Can a Scholar Be Called a Villain

Chapter 115: Possible retribution

Xu Zhong Kang was agitated but also filled with pride as he looked at the formidable army behind him. He turned to speak to Sun Bo Fu, who stood beside him, “I never imagined that His Majesty would hold us in such high regard, allowing us to command this grand army of a hundred thousand soldiers from the very beginning!”

Sun Bo Fu, sporting a similarly lofty expression, concurred, “Indeed, it’s essential to remember that this hundred thousand-strong army is His Majesty’s trump card!”

The hundred thousand Steel Calvary troops advanced methodically, swiftly reaching the Chu border. As they approached, the silhouette of a city gradually emerged on the horizon, and a large gathering of people became visible outside the city walls.

Xu Zhong Kang was taken aback by the sight, causing him to momentarily falter before asking in confusion, “Bo Fu, who are these people? Why are they all gathered outside like this?”

Sun Bo Fu’s eyes narrowed as he focused on the crowd, dressed in tattered clothing. It didn’t take long for him to discern their identities.

This city was located near the border of Chu, and the areas devastated by the Blood Bat Locusts a few days ago lay just beyond it. The individuals gathered here were the refugees whose homes had been destroyed by the locusts. They hailed from towns and villages situated between Chu and the Demonic Beast Forest.

Sun Bo Fu spoke with a mixture of anger and sorrow, “The refugees before us are the people who lost their homes to the locust plague. Their homes were all destroyed by the locusts.”

Xu Zhong Kang, equally indignant, surveyed the displaced people before him and then turned his attention to the imposing city walls that barred their entry. Confused, he asked, “Why aren’t they allowing these poor people to take refuge inside the city?”

Sun Bo Fu explained with a sense of helplessness, “If all these people were allowed to flood into the city, it would undoubtedly lead to chaos in public order. Just imagine, how could they manage a hundred thousand refugees all at once? That’s why our mission is to go forth and eliminate the demonic beasts in the Demonic Beast Forest first, so that these people can safely return to their homes and rebuild what they’ve lost.”

Xu Zhong Kang’s expression brightened as he grasped the situation. Patting his belly, he remarked, “Ah, I see.”

The hundred thousand Steel Calvary troops circumvented the city and, under the watchful eyes of the refugees, proceeded toward the Demonic Beast Forest. The people were grateful to the soldiers for venturing out to suppress the demonic beasts and save them. However, they also harboured resentment because the reckless assault on the Demonic Beast Forest had provoked retaliation from the creatures, which caused their suffering.

The city governor of the city quickly appeared and stood atop the city walls, addressing both the refugees and the anxious residents within the city:

“Everyone, I’m sure you just saw it, right? Our army is already advancing into the Demonic Beast Forest to quell the beast wave. I believe it won’t be long before all of you can return to your own homes!”

As he finished speaking, the crowds began to stir with anticipation, their hearts filled with hope.

“That’s right! Once the army reaches the borders, we can all go back home.”

“But our homes have been destroyed; it will take years to rebuild them!”

“Yes, but if the locust plague returns again, we might not survive this time. Let’s just see what happens.”

Hope and worry mingled in the hearts of the people. However, when the next day dawned, despair gripped them once more.

This was because, with Xu Zhong Kang and Sun Bo Fu gone with the hundred thousand Steel Calvary troops, Murong Lin had once again unleashed the sky-covering Blood Bat Locusts. This time, he released half of the locusts he possessed.

It’s crucial to note that even with their numbers halved, the Blood Bat Locust swarm capable of devouring an entire world had enough power to plunge the entire country into chaos and bloodshed.

And among them, there were even ten Sky Reaching realm locusts.

The swarm split into ten groups, each led by one of these powerful locusts, and they descended upon the nation.

This time, having learned from their previous experience, more survivors managed to escape the initial onslaught of the locusts. However, chaos still reigned wherever the locusts went.

People from the capital to the border had witnessed the army of a hundred thousand Steel Calvaries heading towards the Demonic Beast Forest with hope for a swift return. But instead of their triumphant arrival, they were met with an onslaught of Blood Bat Locusts.

In a small town, the first to spot the approaching locusts were the unsuspecting residents going about their daily lives. These people, influenced by the covertly spread rumours from the Qing Yi Tower, believed the locusts to be a man-made disaster. When the dark cloud of locusts descended upon them, panic ensued, and they began to flee for their lives as they screamed in terror.

“Run! The locust plague is upon us! Everyone, run! Don’t just stand there!”

“What should I do? What should I do? All my possessions are still at home. Should I go back?”

“Are you crazy? This locust plague is obviously here to take revenge on us! We need to run now!”

“My goodness! The people who are attacking the Demonic Beast Forest are Chu’s army, not us! Why are they attacking us?”

The scenes of panic, death, and despair played out in countless towns and cities as the Blood Bat Locusts swept through, leaving destruction in their wake. People were trampled to death in the human stampedes, and some even chose to end their lives in despair. In reality, no one was capable of surviving the locust swarms’ onslaught.

The survivors fled, and adding the refugees that were gathered outside of these towns and cities, their numbers swelled to the hundreds of thousands as they headed towards the capital.

As they ran, their fear and panic transformed into anger and resentment towards Chu’s new king, Chu Ze. Agents from the Qing Yi Tower infiltrated their ranks, sowing discontent and blaming Chu Ze for their suffering.

In their minds, it was clear: if it weren’t for Chu Ze’s decision to attack the Demonic Beast Forest, these demonic beasts wouldn’t have retaliated in this manner. The blame for the destruction and loss of lives was placed squarely on Chu Ze’s shoulders.

Dozens of cities and towns in the south were destroyed in an instant, and the death toll continued to rise, surpassing a hundred thousand lives. This catastrophic event weakened Chu’s strength significantly, and spies from the fallen noble families and neighbouring countries seized the opportunity to spread misinformation, aiming to thwart Chu’s military campaigns.

The public’s anger had reached a boiling point in the capital, and thousands of people gathered at the entrance of the imperial palace, holding signs and protesting against Chu Ze’s actions.

Ironically, protest marches were a novel tactic that Chu Ze himself had first used to rally support from the peasants when he sought to ruin the nobility and upper classes of Chu.

Now, the people had learned from his example and were using these very marches to express their outrage at his brutal actions against the neighbouring countries and the Demonic Beast Forest.

Influenced by various external forces, the people’s trust and support for Chu Ze plummeted, and some even began to harbour resentment against him.

“Hey! Have you heard? This locust plague is all because of the new king, Chu Ze, and his attacks on the Demonic Beast Forest.”

“I knew it! Why else would the locust plague strike right after those Steel Calvaries left?”

“I heard there are Sky Reaching realm locusts among them, it’s terrifying!”

“It’s like divine retribution! Why would His Majesty do this? Hasn’t he caused enough harm to his own people?”

The dissatisfaction and unrest toward Chu Ze had reached a point where even his loyal Brocade-clad Soldiers were disheartened. They spent countless hours hunting down those suspected of spreading dissent, but all they found were lifeless bodies.

But their grim discoveries were interpreted differently by the public. Many believed that Chu Ze had resorted to killing his own citizens to quell the crisis, and that he had pointed their blades at them, the ordinary people of the country.

As chaos and instability engulfed Chu, Murong Lin, stationed at the borders of the Demonic Beast Forest, couldn’t hide his delight. He watched the system window with satisfaction:

“Ding! The protagonist Chu Ze’s ‘little protagonist halo’ has started to shatter, his protagonist value has dropped by 50.”

“Ding! Congratulations to master for obtaining a villain value of 50, you may use them to purchase items in the system shop.”

Translator’s note

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