Mountains and rivers are waiting for you to return

Chapter 181 Steel City Galaxy
Ten days have passed since the counterattack that day.

Tianyao and Qilu's armies remained in the Valley Kingdom, assisting the Valley Kingdom in taking back Steel City and the eight main cities.

At the same time, the soldiers conducted intensive inspections in various areas, rooting out the hiding Wu army soldiers and rescuing ordinary people who were wandering outside.

Depressingly, there were basically no survivors in the city or the foundry.

Apart from the survivors who entered the dungeon first, only a few smart people fled to the mountains and survived until the army rescued them.

But there was some good news. For example, most of the buildings in the Valley Kingdom were made of stone. Wu’s army was only concerned with looting property and setting fires everywhere, and had no energy to destroy the building structures. Therefore, most of the houses were still intact.

The residents of the Valley Kingdom are good at craftsmanship, and I believe that in a few years, this place will be able to regain its former glory.

The mutated poisonous monsters were mainly concentrated in Kunjin City and Liye City. With the assistance of Gu Jinheng's Dandao Shenqi Yin Gong, the two main cities were quickly regained control.

After everything was settled, the Valley Kingdom held a national mourning ceremony on the plains outside the south gate of its capital, Steel City.

To mourn the millions of compatriots who died in the self-defense war in the Valley Country, and to commemorate the heroes who sacrificed their lives in the rescue.

A huge stone monument five meters high has been erected at the venue, which was completed by the foundry and craftsmen working day and night.

Carved on it are the words of the Valley Country: "Dedicated to the heroes, to the free and unyielding people."

In addition, within their sight, there were many people's names carved on the stone tablet.

Pei Nai saw the names of Ju Yan and Zhou Yuliang written in Tianyao characters in a conspicuous place in the center.

I think the names of Zhang Licheng, Qu Mufeng and others are all on it, but they are written in their real names, so Pei Nai can't recognize them.

Zhang Sheng said that the list of victims in various regions is still being compiled, and once they are confirmed, they will add the names of millions of people one after another.

Pei Nai looked up at the huge monument in front of him and felt that its weight and significance were immeasurable.

The army stood in line around the stone tablet.

The people who came spontaneously to mourn filled the outer plains. More than one million survivors almost all gathered in the south of the Steel City. The people were like a tide with no end in sight.

After Zhang Sheng finished his speech on the podium, Ju Liancheng walked onto the stage and read a eulogy for Ju Yan.

His condition seemed to be better than ten days ago.

But what he said still made many people, including Pei Nai, tear up.

"My father, Ju Yan, is known as the wise man of all virtues. He is both courageous and resourceful, and he has a plan that is never missed. He can create endless possibilities, but he has a wife who can lose her memory at any time, and a son who can't forget anything."

Ju Liancheng didn't even need to look at the manuscript of the eulogy.

Every stroke of the pen was clearly reflected in his mind, including the scene of his father's death.

Ju Liancheng continued, "He could have divorced my mother and lived a normal life without being implicated by this. His career would have been bright, but he didn't."

Everyone listened to his story. As he spoke, he turned his eyes to Gu Jinheng, "Over the years, he could have left Duke Duanding and started his own family, but he didn't. He rejected countless invitations, many of which were shockingly high positions. He said: Duke Duanding and Madam Yingwu have been kind to him and to our Ju family. As a person, you should not be ungrateful. He is satisfied with his position in this life. If he has any wishes, they are also hopes for me."

Pei Nai felt a little sad, with ripples in his eyes.

She stood in a military posture and was unable to move, so she just held the hand of Gu Jinheng beside her.

"Like this time, he could have left District 4 safely with a few people, but he didn't. He chose to stay and save all the people in District 4, as well as the poisoned soldiers."

Ju Liancheng's every word was so clear that it made a sound. "He is worthy of his family, worthy of his lord, worthy of the people, and worthy of heaven and earth. He made choices that he would not regret time and time again with benevolence and righteousness, and walked the path of life in his eyes."

