Chapter 51: Rich Enough to Ooze Oil

Entering the Inner City District requires paying a higher fee and undergoing stricter inspections to prevent anyone possessed by evil from entering.

Wen Gu and his group paid the entry fee—small packets of fine salt.

They walked through a passageway made of cloth curtains, with incense burning inside.

When they finally stepped out, they felt a sudden sense of disorientation before them.

Tea houses, wine restaurants, pleasure quarters, and shops; well-dressed merchants and travelers moved among them.

It looked a bit like the world during peaceful times.

If there is one major difference, it is that one can now carry weapons openly.

Even if one carries a weapon or wears clothing that does not match their status, generally no one will hold them accountable.

A flurry of wing-flapping sounds; carrier pigeons flew across the sky.

"Did you make sure Matuan is hidden well?" Wen Gu said to Xiao Liu.

"Hidden well, hidden well! I didn't even let it enter the city!" Xiao Liu said hurriedly.

At such a critical moment, they are surely keeping a close watch here; what if his Matuan went to catch a pigeon and got shot dead!

Ever since leaving the Village, Xiao Liu has been broadening his horizons. Previously, when looking at Bai Lu County, he felt this city was truly sophisticated and had a good geographical location, far more impressive than their own backwater.

Only until seeing Jinwu City today did he truly feel what a great city is!

Even though a crisis has descended outside and evil creatures are about to attack the city, the shops inside this Inner City are still operating.

They didn't go wandering around, just took a rough look, paid with salt, and climbed the Neicheng wall.

Compared to the outer city wall, the Neicheng wall is not as tall, large, or thick, nor does it have many mottled remnants of battle. It is clear it has been around for some years, but it is maintained quite well.

"This side is lower than the outer wall; you can't see anything," Xiao Liu said, looking ahead.

He originally had a bit of a sense of novelty, but now in this time of crisis, he wants to see the situation outside the city more.

"Go over there." Wen Gu raised his hand and pointed to a spot.

Some high platforms have been built on the Neicheng wall, specifically for watching the battle.

Some of the platforms have already been reserved; one look and you can tell they belong to wealthy families. Guards and attendants are stationed below the platforms, not letting others pass.

Most of these are wealthy families from the South who arrived here not long ago, with elders bringing their younger generation.

Whether the Ren Clan is reliable or not cannot be heard only from the mouths of others; they need to see it with their own eyes!

Wen Gu picked a high platform that was nearby and not crowded.

There was already a young man of sixteen or seventeen there, accompanied by three guards.

Seeing the other party look over, Wen Gu performed a scholar's salute.

The young man was absent-minded and just raised his hand, which counted as a greeting.

Both sides maintained their distance.

After standing still, the young man turned his head to look around again, his gaze sweeping over Wen Gu and his group, then landing on Xiao Liu.

He looked reckless and was even a martial artist carrying a bow.

So he came over to chat with Xiao Liu.

He introduced himself, saying his family were merchants from the South.

Xiao Liu looked at the other's low-key luxury; the clothes looked ordinary, but the fabric was excellent and embroidered with subtle patterns.

On this journey north, Xiao Liu had also learned to recognize many fine fabrics. Seeing the other dressed like this, and being able to bring guards here to watch the battle at such a time, he knew this was no ordinary "merchant."

Xiao Liu looked at Wen Gu, and seeing that Wen Gu did not object, he began to chat with the young man, introducing himself: "I'm just a small hunter from a remote mountain village."

The young man kept smiling, but clearly did not believe him.

They talked about what they had seen and heard along the way.

Xiao Liu said he had come along with a security escort agency.

The young man looked blank: "What is a security escort agency?"

Xiao Liu: "You don't know what a security escort agency is?"

So he "educated" the other party.

The young man's face stiffened slightly. He thought to himself: What kind of hunter from a small place could know so many things!

Just as they were chatting, a horn sounded suddenly.

Xiao Liu immediately became nervous: "Is it here?"

The young man said: "No, this sound means the city gates are closing."

Xiao Liu thought of the long queues outside the city gate when they arrived earlier, and asked: "What about the people who haven't come in yet?"

