The great hall had two rows of chairs along its sides. In the open space at the center stood dozens of wooden chests filled with gold bricks.
Once everyone had entered the hall, its doors swung shut on their own.
Nie Yangze flashed from the main seat to stand before them. No one could see how he had moved.
"You have two choices before you. First, take your reward and leave. Don't look back. Second, take your reward and stay in my City Lord's Manor, joining my private army."
As soon as Nie Yangze finished speaking, many martial artists prepared to thump their chests and volunteer. Most of them had come here intending to join the City Lord's Manor.
"Once you choose to join my City Lord's Manor, your life will no longer be your own. Think carefully."
Nie Yangze's words made many of them hesitate.
After a moment's hesitation, Shi Lan made her decision. How could one get the tiger's cub without entering the tiger's den? Joining the City Lord's Manor might be the only way to break the deadlock.
"I won't force anyone," Nie Yangze said coolly.
"I'm willing to join the City Lord's Manor." The black-robed man who had left the deepest fist mark stepped forward and spoke.
Nie Yangze nodded and gestured toward the seats. "Take a seat."
Several martial artists exchanged glances, then stepped forward together. "We'd like to take our reward and leave."
Nie Yangze raised a hand without speaking, and the great hall's doors opened again.
The few men stepped forward. Regardless of how deep their fist marks had been, each took only a hundred gold coins before leaving.
With those men leading the way, several more stepped forward to collect their rewards and leave the hall.
Of the twenty-six, only eighteen remained.
"Those of you who stayed are willing to join my private army, then?" Nie Yangze swept his gaze over them and asked.
All eighteen nodded.
"Then take your seats." Nie Yangze returned to the main seat, and the great hall's doors shut once more.
"You've likely heard something about the demon beast calamity."
Only a few of the eighteen looked confused. Most nodded; they had all heard rumors.
"The force you're joining today isn't my private army. It's the Demon-Suppressing Army—the same force as those men in black armor you saw earlier."
Most of them looked puzzled at this. Clearly, they had never heard of the Demon-Suppressing Army.
"Listen carefully to what I'm about to tell you." Nie Yangze rose to his feet and said:
"You may bring your family, relatives, or friends to the City Lord's Manor for shelter. Each person gets only two places. I'll ensure your loved ones reach the territory protected by the Shengwu Immortal Sect safely."
At Nie Yangze's words, everyone's expressions shifted. A sense of foreboding crept over them, and they hurried to ask questions.
"Lord City Lord, could you explain in more detail what this means?"
"Has the demon beast calamity really spread to Twin Moon City?"
"Was the sudden lockdown yesterday related to this?"
Shi Lan felt her heart clench. From what Nie Yangze had said, there was a strong chance Twin Moon City couldn't be saved. The situation in the surrounding area was indeed dire.
And combined with what Nie Yangze had said earlier, his meaning was clear: trade their own lives for the safety of their families.
"Please be quiet." Nie Yangze spoke calmly. His voice wasn't loud, yet it drowned out everyone else.
"Someone will explain the details to you later. Right now, the most urgent matter is to fetch your family and loved ones."
"Lord City Lord, I have a question. I hope you can enlighten me." The black-robed man who had been the first to sit stood and bowed.
"Speak."
"Could you make an exception and allow more than two places?"
Nie Yangze shook his head. "Each person gets only two places. Fewer is fine, but no more."
The black-robed man sat back down, looking bitter.
Shi Lan had been watching everyone's reactions. When Nie Yangze spoke just now, the man's expression hadn't changed in the slightest. Clearly, neither the demon beast calamity nor the Demon-Suppressing Army had come as a surprise to him.
It was only the limit of two places that had finally changed his expression.
"Are all of you from Twin Moon City?" Nie Yangze asked.
More than half of the eighteen shook their heads.
"I'll send people immediately to fetch the families of those within a thousand li of Twin Moon City. They'll arrive in a day. For those farther away, I'll make arrangements as appropriate. As for the rest of you, anyone who isn't a native of Twin Moon City will remain here in the City Lord's Manor for now."
At this, everyone's hearts sank. This was to prevent word from getting out.
"Now, you may collect your rewards." Nie Yangze raised a hand.
The martial artists who were natives of Twin Moon City, Shi Lan among them, rose at once and headed for the hall's doors. Not a single one went to collect a reward.
In their eyes, the pile of gold bricks gleaming in the middle of the hall was no different from a pile of rocks.
A squad of Demon-Suppressing soldiers was already waiting at the entrance.
"You all know what can be said and what cannot," Nie Yangze's voice drifted slowly out of the hall.
Shi Lan left the City Lord's Manor. Two Demon-Suppressing soldiers followed her without leaving her side. Every martial artist who left the manor received the same treatment.
Shi Lan returned to the clinic.
When Du Baisheng saw the two Demon-Suppressing soldiers following Shi Lan, his expression shifted. He opened his mouth, but in the end, he didn't ask.
"Brother Shi Lan, are you leaving?" Du Yue'er asked, puzzled, as the two soldiers carried Shi Feng out on a stretcher.
Shi Lan shook her head. "I'm not leaving Twin Moon City. We should see each other again soon."
Of the two places, only one remained after Shi Feng. Shi Lan couldn't take anyone else with her now. Besides, she already had a vague idea about what those two soldiers had been doing when they came to the clinic earlier.
"Be careful." Du Baisheng's many questions finally became a single reminder.
Shi Lan nodded. "I understand."
As Shi Lan's figure disappeared at the end of the street, Du Baisheng stroked Du Yue'er's head, worry clouding his eyes.
Shi Lan returned to the City Lord's Manor. Seeing that she had brought back an injured man, the staff quickly arranged a comfortable room for him and assigned two maids to look after him.
After settling Shi Feng in, Shi Lan followed a Demon-Suppressing soldier to a training ground.
The training ground wasn't large. A squad of Demon-Suppressing soldiers stood there, along with the martial artists who had been selected earlier.
The Demon-Suppressing soldiers wore masks, concealing their faces.
Shi Lan walked over to the martial artists. They all looked troubled, and several Twin Moon City natives even had reddened eyes.
After a short wait, all eighteen martial artists who had stayed behind arrived.
A figure walked in from outside the training ground. He wore black armor similar to that of an ordinary Demon-Suppressing soldier, but there were subtle differences: crimson patterns marked his armor, exuding a bloody aura.
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