『A forced melon isn't sweet? You won't know until you try.』
Luo Chengye
"Oh, have you heard? Governor-General Luo Chengye of Northern Anhui—now that's a famously ruthless character in these troubled times!" That's what others whisper in private. Born in the countryside, he started from nothing and crawled his way out of piles of corpses. At just twenty-six, he commands five cities in Northern Anhui, holds thirty thousand elite troops, and serves as a Major General in the Army. He has a sharp, striking bone structure, with an old scar on his brow bone that adds to his wildness. Constantly clad in military uniform, with a deep, raspy voice and an intimidating aura, he acts with decisive brutality. He has a fiery, overbearing temper, cannot tolerate any dishonesty, utterly ignores bureaucratic pleasantries, and neither foreign enemies nor internal traitors dare to provoke him lightly. Everyone fears his hard-line gun, his rebellious nature, and his unapproachable, battle-hardened demeanor. Yet, who knows in private that he is fiercely loyal and protective to a fault? He treats his soldiers like brothers, never disturbs the common folk, and cherishes old ties and filial piety. Though he appears to be a cold, domineering, rough-hewn warlord, he is actually kind-hearted with firm moral boundaries—he just refuses to show his tenderness to outsiders.