Forge a path to success.

Chapter 371 War and Turmoil (1)

The cicadas chirped listlessly, their calls drowned out by the rain. These small citizens, who used to play music in the streets, now glared angrily at each other in the trees, their music replaced by commotion and restless pushing and shoving among themselves.

Raindrops fell beside the insects, bounced off the thorns, and merged into the muddy water of the street. The murky puddles reflected gloomy faces, and as military boots trod, mud splattered onto the trousers of passersby.

The passersby's gazes met, their expressions mirroring the same restlessness and frustration, both brimming with anger waiting to be unleashed. One man patted his trouser leg. "Such heavy footsteps, yet he has the weak face of an independent." The pedestrian stopped. "Trying to stir up trouble, you conservative."

"Ugh, I want to crush your useless balls." "All you've got left is a mouth."

The rain intensified, making it impossible to see who threw the first punch—it was a heavy blow that slammed another man against the bar window. He quickly rose and retaliated, the rainy night murky with blood. The citizens were naturally drawn in, eagerly joining in as if they had finally found their chance. And so another mass brawl began, a harbinger of future misfortune.

The patrons in the bar didn't react much; this was the daily routine for the Second Phase during this period. They discussed secretive news of unknown origin. A red-haired woman in the corner pricked up her pointed ears, listening with keen interest.

"Another batch of weapons has arrived in the fields..." "Their mass-produced soldiers are indeed very useful." "They can all serve in my place now!"

"Who will these weapons be used on?" "The heretics, of course." "Wouldn't it be better to send them to the front lines?" "I haven't received any information about it."

"So it's for civil war?" the red-haired woman said casually.

These words shattered the unspoken understanding among everyone, instantly replacing the barely maintained peace with tense, angry glares. The people in the bar gradually split into two distinct factions; even the bartender was prepared, except for the red-haired woman, who continued drinking alone as if blind to the danger. Someone strode forward aggressively: "Which faction are you on?!"

"Stop! Don't embarrass yourself in front of strangers!"

He was met with a harsh, aged rebuke. The short, thin old man pushed the man's fist away and sat down in the seat next to him with a stern face.

"Mr. Slaine..."

People seemed to recognize him, intimidated by his imposing presence, and silently left the bar. A short while later, a commotion arose outside, and a redhead looked out at the rain through a muddy window.

Silian ordered a glass of fruit wine and said to her, "It's not a good choice to travel to Thorns at this time of year."

The old man had long ears and enormous, almost scathing eyes, which made the redhead feel a sense of familiarity. She smiled and said, "Lots of people are fighting."

“That’s the tradition here; warriors settle disputes with their fists.” Slayne shook her head. “There’s a special law called the Duel Law… whoever wins gets to decide, that’s about it. So eloquent people don’t get any attention here; only the strong have the final say.”

"Are there really so many conflicts? They're all comrades-in-arms in the same army, aren't they?"

“In the past, our citizens of the Second Order were invincible soldiers… just like the name Ironcrown, as hard as steel and as tenacious as thorns,” the old man said. “But this army suffered too much damage 20 years ago.”

"Did you lose?"

"We won. But it was a devastating victory," Silan said calmly. "After ten years of holding out, we failed in the final battle. Less than half of those who left returned. The survivors began to question the meaning of such a war... A grueling campaign every 30 years, dwindling reinforcements, and an ever-growing enemy. Casualties, hunger, fleeting moments of happiness—it all repeats itself endlessly. Sooner or later, we'll break down and become a second Netherworld Kingdom."

He stared at the pale red liquor: "There are no gains in war, only ever-increasing losses. That's why everyone wants to get away from war... to put aside responsibilities, obligations, justice, and all such things, to get away from the heart of the war, to go far away..."

“Grandpa, he’s running away,” the red-haired woman said with a smile.

“It’s an escape driven by ugly selfish motives,” Slaine nodded. “But what’s wrong with running away if it means fewer family and friends die?”

He finished his drink, stood up, and said, "Young lady, there are still spots available on the ships at the port. Things are about to get chaotic in Jingsha, so you should leave as soon as possible."

"You're so kind to me!"

"People tend to be more friendly to young people as they get older, just like children are often friendly to the elderly."

The elderly independence advocate left, and the redhead waited another half hour, during which she ordered all the drinks she hadn't seen yet. Half an hour later, a new customer sat down next to her.

"What are your impressions of the city-state of Jingsha?" Chu Hengkong asked.

“Grandpa’s hometown is full of overly naive people!” Qingxia laughed.

"While you're here eating, drinking, and having fun, Mr. Chu and I are exhausted."

"Are they killing heretics?"

With his other hand, he stole Qingxia's wine glass, leaned against her back, and took a big gulp, saying listlessly, "If only that were true. It's a civil war, a civil war!"

·
With the passage of the Independence Act, the situation in Jing Sha was critical, and various forces naturally took action. Smaller forces, such as the Dustless Land represented by Violet, had already arrived, and larger forces like Dragon Spring Township were not far behind. Huilong City, serving as a transit hub, was operating at near overcapacity, with troops from all over the world flocking there, waiting for the situation to improve before heading to the city-state. Reliable teammates like Qingye and Qingxia, with their extremely rich combat experience, were among the first reinforcements to set foot on Jing Sha's homeland, carrying a mission personally entrusted to them by the city lord.

