All Heavens: Dual Cultivation of Magic and Martial Arts Starting from the Republic of China

Chapter 74 The End of the Conspiracy

Gunfire erupted.

In front of the command post, two rows of soldiers pulled the triggers almost simultaneously.

The flames stretched across the night sky, and bullets rained down on Fu Ze, Tang Ziming, Zhao Rui, and the others!

Fu Ze had already sensed something was wrong the moment the officer raised his hand.

So, just before the gunshot rang out, he had already grabbed Tang Ziming's shoulder and pulled him back half a step.

At the same time, the talisman in his left hand ignited, and a layer of pale golden light suddenly spread out in front of him.

"spread!"

Fu Ze said in a low voice.

The dozen or so personal guards behind Tang Ziming were, after all, his elite soldiers. Although the incident was sudden, they reacted extremely quickly, immediately throwing themselves to the sides and rolling around, using roadside stone blocks, corners of walls, and the wreckage of carriages for cover.

Bang bang bang!

The bullet struck the golden light, creating ripples.

A few also flew past, grazing the golden edges, and struck the walls and street stones, scattering debris and dust.

Fu Ze could block the frontal attack for a moment, but he couldn't protect himself from all directions.

Zhao Rui has already made his move.

boom!

Just as one of the soldiers pointed his gun at a bodyguard behind Tang Ziming, his wrist exploded in blood, and the rifle fell from his hand to the ground.

boom!

The second shot pierced another soldier's shoulder socket, and that man's entire right arm drooped down instantly.

boom!

The third shot was fired, but no one was shot.

Because the soldier had already pulled the trigger, and the muzzle was pointed directly at the chest of a guard who couldn't dodge in time.

Without the slightest hesitation, Zhao Rui sent a bullet piercing the soldier's forehead.

The man fell backward!

Tang Ziming's eyes twitched slightly, but he said nothing.

He knew that if that shot hadn't killed him, it would have been his own personal guard who had been shot.

Zhao Rui said coldly.

"This cannot be kept."

Tang Ziming gritted his teeth.

"Understood. Show some restraint, but kill when necessary!"

Immediately, he drew his gun and gave a stern order to his personal guards behind him.

"Everyone, listen up! Hold back as much as possible. Shoot for the arm if you can, aim for the shoulder if you can! If the enemy's gun is pointed at a vital spot, don't hesitate, kill them instantly!"

Upon receiving the order, the guards, who had been somewhat hesitant, immediately regained their composure.

They weren't slaughtering their comrades; they were saving their own lives. More importantly, they were stopping those controlled by evil magic from harming more of their own people.

Fu Ze nodded inwardly upon hearing Tang Ziming's order.

"This is the kind of leader you should be."

You can feel sad, you can feel angry, but you must never be confused!

He looked up at the two rows of soldiers in front of the headquarters gate.

The soldiers' eyes gleamed with an increasingly intense blue light, yet their expressions remained stiff and calm. Gunshots, screams, and the fall of their comrades failed to shake them in the slightest.

They are not like corpse puppets.

The body still has the yang energy of a living person, and the blood and qi are normal — what is truly bizarre is that sense of "obedience" that has been forcibly distorted!

Fu Zeling scanned the area and quickly spotted tiny specks of yellow paper, about the size of rice grains, on the back of the necks of the men, inside their collars, and in the seams of their gun straps.

The yellow paper had extremely fine vermilion patterns that flickered between light and dark, following the seal formed by the shadow on the second floor.

"It really is evil magic."

Fu Ze's eyes turned slightly cold.

These things don't forcibly take away a soldier's soul; rather, they twist the soldier's inherent sense of obedience into a single, unwavering force.

They thought they were strictly following military orders, and the more loyal one was to military orders, the more easily they were lured by this magic!

"That's fucking insidious!"

Fu Ze did not linger.

A sudden burst of golden light erupted in front of him, and he hurtled through the hail of bullets.