The young man had an expression of "why are you so naive" and said: "Of course, they must resign themselves to fate and pray for their own luck."

Xiao Liu couldn't help but take a deep breath.

If their group had walked even a little slower...

Actually, someone had sprained their ankle during the journey and suggested resting for a moment, but Wen Gu did not allow it.

Not only did he not let them stop, but after seeing the group in front speed up, he made everyone increase their speed.

Those who were injured or sick rode in carts if they could; if there was no room in the carts, they let relatives help them, and in any case, the overall speed increased rather than decreased.

They had only been in the city for a short while, and the outer city gate had actually closed!

"The evil creatures haven't arrived yet, right? If there are still many people outside the city gate..."

"So what? Jinwu City needs to set up defenses and close the gates to prepare. Those who didn't get in can only blame themselves for not being faster!" The young man's voice was cold. "Only thorough preparation can save more people."

Xiao Liu stopped talking.

From their own perspective, of course, safety inside the city is paramount.

Xiao Liu couldn't help but look at Wen Gu, then looked toward the outer city gate.

He remembered when he was chatting privately with He Da and the others, He Da said, "Following the right person can keep you alive longer."

Indeed, if anyone else were in charge of the team, whether it were Qingyi Daozhang, County Lieutenant Zhou, or Head Escort Lin, they might not have been able to deliver them safely into this Jinwu City!

Another series of drumbeats sounded.

A squad of guards arrived at the Neicheng gate tower, and the banner of the Ren Clan was raised.

Wen Gu noticed that after some people in the Outer City District heard the drumbeats and looked toward the gate tower, seeing the Ren Clan's banner raised, they seemed to heave a sigh of relief and were no longer so panicked and tense.

Wen Gu gave Xiao Liu a look.

Xiao Liu turned his head and asked that young man: "Who is that over there?"

"Ren Qigongzi, supervising the battle from the gate tower."

With the leader present and the main general present, whether it be the soldiers fighting on the front lines or the residents and merchants in the city, everyone would feel more at ease.

Looking at the relatively calm reaction of those in the Inner City District, it was clearly not the first time they had dealt with such an attack.

A small, raised platform was erected at the entrance of the Neicheng gate; it was cleaned and tidied, incense was lit, and cushions were placed. A team of monks walked over and sat on the platform to chant scriptures.

Wen Gu said to Qingyi Daozhang: "The Ren Clan believes in Buddhism."

The Daoist Priest's complexion looked ugly; he kept his face taut and said nothing.

Coming to the Ren Clan's territory, where there were more wealthy households, he had naturally harbored some thoughts. But now, at such a critical moment, seeing so many monks but not a single Daoist, he knew what the situation was.

Wen Gu did not provoke the Daoist Priest further.

He looked toward the Outer City wall in front; there were many soldiers active there, but there were also many objects obstructing the view, so it was impossible to tell what kind of layout it was.

In a general battlefield, if one could aim at the enemy's great general, even if one could not kill or injure them, one could still pose a threat; if one were lucky enough to shoot and kill a leader, it might play a role in turning the tide of the situation.

For example, using a Chuangzi Crossbow.

But a heavy-duty killing weapon like the Chuangzi Crossbow was not suitable for this kind of battlefield.

In a battlefield like this today, the enemy has no generals!

They are all a group of "beasts" with out-of-control minds and mutated bodies!

Thinking of what he had seen along the way, Wen Gu pondered.

Use fire?

At this time, both city walls were closed, and some intersections between the Inner City and Outer City were sealed and guarded by heavy troops.

Inside the Neicheng gate tower.

Thick curtains provided cover, and an exquisite Incense Burner drifted with smoke.

After fumigating for a while, once the smoke had dispersed somewhat, another burner of more elegant incense was lit.

On the writing desk, the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone had long been set out.

A young man dressed in fine silk robes stood on the gate tower to observe for a moment, then came to the writing desk and sat down.

He took off his exquisitely crafted silk gloves that fit his fingers perfectly and began to copy Buddhist scriptures. His posture was casual.

After finishing the copying, he had his attendants take it to be burned in public as an offering.

This was also to let the people in the city know that he, this Ren Qigongzi, was praying for everyone's well-being.

