[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-above-the-mage":3,"chapter-above-the-mage-above-the-mage-chapter-96":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Above the Mage!",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2257100,4404,"Chapter 96: Siege of the City","above-the-mage-chapter-96",96,"\u003Cp>Harvest Month, 2nd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At half past six in the morning, Gao De rose on time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since arriving in this world, he had developed the good habit of going to bed early and rising early.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who would have thought this world had no “mobile phones”? After waking, he routinely performed thirty minutes of light exercise, then took a shower, and began preparing today’s breakfast:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A “world-altered vegetable porridge” made from wheat and assorted vegetables.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After finishing breakfast, Gao De checked his pocket watch—it was barely eight o’clock, still an hour before his work shift.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He decided to calculate what he would need to prepare for his journey to Shengxi En City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After careful consideration, the best option remained traveling by water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although there was no direct waterway linking Baimai City and Shengxi En City, requiring passage through different river systems and land routes, with at least five or six city transfers,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>factoring in season, current, wind direction, and stopover points, the entire journey would take at least several months.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But compared to land travel, it was significantly safer and less prone to mishaps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet such a long journey clearly could not be undertaken on a whim—it required thorough preparation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ding-dong! Ding-dong! Ding-dong! Just as Gao De was deep in thought, a sharp alarm blared abruptly, echoing throughout the entire city and shattering his concentration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing it, he was startled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a citywide alarm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s happening?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He opened his door and tried to observe the street.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He found that most people in nearby houses, like him, had opened their doors to look out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone was confused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had detected no abnormalities and could not understand why the alarm had sounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the crowd’s confusion was quickly answered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the moment the alarm sounded, dozens of strange mechanical birds—like clockwork toys—had already launched from the city center.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They scattered in all directions, flying to every corner of the city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their wings glowed brightly as they skimmed low over every district and street at incredible speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From within these mechanical birds came a synthesized, mechanical voice, clear and cold:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Near Hogan City, a new earth vein has emerged. Earth vein creatures have gone berserk and are attacking surrounding cities. A large swarm of ferocious bats is heading toward Baimai City.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“All residents outdoors, return home immediately, close all doors and windows, and do not venture out until officially notified—failure to comply will result in full personal responsibility!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Additionally, all mages in Baimai City who possess offensive spells are hereby summoned to assist in defending against the ferocious bats.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“All mage apprentices who participate in defense will receive five gold coins as compensation; first-circle mages will receive twenty gold coins.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Additionally, one gold coin bonus for every ferocious bat slain! Interested parties may immediately register at any city wall for deployment!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The orders were concise and forceful, like an invisible spell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First, they plunged listeners into tense silence; then, like startled rabbits, they scattered instantly, rushing home to shut their doors and windows!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De stared at the suddenly empty street and the tightly shuttered windows lining both sides, and took a deep breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had happened after all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A new earth vein.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Baimai City, so far from Hogan City, was about to face an attack from earth vein creatures.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One could imagine the terrifying assault Hogan City, adjacent to the new vein, must already be enduring.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Standing at his door, Gao De hesitated for an instant—then made his decision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He closed his door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But not to return inside—he headed straight for the nearest city wall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes, Gao De intended to answer Baimai City’s call and join the defense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leaving aside the logic of “when the lips are gone, the teeth feel the cold,” the compensation alone was more than enough incentive: as a mage, simply participating guaranteed five gold coins upfront, with extra rewards for slaying earth vein creatures.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most importantly, the incoming earth vein creatures were a large swarm of ferocious bats—all the same type.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That meant he had a strong chance of acquiring a new essence during this defense. As for potential danger—venturing outside the city to hunt earth vein creatures, Gao De would have to weigh carefully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, defending atop the city wall alongside a group of mages, with real mages at the front, the danger was already extremely low.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De also did not believe that Baimai City, the largest city in the region, could be overwhelmed by a single swarm of earth vein creatures.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such opportunities were exceedingly rare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no reason not to join!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Gao De arrived at the city wall nearest Kamengde District, he found a long line already forming at the staircase entrance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All were mages rushing to join the defense—mostly mage apprentices—being vetted by Baimai City’s official staff and receiving their compensation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The five gold coins were being paid out before the battle even began!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, the authorities meant business.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De observed for a moment and saw the vetting process was extremely lenient.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each person simply stepped forward, declared their mage rank to the registration clerk, and even without revealing their specific offensive spells, received five gold coins immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, based on the clerk’s assignment, they were placed into squads.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each squad’s captain was an official mage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ferocious bats are expected to arrive in thirty minutes—mages wishing to join the defense, hurry up!” the lead official shouted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De no longer hesitated—he joined the queue immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In no time, it was his turn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Name?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Gao De.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mage rank?” The clerk asked without looking up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Second-rank apprentice.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright, report to Squad Seven.” The clerk handed Gao De five gold coins and directed him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Five gold coins in hand, assignment complete—the entire process took less than ten seconds, swift and efficient.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De tucked away the five gold coins and, following another clerk’s directions, joined a squad already gathered with over a dozen others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It must be Squad Seven.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Coincidentally, his arrival completed the squad’s full complement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the numbers were now complete, one of the men in uniform—a clear official mage—spoke: “Everyone, I am your squad captain from now on. Follow my orders. My name is Riluo.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Our squad, including me, has seventeen members: six third-rank mage apprentices and eleven second-rank mage apprentices. We are assigned to defend a one-hundred-meter stretch of the western city wall.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Any questions?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No questions,” everyone replied in unison, fully cooperative.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though their captain was only a third-rank mage apprentice, five others in the squad shared his rank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But his official status and the sharp aura he exuded completely commanded authority.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, no one here was foolish—they knew this was no time for individuality; following an experienced leader was the safest course.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If there are no questions, follow me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Riluo led the group along the inner walkway of the wall, ascending to the section they were assigned to defend.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the wall, fully armed city guards had already prepared all defenses, awaiting the ferocious bats.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were the true backbone of this defense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1170,"2026-06-19T14:28:48.629Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","66164c94bb5e13b8420a9ad177fad5d6c1e5f9693db3536bb555c4043d1d960a","above-the-mage-chapter-97","above-the-mage-chapter-95",529,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fabove-the-mage-cover.jpg"]