Something Terrible Has Happened

Kang De stared in astonishment at the Crimson Scroll.

A brilliant golden flame ignited on the scroll, enveloping his right hand, yet he felt no burning or pain... only a strangely familiar sensation resonated within him.

He couldn't help but think of the sudden situation that had occurred last night... As he lamented the cruelty of war and pondered what else he could do besides repelling the elves and protecting Goth, a strange and mysterious feeling welled up within him. He could feel some kind of change in his body, but he couldn't describe it or find it.

Now, holding the Crimson Scroll, he felt the same strange sensation.

Then a realization dawned on me.

The key to this change may lie within this Crimson Scroll.

He had previously obtained the scroll from the Holy Seal Archipelago and had handled and perused it, but he couldn't understand the text at all, nor did he notice any magical changes.

But now, when he touched the scroll, this extraordinary object burst into a dazzling golden flame.

What's going on?

The Elder Scrolls?

With a thought, Kang De unfurled the scroll. In an instant, golden light shone, illuminating the entire room. The obscure and ancient characters on the scroll radiated dazzling brilliance, as if containing endless truths and mysteries, recording the world, writing laws, and carrying untold stories.

Kang De took a deep breath and stared intently.

And still, I didn't understand anything.

"..."

This is ridiculous!

Was it just a single layer of special effects added?

--Hey bro, what's wrong with you guys? Whether it's a cheat code or this thing, you don't give any hints or instructions, and it even includes puzzles?

Kang De looked at it from left to right, up to down, but couldn't discern any flowers or plants. He saw neither a vision of the future nor any extraordinary skills. The scroll simply emitted light and heat on its own.

Other than that, it had no effect whatsoever.

He even used the special learning methods of the terrestrial immortal Shi Potian, trying to treat those alien characters as the operating diagrams of some kind of cultivation technique, but it still didn't work.

Just then, Hong San, whose eyes were blinded by the bright light, said, "Master, it's too bright!"

Then Kang De heard the sound of a door being pushed open and footsteps below, and then someone came running up, shouting, "Lord of the Mountain, what happened?"

Kang De immediately closed the scroll, which was still glowing, and simply threw it on the ground. Without his touch, the scroll immediately lost its brilliance and became ordinary.

The people downstairs rushed up as well. They spotted Kang De at a glance and, seeing the shattered altar on the ground, were startled. They shouted, "Who are you?"

Kang De glanced at them; they were all young, with yellow skin and black hair, and an oriental appearance. But now he felt no sense of closeness or familiarity with the Cathayan looked like them; he had always had a home.

Faced with their blunt questioning, Kang De merely smiled faintly and turned away from them.

Hong San was startled and immediately said, "Don't be rude! Get out of here!"

Even though he's now a figure of some importance, addressed as "Mountain Lord" by many and regarded as a leader and a big shot by many, Hong San... has always maintained his composure.

Especially in the presence of Kang De.

In Glittering Sand Town, they spent a short time together, and Kang De left a deep impression on Hong San. He was a big shot, but he didn't know martial arts. Yet, he was also a nobody, and his natural demeanor and confidence didn't seem fake. Before Hong San could figure out Master Kang's background, the Good Family made their move.

Then Hong San realized that Kang De must be a very important person.

"What's the point of not knowing martial arts? He nearly destroyed Glittering Sand Town in a single day, and that very night he planted a huge, fiery mushroom in the Glittering Sand Manor."

After his initial panic and fear, Hong San spent the next few days in hiding reviewing Kang De's methods and plans. The more he thought about it, the more frightened and shocked he became by Master Kang's ruthless methods.

The other party had been committing massacres and spreading fear in Glittering Sand Town during the day, clearly intending to gather all of Samuel's forces together so that they could wipe him out in one fell swoop. Later, he saw Master Kang building a mound of heads from the corpses of bandits, which terrified him even more.

My goodness, it's confirmed! He must be a descendant of military strategists, and one of the most meticulous ones at that.

--Being an official is for the emperor, but fighting a war is for yourself; war needs a bit of ritual.

That's roughly the feeling.

In addition, Hong San had been offering incense and prayers to Kang De every day, so he couldn't help but think about him. Even when interacting with his subordinates, he unconsciously adopted Kang De's mannerisms, always smiling at everyone, but being particularly ruthless when fighting.

Over time, this constant and unforgettable practice deepens one's sense of awe.

Ultimately, this awe reached its peak at the moment when Master Kang's vengeful spirit descended to earth.

Especially those hotheads who were shouting at Kang De almost scared Hong San out of his wits.

He hardened his face and shouted sternly, "Get out of here!"

Those young men had almost never seen the mountain lord so angry, which made it even more frightening. They exchanged glances, then looked at Kang De, and retreated, looking dejected.

Hong San wiped away his sweat, a bitter look returning to his face. After a moment's thought, he whispered, "Sir, you should leave now. Those guys have definitely gone to report the news, and it won't be long before those old brothers know."