A soldier had just reloaded his gun when a glint of blue light flashed in his eyes, and he raised his gun again.

Fu Ze was already in front of him.

With his left hand, he grasped the wrist holding the gun and gently turned it outward.

Click.

His wrist was dislocated, and the rifle fell to the ground.

The soldier tried to pull out his bayonet with his left hand, but Fu Ze's right palm was already on his shoulder.

He flicked his wrist.

The shoulder joints were misaligned, and the entire arm hung limply.

Immediately afterwards, Fu Ze gently sliced ​​the side of his neck with the edge of his palm.

The soldier's eyes flashed with a bluish light, and he fainted on the spot.

The whole process was as smooth as flowing water, and in fact it took less than a second. The speed was so fast that ordinary people couldn't even react!

Fu Ze casually ripped a piece of yellow paper from under his collar.

The moment the yellow paper left the body, the remaining blue light in the man's eyes quickly dimmed.

"it works."

Fu Ze understood.

He moved again.

Just as the second soldier was about to turn and fire, Fu Ze shifted his feet, skirting the gun barrel to the side. With a flick of his wrist, he first grabbed the soldier's elbow joint, then pressed down with the momentum.

Click.

Elbow dislocation!

The opponent's body stiffened just as Fu Ze placed a palm on his chest, specifically at the xiphoid process. He then gently released his energy.

The soldier seemed to have all his strength drained away; he let out a muffled groan and immediately fell into a deep coma.

The third, the fourth, the fifth —

Fu Ze moved through the gunfire like a gust of wind skimming the ground.

To the average person, all they saw was a flash of his figure before soldiers dropped their weapons, their arms drooped, and they collapsed unconscious.

He is now a Grandmaster of Internal Energy, and also has the aid of magic. To deal with these ordinary soldiers, as long as he can get close, he can completely incapacitate them with minimal losses.

One touch, one turn, one shake.

The person instantly loses their fighting ability.

Suddenly, on the steps of the headquarters, a charged officer drew his pistol and, as Fu Ze turned to the side, fired at his back.

Zhao Rui saw it.

boom!

The officer's wrist was pierced.

But he gritted his teeth and used his other hand to pick up the pistol.

Zhao Rui's eyes turned cold.

The second shot hit his shoulder.

The man fell to the ground and could not get up.

Zhao Rui cursed under his breath.

"These people are really not afraid of pain."

With a grim face, Tang Ziming raised his gun and shattered a soldier's right arm that was holding the gun.

He didn't hold back much, but he felt like a stone was pressing on his chest.

These people were originally the garrison soldiers of Wenlong City.

He recognized some of them, and some had even saluted him on the training field.

But now, they're pointing their guns at their own people.

Tang Ziming's anger burned ever brighter.

It's not about these soldiers, but about the sorcerer hiding behind them!

Behind the second-floor window of the headquarters, that small, thin figure flashed by again.

Fu Ze caught it in his peripheral vision.

This time, the man did not retreat immediately.

He stood in the shadows behind the window, his hands clasped together, his fingers interlocked in a strange way. The hand seals were fast and complex, as if pressing some kind of yin-yang transformation between his fingers.

As he formed the hand seal, the soldiers who had not yet fallen in front of the gate simultaneously felt a surge of blue light in their eyes.

Their movements became faster and more rigid. Some even opened fire without regard for their companions blocking their way.

The bullet pierced the controlled soldier's shoulder and then shot towards Fu Ze!

"That guy is forcing these soldiers to their deaths!"

Fu Ze's eyes turned cold.

They spared the soldiers because there was still hope. But if they continued, even more would die.

Fu Ze stomped his foot, and spiritual energy surged out from his Niwan Palace.

"The Supreme Clarity's Golden Light, Suppressing Delusion and Dispelling Illusion!"

The talisman burned in his palm.

The golden light didn't expand outwards, but rather condensed into a thin arc of light. Like a whip, it swept across the soldiers at the forefront as Fu Ze waved his hand.

