Law of the Devil

Chapter 279 “Boat Ride” (Part one)

Dozens of military crossbows, mainly used only by the royal guards or the elite troops of the army legions in the empire, not even the ordinary soldiers of the army can be equipped with them.

By utilizing a mechanical noose to project their bolts, the arrows fired from these weapons can pierce even a soldier’s armor. Known as “Armor Piercing Arrow”, the cost of manufacturing each bolt was not only costly, it’s outright difficult to procure. Fortunately, with Du Wei’s wealth and resources, only he can afford to equip each of his bodyguards with these lethal weapons. Now, forget about armor, these rabbles atop of the deck didn’t even have leathers for armor, merely coats of fur you would find anywhere.

Moreover, Du Wei’s mind was merciless. In secret, he had ordered his people to design the bolts into a three pronged shape. Once shot, the blood loss would increase exponentially on the victims wound and make it difficult to mend the bleeding.

Now with Du Wei’s go head in killing everyone, these Tulip soldiers will show no mercy! After a short volley of the crossbow, about a portion of the prairie natives fell victim.

Watching their comrades’ drop one by one, these thugs finally came out of their shock and understood one thing: these Roland people are serious about ending them!

Howling in rage, the majority of these people are inherently ferocious. Seeing there’s no chance of escape, they instead raised their scimitars and charged forward at their assailants. They knew full well, unless they strike a path through this blockade, there’s no way they can live!

Unfortunately, the moment of hesitation from then was enough to give the Tulip soldiers time to reload and fire another volley of arrows.

With the addition of the second volley, the numbers of intruders were only left with no more than half. Even for those still left alive on the floor, their deaths weren’t far away as they groaned in agonizing pain while blood seeped from their wounds.

Knowing its time, the guards tossed away their crossbows and drew their swords. Charging at the prairie natives, they began their final sweep at the enemies before them!

Although these natives are ferocious, but they are nevertheless common rabbles, how can they compete with Du Wei’s highly trained soldiers? Many of his men are ranked individuals. Even against ordinary soldiers, one can take several at once if needed!

Around thirty or so soldiers stormed into the crowd, swinging their swords without mercy. These thugs originally wanted to rely on their fierceness to survive, but it didn’t long for them to fall into despair at their futile efforts. These Tulip soldiers held nothing back as they sliced and diced, making quick work of the vegetables and fruits before them.

In less time it took to sip a cup of tea, not a single intruder was left standing!

Though there’s not a single casualty among the thirty guards, everyone looked retched from the amount of blood covering their faces and armor. Meanwhile, Du Wei continues to watch on from above with a gentle smile like he’s seeing some kind of beautiful scenery.

As for the river official, he looked deathly ill. Never in his life did this river official witness such bloodshed, such brutality! He’s after all merely a small town official, how can he endure so much carnage in one day? Moreover, these Tulip soldiers fought like they have gone mad, ruthless and cold as they chopped through arms and legs like they were nothing. Some of the flesh and blood was still dripping or clinging onto the railings!

Nauseated, the river official couldn’t keep it in and began throwing up while Du Wei watched him from the side with a pleasantly sweet expression.

Some of these Tulip ‘guards’ were selected from veterans that had experienced the battle of Anglia City. On that day they watched on bared witness to the brutality of the native army. After witnessing their college’s head being decapitated and turned into human stakes, how can they possibly go soft of these people?

A river of blood flowed through the deck while broken limbs lay scattered across the board. For some that were lucky enough to survive the first volley, they were either crying out for mercy or desperately crawling away in hopes of getting away.

But these faithful guards will have none of that. Executing Du Wei’s order with no chance of failure, these men prowled back and forth between the mounds of bodies and followed up with another stab of their blade to the back, regardless of whether or not the victim’s dead or alive.

The river officer was so out of his wits by now that he couldn’t resist asking in a whisper: “Duke, Duke… This, they are already dead. Their heads, we can leave their heads…..”

