“Host, they really do love and respect you.” The system looked at the crowd of believers on the screen and then at Yun Shu. “Why don't you just release a bolt of heavenly thunder and strike that State Preceptor dead?”
“Based on the book's description, that State Preceptor isn't anything good anyway. Killing him would be doing the people a favor.”
The more it spoke, the more it felt this was a brilliant idea.
“This would resolve Xindu City’s crisis and earn a massive amount of Shock Value at the same time. It’s killing two birds with one stone.”
Yun Shu, however, remained exceptionally calm. “No rush. While stepping in now to resolve the crisis would be easy, it would make them overly dependent on a deity. Furthermore, it wouldn't maximize their shock. It’s not worth the trade-off.”
“Let’s wait and see.” She opened the system wardrobe, pondering which outfit she should wear for her appearance when the time came.
On the other side, Shen Jue and the others were also in the middle of tight deployments.
However...
Luo Daoqing arrived faster than expected.
On the morning of the fifth day, before the sky had even brightened, a scout scrambled into the Governor's Mansion, stumbling over his own feet.
“They’re here... they’re here!”
The scout’s face was deathly pale, and his voice trembled. “The State Preceptor’s troops are less than ten miles from the city!”
Shen Jue stood up abruptly, his gaze sweeping across the group in the hall who were already prepared for battle. He spoke only three words.
“To the walls.”
“Brother, I will go with you.” Shen Yu followed him immediately without a moment's hesitation.
Just as his foot crossed the threshold, a hand landed firmly on his shoulder, stopping him.
It was Pei Du.
“Fuyan.” Pei Du’s gaze fell on Shen Yu’s face. In those eyes that were usually cold and stern, there was now a faint trace of gentleness. “I will go. I am more suited for defending the city than you. You stay in the rear.”
Shen Yu hesitated, his Adam’s apple bobbing slightly.
“But...”
Pei Du interrupted him, “If anything happens to General Shen and me, Xindu City will at least still have you.”
With that, he turned and caught up with Shen Jue.
Shen Yu stood where he was, watching them walk through the corridor, down the steps, and out of the mansion gates, stepping one by one into the gradually brightening dawn.
...
The walls of Xindu City were not particularly high. The blue bricks were mottled and covered in cracks carved by time.
At this moment, the walls were densely packed with people.
They did not wear uniform armor, nor did they carry standard-issue weapons. Yet, standing there, they were like nails driven into the wall—unmoved by the wind, unshaken by the rain.
Shen Jue stood at the very front.
Resting his hand on a crenel, he gazed far into the distance.
On the horizon, clouds of dust rolled up as if a yellow dragon were sweeping across the ground.
Then...
The silhouettes of a dark, dense army emerged from the dust.
Iron armor gleamed coldly, and banners fluttered in the wind.
The sound of horse hooves was like thunder, striking the earth and the hearts of everyone present, beat after beat.
This was no small force.
At a rough glance, there were about two thousand troops.
Cavalry led the way, followed by infantry, with crossbowmen arrayed on both flanks. In the center, they surrounded a pitch-black carriage.
An apricot-yellow flag hung from the roof of the carriage, with the character for “Yong” written in large strokes, snapping loudly in the wind.
In contrast, the city guards of Xindu, combined with the citizens who had volunteered, numbered no more than eight hundred at best.
On the walls, some people began to tremble uncontrollably, yet none retreated.
The army came to a halt a bowshot away from the city.
Promptly, the formation split open.
The black carriage slowly rolled forward.
The curtain was lifted, and a man stepped out.
The State Preceptor, Luo Daoqing.
He wore a black Daoist robe with a crane-patterned cloak draped over his shoulders. Holding a jade whisk, his face was thin with high cheekbones, and his narrow eyes were as black as ink.
Standing before the carriage, he tilted his head slightly, looking toward the gate tower of Xindu City.
His gaze collided with Shen Jue’s on the tower, sparks of invisible friction flying in mid-air.
“By His Majesty’s decree, I am here to arrest the witch and the General of the Flying Cavalry, Shen Jue, and bring them back to the Capital. Open the gates and surrender the city, and your past offenses shall be forgiven.”
“If you dare to resist...” He paused, slowly raising the jade whisk in his hand and pointing it at the city gates.
“When the city falls, not even the dogs and chickens shall be spared!”
The moment he finished speaking, a cold light tore through the air.
Without anyone noticing, Shen Jue had already drawn his bow and notched an arrow. The arrow, carrying the whistling sound of a fierce wind, flew straight for Luo Daoqing’s throat.
The arrow came too fast—so fast that the personal guards beside Luo Daoqing didn't even have time to shout “protect him.”
“Thud!”
The arrowhead hit him square in the chest.
Luo Daoqing let out a muffled groan, the force of the arrow knocking him back two steps, nearly causing him to fall off the carriage.
But he didn't die.
The arrow tip had pierced his Daoist robe but was stopped by a layer of soft armor.
He looked down at the arrow still quivering in his chest. His face instantly turned as white as paper, and his fingers trembled.
He could hit me from such a distance? Is Shen Jue even human? Fortunately, I had the foresight to wear this, or I’d be dead.
Cold sweat slid down his spine.
On the wall, Shen Jue slowly lowered his longbow, his voice as cold as if it were dipped in ice. “Luo Daoqing, that arrow is the price for calling the Divine Lady a witch.”
Damned sorcerer, how dare he slander the Divine Lady. Did he really think a follower of the Divine Lady like him would let it slide?
Luo Daoqing retreated a few steps and had his personal guards raise shields to block him before he spoke again. “Shen Jue, I have come to Xindu to bring you to justice on behalf of His Majesty. You dare to use a bow to wound me?”
“Could it be that you truly intend to rebel?”
He barked the question.
If he hadn't heard it with his own ears, he truly wouldn't have believed it. Shen Jue, the founding emperor of Great Xia who loathed sorcerers most in history, actually spoke the words “Divine Lady.” It was truly eye-opening.
Could it be that this transmigrated woman is a better actor than me, even deceiving Shen Jue?
“Don't you claim to be an immortal reincarnate? Since you are an immortal, why should you fear the arrows in my hand?”
Shen Jue sneered with sarcasm. “Moreover, a deity should cherish all living beings like the Divine Lady does. Yet you, for your own selfish desires, wantonly exploit the people. Are you worthy of being called an immortal?”
Luo Daoqing’s face turned grim.
“Choosing the hard way over the easy way, I see!”
He turned and signaled to the personal guards behind him.
A guard immediately stepped forward and knelt on one knee.
Luo Daoqing leaned down and whispered a few words into his ear.
A moment later.
There was a commotion in the supply train at the rear of the army.
Ten carts covered in black cloth were pushed to the front of the lines.
As the soldiers stepped forward and whipped off the black cloths, everyone on the city walls gasped in unison.
They were bronze-cast monstrosities.
Their dark, gaping muzzles were like giant eyes, aimed directly at the mottled walls of Xindu City.
Shen Jue and the others did not recognize what those things were, but Yun Shu, watching from behind the scenes, recognized them at a glance.
They were clearly cannons.
Though they were the crudest version of cannons, their power on an ancient battlefield of cold weapons was absolutely terrifying.
“System, the butterfly effect of my transmigration actually allowed this State Preceptor to build cannons?”
Yun Shu turned her head to look at the guilty-looking little fox.
It was a good thing she hadn't listened to the system and let down her guard against the obviously suspicious State Preceptor, Luo Daoqing.
The facts had proven that a police officer's intuition was never wrong.
Rate on N.U.
