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

Jiang Zhen did not speak.

Seeing this, Commissioner Chen took another half step forward, his tone becoming even more earnest: "The Chairman is overjoyed to learn of Chief Jiang's unparalleled achievements here. He has already prepared a state banquet in the mountain city, and the Chairman intends to personally award Chief Jiang the 'Special Class Hero Medal' and entrust him with important responsibilities. Please, Chief Jiang, come with me on this journey; the Chairman is eagerly awaiting your arrival."

As soon as he finished speaking, a murmur of discussion arose around him.

To master both literary and martial arts, and then serve the emperor—this is the irresistible allure of instant success for any commoner. To be ennobled, appointed a general, and bring glory to one's ancestors—an opportunity many could not attain in several lifetimes.

Jiang Zhen finally spoke.

The voice wasn't loud, but it drowned out all other noises, and every word was clear: "The survival of the nation is the responsibility of every citizen. This battle was fought by my brothers and by those extraordinary friends who came from afar. I, Jiang, cannot take credit for this alone; it is everyone's achievement."

Feng Wuye, Bai Fu, Zhao Yuan, and the other members of the canal gang looked at each other in bewilderment. Although the words sounded nice, they were all there and knew without a doubt who had contributed the most.

Special Envoy Chen's smile froze slightly: "Chief Jiang, this is an unparalleled honor, bestowed by the Chairman himself—"

Jiang Zhen raised his hand, interrupting him.

"Please tell that person for me that I am just a roughneck and don't like being constrained by officialdom. If there's nothing else important, I'm taking my brothers back to Shanghai."

Special Envoy Chen stood there, his lips moved a few times, but he didn't say anything in the end. He took out a handkerchief, wiped the fine beads of sweat from his forehead, bowed, and turned to get into the black sedan.

"I will definitely convey Chief Jiang's words." These were the last words Special Envoy Chen said before he left.

After the government officials left, the camp returned to its somber atmosphere.

Jiang Zhen strode toward the iron cage in the center of the camp.

As time passed, the Japanese lieutenant general in the cage stopped screaming. Sustained by the physician's medicine and subjected to the relentless torture by the Tang Clan and Wei Shufen, he now looked more like a pile of mangled flesh forcibly pieced together.

His body was covered in sore flesh that his limbs were atrophied and deformed, curled up like withered tree branches. His eyeballs bulged out, cloudy like two dead fish eyes.

As Jiang Zhen approached, there was no fluctuation in his cloudy eyes—no fear, no pleading, not even hatred. Nothing at all.

"Master," the gang member guarding the cage quickly stood up and replied, "This beast can't take any more treatment. It's already lost its mind. No matter what we do, it won't respond. And it looks like it won't last much longer."

"What bad luck." Jiang Zhen frowned in disgust.

He glanced down at the mass of minced meat, his tone as indifferent as if he were dealing with a beast awaiting slaughter: "Pound him alive, bit by bit, and finally cut off his head."

"Wash his head clean, pickle it with lime, and hang it on the bow of our flagship returning to Shanghai. I want all the Japanese devils to see what happens to their commander."

"As for the mashed meat," he turned around, his voice turning cold, "find a jar, put it in, and send it to the Japanese consulate."

Half an hour later, a final, extremely shrill groan, which was abruptly cut short, came from the cage.

Jiang Zhen stood not far away, watching quietly.

The moment this man decided to lead his troops onto this land, the outcome was already predetermined.

noon.

Several ships flying large black flags bearing the character "震" (zhen, meaning "earthquake") were moored at the dock. Tens of thousands of canal gang members boarded the ships in an orderly fashion, without any noise or chaos. On the deck, people came and went, and the sounds of footsteps, ropes rubbing together, and the creaking of the ship planks mingled together.

Jiang Zhen stood at the bow of the main ship.

The severed head of the Japanese vice admiral, now dismembered, was firmly nailed to the most conspicuous spot on the ship with an iron rod. A river breeze blew, causing the unseeing face to sway slightly, its empty sockets facing the direction of the Japanese mainland.

"sail!"

Master Feng roared from the deck, his voice carrying far across the river.

Both sides of the river were packed with people.

