Chapter 124 Linxian Village has become Linxian City
The soldiers were met with a white blur and smog, barely able to make out the monster's outline. Without hesitation, they swung their swords and began to slash.
Several muffled thuds were heard.
The soldiers felt a sharp pain in their hands from the impact, while the monster remained completely still.
"Stop!" A voice suddenly rang out.
The lieutenant looked closely and realized it was his own general. He hurriedly shouted, "General, run! I'll deal with these monsters!"
The general was both amused and exasperated. He quickly came over, grabbed the deputy general's arm, and explained, "This is not a monster; it is His Majesty's entourage."
"You all stop right now!"
The general shouted to the other soldiers.
At this moment, the dust gradually dissipated, and the headlights of the transport trucks illuminated the surroundings as if it were daytime.
The bewildered soldiers finally saw what the so-called "monster" looked like.
Although it is indeed enormous and its shape is unprecedented, it is immediately obvious that this square thing with unique wheels on the bottom is definitely not a living creature.
"A convoy?" The lieutenant was shocked. "General... this... this is a convoy?"
The other soldiers all stared at the transport vehicle, frozen in place.
The general laughed, "I was just as surprised as you when I first saw it. But it is indeed a vehicle. His Majesty said it's called... what was it again? A car..."
“Cars,” Xiao Qidi stepped out from behind a vehicle, “specifically, these are called transport trucks.”
Upon seeing Xiao Qidi appear, the deputy general instinctively became more vigilant.
The general looked embarrassed and whispered to his deputy, "We misunderstood His Majesty. He really did send us food."
"General Zhang," Xiao Qidi called out calmly.
The general who led 100,000 troops to Xitun Pass immediately turned around and ran over, shouting, "Your subordinate is here!"
Xiao Qidi ordered, "Arrange for people to come over, line up to receive food and water, and after they have eaten and drunk their fill and recovered their strength, they will travel with the convoy to Linxian City, where camps have already been set up for the 100,000-strong army."
"Linxian City?" General Zhang muttered, "When did a city appear here?"
Xiao Qidi said, "It used to be Linxian Village, but now it has been merged with Xitun Pass and expanded into Linxian City. You'll see when you get there."
"Ah, I see... Yes, ma'am!"
General Zhang immediately ordered his deputy and dozens of soldiers around him to quickly dispatch more men.
Before long, a dozen generals, a hundred captains, and nearly a thousand centurions arrived one after another and began to line up next to the trucks under the command of General Zhang.
The trailers of more than a dozen large trucks were all opened, and the people inside were unloading things, while the soldiers outside were there to assist.
The people in the carriage and the driver were all selected from the villagers of Linxian Village. They had undergone special training for a long time and were very proficient in driving and transporting goods.
They demonstrated and explained things to the soldiers while moving things.
"This is a can of meat. Just pull the ring on top to open it. Inside are chunks of meat that you can eat right away."
"This is for drinking, it's called an energy drink. You can drink it by simply unscrewing the cap like this."
"Each person gets two cans of food and a bottle of drink. Let's eat our fill and replenish our energy first."
"Once we reach Linxian City, we'll serve everyone an even better hot meal!"
"Oh, and these are for feeding and fresh hay for everyone's horses. Just open the bags, mix them together, and feed them to them so they can have something good to eat."
The soldiers were amazed. They had never seen anything like the canned goods and drinks before, not to mention the large boxes used to hold them.
But they don't have time to ask questions in detail right now; they are all busy memorizing what they are taught so that they can pass it on to all the soldiers later.
Everything proceeded smoothly and in an orderly manner.
Canned food and drinks were distributed to tents throughout the camp immediately.
The generals, commanders of thousands, and centurions were all diligently teaching everyone how to eat these things. The word spread quickly, and although there were as many as 100,000 soldiers, they were all eating them in a very short time.
In an instant, exclamations of amazement rose and fell from countless tents.
This was the first time in their lives they had ever eaten such delicious meat. Although it was cold, the flavor was rich and the fat was abundant, far surpassing any meat they had ever eaten before.
And then there's that water called energy drink.
It comes in a magical, semi-transparent soft bottle, and tastes so sweet and fragrant that it's no exaggeration to describe it as divine nectar.
All the soldiers were both surprised and delighted, and they ate their fill.
After eating canned meat and drinking beverages, I felt that all the fatigue from the more than ten days of forced marching was worth it.
About an hour later.
The entire army of 100,000, including their warhorses, finished eating and then set off for Linxian City with the motorcade.
