Human Clan Defender

Prepare for war!

Nie Xu's fist clenched within his sleeve. He could imagine the situation Jincheng would face once the Barbarian Clan launched a direct attack on Great Wilderness Prefecture.

After his anger subsided, Nie Xu calmed down. "Why has there been no news from the Imperial Court? Even when the Barbarian Clan breached Ningshan City, we were the last to know."

"Lord Nie, you might not be aware, but two days ago, Demon Evil launched a major assault on Great Wilderness Prefecture. Fiend Level Strange Monsters appeared in many places, causing substantial disasters. The majority of the Imperial Court's forces in Great Wilderness Prefecture were preoccupied with suppressing the Demon Evil disaster. All three Demon-Subduing Divisions deployed their strongest members, which ultimately gave the Barbarian Clan their opportunity—" Chu Ding's expression was stern, but his words made Nie Xu's face change yet again.

To be honest, he hadn't received any of this news. If it weren't for Chu Ding's revelation, he would have been unaware of the chaotic situation Great Wilderness Prefecture was in.

After a moment, a spark of realization flashed in Nie Xu's mind, and his expression immediately turned grave.

When Demon Evil attacked in full force, the Barbarian Clan also launched a significant attack. Could it be that the two are related? He thought of a terrifying possibility: the Barbarian Clan might have joined forces with Demon Evil. If that were true, the situation would be grave. After all, the strength of Demon Evil alone had already given Great Qin tremendous headaches. On a normal day, the Barbarian Clan was a significant menace, although less threatening compared to Demon Evil. However, if the two were to join forces, it would spell a major disaster for Great Qin.

"Very likely!" Chu Ding nodded slightly, affirming Nie Xu's conjecture.

Upon hearing this, Nie Xu looked at him. "General Chu, I propose that we allow the Black Tiger Army to enter and station themselves in the city. Now that the Barbarian Clan has broken through Ningshan City, and Great Wilderness Prefecture is a great distance from the Capital City of Central Plains Country, it's unlikely that the Capital will be able to devise an adequate strategy promptly. At this moment, we, the people of Great Wilderness Prefecture, can only choose self-rescue. Although Jincheng isn't a particularly important city, it is still a large one with tall, sturdy walls. With the Black Tiger Army defending it, as long as the Barbarian Clan Army isn't too numerous, I believe there won't be too much trouble."

On ordinary days, when there was no trouble, the Black Tiger Army would be stationed outside the city to avoid alarming the citizens. Also, the more than 10,000 soldiers of the Black Tiger Army needed a vast space for their daily training. Accommodating 12,000 soldiers of the Black Tiger Army in Jincheng wouldn't be difficult, but finding a suitable training ground inside the city was practically impossible. This was why the Black Tiger Army was stationed outside the city.

But now things were different. Who knew when the Barbarian Clan Army might show up at the gates of Jincheng? Only by defending from within the city was there hope of withstanding the Barbarian onslaught.

In response, Chu Ding did not object.

Soon, the horn sounded. All soldiers sleeping in their tents assembled immediately and, led by Chu Ding, marched mightily toward Jincheng.

Meanwhile, Nie Xu returned to the Yamen. The news he received from Chu Ding today left him feeling restless. With Ningshan City fallen, the casualties of Great Qin's defenders must be severe. Now, there are Demon Evil disturbances inside Great Wilderness Prefecture, colluding with the Barbarian Clan from within and without. It's like being in the midst of a storm!

In the study, Nie Xu sighed. In the midst of a storm! If Great Wilderness Prefecture were conquered by the Barbarian Clan, then the entirety of Great Qin would be affected. Despite being just a border prefecture of Great Qin with no abundant resources, its geographic location was critically important. Once the Barbarian Clan occupied Great Wilderness Prefecture, they would be in a position to threaten the Central Plains. By that time, it would be like holding a knife directly to Great Qin's throat; one slash could potentially end hundreds of years of its foundation.

Setting aside his distractions, Nie Xu focused on a blank piece of paper spread on the table before him. He began grinding ink and started writing an article with his brush. It was his favorite pastime. Whenever he felt troubled and distracted by events, he would write articles to calm his mind.

Gradually, Nie Xu became completely immersed in the article before him, his hand brandishing the brush. Though the characters appeared hasty, they conveyed an exceptional feeling.

* * *

WHOOSH!

A howling wind rose in the silent night sky, sounding almost like the wailing of aggrieved souls.

The Yamen's signboard creaked in the wind, ready to fall at any moment.

BANG—

The signboard fell and shattered on the ground.

The loud noise immediately drew the attention of the Government Officials stationed in the Yamen. "What happened!"

"I don't know why, but a sudden gust of wind rose and knocked the signboard down, smashing it." A few Government Officials stared at the fallen signboard, unease on their faces. The inexplicable wind, coupled with the now shattered signboard, made them feel that something unusual was afoot.

