Leveraging the massive public outcry ignited by the Zhou Yi incident, and the previous compromises and delegation of power by some elders under pressure, Zhang Lexuan had already seized most of the actual power in Shrek Outer Court.
At this moment, with the covert military support provided by the Mingmeng Chamber of Commerce, she wielded her butcher's knife.
Shrek Outer Court, currently on holiday, the campus that was usually filled with youthful clamor was now permeated with a suffocating air of Slaughter (Severe).
Zhang Lexuan stood silently on a high platform, her face as cold as snow, her gaze calmly overlooking the scene below.
Teams of enforcement squads, a mixed force of Inner Court Disciples and Mingmeng Chamber of Commerce elites, held two lists and moved through every corner of the Academy like precise hounds.
They followed the command: "Kill those on the first list who resist; kill those on the second list upon encounter."
In dormitories, offices, and even hidden chambers, many individuals were directly beheaded before they could even understand the situation.
Those who remained compliant were dealt with according to the lists; the former were detained without resistance, while the latter were still purged even if they didn't resist. The methods were iron-blooded, leaving no room for leniency.
Figures were arrested one after another, including many well-respected teachers and administrators within the Academy, and even relatives closely associated with certain elders.
"Do you know who I am?! My father is an elder of the Sea God Pavilion!"
"I'm innocent, I'm truly innocent, please let me go, let me go!"
"Let go of me! I'm not guilty! This is purging dissidents! It's a conspiracy!!!"
Frenzied roars, desperate threats, and hoarse pleas intertwined, attempting to challenge the high and mighty arbiter.
To this, Zhang Lexuan only felt a bit annoyed.
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She simply stood there, calmly observing everything, and the purge did not pause for a moment due to any shouts.
The next day, another official announcement, bearing the dual seals of Shrek Academy and the Sea God Pavilion, spread throughout every corner of the continent via the Mingmeng Chamber of Commerce's channels.
The content of the announcement was even more concise than when Zhou Yi was executed; it had only one theme:
Public Execution.
The accompanying list of personnel for this announcement contained a staggering two hundred thirty-seven names!
It included various levels of Shrek's internal management, teachers, and some businesses closely related to Shrek, members of vassal Families, and members of peripheral forces.
Next to each person's name, their crimes were clearly listed, such as corruption, abuse of power, bullying students, colluding with external forces, and betraying the Academy's interests.
Each and every piece of evidence was conclusive; in fact, a newspaper under the Mingmeng Chamber of Commerce even printed an extra edition specifically for this, detailing the evidence of their crimes.
Under the deliberate guidance of the Mingmeng Chamber of Commerce's media machine, all previous negative news about Shrek seemed to be covered and eliminated overnight by this more intense, more iron-blooded "self-purification" storm.
The entire continent was thoroughly shocked by Shrek's extreme methods, akin to scraping bone to cure poison.
And the name of Zhang Lexuan, the prospective Sea God Pavilion Master, who, with overwhelming force, forcibly cleansed Shrek's millennia-old accumulated filth with blood, completely entered the sights of all top forces in the Douluo Three Kingdoms. No one could ignore her... After everything drew to a close,
In a pitch-black room, two voices conversed, interwoven with the rustling sound of fabric, strangely clear.
"After this period of purging, the Outer Court is now largely under control, but there are too many personnel losses, and the gaps in the lower ranks and teachers are quite large, requiring urgent replenishment."
With a slightly dry hoarseness, Zhang Lexuan was taking advantage of this moment while she was still lucid and not speaking nonsense, to report on matters with clear logic.
Kong Mingan's gaze was calm, but his actions did not falter in the slightest.
He gently used both hands to lift Zhang Lexuan, who then straddled him.
With his lips caressing her pale shoulder and neck, Kong Mingan responded calmly, his voice soft and gentle:
"I will speak with Ju Zi and have the Mingmeng Chamber of Commerce cooperate with you as much as possible, fully assisting you in the initial organization and personnel replenishment of the Outer Court."
"Mm."
Zhang Lexuan let out a slightly heavy hum.
Tilting her head slightly, her smooth, elegant neck formed an enticing curve, but her eyebrows unconsciously furrowed slightly, showing a hint of pain.
Perhaps she hadn't been very active lately, spending all her days killing, and the long intervals meant her body needed some time to re-adapt.
She exhaled softly, suppressing the pain, and with downcast eyes, spoke as normally as possible:
"I will, but for now, I can probably only control the Outer Court."
Kong Mingan's gaze remained serene in the darkness. He raised one hand, his thumb gently stroking her slightly furrowed brow, and slowly said:
"It's alright, take it step by step. I'm not in a hurry. Taking control of the Outer Court is enough for now; the rest is just a matter of time."
As he spoke, he used his free hand to naturally grasp Zhang Lexuan's wrists, which were crossed in front of her, then raised them high above her head, locking them with a force that prevented escape but wouldn't genuinely harm her.
If Shrek were to be finely divided, it would be nothing more than the Inner Court, Outer Court, and Shrek City, these three major parts.
The Inner Court and Outer Court belong to the core of the Academy, so let's set them aside for now.
Shrek City, as an appendage, as an entity that supported the Academy, before the Mingmeng Chamber of Commerce's arrival, almost all its industrial lifelines were controlled by the Academy and its associated forces, making it a solid block.
Among these industries, not many were directly under the Academy; most were controlled by those deeply entrenched vassal Families. They only needed to pay a fixed tax to the Academy and could then enjoy the benefits.
Even after the Mingmeng Chamber of Commerce's strong intervention, seizing a considerable market share, many of Shrek City's foundational industries remained firmly in the hands of these Families.
And behind these Families often stood one, or several, elders of the Sea God Pavilion, and this was the source of their confidence to still dare to feign compliance.
Of course, they were not a big problem and were not difficult to resolve.
It's just that the power of these Families was complex, and if one wanted to eradicate them, it would require a lot of time.
At this moment, Zhang Lexuan lay down, with a soft pillow under her neck, giving her a hazy feeling of sinking into a ball of cotton.
Biting her lower lip, and allowing the slight pain to gradually calm the previous hazy feeling, she then spoke in as calm a voice as possible:
"Completely taking control of the Outer Court is the limit of my current strength.
"My prestige is already sufficient, and it will likely increase further after thoroughly controlling the Outer Court. However, if I want to advance further... I at least need to possess the strength of a Titled Douluo myself to truly command respect.
"Otherwise, even Elder Mu probably wouldn't agree to let me wield more power, because that would be too dangerous."
(End of Chapter)
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