Xiao City, though boasting over a thousand inhabitants, had only three to four hundred able-bodied young men. The majority were the elderly, weak, or infirm, requiring care and eventual burial upon their admission.
From the over a thousand who eagerly volunteered, Xiao Fei ultimately selected just over a hundred young, strong men. At present, Xiao City could recruit no more; any further recruitment would leave no one for labor.
The newly recruited personnel were first treated to a hearty meal, instantly boosting their morale to its peak. They eagerly thumped their chests, demanding to know who they were to fight.
Han Yi, looking at the hundred newcomers, felt he had reached the pinnacle of his life; these 130 individuals would be his soldiers. In the past, everyone looked down on him, calling him foolish. It was his master's discerning eye for talent that allowed him this moment of triumph. He had toiled diligently behind the scenes to lead these men effectively, his hardships incomprehensible to outsiders.
He secretly sought out the most learned old man in the city, gifting him several days' worth of rations, and received over ten days of intensive tutoring. Previously, he could only count to one hundred; now, he could count to two hundred and had learned basic addition and subtraction within one hundred.
Xiao Fei placed his full trust in Han Yi, appointing him to oversee the training of the new recruits. Han Yi meticulously followed Xiao Fei's previous training methods, rigorously instructing the newcomers.
Recently, Xiao Fei had been plagued by a sense of unease, which even the recruitment of a hundred new men had not dispelled. He spent his days observing Han Yi train the recruits, ensuring they understood obedience and collective combat, while subtly indoctrinating them.
Concurrently, he cultivated several spare bodies within his space, rendering the possibility of being killed once or twice inconsequential.
Three months passed swiftly. Han Yi led Xiao Fei to review his training results. The Giants were generally simple-minded and somewhat rigid in their execution, but after training, they could strictly follow orders. The 130 trained individuals moved in unison under command, appearing as one.
"Kill!" Xiao Fei roared, and a white bone spear shot forward. Simultaneously, 130 spears followed, arranging themselves neatly in the air, a truly spectacular sight.
"Boom!" With a thunderous explosion, a towering peak ahead was reduced to dust by the impact of the 130 spears, leaving a deep crater in its place.
Xiao Fei then had them demonstrate various combat techniques, such as coordinated advances and encirclements, all of which the Giants performed exceptionally well. With such formidable strength, Xiao Fei was confident he could sweep across the entire Giant world.
However, as Xiao Fei surveyed his current strength, the sense of crisis still lingered in his heart. He racked his brain, unable to fathom who could possibly threaten him now. He was not one to passively endure attacks, so he decided to take the initiative, striking first. What about the surrounding cities and that "One-Eared Bandit" who harbored ill intentions towards him? He would eliminate them first.
On this day, Xiao Fei mustered his hundred men, blades and spears in hand, and marched out of the city. Thirty of his subordinates were left behind in his residence in Xiao City to guard the premises. In a secret chamber deep within his residence, another Xiao Fei remained hidden, unseen. Although he felt the strength of his subordinates was sufficient to conquer the Giant world, the lingering sense of crisis made him unwilling to be careless. This body was kept here as a backup. Furthermore, another Xiao Fei resided in the space, capable of sensing situations on both sides simultaneously, acting as a bridge to transmit information.
Xiao Fei led the hundred Giants to Cai City first. This city was similar to the former Savage City, with over a thousand inhabitants, controlled by a family surnamed Cai. The Cai family, with over thirty members, possessed a strength that was typical for maintaining a city in the Giant realm; most were similar. Cai City had virtually no defenses; by the time they reached the city gates, the inhabitants remembered to close them, but it was too late.
Xiao Fei, with his hundred men, advanced directly towards the Cai family. Under the watchful eyes of the entire city's populace, he effortlessly annihilated the Cai family. After occupying Cai City, he showed no hesitation, leaving only five men to garrison it, taking some of the more valuable supplies, and hurrying towards the next city. His current campaign was a series of surprise attacks, aiming to strike before the surrounding powers could react, thus conserving considerable effort.
Subsequently, he led his men to capture three more cities without expending much effort. The news of him conquering four cities in succession spread, alerting the surrounding powers. When they arrived at the fifth city, its gates were tightly shut, with dozens of Giants defending the city walls.
"Fellow Daoist Xiao, you and I have no past grievances, nor recent enmity. Why do you lead your army to attack us?" a Giant on the city wall shouted, attempting to quell the impending disaster with his eloquent words.
Xiao Fei, standing at the center of his men, responded loudly. "I have heard reports from the city's residents stating that your Bi family acts tyrannically within the city, oppressing the good people, forcing innocence into prostitution, and causing the deaths of innocent lives! I am a compassionate soul, unable to bear witness to the suffering of the common people, and wish to rescue them from their dire straits and alleviate their profound suffering."
"Therefore, though we have no personal grudges, we have righteous indignation! For the sake of the common people being able to eat their fill, we are irreconcilable!"
Xiao Fei's voice carried far, audible to everyone within Bi City. The Giants, with their simple minds, were largely illiterate and had never read books, let alone seen visual media. Upon hearing Xiao Fei's heartfelt words, they were moved to tears. They had suffered their entire lives, and no one had ever considered their feelings, nor had anyone strived to ensure they had enough to eat. It turned out that good people did exist in the world.
At this moment, hearing that the Bi family was blocking Xiao Fei at the gates, many within the city began to stir, contemplating whether they should rush out and aid Xiao Fei's army outside the city. However, the Bi family had operated in this city for many years, and the influence accumulated over time had deeply ingrained itself in the hearts of the people. Although many felt restless, they ultimately did not take that step.
Just then, the voice of the Bi family patriarch echoed from afar. "Hahaha… are you not a fool? Toiling and struggling just to stand up for these insignificant lives!" The patriarch's words caused the emotions of the city's residents to plummet once more. Indeed, why would anyone risk their lives for them, common folk who could barely find food?
At this moment, Xiao Fei's righteous voice resounded again. "In my eyes, all people are born equal, without distinction of noble or base!" Then, Xiao Fei raised his voice further. "Citizens of Bi City, listen: we have come today only to overthrow the Bi family, so that you may eat your fill in the future! After we eliminate the Bi family today, I invite all residents of the city to a feast!"
As soon as Xiao Fei finished speaking, the residents who had been holding back their emotions could no longer restrain themselves. They grabbed their weapons and launched surprise attacks from behind the Bi family members. In a short while, the city descended into chaos, with shouts of killing echoing everywhere.
Han Yi, following beside Xiao Fei, scratched his head, his rather meager brain unable to comprehend what was happening. He felt it was too surreal; his master had only spoken a few words, and the city had erupted into chaos on its own. "Master! Should we take this opportunity to charge in?"
"No need!" Xiao Fei waved his hand, looking composed and confident, as if victory was assured. In truth, he was also a bit bewildered; he had merely been boasting, and it had turned out this way! It seemed the Giant race's entire growth potential had been channeled into strength, making them so easily trusting. This put him under considerable pressure! He had never intended to be some kind of savior.
After a while, the sounds of fighting within the city gradually subsided, and a few Giants opened the gates. "We welcome Lord Xiao into the city!"