Endless Winter: My Camp Upgrades Infinitely Chapter 1356 - 439: Hu Brothers Enter the City and Cai Yunzhou (3)

From Cai Qiu’s viewpoint, one might consider what would happen if other factions managed to breach the Bone-Eroding Path and seize control of Qinghua City...

"Those who are registered, use the main entrance. Those without, use the side door. Everyone, please form a line!"

While lost in thought, the convoy had already arrived at the base of the city gate.

It was night, and a considerable number of people were entering the city. As the soldiers at the gate issued their commands, the arriving populace gradually segregated into two distinct queues—one for those undergoing thorough checks at the main gate, and the other for individuals using the smaller side entrance.

The stark difference between those possessing household registration and those lacking it became apparent from this point onward.

The main gate of Qinghua City stood approximately thirty meters tall and twelve meters wide; it was spacious enough not only for people but also for cargo-laden iron wheel carts to pass through side-by-side.

The small gate, however, was rather peculiar. Situated adjacent to the main gate, it measured less than two meters in height and barely half a meter in width, allowing only a single person to pass at a time. Considering the city wall's substantial thickness, over thirty meters, an adult would need to stoop and bend considerably to navigate the passage, unless they were a child.

This wasn't necessarily intended as a direct humiliation; it was more likely Cai Qiu's deliberate method to underscore the value of household registration, perhaps with a calculated aim to further marginalize the inhabitants of Evergreen Valley.

Regardless, the incoming travelers seemed largely accustomed to this arrangement.

Observing this, the convoy naturally commenced lining up as well.

Hu Tiejiang and the others, who possessed the necessary registration, proceeded directly towards the main gate.

Meanwhile, concerning Xia Hong's group, Su Jing and his three siblings watched with growing unease as the five hired porters guided their carriage to line up at the main gate.

Being a porter is a profession typically undertaken by individuals of low social standing. These five porters had been engaged by them in Yakou Village.

Having observed Xia Hong's attire the previous night, these porters had mistakenly assumed that all five occupants of the carriage possessed registration. Consequently, without any inquiry, they had directed the carriage straight to the main gate queue.

The crux of the issue, however, was that all four individuals within the carriage, including Xia Hong herself, were, in fact, unregistered!

"Brother, this situation..."

Su Xu and his three siblings wore expressions of deep consternation. With only about fifty people ahead of them in the queue, realizing they would soon reach the front, they promptly sought guidance from Su Jing.

Su Jing turned his head to look towards the carriage, about to ask a question, when Xia Hong's voice emanated from within.

"There's no need to queue. Proceed directly ahead and enter the city!"

Su Jing and his siblings were immediately taken aback.

The five porters exhibited even greater surprise. After a moment's hesitation, they skillfully maneuvered the carriage out of the line and proceeded to charge directly towards the city gate from the side.

As Su Jing and his siblings observed numerous County Guard Army members positioned ahead, clearly prepared to intercept the carriage, they initially felt a pang of fear. However, gritting their teeth, they quickly followed.

"Are you deaf? You dog, get in line!"

A middle-aged man, dressed in the uniform of a general, positioned himself directly in front of the carriage. After a brief, scrutinizing glance at Su Jing and his siblings, his expression instantly shifted to one of irritation. He then pointed emphatically at the carriage and bellowed in rage.

The five porters flinched in unison, quickly making gestures as if to speak.

Pu chi......

However, before any words could be uttered, a cold, flashing projectile suddenly shot out from within the carriage, piercing directly through the general's forehead.

The middle-aged general's body froze abruptly. His face showed no reaction; he seemed utterly unaware of what had transpired. His slightly bewildered pupils rapidly dilated. Within a mere three breaths, his life had been extinguished, and he collapsed heavily onto the ground.

Bang...

The assembled crowd near the city gate, encompassing both those waiting to enter and the County Guard Army soldiers tasked with registration checks, were rendered utterly speechless.

"The captain has been killed?"

"He actually killed someone?"

......

"Enemy attack! City Guard Army, prepare yourselves!"

At someone's urgent cry, the County Guard Army soldiers finally snapped out of their stupor.

Bang!

Upon hearing the order, hundreds of County Guard Army soldiers responded. A burly general, adorned in green armor and wielding a massive axe, descended directly from atop the city gate. With a menacing grin etched on his face, he fixed his gaze upon the carriage housing Xia Hong.

