"No news from the West Sea?"
Looking at the barely dawning sky, Wei Gongcheng asked Shen Laowu and Shen Laosan, who had rushed back. Shen Laosan shook his head with a somber expression. "I sent two men down, but they went last night and haven't returned tonight. Nobody's back."
Wei Gongcheng fell silent upon hearing this. It seemed that Tian Heng had truly rebelled. There had been no news of him since last night. Neither the Night Wandering God nor the Day Wandering God could find him, and no one dared to go outside the city to look for him.
Everyone knows that among the Jiangnan forces, only Lord Chen Qing, Lord Ziyue, and Ao Zhen are debatable in terms of direct combat ability to reliably defeat Tian Heng. However, the remaining people, including Xu Hu, would most likely face certain death if they encountered Tian Heng alone outside.
Wei Gongcheng knew that he and his companions were locked down.
They may seem numerous, but even if they banded together, they couldn't possibly escape Liuzhou City. The Lord of the Underworld only possesses the power of law within the Underworld itself. In other words, these high-ranking officials stationed in Liuzhou are currently trapped within the Liuzhou City.
Since they can't contact the West Sea Aquatic Clan, they can't determine whether they will join Tian Heng's rebel forces, which is very troublesome.
" The West Sea Aquatic Clan are quite powerful. If they completely side with Tian Heng, we need to prepare in advance." Shen Shiyi looked at Wei Gongcheng: "Should we activate the city's protective formation ahead of schedule?"
Wei Gongcheng remained silent. While launching the attack early would ensure safety, it would leave no room for maneuver. If Tian Heng did not take the initiative to attack the city, they would be put in a passive position. After all, Tian Heng's status was not low, and one could not falsely accuse others before they actually rebelled.
Furthermore, activating the grand formation without authorization means entering a defensive posture, completely unaware of the outside situation. What if Tian Heng leads the West Sea Army to launch a surprise attack on the Fighter Army?
Once the magic array is activated, it isolates the inside from the outside, preventing you from sending out scouts and gathering intelligence from the outside. Being trapped in an isolated city is a major taboo in military strategy!
However, if the West Sea Aquatic Clan also completely submit to Tian Heng, they could launch a surprise attack and break in before the magic array is activated.
"It seems we're in trouble." Shen San sighed as he looked at Wei Gongcheng. " Tian Heng is a veteran of countless battles and a renowned general of our time. It looks like we're now caught in a dilemma."
Shen Shiyi looked on, completely bewildered. "Why?"
"Because no one can or dares to go out, if the formation is activated in advance, our movements will be detected. As long as the other side leaves a few people to guard this place, they can keep track of the overall movements of Liuzhou. After all, closing the formation is a big commotion, and they can react at any time."
"At this point, Tian Heng could even choose to directly stab the unprepared Fighter Army in the back."
"This..." Shen Shiyi was taken aback. "Does this mean that if we don't activate the grand formation, the enemy won't dare to launch a sneak attack on the Fighter Army?"
"Of course not," Shen San laughed. "The mobilization of the army is a huge undertaking. We can provide support at any time, Xu Hu can also issue remote notifications. If he dares to expose his back to us and go head-to-head with the Fighter Army, he'd be out of his mind."
"But what if he suddenly attacks if we don't activate the grand formation?" Shen Shiyi asked with a bitter face, feeling as if their side was actually at a disadvantage by defending the city.
Shen San rubbed his fingers together. Tian Heng's military skills had been proven. The Tian Household Army had always been best at surprise attacks with feints and real attacks. The current situation was exactly the kind of battle that Tian Heng was best suited to fight.
--
" Old Wolf, wanna have a drink?"
At dusk at the south gate, smoke rose from every chimney. Meng Sheng, carrying two pieces of white venison and a large jug of green bamboo wine, arrived at the gate and called out.
The guards on the city gate rolled their eyes, but they were used to it. As the general of the shipping fleet, Meng Sheng had the most dealings with the Door God Guard on a daily basis. After several years of getting along, he naturally became very familiar with their gate guard.
In addition, this guy is very good at dealing with people. He has made a lot of money and he doesn't forget his Door God Guard. He would send his men over with good things from time to time. Over time, the relationship between the West Sea Army of the shipping company and the Door God Guard is even closer than that between the West Sea Army and their own.
"Hey kid, keep it down."
