Matsui Kazuo’s corpse was a horrific sight, his head nearly blown apart.
Hatoyama Takuma, splattered with blood, stood frozen in shock, unable to articulate his feelings.
Li Buyan’s eyelids twitched, and he then looked deeply at Chen Jinzhao.
Someone let out a scream, breaking the suffocating silence. Hatoyama Takuma suddenly turned to Chen Jinzhao, "You, you actually killed Matsui Kazuo? And you killed him right in front of us? How are we supposed to explain this to the Eastern Isles, to the Matsui family?"
If nothing unexpected happened.
The Matsui family would ultimately vent their anger on these delegation members, as they failed to protect Matsui Kazuo.
The consequences were self-evident.
Chen Jinzhao said expressionlessly, "I told you, if I want to kill, I kill. Why would I need a reason?"
Hatoyama Takuma was furious but dared not openly accuse Chen Jinzhao, fearing being killed by this madman. He turned to Li Buyan, "Old General, are all you Chinese people this unreasonable? If you don't give me an answer today, I doubt we will be convinced."
Li Buyan sighed, "Chen Jinzhao, what are you doing?"
Chen Jinzhao remained silent.
He still remembered the tragic state of Peng Weiping and his family of three. This bloody incident needed to end with Matsui Kazuo's death.
Previously, Chen Jinzhao had not been entirely decided on killing Matsui Kazuo. He lured him into confessing his wicked deeds, which only solidified Chen Jinzhao's resolve to kill him.
It could be said.
Everything was within Chen Jinzhao's calculations.
"He's dead, and no amount of words can change that," Li Buyan said to Hatoyama Takuma, even managing a faint smile. "Please rest assured, everyone. We will certainly provide an explanation to the Eastern Isles. As for Chen Jinzhao, I am temporarily stripping him of his military rank. We will provide a response to the Eastern Isles after a thorough investigation."
"Chen Jinzhao, do you accept this?"
Chen Jinzhao replied calmly, "I will follow Elder Li's arrangements. I shall comply."
Hatoyama Takuma said, "Elder Li, don't think I don't know your intentions. You simply want to reinstate Chen Jinzhao's rank, perhaps even promote him, once the dust has settled. Chen Jinzhao must be handed over to us in the Eastern Isles."
*Swish!*
Li Buyan and the soldiers beside him cast icy, penetrating gazes at Hatoyama Takuma. This sent a chill down Hatoyama Takuma and his companions' spines, making them realize that if they pressed further, Li Buyan might just arrange a gruesome end for them.
There was no doubt.
The ruthlessness of the older generation was beyond anything the younger generation could imagine.
Hatoyama Takuma could only say, "Very well. I have no authority to interfere in these matters. We hope your side will cooperate fully with the official investigation by the Eastern Isles. We must take the bodies of Matsui Kazuo and Gao He Xiaotai with us. This is our bottom line."
Li Buyan waved his hand, "Take them."
Hatoyama Takuma and his group, not daring to linger for a moment, hastily took the bodies of Matsui Kazuo and Gao He Xiaotai and left, as if fearing Li Buyan would go back on his word.
After the delegation from the Eastern Isles departed, Li Buyan dismissed the soldiers accompanying him and was left alone with Chen Jinzhao in the courtyard.
"Tell me."
"Why did you do it?"
Chen Jinzhao took a deep breath. "For no particular reason, just a moment of impulsiveness. If Elder Li wishes to punish me, I will accept it."
Li Buyan chuckled, "How dare I punish you? If I were to, my granddaughter would surely have a falling out with me."
"You did it for Lin Yeyuan and his family of three, didn't you?"
Chen Jinzhao remained silent.
Li Buyan continued, "Very good, very good. Your spirit is still intact. I have already posthumously awarded Peng Weiping the status of a martyr. Now that you have avenged him, I am sure they would smile in the afterlife. However, you are still too young. You could have used more subtle means. With your abilities, killing someone discreetly shouldn't have been difficult."
Chen Jinzhao met Li Buyan's weathered and profound gaze. "If one is not passionate, they are a youth in vain!"
Li Buyan burst into laughter.
He actually agreed with that statement. The longer one lived, the more things they had to consider.
Amidst these calculations of self-interest, one's passion would gradually be worn away.
"Didn't Li Tiance also say that if you want others to fear bullying you, passive tolerance is useless? Only by drawing your sword can you instill fear in them?" Chen Jinzhao said with a cold tone. He had now understood something: the current global situation was treacherous, and the world needed to know they possessed the spirit of drawing their swords!
Otherwise, others would simply mistake your love for peace as cowardice.
"I killed Matsui Kazuo and Gao He Xiaotai to warn those in the Eastern Isles. If they dare to send people to China again, I will kill them without hesitation."
Li Buyan clapped his hands and laughed heartily.
Seeing Chen Jinzhao's transformation, he was delighted.
"Yes, we soldiers must be like this, always maintaining our fighting spirit," Li Buyan said.
"My revoking your military rank was an agreement between myself and Xu Hanchen. He wants you to take a good six-month rest. For these next six months, remember to come to my house and propose to my girl. Don't keep her waiting too long."
Chen Jinzhao's gaze softened. "Elder Li, I understand."
"Good."
Li Buyan patted Chen Jinzhao's shoulder. "Leave the rest to me. You go and attend to your own affairs."
Chen Jinzhao left Matsui Kazuo's courtyard before it was dark.
Therefore, he went to wait outside Fengtian Third Primary School. He had learned from Li Buyan that Su Xiao's daughter attended this school, and it happened to be Friday, the day for students to go home.
After waiting for more than ten minutes.
Chen Jinzhao indeed saw a little girl with a schoolbag emerge from the school. The little girl was Su Yuqing, Su Xiao's daughter.
Su Yuqing walked out of the school with her head bowed.
Before Chen Jinzhao could approach the young girl, he saw several boys surround her, jeering at her father, calling him a traitor.
Su Yuqing clenched her small fists and said, "You all shut up! My mom said my dad isn't a traitor!"
"Your dad is a traitor. It's all over the news," one of the boys said, even adding, "My parents told me not to play with you, so you don't corrupt us."
Su Yuqing bit her lip, on the verge of tears.
As more people gathered around, Chen Jinzhao frowned and stepped forward. Just as he was about to speak, a female teacher approached and addressed the boys, "What are you all making such a fuss about? You only know how to bully Yuqing. You are forbidden from saying such hateful things from now on. Do you understand?"
After the female teacher's lecture, the little boys dispersed.
Chen Jinzhao knew.
These little brats probably didn't take the lecture to heart. It was related to their family upbringing, and their views wouldn't change overnight.
Putting those thoughts aside, Chen Jinzhao walked up to Su Yuqing.
"Are you Su Yuqing?"
"I am Chen Jinzhao, your father's comrade-in-arms."