146: Rescue Yunhai City

Dawn had just broken, and people were already moving about in the camp.

Shen Xiaochuan stood at the entrance of the ancestral hall, gnawing on half a piece of dry rations, his eyes fixed on the cracked wall to the east.

The wind blew in through the gap, carrying the smell of burning and damp soil.

"Personal Guard Group One, check your weapons."

He swallowed the last bite and clapped his hands. "Group Two, take inventory of the water purification tablets and hemostatic powder. Group Three, pack up half the tents; leave the rest for the wounded."

Once the order was given, everyone moved immediately.

No one asked why only half were being packed, and no one complained.

After three months of training, they knew what to do.

Yang Lie stood not far away, leaning on his blade, his left arm still in a sling.

Watching their swift movements, he said in a low voice, "Your troop... doesn't look like it was cobbled together temporarily."

Shen Xiaochuan walked over and said, "It wasn't cobbled together. These people all came voluntarily. Those who were able to stay are not afraid of death."

"But you came here to investigate the meteorite?"

"Originally, yes." Shen Xiaochuan looked up towards the North Mountain. "Now we have to wait for someone."

"Aminos?"

"A carrier pigeon was sent an hour ago." Shen Xiaochuan frowned. "By rights, he should have replied by now."

Just as he finished speaking, a Personal Guard ran over and knelt down. "Report! The carrier pigeon reached Aminos's main camp, but there has been no response yet."

Shen Xiaochuan didn't speak, looking down at the timer on his wrist.

He thought to himself: Three minutes already, how is there still no news? One minute passed. Two minutes. Three minutes.

He said again, "Send another one, see if the route has been interfered with."

"Yes!"

Ten minutes passed, and the second carrier pigeon still had no response.

Shen Xiaochuan narrowed his eyes and turned to walk to the map.

His finger traced the route from North Mountain to Liuhe Village, finally stopping at a dense forest area. "This forest is too dense; signals are easily broken. But he should at least have sent someone to make contact."

"Perhaps... he was delayed on the way?" Yang Lie said.

"A delay wouldn't exceed half an hour." Shen Xiaochuan shook his head. "If he really wanted to join forces, he would have set off long ago. Now there isn't a sound, which means either he can't come, or—he doesn't want to."

Yang Lie's expression changed. "You mean, he's lying to me?"

"I don't know." Shen Xiaochuan put away the map. "But I can't wait anymore. The plan has changed; we aren't going to North Mountain."

As they were talking, several villagers walked over carrying a few baskets of food.

The old man leading them looked full of gratitude. "My lord, this is the remaining food in the village; please take it all with you."

Shen Xiaochuan waved his hand. "No need, we have our own supplies."

"You saved our village, what is this little bit of food!" The old man was anxious. "If you don't eat it, we won't be able to rest easy!"

Shen Xiaochuan looked at the coarse flour cakes and dried vegetable roots, slowly reached out to take one, and put it in his mouth to take a bite.

The taste was hard and astringent, but he didn't frown and swallowed it in one go.

"I appreciate the gesture." He put the cake back. "But we will only take half. Leave the rest for the wounded and the children. They need it more."

The old man wanted to speak further, but Shen Xiaochuan had already waved his hand to let the Logistics Group come forward to receive it. Half was kept, half returned.

"We save people not for rewards," he said. "It's so that in the future, there will still be people who dare to defend."

The old man was stunned, then finally bowed deeply and left with his people.

Yang Lie watched the baskets of food being returned and said softly, "People like you... are rare."

"I'm not looking for fame." Shen Xiaochuan patted his pants and stood up. "I just know that saving a mouthful of food can keep one more person alive. Only when more people survive can we turn the tables."

Just as he finished speaking, rapid footsteps came from afar.

A scout rushed into the camp, drenched in sweat, and knelt down with a thud. "Urgent military report! Pingyang City and Yunhai City are under attack simultaneously! Two perfect grade demons have brought an army of two hundred thousand to the border! Aminos's main force is pinned down and cannot come to support!"

The air suddenly became heavy.

Yang Lie looked up sharply. "What? Yunhai City? That's my hometown! My parents are still there!"

Shen Xiaochuan frowned, his voice low. "Now is not the time to talk about that. Quickly, which city is in more danger?"

"Yunhai City!" The scout panted. "The east gate has been breached, more than half the defenders are dead or wounded, the arrows are spent, the watchtower is on fire, and it's about to fall! Pingyang City can still hold out, but Yunhai City... can hold for at most half an hour more!"

Shen Xiaochuan's eyes turned cold, and he immediately turned to walk onto the high platform, stepped on a wooden crate, and shouted, "Everyone, assemble!"

Three thousand people quickly lined up, no one speaking.

"Original plan cancelled!" His voice was clear. "We are not going to North Mountain. Now, the target: Yunhai City! Set off immediately!"

"But..." a captain hesitated, "we haven't prepared supplies for a long-distance raid..."

