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

Zhao Yuan, wearing a black cloak, stood proudly at the bow of the ship and laughed.

"Hey brothers, how have you been?"

Zhao Yuan's voice was amplified by the Qi, rolling and echoing across the water.

"Uncle Zhao! What do you mean by this?" The man with the mustache shouted across the water, his face grim. "Where's the news? Has Jiang Zhen... Chief Jiang agreed to our demands?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Yuan burst into wild laughter as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world.

"Requirements? What requirements? Hahahaha! You bunch of blind idiots!"

Zhao Yuan's smile vanished, his expression instantly turning icy. He abruptly waved his hand and bowed towards the distance, his voice booming like thunder:

"Hmph! Jiang Zhen, the gang leader, is a true master of the Cao Gang, blessed by Heaven and divinely ordained by our patriarch! He is compassionate and unwilling to commit further bloodshed. I, Zhao Yuan, have come on the orders of my gang leader to subdue all the factions! I urge you to quickly open your strongholds and surrender, bind your hands, and return towards the Demon Capital to atone for your sins! Anyone who resists—"

He paused, a cruel glint in his eyes. "If you resist stubbornly, the fate of Qian Laofei of the Huaihe River faction and Sun Dayantong of the Yangtze River faction will serve as a warning to you! Once my army is deployed, you will have no chance to beg for mercy!"

The people on the dock were stunned for a moment, then immediately understood, and their boundless anger erupted instantly.

"Zhao Yuan! You old scoundrel who betrayed your friends for personal gain!"

"You betrayed us as a way to get promoted!"

"Go to hell with Gang Leader Jiang! Zhao Yuan, you'll die a horrible death!"

……

The shouts and curses rose and fell, utterly offensive. Those who had initially hoped Zhao Yuan would protect them now wished they could tear him to pieces.

Standing at the bow of the boat, Zhao Yuan listened to the curses without showing any anger. Instead, he revealed an expression of extreme enjoyment. He even leisurely took out his pipe from his pocket, lit it, and took a satisfying puff.

He knew perfectly well that the "supervisors" Jiang Zhen had sent were watching from the deputy ship at the back.

If these old buddies surrendered one by one with tears of gratitude, how could Zhao Yuan demonstrate his loyalty in "sacrificing family for the greater good"? How could he show the "difficulties and obstacles" of the subjugation work?

The harsher the insults and the more violent the beatings, the stronger his reputation will be in Jiang Zhen's eyes!

"Well said! Well said!" Zhao Yuan exhaled a smoke ring and muttered to himself.

Sure enough, the lament of the loser was as melodious as the howl of a stray dog ​​on the roadside.

Immediately, Zhao Yuan's face darkened, and he abruptly drew his long sword from his waist, pointing it forward:

"Stubborn fools! As members of the Grand Canal Gang, how dare you openly defy the Gang Leader's orders! Grand Canal Corps, heed my command, attack! Anyone who resists, kill without mercy!"

The outcome of this battle was a foregone conclusion.

Zhao Yuan was a veteran of the Canal Gang, a senior leader, and knew the defenses of these smaller gangs like the back of his hand. Their strength was on a completely different level.

In addition, Jiang Zhen's infamous reputation for "overturning the Yangtze River" had already spread like a plague along the waterways. When the lowly canal workers heard that it was a personal order from the gang leader and saw that Zhao Yuan had surrendered, their fighting spirit instantly collapsed by more than half.

Zhao Yuan's recapture was extremely smooth, even ruthless, like an autumn wind sweeping away fallen leaves. After conquering each stronghold, his first instinct wasn't to loot the treasure, but to tie up the leaders. Those who cooperated well he would untie with a resentful expression; those who were dissatisfied he would beat; and those who talked too much he would be beheaded. His sycophantic behavior was incredibly vivid.

For several whole months.

From Suzhou and Hangzhou in the south to the upper reaches of the Grand Canal in the north, the various waterways and wharves that were once occupied by the canal gangs underwent an unprecedented reshuffle.

Zhao Yuan worked like a madman, vying for credit. He led the fleet back and forth across the Grand Canal, fighting without stopping for a moment. His efficiency was so high that even Bai Fu, who had originally planned to support him, was astonished.

"Master Bai, please rest well. Leave this heavy work to me. You are a benefactor to the gang leader. If you have time, please put in a good word for me with him."

After dealing with Bai Fu, they immediately set sail again to find the remaining fugitives.

Half a month later, when Zhao Yuan went on patrol again, he was dismayed to find that he could no longer find any resistance forces to which he could gain "credit".

