Under One Person: The Sea Emperor Who Shattered Heaven and Earth

Just as his murderous aura was about to explode, Jiang Zhen exhaled a long breath and slowly loosened his clenched fist.

He surveyed the group of seasoned veterans, each with their own distinct demeanor and hidden agendas.

"Whether you believe it or not, it's true. Please take this seriously and think it through." Jiang Zhen's voice was devoid of any emotion. "And the three points I just mentioned are not for discussion, they are orders, and you must obey them."

Jiang Zhen turned around, his back to them, his voice as cold as iron: "You can leave now. I said I would give you seven days. If your respective branches do not express their obedience within seven days... when the time comes, I, Jiang Zhen, will personally come to your door. At that time, it won't be as simple as smashing a few tables. I will cut down mountains and destroy temples, and trample your so-called territory, which you are so proud of, into flat ground, inch by inch."

Everyone was stunned.

They had expected Jiang Zhen to forcibly detain them in Shanghai, coercing them into signing some humiliating treaty. They were even prepared to bleed money and relinquish some profits to save their lives, intending to exact revenge later. But they never imagined that Jiang Zhen would simply let them go.

"You...you really intend to let us go like this?" Grandpa Zhao asked, somewhat incredulously.

"Let's go." Jiang Zhen waved his hand without looking at them.

"I hope you will take my words to heart."

The group exchanged glances, their eyes filled with doubt and ruthlessness. They disregarded their decorum, supporting each other, and didn't even bother to greet Master Feng. In their view, he was no longer a voice in the Magic City Hall. They warily watched Jiang Zhen's retreating figure, inching backward step by step.

They retreated all the way to the entrance of the hall, and even completely back onto the street outside the hall. Only when they realized that Jiang Zhen had no intention of chasing them did the group of big shots suddenly turn around, scramble into their respective carriages or cars, and retreat frantically like stray dogs.

They were all thinking: Jiang Zhen is still too young! Who does he think he can scare? Letting a tiger return to the mountain, does he really think his little bit of supernatural abilities can really subdue the entire Canal Gang? Once we get back to our stronghold and gather our forces, let's see how long this Jiang Zhen can remain so arrogant!

Don't underestimate the Cao Gang just because they're a disorganized bunch and their martial arts skills are lacking. If you really piss them off, the entire Cao Gang will stand together and not care about any other sects like Longhu Mountain, Sanyi Sect, Quanzhen Sect, Shangqing Sect, or Wudang Sect. If you're not afraid of death, come and challenge them.

After everyone left, the hall returned to deathly silence.

Jiang Zhen watched as Lin Zhu slowly walked out from behind the stone pillar and spoke.

"I'm sorry, Miss Lin, I hope you'll forgive my poor appearance."

"I will arrange for someone to send you back to Tengshan immediately. These are turbulent times, so please also inform the senior members of the sect that it is quite good to stay on the mountain."

But Lin Zhu asked, somewhat incredulously, "Are the Japanese really going to fight?"

Jiang Zhen nodded heavily.

"Understood. I will write to inform the sect about this matter immediately. However, I will not leave for now. If what you say is true, there will be countless casualties once the war starts. I, Tengshan, am also a physician and cannot stand by and watch people die. Besides, my master also asked me to go down the mountain to gain experience. So I will stay here with you to make medicine for now."

Hearing Lin Zhu's words, Jiang Zhen was taken aback, then clasped his hands in a salute.

"Then Jiang Zhen will thank Miss Lin in advance. Please rest assured, as long as I live, I will protect you."

Jiang Zhen then turned to look at the dazed-looking Fifth Master Feng.

"Fifth Master, do you also think I was too reckless just now?"

Master Feng finally came to his senses. He looked at the ruins on the ground, then at Jiang Zhen, and sighed deeply, his voice filled with exhaustion: "Little Zhen... this is more than just recklessness. You've pushed all the big bosses of the canal gangs in the world to your opposite side."

"Besides, since we've already torn off all pretenses, we should have just gone all the way from the start."

"Letting them go like this is tantamount to releasing a tiger back into the mountains. Do you know that once they go back, the first thing they will do is not to compile the list as you requested and obey you, but to think about how to kill you."

