Chapter 2738: Meaningful Resistance

The inner and outer lakes of the Shuomin Academy were originally filled with blooming lotuses, creating a rich and poetic atmosphere, but now they have been opened up into paddy fields, not for growing rice but for cultivating a special organism: water cicadas.

They resemble cicadas but are two sizes larger and lack the noisy habit, preferring to fight in the water. The residents of the Panlong Wasteland have long known they are edible and possess a unique fragrance; after testing over 1,300 insect species, the Shuomin Academy selected water cicadas and two others as military rations.

Under the dual effects of the flourishing imperial ooze and divine blood catalysis, the new strain of water cicada can grow another size larger, with tender, elastic meat, simple preparation—just scoop them out and roast—and high meat yield with easy shell removal.

Given the abundant spiritual energy of heaven and earth, the growth rate of livestock such as pigs, chickens, cattle, and sheep has greatly increased, reducing market time from five to seven months down to three to four months, but compared to insects, they are still mere infants.

The growth cycle of the new water cicada is two and a half days.

With sufficient food, from egg to adult, it takes no more than twenty-eight double-hours at most. They are nutritionally complete, rivaling beef, even with high fat content; when dried, their weight decreases, they resist spoilage, taste delicious, and are easier to transport than other meats.

Thus, as early as three months ago, water cicadas became one of the Panlong Army's primary meat rations. Every twenty-plus double-hours, the Shuomin Academy harvests a batch, with the city's women and children taking turns to labor—scooping, washing, roasting, and shelling—before handing the finished product to the logistics corps for transport to the front lines.

This creature is extremely fierce and large, often causing injuries during capture. Yet these few insects are already the best self-produced meat available in Panlongcheng; without the Shuomin Academy's innovation, frontline soldiers would long ago have had no meat to eat and would lack the strength to fight.

Of course, Panlongcheng's shortages go beyond meat—weapons, arrows, elixirs, mechanical parts, and fire oil, etc., have long been depleted from the storehouses. With the southern and eastern fronts of the wasteland simultaneously resisting the enemy, facing a force of nearly two million, the difficulty is at least level sixteen of hell. Yet the Tiger Wing General and the Red General have stubbornly held on, and no one can clearly explain how they managed it.

If Panlongcheng can hold out until the end, this war will not only be remembered for eternity but will also be a vivid, bold stroke in the annals of history.

As the king who coordinates the rear of Panlong, Zhong Shengguang's steps feel somewhat heavy.

His gaze falls upon the wall covered in firecracker flowers.

Is it early spring again?

Every year at this time, the orange chains of firecracker flowers grow wildly and bloom profusely, spreading like wildfire across the entire wall until no one can tell what color the wall originally was.

Year after year, it is the same.

This is the earliest wall of the Shuomin Academy, built over thirty years ago by him and Shi Shichu with their own hands. Zhong Shengguang dazes, as if he has returned to thirty years ago.

Back then, Panlongcheng was also surrounded by powerful enemies, living in constant peril, with both military and civilians lacking clothing and food, and their territory continuously shrinking…

Clearly, he and Panlong have struggled together for thirty years—why does it now feel as if they've returned to the starting point?

Facing Bekka's extreme pressure, Zhong Shengguang does not know how long Panlong can endure, nor how long he himself can last.

Seeing each dawn's sunrise, to him, is a precious victory.

At least, he has managed to drag out another day.

Panlong has already created the miracle of standing firm against Bekka, but maintaining this miracle is truly difficult.

When will the dawn he and Panlong have painfully awaited finally appear?

He has long confirmed that the strategic direction proposed by the Tiger Wing General is fundamentally sound, and Panlong has consistently strived toward it. Yet belief is one thing, reality another.

The "Lianchang" formula will surely intensify the conflict between the Demon Emperor and the Heavenly Demon, but when this conflict will truly erupt, to what extent, and again depends on the Demon Emperor's temperament and tactics and the Heavenly Demon's countermeasures.

These two factors are entirely beyond Panlong's control. Simply put, they are Bekka's internal affairs, and Panlong has never reached the level where it could influence them.

Therefore, Panlong can only wait, only grit its teeth and persevere.

Some soldiers have expressed doubt: although the Panlong people are unyielding, they still hope their leader will give them a definite answer:

Are all our struggles meaningful, right?

Zhong Shengguang lets out a long breath; the surrounding residents greet him, and he still smiles and nods in acknowledgment.

He is the soul of Panlong; his calm composure will infect every person in this city.

But in fact, the only good news these days is that Baleng has ceased its attacks.

In recent years, Xianyou was destroyed by Panlong, and Baleng was beaten into squealing chaos, forced to seek aid from Bekka; these past two years, Bekka has launched campaigns against Panlong, and Baleng has roused itself to come assist, repeatedly invading the northern Panlong Wasteland, coordinating with Bekka's forces—one from the north, one from the east.

In the past, Panlong would sneer at this defeated underling, swipe it aside with a big ear slap; but under Bekka's powerful pressure, Baleng's harassment has become like a thorn in the back, making Panlong grit its teeth.

However, two months after Fuslie presented the "Lianchang" formula to the Demon Emperor, Baleng's southern invasion ceased. This is a positive signal, because Baleng's intrusion into the Panlong Wasteland was essentially driven by Bekka's urging. Now that hostilities have stopped, it indicates the Demon Emperor no longer wishes for Panlong to truly collapse.

The wind has shifted; Baleng has always been the quickest to change course, whether now or two hundred years from now.

But the surrounding small states' sensitivity to water temperature is not so sharp; most only see Bekka exerting full pressure on Panlong and conclude that Panlong must meet a tragic end. This is based on experience, for in the past four hundred years, no human power has been a match for Bekka. Thus they directly align with Bekka, with only a few remaining undecided.

For these undecided small states and powers, Panlong does not treat them with the harshness ordinary people might expect, but instead adopts a full posture and does its utmost to win them over.

In the face of overwhelming power, everyone fears—not just people, but states as well.

When Zhong Shengguang inspected the Shuomin Academy, a student loudly asked, why not give these wall weeds a taste of something fierce?

Young people detest nothing more than two-facedness and shifting with the wind.

Zhong Shengguang, however, said that seeking advantage and avoiding harm, admiring the strong and bullying the weak, is both human nature and state nature.

When you are weak, when you have no spare attention, they naturally do not fear you.

When you are strong, they will naturally cling to you, without needing you to specially act to give them color.

If we believe we ourselves can ultimately turn the tide and prevail, then now we need not worry about their attitude; instead, we should smooth the path so they may later come to pay homage.

Zhong Shengguang walks into the wind, seeking to calm his chaotic thoughts. At that moment, the sound of flapping wings comes from above, a red shadow descends, splashing loudly as it lands on the roadside tree beside him: "Your Majesty, Ling Mountain sends an urgent message—ten thousand fires hurry!"