"Damn it, where is the backbone of a member of the Canal Gang!" Zhao Yuan led his troops on a aimless tour of the river, cursing the gang leaders in his heart.

The remaining hall masters, after the initial shock and anger, were completely plunged into despair.

They receive messages every day:

"A certain hall master was chopped up and fed to the fish by Zhao Yuan himself because he said something bad about Chief Jiang."

"A certain water village was razed to the ground by Zhao Yuan, who had prior knowledge of the plan to escape with money."

It's better to gamble that Jiang Zhen won't settle scores with these leaders than to have Zhao Yuan come knocking on their door.

……

Under such intense pressure, the remaining hall masters lost all hope. Letters, filled with humble wording and almost obsequious tone, flew to Jiang Zhen like snowflakes.

"I, so-and-so, a sinner, am willing to acknowledge Chief Jiang as the sole true master of the Canal Gang. I hereby surrender all my possessions, men, and territory, and have no other intentions whatsoever..."

Thus, the Canal Gang, which had been fragmented and ruled independently for hundreds of years, was finally unified under Jiang Zhen's iron fist.

Inside a temporary tent amidst the ruins of the former Sun Family Water Village, Jiang Zhen finished reading the last letter of surrender.

"It's almost time." Jiang Zhen stood up and looked out the window at the Yangtze River, which was gradually returning to calm. "Fifth Master, Master Bai, how's the work of incorporating the scattered soldiers of the Yangtze River Herald going?"

Bai Fu stepped forward, his face beaming with joy: "Don't worry, Chief. All of Sun's cronies are long dead, and with Zhao Yuan killing people nonstop over there, their two thousand-plus men have been terrified. Master Feng personally came out to appease them and gave them ample resettlement fees. Now these people are extremely grateful to us and have been dispersed and incorporated into the gang."

Master Feng tapped his pipe and sighed, "Xiao Zhen, I have to admit that Zhao Yuan is truly a talent. In the past few months, he has managed to gnaw away at all the remaining bones. His ruthlessness and cruelty are something even I, an old man, am ashamed of."

Jiang Zhen smiled faintly: "That's his survival instinct. Anyone would become smarter when a knife is held to their throat."

"Now that the situation is settled, we should go back and pass on my leader's order."

Master Feng and Bai Fu immediately stood up solemnly from their chairs, "Please give your instructions, Chief!"

A resolute glint flashed in Jiang Zhen's eyes. "Order all hall masters and managers of the Cao Gang to rush to Shanghai on the fifteenth of next month to hold the first Cao Gang Congress since I, Jiang Zhen, took over as gang leader!"

"I have a new rule, and I will establish it publicly."

The news sent shockwaves through the rivers and lakes.

Those hall masters who had surrendered but were still uneasy and hiding in the water stronghold all day, fearing being purged, all breathed a sigh of relief when they received this formal "invitation".

"The gang leader summoned me; that's a way out!"

After all, if you want to kill someone, you don't need to make such a big fuss; you can just send Zhao Yuan's lackey.

They dared not delay in the slightest and set off immediately upon receiving the news. Although they were still apprehensive, fearing it was a trap, none dared to disobey. If they dared not go, Zhao Yuan's fleet could be at their doorstep the next day.

Then, a spectacular scene unfolded.

From the various tributaries of the Grand Canal, from the winding Yangtze River to the magnificent Huai River, merchant ships, warships, and fast boats flying the flags of the Canal Caravan set off one after another. Each ship was laden with all sorts of valuable gifts: chests of gold bars, rare antiques, and even the most famous local specialties.

To outsiders, this doesn't seem like a meeting; it looks more like officials paying tribute.

On the fifteenth, at the Huangpu River pier in Shanghai.

The river wind howls, and banners blot out the sky.

With so many people arriving, the once spacious Shanghai dock was completely packed. Looking out, the river was filled with masts, like a dense, impenetrable forest. Thousands of boats of all sizes were lined up, even calming the surging river.

At the dock, former members of the Shanghai Gang, all dressed in black short-sleeved shirts and with red armbands, formed two long lines.

Their faces were filled with undisguised pride. They were originally just lowly soldiers in the Shanghai gang, but now they had become core members of the Cao Gang headquarters. It was incredibly satisfying, and they were practically looking down on everyone else.

The hall masters who used to be treated with utmost respect are now fawning over them.

……

"Master Zhao, you've arrived too." A gang leader who had just disembarked saw Zhao Yuan and hurriedly greeted him humbly.

Zhao Yuan, now reverting to his boss-like demeanor, walked over from a distance, picking his teeth as he did so. He glanced sideways at the other man, then at the ship behind him. "Brought gifts?"

