Chapter 351

Wu Tie

Upon entering the city, a minor incident occurred.

The first heavy wagon slowly entered the city gate; inside, twenty-eight blood-red pearls simultaneously emitted dazzling light, and in the vast gate, blood-colored spirit soldiers wreathed in rosy mist appeared out of thin air, sealing off the wagon from all sides.

A sharp alarm sounded from the gate, and a city defense military lieutenant exclaimed, "Those inside the wagon carry contraband!"

Before Sima Quan could react, the blood-colored spirit soldiers that had appeared out of thin air crossed inward, and the wagon's cabin shattered inch by inch, revealing several dozen silhouettes inside.

Besides the white-haired old man who had appeared earlier, inside the lavishly furnished cabin resembling a small hall, a youth sat askew on the central large chair, bare-chested, wearing only a wide silk lower garment, barefoot, surrounded by a group of beautiful attendants.

The spirit soldiers slaughtered, the cabin shattered, and the youth immediately let out a hoarse scream.

"What? What? What's going on? You, Huworm City, have great gall—do you intend to murder for profit?"

Flower Family Young Master

The forward-facing blood-red pearls on the gate simultaneously emitted an extremely thin strand of Blood Light, twenty-eight strands of Blood Light enveloping the bracer that nearly covered the youth's entire forearm on his left wrist.

The sharp alarm kept blaring; the youth, who had drunk some wine and had a slightly flushed face, stared blankly, then fumbled and pulled a document from the clothing hanging on the chair back, slamming it hard onto the bracer.

The document shone with brilliant light, a phantom seal flickered on it, and the bracer's face exhaled wisps of rosy mist, intersecting above the youth's head to form a space about three zhang in length, width, and height.

"My lord, this mustard-seed bracelet of mine has received special approval from the prefecture." The youth gritted his teeth and shouted sternly, "Hurry up and withdraw the monitoring formation! Or do you intend to harm this young master?"

Commandery Governor

Although the storage bracelet is only three zhang in length, width, and height... in fact, within the Da Jin Divine Nation, storage bracelets are 'military contraband'; anyone entering a city will be inspected by the city's monitoring formation.

If an ordinary person dared to wander about carrying a storage bracelet, they would be as good as dead.

Not to mention ordinary people—even a city lord like Sima Quan, or the scions of ordinary great clans, lack the qualification to wear a storage bracelet.

Forbidden Demon Hall

According to the 'Military Contraband Edict' issued by the Da Jin Divine Nation's Ministry of War, even a governor of Pinghu Commandery may normally carry only a storage bracelet not exceeding five zhang in size; exceeding it by even a foot is considered usurpation, a crime punishable by beheading.

Although the Hua family ranks among the top ten great clans in Pinghu Commandery, only the family head is qualified to wear a small-capacity storage bracelet.

This Hua family eldest son carried a three-zhang storage bracelet on his person, clearly a violation—and a major one at that.

However, since he holds a special permit issued by the prefecture, that is another matter.

Wu Tie unconsciously touched the standard-issue bracelet on his wrist issued by the Shenwu Army—given his rank as an eighth-grade lieutenant, his storage bracelet measures about ten zhang on each side, enough to store the supplies consumed by his four hundred plus soldiers over years of campaigning.

Nine Mountains Prefecture

From this little bracelet one can see how the Da Jin Divine Nation's military relates to the local aristocracy.

That is why Li Dayou's earlier remark holds: even with intelligence transmitted from the Demon-Sealing Hall, as long as those 'dangerous elements' do not directly set fire and kill inside Huworm City, threatening the vital interests of the city lord's manor and several great clans…

Even if the Shenwu Army and those 'dangerous elements' bashed each other's brains out, the city lord's manor and the great clans would basically not intervene to help.

The Shenwu Army directly answers to the Da Jin Divine Nation's Ministry of War… whereas the lord of Huworm City and those great clans belong to Zhongheng State, Jiuzhou Prefecture, Pinghu Commandery; their indifference toward your Shenwu Army is simply their duty.

Sima Quan fumbled and produced the city lord's seal, giving it a light shake toward the gate; the twenty-eight pearls simultaneously dimmed.

The spirit soldiers that had condensed out of thin air turned into wisps of mist and drifted away; the first heavy wagon slowly entered the city. The Hua family eldest son on the wagon's frame had a grim expression; attended by a group of maidservants, he dressed himself, then gazed unfavorably up and down at the buildings lining the road.

Standard Issue Bracelet

Starting from the east city gate entrance, they began clearing the households on both sides of this entire street.