The people of Jinling City and the garrison troops who remained behind gathered densely on the riverbank. No one organized or called upon them; they came spontaneously. The endless crowd stood on the shore, watching the fleet sail away.

The fleet sailed further and further away, eventually disappearing from the water, while the people on the shore lingered for a long time before dispersing.

In a corner of the deck, Fang Dongtian was frowning as he held a Taoist classic, gesturing repeatedly to Jiang Zhen beside him while muttering incantations.

As Jiang Zhen listened, his eyelids began to droop, and he couldn't stay awake any longer. He quickly drifted into a half-awake, half-asleep state, truly a miracle cure for insomnia.

Just as the fleet was sailing, a small speedboat flying a special flag quickly approached.

A moment later, Bai Fu quickly walked onto the deck with a sealed bamboo tube in his hand.

"Boss, here's some intelligence from Jianghu Inn."

Jiang Zhen opened his blurry eyes and took the bamboo tube.

He opened the envelope, his eyes sweeping over the few lines of neat but forceful writing, and a smile appeared on his face.

"Boss, what does it say?" Fifth Master Feng asked, leaning closer.

"The war in Shanxi."

Jiang Zhen handed the letter to Master Feng, his tone revealing undisguised respect: "There is a great man over there. Although we are outnumbered and outequipped, the Japanese offensive has been completely thwarted. Several ambush battles were fought brilliantly. In the war in Shanxi, we have gained the upper hand."

Master Feng took the letter, glanced at it, and then slapped his thigh: "Good! The heroes of this world are indeed as numerous as carp crossing a river! The Japanese have lost nearly 500,000 troops on both sides combined. How satisfying!"

Chapter 70 East Sea Pillar State

A few days later, the waters of the Huangpu River were still just as familiar.

Several large ships slowly entered the river mouth. On the mast of the flagship at the very front, a skull, treated with lime, was nailed in place with an iron spike and swayed slightly in the river breeze.

"Boss, we're almost at the Bund pier."

Standing behind Jiang Zhen, Fifth Master Feng gazed at the gradually clearing buildings in the distance. His voice carried a hint of emotion, yet also a touch of unreality.

When they left Shanghai, they were almost prepared to die, but when they returned, they had become heroes.

Jiang Zhen stood with his hands behind his back at the bow of the ship, his gaze sweeping over the rows of towering buildings and the dense crowds on the Bund.

"That's quite a scene."

The Bund pier was completely surrounded by crowds.

At the front was a row of black luxury cars. Boss Du, dressed in an elegant gray long gown, stood solemnly in front of him. Behind him were all the well-known tycoons of Shanghai.

The remaining members of the canal gang lined up in two rows, dressed in black, stretching from the entrance of the dock all the way to where the landing platform was located.

On the other side, the scene was much more solemn, with a group of government officials dressed in sharp military uniforms and suits standing in a square formation, holding a huge red banner in front of them, and even a hastily assembled band playing a triumphal march.

Boss Du's gaze first fell on the severed head on the bow of the ship, his pupils contracting slightly before returning to calm. The reactions of the tycoons behind him were much more direct—some gasped, some instinctively took a half-step back, and some covered their mouths with handkerchiefs; the severed head was more convincing than any battle report.

"The gang leader is back!"

I don't know who shouted it first.

"Splash—"

The young men of the canal gangs on the dock raised their arms and shouted in unison. The voices of hundreds of people converged into a torrent, causing the water on the river to ripple.

"Welcome back to the city, Chief! The Canal Gang is mighty! Chief is mighty!"

The shouts grew louder and louder. The tycoons' ears were ringing from the noise, but not one of them dared to show any impatience.

The large ship slowly approached the shore. The landing board went down with a dull thud.

Jiang Zhen took the lead and walked steadily down.

Boss Du was the first to greet him. He quickly walked to a spot three steps away from Jiang Zhen, stopped, and bowed deeply.

As he stood up, a genuine excitement shone on his seasoned face. This powerful ally he had finally managed to latch onto had not only survived but was growing stronger.

"Boss," Boss Du lowered his voice, his tone carrying a reporting tone, "Fortunately, thanks to your reputation, no one has dared to cause trouble while you were away."

Jiang Zhen reached out and patted Boss Du on the shoulder: "Yes, thank you for your hard work."

Mr. Du's smile deepened, and he stepped aside.

