6: Chapter 6 has yielded some small achievements; it's time to participate in the lucky draw!

The bandit suppression operation was set for three days later.

During these three days, Li Ling did not let his soldiers idle; instead, he organized several targeted tactical drills.

He had personally surveyed the terrain of Nanshan. It was a stretch of rolling hills; the highest peak was only five hundred meters above sea level, but the terrain was steep, overgrown with shrubs, and accessible only by a few small paths. The bandits had built a stronghold on the summit. The fortress walls were constructed from piled stone, thick and sturdy, which ordinary rifle bullets could not penetrate.

"If we use conventional tactics, our three thousand men launching a frontal assault will suffer at least thirty percent casualties," Li Ling said at the military meeting. "Therefore, I have decided to change our approach."

He pointed to Nanshan on the sand table.

"First, a night operation. We depart at three in the morning and arrive at the foot of the mountain by five. Using the cover of night, we will secure all paths leading down the mountain. Don't the bandits love being on the summit? Then we won't let them come down."

"Second, fire suppression. The Artillery Company will set up their firing positions in advance and begin bombarding the stronghold as soon as day breaks. It's not about destroying the walls; it's about breaking the bandits' morale. Bombard them continuously for two hours so they can't even lift their heads."

"Third, psychological warfare. After the bombardment, send people to call out to them, telling them to lay down their weapons to survive. Bandits are human too. After being bombarded for two hours, they will be scared out of their wits. Once we call out, some will surely surrender."

"Fourth, the assault. Once most of those willing to surrender have done so, the assault teams will attack from the front and the back simultaneously to take the stronghold in one go."

After listening, the officers nodded one after another.

This plan both minimized casualties and guaranteed victory; it could be called perfect.

Li Ling turned to Fritz and said, "You will personally select the firing positions for the Artillery Company. I want to ensure every shell lands inside the stronghold; not a single one can be wasted."

"Rest assured, Young General," Fritz promised, patting his chest.

Everything was ready.

On the eve of the bandit suppression, Li Ling sat in the barracks, staring blankly at the map on the wall.

Empress Su Wanqing walked in carrying a bowl of hot soup.

Empress Su Wanqing was Li Ling's childhood sweetheart, two years his junior, and they had grown up together. Her father was a staff officer under Retired Emperor Li Zhenshan. Her family background was ordinary, but Empress Su Wanqing herself was clever, sensible, and well-mannered. She was one of the few people Li Ling felt close to in this era.

"Brother Ling, drink a bowl of soup," Empress Su Wanqing said, placing the soup on the table and sitting opposite Li Ling.

Li Ling took the soup and took a sip; it was chicken soup, stewed until rich.

"Wanqing, why are you here?"

"I heard you were going to suppress the bandits, and I was worried," Empress Su Wanqing said, looking at Li Ling. Her eyes held concern and a trace of imperceptible affection. "Those people are outlaws, and you..."

"I have three thousand elite soldiers; should I be afraid of three thousand bandits?" Li Ling smiled. "Rest assured, nothing will happen."

"I'm not afraid you can't defeat them; I'm afraid you will get hurt."

Li Ling was stunned for a moment, then smiled.

"When did you become so concerned about me? Didn't you always used to complain that I was good-for-nothing?"

"That's because you really were good-for-nothing," Empress Su Wanqing also smiled, but her smile was gentle. "But lately, you've changed. You've become serious and responsible. I like this version of you."

The air suddenly went quiet.

Li Ling looked at Empress Su Wanqing, and Empress Su Wanqing looked at Li Ling; neither of them spoke.

After a good while, Empress Su Wanqing lowered her head, her face slightly flushed.

"I... I'll head back first. You should rest early." She stood up and walked out quickly.

Li Ling watched her back, the corners of his mouth curling up.

"System, does Empress Su Wanqing like me?"

"Host, you should ask yourself that question."

"I think she likes me."

"Then what does the Host plan to do?"

"Suppress the bandits first, we'll talk after that's done."

"The System advises the Host to handle emotional matters as soon as possible to avoid affecting subsequent plans. According to the System's projections, the Host has five romantic threads, and Empress Su Wanqing is the first and most critical one."

"Five?" Li Ling's eyes widened. "Am I that popular?"

"The Host will become one of the most influential figures of this era in the future; five romantic threads is already a conservative estimate."

"Doesn't that make me a stud?"

"The Host can choose to develop romantic relationships with only some of them, but the System's projections indicate that all five romantic threads are of significant help to the Host's development of power."

Li Ling was silent for a moment, then sighed.

"One step at a time. Let's finish the battle at hand first; we'll talk about matters of the heart later."

The System did not speak again.

At two-thirty the next morning, Li Ling got up.

He put on a specially made military uniform—grey fabric, a simple pocket sewn on the chest, a leather belt around his waist, and leather boots on his feet. This uniform was designed by the System based on the style of the People's Liberation Army uniforms from his previous life; it was both comfortable and majestic to wear.

He walked out of the barracks; the three thousand elite soldiers had already gathered on the parade ground.

"Move out!"

Three thousand men marched in neat formation, advancing toward Nanshan in the night.

Li Ling rode at the very front, with Fritz and a few officers behind him. Further back were the twelve artillery pieces of the Artillery Company and two hundred artillerymen. At the very rear were three thousand infantrymen, each carrying a rifle and one hundred rounds of ammunition, with two Hand grenades tucked into their belts—these were also products from the System's Production Base, modeled after German stick grenades.

At five in the morning, the troops arrived at the foot of Nanshan on time.

Li Ling stood on a small hill, observing the bandit stronghold on the mountain with binoculars.

