Chapter 2722: No Hidden Matters

"It's my turn to go." Ling Jinbao rolled up his sleeves. "My wine vat's empty—I need to restock."

Mingke Xianren said oddly: "The monkeys on our plains aren't good at brewing wine? That's a rare fine brew in the mortal world."

Jiǔyōu Dàdì knew their days of vacationing on the Dimu Plains were too exhausting, so he specially dispatched a team of artisans from Jú City to them—brewing, horticulture, carpentry, masonry, medicine, pastries, and more—everything one could need.

Mingke Xianren and the others naturally accepted it, and a market town had long appeared on the Dimu Plains.

"Even good food and drink get tiresome if eaten every day." Ling Jinbao twisted his neck, producing a few cracking sounds. "I'd rather get some strong liquor—potent and fiery."

For the past two months on Dimu's back, he hadn't seen daylight. So this time entering the town, he stayed longer than Mingke Xianren, only appearing the next morning.

Qīngshòu Dìjūn saw him radiant and walking with vigor, and was quite curious: "What have you been doing in town to be so cheerful?"

Ling Jinbao chuckled twice, then took out a cloth bundle from his bosom and handed it to him:

"The dragon's blood grass and medicine you wanted."

Qīngshòu Dìjūn opened the bundle, took out two bunches of dried herbs, and compared them with the pair brought back by the avian demons:

"Exactly right—these are the herbs cultivated by those people of Liaotian Yuan."

Mingke Xianren also came over and casually asked: "What do they eat and drink in the pits?"

"I don't know what they eat; but our avian demons found water collectors in Lin Zi and on exposed stone slopes—they're likely drinking rootless water."

Rootless water doesn't touch the ground, so for humans it's safe.

"That's one way." Mingke Xianren asked Ling Jinbao, "You've been gone a while—any new discoveries?"

"In town there are legitimate livelihoods and illegitimate ones—I've probed them all, and found they're all ordinary folk, no one with notable cultivation." Ling Jinbao smiled, taking out a wine jar and placing it on the table: "Two home-brewed rice wines are not bad—care to try?"

Mingke Xianren didn't refuse, sat down, took out a large ceramic bowl, and filled it for himself.

"Not bad, has some flavor." Not as good as monkey wine, but palatable enough—qualified for a small-town brew.

"I've traveled many places, drunk many rounds, and heard only trivial gossip in the markets. If it were an act, not everyone could pull it off so well. This town looks unremarkable—mainly relying on dragon's blood grass and fur trade for survival." Ling Jinbao yawned: "Though the beasts in Longkeng Xu are inedible, their pelts are denser and more beautiful. Hunting there has only recently begun, and game is plentiful—they organize hunting parties into the xu, often returning laden."

With a pillar industry in place, people would start seeking profitable side trades, and passing merchants and caravans would make sense.

"Also, I randomly asked seven or eight people—this town's prosperity stems from two things: first, the official road was extended here three years ago; second, several wealthy and powerful families from Balíng have moved here to reside. Where the rich go, money follows—and people soon multiply."

The town that rose three years ago likely has no connection to Dimu.

"It seems this town poses no threat to us." Mingke Xianren knew Ling Jinbao was a seasoned hand; if even he found no loopholes, perhaps Longxū West Town is truly just an ordinary settlement, needing no special attention.

Ling Jinbao pondered: "Send some inconspicuous spies to those few major households in town to listen closely. This city's economy revolves around them. If they hide nothing in their daily lives, then this town truly has no hidden matters."

Qīngshòu Dìjūn then said: "I'll send several swarms of insect demons in. They're small and hard to notice."

Insect demons are excellent for scouting and espionage.

"Plus two matters: the talk in the streets centers on two things—first, the earthquake transmitted from the center of Longkeng Xu, which was intensely felt. This is unprecedented, and residents are somewhat worried; second, they often discuss the Shēnbá War. Everyone here fears the Shēn State army will attack, and lately people have been steadily moving out of Longkeng West."

"Right, there's that too." Mingke Xianren also knew who currently leads Shēn State: "How far is the battlefield from here?"

As they spoke, several avian demons flew back, perched on the city wall, and cried out a few ga-ga sounds.

Qīngshòu Dìjūn then translated: "One hundred sixty li to the south lies the battlefield, with armies attacking the city."

Mingke Xianren was somewhat surprised: "Not far. No wonder the townsfolk of Longkeng West are worried. Who's the attacker—Shēn State's army?"

"The avian demons can't tell uniforms apart." The armies of Shēn State and Balíng, their armor and attire, are indistinguishable to Dimu's avian demons.

"How many troops do they have?"

"The city's interior is unclear, but the attacking force outside numbers about one hundred thousand." Qīngshòu Dìjūn spoke in a hollow tone: "They surely won't come our way? Dimu's return to Liaotian Yuan this time truly picked a poor moment."

To the west, a human settlement has appeared; to the south, over a hundred li away, there's a battlefield.

But all this existed before Dimu rose—it was already there.

They are the newcomers; they have no say yet. Balíng and Shēn State went to war months ago—where the fighting will reach only heaven knows.

Mingke Xianren nodded: "Let the avian demons conduct more close-range reconnaissance; we'll monitor battlefield developments from behind. A hundred-thousand-strong army marches slowly—once they draw near, we'll decide then, not too late."

"That's settled." Qīngshòu Dìjūn finished his sticky cake and headed back: "I'll go inspect the dragon's blood grass."

￥￥￥￥￥

Bèijiā reinforced the southern battlefield of Pánlóng Huāngyuán; Pánlóng City's fierce generals came in clouds, also all marching south. The opposing sides fought countless encounter battles, ambushes, and Mobile Corps Commander actions, contributing multiple textbook-style classic offensives and defenses.

Gāi Huáiyuǎn adopted the most foolish and brutal method:

Wear down by attrition, pile up corpses, outlast in logistics—charge!

The terrain south of Pánlóng Huāngyuán lacks the eastern advantages—too few passes, so even if Pánlóng Army exerts itself fully, the front line continues to be pushed bit by bit into the southern wilderness.

Every inch of advance is a pile of blood and lives.

No matter how resolute Pánlóng's defense, the war flames still burned into Pánlóng State's territory.

Pánlóng Huāngyuán's southern part, same market town.

This is Pánlóng State's southern market town, originally with three thousand residents, but now completely transformed into a military town—only Pánlóng Army enters and exits, with military supplies flowing in and out endlessly each day.

This has become the current headquarters of the Hùyì General.

He is the overall commander of the wilderness's operations; every one or two moments, orders issue from here.

All commanders must obey his arrangements—even the distant rear of Pánlóng City and Zhōng Shèngguāng must fully cooperate with his logistical dispatch.