Chapter 180: Jin Commandery on the Brink of Storms

Su Bei searched the nearby area for a high ground that was easy to defend but hard to attack, selecting it as the site to re-establish their camp.

Afterwards, everyone extinguished their torches and gathered together.

Li Lin scattered a circle of protective barrier powder around the perimeter of the camp.

Then he sat inside the tent and waited.

The others also stayed quietly inside their own tents.

Li Lin had also placed several small paper men around the camp to serve as sentries.

Other small paper men were monitoring the area near the Beiliu County militia camp.

The moonlight tonight was very bright; the small paper men poked their heads out from the grass, peering at the silent Beiliu militia camp ahead.

Time passed bit by bit, yet there was still no movement within the Beiliu camp.

There was also no movement around Li Lin's camp.

This situation continued until the early morning of the next day.

Seeing the dawn break, Li Lin could finally hold back no longer; he controlled the small paper men to enter the Beiliu militia camp.

Inside, there was not a single soul.

"It seems my estimate was wrong; their target is not us." Li Lin rubbed his chin, somewhat puzzled: "Then who could it be?"

A map lay spread out before Li Lin.

Before coming here, he had specifically asked Jiang Jili for a topographical map of Jin Commandery to carry with him.

Ordinary people are not allowed to view or possess such military maps, but as a County Commandant, he had the qualification.

Now the people of Beiliu County had indeed vanished; there were neither corpses nor white bones in the camp, meaning they had not clashed with any Apparitions.

Then... where did these people go?

Li Lin kept staring at the map, then subconsciously glanced toward the southwest direction, his brow furrowing tightly.

"Wait, this place is... Fumian Military Town."

Li Lin's finger tapped lightly on a certain 'point'.

Seeing the long official road stretching straight from there to Jin Commandery, Li Lin immediately felt a sense of foreboding.

"Everyone, break camp immediately and retreat to Jincheng, quickly!"

Li Lin shouted loudly.

Su Bei saw Li Lin's serious expression and knew things might be heading in a bad direction; he immediately rushed out, shouting orders for the militia to move.

Li Lin then looked at Xiao Chunzhu beside him and said, "Your Lingxiao Sect's Lightness Art is very fast; I need you to ride hard and reach Jincheng immediately to report to Prefect Huang. Tell him the Beiliu militia has vanished and may have gone to Fumian Military Town; he will understand."

"I cannot see the Prefect," Xiao Chunzhu said helplessly.

Li Lin took off his Spirit-Hunter Jade Token and handed it to him: "Give my name, and he should see you. Afterward, stay in Jin Commandery and do not come out again until the matter is resolved, then return to Yulin County."

"Good!"

Xiao Chunzhu stood up, immediately turned, and exited the tent; then, using the Lightness Art, he sprinted along the official road.

The Lingxiao Sect's Lightness Art is quite famous in the Jianghu, with the characteristic of being fast.

Since it is fast, it requires consuming a large amount of stamina, but Xiao Chunzhu could not worry about that now.

He ran with almost all his strength, the wind behind him kicking up a trail of yellow dust that soared straight upward.

From Luofeng Ridge to Jincheng, even by horse, it normally takes about one shichen, but Xiao Chunzhu arrived in only half a shichen.

He ran until he was panting heavily, covered in sweat; between his gasps, a metallic rust taste permeated his throat.

It was very foul-smelling.

Upon entering the city, since his body was extremely tired, Xiao Chunzhu did not dare to rest; dragging his legs which had lost most sensation, he arrived at the main gate of the Prefect's government office.

Several government office Runners stood there; seeing Xiao Chunzhu, they were about to scold him, but upon seeing his Head Constable uniform, they restrained their temper and approached.

One of the government office Runners asked, "I haven't seen you before; are you a Head Constable from the county town?"

Xiao Chunzhu panted heavily, displaying the Spirit-Hunter Jade Token in his hand, and said, "By order... of County Commandant Li Lin... of Yulin County... I request to see the Prefect."

"What status does the Prefect hold? How can a mere Head Constable like you just demand an audience? Send your County Commandant here personally..."

The government office Runner's words were indeed quite reasonable; it was not being difficult. Generally speaking, Head Constables of local county yamens indeed do not have the qualification to request an audience with a sixth-rank civil official.