Jiang Zhen sat back down on a relatively intact stone bench, his eyes deep: "I know. But there's no time, and besides, what use would it be if I detained them?"

"Fifth Master, my prestige is not that high. Even if I kill them today, or force them to submit, those scattered gangs and branches will never submit to me. On the contrary, they will fall into internal strife due to the lack of a leader, and may even directly defect to outsiders."

"Although they would be more chaotic and thus easier for me to control later, that's not what I want."

"As for letting them go..." Jiang Zhen smiled, "At least they can maintain stability before I arrive, preventing the Japanese from taking advantage of the situation. The canal transport is crucial in wartime. Of course, I still hope for a bit of luck. If anyone obeys within these seven days, that would be a blessing. If not..."

Master Feng fell silent. He never expected things to turn out this way, and finally sighed helplessly.

……

Time passed in an eerily quiet stillness.

On the first day, the branch in Shanghai received no response.

The next day, rumors circulated that after returning to the canal, Grandpa Zhao ordered that no ships from the Shanghai branch be allowed to pass.

On the third day, Master Sun held a grand banquet in the Three Gorges. Not only did he not stop the opium, but in order to embarrass Jiang Zhen, he also bought up a large amount of goods, euphemistically calling it "stockpiling grain".

On the fourth day, Chief Qian publicly declared on the Huai River that Jiang Zhen had not only gone mad, but had also colluded with evil forces, and called on heroes from all walks of life to join forces to punish him.

Seven whole days.

There was no list, no report on supplies, and no authority to allocate resources was handed over.

The three hall masters and their respective halls gave Jiang Zhen a resounding slap in the face in the most decisive way: they were not only not convinced, but also prepared to get revenge.

Furthermore, with the tacit cooperation of various branches, the supply and information channels, as well as the canal transport, of the Shanghai branch began to be subtly cut off. Those managers who were usually respectful to Master Feng all disappeared at this time.

Jiang Zhen's location in the Shanghai gang that night became known to the entire martial arts world through the spread of information by certain individuals, leading everyone to believe that Jiang Zhen had become arrogant.

Everyone felt that although Jiang Zhen possessed exceptional martial arts skills and had gained recognition from various prestigious sects after his battle at the Lu family, he was ultimately just an individual. A nouveau riche who was ignorant of the rules of the martial world and the distribution of benefits was destined to drown in the quagmire of the Canal Gang.

On the morning of the eighth day, a heavy rain fell in Shanghai.

Jiang Zhen stood under the eaves of the hall, watching the rainwater flow down the tiles, forming transparent curtains of water.

"Jiang Zhen." Lin Zhu walked over, holding an oil-paper umbrella, and handed him a telegram that had just been received. "This is what Master Bai just received. It's a telegram from Beiping to the whole country."

Jiang Zhen's hand trembled almost imperceptibly as he took the telegram.

He slowly opened it.

Actually, there was no need to turn it on; the clock in his mind had already precisely jumped to that position.

"Late at night on July 7th, the Japanese garrison was conducting exercises near Lugou Bridge in Wanping County, Beiping. Using the pretext of a missing soldier, they forcibly demanded entry into Wanping City to search. Our army resolutely refused. The Japanese brazenly opened fire, and fierce fighting ensued..."

At the very moment the telegram reached Jiang Zhen, the news, like a devastating thunderbolt, instantly crossed mountains and rivers, spreading throughout the entire land of China.

Newsboys ran wildly through the streets of Shanghai in the pouring rain, their hoarse voices echoing through the downpour:

"Extra! Extra! The war has broken out in Beiping! The Japanese have stormed Lugou Bridge!"

"Wanping City under attack! The 29th Army fights back fiercely!"

"The war has begun!!"

The bustling metropolis, which had been immersed in a life of song and dance, seemed to have been put on pause in that instant.

the other side

Grandpa Zhao, who was lying in bed, was so shocked by the news that he fell off the bed and landed face-first in the dirt.

Sun, who was still transporting opium, dropped his wine cup into the river with a "plop".

Qian, who was still planning to attack Jiang Zhen, almost popped his one eye out when he saw the carrier pigeon flying back from the north.