"To dare commit murder within Qinghua City, such..."

"Scram!"

A thunderous roar erupted from the carriage, instantly unleashing a shockwave that rippled outwards around the city gate.

This shockwave was clearly not accidental. While others were merely pushed back, covering their ears, the green-armored general was directly propelled backward. He violently slammed into the city wall behind him, embedding himself two to three meters deep.

Pu!

"Senior, please spare my life! Senior, spare my life..."

The green-armored general, identified as Fang Tianhua, emerged from the embedded wall, spitting a mouthful of fresh blood. His eyes, now filled with absolute terror and shock, immediately dropped to his knees. He started pleading at the top of his lungs towards the carriage.

"Your Excellency, to target a junior with a Cold Resistance Level when you hold the status of Xianyang, such bullying is utterly disgraceful!"

A voice descended from above, causing Fang Tianhua to immediately cease speaking. His face lit up with joy, and he quickly rose, along with the hundreds of County Guard Army soldiers surrounding him, kneeling and bowing towards the sky.

"Welcome, City Lord!"

City Lord?

Those who were originally waiting to enter the city promptly followed suit, kneeling alongside the County Guard Army soldiers and collectively offering their salutations: "Welcome, City Lord!"

Su Jing and his siblings were visibly startled, instinctively preparing to kneel and pay homage. However, realizing something, they gritted their teeth and instead lifted their gazes to the sky.

Floating about fifty meters above the city gates was a figure clad in white.

He was a tall, somewhat slender middle-aged man dressed in white garments.

At first glance, his white attire did not seem monotonous; it wasn't a stark, piercing white, but rather resembled fresh snow reflecting the dawn's early glow, exuding a gentle, soft radiance that was inherently elegant and noble.

All his long black hair was gathered and tied with a silver crown adorned with Naga patterns. The edges of his collar and sleeves were embroidered with silver thread, forming lotus vine patterns, adding a touch of grace to the overall simplicity. A warm, lamb-white jade ring hung around his neck. His waist was cinched with a moon-white silk belt, from which dangled two circular jades, one pale and one green. The warm hue of the jades harmonized with the white clothing, lending an imperial air.

A moon-white longsword was sheathed at his waist. The man hung silently in the air, his robe like a cascading waterfall, his posture upright like a solitary pine amidst the snow – transcendent and sublime. It was difficult to fathom how such noble and ethereal qualities could be perfectly embodied in a single individual.

This was Cai Yunzhou, the second son of Bai Shui County's Prefectural Governor Cai Qiuhong, a third-generation descendant directly under Landgrave Cai Qiu, bearing the renowned title of Cai Qiu Sword Saint, and the City Lord of Qinghua City.

"Hmph!"

Just as Su Jing and his siblings felt an inexplicable sense of inferiority, Cai Yunzhou in the sky let out a cold snort.

Perhaps prompted by Xia Hong's silence within the carriage, or perhaps because the gazes of Su Jing and his siblings had offended him, Cai Yunzhou's cold snort stirred the surrounding air, transforming into two invisible, blade-like streaks that abruptly sliced downwards towards the carriage below.

Whoosh......

A surge of air emanated from the carriage, dissolving Cai Yunzhou's invisible blades and shielding Su Jing and his siblings. Simultaneously, it disintegrated the entire carriage into pieces.

With the carriage shattered, Xia Hong was revealed to everyone.

"I have traveled from afar as the princely heir; is this the hospitality extended by Cai Qiu?"

Xia Hong was attired in black summer clothing accented with silver thread inlays. Combined with the Naga pattern designs on his collar and cuffs, the visual impact was equally rich in quality. Although he wore no accessories and his crown was not as adorned as Cai Yunzhou's, his long black hair was neatly secured with a simple silver hairpin. Yet, that youthful and handsome face, paired with the casual smile playing on the corner of his mouth, conveyed an overall demeanor that surprisingly did not fall short of Cai Yunzhou's.

No, the confidence radiating from Xia Hong's brows even seemed to faintly surpass Cai Yunzhou's.

"Princely heir?"

"Could this be another descendant of the Landgrave?"

"Certainly, one can tell by his age; he's even younger than Lord Cai!"

......

And Cai Yunzhou, from the moment Xia Hong appeared, his expression had undergone a noticeable shift.