After finishing the Buddhist scriptures, the young man finally looked at the few reports he had newly received; his expression was much more serious than before.

It was written on them that some people in the city were secretly lighting fires for sacrifices again, and were also forming small groups within the city to promote a cult.

Gods, Buddhas, and evil ghosts?

The young man sneered.

"Ignorant plebeians!"

He glanced at the incense burning on the side and continued to flip through his subordinates' reports.

At the same moment.

On the very front line, the swarming evil entities had already encountered the Watchtower.

A soldier stood above the Watchtower, his eyes fixed tightly on the Watchtower ahead.

When the firelight of the forward Watchtower increased greatly, he opened the hidden compartment at the top of the tower, lowered a lantern, and then picked up the torch beside him to light it.

Every Watchtower had a hidden compartment, and inside the hidden compartment was a special lantern. Only when encountering this kind of swarm attack would they activate them.

The lantern was lit, and he did not look back, stepping on the ladder to run down quickly.

The person guarding the Watchtower might encounter various unexpected accidents, or have their judgment and behavior affected by fear.

But here, one did not need to have strong battlefield judgment, nor did one need to have high combat quality; even those who were illiterate could execute it.

If this tower-guarding squad lost its leader, any common soldier could do it. They only needed to light the fire, and then, retreat!

As he descended, the flame in the lantern burned until the whole thing caught fire, once again triggering the mechanism in the hidden compartment.

A bell fell, emitting a crisp sound.

It was also like a urging call.

The soldier who ran to the bottom of the Watchtower took two or three steps to cross the final stairs and dashed into the underground secret chamber; the others who had long been waiting inside closed the stone door together.

If he had not come down within the scheduled time, the people inside the secret chamber would not wait for him and would still close the stone door.

On the Watchtower above, following the sound of that bell, liquid flowed down the tower body, and the flames spread along it, quickly engulfing the tower body.

The Watchtower built of wood burned entirely.

And at this time, the swarm of evil entities had already arrived before them.

Evil entities fear fire.

But the swarming evil entities could not even control the crisis instincts of a beast, and many evil entities crashed directly into the burning Watchtower.

If one were to look down from a high altitude, one would see that in the direction leading to Jinwu City, in the relatively open and easily passable areas, stood tower after tower.

These towers lit up with flames and were then submerged by that dense, dark tide.

When those towers on nearly the same level fell, the towers behind them, one after another, lit up in succession.

Like the Wolf Smoke of a beacon tower, they used the firelight at the Watchtowers to send messages, and at the same time, used this to wear down these swarming monsters.

The number of monsters in the swarm is too great; relying on these Watchtowers certainly cannot wipe them all out, but even if only a small portion is whittled away, it is still a considerable help.

Those charging at the very front of the swarm, the most agile ones, are all deeply mutated Evil Gu-infested creatures; having been parasitized for a long time, their forms have changed significantly, and their running speed is faster, which has already surpassed the limits of ordinary people.

The first to be whittled away will also be them.

In Jinwu City, most people in the Outer City District have hidden away, and even those scattered outside are not shouting loudly.

An eerie, quiet atmosphere spreads.

The firelight of the forward Watchtowers lights up.

Wen Gu stands on the high platform of the city wall, seeing it more clearly.

Following this firelight, one can see further away, a vast, dark, and dense mass of figures charging toward this side, pushing over the firelight of the Watchtowers like a surging ant colony, gradually submerging that firelight.

Horn sounds ring out again.

Seeing the situation in the distance, Xiao Liu's knees go weak, and County Lieutenant Zhou looks as if his soul has left his body, his face pale. He even forgets that he can breathe, holding his breath.

Even if one has heard some rumors, seeing it with one's own eyes, that kind of impact is indescribable!

When fear is pushed to the extreme, it becomes a complex form of bewilderment.

Can they really resist this?

The sound of drums like thunder spreads within the city, as if a countdown is underway.

Those dense figures at the edge of the field of vision are like a group of mindless beasts charging forward rapidly.

One of the swarm behaviors: directional consistency.

Almost all the Evil Gu-infested creatures are charging toward Jinwu City at this moment.