Indifferent to the question, Du Wei looks to Old Smoke to answer the river official: “Sir, you don’t know this. Head stakes are a favorite custom among the prairie natives! If you want to object, feel free to ask my brothers down there if they are willing. I warn you though, among them are those that had to witness their brothers being killed and turned into human stakes!”

As soon as the river official heard this, he hurries to shut his mouth by cupping it.

It was then that there came the splashing sound of someone drowning. Du Wei originally thought it was from a dying native attempting to flee by jumping off the deck, but his speculations were immediately answered by a report from someone.

Unbelievably, it was the same incompetent security officer from before. Seeing the carnage and bloodshed unfolding above the ship, this cowardly man was so out of his wits that he lost his bearings again and fell back into the river.

Making a disdainful smile, Du Wei had his men go salvage that shameful guy. Then turning to the river official next to him, he pats the guy on the shoulder with a great big laugh: “Well then, the smell of blood here it too pungent, why don’t you and I go downstairs into the cabins and talk some more.”

“No…. No need.” The river official inhales deeply and then solemnly said, “Your excellency, now that this has happened…. Hmm, there are still two to three caravan groups from the grassland. Knowing their usual doings, I fear they will make a fuss and riot after getting wind of the news here.”

Picking his brow, Du Wei made a soft smile: “Oh, is that so?”

He then loudly called over Old Smoke and commanded: “You are to personally take half of the brothers here, along with the river official, and disembark into town. Help him deal with anything related to the prairie merchants. If those people dare make trouble, you know what to do.”

“I understand.” The chilling tone in Old Smoke’s voice caused the river official to shudder at the thought: “If anyone makes trouble, we will kill on sight!

“Very good, go then.” Du Wei nodded.

It’s then the river official found his legs giving way like there’s a tonne of weight attached to them. He can only hope these prairie merchants would behave themselves somewhat, otherwise it’s going to be a big deal in town today. If the Duke’s soldiers does kill everyone in the native caravans, then… Oh goddess of light, please let these savages be more sensible!”

Du Wei’s men’s were very efficient. In no less than an hour, all of the heads from this skirmish were lopped off and quickly impaled with a stake. Then gathering them all in one spot on the pier, these heads were displayed for all to see.

This event had already blown up across the whole port and town because everyone that was watching from afar saw how bloody the scene was. Never in their imaginations did the crowds of people expect the lord aboard the ship to be so gruesomely ruthless. Not only did he order the thugs to be killed, he even had their heads decapitated and impaled with a pole as demonstration!

Many attempted to inquire about Du Wei’s background. For those close enough to get a glimpse of Du Wei’s banner, these people immediately understood why and thought it was only to be expected! Without doubt, there’s only this young man who would dare do something like this to these prairie savages.

And the river officials ‘prayer’ seems to have worked. When the other two to three caravan groups in town heard of this news, some that had their brains ignited immediately pulled out their scimitars and wanted to fight. However, that all came to a halt once Old Smoke and his men came rushing over with murderous air surrounding themselves. It did help greatly when there’s plenty of blood stains and remnants of human flesh clinging onto the armor and weapons.

The prairie natives are inherently afraid of the strong and bully the weak. In the face of a hundred or so soldiers radiating killing intent, these native merchants naturally lost any will to resist and could only behave themselves. Some with more brains secretly sent people out to the dock to inquire about the event. Therefore, when the messengers returned with more details and the horrifying scene of all those human stakes on the pier, every single one of the remaining merchants from the grassland broke out into cold sweat.

With Du Wei’s slaughtering, much courage was inspired today and Mingfan Port will thereafter never suffer from the provocation of the prairie natives again. Occasionally there would be some small quarrel with the native merchants, but whenever this happened, the locals would point to the direction of today’s battle and say with puffed out chests: “Last time there’s a hundred heads here, do you want to be the hundred and one?”

Often when these words are spelled out, the grassland merchants would lose all grounds in retaliation.

After this event, the security of the Mingfan port became exceptionally good and practically every merchant became grateful to this Duke Tulip. Though the methods used by Du Wei today was cruel and ruthless, inspiring fear among his victims, but it’s precisely because of this fierceness that everyone respects the Duke.