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The Third Elder, Huang Zhiping, paced back and forth in the room, his steps hurried, his eyes filled with excitement. Hearing the Fifth Elder's question, he abruptly stopped, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, his voice impassioned:
“We didn’t dare before, but now that we have the protection of the goddess, this is a golden opportunity! Why not organize the young and strong in our county to fight against the American army? We can also avenge the people who have been persecuted by the American army.”
The Fifth Elder stared wide-eyed and exclaimed incredulously, "Aping, what nonsense are you talking about? We ordinary people rarely even get to touch a gun, how can we fight against the well-equipped American troops?"
"Are you suggesting I use my fists to block bullets or my body to withstand artillery shells?" he said angrily, slamming his fist on the table, making the teacups on it shake.
The county magistrate frowned, his face full of worry. He sighed and said, "Fifth Elder is right. We only have this much wealth and a few broken guns. If we really go into battle, we'll probably just be throwing our lives away. At that time, the peace and tranquility of Shanhe County over the years will be completely destroyed. The Goddess is unwilling to help us. What chance do we have of winning?"
The county magistrate was filled with regret. If he had known the American army would act this way, they shouldn't have wavered between the Chinese and American forces, and they wouldn't be facing such a difficult choice now. However, he hoped they still had a chance to save themselves. The magistrate's gaze involuntarily drifted towards the goddess's courtyard.
Although Fourth Elder Chong Shanghui remained silent, he shook his head slightly, clearly not approving of Third Elder's suggestion. If the US military weren't so domineering, he would still be willing...
The Third Elder remained calm, a mysterious smile playing on his lips. After surveying the room, he lowered his voice and said, "You only know one side of the story. The Goddess is unwilling to be tainted by the karma of killing, but what if we try another method?"
The group paused, turning their gazes to the Third Elder, their eyes filled with confusion. The county magistrate couldn't help but ask, "Aping, just say what you want to say, don't keep me in suspense."
The Third Elder cleared his throat and solemnly said, "We all know that the goddess is all-powerful and boundless. So let's ask the goddess to command from the shadows! The specific actions will be carried out by the able-bodied men of our county."
In this way, the goddess won't directly participate in the battle and thus won't be involved in any karma. And with the goddess's strategic assistance, wouldn't our chances of victory be much greater?
A brief silence fell over the room. Everyone was taken aback at first, then their eyes gradually brightened. The Fifth Elder slapped his thigh, suddenly realizing, "That's right! How come I didn't think of that? The Goddess is all-powerful. If she could give us a little guidance, our chances of winning against the American army would be much greater!"
The county magistrate also fell into deep thought, tapping his knee repeatedly with his fingers. After a long while, he slowly nodded: "This method is feasible. But is the goddess willing to help us? After all, she explicitly refused before."
The Third Elder smiled confidently: "The Goddess is compassionate. We are protecting our homeland and safeguarding the safety of our people. As long as we sincerely believe in the Goddess and explain the seriousness of the matter to her, she might grant our request."
Moreover, the goddess is descending to the mortal realm this time to search for her protectors, accompanied only by herself and her two protectors. Her journey will undoubtedly be fraught with difficulties. If we work together to help her find her protectors, she will surely remember our kindness.
Fourth Elder Chong Shanghui finally spoke, his tone hesitant: "Can it really work? This is no small matter. If it fails, then our Shanhe County will be..."
The Third Elder waved his hand, "A Yuan, we can't hesitate about everything. If the Goddess doesn't help us, and we back down this time, the American army will take another step forward. If this continues, Shanhe County will be finished sooner or later."
Rather than that, we might as well fight the US military head-on.
The crowd grew increasingly excited as they listened, their initial worries gradually replaced by a renewed fighting spirit. The county magistrate stood up, his gaze resolute: "Alright! In that case, let's give it a try. Even if we fail, it's better than waiting here to be slaughtered by the American army!"
At that moment, in the next house, Tang Yue listened intently to everything, a faint smile playing on her lips. She knew that a battle she was secretly orchestrating was about to begin.
Hearing their footsteps approaching, Tang Yue snapped out of her daze, sat up slightly, and resumed her composed demeanor. A short while later, hurried footsteps sounded, and the county magistrate, accompanied by several elders, rushed into the courtyard, his anxiety almost palpable.
Upon entering the room, everyone knelt down in unison, their movements perfectly synchronized. The county magistrate, his voice trembling with tears, looked up at Tang Yue, his eyes filled with expectation: "Goddess! Shanhe County is now on the verge of collapse. The people have suffered terribly, the American army is bullying us at will, and A-Gui is aiding and abetting the evildoers."
"I know this has nothing to do with you, Goddess, but we are truly powerless to fight the American army right now. We just came up with a plan and would like to ask for your help. Without your assistance, Goddess, we have absolutely no confidence to confront the American army! We implore you, Goddess, to have mercy and save the people of Shanhe County!"
After the county magistrate finished speaking, everyone kowtowed to Tang Yue. Tang Yue subtly moved her spiritual energy, and the crowd could no longer kowtow.
Tang Yue lowered her gaze slightly, adopting a thoughtful expression, and remained silent for a long time. The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop; everyone held their breath, staring at her expectantly.
Finally, Tang Yue sighed softly and slowly said, "So be it. Now that I have descended to the mortal realm, I cannot bear to see the people suffer. I will lend you a hand this time, but remember, everything is thanks to my help. You must bear the consequences yourselves and not implicate me."
"Yes! Yes! We will never forget the Goddess's great kindness!" The crowd kowtowed repeatedly in excitement. Before their joy could fully bloom, a young man rushed in, shouting, "County Magistrate! Something terrible has happened! Another incident has occurred in the county! Five more girls who were kidnapped by A-Gui have gone missing!"
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