They shouted loudly, urging these households to take some personal clothing and valuables and quickly leave their homes, vacating their residences for the Hua family's large contingent to occupy.

Moreover, because many households' gates were too narrow to allow the heavy wagons—about ten zhang long and three zhang wide—to enter, the city defense troops, urged on by the city lord's officials, reluctantly demolished those households' gates and walls.

Everywhere chickens flew and dogs jumped; everywhere the sound of collapsing courtyard walls and gates could be heard.

Everywhere were the shouts and curses of Flower Insect City's commoners.

They were all natives of the local area; many of the city defense soldiers were still acquaintances and relatives of those households driven from their homes. Some commoners pointed at those soldiers and hurled abuse, while many soldiers, faces flushed, muttered as they stopped their hands.

A large group of the Hua family's heavy cavalry guards charged forward, wielding leather whips and lashing out wildly.

Many commoners were beaten until their heads split open and blood flowed, rolling on the ground; many city defense soldiers rose up in resistance, only to be easily knocked down as well.

Sima Quan's angry roar almost echoed across half the city: "Rebellion, rebellion... Do you all want to rebel? You damned lowly scum, get out at once, so the Hua family young master's noble retinue can rest in peace!"

"Hua Xinxin!" the Hua family young master stood beside Sima Quan, speaking slowly and deliberately: "I, the young master, Hua Xinxin... this name was given by my Hua family ancestor."

With a hint of restraint and a hint of smugness, the Hua family young master Hua Xinxin chuckled: "When I, the young master, was born, an auspicious sign appeared, and a great flock of birds gathered above my mother's birthing chamber... My family ancestor said I possess innate grand aura, and because I am cherished to the heart, he gave me the name 'Xinxin'."

"Young Master Hua!" Sima Quan bowed deeply with a fawning expression toward Hua Xinxin.

"Never mind..." Hua Xinxin somehow produced a folding fan painted with erotic art and lightly patted Sima Quan on the shoulder.

"Flower Insect City is just a small town; you, as mayor, surely have little profit... Serve me well, young master, and I won't mistreat you. I have no other talents, but for those I find pleasing, I can secure a better medium-sized city—this much influence I still possess."

Sima Quan trembled all over with excitement, gazing at Hua Xinxin with tears of gratitude, on the verge of bursting into tears.

Wu Tie instantly felt a chill, shivered violently, and muttered quietly: "Where did this paragon of excellence come from? I've merely been away from Flower Insect City for three years."

Li Dayou had already gotten the wind, bringing a few Divine Martial Army soldiers, he hurried over, and just happened to hear Wu Tie's complaint.

"This mayor has only been here half a year," Li Dayou said softly. "After all, he's listed in the Yellow Register... an imperial relative... I don't know how much money he spent to oust the original mayor."

"However, after half a year in office, this mayor has offended everyone he could... likely to secure the position he emptied his savings; thus, since arriving in Flower Insect City, he's been hard at work squeezing the land." Li Dayou said mockingly: "Only, the several great clans of Flower Insect City won't give him face; they beat to a half-death and threw out his cronies sent to extort benefits."

Shaking his head, Li Dayou sighed: "So he can only squeeze oil from the commoners' heads... Have you heard? Now, when you chop firewood from the mountains outside the city and bring it through the gate, twenty catties of firewood require a copper coin 'mountain forest maintenance fee'."

Wu Tie opened his mouth.

He had just returned to Flower Insect City; these days he's been busy watching the East City Gate, and hadn't paid attention to town gossip—how would he know these?

"'Mountain forest maintenance fee'?"

"What a genius!" Wu Tie looked at Sima Quan and let out a faint sigh.

"Little Huo, you've learned to tell jokes... but that's actually not bad." Li Dayou shook his head, chuckled, then furrowed his brows: "The Hua family, bringing all this stuff over... tsk, are they really here to survey mineral veins?"

One after another heavy-duty wagons kept entering the city.

On the wagons were piled many heavy metal components and various strange machines; Wu Tie couldn't tell what they were used for.

Thousands of heavy wagons and tens of thousands of people poured into the city; the Hua family's guards beat and drove people away, Flower Insect City's commoners cried out and cursed, Sima Quan roared and shouted, while Hua Xinxin, with a few guards, lecherously glanced at the young ladies and newlywed women in the crowd.

The area around Flower Insect City's East City Gate instantly fell into utter chaos, murky and pestilential; Wu Tie and Li Dayou were both thrown into confusion.

Suddenly, a heavy camel beast was frightened by something unknown; its huge size like a mammoth, the camel beast let out a strange cry and rushed toward the roadside. It slammed into the tea house where Wu Tie had been drinking tea these days, and the collapsing tea house immediately echoed with the cries and curses of many tea guests.