The Old Wolf's hoarse voice reached Meng Sheng's mind. "So many people are watching. If they find out that I, the god, have abandoned my post, what will become of my image?"
"What image do you have left?" Meng Sheng rolled his eyes.
Of all the door gods, the Liuzhou Door God are the most unscrupulous. Many merchants know that when passing by the Liuzhou Door God, the goods in their trucks, especially alcoholic beverages, are most likely to be quietly stolen by these door gods. Who in the whole of Liuzhou doesn't know this?
What reputation do you even have?
"Go, go, go! Wait for me at Great Azure Mountain!"
"Come quickly, this wine must be drunk all at once after it's boiled; it won't taste the same if it gets cold."
"Okay, okay, grill the venison a little spicier, I'll be right there."
Meng Sheng smiled, but a hint of unease flashed in his eyes. As he walked out of Liuzhou City, he looked at the Liuzhou filled with the smoke of cooking fires, and his feelings were incredibly complicated.
What will it be like when the Tian Household Army arrives?
"Sir, please come back before your shift ends, lest you get so drunk you can't even tell which way is which, like last time," the gatekeeper sighed and instructed.
"I know, I know. Would I, a god, be unaware of my limits? You're so long-winded."
The guards behind the general chuckled to themselves, while the general himself was speechless. His superior had absolutely no airs of a general. Luckily, he had a good spot; otherwise, the glory of being the number one gatekeeper would never have come his way.
He wasn't worried that the gatekeeper would interfere with the city's defense. The Old Wolf knew what was important and never went beyond the Great Azure Mountain. As long as it didn't go beyond the Great Azure Mountain, it could return with a single thought.
But after the Old Wolf truly left, and after sensing the disappearance of the divine power above the south gate, for some reason, the goalkeeper suddenly felt a strange unease rising in his heart.
Meng Sheng didn't walk quickly to Great Azure Mountain. When he arrived, the Old Wolf was already waiting there. With its greedy look and fat body, it didn't look like a wolf at all.
"Did you crawl here? So slow!" The Old Wolf said impatiently, "I'm very busy. You should at least hurry up and have a drink. I've already gathered the firewood."
"Don't you dare dig up someone else's Green Hoof Trees again!" Meng Sheng glared at the other person. "Last time, that sorcerer made a scene all over town."
"Tch, those stingy agronomists, don't even mention them." The Old Wolf snorted coldly, scratching at the ground with its paws. A pile of wooden planks that looked like gold suddenly appeared under its feet, making Meng Sheng's face twitch.
"You dare to touch the Golden Fruit Tree of the Bluebird? Are you crazy?"
"Meat roasted over fruitwood is the best! You don't know anything! Hurry up, it won't notice. I know it went to Yunzhou today to exchange experiences with the Mountain God of Great Cloud Mountain."
"You're quite well-informed." Meng Sheng's face was as black as coal, but he still obediently started a fire.
He was also a connoisseur of food, so he naturally knew that this level of fruitwood-roasted meat was the best; it's just that when the Mountain God caused trouble later, he'd have to suffer a lot.
Thinking of this, he suddenly paused, and couldn't help but smile bitterly. He wondered if the Bluebird would have another chance to cause him trouble this time.
" Old Meng, you seem preoccupied today?"
Meng Sheng looked at the other person, silently started a fire, glanced at the sky, and it seemed the time had come to fulfill his promise. So he looked up and said, " Old Wolf, if I told you that I deliberately tricked you into coming here today, what would you do?"
"You tricked me?" Old Wolf was taken aback. "Why would you trick me? Is this wine fake?"
Looking at the murderous glare in the other man's eyes, Meng Sheng didn't know what to say. This old man, all he could think about was the wine.
But in the other person's mind, was my greatest malice to deceive them by bringing them fake alcohol?
How can someone born a demon be so easily trusting of people?
Old Meng sighed, "Aren't you going to make a move?"
As soon as he finished speaking, a burst of energy shot into the sky, and the snow-white giant wolf was stunned. It looked at Meng Sheng with obvious disbelief in its eyes.
"Are you crazy?"
--
"They've made their move?"
Liuzhou City, after sensing the strangeness of Great Azure Mountain, Shen Lao'er asked with a deep look in his eyes.
"Hmm, they must have made their move," came the gentle female voice. Anyone who had heard this voice, as clear as spring water, would recognize it as the unique voice of the Mountain God of Great Azure Mountain.
"Then it's time for us to get started."