The Reversal of Heaven Begins with The Smiling, Proud Wanderer

Lin Mu spoke, his voice not loud, yet it contained a strange penetrating power.

With just two words, the previously noisy venue instantly fell silent.

All the soldiers unconsciously held their breath, feeling an invisible pressure enveloping the entire area, making it almost impossible for them to breathe.

"From this day forward, I will take over Wen County."

Lin Mu got straight to the point, his voice carrying an unquestionable authority: "Gu Xuanwu will temporarily assume the position of adjutant to assist in management."

A slight commotion arose from the audience, but no one dared to voice their doubts.

The veteran soldiers exchanged glances, all seeing surprise and uncertainty in each other's eyes.

Lin Mu continued, "I don't care what you did in the past, but now I'm setting three ironclad rules. Listen carefully and remember them to the bone!"

He paused for a moment, his gaze sweeping across the entire room like a knife.

"First, all actions must be carried out under orders, and commands must be obeyed without question!"

"Secondly, those who bully the people, seize by force, rape, or plunder shall be executed without mercy!"

"Third, desertion in the face of battle, defection to the enemy, and any violator will be executed without mercy!"

When Lin Mu uttered the words "no mercy," his voice suddenly turned cold, carrying a chilling murderous aura that sent shivers down the spines of many soldiers who were former thugs and accustomed to looting.

The three military rules were concise and clear, especially the last two, which carried a bloody and murderous aura, causing many people present to subconsciously shrink back.

“I know that many of you joined the army just to get food, or even to plunder and make a fortune.”

Lin Mu's voice rang out again: "But I will not keep bandits here who harm the local people. What I want is a strong army that can protect the territory and its people and obey orders without question!"

He changed the subject: "Follow me, and your military pay will be paid in full, with absolutely no deductions!"

"If there are meritorious deeds (cdbh), corresponding rewards can be obtained."

"If you don't want to be a soldier, you can take off your uniform now and leave with ten silver dollars."

"If you choose to stay, you must obey orders!"

These words immediately caused an uproar in the audience.

Ten silver dollars is no small sum; it's enough for an average family to live on for more than half a year.

More importantly, the full payment of military salaries was almost a pipe dream in that era.

Many soldiers' pay was embezzled at each level, and they were lucky if half of it reached the soldiers.

Gu Xuanwu, listening from the side, secretly grinned.

Are salaries paid in full?

This is a huge expense, and with the severance pay, his accumulated wealth won't last long.

Gu Xuanwu couldn't help but turn his head to look at Lin Mu, only to see that the other party looked calm and composed, as if he had everything under control.

However, most of those who joined the army were forced to do so by the necessities of life.

Although ten silver dollars was a lot of money after taking off the military uniform, it was not a long-term solution to just sit around and live off it until it was all gone.

Moreover, in this chaotic world, the lives of ordinary people are as worthless as grass, and they might be killed by passing armies or bandits at any time.

At least being a soldier guarantees you food and a gun; others will have to think twice before trying to bully you.

Therefore, very few people want to leave.

Even though a few people had the idea, they were afraid that Lin Mu was deliberately testing them, and coupled with herd mentality, in the end no one left.

Lin waited a moment and, seeing that no one stepped forward, nodded in satisfaction: "Since you have all chosen to stay, then remember the military regulations. Now, I'll reissue your guns."

After saying this, he waved his hand.

To everyone's astonishment, more than 800 uniquely shaped rifles appeared out of thin air, hovering above everyone's heads, and then slowly fell into the hands of each soldier.

This scene was nothing short of a miracle. Many soldiers were so frightened that they almost knelt down, and even the officers turned pale, their eyes filled with awe and fear as they looked at Lin Mu.

Gu Xuanwu was completely dumbfounded.

Although he had already witnessed Lin Mu's amazing abilities, the ability to conjure hundreds of guns out of thin air was still beyond his imagination.

A hint of curiosity flashed in Yue Qiluo's eyes, as if she was very interested in Lin Mu's methods.

"This gun is called the AK-47 automatic rifle."

