Steady Cultivation: Starting With the Perk “Work Hard, Rest Hard” Chapter 628: Black Flame City Under Siege

"Urgent report! Extremely urgent report!"

A vital message was swiftly dispatched to the City Lord's estate within Black Flame City.

All three Deputy City Lords hastened their steps, making their way to the presence of the Old City Lord.

"City Lord, a highly unusual situation has developed!" declared one Deputy City Lord, who oversaw military affairs, his voice laced with anxiety.

The Old City Lord, maintaining his usual composure, inquired, "What is the matter?"

"Just moments ago, the invading Scavengers experienced a profound shift. Four of the high-ranking Scavengers inexplicably broke away from the main group and are now hurtling towards Black Flame City at maximum velocity! This contingent comprises three individuals of the forty-fifth tier and one of the forty-sixth tier! Their speed is astonishingly high; Black Flame City will be within their reach in a very short time!"

Upon receiving this alarming news, the Old City Lord's brow immediately creased.

"Has the situation escalated to this dire point?" The Old City Lord turned his gaze to Jia Jicheng. "Has the anticipated support from the Second Frontline arrived?"

Jia Jicheng delivered a negative response. "Based on the prior circumstances, reinforcements should have reached us before the primary Scavenger swarm. However, with these recent developments, their arrival in time is now impossible!"

The Old City Lord's expression grew somber.

"Issue the immediate command: the entire army, prepare for an all-out defense!"

"Understood!"

Without delay, all three Deputy City Lords sprang into action.

Black Flame City rapidly transitioned into a state of complete combat readiness.

The formidable city gates commenced their slow descent!

Along the ramparts, soldiers rapidly assumed their designated positions; the entire army, numbering a million strong, assembled and stood at the ready.

The thousands of War Regiments, both large and small, that were affiliated with Black Flame City also received official summons one after another and ascended the city walls!

Lin Feng and his companions, having recently enlisted in a War Regiment, found themselves compelled to join the ranks on the walls.

"What is happening?" Zhou Hao inquired, his voice tinged with nervousness, from Captain Liu Shi.

"High-tier Scavengers are launching an assault!" Liu Shi responded, his expression grave.

Zhou Hao's countenance also became serious. "How many Scavengers are involved in this attack?"

Observing the immense concentration of soldiers and the multitude of War Regiment members positioned on the walls, he sensed that a colossal battle was imminent.

A mix of apprehension and exhilaration coursed through him; this was undeniably poised to be a grand, epic confrontation.

"As per the official intelligence gathered, there are only four Scavengers participating in this offensive!"

"Four?" Zhou Hao was taken aback, his preceding heroic spirit instantly evaporating. "That's all?"

Captain Liu Shi shook his head. "Do you perceive this as favorable news? If they were merely ordinary Scavengers, would Black Flame City mobilize to such an extent?"

"The lowest-ranking among the attacking Scavengers is of the forty-fifth tier, and one is of the forty-sixth tier!"

Upon hearing these figures, Zhou Hao first drew a sharp, cold breath before posing the question, "Can merely four Scavengers truly pose a threat that necessitates laying siege to a city?"

Liu Shi let out a sigh. "Indeed, you will comprehend the gravity of the situation when the time comes. This promises to be an arduous conflict! Prepare yourselves for the potential destruction of the city and our demise!"

Zhou Hao's pupils constricted drastically. This time, he was confronting the reality of the situation with genuine seriousness.

The gravity of the news rapidly permeated the expanse of the city walls. The vast numbers of soldiers and War Regiment members engaged in ceaseless discussion.

However, as a solitary figure materialized, the burgeoning commotion along the walls was swiftly quelled.

The Old City Lord, whose presence had been absent for a considerable period, made his appearance high above Black Flame City.

"Esteemed citizens, I am Yan Feng, the City Lord of Black Flame City. I surmise you are all cognizant of the enemy's composition: three at the forty-fifth tier and one at the forty-sixth tier! This represents a formidable cadre of Scavengers, posing a mortal peril to Black Flame City! Pray, do not succumb to panic!"

