The natural disaster had come too suddenly. Even though the Great Yi Dynasty had issued an early warning, the notice came far too late—there wasn't enough time to prepare. The town's food and resources had already been insufficient to begin with. If not for the mass deaths of ferocious beasts and birds during previous catastrophes, they wouldn't have even lasted a month; starvation would have started long ago.
Cloud Emerge Town.
Inside the Town Lord's Mansion, a middle-aged man with an air of authority sat in the main hall. His face revealed a deep exhaustion—one that came from the crushing pressure of the outside world.
"Chief Constable Qin, Shi Wenqing, what's the current situation in the town? How much longer can we hold on?"Chen Zhixian asked solemnly.
"Not much longer,"Shi Wenqing, dressed in a scribe's robes, shook his head bitterly."With the rations in storage and the carcasses of the beasts we've salvaged, the town can hold out for, at most, three more days. After that, people will start starving to death. And our winter clothing is grossly inadequate—many have already frozen to death. We're truly at the end of our rope."
The situation had reached its most desperate point.
"Didn't the Great Yi Dynasty promise they would send aid? Why haven't they arrived yet? All this talk about 'free assistance'—what if it's a lie? With natural disasters everywhere, how could they possibly have enough reserves to support such massive humanitarian relief?"Chief Constable Qin expressed his doubts.
Previously, messengers had been sent to the Great Yi Dynasty to request a food trade. When they returned, they didn't bring food—but something even more shocking:The Great Yi Dynasty had announced they would offer free aid—providing food and resources to surrounding human settlements.
This news stirred Cloud Emerge Town into an uproar.
Chen Zhixian, however, had his suspicions.This seemed like a honey-glazed dagger, a hook wrapped in sugar. If they accepted it, they might end up paying an even higher price. In the end, they might lose their autonomy completely.
He could refuse—but could he really watch his people starve and freeze to death before his very eyes?
Even now, as help still hadn't arrived, a deeper anxiety gnawed at his heart.Was the aid real? Were they actually coming? Had something happened along the way? Had they perhaps lost their way?
Countless thoughts raced through his mind.
Not far outside Cloud Emerge Town, a military column marched steadily through the snow.Though only ten thousand strong, they moved with the precision of elite warriors, clad in full armor and wielding sharp blades. At a glance, anyone could tell—this was a battle-hardened force.
At the front, three or four snowplows steadily cleared the road, opening a wide, unobstructed path.
Since they had departed from within the borders of the Great Yi Dynasty, teleportation arrays had allowed them to travel swiftly to the frontier. But now, beyond the borders, they could only rely on their legs, and progress slowed.
Fortunately, the wildlands were now far safer than before—ferocious beasts no longer lurked around every corner. Still, the deep snow made travel difficult, though the snowplows kept them moving at a surprising pace.
Unknowingly, they had already arrived near Cloud Emerge Town.
A general in battle armor, sword in hand, stepped forward and saluted:"Lord Minister Mao Sui, according to the map, we're just outside Cloud Emerge Town. Our intel suggests it's one of the more developed settlements in the region. The population reaches nearly 200,000. Before the disaster, they were even preparing to ascend to immortal city status. But now, the pressure they're under exceeds that of many other human settlements."
These details came partly from Cloud Emerge Town itself and partly from the Hall of Calamities, which constantly monitored surrounding regions.
Mao Sui nodded calmly."Since we've arrived at the town's outskirts, let's act with courtesy before force. Send word ahead and announce our goodwill. We're not enemies—we bring sincere greetings and aid from the Great Yi."
It was critical to make their identity and intentions clear—lest any misunderstanding arise and make matters worse.
"Advance!!"the general nodded. Though Mao Sui led the mission, the military was there solely for protection. Everything else was under the envoy's command.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
As the army marched forward, their synchronized steps made the ground tremble. Snow cascaded from the trees, and a thunderous rumble filled the air. Anyone who hadn't noticed them before certainly had now.
"Halt! Who goes there? This is Cloud Emerge Town of the human race! Stop three hundred meters from the walls or suffer the consequences!"A shout rang from the town.
The town loomed ahead—a large-scale immortal town standing tall. Despite being called a "town," it was no less grand than an ancient city. On the walls stood many guards, faces pale from the cold even beneath their clothes—clearly, guarding in such a blizzard was grueling.
Their eyes were filled with wariness and alarm. The appearance of a powerful human army had clearly startled them.
But the moment they felt the aura of the Great Yi troops, they were struck with fear.
It was like having a sharp blade pressed to the throat.
The gap between regular soldiers and a true army had never been more obvious. Their hearts skipped a beat under that suffocating pressure—like a mountain crushing down on them.
"We are envoys from the Great Yi Dynasty. We've come to Cloud Emerge Town upon learning of your hardships. His Majesty, the Yi King, has sent us with food and winter supplies for your people. These are the supplies we've brought—please inform your superiors."
Mao Sui clasped his hands in salute, his tone polite but steady.With a wave, a soldier opened a storage pouch, and with a flash—mountains of rice, vegetables, warm clothing, and various necessities spilled forth.
The sheer abundance was staggering.
The guards on the walls stared, their throats dry.
There was nothing more uplifting than the sight of food in times of starvation.
"It's food! By the heavens, real food! White, fragrant rice!""Am I dreaming? This much rice—have you ever seen so much food in your life?""They're envoys from Great Yi—they really came! Long live the Yi King! They say Great Yi is the strongest dynasty of our people, and now I see why.""If only we could become citizens of Great Yi…"
On the walls and in the distance, masses of townspeople rushed up to look. Their desperate faces suddenly lit with hope.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
A rush of footsteps sounded as several figures arrived at the city wall. Leading them was Chen Zhixian, the Town Lord.
Upon seeing the army and the mountain of food, his face lit up with joy.
"Good! Good! This is wonderful—Cloud Emerge Town is saved! Quickly, open the gates and welcome our honored guests!"
The massive weight on his heart instantly lifted.
With food—life could continue.
The guards moved to open the gates.
Normally, within 300 meters of the town walls, dozens of hidden explosive pearls were buried—far more destructive than landmines. Without guidance, entering would be nearly impossible.
"The hearts of the people belong to Great Yi."Mao Sui smiled with confidence.
From the townspeople's reactions, it was clear: there was no hostility toward Great Yi. On the contrary, there was admiration—perhaps even longing. It was an ideal start.
"Mao Sui, Minister of Rites of Great Yi, greets Lord Chen. This Cloud Emerge Town, under your leadership, is truly a paradise for our people."
As he entered, Mao Sui's eyes swept over the surroundings. Though it couldn't compare to the immortal cities of Great Yi, the infrastructure was complete. Clearly, Chen Zhixian was a capable administrator.