The image of that young man's prophetic words, spoken seven days earlier amidst the ruins of the hall and dismissed as madness, echoed in their minds simultaneously:

"Prepare for war."

"His jinx really came true?!"

Jiang Zhen casually crumpled the coded telegram into a ball, and the paper instantly vaporized in his palm, disappearing without a trace.

He looked up, rain wetting his cheeks. Under the dark sky, about to be ignited by war, his eyes shone with a chilling light.

"Time is up."

Jiang Zhen said softly.

Lin Zhu, standing behind him, felt that Jiang Zhen was like a giant hammer that had been suppressed for too long, finally finding its target to smash down.

"Miss Lin, is your medicine ready?"

Lin Zhu nodded: "The first batch of 'Qi-Strengthening Powder' has been completed. As you requested, its hemostatic and instantaneous excitation effects have been enhanced, but it puts a great strain on the body."

"It's alright." Jiang Zhen strode into the cold rain. "You can only talk about overdrafting when you're alive."

A figure also hurriedly walked over at that moment.

"Master Bai!"

Jiang Zhen called out.

Bai Fu stumbled out from behind, soaking wet and pale: "Xiao Zhen...it's really started fighting! It's really started fighting! Those short guys really..."

"Hmm." Jiang Zhen no longer showed much emotion.

"Please tell Fifth Master to prepare a small boat for me. I want to personally greet all the hall masters. Also, please send one last telegram to those hall masters for me."

"What did the telegram say?"

Jiang Zhen glanced coldly at the north, his tone carrying a chilling authority:

"Just write five words—'I'm here to kill someone.'"

In the rain, Jiang Zhen took a step forward. The ground beneath his feet did not crack, but instead emitted a heavy, muffled sound like a heartbeat.

Chapter 26 The First Ocean Cruise (4000 words)

Upon hearing Jiang Zhen's words, Bai Fu immediately ordered people to prepare boats while simultaneously sending a telegram.

Jiang Zhen looked into the distance. The drizzle in Shanghai continued without stopping, the raindrops falling on the blue bricks like broken pearls.

Half an hour later.

"Xiao Zhen, the boat is ready and is at the dock in the back alley."

Bai Fu looked at Jiang Zhen with emotion, recalling when Jiang Zhen first joined their Shanghai branch. Back then, one of the things everyone liked to discuss most every day was how much Jiang Zhen could eat. The young man who used to joke around with everyone had now become so imposing.

"Okay, thank you for your help," Jiang Zhen replied casually. He stretched out his hand, feeling the coolness of the raindrops falling on his palm.

"Let's go then."

“Alright, the hundred brothers I temporarily arranged for you are waiting for you there. I’ve already told them everything to be done according to your instructions. Is that enough manpower? If not, give us another half day. Besides the brothers who are going out to transport supplies, we can gather another 300 men.” Bai Fu asked Jiang Zhen about his request.

But Jiang Zhen shook his head.

"No need to trouble yourself, I'll go alone. I'll trouble you to stay here and help Fifth Master guard the territory in Shanghai. In case things get chaotic in the north, we can look out for each other."

"What?! Alone!" *2

The first sound is Bai Fu's.

Another scream, as sharp as a broken gong, came from the back room. Master Feng rushed over, still holding an old opium pipe, his old face now filled with rage.

"Xiao Zhen, repeat what you just said? Go alone? What do you think the Huaihe branch is, a place you can come and go as you please? That's the territory of One-Eyed Fatty Qian! He's one of the top transporters in the canal gang. That bastard has been operating in the Huaihe for over twenty years. Besides several thousand men under his command, he also has a proper firearms battalion that he got from the foreign firm! Are you going alone because you're tired of living, or because you think my reputation is too bad?!"

Jiang Zhen turned around, looked at the old man who was truly devoted to him, and softened his tone: "Fifth Master, you know my abilities. If a fight really breaks out, I won't be able to care about anyone else."

He pointed to the ground beneath his feet, and a faint tremor emanated from the air. "My ability... injures enemies over a wide area, indiscriminately. But with more people, it becomes restrictive."