GULP!

Everyone's face turned pale as they gazed at the long trench. They all swallowed nervously, a bitter taste in their parched mouths.

Zhu Qi's eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at Lin Mu.

"You... you're dead! Kid, I'm telling you, you're done for!" Zhu Qi shrieked. "You actually dared to hurt my brother. I guarantee you will pay a heavy price!"

"A price?" Lin Mu said indifferently. "I'm curious to see how you'll make me pay."

COUGH, COUGH.

Just then, a painful cough came from the other side of the wall, and a figure climbed out from the ruined earth.

It was the same young man as before. But now, any trace of his iron-blooded temperament was gone. His body was covered in blood, and his vest was torn to shreds, with only ragged strips of fabric hanging on his frame. He looked as wretched as one could possibly be.

"Good, good, good!" Zhu Tao wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his expression ferocious as he glared at Lin Mu with a chilling smile. "Kid, you've really surprised me. If it weren't for the unique Cultivation Technique I practice, I would have died by your hand."

Lin Mu curled his lip in disdain. "I didn't kill you because your dog life is still useful. Otherwise, did you really think you could have survived?"

"Hahaha!" Zhu Tao suddenly burst into laughter. "Kid, you're far too arrogant!"

"I, Zhu Tao, began my Martial Way at ten and entered the military for training at fifteen! In the twelve years since, think of all I have seen and learned! How could a frog at the bottom of a well like you possibly understand!"

With an arrogant look, Zhu Tao declared, "I became a lieutenant in the military before I was even thirty, and I'm about to be selected for the Divine Machine Camp. How dare you be so insolent before me!"

The Divine Machine Camp... Even in the entire Jinan Military Region with its hundreds of thousands of soldiers, less than a hundred are chosen, let alone at the Southeast Military Academy. And he was about to become one of them! People like Lin Mu, who looked down on him just because they had a bit of strength, were simply courting death! The prospective candidates for the Divine Machine Camp have the authority to carry out summary executions. Therefore, even if he killed someone, no one would dare do a thing! He was one of the seeds for the Divine Machine Camp, hand-picked from hundreds of thousands!

"Quite the grandiose claim," Lin Mu sneered. "Take a look at this before you talk to me again."

With a flick of his hand, Lin Mu threw a small booklet.

Even though they were hundreds of meters apart, the booklet shot straight toward Zhu Tao. He dared not be careless, and it took all his effort to catch it.

Military Officer's ID!

For the first time, Zhu Tao's expression wavered.

Opening the ID, the first page showed a photo and two lines of text.

Name: Lin Mu!

Beneath the name was the rank: Colonel!

HISS!

Colonel!

The bright red characters stabbed into his eyes like piercing sunlight.

Zhu Tao dared not look any further. That alone was enough to stagger him.

"You... you're actually a colonel?" Zhu Tao felt his heart pounding in his chest.

How old was Lin Mu? He looked even younger than him, didn't he? Yet he was already a colonel!

And a colonel with a position, at that! Although he couldn't see Lin Mu's specific duties, the line for his position was not blank. In the current military system, having a position versus not having one were two entirely different matters.

Therefore, not only was Lin Mu's rank higher than his, but his position was as well! Strictly speaking, Lin Mu was his superior!

"Why do you not salute a superior officer?" Lin Mu said coldly. "Do people from the Southeast Military Academy all lack such basic manners?"

Upon hearing Lin Mu's words, Zhu Tao's face changed drastically. If this matter were pursued seriously, Lin Mu could charge him with disrespecting a superior. According to the strict military code, the punishment would be severe. He could very well lose his chance with the Divine Machine Camp because of it!

Realizing this, no matter how unwilling Zhu Tao felt, he could only jog over. He stood before Lin Mu, clicked his heels together, and respectfully presented the military ID with both hands.

Zhu Tao shouted, "Lieutenant Zhu Tao, 4th Battalion, 13th Army Group, Jinan Military Region, reporting, Sir!"

Everyone who heard Zhu Tao was stunned. A lieutenant was saluting Lin Mu? And addressing him as "Sir"?

This... What the hell was going on?

Zhu Qi was utterly dumbfounded. He had been relying on Zhu Tao to put Lin Mu in his place, but who would have thought that his pillar of support was actually the other man's subordinate? Who could he even complain to about this?

Lin Mu didn't even glance at Zhu Tao, leaving him to hold out the military ID. The blatant disregard made Zhu Tao's face flush deep red. But he dared not react. The excruciating pain wracking his body was nearly unbearable, yet he couldn't move a muscle.

This was what it meant to be a soldier. One must endure what ordinary people cannot.

Lin Mu turned his indifferent gaze toward Zhu Qi.

"I..."

THUD.

Zhu Qi collapsed to his knees, his face deathly pale.

"How do you want him to die?" Lin Mu asked, turning to Elder Xie.

Elder Xie was startled. "Young Master Mu, I..."

Lin Mu spoke indifferently, "You are my man. How I discipline you is my business. But if anyone else so much as lays a finger on you, I will annihilate them!"

"So, whether he lives or dies is your call."

Hearing Lin Mu's words, even Elder Xie, who commanded half the forces in Handong Province, was deeply shaken, his eyes suddenly welling up.

"Young Master Mu..."

Just as Elder Xie's legs buckled and he was about to kneel, an unseen force held him upright. "With a spine that soft, how are you supposed to not embarrass me in the future?"

"I won't!" Elder Xie suddenly straightened his legs and spine. Lowering his head slightly to show his reverence, he said, "I, Xie Dingtian, swear that from this day forward, I belong to Young Master Mu in life and will be his shade in death! I will never bring him the slightest shame!"

Lin Mu nodded slightly.

If it hadn't been for Elder Xie speaking up for him earlier, Lin Mu wouldn't have considered him a true confidant. To protect Lin Mu's honor, he had been willing to kneel and let Zhu Qi slap him without fighting back. This Xie Dingtian had spirit and was loyal—a useful man indeed.

In this respect, he was the exact opposite of Li Dajiao.

"Tell me, how do you want to deal with him," Lin Mu said with a grin. "Even if you want to kill his entire family, I will grant it. I guarantee no one will dare say a word against it!"

Everyone shivered upon hearing Lin Mu's murderous words.

"No..." Zhu Qi shook his head in terror. "You can't kill me! You can't! I'm from the Zhu family! My brother is a lieutenant, and my grandfather is Zhu Hongming! How dare you kill me?!"

"Young Master Mu, let's just forget it," Elder Xie said with his head low, his voice somber. "It's just a scratch. Besides, a worthless life like mine isn't worth all this trouble."

"He just needs to apologize to me. There's no need to make things so difficult for him."

Zhu Qi nodded frantically, pleading, "Yes, I'll apologize! A sincere apology! I was wrong, Elder Xie... Uncle Xie! I know I was wrong! Please, just let me go this one time!"

Lin Mu laughed. Elder Xie made it sound so simple, but how could Lin Mu not hear the trace of loneliness in his tone?

"You, Xie Dingtian, are supposed to be a man of hot-blooded passion. How can you choose to let this go just to keep the peace?" Lin Mu's voice was firm and powerful. "Since you are my man and you call me Young Master Mu, I will settle this score for you!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Lin Mu planted his foot on Zhu Qi's chest and grinned. "Call your grandfather. Tell him to give me a satisfactory explanation."

"If his explanation isn't satisfactory, I'll kill your entire family!"

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