newbobooks Chapter 155 Forcing a Duck onto a Shelf
Chapter 155 Forcing a Duck onto a Shelf
That wasn't the icy chill transmitted along the threads of spiritual energy; it was a pain that pierced right into Ning Xiaoxi's bones.
She quickly retracted the silk thread. She wanted to go out and scout, but how could she get out like this? Wait, the scouts could go out; that half-human, half-demon hybrid was brought back by a scout. Could it be related to spiritual power? She had just used spiritual power to probe. It seemed she needed to find an opportunity to ask Shang Wei; he was the scout squad leader, he should have experience leaving the city, right?
"I'd rather be an official, I'd rather be an official!"
Ning Xiaoxi turned around in surprise. Cao Cao was here too!
"Captain Shang, what a coincidence!" Ning Xiaoxi looked at Shang Wu with a beaming smile. It was like a pillow being delivered to someone who was sleepy!
"Officer Ning, I came here specifically to see you. Commander Liao requests your presence." Shang Wu looked at Ning Xiaoxi with great pleasure.
Ning Xiaoxi tucked her hands into her sleeves and looked at Shang Wu. This guy was a scout, not a messenger; his special invitation to her probably wasn't for anything good. She suddenly remembered what Shang Wu had said when they first met: the Heavenly Scriptures had relayed a message that she was skilled in defensive fortifications. Ning Xiaoxi blinked. Really? Really? Really?
"Ning Shuguan, Ning Shuguan?" Before Ning Xiaoxi could reply, seeing her in a daze, he couldn't help but call out twice more.
"Huh? Ah!" Ning Xiaoxi had just finished reviewing her skills; her crafting was only at the intermediate level. She wondered if the advanced level would allow her to build defensive fortifications. "Captain Shang, isn't Commander Liao very busy? Does he have something to say to me?"
He got excited when the topic came up: "The lord said he would like to ask the Ning officials to take a look at our defensive fortifications. Since there are no sieges this year, we can complete the renovations in our spare time."
Helpless, as expected, Ning Xiaoxi maintained her smile. The reputation Tianji had built for her was now crumbling, and Tuanzi wasn't doing her any favors. How was she supposed to carry it all? "Let's go then."
Before anyone could happily lead the way, Ning Xiaoxi wanted to find out some information, so she asked, "Captain Shang."
"Just call me Shang Wu, my subordinate." Shang Wu seemed to notice Ning Xiaoxi's slow pace and slowed down as well.
Ning Xiaoxi felt that the border scout was different from the Taoist priest she had met before. They were not in the same system as her. She didn't know if getting too close to him would have any impact on him, so it was better to keep some distance for the time being. "Captain Shang, you're too kind. I have plans to leave the North City soon and would like to ask you about the situation outside the city."
Shang Wu stopped, looking at Ning Xiaoxi with a serious expression. "Officer Ning, the area outside the north city is a desolate wasteland. When the demons attacked, the corpses were burned on the spot. Over the years, this has raised the height of the entire outer city wall by two zhang." Seemingly afraid of frightening Ning Xiaoxi, yet also worried she wouldn't understand the danger, he carefully explained the extent of the danger to her. "Beyond the Mangshan area, for nearly a thousand li, it's all plains, barren of grass, birds, beasts, snakes, and insects—no signs of life whatsoever. The Celestial Masters of the Celestial Masters Pavilion almost never leave the city without a demon leader. Officer Ning, who are you?"
Ning Xiaoxi listened very carefully. To understand such details, he must have at least been out before. "How far can our scouts go?"
Shang Wu frowned slightly, knowing that what he had just said had not dispelled Ning Xiaoxi's idea. "Ten years ago, when Banhu attacked the city, the captain of the scout team went out of the city a hundred miles to spy on the military situation. He died three days after returning to the city due to his weak body."
A hundred li? Ning Xiaoxi frowned as well. A mere hundred li? "Captain Shang, does this area only cover the area outside Fufang County, or the entire border defense line?"
Without a second thought, he glanced around cautiously, then said, "The entire territory."
Ning Xiaoxi walked forward silently, with no one following behind her.
A question suddenly occurred to me: "Are semi-finished goods unaffected by the environment?"
"I'm not quite sure about that." Shang Wu had never thought about this question before. "When Ban Huo attacked the city last time, I had just joined the border army and was mainly responsible for the wounded soldiers inside the city. We never took prisoners during sieges. After the war, we would collect the bodies of the soldiers and Ban Huo and cremate them outside the city. In fact, there weren't many wounded soldiers. Even if they were sent back, no matter how badly they were injured, they wouldn't live more than two days. Once they died, their bodies would also be sent outside the city." Shang Wu's voice was very soft.
Ning Xiaoxi listened very carefully, and she was very grateful that no one was willing to tell her these things. "Do you know whether all those who attacked the city were killed or whether some remnants escaped back?"
"I don't know."
Neither of them spoke after that.
Di Kui has only been in Fu Fang for a year, and he won't risk leaving the city unless there are demons causing trouble. This place is only a temporary base, and he doesn't need to investigate too much. According to records, no demons have appeared for thirty years, yet the attacks from Ban Huo still occur. Clearly, demons and Ban Huo are not necessarily linked. Di Kui won't do something that's thankless and difficult.
As the garrison commander, Liao Wenju must be familiar with the situation outside the city. The human race cannot venture too far from the city, and the enemy is launching a continuous attack, making it impossible to completely eliminate them in one go, which will ultimately remain a hidden danger.
It was only because of this silly girl who had suddenly appeared out of nowhere that he couldn't easily stop her, as he wasn't an official under the local official. He could only try to make things convenient for her. Liao Wenju also wanted more information to report and earn merit, so he also made things convenient for her. However, neither of them explicitly warned her about the dangers outside the city.
A faint smile spread across Ning Xiaoxi's face.
This time, Liao Wenju personally greeted Ning Xiaoxi at the entrance of the barracks.
"Oh dear, Mr. Ning, I'm so sorry to trouble you again," Liao Wenju greeted him very politely.
"Lord Liao, you are too kind. I will do my best to help you, Lord Tianji." In any case, since I am here, I might as well make the best of it. "Lord Liao, if it is convenient, I would like to go up to the city wall and take a look."
Unlike yesterday, when he was fully armored, Liao Wenju was only wearing casual clothes today, and he looked much thinner. Up close, there was a scar on his cheek, the mark less noticeable, suggesting it was an old wound. "Haha, Commander Ning is truly straightforward. Come on, let's go take a look."
Walk along the road at the entrance of the barracks to the city wall, then walk west along the city wall to the stairs leading up to the city wall.
"Our city wall is almost two hundred years old now. In the early years after it was built, it was frequently renovated. It's been better recently, as it hasn't undergone any major repairs for decades," Liao Wenju said as he walked up the wall.
Ning Xiaoxi listened without saying anything useful. The steps were indeed very worn, with patches of broken or dented material that had been repaired, and engravings deliberately made on the smooth blue brick surface to prevent slipping. The colors of the steps varied in shade. Ning Xiaoxi tilted her head slightly; the stairs didn't even have a handrail. Although it was large enough for four people to walk side-by-side, wouldn't it be dangerous to run up and down during wartime?