The golden light did not harm flesh and blood, but instead specifically attacked the yellow paper talismans attached to the back of the neck, collar, and holster.

Chi Chi Chi!

Several pieces of yellow paper started smoking at the same time.

The soldiers' eyes flashed with a strange light, and their movements slowed down considerably.

Fu Ze seized the opportunity and rushed forward.

Wrist, elbow, shoulder, side of neck—his movements were so fast they were almost invisible, and with each strike, he precisely neutralized a combat ability.

Zhao Rui was responsible for keeping an eye on all dangerous gun barrels.

As soon as someone's gun barrel passed over Fu Ze and pressed towards Tang Ziming and his personal guards, he would immediately open fire.

Shoot the wrist if you can. If there's no time, shoot the head!

Tang Ziming's personal guards gradually regained their footing and followed Tang Ziming, pressing in from both sides to form a crossfire.

The gunfire in front of the command post quickly subsided.

Finally, the officer who gave the order to fire was still standing on the steps.

The darkest blue light was in his eyes, and there was even a larger yellow paper talisman faintly visible on the back of his neck, wriggling slightly against his skin.

Tang Ziming saw his face clearly, and his voice turned cold.

"Deputy Officer Zhou."

The officer did not respond.

He raised his gun, pointing it directly at Tang Ziming.

This time, Tang Ziming did not hesitate, nor did he stand still.

He immediately dodged to the side and simultaneously raised his gun to fire.

boom!

The bullet struck Zhou's adjutant's wrist, and the pistol flew out of his hand.

Almost at the same instant, Fu Ze was already right in front of the other person.

Deputy Zhou drew his knife with a backhand motion and slashed at Fu Ze's throat.

Fu Ze raised his hand and clasped it.

With five fingers like iron hoops, they locked the other person's wrist.

Twist it again.

The knife fell, and the wrist was dislocated.

Then he wrapped his left palm around to the back of Zhou's neck and ripped it open.

The yellow paper talisman was torn off, skin and blood still attached!

The bluish light in Zhou's eyes suddenly dimmed, and his body convulsed violently.

Fu Ze originally intended to knock him unconscious.

But in that instant, Zhou's eyes briefly regained a sliver of clarity.

He stared intently at Fu Ze, his voice hoarse.

"Second floor — Staff room —"

Before he could finish speaking, his eyes rolled back and he fainted.

Fu Ze helped him up and laid him on the ground.

Tang Ziming's face was grim.

"He's awake?"

"He was only awake for a moment."

Fu Ze looked towards the second floor of the headquarters.

"But that's enough."

Zhao Rui changed a magazine and looked up at the window.

There was no one behind the window.

Only a small piece of yellow paper remained on the edge of the window frame.

A river breeze blows.

The yellow paper trembled slightly and drifted down through the window crack.

Fu Ze reached out and caught it.

The paper is extremely thin, with yellowed edges, and feels slightly cool to the touch.

The vermilion lines on it are not the vertical edicts and cloud seal script commonly found in Chinese talismans, but rather fine and winding lines, like many small characters that interlock with each other.

Even stranger, the paper had a very faint smell of the sea and a cloying sandalwood scent.

Zhao Rui leaned over and took a look.

"Is it this kind of thing again?"

Tang Ziming said in a low voice.

"A Japanese sorcerer?"

Fu Ze did not answer, but simply put the piece of paper into his sleeve.

"Go inside first. They shouldn't have gone far."

Tang Ziming nodded and immediately gave instructions to his personal guards.

"Keep an eye on all the injured. Tie up those who were knocked unconscious, gag them, and bind their hands and feet. Don't let them be led astray by magic again after they wake up."

"Save our surviving comrades if we can. But if anyone picks up a gun again, shoot them on sight!"

The guards responded in unison.

Tang Ziming, along with Fu Ze, Zhao Rui, and several elite soldiers, stormed into the city defense command headquarters.

As soon as they entered the gate, the situation inside was even more bizarre than they had expected.

