The Situation (Seeking Recommendation Votes)

Chapter 46: The Situation (Seeking Recommendation Votes~)

Two rows of chairs lined the sides of the grand hall, with dozens of wooden crates filled with gold bricks stacked in the open space in the center.

As everyone stepped into the hall, the doors closed on their own, without any wind.

Nie Yangze's figure flickered, and he appeared before everyone from the main seat. No one could even see his movement.

"There are now two choices before you all: first, accept the bounty and leave immediately, without looking back; second, accept the bounty and remain in my City Lord's mansion to join my private army."

As soon as Nie Yangze finished speaking, many martial artists were about to pat their chests and speak. Most of them had come specifically to join the City Lord's mansion.

"Once you choose to join my City Lord's mansion, your life will no longer be your own. You all need to think carefully."

Nie Yangze's words made many people hesitate.

After a moment of hesitation, Shi Lan made up her mind. If you don't enter the tiger's den, how can you catch its cubs? Joining the City Lord's mansion now might be the only way to break the stalemate.

"I will not force anyone," Nie Yangze said faintly.

"I am willing to join the City Lord's mansion." The black-robed man who had struck the deepest fist print stepped forward and said.

Nie Yangze nodded and gestured, "Take your seats."

Several martial artists exchanged glances and stepped forward together. "We wish to collect the bounty and leave."

Nie Yangze raised his hand but said nothing. The hall door opened again.

Several people walked forward. Regardless of the depth of the fist prints they had left earlier, they each took only a hundred gold and then left.

With these few leading the way, several more people stepped forward to collect their bounties and left the hall.

Twenty-six people, only eighteen remained in the end.

"Those who remain are all willing to join my private army, correct?" Nie Yangze scanned the crowd and asked.

The eighteen people nodded in unison.

"Then please take your seats." Nie Yangze returned to the main seat, and the hall door closed again.

"You must have heard something about the beastly calamity."

Only a few among the eighteen showed confused expressions; most nodded. They had heard some rumors.

"You are not joining my private army today, but the Demon Suppression Army, which are the people in black armor you saw earlier."

Upon hearing this, most people looked confused, clearly having never heard of the Demon Suppression Army.

"Listen carefully to what I say next," Nie Yangze stood up and said.

"You can bring your family members or close friends to the City Lord's mansion to be settled. Each person is only allowed two spots. I will guarantee that your relatives will safely reach the protection range of the Holy Martial Immortal Sect."

Hearing Nie Yangze's words, everyone's expression changed slightly, and they vaguely had a bad premonition. They all began to ask questions.

"City Lord, can you explain in detail what this means?"

"Has the beastly calamity truly spread to Shuangyue City?"

"Did the sudden city lockdown yesterday have anything to do with this?"

Shi Lan felt her heart tighten. Listening to Nie Yangze's words, Shuangyue City was likely beyond saving. The situation in the surrounding area was indeed not optimistic.

Coupled with Nie Yangze's previous words, the meaning was already very clear: trade their lives for the safety of their families.

"Please be quiet, everyone," Nie Yangze said faintly. His voice was not loud, but it suppressed all the other voices.

"The specific details will be explained to you later by someone. The immediate priority is to pick up your family members."

"City Lord, I have a question, and I hope you can enlighten me." The black-robed man who had been the first to be seated stood up and asked, bowing.

"Speak."

"Regarding the two spots, can there be some leniency?"

Nie Yangze shook his head. "Each person only has two spots. You can have fewer, but not more."

The black-robed man sat back in his chair, his expression somewhat bitter.

Shi Lan had been observing the reactions of the others. When Nie Yangze spoke earlier, this man's expression had not changed at all. It was clear that neither the beastly calamity nor the Demon Suppression Army had come as a surprise to him.

It was only now, with the limit of two spots per person, that this man's expression had changed.

"Are all of you locals of Shuangyue City?" Nie Yangze asked.

More than half of the eighteen people shook their heads.

"For family members within a thousand miles of Shuangyue City, I will immediately send people to pick them up, and they will arrive within a day. For those beyond a thousand miles, I will handle it on a case-by-case basis. As for yourselves, except for those who are native to Shuangyue City, the rest will temporarily stay in the City Lord's mansion."

Hearing this, everyone's hearts grew cold. This was to prevent the leakage of information.

"Now, you may collect your bounties," Nie Yangze said, raising his hand.

The martial artists native to Shuangyue City, including Shi Lan, immediately stood up and walked towards the hall door. Not a single one went to collect the bounty.

The pile of gleaming gold bricks in the center of the hall seemed no different from dirt and stones in their eyes at this moment.

A team of Demon Suppression Army soldiers was already waiting at the entrance of the hall.

"What can be said and what cannot be said, you all should know yourselves." Nie Yangze's words drifted slowly from the great hall.

Shi Lan left the City Lord's mansion. Two Demon Suppression Army soldiers followed her, never leaving her side. All martial artists leaving the City Lord's mansion were treated the same.

Shi Lan returned to the medical hall.

Seeing the two Demon Suppression Army soldiers behind Shi Lan, Du Baisheng's expression changed slightly. He opened his mouth, but ultimately did not ask.

"Brother Shi Lan, are you leaving?" Du Yue'er asked, seeing the two Demon Suppression Army soldiers carrying Shi Feng out on a stretcher, her expression confused.

Shi Lan shook her head. "I am not leaving Shuangyue City. We should be able to meet again soon."

With one spot left after Shi Feng, it was not appropriate for Shi Lan to take anyone else with her now. Moreover, she had already begun to vaguely guess the reason for the soldiers' visit earlier.

"Be careful with everything." Du Baisheng's full stomach of doubts finally turned into a single piece of advice.

Shi Lan nodded. "I understand."

Watching Shi Lan's retreating figure disappear at the street corner, Du Baisheng stroked Du Yue'er's head, his eyes filled with an unshakeable worry.

Shi Lan returned to the City Lord's mansion. Seeing that she had brought back an injured person, the people in the City Lord's mansion quickly arranged a comfortable room and assigned two maids to attend to them.

After settling Shi Feng properly, Shi Lan followed a Demon Suppression Army soldier to a training ground.

The training ground was not large. A squad of Demon Suppression Army soldiers stood there, along with the martial artists who had been selected earlier.

The Demon Suppression Army soldiers wore masks, their faces hidden.

Shi Lan walked closer to the martial artists. Their expressions were grim. Several local martial artists from Shuangyue City even had reddened eyes.

After a short wait, all eighteen previously selected martial artists had arrived.

A figure walked in from outside the training ground. This person wore black armor similar to the ordinary Demon Suppression Army soldiers, but with subtle differences. The armor had some blood-colored patterns, exuding a bloody aura.