Beginning with the Ubume Bird
Chapter 712 - Chapter 712 Chapter One Mutiny

Chapter 712: Chapter One: Mutiny? Chapter 712: Chapter One: Mutiny? Li Yan slowly opened his eyes.

This was an extremely spacious house, draped with red cloth everywhere; beside him was a half-human-height bronze chime, and from a crane-shaped incense burner, residual smoke wafted lazily; there was no one around.

A flood of memories overwhelmed Li Yan’s mind. He closed his eyes to recuperate for a while, then immediately his brows furrowed.

The situation was more dire than Li Yan had imagined!

It had been a full six years since the bandits of the South Seas had lifted the siege on Guangzhou. The government took advantage of this to extend an olive branch to pacify the outlawed groups. The former great pirate Yishi Zhufen was the first to respond, quickly transforming into a deputy general for the government.

In the following years, the government adopted a scorched-earth policy: cutting off food supplies, ceasing aid, and forbidding ships from setting sail. They gradually eroded the pirates’ operational space. Last year, they even ignored the wolfish ambitions of the foreigners who’d once attacked Guangzhou, forming a joint military force with the East India Company to exterminate the sea pirates.

The Red Flag Gang bore the brunt of it, suffering massive losses.

Initially, the Red Flag had five hundred large and small ships, over a thousand cannons, more than ten thousand men fit for battle, and an uncountable stockpile of guns, ammunition, and military might. However, six years later, they now had merely three hundred ships of all sizes combined. What’s more fatal, they were running short on ammunition, money, and food, with the crew’s morale waning.

What was even worse, there was a secret report on Li Yan’s desk, delivered yesterday.

The report said the government had secretly mobilized provisions and military equipment from Zhejiang and Fujian. Within four or five days at the earliest, or a month at the latest, the government was bound to launch a full-scale assault aimed at Lantau Island, attempting to completely annihilate the Red Flag Gang! Among the allied forces were not only the British warships but also White Flag’s Shi Tianying, Yellow Flag’s Xu Longsi, and remnants of the Black Flag–all of whom had been successively pacified by the government and now served as vanguards heading towards Lantau Island!

This was also the direct reason Earth Endurance sent a distress signal; if Li Yan didn’t take action to reorganize, the Red Flag Gang would not escape its doom this time!

After pondering for a while, Li Yan was about to send a message to Cha Xiaodao, but Cha Xiaodao’s message came first.

“Something’s not right!” Cha Xiaodao said with a grave voice, “I was coming to see you, but I was stopped by a group of Gaoli ghosts, men of Chaoyi, with their muskets. The atmosphere on the island is strange today; something might happen.”

On hearing this, Li Yan stood up, stretched his neck, and replied in a deep voice, “Just go, don’t let Xue Ba and the others cause trouble. I’ll follow shortly.”

“Understood, take care of yourself.”

After Cha Xiaodao finished speaking, he hung up the call.

Li Yan looked around, picked up a wooden mallet from the ground, and struck the bronze chime. The sound of metal resonated, not ceasing to echo around the beams. Before long, the sound of running could be heard outside, and several figures appeared in front of the window.

“Tianbao, is there something you need?”

A Gaoli ghost asked in a serious tone.

“Zheng Yunsheng, are you on duty today?”

Li Yan narrowed his eyes.

“Oh~ it was supposed to be Qian Laizi’s duty, but he had too much to drink last night, fell into a ravine, and broke a leg. He’s now resting in quiet.”

“I see that there are quite a few men outside. This courtyard of mine is seldom visited; you don’t need to guard it so heavily.”

“You don’t know, Tianbao, that lately there have been spies sneaking ashore, and several of our brothers have been killed or injured. That’s why additional patrols have been added to every hall. If it bothers you, we can disperse right now?”

Zheng Yunsheng said in a deep voice.

“Ah, there’s no need for that. Has anyone come looking for me recently?”

“No.”

“Alright then. I’m hungry; go get me something to eat.”

“Understood, Tianbao.”

The shadows flickered by the window, and before long, they all dispersed.

Xu Chaoyi was an old-timer of the Red Flag Gang, and his Gaoli ghosts were like brass and iron, impervious to sword and spear, sharp tools of the Red Flag Gang. Now, without orders, several Gaoli ghosts armed with guns had taken charge of his private residence and weren’t allowing anyone to see him–this was clearly the sign of a mutiny!

But Li Yan didn’t make a fuss.