"I brought them, I brought them. How could I come to meet the gang leader empty-handed for the first time? Eight large chests of gold ingots, and a pair of corals from the East China Sea!"

"Hmph, that's alright, at least you guys have some filial piety." Zhao Yuan waved his hand. "Go inside, the gang leader is waiting in the main hall. Remember, don't look around or say anything carelessly, or my knife won't rust before it does."

"Yes Yes Yes……"

……

During this period, in order to make the original Shanghai branch worthy of the name of the Canal Gang headquarters, Master Feng personally participated in the design, construction and procurement. He acted as the owner, general contractor and supervisor. Everything had to be the best, it had to be big and luxurious but not frivolous, it had to be solemn, with high requirements and high standards.

They meticulously scrutinized every detail during the inspection. If it weren't for the meeting tomorrow and the deadline, Feng Wuye would have scrutinized countless more details.

At this moment, in the headquarters lobby, before Jiang Zhen even entered, hundreds of leaders from various branches of the Canal Gang were already standing densely below.

"Xiao Zhen, everyone's here. It's your turn to go on stage." In the back hall, Master Feng reminded Jiang Zhen, who was standing by the window looking at the densely packed boats on the river.

Sunlight streamed through the stained glass, casting its glow on Jiang Zhen's young face as he watched the numerous ships from all corners of the world resting peacefully on the river, as if overlooking a vast power that had once been chaotic but now trembled in his hands.

From this moment on, Jiang Zhen was no longer just a powerful figure in Shanghai, but the overlord who controlled all the rivers and streams on this land.

(Finally, I've reached 100,000 words! I wonder how everyone's impressions are. Please forgive me if there are any shortcomings. Let me explain my motivation for writing this book. I've read quite a few Under One Person fanfics on Yangshizi, and some plots and beginnings have become a bit tiresome for me. I even wrote some of those complaints in the book. I wanted to find something new to read, but there wasn't anything I really wanted to read, so I decided to just write my own. There might be many readers who don't like what I've written, or who think it's not what they're looking for. But if you've read this far, you've at least reached 100,000 words. Thank you all. Finally, I'd like to ask everyone to share what points of fatigue you've experienced with Under One Person fanfics, so that future readers who want to write their own novels can refer to this.)

Chapter 36 Order to Kill the Sun

Shanghai, now the headquarters of the Canal Gang.

It has transformed from an unassuming little hall into a magnificent building standing on the banks of the Huangpu River.

Inside the main hall, the space, which was a thousand square meters, now seemed somewhat crowded. Hundreds of hall masters and managers from all over the country, who wielded great influence along the Grand Canal and the Yangtze River, were all standing silently with their heads bowed.

On the high platform, a huge armchair lay across the center. The chair was carved from a single piece of shipwreck wood.

Jiang Zhen stepped onto the high platform.

When Jiang Zhen sat firmly in the main seat, the air in the entire hall seemed to freeze instantly.

Fifth Master Feng stood on the lower left, his old eyes filled with undisguised satisfaction and emotion. Bai Fu, on the other hand, stood on the lower right, fanning himself with a paper fan, constantly scanning the old foxes below who had once harbored their own ulterior motives but were now trembling with fear.

silence.

The deathly silence lasted for about ten breaths.

Standing at the very front, Zhao Yuan's back was already soaked with cold sweat. He cursed inwardly, "Damn it, this guy is getting scarier and scarier."

Seeing that the time was right, Zhao Yuan suddenly took a step forward, knelt on one knee, clasped his hands together and raised them high above his head, letting out the loudest roar of his life:

"Zhao Yuan, the captain of the Grand Canal! Leading all the members of the shipping guild, seventy-two main halls, and three hundred and sixty-five small wharves—a total of over a hundred hall managers—all have arrived!"

"Please, Master, give me instructions!"

Before he finished speaking, the dark mass of hall masters behind him knelt down on one knee in unison, like waves of harvested wheat.

"Please give me instructions, Master!"

The roars of hundreds of people coalesced into a visible wave of sound, like thunder from a clear sky, exploding with deafening force. The sound surged out of the headquarters, swept across the Huangpu River, and reverberated for several blocks around, causing countless passersby to turn around in alarm.

Jiang Zhen sat in his high position, facing the thunderous shouts of loyalty that would chill ordinary people to the bone, yet his expression remained completely unchanged. He merely raised his hand slightly, his five fingers pressing down lightly.

The overwhelming shouts came to an abrupt halt with just a gentle press.