Richest Man: Divine-Grade Reconstruct System Chapter 1018 - 978: Bring Them All to Me

His internal monologue confirmed his suspicion: had he not eliminated all ten squad members and detained the replacements sent by Lin Yi, this journey here would likely have been postponed indefinitely. The Commander would have continued his current course of action, perhaps only drawing attention much later, after conquering the other two nations.

The fault for all this rested solely with Lord Liu; he had brought this misfortune upon himself. If only he hadn't harbored those inappropriate desires, he wouldn't be in this predicament.

Lin Yi understood that Lord Liu was likely not the only one in Dayou harboring such thoughts. The numerous teams that vanished without a trace probably met similar fates, either detained by the local Commanders or outright eliminated.

The situation could be even more dire in the more remote regions.

This understanding was precisely why Lin Yi had been exceptionally severe with Lord Liu.

He intended to demonstrate the repercussions of incurring his wrath.

The consequences of disrespecting imperial authority.

His aim was to establish his own dominance, ensuring everyone feared him, which was crucial for the effective implementation of his policies.

Only then could he steer Dayou towards rapid development.

At this very moment, the soldiers witnessing the events unfolded no longer harbored any doubt.

This was undeniably the current Emperor.

How else could someone instantly summon lightning if not the Emperor?

Surely, only the Son of Heaven possessed such a capability.

Furthermore, a momentary surge of excitement coursed through them, a testament to their Emperor's formidable power; their Emperor was truly the chosen one, blessed by destiny.

With such a leader, the unification of the three kingdoms might soon become a reality.

This thought filled everyone with renewed hope.

As Lin Yi had stated earlier, these soldiers were merely pawns, innocent and without ill will; they followed whoever provided sustenance.

Previously, Lord Liu held the position of Commander, appointed by His Majesty the Emperor, and consequently, they had obeyed Commander Liu's orders without question, which indirectly meant they were following the Emperor's directives.

Of course, it wasn't entirely impossible that Lord Liu harbored intentions of rebellion with them.

After all, an army, much like water, could uphold a ship when used correctly but also capsize it through mismanagement.

Moreover, despite Lin Yi's firm stance against Lord Liu and his immediate surroundings, he had no intention of punishing the common soldiers alongside them. His focus was solely on dealing with the corrupt officials.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that even if he punished all the soldiers, it wouldn't bolster his authority; instead, it would only incite greater fear and anxiety among the soldiers in other regions.

By that point, they might become unwilling to serve him at all.

This was a significant consideration for Lin Yi.

Without Lin Yi uttering a word, a soldier who grasped the situation quickly moved towards the dejected Lord Liu lying on the ground.

Observing this, the others targeted the remaining individuals, acting swiftly. Approximately a dozen soldiers entered the now-crowded room.

This led to a rather cramped environment within.

As they looked upon the lords and Lord Liu, all were subdued, pinned to the ground by these soldiers.

Witnessing this scene, and seeing more soldiers flooding in, Lin Yi promptly addressed them:

"Alright, everyone, stop crowding. Now, escort all these individuals to the outdoor area. You will be given an opportunity."

"I order all of you to immediately organize yourselves into squads of thirty. Proceed to East County City's department and bring before me all the officials, generals, as well as the patriarchs and speakers of every aristocratic family."

Upon receiving this command, the chaos immediately subsided, and the crowding ceased.

For a moment, they exchanged glances, and outside, they began to organize into teams. Those who reacted quickest had already formed their groups and rushed towards the City Lord's Mansion.

They had missed the chance to claim credit for capturing Lord Liu, but they were determined not to miss out on the glory for the current task.

These individuals likely had already left a negative impression on the Duke, and their success in rectifying this now depended on their current actions.

With this thought, they competed fiercely.

In less than fifteen minutes, apart from the soldiers providing assistance to Lord Liu and the others, the courtyard was empty, save for pairs of soldiers forcing individuals to kneel on the ground.

Lin Yi surveyed the kneeling figures without a word, then calmly took a seat on a chair positioned outside, proceeding as if nothing had happened.

As for the origin of the chair,

Lin Yi had no idea which thoughtful soldier had brought it for him.

Seconds ticked by, and in less than a quarter of an hour, sounds erupted from outside, followed by a host of soldiers escorting a multitude of individuals, all bound tightly like dumplings.

At that moment, someone from the soldier's ranks swiftly approached Lin Yi, dropping to his knees with a resounding thud. He then clasped his hands in salute and declared loudly:

"Reporting to Your Majesty, the entire family of the East County Prefect, all 37 members, have been apprehended."

Observing the large group prostrating themselves on the ground, Lin Yi couldn't help but furrow his brow slightly. While he had anticipated bringing the officials themselves to him, he hadn't specifically considered punishing their families. After all, as an individual from the 21st century, he possessed a strong sense of justice, finding the adage that misfortune should not befall the innocent somewhat reasonable.

However, faced with a subordinate requesting instructions for such a matter, he found himself unable to object, as they had committed no wrongdoing. Therefore, he directly opened his mouth, nodded towards the subordinate, and instructed:

"Good, you may rise. For now, escort them to the side and await the arrival of the others so we may deal with them all collectively."

Just as these words left his lips,

[To be continued...]

PS: My heartfelt thanks to all my brothers for your unwavering support and affection throughout this journey.

UnbekNowningly, Youtzi has now penned a total of 2 million words for this novel.

Special gratitude is extended to those few who have remained consistently supportive, standing steadfastly by Youtzi's side.

This marks the first time Youtzi, as an author, has dedicated such a significant word count purely out of passion for the craft.

And this is merely the commencement; as long as you brothers continue to show your favor and support, Youtzi will persevere, striving to extend this free-to-read novel to 3 million words, or perhaps even 5 million!