There was no fierce fighting, nor a large number of corpses.

In the lobby on the first floor, several duty officers were tied up in a corner, their mouths gagged, their eyes bloodshot. Next to the telephone switchboard lay two operators, one unconscious and the other already lifeless.

The telephone line on the wall was neatly cut.

The door to the telegraph room was open, the equipment inside was smashed, and paper tapes were scattered all over the floor.

Yellow paper talismans were pasted on the doors of several offices, as if they had been temporarily sealed off. Loud banging came from inside, indicating that someone was trapped inside.

Tang Ziming's face turned ashen.

"They didn't come here to fight."

Fu Ze nodded.

"They're here to cripple the command headquarters."

Zhao Rui walked to the telephone switchboard and glanced down at the cut wires.

"The telephones, telegrams, and messengers—they've all been tampered with."

"Now that's a mess. Commander Chen is giving orders publicly from the meeting hall, but someone is impersonating him and issuing orders from headquarters. With orders from both sides in such a state of confusion, the soldiers can only listen to the one that is closest, fastest, and seems the most authentic."

Tang Ziming's fists clenched so tightly they cracked.

"The quartermaster department and the staff office are on the second floor."

Fu Zedao.

"Walk."

They hurried upstairs.

Two guards lay unconscious at the top of the stairs, without any fatal wounds. Each had a yellow paper talisman affixed to the back of their neck.

Fu Zeshun tore it up.

The bluish light in their eyes slowly faded, but they were still not awake.

The second-floor corridor was dimly lit.

The staff room door was half-closed.

Fu Ze raised his hand to signal everyone to stop, then kicked open the door.

The door flew out horizontally and crashed into the wall like a cannonball.

It shattered into many pieces with a bang!

The house was empty.

Several city defense maps were spread out on the table, an ink bottle had been overturned, and black ink had spilled all over the table. A large piece of the Wenlong city defense layout map on the wall had been torn off.

Tang Ziming strode forward.

"The defense maps for the East Gate, South Gate, Telegraph Office, and Police Station—all of these places have been torn up."

Zhao Rui picked up a copy of the transfer order from under the table.

There's something here.

Tang Ziming took a look, and his face darkened even more.

"The South Gate is rotated out. The East Gate is sealed off. The Telegraph Office is under the control of the Special Guard. The Police Station is temporarily under the control of the Quartermaster Department."

He flipped to the last page, his fingers pausing.

"Open the spare weapons at the main armory and issue them to the temporary quelling team."

Zhao Rui's expression changed.

"The main armory?"

Tang Ziming's voice was dry.

"There were more than just guns there. There were also artillery shells, explosives, machine guns, and most of the munitions that Commander Chen had accumulated over the years."

'

Fu Ze did not speak.

His gaze fell on the corner of the table.

There is a tattered map there, burned.

On the fragmented map, several locations are connected by extremely fine blue lines.

South Wharf, Welcome Hall, City Defense Command Headquarters, Telegraph Office, East Gate, South Gate, Police Station —

The last place was heavily enclosed.

It's the main armory!

Almost all of the places mentioned above have already experienced incidents.

Fu Ze picked up the tattered map, his heart sinking.

"Their real target is not the headquarters."

Zhao Rui took over the conversation.

"It's the main armory."

The voice just fell.

Suddenly, a streak of blue light rose in the distance outside the window.

The flash was unlike that of a regular signal flare.

It resembled a ball of blue flame tainted by magic. After rising into the air, it did not explode immediately, but slowly unfolded, forming a blurry symbol.

Fu Ze couldn't understand the symbol.

But he could sense that it carried a familiar, chilling aura, the same as those yellow paper talismans.

Tang Ziming's face turned deathly pale.

"That direction—that's the main armory."

Fu Ze gripped the lightning-struck jujube wood magic dagger tightly.

Blue and white lightning danced gently in my palm.

"Let's go! If we're any later, we'll be in real trouble."