Trouble came sooner than expected.
Barely four or five days after the conscription order went out, gallant fighters from Guanlong, Three Rivers, and Nanyang began gathering in the Eastern Capital, their numbers swelling all the while, coming from south and north. The northern bank of the Luo River was still all right, but public order in Henan County on the southern bank plummeted almost in a straight line. The Street-Cleaning Tigers had suffered eight lifetimes' worth of rotten luck; never in their lives had they seen so many cultivation experts and half-grown boys gathered together.
They could not beat the former, and the latter had no regard for their lives.
Never mind the Street-Cleaning Tigers-even the Jinwu Guard, who went out at night in armor with weapons drawn in squads of at least twenty-five, ran into trouble several times. And every time, those people slipped away over the ward walls, leaving them helpless.
As for the Eastern Capital's local gangs, which had only just caught their breath after autumn, bad luck hardly described it. Their ranks underwent a complete change of blood.
Then, at just this moment, the simplest and most essential lists-the Heaven, Earth, and Human Rankings, along with the Heroine Ranking and Outstanding Talent Ranking-came out right on time.
"Even though you can show your face now, you should still go out less these days."
That evening, in the main room beneath the gently flickering candlelight, Zhang Xing had finished eating and was preparing to drink tea and read to help his digestion when he suddenly remembered the situation and gave this instruction. "The streets aren't peaceful."
"I know." Yue Niang, head lowered as she shoveled down her food, was as brisk as ever.
"Surely it's not that bad?" Qin Bao, who was also shoveling down his food,