Southeast of the outer city, Zuo'an Gate.
It was nearly noon. Sun Shaozong sat in a canopy not far from the gate tunnel, with only the local City Gate Officer sharing his table.
The City Gate Officer was a deputy among the gate guards, ranked below the City Gate Captain as a regular seventh-rank military official.
At the moment, not to mention the sixth-rank company commanders, even three fifth-rank battalion commanders were standing nearby. Though not one of them spared him a proper glance, the City Gate Officer still sat as if on pins and needles.
Several times, he tried to rise and stand at attention, but seeing Vice Minister Sun opposite him appearing relaxed while tightly gripping Frostmourne, his legs simply refused to obey him.
Just as he was attempting to stand for the sixth time, a man strode briskly out of the gate tunnel and shouted from afar, "My lord, every household inside the city has shut its doors tight, but the outskirts beyond the city are still bustling. This humble one had some food and wine prepared outside the city. Please make do with some first."
With nine fingers, he carried over an enormous tray bearing three dishes, two bowls, and a flask of steaming hot wine.
After scalding the chopsticks with tea, he respectfully presented them with both hands. Only after Sun Shaozong accepted them did he report, "No trace of the Hot Air Balloon has been found outside the city yet. However, I heard that several Blood Letters fell from the sky, though no one knows who picked them up. This humble one has already assigned men specifically to search for them."
Blood Letters?
Sun Shaozong frowned at the news. This was hardly good. First, the Hot Air Balloon had clearly already flown beyond the