Chapter 431: The Northern Monster State's "Open Plot"

As if sensing He Lingchuan’s gaze, Zhong Shengguang turned and flicked him a look that was as sharp as lightning.

Just then, the hall doors opened again. Several civil officials and military officers filed in, and behind them came a spellcaster.

Wen Daolun, Helian Chen, and General Nanke were all familiar faces to He Lingchuan. They were practically old acquaintances by now.

“Everyone’s here.” Zhong Shengguang nodded to the spellcaster, who immediately produced a long-handled mirror and lifted it high.

The handle and frame were made of pink gold, exhibiting passionflower patterns. Two deep-red gemstones were set into the rim; the design was exaggerated and lavish to the point of extravagance.

But inside the frame was not an ordinary mirror surface; it was an eyeball!

Yes, a single enormous yellow eye, nearly two-thirds of a meter in diameter, with a vertical slit pupil like a crocodile’s or a cat’s.

Honestly, an eyeball detached from any body and still darting around—up, down, left, right—was terrifying enough.

Worse, its gaze felt malicious, especially when it fixed on you.

He Lingchuan’s skin prickled with goosebumps.

Luckily, the huge eye stared at him for less than a second before moving on to the next person.

After a few dozen breaths of this, the eye showed no reaction. Only then did the spellcaster put it away and bow to Zhong Shengguang.

“The Dharma Eye[1] inspection is complete, everyone’s clean.”

It was only then that He Lingchuan realized what the eye was even for. It turned out that the eye was checking whether anyone carried a listening artifact or had been tagged with some surveillance-type divine technique.

And if He Lingchuan’s eyeball spider had been inside the room, it probably would not have survived that inspection either.

Once the spellcaster left, He Lingchuan went and shut the door, planting himself in front of it so his body blocked the entrance.

Zhong Shengguang pointed at the sand table. “Regarding West Luo’s resettlement decree, this is our second closed-door meeting. Last time there were seven attendees. We unanimously agreed we should not return east. Today, I want to hear more opinions.”

He Lingchuan froze.

𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

So the rumor that West Luo issued a resettlement decree is actually real?

General Nanke immediately spoke up, “I just came back from the western front. Has that resettlement decree already reached Panlong City?”

“Not yet.” Zhong Shengguang shook his head. “As far as I know, the decree hasn’t been issued. The monarch is still wavering.”

“In other words, he can’t make up his mind.” General Nanke sneered. “Then why is the Panlong Wasteland already in an uproar about it? Who’s spreading it? Round them up and teach them a lesson.”

Someone else added, “Spreading an unverified claim is rumor-mongering. It should be prosecuted as malicious incitement.”

In Panlong City, that counted as a serious crime. In severe cases, tongues were cut out. In wartime, nothing was more feared than the shaking of military morale and public resolve.

Helian Chen lifted a hand. “The news came in with traveling merchants. It started spreading four or five days ago. It’s possible that someone is deliberately pushing it, but we also haven’t issued a denial. People are speculating.”

The resettlement decree was still stuck in the monarch’s hands, yet merchants were already telling everyone that Panlong City’s army and civilians would soon return east. It was hard to believe no one was fanning the flames behind the scenes. Now, Panlong City was trapped in a bind.

If they denied it, and the monarch later did issue the resettlement decree, then the “rumor” would become truth, and Zhong Shengguang’s authority would take a hit.

If they did not deny it, then the rumor would keep swelling, directly undermining hearts and minds.

Everyone knew Panlong City’s frightening combat strength came from unity. If that foundation cracked, the consequences would be catastrophic.

Zhong Shengguang nodded. “So you all believe we shouldn’t go back east?”

Another general, whom He Lingchuan vaguely remembered to be called Ling Zhongshui, stood up and pointed at the sand table. “Even if the State of Baling opens the Jinxi Corridor for us, the journey back is still hundreds of kilometers at minimum. Moreover, large stretches of that corridor are rough terrain, making it perfect for an ambush. With an opportunity this good, do you seriously expect those Baling bastards not to pounce? If we’re hauling old folks and children, we’ll be stretched thin front to back. We won’t be able to fight the way we do now!”

Panlong City’s army dominated the wasteland in no small part because it fought efficiently, moving like the wind, striking before the enemy could react.

If the entire city migrated east, especially if multiple auxiliary cities moved with it as well, then millions of people would be exposed in open country, each one a walking target. No matter how fierce Panlong City’s army was, it could not protect them all.

And after years of fighting, Baling and Xianyou had accumulated a blood feud with Panlong City. Given this chance, would they really restrain themselves?

It was like telling a rabbit not to eat grass.

“If the monarch truly issues the resettlement decree and we refuse to obey, what will the people of the wasteland think?” said a middle-aged scholar. “At least eight hundred thousand people in the Panlong Wasteland trace their roots to the inland provinces. They’ve held the enemy back for sixteen years. People are sick of war. Otherwise, a resettlement decree that hasn’t even been issued yet wouldn’t cause this much turmoil.”

His skin was dark, and his eyes were bright. He Lingchuan found him faintly familiar, but he could not quite recall who he was.

Where have I seen him before?

“Deputy Commander Zhao, your opinion on this?”

At the mention of the surname Zhao, He Lingchuan jolted.

There was only one Zhao among Panlong City’s top leadership, and that was Deputy Commander Zhao Xianhe!

Not long ago, under the Divine Descent Pillar, He Lingchuan had killed Zhao Xianhe’s beloved son, Zhao Rong, and it had been on Zhao Xianhe’s own command, no less. It had been a ruthless act of putting the greater good above family.