Stop the civil war in Jingsha!

"I wouldn't have dared to imagine this before. This is the Jing Sha City-State! The most united place in the entire Submerged Realm! And now, because of a bill, it's like our Shura Island!" Qing Ye complained bitterly.

"Oh, Xiaoye, do you Shura Island often have internal conflicts too?" Qingxia asked curiously.

“What they call internal strife is a local war. A dozen famous generals occupy cities and establish their own states. People from different states fight each other to the death, and it’s common for people to die one or two times,” Vande said. “Compared to Shura Island, this civil war in the thorns is child’s play. Neither side even used inhumane and destructive weapons. Their moral standards are too high.”

Qingxia was filled with awe: "So there are such stupid places. Suddenly I understand why Commander Chongming didn't want to go home for hundreds of years."

Qingye clutched her head and screamed, "Please, please stop! I really want to send all those bastards from my hometown to the front lines to help them!"

"Although it's called a civil war, after actually taking a tour of the military camp, I felt that the situation was quite good. There didn't seem to be any large-scale bloodshed."

Qingye's eyes were lifeless: "Why do you think Mr. Chu and I arrived so late..."

"...Am I too late?"

Vande rolled his eyes: "Four days! Do you know how we spent those four days? The three of us ran all over the military camp, and we beat up every single officer with a rank except for the second captain! Yesterday, a few assassins were still trying to pull that fake loyalty trick, and if I hadn't reacted quickly enough, we almost had a real fight."

Qingxia exclaimed in surprise, "What?! The civil war has been suppressed, so where is my place to use my talents?"

Chu Hengkong patted her head: "The situation is still not optimistic. Right now, the second line of command depends entirely on us here to keep things in check. If we don't come up with a way to guide the people's hearts, the situation will not change in essence."

Qingxia rekindled her spirit: "Let's infect them all with a virus and force them to vote."

“Alright, go for it. When Jing Sha punishes you, I’ll be munching on potato chips and clapping with Mr. Chu on the sidelines,” Qing Ye said.

"Ugh, so annoying... We clearly have more fighting power..."

“Combat power and influence are different. A thousand words from outsiders are no match for a single word from the local leader.” Vand explained the local situation. “Right now, there are two people in the Second Line who are most popular with the people: one is the veteran of the independence faction, Silay, and the other is the Second Captain who maintains neutrality and does not express his opinion.”

“Slein is a level 4 Skywing, not particularly strong in combat but very experienced. Like the shopkeeper and the others, he is a veteran who has experienced major battles. The current officers of the second line of command have all been trained by him to some extent, so even if they disagree, they can’t openly oppose him.”

Qingxia exclaimed "Ah!" and questioned, "He's fought so many wars over the years, how could he not see reality clearly?"

“Because Grandpa Silayne and his whole family died heroically,” Vande said dryly. “The old man fought for too many years, and most of his family and comrades died on the battlefield, leaving only his most beloved grandson. He originally kept his grandson locked up in Mansa Star Castle and refused to let the child go to the battlefield again, but the boy rebelled and went to the battlefield without telling the old man. In his last battle 20 years ago, his body was never found.”

"Ugh..."

"The old man was basically obsessed after that battle. If it weren't for the Paleman Doctrine to calm him down, he probably would have passed away with his family by now," Van der commented. "Well, there's not much we can do. He's already lived a miserable life, we're not qualified to lecture him."

Qingxia felt dizzy listening to this: "Let's skip this for now! What about the second captain?"

“The second captain hasn’t shown up, hasn’t spoken, and hasn’t expressed his opinion,” Chu Hengkong said. “His choice has directly led to the current situation. If the second captain had expressed his stance, whether supporting independence or the Allies, the situation in the Second Pulse would have become clear. But he’s determined to remain neutral to the end. If the leader doesn’t speak up, the people below can only continue to be in chaos.”

Qingye's first thought was the worst possible scenario: "Could he also be an accomplice of that speaker? Is he tacitly approving the actions of the independence faction under the guise of neutrality?"

“I think that’s unlikely…” Van der’s eyes were subtle. “His intellect is on par with yours; he shouldn’t have such a ulterior motive…”

"This squid doesn't seem to be of much use, is it okay if I eat it first?"

"How dare you eat your comrade, you vicious horse! Hypnosis!"

"Ouch, my eyes hurt so much—that's because I have goggles."

Qingxia pulled down her goggles, looking smug. Qingye ignored the two heartless people and said to Chu Hengkong, "What should we do now? If we continue to suppress the independence faction with violence, the number of petitions won't increase."

"The intelligence says the second captain will make a move tonight. Let's see what he plans."

The source of the information seemed reliable, because not long after they sat in the bar, they heard a booming broadcast. The voice rang out throughout the Second Lineage, the speaker's tone particularly exaggerated: "Citizens of the Second Lineage, listen up! The Second Team has a major announcement today! Turn your attention to the nearest water curtain, and those who are nearby, come to the Plaza of Honor!"

(End of this chapter)