Lin Mu picked up one and showed it to everyone: "Compared with other rifles, this one has a shorter barrel and a shorter range, about 300 meters, making it suitable for close-quarters combat."

He explained in detail: "This gun uses a gas-operated automatic principle, a rotating bolt, a 7.62mm caliber, fires 7.62×39mm M1943 intermediate-power cartridges, and is fed by a 30-round curved magazine. It can be fired in semi-automatic or fully automatic modes..."

After the explanation, Lin Mu gave a personal demonstration.

He held an AK-47 and fired at the targets in the open field, hitting the bullseye every time.

During fully automatic firing, a dense barrage of bullets poured out like a torrential rain, shattering the target and leaving all the soldiers dumbfounded.

In this era, being able to give soldiers thirty bullets to test fire was already considered a luxury.

Many soldiers went to the battlefield without ever having touched a gun. Some who couldn't get a gun were given a few bullets, and when nearby soldiers died, they would pick up the enemy's guns to use.

Now everyone has an AK-47. As long as there is no heavy firepower, these 800 men could easily take on an ordinary brigade.

Gunfire continued throughout the rest of the afternoon in the open space in front of the Marshal's Mansion.

Under the guidance of officers, the soldiers familiarized themselves with the performance of the new guns, and each soldier was able to test fire thirty rounds of ammunition.

This extravagant training method both excited and shocked all the soldiers, deepening their awe of Lin Mu.

After training ended, Gu Xuanwu approached Lin Mu with a worried expression: "General Lin, it's a good thing that you're paying the brothers their salaries, but the previous generals collected all the taxes in Wen County a hundred years ago. Now the people of Wen County are all poor, and there's no money left to squeeze out!"

Lin Mu chuckled upon hearing this: "This handsome man has never even considered taking money from poor people."

Gu Xuanwu asked in confusion, "If you're not taking money from the poor, whose money are you taking?"

Lin Mu said matter-of-factly, "Whoever has the money can pay me."

"Does the commander-in-chief intend to collect money from those wealthy gentry?"

Gu Xuanwu's expression changed slightly: "You are unaware of the fact that the relationships among those wealthy and powerful people are intricate and deeply rooted in the local area."

"As the saying goes, generals come and go, but gentry remain. If you want to gain a foothold in Wen County, you can't do without them."

He lowered his voice and said earnestly, "Even a warlord who wants to collect money has to come up with clever pretexts, win over wealthy gentry, and collect taxes and donations."

“Only after they pay can the common people follow suit. After receiving the money, the wealthy and powerful will be returned in full, while the common people's money will be split three to seven.”

Lin Mu raised an eyebrow: "How come it's only 70%?"

Gu Xuanwu said helplessly, "Seventy percent of it belongs to others. Even if we get threety percent, we still have to see how those wealthy gentry treat us."

Lin Mu sneered: "I came all this way just to be at their mercy?"

"Even after I became the commander-in-chief, I still have to win over the wealthy and powerful, I still have to come up with all sorts of excuses, and I still have to be mindful of their attitude?"

"Wouldn't I become a beggar on my knees?"

Gu Xuanwu nodded: "If you put it that way, being a general really is like begging on your knees."

"Even with this, there are so many people who want to kneel but don't even have the chance!"

"In the eyes of the common people, you are a great general; in the eyes of the gentry, you are a beggar on your knees."

"Making money is business, it's not stingy!"

Lin Mu shook his head: "Stingy, damn stingy. I'm a stubborn person by nature, I can't kneel down."

Gu Xuanwu asked, "So, do you want to stand, or do you want to make money?"

"I want to stand up and still make money."

Lin Mu's tone was firm, and a sharp glint flashed in his eyes.

Gu Xuanwu smiled wryly: "I'm afraid that's difficult..."

"Disaster?"

Lin Mu snorted coldly: "I'd like to see how difficult it is. Go and make preparations. Tomorrow night, I'm hosting a banquet at the Marshal's Mansion for all the prominent gentry and wealthy people in Wen County."

