Chapter 84: Nine Star City

Nine Star City lay on the fringes of the Celestial Star Kingdom, a thousand kilometers from the Forest of Beasts. Although wild animals were known to roam nearby, their numbers had dwindled in recent years.

“So, this is the Celestial Star Kingdom,” Yun Xuan mused as he listened to the middle-aged man, nodding thoughtfully.

“Sir, every word I speak is the truth. If I lie, let the heavens strike me down! I have elderly to care for above and children below; I beg you, spare my life,” the man pleaded, trembling all over, acutely aware that the demonic wolf Erha had its eyes fixed on him.

“Where is your village?” Yun Xuan asked after a moment's thought.

“It’s ten kilometers away—a small village,” the man replied nervously.

“What is your name?” Yun Xuan continued.

“I am Liu Bang,” he answered honestly.

“Liu Bang…” Yun Xuan almost laughed.

“My demonic wolf is hungry. Is there a hunting ground nearby? Take me there.” Yun Xuan patted Erha’s back as he spoke.

“Yes, yes! There’s a black bear!” Liu Bang’s eyes lit up as the memory came to him.

...

“Sir, it’s here.” Liu Bang led Yun Xuan to a cave.

A massive black bear was basking in the sun. Yun Xuan hesitated, glanced at Erha, then clenched his teeth. It was just a larger wild beast—surely Erha could handle it.

“Go. Wait for me at the place you were chopping wood,” Yun Xuan said quietly to Liu Bang.

“Thank you, sir!” Liu Bang bowed and fled faster than a rabbit.

“Erha, go. Hold it off—kill it if you can.” Yun Xuan leapt from Erha’s back and pointed at the bear.

Understanding Yun Xuan’s command, Erha lunged forward in a blur.

With a wet rip, the next moment, the black bear’s belly was torn open by Erha’s claws—it was dead before it hit the ground.

“Damn! That’s powerful.” Yun Xuan stared in astonishment, ice spear in hand.

Erha rubbed his head against Yun Xuan’s leg, seeking praise.

“Not bad, not bad. We’ll have roast meat tonight.” Yun Xuan eyed the bear’s corpse—being a black bear from a fantasy world, it was bound to taste better than anything from modern times.

Erha dragged the bear along as Yun Xuan, now seated once more on his back, checked his upgrade system panel. He had reached Level 2.

“Doesn’t seem much different,” Yun Xuan muttered, inspecting himself.

Returning to the spot where Liu Bang had been chopping wood, Yun Xuan found him waiting anxiously.

“Sir! You actually killed that black bear!” Liu Bang was beside himself with awe, shaken by the display of martial power.

“Let’s go. Take me to your village,” Yun Xuan said coolly.

“Yes, sir.” Liu Bang led the way.

...

Following Liu Bang, Yun Xuan finally reached the main road, where wagon tracks were visible.

“Sir, just ahead is my village—” But Liu Bang’s words died on his lips as he saw smoke rising above the rooftops. His heart skipped a beat.

“The scent of blood…” Yun Xuan murmured softly.

“Yue’er! Yue’er!” Liu Bang seemed to realize something and ran toward the village.

Erha followed, weaving through the trees until they reached the small settlement.

“War?” Yun Xuan surveyed the carnage—corpses strewn everywhere, flames licking at the sky.

Liu Bang fell to his knees before a burning house, wailing in grief.

“Help! Stay away! Father, save me!” A girl’s cry rang out nearby.

Yun Xuan dismounted, sword in hand, and strode into the village.

Rounding a dilapidated shack, he saw four men dressed as bandits mauling a despairing young girl, tearing at her clothes.

Yun Xuan’s face went cold. He dashed in, and without hesitation, his sword flashed.

Two bandits fell instantly; the remaining pair froze in shock.

Twin daggers appeared in Yun Xuan’s hands, plunging through their hearts with swift finality.

Blood spattered the girl’s face. Yun Xuan watched her faint, then stripped the clothes from one of the bandits to cover her.

He glanced around. Four men couldn’t have destroyed an entire village.

Pushing deeper into the ruins, he encountered more groups of three or five bandits. The bodies littering the ground were all ordinary villagers—some were even children.

“One human is worth ten exchange points. Such a cheap price,” Yun Xuan muttered. After two brushes with death, he could just barely cope with such scenes.

“There’s someone still alive?” a voice called out.

Yun Xuan looked up to see a one-eyed man leading a gang of bandits toward him.

Behind them, a wagon cage held a dozen girls and infants.

“So that’s it,” Yun Xuan realized at a glance—their plan was to raise the infants as future bandits, and as for the girls, he doubted this was the first time they’d been abducted.

“Bai Xue, come out,” Yun Xuan said under his breath.

“Battle mode!” Bai Xue’s voice rang out, and the world seemed to fall silent. Yun Xuan pulled out a pistol, and with deadly precision, each shot halted at a bandit’s forehead.

...

Yun Xuan returned to where he started and put Bai Xue away.

A rapid succession of shots rang out; the bandits collapsed in a heap.

The caged girls stared at Yun Xuan in disbelief. He slashed through the locks with his sword and walked away without a word.

At the edge of the village, Liu Bang and the rescued girl had already disappeared. Yun Xuan had no interest in helping the survivors rebuild. He stored the black bear in his spatial pack, mounted Erha, and set off toward Nine Star City.

...

“So this is Nine Star City.” Yun Xuan gazed at the city gates. Erha had already been stowed away in his strategy device.

Passing through the gates, he found the bustling streets lined with market stalls.

Many passersby carried swords or blades—the sight was common enough. Yun Xuan’s eyes roamed as he prepared to complete his main quest.

“Hm?” He stopped by a notice posted at the roadside.

“Recruiting cooks? For the army?” Yun Xuan examined it closely. It seemed a suitable opportunity.

He tore down the notice, inquired about the location of the city lord’s mansion, and soon arrived there.

Nine Star City was only a town expanded into a city, with a population barely reaching one hundred thousand. Yet, it boasted over ten thousand soldiers.

Inside the city lord’s mansion—

“The Celestial Star Kingdom stands at the brink of disaster. Should His Majesty pass, chaos will erupt. I fear even the people of Nine Star City might not survive,” the elderly city lord lamented.

A few days prior, the king of the Celestial Star Kingdom had fallen gravely ill. The princes had since plunged into a fierce struggle for the throne, the situation growing ever more dire.

The kingdom comprised thirty-two cities and five princes.

The eldest prince commanded at least ten city lords; the other four princes were formidable as well, and if united, even the eldest would have to tread carefully.

There had been ten neutral city lords until a few days ago, including the lord of Nine Star City.

The lord had once thought neutrality was mere indecision, but yesterday, the other nine cities announced their alliance, gathering local bandits into a force to be reckoned with.

They planned to march straight to the capital and seize the kingdom!

Their route would take them directly through Nine Star City, making the city lord’s position precarious as the last remaining neutral.

Should he appeal to the princes, he would have to pick a side. Join the alliance? He’d heard of their looting, their disregard for the people—such an alliance was nothing but a nest of snakes and rats.

(PS: There won’t be too much of the fantasy plot. Other elements, too; life’s daily moments will remain the focus. Please vote for recommendations. My collection count is the same as yesterday—my heart aches.)