Zhao Xianhe’s face was unreadable as he spoke, “The last resettlement decree West Luo issued to Panlong City ended badly. We lost forty thousand elite troops, thirty thousand civilians, and Lord Jing. But this time, the situation is different. The motherland is under attack by rebels, and the capital is in danger. The northern monster state is willing to send reinforcements to assist West Luo’s court army in suppressing the rebels around Heshun. In exchange, it wants to mediate the conflict between us and Baling and Xianyou. In other words, they want to bring the Panlong residents back and hand this land over to those two neighboring states.”

“Then may I take it that Lord Zhao sees the monster state’s terms as reasonable? Those old monsters stir up trouble everywhere. They want the world in chaos. Why would they ever mean well by us?” General Nanke then added coldly, “And Panlong Wasteland is our territory. Why should we just hand it over to Baling and Xianyou?”

“You think anyone here doesn’t know that?” Zhao Xianhe’s expression remained unreadable. “I’m only suggesting we prepare two plans. If resettlement or relocation becomes unavoidable, what do we do then?”

Ling Zhongshui crossed his arms. “If we don’t relocate, what can they do to us?”

“Public will can’t be defied. If we refuse to move, we must explain the stakes and persuade the people. Otherwise, will we still be able to continue putting up a stand?” Zhao Xianhe shook his head. “It’s even entirely possible that Baling and Xianyou want us to refuse. In that scenario, they can then use the issue to split public sentiment.”

If you went against the people, no matter how righteous your reasons sounded, they would ring hollow.

“And if they see this trick works, what then when they use it again a while later?” Zhao Xianhe continued, “If we refuse every time the monarch tells us to relocate, then after a few rounds of that, do you think the citizens won’t start fleeing on their own?”

The road home was perilous, but at least it held hope.

As long as hope existed, there would be people who would gamble everything.

If hearts were set on returning, could you truly stop every single person, without a leak?

Once a few slipped away and set an example, then private eastward escapes would become a trend and would be impossible to contain.

Wen Daolun let out a heavy sigh. “In the art of war, attacking the heart is supreme.”

If Panlong City could no longer unite as one, its fighting strength would drop immediately.

The Red General had been silent the whole time. Helian Chen finally asked her, “What does the Red General think?”

Her voice was icy as she said, “First, West Luo’s monarch does not want Zhong Shengguang to return. West Luo has never dared to summon us home all these years because it fears that Panlong City’s tiger-and-wolf army could turn its fangs toward the capital.”

The monarch distrusted every feudal lord, and the homeland’s current chaos was largely because those lords had risen in revolt. If the monarch called Panlong City’s army back, it would be like driving a tiger through the front gate to swallow a wolf.

Suppose the wolf got eaten, fine. But what did you do about the tiger that was now inside your house?

The Panlong army was stronger than any feudal lord’s forces.

And in the worst case, if Zhong Shengguang used the return as an opportunity to rebel, to seize territory, to proclaim himself, or once again force the court’s hand, then the feudal lord problem would become even more disastrous. West Luo’s monarch would regret it until his intestines turned green.

So the monarch would rather consider foreign assistance than dare recall Zhong Shengguang.

Foreign troops had no roots in West Luo. People naturally feared and rejected them. They could not easily win hearts.

Everyone present understood all of this.

The Red General swept her gaze around the room. “Second, do you want to go back?”

The question landed like a stone in a well.

No one spoke.

He Lingchuan, silent at the back, felt like giving her a thumbs-up. Excellent question!

Everyone at this table belongs to Panlong City’s upper echelon. They were powerful, influential, and living at the very top of the pyramid. For more than a decade, they had invested in Panlong City, built fortunes here, and tied their deepest interests to this place.

If they left, they lost the most.

That was human nature. It had nothing to do with whether they were incorruptible or not.

What benefit did returning east bring them? Back in West Luo, everything was uncertain. Their existing holdings would shrink overnight, and their wealth would devalue.

The Panlong Wasteland was vast, the Chipa Highland was rich in resources, and the population was enormous. What was so bad about staying?

Then came the Red General’s third, soul-piercing question, “So who is it that actually wants to go back?”

It was the common people who had been relocated from the inland provinces and now longed to return home, and the younger generation, curious about their homeland and imagining what it might be like.

The Red General continued, “The northern monster state thinks it’s laid down an open plot, that we have no choice, but in truth, we don’t need to choose at all.”

“We don’t need to choose?” General Nanke stared. “You mean we sit still and pretend we never received a resettlement decree? But that’s still a choice.”

Doing nothing was itself a stance.

Wen Daolun’s brow had been furrowed the whole time, and it was only now that he spoke, “I think the Red General means that we need to step outside the monster state’s frame. We can’t keep deciding only between staying and leaving.”

General Nanke scoffed and said, “Old Wen, don’t play games with words. Millions of people either go or stay. You’re telling me there’s a third option?”

“We’ve all been led down General Zhao’s ditch,” Wen Daolun said, turning to Zhong Shengguang. “We keep thinking about how to respond if the resettlement decree comes down, but if the monarch never issues the order, then none of this happens.”

Zhong Shengguang looked at him. “We’re thousands of kilometers from the capital. How do we influence the monarch’s decision?”

The Red General stepped to the sand table and drew her sword, pointing straight at it. “West Luo’s monarch is indecisive and changes his mind again and again. We can’t afford to wait. Hence, Panlong City will make the decision for him.”

We’ll make the decision?

Her following words struck like hammered iron, echoing in every ear, “Announce the mobilization of the entire army to the entire city, we are fighting our way back!”

1. This eye represents one of the “Five Eyes,” symbolizing the enlightened ability to perceive the true nature of reality, understand the teachings or Dharma, and see through illusions. Also, it’s believed to be able to perceive the past and future. ☜