Chapter 97: The Sealing of the City

“The Wei Family?” Just as they mentioned the Far Eastern Heavy Industries, its rightful owner appeared?

The adjutant said, “They claim to be from the Wei Clan of the Far East and insist on sealing the city first, to await the arrival of their Heir Apparent!”

Heir Apparent!?

According to the Empire’s noble hierarchy, only heirs above the rank of Marquis could use this title. Even if those present couldn’t remember the complex and vast system of nobility, it was common knowledge that a Marquis belonged to a prominent family. This implied that the Wei Family of the Far East itself had arrived, changing the entire nature of the situation. Even if high-ranking officials of the expeditionary forces were here, they would have to give the Wei Family face.

Wu Zhengnan’s expression turned extremely grim, and he asked in a low voice, “Are you sure?”

“It seems so. Among them, there’s a squadron of Broken Winged Angels. The sight of them alone made our brothers reluctant to act further.”

“Do they have all the city gates sealed?” Wu Zhengnan asked.

“There are people from the Wei Family at all four gates.”

Wu Zhengnan suddenly said, “Aren’t the airships all back? Two sky boats can carry a battalion. Qisi, go with Lao Zhao and take the Second Battalion of the First Regiment to meet up with the Fifteenth Division at the minefield of the Far Eastern Heavy Industries. No matter what happens on my end, make sure to exterminate that brat and all the seeds. Leave no one alive! Understand?”

Qi Sicheng and a grim-faced lieutenant colonel stood up, received their orders, and left.

Wu Zhengnan then glanced around at his trusted subordinates in the meeting room and said, “Let’s go, and see what the Wei Family is capable of.”

An adjutant suddenly whispered in Wu Zhengnan’s ear, “General, we still have over a hundred seeds in our barracks. What should we do about them…?”

Wu Zhengnan’s expression remained unchanged. He waved his hand and said, “Get rid of all of them!”

The adjutant shivered and quickly responded affirmatively.

Wu Zhengnan said indifferently, “There’s no need to grieve. Money is only enjoyable when one is alive. After we get through this, any losses can be slowly recouped.”

However, the expressions of the officers did not improve much. The fact that the Wei Clan of the Far East had sent their Heir Apparent personally indicated that this ordeal would not be easy to pass.

As two somewhat outdated sky boats ascended, flying towards the Severed River City, a barely perceptible hint of sinister intent appeared on Wu Zhengnan’s face. He then boarded a rugged vehicle and drove toward the city gate.

Both sides were facing off.

Outside the gate, a row of more than ten military cargo trucks parked horizontally, forming a temporary blockade, completely sealing the road out. Only a hundred soldiers had come in vehicles, but the expeditionary force standing in opposition inside the city numbered in the hundreds, and more were streaming in continuously.

Yet, despite the apparent numerical disparity, the smaller force held the upper hand. The expeditionary force’s soldiers looked fearful, constantly peeking outside, and looking back at the city.

The cargo trucks outside were not like the old relics used by the expeditionary forces. Despite the mud from the long journey, they still exuded the beauty and precision of their streamlined, deep black metal plating. In contrast, the exterior of the expeditionary force’s old trucks were covered in thick, poorly maintained power lines, rust, and peeling paint.

Just by looking at the vehicles, it was clear that both sides were not from the same era. The flags and emblems displayed an even greater disparity. There were two types of flags on the surrounding cargo trucks: one depicted an angel with a drooping sword, wings dripping with blood, and the other bore the eagle-headed crest of the Wei Clan of the Far East. While ordinary soldiers might not recognize the clan emblem, the bear paws atop the poles were unmistakable symbols of the high nobility.

These two flags alone were enough to paralyze the expeditionary force’s soldiers.

Suddenly, a commotion arose within the city. A convoy of rugged vehicles rushed out of the city gate and stopped before the blockade. Wu Zhengnan leaped down from the rugged vehicle and shouted, “I am Wu Zhengnan, Commander of the Seventh Division! Who is in charge here? Come and see me!”

A lieutenant colonel of the Broken Winged Angels stepped forward. Standing before Wu Zhengnan, he showed no respect for the ranking general of the expeditionary force, instead, displaying undisguised arrogance.

“Where is the Heir Apparent of the Wei Clan? Wasn’t he supposed to come?”

The lieutenant colonel of the Broken Winged Angels said coldly, “The Heir Apparent of Bower March is currently at the headquarters of the expeditionary forces. He will arrive in about a day. If you have anything to say, wait until the Heir Apparent arrives.”

Wu Zhengnan’s face darkened. “What does this mean?” Though he kept his composure, his heart sank; Bower March was the hereditary title of the Wei Clan!

“It means nothing else. Sealing the city, that’s what it means,” the lieutenant colonel of the Broken Winged Angels replied bluntly.

“What if I want to leave?”

“Before I came, the Heir Apparent gave instructions that no one is allowed to enter or exit. General Wu, it seems you are not exempt.” The lieutenant colonel did not say aloud that Weipo Tian had specifically ordered to prevent Wu Zhengnan from escaping under any circumstances.

“Can the reach of the Wei Clan of the Far East really extend to the expeditionary forces?”

“The Wei Clan of the Far East may not, but the Broken Winged Angels can,” the lieutenant colonel answered proudly.

Wu Zhengnan nodded and said, “Very well, I will stay in the city and wait for the Heir Apparent of the Wei Clan. Since you insist on sealing the city, I must apologize for my lack of hospitality.”

After saying this, Wu Zhengnan jumped back into the rugged vehicle and surprisingly turned around and headed back into the city. This move left the lieutenant colonel of the Broken Winged Angels stunned. He hadn’t expected the fiery-tempered division commander to back down so easily.