The night sky was full of stars, and a dozen trucks led the way at a steady speed, followed by a vast army of Xuan soldiers that stretched as far as the eye could see.
Xiao Qidi did not ride in a carriage, but instead rode a horse, following behind the caravan.
Not far behind him were the generals of the 100,000-strong army.
General Zhang and his deputy whispered among themselves on horseback, then quickened their pace and arrived beside Xiao Qidi.
"Your Majesty..." General Zhang said with a smile, "Everyone is curious about what this car is, and where the canned meat and the sweet-smelling water came from?"
Xiao Qidi said calmly, "No need to rush. You will gradually understand everything once we arrive at the destination."
"Yes... Your Majesty." General Zhang could only suppress the doubts that filled his heart.
Xiao Qidi added, "It's not that I don't want to give you an explanation, it's just that it's hard to explain in a few words. You'll have to see it for yourselves to understand."
"Yes, I understand."
General Zhang clasped his hands in salute, then rode his horse back to the main group.
This time, everyone, including the horses, ate well, and with their great curiosity about Linxian City, they all traveled with incredible speed and agility.
What would normally take three hours was covered by an army of 100,000 in less than two hours.
At midnight, a magnificent city wall gradually came into view.
From afar, you could see rows of huge bonfires burning on the tall city walls, illuminating a large area below.
General Zhang and the others were extremely shocked.
They had always known that the Xitun Pass region of Xuan Kingdom was an extremely barren and desolate place, and that it had even been suffering from famine in recent months. They never expected that there would be such a wide and tall city wall here, which was much larger than the city walls of other cities in Xuan Kingdom, including the royal city.
No, it should be said that, including the other nations, there is probably no other place in the world with such walls.
If just one wall of the city is built so magnificently, what an unimaginable scene the city inside must be like.
How wealthy must a place be to build this?
But Xitun Pass is clearly the most desolate and impoverished place in Xuan Kingdom...
This is truly... utterly unbelievable.
As the lead convoy of cars arrived at the foot of the city walls.
The heavy, wide, and tall city gates slowly opened, and the convoy of cars entered.
General Zhang dismounted and, upon reaching the city gate, looked at the guards with suspicion and uncertainty.
The guards were dressed in clothes he had never seen before, and the spears they carried and the swords at their waists were clearly much better than the weapons they usually used.
The further he went, the more he felt as if he had entered an unknown world in a dream.
He rubbed his eyes and shook his head, wondering if he was really dreaming.
So I reached out and pinched my thigh hard.
A sharp pain shot through him, making him wince and shudder.
"Hey...it's not a dream, it's not a dream." He chuckled and secretly looked back.
The generals behind him were also staring wide-eyed, looking around, while pinching their arms and legs.
Clearly, he wasn't the only one who reacted this way.
After General Zhang and his generals passed through the city gate, Duan Wu stepped forward, first bowing to Xiao Qidi, then clasping his hands in greeting:
"General Zhang, esteemed generals, I am Duan Wu, the Grand General of Linxian City, and I respectfully welcome you all."
General Zhang and the others quickly bowed in salute.
Duan Wu then said, "The camp for your 100,000 troops is just ahead, and the tents have all been set up. It's getting late, so please get some rest as soon as possible."
"Thank you, General Duan."
"Don't be shy, please follow me."
Subsequently, under Duan Wu's leadership, 100,000 troops entered the city walls one after another and arrived at a very flat and open super-large camp.
Bonfires were lit everywhere, illuminating everything brightly.
“Those are tents,” Duan Wu explained, pointing ahead. “The tents have beds, bunk beds, and each tent can accommodate a hundred people.”
General Zhang and the others were so shocked that their jaws almost dropped to the ground.
"That...that...that's a tent?" General Zhang stammered. "I thought...I thought it was some kind of big house!"
The other generals stared wide-eyed, hardly believing their eyes.
They had never seen such a large tent in their lives, and the material it was made of was also unusual.
"General Duan...Isn't building such a tent more troublesome and expensive than building a house?" one of the generals couldn't help but ask.
Duan Wu said with a proud look, "No need for that, it's easier and cheaper than building a house."
Everyone gasped, their faces filled with disbelief.
Another general said, "General Duan, are you trying to deceive us? Such tents are extremely rare. Even the capital city doesn't have them. You probably only have them here in the whole world. And these thousand large tents, which can hold 100,000 soldiers... We really can't imagine how much manpower and resources it took to make them..."
