Chapter 1992

"If we let Guo Bai Yu break in, what consequences would there be?" Tushan Fang glared, "You all have refugees among you—ask them how Guo Bai Yu treats their hometowns, how he treats their elders."

No need to ask; everyone already knew. If Guo Bai Yu were as benevolent as the Dragon God and the Heishen Army, would refugees still flee? Why has Miancheng held out this long? It's because no one wants to follow in their footsteps, so they fight to the death.

Tushan Fang continued: "At first, we couldn't match Guo Bai Yu's army at all; but we improved quickly, and now we often win! If this continues, Guo Bai Yu can't do anything to us—what do we have to fear from him?"

A month or so ago, if our win rate against Guo Bai Yu was two to eight—meaning we won two, they won eight—now it's over three to seven.

Although we still lose more than win, we can't ignore our progress, can we? Besides, everyone is starving, faces yellow and bodies thin,

belts tightened another notch, yet there's still a chance to win—this in itself is remarkable!

Someone below sneered: "No food to eat—what development are you talking about? We have no future at all!"

Fan Shuang still recognized him. This was the nephew of the innkeeper where the Fan family first stayed when they fled to Miancheng.

Seeing him, Fan Shuang was a little surprised. After all, he had wanted to leave from the very beginning, and months have passed—yet he's still here.

Fan Shuang knew too well the anguish of leaving home and fleeing to a foreign land. No land, no money, no food, no shelter—not to mention work, in a strange place one might not even save one's life.

Besides, this is Shanjin—how many people collapse on the road while fleeing?

Even if locals suffer greatly, very few have the courage to move away.

The man's uncle stood nearby, hearing this, he slapped the back of his head: "Your mother had an emergency last month,

lacking food and medicine—if it weren't for County Magistrate Fan actively seeking medicine for you, you'd have lost her already. One must have conscience in being human!"

Fan Shuang spoke up in the crowd: "The demons are too strong; the Dragon God himself fights on the front lines. But he will surely not abandon Miancheng, nor let the most loyal believers be slaughtered by Guo Bai Yu. We must believe: heaven helps those who help themselves, heaven saves those who save themselves. We will fight to the end, and the Dragon God will protect us to the end."

The medicine was his gift; seeing him, this man immediately restrained himself by three parts, yet still said: "Whether it's the county office or the Black Armor Army, as long as they can relieve our urgent need, I will immediately kowtow three times and bow nine times to the Dragon God, thereafter devoutly serving him,

and never dare say a single 'no' to his venerable self!"

This was very true; many civilians below nodded in agreement.

Someone immediately followed: "Although it's said 'heaven helps those who help themselves,' the county notice also said Guo Bai Yu became so powerful only with heavenly aid. So if we want to become strong, we also need the Dragon God's help, right?"

"Exactly!"

"That's right, that's right—ah, you voiced my own thoughts!"

"That's the principle!"

"As long as the Dragon God gives me a bowl of rice now, I and my whole family will henceforth wholeheartedly serve him!"

"I will fight for the Dragon God from now on, devoted unto death!"

More and more people echoed nearby.

The sound in the city surged like a tide—Miancheng's long-suppressed dissatisfaction, anger, fear, and despair rose in a clamor.

At this moment, any comfort or encouragement, any ideological work, became ineffective; people's minds held only one thought:

Eat.

I want to eat!

Some even had green light flickering in their eyes—was there still grain in the city?

How could we get it?

Tushan Fang was shaken back three steps by their aura; he left his left hand's four fingers behind his back, gently swaying a few times:

Let's begin.

If we don't begin now, we can't hold on.

After a dozen breaths, a clear cry rang from heaven—a bird-demon flew down, landing on the shoulder of Huang Xianshou, whispering softly.

After only a few words, Huang Xianshou became spirited, waved his hand to interrupt the crowd's discussion: "Silence, all be silent! Great news, the Dragon God has manifested his power—"

His voice was too soft, drowned by the noise.

Tushan Fang walked over, whispered a few words to him, then gathered his true strength and roared angrily: "We have grain!"

These three words were like thunderclaps—instantly drowning out the city's clamor, reaching every ear.

The whole city fell silent—so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Ah, what?

"You all want grain, don't you? Good!" Under the gaze of ten thousand eyes, Tushan Fang said each word clearly: "The Dragon God has manifested his power! The grain in Chengnan has ripened early."

Many in the crowd covered their mouths, unable to believe it was true for a moment.

"I'm not deceiving you—right now, this very moment! If we hurry out of the city to reap, perhaps tonight we can have fresh, hot food!"

Hearing this, everyone swallowed their saliva.

The crops originally needed much longer to mature, so bird-demons usually didn't fly there. Who would have thought? The imperial nectar rain fell for over half a month, and it actually ripened that place.

"The fields in Chengnan are very vast—not just Miancheng's." Several farmlands from surrounding towns and villages lie there, divided by boundaries. But now other counties and towns have basically been taken by Guo Bai Yu, so—"The grain we take back will at least last us a month to eat."

Suddenly, the city erupted in a thunderous cheer, like mountains collapsing and seas overturning, nearly shaking the pillars of the platform.

We have grain! We are saved! From desperation comes life!

The innkeeper grabbed his nephew: "What did you say? Hmm, how exactly did you put it just now?"

"I know, I know—I wouldn't dare go back on my word!" The words still rang in his ears; the nephew immediately turned toward the Dragon God Temple, dropped to his knees, and kowtowed loudly, bang after bang, while still shouting:

"May the Dragon God protect us!"

This action wasn't abrupt, for many civilians likewise knelt, bowing three times and kowtowing nine times toward the Dragon God Temple, murmuring:

Miracle, miracle!

The Dragon God first bestowed the imperial nectar, then granted grain, relieving Miancheng's people from hunger and suffering—no greater kindness exists!

The Fan father and son watched all this, drawing long breaths.

Huang Xianshou and Tushan Fang's conduct before the crowd, they could understand. After today, Miancheng's people's faith in the Dragon God will surely rise to a new level.

But Fan Shuang felt no problem with this; he wanted to keep fighting Guo Bai Yu, for what Miancheng's people need most now is will and resolve.

This precious thing—only the Dragon God can provide.

Because from now on, holding Miancheng will only grow harder and harder.

Although the Huang County magistrate's statement was somewhat exaggerated, the crops outside the city were ripened by the divine nectar, and the reason the divine nectar erupted on an unprecedented scale was because the Dragon God killed Miao Zhantian and his subordinates!

Now, the divine nectar enjoyed by the countless beings of the Flash Gold Plains, when traced to its source, must be thanked to the Dragon God!

The Huang County magistrate looked toward Tushan Fang, who understood, gathered his breath, and shouted: "There's no time to lose— the county office will immediately dispatch a grain-foraging team out of the city to seize grain, and we will also provide escort from the side!"

The crowd's spirits soared, and the grain-foraging team signed up enthusiastically. The previous resentment and lethargy in the city were all swept away by this tremendous good news, leaving no trace.