Chapter 99: The Siege of the City

Xiao Ling shi rose and unfurled a map on the table, revealing the distribution of mineral resources within the territories controlled by humanity on the Eternal Night Continent.

He pointed to several mines in Shanyin County, saying, “These all belong to the Wu family of Huaiyang. They used to be quite well-behaved, and even if they were up to something shady, it never affected the surface.”

Song Zi ning listened quietly, knowing there was more to come. Just like the nearly a thousand seeds under Wu Zheng nan, who knew how many sources were involved? Some were direct allies with interests closely tied to Wu Zheng nan, while others had changed hands two or three times. Most of the noble families remained untainted, unwilling to dabble in such lucrative yet dirty dealings.

“Perhaps after seeing those around them profiting from trade with the dark races, the Wu family started to get restless. But the type of goods they chose for trade is problematic.”

“What’s the problem?”

“Slaves, and black crystal iron.”

Song Zi ning’s eyes narrowed slightly, “Black crystal iron?”

Black crystal iron, even rarer than red crystal iron, is a crucial material for making tier-four origin force guns. The circuits in origin arrays are made of this material. While red crystal iron is considered a strategic resource, black crystal iron is a critical one.

Song Zi ning seized on a key point, “The Wu family’s mines produce black crystal iron?”

Xiao Ling shi nodded, “They’ve been trying to keep it secret, but my people discovered a batch of black crystal iron with unknown origins while investigating some recent suspicious transactions. My two appraisers believe it must have come from the Wu family’s mines.”

Song Zi ning pondered, “Although the Wu family of Huaiyang is only a third-rate power in the empire, they are still a respectable lineage.”

“That’s the tricky part.”

Xiao Ling shi’s tone was casual, but Song Zi ning knew that this was the crux of the matter. Whether they could deepen their cooperation hinged on whether he could handle this situation, including Wu Zheng nan’s affair. The benefits he offered earlier were just to buy Xiao Ling shi’s silence. But if something went wrong, merely throwing money at him wouldn’t be enough to sway his stance.

On the Eternal Night Continent, Xiao Ling shi had established himself, but being from a commoner background, the disparity in status would become apparent once he left the continent. That’s why he was presenting this opportunity to Song Zi ning. After all, his humble origins were his weakness. Apart from that, he had little to fear.

“Do you have any other information?”

“Hold on.”

Xiao Ling shi left for a moment and returned with a stack of thick files, all containing information about the Wu family’s mines.

Now it was Song Zi ning’s turn to scrutinize the documents while Xiao Ling shi waited patiently. This commoner general showed no sign of impatience, as if he could sit idly for an entire day. Meanwhile, Song Zi ning read through each page, seemingly oblivious to the presence of the waiting general.

An hour later, Song Zi ning finished reading. He neatly placed the files back and tapped the table lightly, lost in thought for a long time before saying, “These mines belong to the Wu family’s third branch, so there’s some room for maneuver.”

Xiao Ling shi simply nodded, not saying a word.

Song Zi ning continued, “I have some connections on Qinland. It might be challenging to suppress the Wu family’s third branch, but delaying them for a while is feasible. When the Wu family’s third branch is preoccupied, we can intercept their trading caravan and seize the mines. If we can catch them red-handed, they will have no choice but to comply. We’ll return one-third of the mine’s profits, and the Wu family’s third branch will fall in line. As for the old relationship with Wu Zheng nan, I’m sure they’ll know better.”

Xiao Ling shi smiled, “The mighty Song clan, why would they struggle to deal with the Wu family’s third branch?”

Song Zi ning replied calmly, “If the Song clan of Gao Ling were to crush the Wu family, it would be as easy as squashing ants. The reason it’s challenging is because it’s not the Song clan against the Wu family’s third branch, but me, Song Zi ning, against them.”

There’s a significant difference between using the Song clan’s power and going it alone.

Xiao Ling shi finally showed some emotion, looking deeply at Song Zi ning, “It seems I underestimated you.” A hint of seriousness flashed in his eyes. It meant that from the moment the obscure seventh young master of the Song clan connected with him to the layout against Wu Zheng nan, he had done it all on his own. Knowing that he couldn’t directly rely on the Song clan’s power, Xiao Ling shi didn’t feel disappointed; instead, he became more hopeful.

Song Zi ning smiled faintly, shifting the topic, “The key now is, what if we seize the Wu family’s mines and caravans but find no black crystal iron?”

“What do you think we should do?”

