Chapter 78: Truce

Watching the three Iron Balls flying toward him, Commandant Zhang secretly groaned. His situation was similar to Meng Yifan's; they were both Martial Artists, not Immortal Cultivators. This Artifact Demon-binding Rope was quite special; although it could be barely activated using True Qi, it consumed True Qi very rapidly.

Although Commandant Zhang was a Third Grade Lower Tier Martial Artist, he practiced a Yellow Grade Middle Tier technique. With the True Qi currently in his body, if he were to activate the Binding Demon Rope with all his might, he could use it at most ten times.

"Whoosh!" The spiderweb at the tip of the Binding Demon Rope in Commandant Zhang's hand opened once more. Like a venomous snake emerging from its hole, it fiercely bit onto one Iron Ball. Then, Commandant Zhang swung it with force; the Binding Demon Rope, like a Strange Python Turns Body, knocked away another Iron Ball.

Immediately following this, Commandant Zhang once again threw the Iron Ball wrapped in the spiderweb as if it were a meteor hammer, knocking the final Iron Ball off course as well.

Seeing this scene, Meng Yifan's heart skipped a beat. He had not expected that Commandant Zhang, holding the Binding Demon Rope, would possess such formidable combat power.

The fact that the Elm Cannon firing three Iron Balls could not injure Commandant Zhang was simply monstrous. It felt as if the Third Grade Lower Tier Commandant Zhang was even harder to deal with than the Third Grade Middle Rank Flying Tiger Demon.

"Hmph! With such great strength, you cower inside Luolong County instead of going out to slay demons and eliminate evil, allowing the common people to be devoured by Demon Beasts. A corrupt official like you deserves to die!" Meng Yifan shouted loudly.

Commandant Zhang felt somewhat ashamed. He had the heart to leave the city to eliminate demons, but County Magistrate Lv would not allow it. A higher rank crushes a lower one; as long as he remained within the system, he had to obey the orders of Lv Dazhi. This was a situation with no other choice.

"Many times, I am also unable to act according to my own will," Commandant Zhang persuaded earnestly. "Let's not talk about this anymore. Young man, surrender. You are a talent. I give you my word of honor that I will strive for lenient treatment for you all."

"As long as you contribute the method for manufacturing these portable Cannons, you will have performed a great service. The Imperial Court will overlook your past mistakes. The Imperial Court is currently in need of personnel; a young hero like you will certainly be heavily employed, and being enfeoffed as a marquis or appointed as a general is just around the corner."

Meng Yifan smiled. He had not expected this Commandant Zhang to be so pedantic. Eighty or ninety First Grade constables and yamen runners had already been killed, and even three Second Grade squad leaders had been blown to death. The two sides were already at daggers drawn, yet he was still thinking about offering terms of surrender. It was truly a joke.

Commandant Zhang was a Third Grade Lower Tier Martial Artist, but he was not the one who called the shots in Luolong County. Based on Meng Yifan's understanding of that County Magistrate Lv, if they surrendered now, the fate of all of them would certainly be incomparably miserable.

Since this Commandant Zhang wanted to persuade them to surrender in the middle of battle, Meng Yifan would chat with him for a while. It was just the right time to delay and allow those Elm Cannons that had already fired to be reloaded with ammunition.

"Lord Zhang, we don't want to rebel either, but we were forced into this. That Lv Fugui wanted to kill us; are we not even allowed to fight back?" Meng Yifan feigned the appearance of being forced into a corner to wipe out the entire Lv Fugui household, while simultaneously secretly signaling Meng Dayong and the others to hurry and change the ammunition.

Commandant Zhang sincerely wanted to persuade Meng Yifan to surrender. If this group of hunters truly surrendered, he would plead for them, but he could not be certain of what County Magistrate Lv would ultimately decide.

Commandant Zhang was not a fool; he estimated that the other side would not surrender easily. The words about surrender he had just spoken were also intended to delay for time. This time, he had led a team to capture these hunters, only to be battered by two rounds of cannon fire, suffering heavy losses.

Commandant Zhang understood in his heart that they could not keep fighting like this. Otherwise, they might be able to wipe out the hunters in the courtyard, but the constables and yamen runners in Luolong County would also be killed or wounded to the last man. Without constables and yamen runners, he alone could not defend this vast Luolong County.

Therefore, while persuading them to surrender, he secretly sent someone to notify County Magistrate Lv to bring the Shenwu Great General Cannon over. Cannon against cannon—let's see who could out-blast whom.

At the same time, Commandant Zhang took the opportunity to swallow a Qi Replenishing Pill to quickly replenish the True Qi consumed by using the Binding Demon Rope just now.

"Young man, I understand. Rest assured, as long as you surrender, you will certainly be able to obtain lenient treatment," Commandant Zhang continued to persuade.

"Your word doesn't count. County Magistrate Lv must issue the order and promise to overlook our past mistakes before we can feel at ease," Meng Yifan said.

Commandant Zhang said, "Very well, young man. I will send someone to invite County Magistrate Lv over right now. You don't have any objections to me having people treat these wounded, do you?"

"That is acceptable," Meng Yifan agreed. Just like that, the two sides, which had been fighting fiercely, entered a brief truce. Meng Yifan's side instructed the villagers to load the thirty-five Elm Cannons with Iron Balls and the other five Elm Cannons with iron fragments.

The three Elm Cannons firing Iron Balls just now could not kill Commandant Zhang, but what if it were thirty Elm Cannons? Even if Commandant Zhang was a Third Grade Lower Tier Martial Artist and held an Artifact Demon-binding Rope, thirty Iron Balls would be enough to give him a hard time.

As the two sides entered a truce, the smoke of gunpowder shrouding the surroundings slowly dissipated. Commandant Zhang looked at the wounded and the fallen constables and yamen runners lying all over the street, and his heart felt very heavy. The hunters' Cannons in the courtyard were simply too fierce and hit too hard; two rounds of volley fire had killed and wounded so many people. How was he supposed to report this to County Magistrate Lv?

Even if he eventually dealt with the hunters in the courtyard, Commandant Zhang would be unable to escape the blame this time.

The sound of cannon fire roared within Luolong County, and everyone in the city heard it. Of course, County Magistrate Lv knew about such a big commotion. He had originally thought that Commandant Zhang, leading over three hundred subordinates, should be able to capture the culprits with ease, but the two rounds of deafening cannon fire that suddenly came from the north of the city gave County Magistrate Lv a great shock.

When Commandant Zhang led his men over, he had not brought any Cannons at all. That is to say, it was the hunters who had brought the Cannons. How could they have so many Cannons?

"Damn it!" County Magistrate Lv's expression changed. Listening to the two rounds of cannon fire just now, the constables and yamen runners must have suffered a great loss, and he did not know how many had been killed. The current Luolong County was in a precarious state; there were Demon Beasts ravaging outside the city, and undercurrents were surging within. County Magistrate Lv had long since requested reinforcements from Dongchuan Prefecture, but to this day, no reinforcements had arrived.

County Magistrate Lv had originally thought that this time he could use those hunters to establish his authority and properly intimidate the various forces that were stirring, but now, suddenly hearing such numerous cannon shots, he knew without looking that Commandant Zhang and his men must have kicked an iron plate.

County Magistrate Lv was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, pacing back and forth in the county office with his hands behind his back. He had already sent people to check on the situation in the north of the city.

If they could not take down those hunters in this battle, the prestige of the government would plummet. Therefore, no matter what, this battle could only be won, not lost.