Human Clan Defender

The news of the 120,000-strong Barbarian Clan Army marching towards Jincheng no longer required a Scout to report; the fleeing civilians alone were enough to carry the message.

Inside Jincheng, all the civilians were assembled and evacuated from the city in an orderly fashion. Leaving their homes behind, every person's face bore an expression that wasn't too pleasant. However, they could understand that the Imperial Court wouldn't let them leave Jincheng unless it was absolutely necessary. Leaving Jincheng now, in the view of some people inside the city, was a sign that the upcoming war was not looking promising.

Atop the city wall, Nie Xu looked down at the stream of carriages and the large number of civilians retreating like a long procession, and his expression was just as complex. "Lord, what should we do now?" Liu Jian, standing by his side, asked in a low voice.

Nie Xu didn't answer immediately. With his hands clasped behind his back, he silently observed the scene below. After a long while, he finally spoke slowly, "The civilians are evacuating, and who knows what troubles they might encounter along the way. How many people does the Yamen still have at its disposal now?"

"Not including myself, there are a total of one hundred and twenty-three Government Officials," Liu Jian replied truthfully. As the population of Jincheng was large, the number of Government Officials was also sizable.

Upon hearing this, Nie Xu nodded, "One hundred and twenty-three people are just about right." Having finished speaking, his face suddenly turned solemn as he spoke in a deep voice, "Liu Jian, heed my command!"

"Your subordinate is here!" Liu Jian was startled at first, but then he seriously bowed with clenched fists.

Nie Xu said, "I command you to lead all the Government Officials to escort the civilians during the evacuation. There must not be any harm done to them, and you must ensure that all civilians are safely escorted."

"Your subordinate obeys the command!"

"Go!" Nie Xu waved his hand.

Liu Jian heard the order but did not leave immediately; his face showed a trace of hesitation. "Lord, aren't you leaving too?"

"As the parental official of Jincheng, how can I flee before the battle? You take the people and escort the civilians. The remaining matters are not your concern any longer." Nie Xu raised his hand, cutting off what Liu Jian was about to say next.

Seeing this, Liu Jian could only close his mouth and then bow before taking his leave.

The evacuation of the civilians was naturally not without a destination. All the civilians were headed towards the rear of Great Wilderness Prefecture, towards the several heavily guarded Xiong Cities.

Actually, with so many civilians from Jincheng, it was impossible to squeeze them all into one city, as that would inevitably overwhelm it. Only by dispersing could they avoid causing significant disruption. During the evacuation, although there seemed to be a great number of civilians, with the three city gates wide open and the presence of the Black Tiger Army as a deterrent, there was no great commotion. Moreover, the news of the evacuation had already been spread out a day earlier, and the civilians were also well-prepared. In just half a day, nearly all the civilians in the city had finished evacuating.

Nie Xu made no move, still standing on the city wall, watching the civilians leave.

"Lord Nie, do you feel reluctant to let them go?" a voice rang out from behind him.

To this, Nie Xu gave a bitter smile, "It's not so much reluctance, as it is concern for the future of Jincheng."

"If Lord Nie feels uncertain, you can totally leave with the others. The Barbarian Clan Army hasn't arrived yet; it's still possible for you to leave now."

"If I were going to leave, I would have left already. Why would I wait until now?" Nie Xu shook his head, then turned to look at Wen Ce, who had already donned armor and carried a sword. "Lord Wen has arrived, what's the situation in the city now?"

Wen Ce, clad in black armor with a sword at his waist, emitted a chilling aura that made people shiver. "All the civilians in the city have been evacuated; now we just wait for the Barbarian Clan Army to arrive!"

"Where is General Chu?"

"The General is currently patrolling inside the city, checking for anything that may have been overlooked."

"Thank you for your hard work." Nie Xu nodded his head, then his gaze turned back to the city.

Half a day had passed, and it was now nightfall. Due to the evacuation, most parts of the city were plunged into darkness, with only one building remaining brightly lit: Tianyi Tower. If previously he didn't know where exactly the Heavenly Inspection Guard had hidden themselves in Jincheng, now it was an open secret.

Who would have thought that the Heavenly Inspection Guard would set up base in Tianyi Tower? Such an obvious place, yet not a trace of their presence was revealed. The Heavenly Inspection Guard hides very deep indeed, Nie Xu remarked to himself. The most dangerous place is often the safest place. Tianyi Tower might not be dangerous enough, but it certainly was conspicuous. Under such circumstances, the Heavenly Inspection Guard dared to establish their base in Tianyi Tower; in a sense, this was hiding in plain sight. The most important part was that the Heavenly Inspection Guard's methods of concealment were profound. Otherwise, with the constant coming and going in Tianyi Tower, they would have been exposed long ago.

Following Nie Xu's gaze, Wen Ce also looked towards Tianyi Tower in the city, his expression slightly complex.

"The Heavenly Inspection Guard is an institution trained by the Demon-Subduing Division," Wen Ce said, shaking his head by the end of his words. "Just how many members of the Heavenly Inspection Guard are hidden in Qin Land is something that perhaps not even the people of the Demon-Subduing Division can be sure of. Perhaps even a passerby could be a member of the Heavenly Inspection Guard.

