Chapter 382: The Twenty-fifth Day in the Struggle for Supremacy World

Chapter 382: Day Twenty-Five in a Hegemon Webnovel

The news that An Yi had executed Ke Quan and swiftly pacified Zhaozhou spread like wildfire.

The realm had been in chaos for barely half a year, with warlords rising left and right, most still testing each other, gobbling up smaller factions, and mired in bitter struggles.

Yet An Yi, a mere eighteen-year-old prefect, had seized two entire prefectures in just a few short months. Now he commanded three prefectures and had stabilized them fast. The strength and efficiency he showed stunned everyone.

Suddenly, the name An Chuwei was on everyone's lips—warlords of the chaotic era, scholars, and even common folk alike.

Some called him a "young hero, kind and decisive," while others feared his "razor-sharp army and unfathomable depth." Many glimpsed his ambition and his future.

In no time, a flood of talent poured into Puzhou, Zhaozhou, and Tongzhou—civil officials and military commanders alike.

An Yi received them all with a grin ear to ear. The more, the merrier!

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In Yuncang City, the imperial court—controlled by the empress's relatives and already teetering on the brink—was both shocked and enraged upon learning that An Yi had slain the rebel Ke Quan of Zhaozhou and annexed his territory.

Yet another ambitious wolf!

Some schemers sought to go after An Zheng, An Xiu, and other An clan members still in Yuncang, using them as leverage or venting their fury.

Yet when they stormed into the An residence in full force, they found it long since emptied.

An Zheng, Dong Yi, An Xiu, and the other direct relatives were nowhere to be seen. Branch members, stewards, even the library and valuables—all had vanished without a trace, leaving only an empty mansion as if stripped bare overnight.

An Yi had, long before he even decided to start his rebellion, secretly arranged for his family and servants to be escorted out of Yuncang through hidden channels.

By then, An Zheng and the others had safely arrived in Tongzhou, reunited with An Yi.

The court's actions served no purpose other than to expose its own stupidity and slow reflexes.

Who would have thought that when An Xiu called in sick and stayed home, the court would simply let him stay home, with no one watching?

An Yi was somewhat speechless when he learned of it, though good thing his backup plans weren't needed.

After securing the three prefectures, An Yi did not rush to push outward.

He knew that a territory that had grown so fast needed time to settle.

The newly taken Puzhou and Zhaozhou needed clean governance, a revival of farming and trade, and the people's trust. He had to pacify or root out troublemakers like local bullies and rogue soldiers.

More importantly, he needed to weld these three prefectures into one solid block. Newly recruited troops also required training; sending them to battle untrained would be sending them to their deaths. He couldn't rush that.

He temporarily lay low, quietly building up his power within his own domain.

The neighboring powers eyed him hungrily, clashed with him a few times, and when they got nothing, turned to gobble up smaller targets.

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In the Yangyi Prefectural Office, now serving as the provisional headquarters for the three prefectures, the lamps burned late into the night.

An Yi buried himself in governance—reviewing documents, summoning officials, hearing reports, issuing decrees, handling every little thing with calm, orderly precision.

He rolled out the same policies that had worked in Tongzhou to Puzhou and Zhaozhou: better farm tools, irrigation projects, trade incentives, and schooling. He reduced taxes, cracked down on crime, and selected and promoted capable talent.

When had the people of Puzhou and Zhaozhou ever experienced a life this good?

If only their governor could always be Lord An!

If only the emperor were someone like Lord An, many silently wished.

Countless were won over by An Yi and pledged themselves to the Tongzhou family.

As time passed, that mix in An Yi—young good looks, calm wisdom, ruler's authority, and something you couldn't quite name—aged like fine wine, getting smoother and more intoxicating.

Many newly attached officials and scholars who came to see him would first be struck by An Yi's youth and beauty upon meeting him.

Yet after but a moment's conversation, they would be won over by his profound learning, clear thinking, steady bearing, and the occasional glimpse of a depth that saw through everything—leaving them in awe, then respect, and even... obsession.

Yes, obsession.

An Yi seemed to possess a strange pull.

He did not deliberately flaunt it; most of the time he was gently smiling, polite to everyone. But he drew people to him irresistibly, making them willingly give him their loyalty and skills.

Beneath his gentleness lay a rock-solid calm and a clear set of principles. He was clear about rewards and punishments, looked handsome and commanding, and hid his ambition behind the noble goal of saving the people. All of it made him a nearly perfect, dream leader.

Especially for those talented individuals with grand aspirations who had found no success in the court or the chaotic era, An Yi was like a bright moon suddenly rising in the darkness, casting clear light in all directions, showing the way, yet carrying an irresistible draw.

They gathered around him like stars encircling the moon, doing everything in their power, just to actually change the world.

Comments section:

"Damn, the way the new recruits look at An Yi—the description is spot on! 'Shock—awe—respect—obsession,' the classic 'fall for the boss' pipeline. What kind of walking, talking succubus is the Lord? One with a 'wise ruler' filter that auto-recruits followers?"

"I mean, what's this 'obsession' talk? He's not going to start a harem, is he?"

"Hmm... doesn't seem like it. It's just plain admiration for the Lord."

"What's this 'nearly perfect, dream leader'? The author wrote this as a mix of sage king + pretty boy + wise old man, right? But the key is it's actually convincing—watching him run things feels reliable, which is absurd!"

"This is called a 'Chinese-style succubus'! Get it? Not the Western kind that relies on seduction—it's a four-part combo of 'virtue, talent, looks, and status,' plus care and personality! Top leaders throughout history have a bit of this vibe~ Love it~"

"Chinese-style succubus? More like the one true light in a dark age! (tactical lean back.jpg)"

"Brilliant! I just love watching An Yi steadily build toward kingship—gathering famous generals, pulling in smart guys, marrying... uh, building a big harem. Bai Ji, oh Bai Ji, you're really useless!!"

"..."

An Yi: "..."

His face flushed slightly.

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Bai Ji took it all in.

He was now one of An Yi's most trusted advisors, jointly managing civil affairs with Dou Chuang and handling top-secret stuff.

He watched with his own eyes how An Yi handled complex governance with effortless ease, how he won over the new people, and how he gradually bound the three prefectures into one solid unit.

He also watched as more and more people, like moths to a flame, were drawn to An Yi.

The fire inside him burned hotter every day.

He was no longer as bold as when he first arrived; now he kept a respectful distance from An Yi.

Not because he didn't want to, but because he didn't dare.

He now understood more clearly the gap between himself and An Yi, and he was afraid he might overstep and offend him.