Kang De gave him a half-smile, "Are you afraid I'll be made trouble by your old brothers, or are you afraid I'll make trouble for your old brothers?"

Hong San said with a wry smile, "They at least call me 'Mountain Lord,' I can't just stand by and watch them die..."

Kang De then asked, "You're not leaving?"

Hong San replied, "I'll escort you away now, sir. They haven't received the news yet. I have some authority, and the guards won't dare to stop me. But if I go with you, things will be different... Sigh, as for how I leave, we'll see. I'll find a chance to escape eventually."

Kang De was about to say something when suddenly the sound of a door being pushed open came from below, this time more violently and forcefully. A moment later, the sound of running footsteps came from the stairs.

If the guards were just flustered because they were concerned, what's happening now... is a bit disrespectful.

Kang De glanced at Hong San again.

Hong San was taken aback, then flew into a rage, a murderous glint flashing across his face. A person in a high position, leading troops into battle and experiencing bloodshed, may have an unchangeable nature, but his temperament will change no matter what.

The leader of Hongshan looked towards the stairs with a gloomy expression.

Kang De saw him with his hands behind his back, palms outstretched, and turned half a circle, clearly exerting force.

Tsk tsk.

Kang De calmly took two steps back, stood against the wall, and placed his hand on the wall. His mental energy silently spread, slowly enveloping the house. If a conflict broke out and the enemy rushed in, he would Extraction the load-bearing structure of the house and build a grave for them.

With his Iron Son not around, he reverted to an endless defensive mode of doubting everything, always ready to act, and killing without hesitation.

But the newcomer rushed upstairs in three strides, not even glancing at Kang De, and shouted straight out, "Lord Mountain! Lord Mountain! Something terrible has happened!"

Upon seeing the newcomer, Hong San's expression softened slightly. "Old Du, why were you so reckless?"

The newcomer was a middle-aged man with a short beard, but he was quite tall and strong, almost like a burly man. However, his face was filled with panic, and he said, "The city lord of the city..."

Hong San sighed, "Take your time, speak slowly."

Kang De found it amusing—it was like watching a period drama.

Old Du stood there, taking a few breaths to calm himself down, but his face was still filled with panic. He said, "It's terrible! The city lord has ordered all four gates closed; no one is allowed to leave, only to enter. There's going to be a war!"

This time, it was Hong San's turn to have a drastic change in expression. "What?"

"There's no mistake!" Old Du exclaimed urgently, "I heard the news and inquired myself. The city gates are indeed all closed, guarded by elite soldiers, all armed. Anyone who dares to trespass will be killed without mercy! The mayor's officials have all been mobilized, ordering all shops and businesses to close, everyone to stay home, and all supplies to be requisitioned and purchased. The rations for every household will be distributed uniformly..."

Hong San took two steps back.

He had already picked up on the most crucial words.

"The food rations for all households will be distributed uniformly..."

He repeated the phrase to himself.

Requisitioning grain and supplies, ordering merchants to cease operations to prevent hoarding and speculation, and uniformly rationing and distributing food and supplies to city residents... Is this a good thing?

No, this is a terrible thing!

Because this means...

Hong San muttered, "Having eaten the mayor's grain, of course I have to defend the city for the mayor..."

He asked blankly, "The elves... they've already attacked?"

Kang De's expression also changed slightly.

This series of events has truly caught everyone off guard.

First, when they were teleported back, they inexplicably ended up with Hong San and got separated from Iron Son. When they were about to leave after taking the Crimson Scroll, they encountered a city under siege and an attack by elves.

This is... a real war.

Hong San composed himself and said to Old Du, "You go out first!"

Old Du seemed to have great faith in Hong San, only glancing at Kang De with a strange look before going downstairs without asking any further questions. Hong San paced back and forth a couple of times before saying to Kang De, "Things have come to this, sir. I'm afraid I can't leave now. The city lord has ordered the city gates sealed off, and the next step is to recruit civilians to assist in the defense. I'm afraid the envoy who invited me to the council meeting is already on his way..."

Kang De said, "There are still ways to leave."

Extraction supernatural abilities has many uses; it can even be used to dig tunnels. Even if Hong San's residence is under tight surveillance, he can still find a way to get there from underground.

When this plan was told to Hong San shook his head vigorously, saying, "Sir, there are Ley Line School sorcerers among those watching me. Digging a tunnel will be detected."

"I know you're capable, but in these extraordinary times, what you're doing is going too far; it's tantamount to making an enemy of the entire city. I do have a plan. You'll come with me to see the mayor later and reveal your identity as Princess Tina's husband. The mayor, out of respect for the Taidariel Family, will most likely make an exception and let you leave the city, preventing you from getting trapped..."

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PS1: First update, 3,000 words, didn't expect that, did you!