Mythology Returns! Starting with Folklore and Strange Tales

Chapter 133 The Inside Story of the Mundane World, Good Child, A Barrage of Arrows

In the secular world, in the Taihang Region, in the bureau chief's office.

Smoke swirled around the desk, the fog was heavy like smog, and the ashtray on the desk, which had just been replaced an hour ago, was already half full. Seven or eight middle-aged men, their solemn faces tinged with a hint of melancholy, sat together, constantly puffing away at their cigarettes.

After a long while, someone finally couldn't sit still any longer. Chu Xiong spoke up: "Do you think we can come up with a solution by just sitting here?"

"Give us an answer, whether to advance or retreat! If you really weren't going to take responsibility, you should have said so earlier. I would have gone to Dingshu Qihuang myself long ago. Why would I waste a whole night here with you?"

Whether it's Zhang Wei or An Yixi, they both got their genius contracts from him.

Although now, regardless of whether it's yours or mine, or even different weather regions, lessons have been learned to avoid such situations as much as possible.

But humans are emotional beings, and there will always be biases.

"How old are they? Still acting like young people!" The middle-aged man at the head of the table glanced around, then sighed, "Do you think I want to see two fine young men get hurt in there? It's just that reality forces us to."

"Easier said than done. You go in and you think you can pull people out? Although Ding Shuqihuang is not at the court level, he has already reached the upper limit that a state-level official can reach."

Our Taihang Mountains, Qinling Mountains, Yangtze River, Beihuai Mountains, and half of the Yinshan Mountains—five major regions in total—are all involved in this silhouette. Tens of thousands of patrols are gathering intelligence, pruning away the remaining branches, and preparing for the intrusion of you, this Yin spirit, in the preparatory stage.

Why are we jumping straight into the final battle?

"If it were just you who were to leave, I wouldn't care. But if things develop and involve too many high-end combat forces, and there are gaps in the secular world, do you think those clans and families would behave themselves?"

Knowing full well that the grand martial arts competition is in five months, and the death warrant has already been issued by name, sticking out means confiscation of our property, hiding means extermination of our entire clan, we've deliberately exposed such a huge opening. If they cause trouble again, do you want us to be attacked from both sides like a lighthouse?

"Old Chu, we've been working together for over a decade. Don't you think I know what you mean? Wait a little longer. Once we've confirmed the location of the two children's arrival, I'll immediately send three experienced teams to bring them back. What do you say then?"

Before Chu Xiong could even catch his breath, the middle-aged man's expression immediately changed: "But it's settled then, they can't be so reckless this time they come back. And you'd better explain that damn military order you gave the kids!"

"Nonsense! Do you think a young person who just came in is qualified to participate in a martial arts competition? That's not showing off, that's just throwing your life away!"

If they really have this idea, I won't stop them in a few years, even the next batch, but absolutely not this time!

Although there weren't any vulgar words, every sentence hit home. Chu Xiong's face flushed, and his voice lost its previous anger: "Director, you're being a bit too cautious. Just participate in the competition, not the martial arts, isn't that enough?"

That's true, but he wasn't entirely sure himself.

It's not that we lack confidence in the rules. After all, in Yanhuang, the twelve major regions suppress the secular world. Apart from the unexpected factor of the silhouette suddenly appearing, there are very few people in the secular world who can even negotiate with the weather, let alone pose a threat.

However, while it's true that a powerful weather system can suppress all dissent, youthful arrogance is not just a figure of speech.

Don't be obedient and well-behaved at home, but when you get to the competition venue and see the ring, the young people get excited and sign up without thinking.

Even so, there's still room for improvement. After all, the tournament organizers are the Twelve Weather Regions, and they can simply say that the backend data crashed and that's it. The real trouble lies with the various clans, spirit groups, and even aristocratic families that have come to the mortal world from the silhouettes.

Under the guise of a grand martial arts competition, meteorologists issue death warrants every two years, directly forcing lawless groups to fight to the death in the arena.

Depending on the level of the command, the punishment can range from killing young geniuses to confiscating land deeds and assets, or even wiping out an entire clan.

This is also why, despite the many years since the silhouette appeared, no powerful families or bloodline theories have emerged in either the secular or modern world.

Do you like to stick together?

You like to claim ancestral roots, right?

It's not that it's impossible, but you better behave yourself and stay quiet like a turtle or tortoise. But if you band together and dream of acting like the characters in the silhouette, then there's nothing more to say, go to the ring, and fight for your life or death!

Forced by the power of the weather, these aristocratic families had no choice but to agree to this almost brutal elimination method, but that doesn't mean they could only sit and wait for death.

Using various methods to provoke the weather and send young people to the arena to fight is only a last resort. Before that, once the life-or-death order is issued, they will come up with all sorts of strange and wonderful ways to survive.

"These scum!"

Upon hearing this, Chu Xiong cursed angrily, but stopped dwelling on the matter.

After all, the scope of this Dingshu Wilderness incident is too vast, involving all aspects and bringing constraints to everyone. He can only pray that the two young men will be careful and cautious, and not act rashly when reinforcements arrive.

"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The true power of the famine had not yet penetrated the ravines and valleys of Jin, and the entire Zhengding Prefecture was still in a state of leisurely enjoyment and peace.

In the back hall of the prefectural government office, the prefect, who was on duty as usual, was lying on his rosewood rocking chair with his legs crossed. The maids around him were either drying tea, feeding the children, fanning them, massaging their legs and shoulders, or squatting down to have their teeth checked by the master. He was living a comfortable and leisurely life.

Not far away, the clerk was used to this, but while engrossed in organizing the files in his hands, he couldn't help but occasionally drift into daydreams.

I've been feeling quite energetic lately, and the price of maids has dropped significantly. Maybe after I finish my business trip, I should go to the maid's place and pick out a few more bed warmers to take back with me?

Just thinking about this made the clerk feel a burning heat in his lower back.

What used to be a headache to look at, he now finds quite enjoyable to process, and in order to finish his work, he has even started to skim through the documents.

When it comes to those Jurchens, they are first divided into the Upper Banner and the Lower Banner. The proper Bannermen send the white duck vendors to their homes to discuss how much silver they are willing to spend to settle this small matter.

If they are family members of members of the pro-independence camp, then they will inevitably have to make a trip to the government office to see if the government is sincere.

As for those peasants, well, a single stroke of the brush in my hand will decide the outcome!

Just as the clerk was about to arrest a thug who had argued with the master, a burst of firecrackers suddenly rang out. Before the clerk could angrily call for the servant outside the door, the firecrackers became increasingly deafening and seemed to be moving closer to the yamen.

At the same time, a yamen runner suddenly ran into the back hall, tripping over the threshold and falling flat on his face. Ignoring the pain, he shouted, "Sir, something's happened! Some rebels have appeared out of nowhere and are shooting arrows into our city! It's a dark rain of arrows outside!"

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