He looked into the eyes of the countless lives his father had saved. “He would hope that the lives he had saved would pass on kindness from generation to generation. May he be able to see all of this, and may you all have a fulfilling life.”

Many people could not control their emotions and cried with their hands covering their faces.

The mourning meeting progressed gradually, and at the end, Zhang Sheng had Xing Xiaoren, who was hung high up, pushed over and made him face the giant monument.

After ten days of not seeing each other, Xing Xiaoren was still naked. There was not an inch of intact skin on his body, and his flesh and blood were all over his body.

But judging from his face, Zhang Sheng should have been constantly feeding him life-replenishing medicine to keep him conscious.

Xing Xiaoren's eyes were filled with fear and pain. Zhang Sheng stood behind Xing Xiaoren and lowered the rope a little.

Xing Xiaoren no longer had any knees, so Zhang Sheng let his broken limbs fall to the ground as if he was kneeling to the dead.

Zhang Sheng grasped his father's sword and shouted, "With the blood of sinners, we will bid farewell to the dead!"

He raised his sword and chopped it down, piercing Xing Xiaoren's head.

At the same time, a row of mechanical sorcerers walked out from both sides, each holding a bucket of blood in his hand. They poured the blood in the bucket into the soil under the monolith.

This is the blood of the Wu army, including the "guilty animals" and every Wu general.

Everyone raised a bowl of farewell wine to the deceased, smelled the blood of their enemies, and drank it down.

As the sky gradually darkens, all the valleys have become dark.

They returned to Steel City, which was a large castle with crisscrossing roads that climbed higher and higher. The closer they got to the center of the city, the higher the terrain became.

The imperial palace is located at the highest point of the Steel City, overlooking the entire city.

Tonight, Zhang Sheng held a banquet in the palace to entertain everyone.

On the high palace, musicians played music, accompanied by the flowing wine cups and winding water, and fish swam out to listen.

Everyone raised their glasses and the maid added chips.

"Sister Pei Nai! Come out and see!" Da Xi Shangle called her outside the hall.

Pei Nai looked through the tall palace door and vaguely saw the fire in the night sky.

She stood up and walked outside.

The singing and dancing continued at the banquet, but when they got outside the hall, the noise became much quieter.

Outside is a viewing platform, which is located on a high place and has a panoramic view of the scenery.

As soon as Pei Naifu stepped out, he was shocked by the scene before him.

The buildings in the city are brightly lit, and every household has a lamp on, like a stream of fire in the dark night.

The people of the Steel City took to the streets and released sky lanterns. Thousands and thousands of lanterns flew high into the sky, forming a river of stars.

The night sky is painted with beautiful lights, as if it were a sweet dream.

The Kongming lanterns fly far away and gradually turn into stars, carrying hope and awakening wishes.

"Everyone is commemorating the millions of compatriots who died." Zhang Sheng came behind her and explained to her.

Pei Nai turned around and saw Gu Jinheng, Han Ruize, Da Xian, Shao Liran, Zhong Lin, Luo Yuanying, Ju Liancheng, Du Ling, Huyan Weizhao, Senior Zhong, Grandma Axun, and Lu Xulan all coming out of the hall.

Everyone was surrounded by the magnificent view, looking at the scene before them that would be unforgettable for the rest of their lives, and no one spoke for a long time.

Pei Nai was very happy that they could stand here and share the joy of victory.

Gu Jinheng raised his hand and gently stroked her face.

Pei Nai looked up and saw the light and shadow falling on Gu Jinheng's facial features. The curve of his nose and lips was like the undulating mountains, gentle and just right.

The divine energy of Dan Dao gently brushed across Pei Nai's lips, carrying desire with it.

Pei Nai knew that if it weren't for everyone being there, he would have kissed her.

She leaned on Gu Jinheng's shoulder, with her friends around her.

There is light and hope in the distance.

(End of this chapter)