Chapter 11: Jiang Bai Could Rival a Born Protagonist on the Stage!

Because of Jiang Bai’s actions, not only were more lives saved, but the ranks were also ruthlessly refined. If this decision was made unintentionally, it spoke to his kindness and noble character. Yet if it was deliberate, it revealed his resolve and iron will. In fact, those who survived this ordeal were almost all fiercely loyal to Wang Lin. Observing Jiang Bai’s gentleness and impeccable manners now, then recalling the ferocity and bloodlust he displayed in battle, Wang Lin could hardly imagine any weakness in him. He was flawless—every inch the hero born for the stage.

Jiang Bai’s conduct forced Wang Lin to reassess this young man. “By the way, Commander, come with me,” Wu Sheng suddenly slapped his forehead, recalling something. “I reckon the bombing wasn’t the work of the Northern Expedition Army. The only ones who could pull this off right under our noses are those damned Japanese. Before I came, I had a battalion surround the Japanese ambassador’s residence in Chengyun. One word from you, and their heads will roll.”

At this, Wang Lin’s gaze turned icy. “Brother, you and I are only guessing—we don’t have solid proof. Even under the old dynasty, no emperor would dare order an execution without evidence. And this province isn’t just my turf; the Xiong faction is watching closely from the shadows. Withdraw your men—now!”

“But Commander…” Wu Sheng was unwilling to let it go, but Wang Lin waved him off and sent him away.

Wang Lin returned to the ranks, his face twisted in frustration. “Listen up! Today’s attack was the work of bandits. No matter if it’s the Chengyun faction, the Bai faction, or the foreigners—the Japanese or Westerners—if anyone asks, it was those bastards from the Northern Expedition Army. If anyone says otherwise, don’t blame me for cutting ties. Understood?”

“We understand!” came the resounding reply.

With tight security, Wang Lin quickly returned to Chengyun City. News of his safe return spread rapidly, and both the conservative elders—Wang Xiang, Wang Jinghui, Tang Yu—and the reformist leaders led by Yang Ting and Chang Huai hurried to his side. When they learned of Wang Lin’s narrow escape, the upper echelons of the Chengyun faction were thrown into an uproar.

“These Japanese have gone too far!”

“Daring to strike just outside Chengyun—do they think nothing of us?”

“Commander, I believe this is a clear sign of their ambition to annex the province and a prelude to all-out war!”

“Those Japanese are animals! Commander, just say the word and I’ll have Yu Zhong, the commander of the 27th Division, teach them a lesson!”

Wang Xiang, who proposed this, was among the top three figures in the Chengyun Army and one of Wang Lin’s most trusted brothers-in-arms. Despite their similar names, there was no blood relation between them.

The council was in uproar, but Wang Lin remained silent, his expression grim. Anyone who knew him recognized the fury building within—a killing rage.

Previously, Wang Lin had clashed bitterly with the Japanese over railway construction. To ease tensions, he had personally humbled himself and brought five million in compensation to the Japanese embassy in Chengyun. He had hoped this gesture would ease the strain between the two sides. But now, the Japanese had escalated to the extreme, bombing a train and threatening his very life.

“Commander, should we strike now and wipe out the Guanchengyun Army completely?”

“With over a hundred bombers at our disposal, there’s no way the Japanese can win!”

The next to speak was Tang Yu, Wang Lin’s trusted aide known as Tiger Tang. Hot-tempered, he slammed his pistol on the table, his jealousy so fierce it silenced the room.

Only Yang Ting, the reformist leader, could counter Tiger Tang’s bluster with scholarly composure. Having studied in Japan, his talents were unrivaled in the Chengyun faction—though, like many such men, he was notoriously stubborn and self-assured.

Now, only Yang Ting’s calm voice remained. He drew out his notebook and spoke: “According to reliable intelligence, the Guanchengyun Army has only twenty thousand men here, but they’re a first-class Japanese division. Even if our fifty thousand Chengyun troops manage to defeat them, who will resist the two other divisions the Japanese could bring from Korea? And with the sea routes from Taiwan and Shun Port under their control, they could send more elite divisions at any time. Would our battered force of two hundred thousand stand a chance then?

“Therefore, I believe we must act cautiously. Officially, we declare the attack the work of bandits and apologize for the military incident at the embassy to maintain peace. Privately, we gather our strength and wait for the right moment…”

“Wait for what?” Tiger Tang roared, cutting him off. “Commander nearly got assassinated returning to Chengyun—who else but the Japanese would do it? What more proof do we need? We started as bandits, worked our way up to warlords and governors. Back then, the government, the Westerners, the Japanese—none respected us. Nobody gave us a chance. All we had was our ruthlessness, our willingness to fight, our blades and the courage to risk our heads.”

Tiger Tang grew more impassioned, unbuttoning his shirt and throwing it off to reveal the scars of knives and bullets on his back.

“Now we’ve got guns, artillery, planes, even a navy. And you’re afraid to fight? With three hundred thousand Chengyun troops, we could drown the Japanese in our spit! So we lost a battle—so what? Did that defeat rob us of our courage?”

“He’s right, Commander. Back when we were ambushed by the Northern Expedition Army, you blamed my 28th Division for being weak. Just say the word this time, and I’ll personally lead the first suicide squad into battle!”