Gold-level energy crystal beasts not only have more health, but also far more numerous than silver-level ones. After replenishing their strength, the group resumed the tedious and monotonous monster-hunting. Finally, after persisting for 12 hours, Jiang Hao noticed that the guards were exhausted. Even the city lord of Jinling City was trembling as he held his sword.
Jiang Hao could only wave his hand again. After drinking a sip of the recovery potion, Jiang Hao spoke.
"How about we rest a bit longer and have some dried fish?"
The guards exchanged glances, none of them moving. Jiang Hao looked at the city lord of Jinling City with some suspicion.
"It's gone!"
The city lord of Jinling spread his hands.
"When they came out, each guard only brought three pieces."
"Then...should we go back now? We've collected enough energy crystals to break the curse, right?"
"We definitely have enough gold-grade energy crystals, but... the chances of success are slim. If we could place a dark gold-grade energy crystal in the core of the array, the chances of success would be much higher."
Jiang Hao felt that the city lord was lying to him, but his serious expression made it impossible for Jiang Hao to detect any deception.
"What should we do then? Are there any at the base?"
The city lord of Jinling City once again shrugged.
"There's no dried fish or meat, let alone anything else to eat at the garrison. The garrison is rotated every day, so there's no need to store food there."
"How about you send one of your guards back to fetch some dried fish?"
The city lord gave a wry smile.
"Nanjing City is gone too."
Jiang Hao thought the city lord of Jinling City was joking.
"It's true, because the amount of energy crystals is limited, the ships in the city haven't been able to go to sea for a long time. The dried fish and meat we brought this time are the last of our warehouse stock."
What?
Is Jinling City really this shabby and desolate now?
Soldiers going out to fight didn't even have enough to eat?
"Then, how about we go back first?"
Jiang Hao said something somewhat unwillingly, and then walked outside.
Whether the curse can be broken can only be known by trying. If it can't be broken, we can always come back and continue fighting. It just wastes a lot of time. It's been 24 hours since we entered the mine, and I wonder what the situation is like for the players outside. Are they trying to fight monsters? Has anyone reached level 5? Have any teams started running dungeons?
After walking a few steps, Jiang Hao realized that the city lord and several guards had not followed, so he turned around to look back.
The city lord of Jinling City wore a complex expression, his head bowed as if deep in thought. Then, his expression hardened, and he pulled a blue cloth bag from his robes. Jiang Hao immediately recognized it; it was the same cloth he had used to catch energy crystal fragments when fighting the bronze-level energy crystal beast. The city lord carefully opened the bag, took out a fragment of energy crystal, and gently placed it in his palm before solemnly looking at his eight personal guards.
Silence began to spread through the mine.
Jiang Hao was puzzled and sensed the unusual atmosphere in the mine, but he didn't ask or urge them.
After a long while, a guard sheathed his sword, took a step forward, knelt on one knee in front of the city lord, and clasped his hands in a fist salute.
"Your subordinate is willing to go through fire and water for the city lord without hesitation."
Next came another guard. Like the previous guard, he stepped forward and knelt on one knee.
"Your subordinate is also willing to go through fire and water for the city lord, without hesitation."
"Your subordinate is willing to go through fire and water for the city of Jinling without hesitation."
......
Jiang Hao was somewhat bewildered as he watched all eight of his personal guards kneeling before the city lord of Jinling.
What are they doing?
Why did they suddenly switch to this?
Could they be performing some kind of mysterious ritual?
Could it be that the city lord of Jinling City is a priest?
With a thud, the city lord of Jinling City also knelt down on one knee.
Jiang Hao was dumbfounded by what he saw.
"Lord of the city, you mustn't."
Two guards immediately spoke up urgently. But now, they were caught in a dilemma: should they stand up to help him, or should they not?
"Lord City Lord, you absolutely mustn't! Your noble status is invaluable; how could we possibly accept such a grand gesture from you?"
"I, an old man, kneel neither to heaven nor to earth, nor even to imperial power, yet you have gone to such lengths for the sake of Jinling City. You are heroes of Jinling. What is a little bow from me? You deserve it!"
After saying this, the city lord of Jinling stood up and helped each of his eight personal guards to their feet.
He then pinched the energy crystal fragment between two fingers and gently squeezed it. The rice-grain-sized energy crystal immediately shattered into nine equally sized energy crystal particles. The city lord of Jinling City tilted his head back and swallowed one, and his face immediately turned rosy.
The eight guards were startled once again.
"Lord, no! It was clearly agreed before we came that my eight brothers and I would consume it. Why...why did you...why did you..."
"How could I bear to let only you consume it?"
"Lord of the City...you..."
“Lord City, you are of noble status. Jinling City still needs you to take charge of the overall situation. How can you be the same as us?”
The city lord of Jinling spread his hands and said in a very roguish manner.
"I've already eaten!"
What happened at WC?
You can eat this stuff?
"Young friend, can you hold on for another 8 hours?"
The city lord of Jinling turned his head and asked.
"Of course I have no problem. But... but what exactly are you planning to do? Is this energy crystal edible? Or will you die if you eat it? Why don't you spit this thing out right now? I advise you not to do anything foolish. At worst, we can go back now and wait for my curse to be lifted. I can come and fight it all by myself."
The city lord of Jinling laughed heartily. The other guards, however, could not manage a smile.
"Hahaha, how could eating this stuff kill you? It's incredibly nourishing. After eating it, your stamina will be instantly restored, and your attack power and attack speed will be greatly increased. The effect will last for 8 hours."
"Wow, that's amazing? But why do I feel like you guys are about to die? Doesn't this thing have any side effects?"
The city lord of Jinling City laughed heartily once again.
"There are side effects. After taking the energy crystal, you will feel more tired and hungrier. Once you get back to the city, you can eat something and sleep for a day or two. It's just that you won't have any combat power during that time."
The other guards nodded.
WC's Complete Tonic Pills?
It's nuclear-grade!
Why did you guys go through all that emotional stuff just now?
"Then I heard you say something about going through fire and water? Does that mean that if you eat this stuff, nothing will really happen to you?"
The city lord of Jinling suddenly looked extremely disappointed.
"This is a strategic material. Without the approval of the Jinling City Elders' Council, if the guards consume it without authorization, they will be stripped of their guard titles and banished to Qiongfeng Pass, never to enter Jinling City again."
Seeing the city lord's expression, a guard stepped forward, took a fragment of energy crystal from the city lord's hand, and swallowed it in one gulp.
The guard's fatigue vanished instantly, his face flushed red, and his eyes gleamed red.
"Lord City Lord, you flatter us. It's just going to Qiongfeng Pass. We can fight just as well there!"
Another guard stepped forward, pinched a fragment of energy crystal, and put it in his mouth. Jiang Hao saw his body tremble, his bones cracking, his eyes turning bloodshot, and beads of sweat dripping from his forehead.
"Exactly! Eating and sleeping all day in Jinling City is nothing compared to the freedom and adventure on the battlefield."
"My Li family has served as imperial guards for generations. Now we finally have a chance to go to the battlefield. Who knows, we might even become a general!"
One by one, the guards swallowed the energy crystal fragments from the city lord's hand, as if they were about to die. This scene gave Jiang Hao goosebumps.
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