"Not needed." Shen Xiaochuan raised his hand and glanced at the Faith Mall interface. "I just exchanged for thirty light acceleration scrolls; they can increase everyone's speed by three times, and we can cover thirty kilometers within ten minutes."

He waved his hand, and thirty pale gold talisman papers appeared in the air, distributed to each team.

"Stick them on your backs, don't lose them," he said. "We arrive in ten minutes; one second late, and it could mean one less life."

The troop immediately began to prepare, checking equipment, putting on the scrolls, and readying themselves.

Yang Lie walked up, his left hand barely gripping the hilt of his blade. "I'm going with you. I'm familiar with the terrain of Yunhai City; I've garrisoned all three coastal counties and know how to bypass the main enemy force."

Shen Xiaochuan looked at him. "Your injury hasn't healed yet."

Yang Lie gritted his teeth. "I can walk. As long as I can go home, I'll crawl back if I have to."

Shen Xiaochuan was silent for two seconds, then nodded. "Fine. You lead the way, take a concealed route. I want a surprise attack, not a head-on fight."

"Understood!"

Five minutes later, the troop had assembled.

Shen Xiaochuan was the last to board, sitting in the driver's seat of the storm chariot. The engine roared, and the headlights cut through the morning mist.

"Set off!"

The convoy shot out of Liuhe Village like an arrow.

The road was bumpy; Shen Xiaochuan stared at the navigation while watching the faith points increase. +1 per second, rising steadily. He casually exchanged for a batch of emergency medical kits and stuffed them into the trunk.

"Seven more kilometers." Yang Lie in the passenger seat looked ahead. "There's a hillside ahead; over it is the eastern suburb of Yunhai City. You can see the battlefield from there."

"Slow down," Shen Xiaochuan ordered. "Walk the last two kilometers, don't expose our position."

The convoy stopped by the edge of the forest. Everyone got out, turned off the engines, and moved forward lightly.

Five minutes later, they climbed the hillside.

Shen Xiaochuan looked up, and his expression changed immediately.

In the distance, Yunhai City was billowing with thick smoke. The east gate was wide open, half the city wall had collapsed, and black-armored demons poured into the city like a tide. The remaining defenders were retreating step by step, their formation scattered; many had dropped their weapons and were running around in the streets.

In the firelight, a few generals in armor were still resisting, but there were too few of them, and they couldn't hold it back.

"If we were any later..." Yang Lie's voice trembled. "My parents... they live on West Street..."

"It hasn't completely fallen yet." Shen Xiaochuan stared into the city. "The defenders are still fighting, which means the core area hasn't been lost. We still have a chance."

He opened the communicator: "All teams pay attention, follow my command. Vanguard Battalion, enter from the south slope and circle to the west of the city to establish a defensive line; Logistics Group, distribute medical kits and water purification tablets to the refugees along the way; Combat Group, follow me straight to the east gate, we must seal the gap!"

"Yes!"

"Wait!" Yang Lie suddenly grabbed his arm. "To the left of the east gate, there's an underground drainage outlet. No one usually uses it, but it leads to the city center plaza. If we can get in from there, we can directly cut off the enemy's rear!"

Shen Xiaochuan's eyes lit up. "You know the way?"

"I used to crawl through it when I was a kid." Yang Lie nodded. "It might be blocked now, but it's worth a try."

"Good." Shen Xiaochuan decided immediately. "You take ten people through the drainage outlet, sneak in, occupy the plaza tower, and raise the signal flag for me. When I see the flag go up, I'll lead the main force in a frontal assault."

"You want me to go?" Yang Lie was stunned.

"You know the terrain." Shen Xiaochuan looked at him. "And, you want to go home the most. This kind of mission must be entrusted to the person who wants to win the most."

Yang Lie gritted his teeth. "I will definitely get that flag up."

"Go." Shen Xiaochuan patted his shoulder. "Come back alive."

Shen Xiaochuan stood on the hillside, looking at the burning city, his heart in turmoil. His hand unconsciously touched the copper gear pendant on his cuff; the pendant was a bit hot, as if reminding him of something.

He knew that this battle could not be lost.

Not just for the mission.

Nor for the faith points.

It was because there were still people in the city waiting for rescue.

Just like three days ago, when the Dragon City defenders waited underground for three years.

Just like last night, when the child holding the porridge smiled and said "thank you".

He looked down at the Faith Mall.

Two acceleration scrolls remaining.

He didn't keep them for himself.

He gave them all to the Logistics Group so they could deliver supplies to the refugees faster.

"Captain," a Personal Guard asked in a low voice, "when do we charge?"

Shen Xiaochuan gazed into the city, his voice very light, yet very steady: "Wait for the flag to rise."

The wind blew across the hillside, kicking up a cloud of ash.

He stood there, his dark blue work uniform flapping loudly in the wind, his eyes unblinking as he watched the city that was about to fall.

Ten minutes ago, he thought he was going to North Mountain to find the meteorite today.

Now, he only wanted to defend a city.

Even if only one gate remained, he would defend it.