The Old City Lord's voice resonated with an aura of unwavering confidence. "Black Flame City boasts a venerable history. The number of siege battles it has endured amounts to no less than eight thousand, perhaps even ten thousand. Among these, the most perilous circumstances were tenfold more challenging than the present situation! Yet, on every single occasion, Black Flame City stood resilient! This time shall be no different!"

"Black Flame City is protected by a potent defensive formation. Its protective capabilities extend to the sixtieth tier! A mere forty-sixth-tier Scavenger would stand no conceivable chance of breaching Black Flame City's formidable defenses. Should they dare to approach Black Flame City, I guarantee they shall depart from whence they came, never to return!"

The Old City Lord's pronouncements served as a powerful inspiration. The individuals in positions of authority, who had been experiencing a degree of unease, found themselves placated.

So, Black Flame City was indeed this secure after all!

Nevertheless, those with extensive experience were acutely aware that the most formidable characteristic of Scavengers lay in their innate ability to attract their own kind. If Scavengers are not neutralized with promptness, they will invariably draw more and more of their brethren to congregate. The longer the engagement persists, the more perilous Black Flame City inherently becomes."

Jia Jicheng stood atop the city ramparts, clutching a command token. His eyes diligently scanned the walls, both high and low, in a persistent search for the elusive forty-fifth-tier powerhouse. Alas, after multiple rounds of searching, not even a fleeting glimpse was caught.

"He must be within the city limits," Jia Jicheng mused.

Moments ticked by, then three days elapsed. Four figures materialized on the fringes of Black Flame City.

The forty-sixth-tier Scavenger captain, a colossal entity resembling a mountain titan, loomed within the void, its presence radiating an immense pressure. Its head tilted back, unleashing a deafening roar that sent powerful sound waves rippling outwards.

What followed astonished the Dominators observing from the city walls. In the distance, Scavengers, who had previously been merged with the void, began to coalesce. From an initial quartet, their numbers swelled to ten, then a hundred!

The Old City Lord, standing stoically on the wall, displayed no outward change in demeanor. This mobilization had been anticipated.

High-tier Scavengers possessed the innate ability to command lesser ones. With the forty-sixth-tier Scavenger's summons, nearly all Scavengers in the vicinity of Black Flame City converged. The horde rapidly exceeded a thousand strong.

"City Lord, shall we initiate a preemptive strike?" Jia Jicheng inquired.

"There's no need for haste. Regardless of their numbers, they remain low-tier Scavengers. It was previously advantageous that they were dispersed, making it difficult to eliminate them efficiently. Now that this high-tier Scavenger has marshaled them, it presents a valuable opportunity for us to eradicate them!"

Old City Lord Yan Feng remained remarkably composed. Jia Jicheng, grasping the strategic advantage, nodded in understanding.

Scavengers could periodically meld into the void, typically requiring dedicated War Regiment squads and soldier teams for gradual hunting. However, the prospect of a complete annihilation in one decisive action promised a significantly more tranquil and secure Black Flame City.

What appeared as a crisis was, in fact, an opportune moment for a large-scale cleanup.

As time marched on, the Scavenger numbers escalated at an astonishing pace, surging towards seven hundred thousand.

This staggering figure sent a jolt of unease through Jia Jicheng. He questioned if this was truly the same usually peaceful and quiet expanse surrounding Black Flame City. The sheer magnitude of Scavengers lurking undetected nearby was utterly terrifying!

This phenomenon underscored the very purpose of establishing cities – they served as strategic 'traps' designed to lure Scavenger congregations. By concentrating a vast number of Chaos Dominators, cities inadvertently attracted large numbers of Scavengers, preventing them from indiscriminately infesting the Chaos.

Upon reaching seven hundred thousand, the rate of accumulation slowed considerably, with the final count stabilizing at eight hundred and fifty thousand.

Even so, a horde of eight hundred and fifty thousand remained an overwhelmingly daunting sight. The Old City Lord's expression grew notably more serious, and a flicker of doubt emerged within him; this number deviated significantly from initial expectations.

Despite the myriad thoughts swirling in his mind, the Old City Lord maintained an outward facade of serene composure, as tranquil as a gentle breeze and soft clouds, appearing completely unfazed by the immense tide of Scavengers before him.