But just at that moment, a young-looking official walked out of the Prefect's government office; looking at Xiao Chunzhu, he asked curiously, "Are you my eldest sister's husband's subordinate?"

"I am a subordinate of County Commandant Li..." Xiao Chunzhu was still panting.

"Show me the jade token."

Xiao Chunzhu handed the jade token over.

This youth was Huang Ying; after looking at the jade token for a while, he nodded and said, "This is indeed my eldest sister's husband's Spirit-Hunter number; come with me."

With Huang Ying leading the way, those few government office Runners naturally stepped aside.

Xiao Chunzhu subconsciously straightened his disheveled and sour-smelling Head Constable official robe, took several deep breaths, and suppressed his chaotic breathing.

He was about to see the Prefect; he had to dress more decently.

In that short time, Huang Ying brought Xiao Chunzhu up to the main hall.

Huang Yan, wearing sixth-rank civil official robes, sat upright on the high platform, diligently handling administrative affairs, and did not pay attention even upon hearing the sound.

"Father... Prefect, a Head Constable from Yulin County, sent by County Commandant Li, has come to report something important."

"Speak." Huang Yan did not even lift his head.

A Head Constable was not worth his time to remember.

"County Commandant Li says the Beiliu militia may have gone to Fumian Military Town."

Hmm?

Huang Yan's expression immediately froze; then he suddenly stood up, took out the topographical map, looked at it for a while, and his face turned iron-green.

"This Jin Commandery has not let me have even a few days of peace; there are loopholes on all four sides, no different from a sieve."

Huang Yan, furious, slammed a brush heavily onto the floor.

Huang Ying, somewhat puzzled, asked, "Prefect, what exactly has happened?"

"Your eldest brother-in-law suspects Gao Haiya, the Commandant of Beiliu County, has rushed to Fumian Military Town, preparing to open the gates for the Southern Barbarians... no, it should be said, to open the city gates for Qin Tuo."

"Is your eldest brother-in-law perhaps exaggerating the danger?"

Huang Yan also looked at Xiao Chunzhu: "Tell us everything that has happened these past two days."

Immediately, Xiao Chunzhu recounted the entire sequence of events.

He particularly emphasized how strong Li Lin's intuition was, constantly sending small paper men to spy on the Beiliu Township Army, and indeed, there was a problem.

"It seems your eldest brother-in-law guessed correctly; the Beiliu Township Army could only have gone to Fumian Military Town." Huang Yan snorted: "Ying'er, as the Northern Route Commandant of Jincheng, go to the camp immediately, lead troops into the city, and guard the West Gate."

Huang Ying was stunned for a moment, then excitedly clasped his fists and shouted, "As you command."

Although he had long been a Military Commandant, capable of leading three thousand soldiers, he... had never had the chance to lead troops in battle.

Now, the opportunity seemed to have arrived.

At that moment, a government office Runner burst in, urgently saying, "Prefect, terrible news! A beacon fire has appeared in the west; judging by the location, it should be Fumian Military Town."

Huang Yan's expression turned gloomy; looking at Huang Ying, he roared, "Why don't you go quickly!"

Huang Ying was startled, immediately turned around, and ran out of the government office hall.

Xiao Chunzhu bowed and clasped his fists to Huang Yan, then withdrew from the government office hall.

Huang Yan sat quietly for a while, then picked up the gavel and slammed it heavily on the table.

The sound of the strike echoed through the spacious government office hall.

After a long while, Huang Yan said, quite headache-inducing: "How many officials in Jincheng are secretly colluding with the Qin family? This is also my fault; if I had not issued the order for unrestricted passage, the Beiliu Township Army would never have been able to approach Jincheng... Old Yu, you are swift of foot, please make a trip to the city wall to notify the Beacon Commander, instructing him to light the beacon fire and order all counties in Jincheng Commandery to close their gates and defend themselves within three days."

A flat figure stepped out from his shadow, then transformed into the appearance of a normal person; the process was like a paper man becoming 'plump', gaining flesh and blood.

"Yes, Master!"

The middle-aged man with a cold countenance left the government office hall.

(End of this chapter)