you had killed two sergeants and five soldiers in such a short time, the officer was both anxious and angry. He spat out a mouthful of blood and finally decided to tell you the truth.
"It's a misunderstanding, young hero! Please stop! We are soldiers of the Qing Kingdom, not from the Wu Kingdom! We are here to massacre this village on orders from above!"
You sneered disdainfully. The officers and soldiers around you were either dead or maimed; more than ten had fallen in a short time. The rest stood in fear ten paces away, weapons raised but too afraid to attack.
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