Chapter 1974: Dragon God's True Gift

Tu Shanfang rubbed his ear. "I wonder when I'll be able to go back. I hope my children grow up quickly so they can support their mother."

"The battlefield is merciless, and swords and spears have no eyes. There's also an old saying: 'He who kills will eventually be killed.' Aren't you afraid, Brother Tu, that one day..."

"I'm already a fire captain, commanding nine soldiers; if I stick it out for a few more months, I might even become a squad leader." Tu Shanfang counted on his fingers as he explained. "If I die on the battlefield, my family will receive a large sum of compensation, a truly huge sum! As long as they don't get swindled, they could live comfortably for thirty years. If they also buy some paddy fields and shops, my grandchildren wouldn't have to worry about food or drink."

Before, he was a loafer, living a dangerous life, unable to feed himself, and never dared to think about the future. Now that he had an opportunity, he wanted to secure assets for his family.

Where there is hope, there is direction.

Fan Shuang watched him sit there, eagerly planning for his own death, yet his eyes were full of vitality and hope. "Brother Fan, look at my worthless life. It's good to be alive, of course, but there's no harm in dying either. How cost-effective is it to fight for the Dragon God?"

He raised his left hand, wiggling four fingers. "They all said I was a born rotten apple, but where was the right path for me in this world? I tried countless times, but it never ended well. It wasn't until I joined the Black Armored Army that these hundred-odd pounds of mine became somewhat useful! Once inside, I realized that in the Black Armored Army then, and the Dragon God Army later, there were countless people just like me, too many to count! Every single one was a desperate soul no one cared for, living felt meaningless, and dying would even earn applause."

Fan Shuang sighed, listening. "Yes, this damned world!"

"But when we fight for the Dragon God, people actually respect us and admire us. That's when we realize we can still do something with... with..." He stumbled over his words.

Fan Shuang finished his sentence for him: "Value."

"Yes, something valuable," Tu Shanfang said, half-mockingly. "I just hope that if I die in battle, my wife will be willing to bring the children to burn some paper money for me. And my old mother can tell everyone that her third son wasn't a good-for-nothing; he sacrificed himself for the Dragon God."

Fan Shuang nodded, his eyes strangely warm.

Carried away by his enthusiasm, Tu Shanfang also raised his hand to pour Fan Shuang a cup of tea. "What's bad about fighting? When we fight, the Dragon God is happy, the common people are happy, I'm happy, and my family is happy too."

"What's bad about the Dragon God, you ask? As soon as he arrived, the people of Miancheng had work, money to receive, and food to eat... Most of them rarely got paid on time before!" He let out a breath. "Brother Fan, you are a Yao person; you don't know how hard the Shanjin people I've seen have it. My own children only ate meat once in four years, and that was when I went home! I bought a huge piece of meat, bigger than my face, and as soon as it was cooked and brought to the table—three, two, one, gone. But in the past few months, look how many people in Miancheng have new clothes and new shoes, look how many children in Miancheng have bought candy!"

"If they didn't know how good the Dragon God is, why would they train so diligently under me?" Tu Shanfang scoffed. "I've been a bandit, and I've also served in armies under other city lords. Those soldiers were no different from common thugs or bandits—undisciplined and disorganized, unwilling to pledge loyalty to anyone or defend anyone; they just drifted through life."

"I know, because that's how I used to be," Tu Shanfang said, raising his cup and draining it. "Until I joined the Black Armored Army."

Fan Shuang let out a heavy sigh. "Indeed, Emperor Jiuyou is remarkable. I see the Dragon God Temple in Miancheng is unusually prosperous, with so many worshippers coming and going daily that they're almost wearing down the threshold."

Inside and outside the Dragon God Temple, there were countless devout believers kneeling for extended periods, prostrating themselves. "In Tianshui City, such a grand sight was only ever seen at the main temple of Miaozhantian."

Listening to Tu Shanfang's words, Fan Shuang finally understood what the Dragon God truly brought to ordinary people.

It was opportunity—the chance to live a decent life. It was direction—a solitary lamp in the dark night, following which one could escape the man-eating swamp of mud. It was also a sense of peace, knowing that their journey in this world was, after all, worthwhile. This was the Dragon God's true gift to the Shanjin Plain.

Fan Shuang also realized that he had never truly understood He Xiao. What kind of person could inspire such unwavering loyalty in desperate, hardened individuals, evoke profound gratitude from strangers, and transform a disorganized rabble into elite soldiers?

Tu Shanfang had only been in the Black Armored Army for just over a year, yet he already possessed such combat prowess and understanding. So, what kind of qualities would the elite Black Armored soldiers personally trained by He Xiao himself possess?

In a daze, he probably understood why the Black Armored Army had been able to sweep across Shanjin before. He Xiao's army and the disorganized scattered soldiers on Shanjin were simply not on the same level, neither in terms of cohesion nor combat ability! If Emperor Jiuyou could train his Dragon God Army, and even the local garrisons, to be like this, then what chance would his enemies have?

Just then, several fireworks suddenly shot up into the sky nearby, accompanied by a sharp whistle. The two men were sitting by the window and saw it clearly. It was outside the city gate!

Tu Shanfang abruptly stood up. "Enemy attack!"

Fan Shuang's expression changed dramatically. "This, this is...?"

"It can only be Guo Baiyu, but he..." It was too late for doubts now. Tu Shanfang pointed toward the government office. "Brother Fan, quickly return to the office! They'll be assigning personnel and mobilizing supplies in the city soon!" With that, he hurried away.

Fan Shuang had planned to go home and meet his parents, but hearing Tu Shanfang, he froze. That's right, he was Miancheng's registrar; when war broke out, he would have to help record the influx and outflow of supplies. He hesitated for a moment until two more fireworks soared into the sky outside the city. Only then did he pay someone to take a message to his family, and he rushed to the government office himself.

Outside the city gate, flames blazed skyward. The Fan family finally experienced the tension of war firsthand. Amidst the roaring cannons, County Governor Huang Chengqi personally stood on a high platform to give a motivational speech. Even from a distance, Fan Shuang could hear his hoarse voice: "We've only had a few days of full meals, only a few good days! If we abandon the city and flee, we'll once again be forced to leave our homes and wander destitute. If Miancheng is breached by Guo Baiyu, we'll be like fish on a chopping block, to be slaughtered cleanly by him! The only thing we can do is take up arms and defend Miancheng!" Subsequently, personnel and supplies were channeled to the city gate in a steady stream. The city's inhabitants also mobilized, transporting materials, crafting feathered arrows, cooking food, and even preparing 'golden fluid' to injure the enemy. Soldiers and civilians alike were working feverishly.

According to the city gate guards who had just been relieved, Guo Baiyu's army outside the city numbered at least six to seven thousand, completely surrounding Miancheng! Six to seven thousand—that was more than triple the number of defenders inside the city!