They charge directly into the deployed Refusal Horses and Deer Caltrops, which are like hedgehogs, instantly skewering themselves on those sharp poles.

And the Evil Gu-infested creatures behind step on the corpses of their own kind to continue charging forward.

Swarm behavior number two: whether it is their own kind or a different kind, everything that blocks them, everything whose path is inconsistent, is treated as an obstacle—trample over it!

Those deeply mutated Evil Gu-infested creatures running at the very front, within this massive swarm, as long as they are blocked and paused by an obstacle, they will still be trampled over by their own kind and cannot escape.

Thus, looking at the whole, chaos appears in the forward swarm, with large-scale internal trampling.

Unable to escape, unable to change their goal.

Swarm behavior: coercion of will.

Uncontrollable gathering, qualitative change caused by quantitative change, no way back, coerced into meeting death.

The Evil Gu that can turn normal people into monsters and erase humanity to turn them into beasts can often control their hosts, but after swarming, this will be their fatal moment of losing control.

Wen Gu thinks to himself, if the Evil Gu parasitizing their bodies could make a sound, they must be screaming crazily right now, right?

Uncontrollable hosts are rushing rapidly toward death!

The alarm horn sounds.

In the city tower of the Neicheng, Ren steps out, his hands wearing silk gloves resting on the railing, looking toward the front.

Fire pots thrown from the outer city wall are tossed out like scattering flowers.

The launched Arrow formation also carries incendiary materials.

Fireballs of various sizes fly out from above the city wall, tracing an arc in the air and landing on those dark figures gathering and approaching.

Flames splash out, the burning causing those Evil Gu-infested creatures to emit shrill beast roars, only to be quickly trampled to the ground by their own kind rushing up from behind.

Looking out, the attacks of those Evil Gu-infested creatures have no strategy; it is all trampling.

But their numbers are truly too great, wave after wave, washing over that patch of Refusal Horses and Deer Caltrops, continuing to close in.

When that dark wave washes over a certain line, all long-range attacks from the outer city wall cease.

Drumsticks strike the drumheads, emitting a sound like rolling thunder, transmitted from the front to the Neicheng.

Those watching the battle from the high platform are all staring fixedly there at this moment.

The young man standing on the same high platform as Wen Gu stretches his neck to look, his whole body trembling.

"What's wrong? Why aren't they attacking? Those monsters are about to arrive!!"

Those who have newly entered the city or have not been in the city long cannot help but feel nervous, agitated, and tremble with fear.

People in the Inner City District feel it more profoundly; the vibration caused by the group running and approaching rapidly travels along the ground, from the soles of their feet to their hearts, sprouting and growing into even greater fear.

Ripples appear on the surface of the water in the bowls.

Some pray to gods and Buddhas, while others curl up in corners without speaking, their expressions dull.

The drum sounds ring out continuously, as if performing a final countdown.

On the outer city wall, giant Shields are erected one by one.

The drum sounds stop abruptly, and a high-pitched horn blast, accompanied by the vibration of the "dark tide" impacting the city wall, spreads from the front line.

The Evil Gu-infested creatures that finally impacted the city wall after being trampled quickly pile up and stack high.

Following one after another, those baring fangs and brandishing claws figures step on the steps piled up by their own kind and pounce toward the top of the city wall.

Hum—

Scorching firelight outlines a line of fire along the undulating city wall.

Like a divine bird spreading its wings!

Opening a defensive belt formed of flames!

Wen Gu is silent: Holy shit!!

True firepower coverage!

"That is..."

"What kind of divine object is that!"

Beside him, Xiao Liu and that young man both cling to the edge of the high platform, their eyes about to pop out of their sockets, wishing they could fly over to see clearly.

The moment the firelight unfolds along the city wall, the excitement and thrill produced in their hearts suppress their original fear, as if countless voices are clamoring and shouting.

A miracle!!!

Desperate to seek an answer, and with the people nearby not knowing, Xiao Liu turned his head.

When encountering a difficult problem, look for Wen Gu, whose Study Tour experience is rich.

"Second Brother Wen, what is that?"

"A Fierce Fire Oil Cabinet!" Wen Gu's gaze was burning.

The Ren Clan is truly, dripping with wealth!

(End of this chapter)