The Red Flag Gang was now beset by internal and external troubles. The external threats were one thing, but the internal strife wasn’t due to Earth Endurance being no good. Li Yan himself had withdrawn several hundred thousand taels of silver from the Red Flag Gang’s accounts. It was easy to take money, but he always needed an excuse, and a roomful of silver couldn’t just disappear into thin air.

The so-called Tianbao indulging in wines, women, and arcane practices was merely an excuse Earth Endurance came up with to cover for Li Yan. The last time Li Yan woke up, he found himself with a warm beauty in his arms. This time, however, he awoke in a quiet courtyard, without any luxurious items around him, which said a lot.

It wasn’t long before Zheng Yunsheng came in, carrying a tray with a steaming roast chicken, two pastries, and a jar of yellow wine.

“Tianbao.”

Zheng Yunsheng called out to Li Yan.

Li Yan first sipped the yellow wine, then tore off a chicken leg and took a bite, and finally picked up a pastry. After playing with it for a moment, he popped it into his mouth and mumbled to Zheng Yunsheng, “This siege around my courtyard, is it Xu Chaoyi’s idea or Xiu’er’s?”

Zheng Yunsheng stepped back two paces, his face suddenly pale.

“Why don’t you speak?”

Li Yan lifted the jar and drained the wine.

Tianbao had lain dormant for six years, but the aura of his former formidable self was still present. Hesitating for a moment, Zheng Yunsheng still kneeled on one knee and said, “Tianbao Dragon Head must see this clearly! Some within the Red Flag Gang are colluding with the officials, plotting to wipe us out in one fell swoop. It was Chaoyi who asked me to come protect the Dragon Head’s safety; there was absolutely no disrespect intended.”

Li Yan wiped his mouth, eyes narrowed, “The food and drink are not poisoned; I reckon you don’t have the guts to harm me. Where is Xu Chaoyi now?”

Zheng Yunsheng earnestly replied, “Just now, Leader Xiu summoned the various hall leaders in your name. They should be meeting in the Martial Arts Hall after an incense stick burns out. Chaoyi should be there as well.”

“Hmm, good. If you still think of me as the Dragon Head of the Red Flag Gang, then shut your mouth now. Make a sound, and you’ll regret it.”

Zheng Yunsheng’s eyes darted about as he nodded.

“Take off your clothes.”

Zheng Yunsheng was stunned, but faced with Li Yan’s intense gaze, he had no choice but to comply.

Li Yan pinched Zheng Yunsheng’s shoulders and chin, sizing him up for a while.

Zheng Yunsheng was slightly shorter than Li Yan and darker, with wider cheekbones but narrower shoulders. Even from the back, the two men bore no resemblance to each other.

“Crack!”

Sounds like the popping of fried soybeans emanated from Li Yan’s body, and he visibly shrank in height right before one’s eyes, with distances between facial features altering and skin color deepening considerably. He now looked at least eighty to ninety percent similar to Zheng Yunsheng.

Li Yan himself couldn’t specify which ability from the Destiny Yak chart this was, as when his View of Heaven and Earth attempt had failed, those extinguished minor genetic powers didn’t actually vanish from his body; instead, they were assimilated and fused with Li Yan’s flesh in a way almost instinctual.

Just like a baby is born knowing how to cry and laugh without having to learn it; everything was perfectly integrated.

That was the true essence of View of Heaven and Earth.

Zheng Yunsheng’s eyes went wide, and despite himself, he let out an astonished “Ah.”

Thump~

Li Yan flicked him hard on the forehead. The reputedly iron-boned Gaoli ghost fell backwards, unconscious.

“I told you to keep quiet.”

Li Yan took off his wide black robe, put on Zheng Yunsheng’s clothes, and walked out, bold as brass.

Several Gaoli ghosts immediately gathered around.

“Tianbao Dragon Head said he wants to ponder over immortal techniques and told us not to disturb him.”

The crowd breathed a sigh of relief, but someone couldn’t help complaining, “Pondering immortality, pondering immortality, the officials are at our doorstep, and still pondering what immortality! What’s with Tianbao Dragon Head!”

Li Yan glared sternly at the man, who, realizing his blunder, hastily fell silent.

“You all guard the courtyard, I’m going to relieve myself.”

The crowd roared their agreement.

Li Yan left the front gate, not alarming anyone along the way, until he reached the Martial Arts Hall, where he heard faint voices coming from a side room.

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