Chapter 99.2: Three Men, One City
Great Xia, at Duke Yuan Residence...
Despite being only sixteen years old, the king had already ruled Great Xia for four years. In all those years, he had worked tirelessly to balance the powers of the kingdom, along with gathering and training an army of cultivators. At last, he established the Song Battalion—led by General Yuan—and sent them to reclaim the City of No Return.
A hopeful light flickered across the young king's face. "Duke Yuan has not failed me. The flag of Great Xia has finally been raised upon the walls of the City of No Return."
The 108,000 cities weren’t merely cities, they were part of a vast array. Whenever the military flag of Great Xia was planted upon a city wall, the Dragon-Sealing Bell within the royal palace would toll nine times. If a flag fell, it would toll once.
Days ago, the Dragon-Sealing Bell had tolled nine times. The king had been so overjoyed that he ran barefoot toward the ancestral shrine. Now, the City of No Return had returned to Great Xia, a sign that the kingdom had been granted another twenty years of fortune.
For if a city remained lost for twenty years, Great Xia itself would perish and be absorbed into Great Sui. Though Great Sui also stood against the demon army, who wished to become their cannon fodder? Who wished to be bled dry for another's cause?
The king’s face glowed with excitement. Yet when his gaze fell upon General Yuan’s tearful wife, his joy slowly faded. Although the Great Xia’s flag fluttered proudly above the City of No Return, would their soldiers ever return home?
In just a few more days, the demon army would come for the city. How many more days could it possibly hold?
The young king clenched his fists. He couldn’t bear to let his people hear the toll that marked the fall of the City of No Return.
***
In the days that followed, Qi Yuan often saw Zhang Sheng and Chen Jue staggering about the ruined city, burying countless remains scattered through the streets. Their breaths grew weaker by the day, their bodies failing—yet some stubborn will kept them standing.
Chen Jue grumbled from atop the city wall, his tone half bitter, half mocking. "Cough, cough... if those damn demons don't show up soon, I'll die before they even get here."