The sky was still very dark; only a few faint lights could be seen in the stronghold. People were walking on the watchtowers, but they clearly had not discovered the troops at the foot of the mountain.

"Artillery Company, set up the cannons!"

Fritz personally directed the operation, and all twelve artillery pieces were set up within ten minutes, their muzzles aimed at the stronghold on the mountain.

"Assault teams, secure all paths leading down the mountain!"

Three hundred assault team members, divided into six squads, silently crept up the mountain and lay in ambush near all the exits of the bandit stronghold.

"Everything is ready, Young General," Fritz ran over to report.

Li Ling looked at his watch; it was 5:23.

"Wait until dawn to fire. If we shoot now, we won't see the targets clearly."

Everyone was waiting.

Time ticked by second by second.

The sky gradually brightened.

At exactly six o'clock, Li Ling gave the order to fire.

"Fire!"

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Twelve artillery pieces fired simultaneously; the shells streaked across the sky and landed in the bandit stronghold, the explosions deafening.

With the first volley, multiple fires broke out in the stronghold.

"Keep bombarding! Don't stop!"

The second volley, the third volley, the fourth volley...

After twenty minutes of continuous bombardment, the stronghold was in shambles. The bandits were blasted into a daze, unable to even organize a resistance. The watchtowers were blasted down, the fortress walls had several breaches, houses were burning, and the wounded were wailing.

Li Ling ordered a pause in the shelling and sent people to call out.

"Listen, bandits on the mountain! We are the Imperial Army! You are surrounded! Lay down your weapons and come out to surrender, and you can live! Resist to the end, and you will die!"

The shouting echoed through the mountains.

At first, there was no reaction from the stronghold.

Ten minutes later, Li Ling ordered a second round of shelling. This time it lasted only five minutes, but it was more precise than the first round, with several shells landing directly inside the bandit leader's residence.

As soon as the shelling stopped, someone in the stronghold shouted, "Stop shooting! Stop shooting! We surrender!"

The gate opened, and a group of bandits walked out waving white flags.

One after another, group after group.

Finally, even the bandit leader was tied up and brought out by his subordinates.

Of the three thousand-plus bandits, over two hundred were killed or wounded, and over two thousand eight hundred were captured. Only fewer than one hundred people managed to escape from the back of the mountain during the chaos, but they were intercepted by the assault teams lying in ambush there.

From the start of the shelling to the end of the battle, it took less than three hours.

Li Ling stood in the stronghold, looking at the bandits crouching on the ground with their heads in their hands, expressionless.

"Tally the casualties."

"Reporting, Young General, our troops have suffered zero casualties!" Fritz reported excitedly.

Li Ling nodded, but there was no smile on his face.

He walked over to the commoners who had been held captive by the bandits. Seeing those emaciated, battered people, his fists slowly clenched.

"System, how should these bandits be dealt with?"

"According to the laws of the Qingxia Kingdom, those who gather as bandits and commit murder and robbery are to be beheaded."

"Then behead them."

"Is the Host certain? More than two thousand eight hundred people, all beheaded?"

Li Ling was silent.

He was a modern man; in his previous life, he lived in a society ruled by law, and he had a natural resistance to the word "slaughter." But this was 1898, a time of chaos. Being merciful to these bandits was being cruel to the common people.

"Execute the ringleaders, and conscript the coerced. Screen them carefully; do not kill the innocent, but do not let a single guilty one escape."

"Understood."

That afternoon, the bandit leader and several key figures were taken to the foot of the mountain and beheaded in public.

Li Ling did not go to watch.

He rode back to the military camp, his face grim the entire way.

"System, am I too cold-blooded?"

"Host, in this era, cold-bloodedness is not a flaw; it is a necessary condition for survival. If you are merciful to the enemy, the enemy will be cruel to you. Being merciful to the common people is true mercy. These bandits have plagued the common people for over a decade; killing them is acting on behalf of Heaven."

"I know, but I still feel uncomfortable."

"This proves that the Host still has humanity. If the Host were to kill without restraint and feel nothing, that is when you should be worried."

Li Ling gave a wry smile.

"Let's go, back. There is still much to do."

Returning to the military camp, the System suddenly sounded a notification.

"Ding! The Host has completed the first bandit suppression, achieving a perfect victory with zero casualties, and has reached the small achievement 'Initial Victory.' Reward: one lucky draw opportunity."

Li Ling perked up: "Draw!"

"Drawing... Congratulations to the Host for obtaining: Small Production Base × 1. This base is located underground in the warehouse west of the Host's city and can produce Hand grenades, landmines, and other individual explosives."

Li Ling's eyes lit up.

"Hand grenades! Landmines! These are the true artifacts of urban warfare!"

Although these things were not mainstream on the battlefield in 1898, if he had the ability to mass-produce them, he could gain a huge tactical advantage in future wars.

"System, when can this Production Base be used?"

"It has already materialized; the Host may go to check it at any time."

"No rush, I'll go tomorrow."

Li Ling lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling.

Today was the most exhausting day since he transmigrated; not because of the fighting, but because of mental fatigue.

Killing, even if it is killing those who deserve to be killed, leaves a shadow in one's heart.

"System, do you think people of the Interstellar Federation fight wars?"

"Yes. In the early stages of the Interstellar Federation's establishment, they also went through long wars. It wasn't until they unified the entire galaxy that they entered a period of peace."

"Then do any of them feel pain because of killing?"

"Yes. But they tell themselves that killing one evil person is to save more good people."

Li Ling closed his eyes, and slowly, the heaviness in his heart lessened a little.

"System, thank you."

"The Host need not thank me. The System is merely stating facts."

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Host."