Leaving the City

South of Heyin County City, the mottled walls bore the traces of age. They carried the scars of wind and rain, as well as the weathered marks of blades and swords, bearing witness to centuries of rise and fall, glory and romance in this ancient city.

Scorching, dazzling sunlight poured across the earth, warping the air until it resembled a furnace.

Falling upon people, it steamed up heat and left them drenched in sweat, sticky from head to toe.

A long human dragon stood in orderly lines, stretching half a li beyond both the inside and outside of the city.

Adults, children, ox carts, carriages, merchant caravans, escort agencies—there was no end to them, making the place crowded and stifling.

Yet in such weather and such surroundings, everyone remained quiet and patient. Obediently following the directions of the young officer on his tall horse, whip in hand, they carried bundles or drove their carts forward, inch by inch, through the crowd.

They presented their identification documents step by step, named their guarantors, explained why they were leaving or entering the city, and handed their belongings over to the burly armored men waiting nearby for inspection, to see whether there was anything fishy... The entire process was strict and cumbersome.

Heyin County had naturally never been like this in the past. But after suffering such a calamity, with martial law in place, its security was naturally far stricter than that of an ordinary city.

Of course, it was impossible for everyone to be so good-tempered.

Especially those from distinguished families with extraordinary backgrounds. Under normal circumstances, they strutted about giving orders, daring even to lash the city guards with their whips and hurl vicious abuse at them. They would never have placed so-called rules in their eyes.

But things were different