"Warlords have taken everything that rightfully belongs to you, and now a demon wants to take it back and give it to you. Are you willing!?"
Bai Qi's speech was indeed quite inflammatory, and many people's eyes began to show a different light. However, they immediately thought of the guns in the hands of the warlords and the grain they tightly controlled.
Opposing the warlords meant no food and the price of life.
At this thought, the fervor in their eyes dissipated once more.
After all, they believed that a demon could save them for a while but not for a lifetime. Demons always left, and how could the defenseless common people resist the warlords then?
Bai Qi had long anticipated their thoughts. He clapped his hands twice, and two ninjas emerged from the shadows, carrying various rice, flour, grains, oils, bread, instant noodles, and sausages.
Bai Qi spoke again, "If you submit to me, I will give you freedom, food, and a safe home. Now, all of this is yours."
Having been plundered repeatedly by the warlords, the people were starving. Seeing so much delicious food, they could no longer hold back. Without a second thought, they rushed forward like madmen, tearing open packages and eating greedily.
"Delicious, delicious! I've never eaten anything so delicious."
"Exactly, I have no regrets even if I die."
Under the onslaught of good food, these civilians instantly submitted to Bai Qi, fervently supporting him as the ruler of Kutol.
What if he was a demon?
As long as they could eat and survive, these people, seasoned by war, would sell their souls to a demon without hesitation.
In the following days, Bai Qi swept through the warlord forces on his island, killing the leader on the spot and disbanding the soldiers. Those willing could follow Bai Qi as ordinary people, and Bai Qi would not force those who were unwilling.
This was what he said, but by now, having witnessed Bai Qi's overwhelming strength, who would dare to leave?
Before the war broke out, these soldiers were also ordinary folk. They only followed the warlords, risking their lives for a meager living.
Now that they could eat their fill without risking their lives, these soldiers were overjoyed. Why would they leave?
As time passed, Bai Qi's influence in Kutol gradually grew.
In three days, an entire island was liberated, and with the combined efforts of the civilians and the shadow ninjas, the war-torn infrastructure was rapidly being repaired.
For the civilians, whether it was repairing infrastructure or anything else, it would ultimately benefit them, so they worked with great enthusiasm.
Bai Qi's actions were undoubtedly a bombshell on the international stage.
A demon in Kutol, who had swept away warlords on an island and was now helping the people of Kutol rebuild their homes, was a stark contrast to what had happened earlier at the American port.
Did you think that was all?
Next came even more shocking news, though it was confined to the mainland of America.
That was when the rapidly developing Umbrella Corporation suddenly announced that it would invest in Kutol's infrastructure development.
This seemingly foolish act led many prominent American corporations to suspect that Umbrella Corporation was plotting something significant again.
After all, from a capitalist's perspective, investing in Kutol, especially in infrastructure, was a losing proposition, a complete disaster. Moreover, Kutol was still embroiled in conflict. Even if something was built today, it might be destroyed by an RPG tomorrow. Umbrella Corporation, if it had any sense, wouldn't get involved in such a mess.
But when the commercial spies sent by various companies returned with their reports, they discovered that Umbrella Corporation had indeed been foolish this time, genuinely intending to invest in Kutol.
With that, the relieved capitalists began to openly mock Umbrella Corporation's misguided actions.
While these capitalists, who were competitors of Umbrella Corporation, breathed a sigh of relief, other capitalists became uneasy.
These were some of the arms dealers and some American politicians.
These were the people who least wanted Kutol to return to peace.
It was precisely because of the constant infighting among the warlords of Kutol that the arms dealers had an outlet for their weaponry. If Kutol returned to peace, these arms dealers would lose a significant amount of orders.
Despite Kutol's small size and its impoverished populace, its warlords were all incredibly wealthy. They engaged in murder, robbery, drug trafficking, forced prostitution, piracy, and human trafficking – whatever made money, they did it. They then used all their earnings to purchase weapons to consolidate their power and seize more territory.
And then there were the politicians.
To climb to higher positions, almost everyone had dirty hands, receiving ill-gotten gains.
It was precisely because Kutol was far from mainland America and embroiled in internal conflict that it served as a good place for these politicians to launder money and make a fortune.
Almost every warlord leader had the backing of an American politician. The warlords helped the politicians launder money, taking a commission, while the politicians spoke out and supported the warlords on the international stage.
Now, it was a disaster. A demon had appeared, caused trouble in America, and then gone to Kutol, ruthlessly eradicating the warlords of an entire island.
As the saying goes, taking someone's wealth is like killing their parents. Bai Qi's actions instantly reduced the profits of these arms dealers by a third. Many warlords supported by politicians were eliminated, forcing them to find new puppets.
If the demon had merely occupied an island and declared itself king, the politicians and arms dealers might have let it go, considering it a cost to avoid trouble. After all, facing such a powerful demon, no one wanted to provoke it.
But who would have imagined that this demon would become even more audacious? After clearing out the warlords of one island, there was no sign of stopping.
Just recently, politicians and arms dealers had received news of the assassinations of Kutol's warlord leaders. Some were killed in their homes, others in their offices, and some were even assassinated while walking on the street.
Even if the surviving warlords strengthened their security, reduced their outings, and kept their guns by their side even while sleeping, it was still useless. Assassinations were happening at all times.
If this continued, the warlords of all of Kutol would likely be assassinated before long.
Others might not know, but could the American politicians be unaware?
With such skills, able to kill without a trace, who else could it be but the ninjas under the demon's command?
If this continued, how could those who benefited from the status quo stand idly by?
And so, soon, a politician rushed to the presidential office, preparing to submit a memorial.