The scene was in utter chaos; many people from the Hua family's detachment jumped down from the carts to watch the fun, and huge crowds of people laughing and chattering packed the street, blocking the entire thoroughfare.

Wu Tie spread his hands, expressionless, and said, 'Officer Gongcao, or perhaps notify the Hall of Demon Suppression… either have them send people to help, or have them provide more accurate information. How are we supposed to handle this?'

Li Dayou also gazed at the chaotic scene with a bitter expression.

They cautiously made preparations and set things up, originally thinking they would have to catch a cunning evil wolf… but the wolf didn't come; instead a large herd of reckless wild boars appeared, trampling the entire farmland to ruin.

I'll go contact the people from the Hall of Demon Suppression… the city's affairs, you don't need to worry about.' Li Dayou said through gritted teeth, 'The Hua family itself won't cause any trouble; if there is any trouble in the city, I can, according to the emergency military regulations, conscript the Hua family guards to suppress it.'

Take your people and watch every stir outside the city.' Li Dayou gave a wry smile, 'The Hua family is too rowdy; I fear those people will take advantage of the chaos to cause trouble.'

Wu Tie looked at Li Dayou, Li Dayou looked at Wu Tie, and both felt quite embarrassed.

We don't know who the opponent is, we don't know what they intend to do, we don't know where they are now or what they are plotting… we know nothing, only that someone is coming to do harm.

Wu Tie really wanted to ask Li Dayou—are the bunch from the Hall of Demon Suppression in the Great Jin Divine Kingdom pigs?

In the midst of the chaotic crowd, a sharp shout suddenly rang out.

With a 'Pa—', the slap was extremely crisp and pleasant.

Hua Xinxin's angry roar came: 'Despicable wretch, I just touched your butt a little, and you dare hit this young master?'

As the crowd grew more packed, dozens of Hua family guards forcibly carved out a space three or four zhang wide in the throng.

A fairly pretty maiden was shielded behind by two servant girls; her face flushed red, she gritted her teeth like a furious little kitten, staring fixedly at Hua Xinxin, tears welling in her eyes and streaming down her fair cheeks.

Hua Xinxin rolled up his sleeves, likewise staring straight at the girl and shouting angrily, 'What a stubborn one—do I just go around feeling up any woman? If you weren't still somewhat attractive, little miss Jade, having some redeeming qualities, this young master…'

A sudden cold light flashed from the crowd, and with a 'Puchi—' it pierced Hua Xinxin's chest.

It was a strangely shaped triple-pronged spike, as thick as a little finger and about half a chi long; the pitch-black triple-pronged spike was covered with countless sharp barbs, whose tips were bluish, obviously poisoned.

Even more vicious, the triple-pronged spike exploded instantly upon entering the body, countless poisonous barbs and fragments detonating inside Hua Xinxin's chest, blasting his upper body to pieces like tofu dregs.

Blood spurted out in torrents; Hua Xinxin's body twitched once, his brow suddenly split, and a strand of spirit-light-wrapped soul trembled as it burst forth from his body.

'My… my… my fleshly body with extraordinary talent!' Hua Xinxin's soul gazed at his collapsed, inhuman flesh on the ground and suddenly wailed, 'My flesh, my flesh! Wah wah, wah wah, the ancestor said my fleshly body with extraordinary talent must have the potential of the Tai Cang Realm… wah wah!'

A fickle, cold voice drifted through the crowd, now from the east, now from the west, impossible to tell exactly where it came from.

Such a wicked young master, bullying the people of our Flower Insect City… harassing women in the street—he deserves death!

In the crowd, a red-faced, burly man suddenly raised his right hand and roared loudly, 'Fellow townspeople of Flower Insect City, how can we tolerate letting such evil people bully at will? Beat them to death!'

The man, who stood half a head taller than an ordinary person, somehow drew a refined copper staff and, with a 'Peng—', smashed it into the head of a Hua family guard.

The man seemed unremarkable, but as soon as he moved, an extraordinarily fierce aura burst forth.

The Hua family guard of the Chonglou Realm, caught off guard, was struck down dead with a single blow from his staff.

'Kill!' shouted from the crowd, as a dozen or so sturdy men suddenly drew their weapons and fiercely charged into the Hua family guard detachment.

The old man with white hair who had always been at Hua Xinxin's side shuddered; he gazed despairingly at Hua Xinxin's fleshly body lying on the ground and screamed hoarsely, 'Seize the assassin, seize them… whoever dares to strike at our Hua family… kill them!'

The Hua family guards instantly erupted into action.