Immediately, Liu Jian said, "Clean up the broken signboard. We will report to the Lord tomorrow and then find a craftsman to make a new one. The rest of you continue to patrol the Yamen. Report any anomalies immediately."

"Understood!" The remaining Government Officials all nodded.

Immediately, one of them picked up the shattered signboard from the ground and carried it outside the Yamen to dispose of it.

SOB, SOB!

A sound like a woman crying reached the ears of two Government Officials.

"Who's there!"

"Who's causing trouble here!"

The two Government Officials shivered, their expressions panicked as they looked around.

Above the Yamen entrance, two lanterns hung, dispelling some of the darkness. Aided by the faint light, the two Government Officials saw a long-haired woman crouching next to the stone lion on the left, her head buried deep between her knees. The sobbing sound came from her.

Upon seeing the woman, the Government Officials were startled again. But very quickly, their racing hearts calmed somewhat.

From the woman's back, her black hair cascaded down. She wore a plain long dress. Just from her silhouette, one could tell she must be a beautiful woman with a graceful figure.

"Old Zhou, should we go and see what's wrong?" one Government Official nudged his colleague with his elbow and swallowed involuntarily.

Hearing this, Old Zhou felt an urge too, but he didn't move.

"Old Wu, this doesn't seem right," Old Zhou said. "A woman crying here in the dead of night isn't normal at all. Should we go back?"

Although from the back, the woman looked like a beauty. Especially at this quiet hour, the solitary appearance of a woman was indeed tempting. However, he also understood that such a sudden occurrence must have an extraordinary explanation. Especially since Jincheng had recently been troubled by Demon Evil, which made people particularly wary.

Hearing this, the Government Official named Old Wu looked hesitant. But it wasn't long before he shook his head.

"The officials from the Demon-Subduing Division are said to have exterminated all Demon Evil in Jincheng," Old Wu reasoned. "A woman coming to the Yamen crying at night might have grievances. As officials of the Yamen, how can we ignore such matters?"

Saying this, Old Wu chuckled. He first tossed the signboard fragments near the Yamen, then walked behind the woman.

As he got closer, he could see just how alluring the woman's silhouette was. A faint, almost intoxicating fragrance wafted from her. For a moment, Old Wu's heart itched with curiosity.

But he maintained his professional integrity and didn't behave like a ruffian. Instead, he asked softly, "Miss, why are you crying here in the middle of the night? What happened?"

When he finished speaking, the woman only cried, offering no response.

Seeing this, Old Wu smiled again. "You can rest assured, miss. I'm from the Yamen. Lord Nie is renowned in Jincheng for his integrity. If you have any grievances, just tell us. The Yamen will definitely seek justice for you!"

The woman's crying subsided a little. Then, a gentle voice emerged intermittently.

"I... I..."

The voice was soft and low, and her weeping made it difficult for Old Wu to hear clearly. He leaned in closer, almost touching the woman's hair. The faint fragrance suddenly intensified, and amidst this rich scent, there was a tinge of something strange.

Then, Old Wu finally heard the woman's words clearly.

"I—died—so—miserably—"

The voice, which should have been gentle, had become ghastly and grating. It made one's heart feel as if it were being squeezed, rendering one almost unable to breathe.

At that moment, the woman turned her head to look at the horrified Old Wu.

The lantern light at the Yamen entrance illuminated her rotting, maggot-infested face, making it clearly visible. The strange scent mixed with the fragrance now transformed into a stench that rushed towards him.

At that instant, Old Wu felt as if he had fallen into an ice pit.

"Old Wu, what happened?" Old Zhou, standing not far away, saw Old Wu rooted to the spot, unsure what he was doing, and couldn't help but become intensely curious. Because they weren't very close and it was night, he couldn't see the woman's face clearly.

Suddenly, Old Wu's body trembled. A cold, dreadful hand pierced through his back, exposing a crimson, pulsing heart to the air. The hand then retracted, clutching the heart, and Old Wu's body collapsed as if losing all support.

At that moment, Old Zhou's pupils shrank violently, his vision becoming clearer than ever.

In his sight, Old Wu lay dead, eyes wide open, a large hole torn in his chest from which blood gushed profusely. Nearby, a rotting, maggot-infested figure held a heart, munching on it. Bright red blood spurted out, a glaring sight.

"Demon Evil! It's killing people!" Old Zhou yelled frantically, rolling and scrambling towards the Yamen interior.

However, before his feet could cross the Yamen's main gate, a crimson hand pierced through him. A sharp pain struck. Looking down, Old Zhou saw a hand protruding from his chest.

In its grasp was a bloodied, throbbing organ. He knew it was his own heart.

Before long, Old Zhou lost consciousness completely.