Endless Winter: My Camp Upgrades Infinitely Chapter 1211 - 406: The True Strength of Great Xia—Shock and Awe, Intimidation, and Postwar Reckoning (Part 6)

Bang.........

Hongmen City plunged into total silence in that instant, yet it was as though the hearts of all its inhabitants had detonated all at once.

Beishuo possesses a remarkably unique standing!

For starters, it ranks among the Northern Three Towns; moreover, it's widely accepted as the most powerful of these three, and bolstered by Lord Yang Zun, who has for ages claimed the crown as the premier expert across the Nine Towns, Beishuo firmly dominates the other Eight Towns within the South Slope of Moao Mountain.

Ever since Great Xia's Hongmen launched in July, certain voices have dubbed Great Xia the foremost town on the South Slope of Moao Mountain, though deep down, folks recognize this as mere scheming by agitators. Without question, the true leading town remains Beishuo.

Yet now, ever since Yang Zun personally unveiled the concealed facts surrounding the demise of those Three Towns Chamber of Commerce members and then offered a bow to Xia Hong,

The accolade of top expert in the Nine Towns, the premier town of the South Slope of Moao Mountain—

Both honors have decisively shifted ownership!

Xia Hong remained silent, and the Lords of the Six Towns refrained from straightening up; they persisted in their mid-air bows directed at him.

This spectacle is bound to engrave itself indelibly in the memories of those watching from below, destined to echo through the South Slope of Moao Mountain for countless years to come.

Already, numerous artists in South City were buzzing with excitement, furiously sketching the scene unfolding overhead with their brushes.

.........

"Looks like Brother Yang is well-informed!"

Xia Hong paid no heed to the sentiments stirring among the onlookers below. Upon catching Yang Zun's remarks, he fixed a piercing gaze upon him right away.

He sensed that Yang Zun probably realized those individuals weren't slain by Great Xia, and that his true aim was to operate under false pretenses.

"Lord Cao, Lord Long, did you catch what Brother Yang just mentioned?"

Neither Cao Qianyang nor Long Mingyuan were dimwits; Yang Zun's statement prompted them to knit their brows without delay, clearly detecting an oddity.

However, with Xia Hong inquiring now, they dared not dwell on it and promptly inclined their heads in submission before replying.

"I believe Lord Yang Zun's point is valid."

"This incident is truly suspicious; we need a full probe to uncover the actual perpetrator!"

Though the pair might not have grasped the full picture, under these conditions, they had no luxury for prolonged reflection.

Xia Hong grasped this perfectly. A grin spread across his face, laced with arrogance, as he declared: "Now that you've grasped this logic, I've got no further words—let me speak plainly. If I genuinely sought to eliminate them, forget those from the Three Towns Chamber of Commerce; even all twelve of you..."

Here, Xia Hong halted abruptly, a chilling smirk curling his lips, before he pressed on, "The deaths of the Three Towns Chamber of Commerce members demand a complete inquiry. Within ten days, your six towns are to transport every one of those bodies to Hongmen City. Great Xia shall handle the examination. You'll provide personnel to assist, and in the end, should it prove Yuan Cheng, Qiu Peng, and Yuwen Dao were the culprits, I'll offer a full accounting to all Nine Towns. And if it's revealed as a setup by another party, then don't fault Great Xia for showing no mercy!"

With those final three words, Xia Hong issued a sharp huff, then whipped his gaze across South City.

The more than ten thousand Cold Resistance Level folks down there harbored no secrets in their consciences, but the moment they felt Xia Hong's stare possibly sweeping past, an involuntary tremor gripped them.

Having surveyed the masses below, Xia Hong lifted his eyes to the Lords of the Six Towns, noting their lingering unease, and with a casual flick of his hand, he chuckled, "Relax, no need for tension. Back at the Hongmen Banquet's close in late April, I stated that Great Xia's push past the Xing River's north bank aimed to merge into the South Slope Territory of Moao—we never planned to clash with the towns. You trust that now, don't you?"

In late April, Xia Hong had voiced this, when most had brushed it off, particularly Duan Hong, who dismissed it as mere bluster.

But at this juncture, revisiting those words, they glanced up at the twelve Beast Kings hovering above, their gazes free of skepticism, and they all gave affirming nods.

"Hongmen City's inauguration moves forward without change, and commerce with the Six Towns persists as well. With Lord Yang Zun laying it all out today, the blockade on trade with Beishuo lifts too, allowing dealings with Great Xia to resume just like old times!"

Yang Zun's features stiffened briefly at Xia Hong's declaration, yet he swiftly formed a salute with his hands and inclined toward Xia Hong, "Lord Xia Hong's generosity leaves me impressed!"

Xia Hong dismissed it lightly with a wave, then grinned and added, "Generosity? It's merely practical business in the end. Great Xia profits from it, while sharing fine goods with the Eight Towns' residents—mutual benefit, so why resist? The mightier the Nine Towns' humans grow, the more secure the South Slope Territory becomes, letting Great Xia thrive steadily. Wouldn't you agree?"

"Absolutely, spot on!"

"Lord Xia Hong's insights have opened my eyes."

"Great Xia's presence is a true boon for the Nine Towns' populace."

.........

As the Lords of the Six Towns showered him with acclaim, Xia Hong's grin widened further; after several nods, he cast his sight downward to the Ministry Building, a hint of reluctance crossing his face as he shook his head softly and addressed the group, "Today's actions by the Six Towns have inflicted real damage on Great Xia!

Thirty thousand soldiers devouring Sunlight Pills, more than a thousand massive silver arrows fired from the Divine Machine Crossbow, plus the effort and supplies poured into assembling such a vast force, naturally..."

After enumerating these damages, Xia Hong cut off suddenly, his countenance turning grave as he jabbed a finger at Chui Mountain Town's Mu Longhe, his voice icing over, "Army Chief Mu came perilously close to slaying two of Great Xia's folk; I'm afraid he won't exit Hongmen City on his own feet today!"