Cultivating in Different Professions

Chapter 206: Chapter 142: Turning the Tide

Outer City Commander.

This title appeared after Su Mu received the Command Token from the Inner City.

Originally, when he became a Taiping Captain, all his other posts had been superseded.

Su Mu had thought that a position with the Taiping Bureau was meant to be singular and exclusive. He never expected to suddenly gain the additional title of temporary Commander-in-Chief.

After mulling it over, he understood. The exclusivity of a Taiping Bureau position was also selective.

Some positions could be held concurrently.

For example, a wartime-appointed position like Outer City Commander.

Although Su Mu’s rank hadn’t changed, he had essentially accepted a temporary official assignment.

The duty of the temporary Commander-in-Chief was to lead the Outer City in resisting the Demon Tide.

The better he performed, the more performance points he would earn.

To put it simply, if he killed a demon, not only would his status as a Taiping Captain earn him performance points, but his status as temporary Commander-in-Chief would earn him another share of performance points.

One effort, double the rewards.

Su Mu couldn’t help but sigh. ’I must have been born to be a workhorse. Is it ever easy to earn a few performance points?’

Fortunately, while this temporary position didn’t come with any base Points, there was no upper limit to the performance points.

This was a clear difference from his other positions.

His normal position was like collecting a fixed salary. This temporary role was like being in charge of a solo project—the more the project earned, the bigger the bonus he, the project lead, would receive. Uncapped!

’What else is there to say?’

’For the sake of performance points, charge!’

Zhang Chenchen, Zhong Guizheng, Wei Bufan, and the others grabbed the ropes and climbed up the Outer City wall. When they looked back, they saw Su Mu still holding back the great tide of demons.

He was like a rock, firmly planted at the heart of the storm. Not a single demon could take another step forward.

"From now on, I’ll call him Brother Mengren."

Wei Bufan mumbled under his breath.

"Junior Brother Su, you can come back now!"

Just then, Zhang Chenchen had already gathered her qi and blood and was shouting at the top of her lungs.

Seeing that everyone had escaped safely, Su Mu also began to fight while retreating.

"Fire the arrows! Cover the Captain!"

Zheng Tu, Chen Song, and the others roared at the top of their lungs.

At that moment, the results of the Outer City’s Martial Artists’ training over the past few days became apparent.

The once-disorganized Martial Artists of the Outer City now looked somewhat well-trained. A portion of them methodically aimed and fired their Demon-Breaking Crossbows, while those without crossbows quickly prepared other siege defense equipment, ready to face the demons’ assault on the city.

This scene left Zhang Chenchen, Zhong Guizheng, and the others astonished.

"The City Lord’s Mansion didn’t do too bad this time. They sent the Inner City’s Elite City Defense Army?"

Seeing Su Mu retreat to the base of the wall and begin to climb, Wei Bufan breathed a sigh of relief and spoke.

"The Inner City didn’t send anyone. We’re all from the Outer City."

A passing Martial Artist commented casually.

"From the Outer City? Have I been in the mountains for too long? This is what the Outer City is like now?"

Wei Bufan was stunned.

"Or is Wuling City so rich now that even the Outer City has this many Demon-Breaking Crossbows?"

The people on the city wall were firing arrows without the slightest hesitation.

Every single one of those Demon-Breaking Crossbow Arrows costs a ton of silver.

"The Captain said that we must resist the Demon Tide at all costs."

Chen Song happened to walk up to them and explained seriously, "Besides, the Outer City doesn’t lack military funds. To deal with this beast tide, we’ve stockpiled two hundred thousand Demon-Breaking Crossbow Arrows."

"Two hundred thousand?"

Even Zhang Chenchen couldn’t help but be surprised. "As far as I know, the Outer City District’s annual tax revenue wouldn’t be enough to buy that many crossbow arrows."

"You may not know this, but the Captain—oh, I mean, Captain Su—"

Despite being busy, Chen Song quickly recounted what Su Mu had done before.

"Exchanging case files for money? One word for a piece of gold?"

It sounded like a fairytale to them.

"Brother Mengren... he’s a damn genius."

Wei Bufan was dumbfounded, finally unable to hold back his comment.

"Who’s a genius?"

Just then, Su Mu leaped lightly onto the top of the wall.

Compared to the other Taiping Captains, he didn’t look as battered, but the exhaustion on his face was hard to hide.

"Senior Brother Zhong, Senior Sister Zhang, are you all right?"

Su Mu greeted Zhong Guizheng and Zhang Chenchen. "Senior Brother Liu and Senior Brother Ding are both stationed over in the Inner City. You can head back to the Inner City first to recover.

I can’t talk any longer. The Demon Tide is too fierce, and I need to organize the defenses."

