"I’ll settle accounts with you later..."
He turned his head and gestured to the twelve branches of the White Lotus Sect in the distance, shouting, "Asking one last time, anyone still want to back out? Crossing the sea isn’t for dining; it’s for killing. When you kill, you must be prepared to be killed. I am not a god; I cannot guarantee all of you will return alive... If you do not wish to die, now is the time to withdraw. Once we set sail, it will be too late for regrets!"
No one responded; everyone looked at Yang Ge with fervent gazes.
The air seemed to ignite.
Yang Ge waited a few dozen breaths and seeing still no one stepped forward, continued, "Since no one is leaving, let us be clear and not chaotic. Regardless of your identities or backgrounds, once we set out, we are all on the same boat, our own people, our brothers. Matters can be discussed, and money can be shared, but once decisions are made, no one may dissent. Anyone daring to betray us within the foreign lands... I recognize you, but my blade does not!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Yang Tiansheng immediately responded loudly, "What Yang Erlang means is also my meaning. Whoever does not wish to collaborate with the imperial forces can leave now. But if anyone pretends to agree but acts differently behind our backs, do not blame me for enforcing the rules!"
Li Jincheng also shouted, "Yang Erlang’s intention is also this young master’s intention!"
Xiang Wudi gave the brothers a look, and then nodded decisively, "I have no objections."
Zhou Fu bowed, "This official will heed Erlang’s commands,"
Yang Ge furrowed his brow and scanned the scores of riders before him, "Do none of you have mouths?"
The scores of riders were invigorated and shouted in unison, "We will heed all of Erlang’s commands!"
Yang Ge nodded, "A man’s word is his bond!"
The scores of riders exclaimed in unison, "We will never go back on our words!"
Yang Ge relaxed, laughing, "Well, the unpleasant words are spoken. Everyone go find a place to rest... Yang!"
Yang Tiansheng approached on his horse, "What’s the matter?"
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Yang Ge, "Send someone to Lianhuan Port, have Wang Cheng send ships to meet us immediately."
Yang Tiansheng nodded, turned his horse, and left.
Yang Ge, "Li!"
Li Jincheng, "I’m here."
Yang Ge, "Go and find a stone suitable for carving, inscribe the names of everyone on this journey..."
Hearing this, Li Jingcheng responded with great excitement and led his men from Lianhuan Fort scattering across the hills to find a suitable stone.
Soon, they brought back a square stone taller than two men.
Approaching, Yang Ge steadied the stone with one hand, shaped it into the form of a monument with his hand as a knife, and then hoisted the stone, placing it firmly in the crevices of rocks at the historical landing spot of Nansha Bay.
After securing the monument, he stepped back, "Who has good calligraphy? Come forward and carve it."
Xiang Wudi stepped forward, "I will do it."
As he spoke, he shaped his hand into a knife and boldly engraved ’The Manifestation of the True Lord, Yang Erlang’ on the upper part of the monument. The characters, robust and solemn, resembled a righteous warrior’s mighty punch, boasting an imposing air.
After examining the inscription, everyone agreed he was qualified for the task.
Yang Ge looked at it and clapped his hands, "Now, everyone line up in order, and let Xiang inscribe your name; even a thousand years from now, people will remember that you were among the first from the Divine Land to breach Dongying’s core and ride to Mount Fuji!"
His light-hearted and casual words ignited a fiery zest in everyone present.
Without clamor, everyone silently queued up, stepping forward to state their names. The short distance of the line felt endless...
Everywhere were the sounds of parched swallowing; many people were so nervous they stuttered spelling out their own names.
Yang Ge stood to the side, arms crossed, overwhelmed with mixed emotions.
He had not intended to make things this grand; he merely wanted to hit Dongying hard, to vent deep-seated anger and make a fortune...
But Shen Fa had taken things this far, and he felt if he didn’t step forward now, he would be doing a disservice to that fellow’s soon-to-be lost three legs.
Moreover, he thought the descendants of Yan and Huang had many virtues: hardworking, intelligent, righteous, kind... but their lethargic love for home was not admirable.
Over five thousand years, how many emperors and heroes had been fixated on this scar-ridden land, tirelessly entangled, repeatedly dragging their own people into the fray...
Why couldn’t they look beyond and see the larger world?
Why didn’t they think of enlarging and strengthening this piece of the cake?
The homeland is undoubtedly beautiful, but if the dragon flag of Huaxia could fly across Water Blue Star, how vast the land might be, everywhere could be our home.
A true man should conquer abroad, trampling foreigners underfoot!
Though not particularly distinguished, Yang Ge was willing to be a pioneer for the descendants of Yan and Huang!