...
Not far from the foot of the mountain, an ox cart slowly arrived and stopped in a small grove.
On the ox cart, stacks of iron cages were covered with large black cloths—clearly a mobile warehouse for Black Market live goods.
Someone alighted from the cart and tied the reins.
The old ox began to "moo", licking the ground and rolling up dry grass.
Soon after, a few burly men with weapons jumped down.
These were the brokers, specializing in live goods trade.
And the burly men were their guards.
One of the brokers looked at the mountain path and said, "The bandits have retreated, they must have left behind some good stuff. Maybe we could even find some live goods."
Another said, "Yes, the Black Market has seen more people lately. More people means a higher chance to sell things... If we can make an easy profit, that would be nice. Let’s go up and have a look, if there is, we’ll catch it and transport it to the Black Market directly.
Old Ding, you and your men stay to watch the cart, we’ll take people up to have a look, if there are live goods, we’ll divide them equally after catching them."
The third broker said, "Go ahead, go ahead."
Immediately, two brokers led the guards up the mountain...
...
...
Seven days later.
Outside Hua Mo County, banners fluttered, drums pounded, the slaughter rumbled to the heavens.
But compared to the extreme, intense battlefield, a White Sparrow quietly stood on a branch of an old tree far from the city gate.
The White Sparrow’s eyes seemed to humanly gaze distantly at the battlefield.
The battlefield unfolded widely, like a meat grinder constantly claiming lives...
Yet clearly, Hua Mo County was not easy to provoke; Frost Sword Sect and Fuyue Nunnery were not forces that General Qing Xiang could easily handle.
The sides went back and forth, but today General Qing Xiang gained some advantage in the tug-of-war, using the cover of night to leverage secret investigators already infiltrated into the city to suddenly attack, coordinating inside and out to breach the city gate.
But as soon as bandits rushed in, a team of Martial Artists quickly appeared within the county.
This was a peculiar team of Martial Artists, expressionless, carrying strange and heavy burlap sacks on their backs, with something inside constantly wriggling and bulging...
General Qing Xiang recognized their identity.
"Chenghua Sect! The Poison Technique Sect of Tian Nan County..."
"Didn’t expect them to secretly support Hua Mo County."
General Qing Xiang gritted his teeth, recalling the lethal power of Chenghua Sect’s poison, then glanced at those terrible burlap sacks from afar, and could only bite his teeth, resentfully saying, "Retreat!"
The city couldn’t be taken for the moment, it could be fought for again, but if his soldiers were lost, he’d have nothing.
The Chenghua Sect Martial Artists did not pursue, only saw them off, then closed the city gate again.
With the city gate shut, these Martial Artists suddenly collapsed to the ground, and a closer look showed their foreheads covered in cold sweat.
The peculiar heavy burlap sacks were also loosened, revealing that inside were chickens, ducks, and piglets, not poison at all.
From a nearby alley slowly walked out a girl as skinny as bones, clad in an oversized purple long dress, the hem frills swaying in the wind, standing out amidst the night and fire.
One could imagine that this girl was originally a beauty, but for some unknown reason, she had become so emaciated that a bit thinner, she’d resemble a living skeleton.
The girl’s name was Pang Yuanhua, three months ago she was still the first beauty and the Wise One of Hua Mo County...
But now, for some unknown reason, she had become this way.
With Pang Yuanhua’s arrival, the "Chenghua Sect" Martial Artists all approached, praising her endlessly.
"Lord Pang is indeed a mastermind, devising this scheme to frighten away that bandit leader effortlessly."
"Yes, Lord Pang’s strategy is formidable, not just in our Hua Mo County, but it would be remarkable anywhere."
"If that damned General Qing Xiang knew we were all just pretending, and he hastily retreated after finally breaching the city, he’d probably be livid, hahaha!"
The girl listened to the praise, emotionally indifferent, but her expression was not pleased.
Behind the girl emerged a towering woman, clad in blue chain armor, her arms wrapped with blue bands, wielding a long sword with a chilling gleam.
The woman said, "Miss doesn’t seem happy..."
Pang Yuanhua glanced at the elated and motivated crowd, smiled and said, "Not at all."
After speaking, she added, "Pang Han, let’s go back, General Qing Xiang likely won’t attack the city in the next few days."
"Understood, Miss!" The woman named Pang Han evidently had great faith in Pang Yuanhua.
The two women turned away, and when their backs faced each other, Pang Yuanhua softly said, "Pang Han, if beasts in the mountains suddenly run wildly, do you know... why?"
"Huh? Why what? Let them run... comes just at the right time!" Pang Han licked her lips, "We’ll just kill them, and the county will have more meat then!"
Pang Yuanhua laughed, a good while before calming down, then said, "In this world, big fish eat little fish, little fish eat shrimp...
So when big fish show up, little fish flee.
When little fish show up, shrimp flee.
You tell me... why would General Qing Xiang, after staying in the wilderness for so long, suddenly be in a rush to attack the city these few days?"
They were speaking, and on the high branches, the White Sparrow suddenly stepped on a branch, intending to take off silently.
But Pang Han’s brow twitched, she chuckled and abruptly drew her sword, intending to slay the White Sparrow.
She didn’t launch her attack, because Pang Yuanhua held her hand back.
"What’s the matter, Miss? Didn’t expect such a hungry city to still have a wild sparrow... just the thing to make skewers, sprinkle some salt granules, delicious!"
Pang Yuanhua hadn’t noticed earlier, but now quietly stared at the White Sparrow.