"Had the transmission of messages between places not been so slow, it's likely that the Demon-Subduing Division would have received news the moment Ningshan City fell to the Barbarian Clan. As for now—the Heavenly Inspection Guard in Jincheng cannot play a significant role either."

The main job of the Heavenly Inspection Guard is intelligence work. Under normal circumstances, information is key. But when it comes to actually fighting, intelligence doesn't matter much anymore. At that time, it all comes down to who has the sharper, more resilient blade, and who can kill more people.

"There's been no news from any of the three major Demon-Subduing Divisions in Great Wilderness Prefecture. It seems the Barbarian Clan and the Eternal Alliance are determined to break through our Great Wilderness Prefecture," Nie Xu said in a deep voice. The Barbarian Clan had invaded Great Wilderness Prefecture for several days now, yet there had been no movement from the Demon-Subduing Division. In terms of intelligence, the capability of the Demon-Subduing Division was much stronger than that of the Imperial Court itself. But now, not a whisper from the Demon-Subduing Division had come through. Either the news had not yet reached them, or they were completely unable to extricate themselves.

Between the two, Nie Xu was more inclined to believe the latter, because he had long since received news that there was a Demon Evil ravaging Great Wilderness Prefecture.

A Fiend Level Strange Monster!

It was a powerful Demon Evil capable of destroying an entire city, and not something that ordinary Demon Evils could compare to.

Upon hearing this, Wen Ce's expression turned grim. "It would be best if the Demon-Subduing Division could spare some forces, but if they cannot, we are still capable of fighting the Barbarian Clan." The Black Tiger Army has its own honor, Wen Ce thought, somewhat dissatisfied. From Nie Xu's words, it was clear he considered the Demon-Subduing Division more reliable.

"The strength of the Black Tiger Army is certainly not to be underestimated," Nie Xu chuckled, not dwelling on the subject any longer.

Straightaway, the two descended from the city wall.

Many areas in the city were now deserted, but as the Black Tiger Army lit torches, the city became as bright as day.

「Within the Black Tiger Army's tent.」

Chu Ding and a group of Black Tiger Army officers were seated, and in front of them was a hastily constructed sand table.

"Looking at the marching routes of the Barbarian Clan Army, it seems the Barbarian Clan will first appear at the southern gate of Jincheng," a Chiliarch said, pointing at the sand table.

The others also fixed their gazes on the sand table.

"Although Jincheng's geographic position is not crucial, it is still indispensable," the Chiliarch continued. "Without taking down Jincheng, this section of the Barbarian Clan Army would not dare to advance rapidly. If they were obstructed in battle ahead and we cut off their retreat behind them, the probability of their entire army being wiped out is very high.

"Now, the Barbarian Clan's siege is swift, but their approach is also steady and solid. Unfortunately, there are no strategically significant terrains around Jincheng; we cannot take advantage of the landscape whatsoever."

Surrounding Jincheng, the land is almost completely flat. Though it isn't a plain, it's not much different. Under such circumstances, it means that if Jincheng wants to resist the Barbarian Clan offensive, it can only defend from within the city; there are no other options. This situation was clear to everyone.

Chu Ding lifted his gaze from the sand table, looking towards the others. "How much food do we have in the city?"

"The evacuation of the civilians left behind some food supplies which should last us for half a year without any unforeseen circumstances."

Half a year!

Chu Ding nodded slightly. If the Barbarian Clan couldn't take Jincheng, they also wouldn't be able to besiege it for half a year. Besides, this is the territory of Great Qin; the invaders cannot be allowed to run rampant for so long, he thought. Food was not a problem; it was the most significant concern solved.

Then, he turned his eyes back to the sand table. "If the Barbarian Clan wants to make a long journey inland, they'll need supply lines for provisions. However, the Barbarian Clan will surely guard their food and forage strictly; it won't be easy to act on this front.

"But—" Chu Ding pointed to the geography on the sand table, finally resting on a narrow gully. "This is Qing River. The Barbarian Clan will certainly need to set up camp, and water is essential. If we could poison the water, perhaps it could have some effect."

Poisoning the water!

Upon hearing this, many people's expressions changed slightly.

A Chiliarch said with a salute, "General, Qing River is long and extends beyond Jincheng. If we poison the water, other civilians in Great Wilderness Prefecture might drink it by mistake, and that could cause serious trouble.

"Moreover, the flow of Qing River is rapid. Unless a massive amount of poison is used, it likely won't have much effect. But if we were to introduce a large quantity of poison, it might be detected."

Poisoning the water was not an easy task. River water is not stagnant; it flows. Any poison introduced into flowing water would have difficulty making a practical impact.

In response, Chu Ding shook his head, his expression calm. "The Qing River flows southward while the Barbarian Clan is heading north. The areas they pass through are unlikely to have many Qin People remaining. If we introduce poison, then we introduce it. As you said, due to the rapid flow of the river, even if we did poison it, the affected area would not be large.

"As for whether using a large amount of poison will be discovered, that depends on how skillful we are at administering it. We may not be experts at poisoning, but some people are adept at it."