But that was for the best. The lieutenant colonel turned and shouted, “Out of the vehicles! Form up! We’ll set up camp here!”

In the rugged vehicle, Wu Zhengnan remained silent. His adjutant quietly said, “General, should we make more preparations?”

“No need.” Wu Zhengnan closed his eyes, meditating.

Though Wu Zhengnan was calm, his adjutant was filled with anxiety.

Wu Zhengnan suddenly asked, “There are still many people imprisoned in the southern part of the city, right?”

“Yes,” the adjutant calculated in his mind and replied, “There are still over four hundred.”

“Kill them all,” Wu Zhengnan said in a flat tone.

The adjutant shivered again and gritted his teeth. “Rest assured, General. I will handle this tonight.”

Wu Zhengnan nodded and continued, “Don’t rush to get out of the vehicle. There’s a list in my office. Take the list and, with my personal guards, kill everyone on the list without leaving anyone alive. Keep it quiet. Understood?”

“Understood!”

The rugged vehicle raced towards the division headquarters, entering and soon re-emerging. This time, several transport trucks followed, exuding a menacing aura as they headed towards the southern part of the city.

Wu Zhengnan stood alone in front of the large window in his office, overlooking the parade ground. Further in the distance, he could see the entire city. This view, he had seen for many years. At first, it was just a fortress, gradually developing into a small town, and now a medium-sized city.

He cherished this process, so even after so many years, he never changed his office. To preserve this view, he even avoided renovating or rebuilding the office building. For his current status, this office was rather modest. But sitting here, basking in the fleeting sunlight, watching the city develop, was the most satisfying moment for Wu Zhengnan.

As for whether the foundation of the city was built on blood or bones, it was not Wu Zhengnan’s concern. To him, the weak were stepping stones, tools for his ascent, and the strong were the handrails he could grasp.

On the Eternal Night Continent, which spent most of its time in darkness, food resources were limited, yet the human population grew rapidly. Any ruler would find it difficult to sustain such a large populace, and Wu Zhengnan was also struggling. Some generals chose to buy food from the mainland or other continents, while others chose to eliminate those who consumed too much food, and war was the best way to create a lot of dead bodies. Wu Zhengnan believed he had found a third, better path: selling the excess population to the dark races, be they werewolves or vampires.

Now, it was noon, usually a time of rare bright sunshine. However, the sky was overcast, dark as twilight, making Wu Zhengnan feel extremely oppressed. He had weathered many crises, but he had no confidence in getting through this one unscathed.

“I don’t believe that General Xiao will let them act so recklessly!”

Xiao Ling Shi was Wu Zhengnan’s hope. Not yet fifty, Xiao Ling Shi had become a major general, holding the position of Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the expeditionary forces. He was the only high-ranking official born on the Eternal Night Continent. According to the empire’s classification, Xiao Ling Shi came from humble origins, even too humble to be considered from a minor family.

Xiao Ling Shi had staunchly defended the interests of the expeditionary forces, even to the point of clashing with the empire’s upper-class nobles. On one hand, this made him a troublemaker in the eyes of the empire’s elite, but on the other, it earned him the admiration of the expeditionary forces from top to bottom.

The arrogant intrusion of the Wei Clan of the Far East and the Broken Winged Angels, sealing the city and blocking the roads without warning, seemed to target only the Seventh Division, but to Xiao Ling Shi, it was an intolerable affront. As long as Xiao Ling Shi balanced the scales, even the Heir Apparent of Bower March would not be able to act arbitrarily. With his help, Wu Zhengnan might just navigate this crisis smoothly.

Up until now, Wu Zhengnan was still unsure of how he had offended such a formidable entity as the Wei Clan of the Far East. The incident was too sudden; not only were there no signs from his allies, but even his contacts in the expeditionary forces had not sent any warnings. The whole affair felt ominous.

Wu Zhengnan pondered. Perhaps the clan had designs on the region around Blackflow City and the Four Waters Base and wanted to remove him as division commander. Such incidents had happened before in the history of the expeditionary forces. Yet, it didn’t quite fit. Wu Zhengnan remembered that the Wei Clan was a Feudal Lord, and the entire Far Eastern Province was theirs. What use would a mere tertiary defense zone in a remote part of the Eternal Night Continent, close to the frontlines, be to them?

If probed deeply, each division commander of the expeditionary forces had some dirt on them. The crux lay in that surnamed Qian brat and the seeds he had taken. That was the crucial breach of military law. By killing them, any traces would vanish, and even if minor issues were uncovered, with Xiao Ling Shi’s support, the worst he’d face would be a reprimand. But if the seeds lived, the irrefutable evidence would not only make it hard for Xiao Ling Shi to intervene but could also unravel more problems.

With this in mind, Wu Zhengnan felt more reassured. One of his finest battalions, plus a full regiment from the Fifteenth Division, would surely overpower a few hundred people. Besides, it was rumored that the manager of the Far Eastern Heavy Industries, who had dealings with the Fifteenth Division, had secretly withheld a large cache of weapons and ammunition, leaving them only half-armed.

Wu Zhengnan calmed down, waiting for the appearance of the Heir Apparent of Bower March.

By evening, in the small mining town of Blackstone, Qian Ye had just dispatched warriors to track Wei Cheng. Upon hearing their report, he fell into deep thought.

The trackers had been very patient. They watched Wei Cheng enter the Far Eastern Heavy Industries base in the Severed River City, noting unusual activity inside—things being moved, but not appearing to be weapons intended for Qian Ye. In the afternoon, Wei Cheng left the Severed River City, heading southwest, accompanied by two cargo trucks carrying women and children.

There was no doubt that Wei Cheng was problematic, but the pressing question was, what to do next.

Qian Ye nodded and instructed, “Fetch the two guard captains from the Far Eastern Heavy Industries.”