With that, he hurried away, shouting orders to the Outer City Martial Artists on the wall.

As a stream of commands flowed from his mouth, the rest of the Outer City’s Martial Artists rushed out from within the city.

"I never thought Junior Brother Su had this kind of skill."

Zhang Chenchen said with emotion, "He actually managed to mobilize all the Martial Artists in the Outer City. Looking at it this way, the Outer City might not fall after all."

"It’s impossible."

Zhong Guizheng said calmly, "This is only the first wave of the Demon Tide. Based on what we saw in the mountains, this Demon Tide is at least Tier Five.

Tier Two and Tier Three Demons haven’t appeared yet. If it’s just Tier One Demons, the Outer City can still hold.

But what about the Tier Two and Tier Three Demons?"

Zhang Chenchen fell silent.

A Tier Five Demon Tide... forget the Outer City, even the Inner City might not be able to withstand it.

If the Governor were here, we might stand a chance with the city’s siege weapons.

But the Governor just had to be away at the Headquarters.

"We need to get a message back to the Inner City first. Wuling City can’t fend off a Level 5 Demon Beast on its own. We have to request reinforcements."

Zhang Chenchen said.

Tier Two Demons are one thing, but Tier Three Demons are beings comparable to the True Essence Realm.

Above the Rebirth Realm, one cultivates their internal breath, transforms it into True Essence, and enters the True Essence Realm.

Within the Taiping Bureau, only the most powerful Governors, or the Commanders-in-Chief, are in the True Essence Realm.

The Wuling City Taiping Bureau Governor, Zhao Poni, is only at the Peak of the Rebirth Realm. Never mind that he’s absent—even if he were here, he would be helpless against three or even four Tier Three Demons.

Wuling City’s siege weapons, those powerful Profound Weapons, might be able to unleash power comparable to a Tier Three Demon, but once a Profound Weapon is fired, it takes a long time to recharge.

And Tier Three Demons aren’t stupid. They wouldn’t give Wuling City that much time.

The expressions on their faces were all grim.

Wuling City is under the jurisdiction of Jingzhou in the Da Xuan Dynasty. The Commander-in-Chief of the Jingzhou Taiping Bureau is in the True Essence Realm.

Normally, if a Tier Three Demon appeared in Wuling City, the Commander-in-Chief of the Jingzhou Taiping Bureau would rush over immediately upon receiving a call for help.

But now, with the upheaval at Headquarters, even Zhao Poni has gone there. A major figure like the Commander-in-Chief of the Jingzhou Taiping Bureau is bound to have gone to the Headquarters as well.

There are other Governors in the True Essence Realm within Jingzhou’s territory, but the problem is the same: they might not be at their posts either.

Even for someone with a True Essence Realm Cultivation, it would take at least a month to travel from the Headquarters.

Can Wuling City hold out for a month against a Tier Five Demon Tide?

"I hope Wuling City’s Profound Weapons can repel the Tier Three Demons."

Zhang Chenchen whispered, her own voice devoid of confidence.

Just then, a cheer suddenly erupted from the top of the wall.

"They’ve retreated! The Demon Tide has retreated!"

The Martial Artists of the Outer City cheered and leaped for joy.

The demons outside the city had indeed receded like an ebbing tide, falling back to a distance of ten li before lingering there.

Outside Wuling City, the ground was littered with demon corpses, and the stench of blood filled the air.

"They actually managed to repel the first wave of the Demon Tide?"

The Taiping Captains looked at each other, seeing the surprise in each other’s eyes.

"How could they not? With two hundred thousand Demon-Breaking Crossbow Arrows, they must have used at least tens of thousands in this battle."

Wei Bufan mumbled under his breath, "If you converted that stuff into silver, you could crush me to death with it."

Repelling the first wave of the Demon Tide without a single casualty among the Outer City’s Martial Artists—the Demon-Breaking Crossbow Arrows had played a crucial role.

Those weren’t arrows they were firing, but glittering silver.

"Being able to get the silver is a testament to Junior Brother Su’s ability. If you’re not convinced, you go try it."

Zhong Guizheng snorted coldly.

"I didn’t say I wasn’t convinced! My admiration for Brother Mengren is like a surging river, endless and unceasing."

Wei Bufan said shamelessly.

"Stop arguing and look outside the city!"

Zhang Chenchen said suddenly.

Everyone turned to look outside the city.

Amidst the swarm of demons ten li away, a mountain-like figure suddenly appeared. On its massive body, a pair of eyes like bronze bells glowed with an eerie red light, staring at Wuling City.

Even from a distance of over ten li, the terrifying pressure silenced everyone on the city wall.

"A Tier Three... Demon!"

The Taiping Captains swallowed hard, forcing out the words with great difficulty.

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