Before he could even get back to his feet, the group of government officials had already impatiently surrounded him.

The leader was a special envoy, who was clearly of a higher rank than the previous special envoy, Chen, at the Zijin Mountain camp.

He had flown in overnight from the mountain city by private jet, his eyes still bloodshot, but he was extremely excited. Behind him, two guards carried a tray covered with red silk, on which lay a jewel-encrusted medal, a gold-embossed letter of appointment, and a neatly folded, brand-new general's uniform.

"Chief Jiang!"

The special envoy shouted, "Knowing that the Chairman is eager to return home, I have been entrusted by the Chairman to come and welcome the 'Pillar of the East Sea' back in triumph!"

He took a deep breath, trying to appear more solemn: "The Chairman is extremely concerned about the date of Chief Jiang's triumphant return. He has specially ordered me to take a private plane to Shanghai overnight to deliver the Chairman's care and commendation the moment you disembark!"

"The Pillar of the Eastern Sea?" Jiang Zhen repeated the four words, his tone tinged with confusion.

Upon seeing this, the special envoy quickly opened the gold-embossed official document in his hand, cleared his throat, and the military band's playing volume appropriately decreased, the entire dock quieted down, and he began to read it aloud.

"Jiang Zhen, the leader of the Cao Gang, is a man of great patriotism, loyalty, courage, and unparalleled merit. In the Battle of Zijin Mountain in Nanjing, he annihilated 300,000 stubborn enemies, saving the nation from imminent collapse and stabilizing the world in an instant. Such military achievements are unprecedented throughout history."

The special envoy's voice grew increasingly loud: "By the Chairman's personal approval, Jiang Zhen is awarded the title of 'Pillar of the East China Sea,' appointed as 'General Who Guards the South,' and given the special honor of 'Guardian of the Capital,' to protect our gateway to the East China Sea. He is awarded the Special Class Hero Medal, and the entire nation is called upon to emulate the indomitable spirit of the Pillar of the State!"

"I won't read out the names of the other brothers from the canal gang one by one."

After reading it, two guards respectfully presented a tray to Jiang Zhen, on which lay a stack of brand-new military uniforms and a medal inlaid with gemstones.

The special envoy smiled broadly: "Chief Jiang, oh no, it should be Duke of the Pillar State. These honorific titles were specially created for you by the Chairman, which shows your high status in the Chairman's heart!"

Jiang Zhen was stunned.

"Pillar of the Eastern Sea? General Who Guards the South? Protector of the Shanghai Military Region?"

He didn't quite understand the string of titles that came down at him, but when these three titles were put together, it sounded like he was going to have direct control over the entire city of Shanghai.

wrong.

Jiang Zhen remained outwardly calm, but inwardly he was starting to have doubts.

Based on his understanding of that person in the mountain city, from any perspective, this didn't seem like something that person would do. That person's forte wasn't delegating power, but rather consolidating it. How could they suddenly be so generous, so frighteningly so?

Zhao Yuan, who was standing to the side, turned pale.

He used to have good relationships with officials on the Grand Canal, so he naturally knew this kind of thing. That person wasn't trying to delegate power at all; he clearly knew that people in the underworld were most susceptible to this kind of thing, so he gave him a bunch of prestigious titles to elevate him. And this time, he gave him quite a lot.

Zhao Yuanfei quickly exchanged a glance with Fifth Master Feng.

Zhao Yuan then stepped forward, leaned close to Jiang Zhen's ear, and whispered, "Chief, don't take it seriously. This is just a layer of gold skin given to us by the mountain city."

"Golden skin?" Jiang Zhen turned his head.

"Correct!"

Zhao Yuan lowered his voice even further, but spoke very quickly.

"This so-called 'Pillar of the State Duke' sounds impressive, but it's just an old title dug up from the past. It's all outdated stuff, just something to fool people. To put it bluntly, it's just an empty title. It sounds nice, but it's completely useless."

His gaze swept over the medal, and his lips twitched almost imperceptibly: "As for the 'General of the South' and 'Miss City Protector'—Boss, think about it, who in the whole world doesn't know that the area around Shanghai has long been your territory, and you call the shots? What difference does it make whether he approves the title or not? They're all empty promises, the old tricks of those government officials."