Song Zi ning said coolly, “As long as they don’t discover our identities, it’s fine. Even if they do, we’ll make sure they can’t speak. But to pull this off on the Eternal Night Continent, I need help. General Xiao, you must have capable people at your disposal, right?”

Xiao Ling shi understood what Song Zi ning meant, “I do have some loyal and capable people. You can trust them. They have no official records in the empire. However, will you, the seventh young master, personally lead this ambush?”

Song Zi ning smiled, “For such a significant task, I must take it on myself to ensure its success.”

Xiao Ling shi said, “There’s an old saying: the son of a wealthy family doesn’t sit near the eaves. As someone of high standing, are you really willing to take such a risk?”

“If the son of a wealthy family means a noble name, it may help initially but will become a burden later. One must strive for what they want with their own hands, bear the consequences of success or failure, rather than relying on residual privileges.”

Xiao Ling shi fell silent for a moment, then sighed, “The seventh young master has grand aspirations, making me feel ashamed. Since reaching this position, I’ve been preoccupied with maintaining the status quo. Hehe, the youthful drive has gradually faded.”

Song Zi ning said, “General Xiao thinks long-term and is always vigilant. You will surely advance further.”

Xiao Ling shi laughed, “I’ll take your kind words to heart.”

They discussed the details of the plan, and Song Zi ning left.

As Song Zi ning exited the Conquest Castle, he saw an airship taking off in the distance. Despite the distance, the Wei family’s emblem was still visible. He wondered what Wei Po tian had been up to. Watching the airship, Song Zi ning sneered and turned away.

On the airship, Wei Po tian and his entourage were feasting and drinking. Buoyed by the alcohol, he felt a surge of ambition, believing that none could match him.

Even the seasoned figures the Wei family sent to oversee Wei Po tian found it hard to believe. How could Xiao Ling shi, known as “Black Face Xiao,” be so compliant? Yet, when Wei Po tian made his request, Xiao Ling shi readily agreed without any hesitation.

Though they knew there must be a reason, they couldn’t guess what it was. Wei Po tian, however, was convinced that Xiao Ling shi was impressed by his presence, making him even more confident.

Of course, even if Wei Po tian knew that Song Zi ning had used half the profits of the Chen family’s mines as a bargaining chip, followed by a series of subsequent cooperative arrangements, to make Xiao Ling shi abandon Wu Zheng nan, the proud Wei heir would never acknowledge Song Zi ning’s role.

Neither Song Zi ning nor Wei Po tian knew that two armies were silently surrounding Qian Ye and the seeds he had rescued, ready to attack at nightfall.

Such troop movements naturally didn’t escape Xiao Ling shi’s notice. But this commoner general neither stopped them nor informed Wei Po tian or Song Zi ning. In his mind, if the seeds disappeared, it would be for the best. Their existence was a thorn in the expeditionary force’s side. Afterward, the Seventh Division would be finished, and the Fifteenth Division, which carried out the attack, would have to pay more.

Once the matter at the Conquest Castle was settled, Song Zi ning sent some of his trusted men to inform Qian Ye of the latest developments. He then set off with a few confidants to another city to handle an important commodity.

As twilight descended, Qian Ye stood atop a watchtower, gazing into the distance. The horizon was already blurred, with a mist rising. It was just past two in the afternoon, but on the Eternal Night Continent, dusk was already near. Fortunately, the full moon in the sky provided some light, allowing those with keen eyesight to see a few hundred meters.

Qian Ye’s eyes glowed a faint crimson, activating his night vision. The Eternal Night Continent revealed its secrets to him. At the edge of his sight, he could see the dust and fog, subtly different from the usual night mist. It was the black smoke and dust raised by heavy trucks.

A large force was approaching, and in less than an hour, they would be at the town walls.

Two guards from Far East Heavy Industry stood on Qian Ye’s left, and on his right were a young man and woman, both in their early twenties. They were first-level warriors, and both were strikingly attractive, highly valued by the blood race.

They were half-siblings, Wu Shi qing and Wu Shi ying, from a declining scholar family. Seeking a better future, they came to the Eternal Night Continent, only to be captured by Wu Zheng nan’s slavers and destined to be sold to the blood race as seeds.

Under Qian Ye’s command, they were no longer mere commodities. After a few days of training, they quickly proved their worth. So, Qian Ye promoted them to temporarily lead a group of warriors.

The two level-four guards strained their eyes but saw nothing but the darkness. However, seeing Qian Ye’s serious expression, they knew something was coming, though too far for their eyes to see.

Just then, Wu Shi qing exclaimed, “There are a lot of people coming!”