Gu Xuanwu looked troubled: "General, this..."

"Do as I say."

Lin Mu's tone left no room for argument: "Also, send someone to investigate what businesses these gentry own and what incriminating evidence they have. I need to see a detailed report before tomorrow's banquet."

Seeing Lin Mu's resolute attitude, Gu Xuanwu had no choice but to comply and leave.

He was filled with unease, wondering what kind of trouble this new commander-in-chief would cause.

Yue Qiluo stood quietly to the side, not saying a word, but her eyes sparkled with interest.

She walked gently to Lin Mu's side and said softly, "If you do this, you will offend a lot of people."

Lin Mu turned to look at her and smiled slightly: "What, are you worried about me?"

Yue Qiluo shook her head: "I just find it interesting that the power games among mortals are always so complicated and bloody."

Lin Mu gazed into the distance, his tone calm: "In chaotic times, harsh measures are necessary; in extraordinary times, extraordinary measures must be taken." "If I want to establish myself in Wen County, I must break the old rules and establish a new order."

"So what are you planning to do?" Yue Qiluo asked curiously.

Lin Mu's lips curled into a mysterious smile: "You'll find out at the banquet tomorrow night."

Chapter 106: You actually ate it!

The next morning, Gu Xuanwu, carrying a heavy document, walked steadily into the study of the Marshal's mansion.

"General, this is a detailed file of all the wealthy and powerful people in Wen County."

Gu Xuanwu gently placed the documents on the mahogany desk, his voice tinged with weariness: "Including their business distribution, family lineage, and some shady dealings."

Lin Mu was cultivating the "Heavenly Escape Technique" when he heard this. He looked up, his gaze sharp as lightning.

He picked up the document and flipped through it.

The rustling of the paper was particularly clear in the quiet study.

"Li Baiwan started as a grain merchant, controlled 60% of the grain shops in Wen County, and married into the family of Military Governor Liu in the provincial capital..."

"Wang Shouye runs a casino and opium den. Last year, he made 200,000 silver dollars from smuggling arms..."

"Zhao Wenchang made his fortune by lending money at exorbitant interest rates. He owned thousands of acres of land and drove seventeen tenant farmers to their deaths..."

As Lin Mu read, a cold smile curved his lips: "Well done. It seems you've put in a lot of effort these past few days in Wen County."

Gu Xuanwu smiled wryly: "Although I don't have any great abilities, I can still get this basic information, but..."

"Just what?"

Lin Mu didn't look up and continued flipping through the documents.

"General, these people are really not to be trifled with."

Gu Xuanwu lowered his voice: "Li Baiwan's son-in-law is the nephew of Governor Liu of the provincial capital; Wang Shouye's son works in the Nanjing government and is said to be a powerful figure; Zhao Wenchang's younger brother is the deputy director of the provincial police department... The waters in Wen County are much deeper than we thought."

Lin Mu closed the file, stood up, and walked to the window.

The morning light shone through the carved window lattice, casting interplay of light and shadow on his resolute profile.

"No matter how powerful your background is, can it be more powerful than the barrel of a gun?"

His voice was soft, yet carried an undeniable weight: "In this chaotic world, truth lies only within the range of cannons."

Gu Xuanwu wanted to say something more, but seeing Lin Mu's back, he swallowed his words.

As night fell, the Marshal's Mansion was brightly lit and decorated, and a banquet was set up in the banquet hall.

The crystal chandelier illuminated the entire hall as bright as day, and the silver cutlery gleamed with a cold light under the lamp.

The prominent gentry of Wen County arrived one after another, exchanging pleasantries and puzzled glances.

They wore silk gowns or suits, and the jade rings and gold watches on their fingers were quite dazzling under the lights.

"I heard Zhang Xianzong's death was suspicious..."

"How did Gu Xuanwu become an adjutant? What's the background of this new commander-in-chief?"

"Who cares what their background is? In Wen County, dragons have to coil up and tigers have to lie low!"

"That's right, even a powerful dragon can't suppress a local snake..."