Duan Wu grinned, "To be honest, these were all sent by Fairy Jinli. They're all ready-made. I just need to send people to set them up. It won't cost any money or effort."
"Jinli...a fairy?" the generals exclaimed in unison, "You have a fairy here?!"
Duan Wu became even more proud, "That's right, if Fairy Jinli hadn't descended here a few months ago, how could this place have been built into Linxian City? I'll have to take you there to pay your respects later."
The generals immediately pressed, "Are there really immortals in this world?"
"What does Fairy Jinli look like?"
Why would a fairy descend upon this place?
"Could you take me to the shrine right now?"
"Ah, what we saw... the transport trucks, canned meat, energy drinks, and even the hay for the horses, were they also gifts from the fairies?"
"..."
The noise from dozens of mouths asking all sorts of questions made Duan Wu's head buzz.
He quickly raised his hand, "Please be patient, everyone. Just get a good rest tonight, and I promise I'll give you a proper tour and answer all your questions tomorrow, okay?"
"Sure, sure, sure!" General Zhang said cheerfully. "Then I'll have to trouble General Duan!"
Duan Wu waved his hand and said, "Alright, you all assign the soldiers below to their tents. One hundred men per tent, go in and stay there. I've arranged people next to each tent so you won't be unsure how to use them when you get in. I'll also arrange for the soldiers here to settle your warhorses. In short, everyone should get a good night's sleep first!"
"Yes, General Duan!" The generals clasped their hands in greeting.
Here, the 100,000-strong army gradually entered their tents to rest.
On the other side, Xiao Qidi arrived at a house.
As soon as he entered, a figure leaped into his arms, exclaiming, "You're finally back!"
Xiao Qidi's eyes softened, "Didn't I tell you not to wait for me?"
Ning Jinli looked up at him with a smile, "That won't do, I prepared a late-night snack for you. I also bought you your favorite milk tea."
“Jinli…” Xiao Qidi gazed into Ning Jinli’s large, black, gem-like eyes, and couldn’t help but lower his head and move closer to her rosy cheeks.
"Cough cough!" A cough suddenly rang out.
Ning Shan, wearing a tank top and shorts, walked in through the side door, carrying a large plate piled high with mutton slices. He squinted and stared intently at the two people embracing at the door.
Xiao Qidi's eyes flickered, and he quickly let go of her hand, took two steps back, and respectfully bowed his head and clasped his hands, "Uncle Ning, I didn't expect... you haven't rested yet either."
Ning Shan put the plate on the table. "I was going to sleep, but my daughter insisted on waiting for you to come back. I had no choice but to wait with her."
"Thank you for your hard work, Uncle," Xiao Qidi glanced quietly to the side and asked in a low voice, "And...where is Auntie?"
"Here it is." Ye Zhi Qiu came over carrying a large basket of washed fresh vegetables. "The hot pot is ready, and all the ingredients for the hot pot are ready. Sit down and start eating."
"Come on, sit down." Ning Jinli took Xiao Qidi's hand and led him to the table. "This is the first time you've dined with me and my parents."
Xiao Qidi appeared calm, but his hands were already unconsciously tense.
Ning Jinli smiled and said, "Don't be nervous. You've known each other for so long. My parents aren't going to eat you."
"Eating him is not as good as eating hot pot," Ye Zhi Qiu muttered casually after sitting down.
Ning Shan chuckled and said, "Alright, be nicer to people. Don't make them uncomfortable even when they're having a meal."
Ye Zhi Qiu raised an eyebrow. "I've already let our daughter date him, isn't that a good enough attitude? But you, you're lecturing me now. Don't you want to eat anymore?"
"Hehe..." Ning Shan said with a smile, "Eat, eat, just sit down and I'll cook hot pot for you."
Xiao Qidi pondered for a moment, then walked up to the couple, clasped his hands in thanks, and said, “Auntie, Uncle, thank you both for your hard work in helping to build Linxian City these past few days. I haven’t had a chance to properly thank you.”
"You're welcome, you're welcome. I'm just killing time anyway," Ning Shan said as he put vegetables into the hot pot.
Ye Zhi Qiu rolled her eyes at Ning Shan, "I've been busy here for almost two months and you're only just getting here now. You're quick to take credit, aren't you?"
“Auntie,” Xiao Qidi took out an exquisite gold-inlaid jade hairpin from his pocket, “This is a piece I selected from the royal palace’s collection. I’m giving it to you as a gift. It’s not as good as the jewelry you have, so please don’t mind.”
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