I have a city in another world

Chapter 7122 The Reclusive Master
The bright sunshine of Nuchuan City had disappeared without a trace, and the sky had turned gloomy.

It was as if a thick gray cloth was tightly covering the city, and even the wind was wrapped in a suffocating heat, making your face feel stuffy and uncomfortable.

The once bustling streets and alleys have lost their vibrant atmosphere, replaced by hurried figures.

The shopkeepers and vendors along the street no longer shouted their wares; instead, everyone wore a solemn and worried expression.

The children who used to play in the streets and the people who used to chat at the street corners are now nowhere to be seen.

Pedestrians frowned and hurried home, occasionally exchanging glances, their eyes filled with unconcealed fear.

This entire city is like a string stretched to its limit; even the slightest movement can cause people to jump in fear.

The sudden change came without warning, completely shattering the peaceful lives of the people of Nuchuan City.

At first, there were only sporadic reports of strange beast activity outside the city, and everyone still held onto a sliver of hope, thinking it was just a minor, accidental occurrence.

However, a sense of unease lingered in my heart.

Within days, bad news followed one after another: all roads leading out of the city were cut off, and the previously abundant supply of materials was completely cut off.

The government sent troops to clear the way, but they suffered a major defeat.

Without food supplies and lacking various daily necessities, Nuchuan City, already filled with anxiety, has fallen into even deeper chaos.

Street fights and arguments are frequent, long queues form at rice and grain stalls, and grain prices continue to rise.

Even so, some people still can't buy them.

Some panicked people, with red eyes, searched everywhere for a way to survive, racking their brains to try every possible method to escape this inferno.

Panic spread like a plague through every corner of the city.

If left unchecked, it won't be long before the city descends into a desperate situation of infighting, even before the monsters attack.

At this critical juncture, the Nuchuan City government issued a series of orders in an attempt to quell the panic and chaos in the city.

Squads of officers and soldiers, armed with weapons, moved through the streets and alleys, implementing military control in a forceful yet orderly manner.

Important streets were firmly guarded, and unauthorized personnel were prohibited from moving around at will. Soldiers shouted loudly to stop the chaotic crowd, their attitude tough and brutal.

The situation, which was on the verge of collapse, was barely pulled back, preventing an even greater disaster from occurring.

At the same time, the government's registration team began to conduct door-to-door checks, and the male members of each household were carefully recorded.

The government's announcement spread throughout the city, and all able-bodied men in every household were required to go to the city wall area to participate in the defense and preparation for war.

If the war becomes intense and manpower is insufficient, even women must take up arms and fight to protect their homes.

In the face of life and death, no one dared to utter a single complaint.

After all, as long as the city exists, people will live; if the city falls, people will die. Everyone knows this principle.

The area around the city walls of Nuchuan City quickly transformed into a bustling construction site.

On the city wall, soldiers were busy moving logs and stones, inspecting various defensive weapons, and wiping their swords, spears, and halberds.

The sounds of clashing armor mingled with shouts of commands, creating a chaotic yet urgent scene.

Outside the city walls, conscripted civilians carried hoes and various tools, working diligently under the watchful eyes of soldiers.

Dig deep pits, set up horse traps, and build spike traps.

Use the terrain to build traps and construct sturdy fortifications to hunt down more monsters.

Sweat soaked their clothes, and dirt covered their bodies, but no one dared to stop what they were doing.

Everyone is doing their utmost to build the last line of defense for this city that is on the verge of collapse.

Tang Zhen was not conspicuous in the busy crowd.

When he received the news of the government's conscription, Tang Zhen did not refuse in the slightest, nor did he use his own strength to seek special treatment.

He silently went back to his room and pulled out a faded coarse cloth outfit with several patches on it.

After changing into the protective gear, he followed a group of ordinary people toward the work area outside the city wall.

Upon arriving at the construction site, Tang Zhen acted like any ordinary citizen, helping to move timber, dig holes, and hammer away. When it was time to eat, the workers rested on the spot.

The food cooked in large pots by the government was steaming hot, but it didn't taste very good; it was just enough to fill one's stomach.

Tang Zhen didn't pick and choose. He found an inconspicuous corner, held a large rough porcelain bowl, and squatted down with the people around him.

He shoveled food into his mouth, chatting casually with those around him, just like an ordinary person working hard to survive.

No one would have guessed that this dusty man, mingling among the laborers, would be a hidden top expert.

This scene was witnessed by Master Su, who was standing on the city wall not far away.

Master Su was a teacher at Nuchuan Academy. He was highly skilled in array formations and had previously led a group out of the city to investigate, but almost lost his life to a monster.

During this siege by demonic beasts, he volunteered to go to the city wall and busied himself setting up defensive formations to resist the beasts' attacks.

At this moment, he was holding the array plate, directing his disciples to adjust the position of the array's core.

Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at the crowd working below the city wall, and his gaze suddenly fixed on Tang Zhen.

At that moment, his hand suddenly stopped moving, and he froze on the spot.

He squinted, examining the area closely again, his brows furrowing slightly, his eyes filled with surprise and confusion.

She even couldn't help but rub her eyes, wondering if she was just seeing things because she had been working too hard and was too tired.

That figure was clearly Tang Zhen.

He had the privilege of witnessing Tang Zhen's cultivation from afar, and the breathtaking scene was considered top-tier in the entire Nuchuan City and surrounding area.

Such a master could easily defeat ordinary monsters with a single strike, and if he were willing to defend the city, he would undoubtedly be a tremendous fighting force.

Why would such a powerful person stoop to this position, doing these crude and tiring jobs like a group of ordinary laborers?
Did I mistake someone for someone else, or does this powerful person have some unknown quirk?
Master Su stood atop the city wall, his mind in turmoil, utterly perplexed.

But he quickly suppressed his doubts and instead felt a sense of joy and anticipation.

Nuchuan City is now in dire straits, cut off from supplies, and besieged by a massive army of monsters. The chances of defending the city are already slim.

If we could get a powerful expert like Tang Zhen to take action and stand guard on the city wall when the monsters attack, it would greatly increase the chances of winning the defense and give the people of the city a better chance of survival.

With this thought in mind, Master Su lost all interest in setting up the formation. He hurriedly gave a few instructions to his disciples, then quickly walked down the city wall and headed straight for the city lord's mansion.

The atmosphere inside the city lord's mansion was equally heavy at this moment.

City Lord Zhao Heng sat in the main seat, looking exhausted, with heavy bloodshot eyes.

On the table in front of him were piles of urgent military intelligence and lists of supplies, each telling a story of the dire situation.

The roars of monsters outside the city could be faintly heard. Inside the city, various supplies were scarce, morale was low, and the city's defenses were insufficient. Every single thing was weighing him down.

Upon seeing Master Su rushing over, the city lord assumed there had been a problem with the formation and quickly got up to ask.

"Lord, there is actually a hidden master in Nuchuan City..."

Without any further pleasantries, Master Su went straight to the city lord and told him in detail what he had seen Tang Zhen on the city wall.

Seeing the city lord pondering, Master Su solemnly expressed his thoughts: Nuchuan City is now in dire straits, with no other way out. This expert is powerful and is by no means an ordinary cultivator.

If we can get his help, the city defense will have a better chance of survival. We earnestly request the city lord to humble himself and go to meet him in person, sincerely inviting him to help protect the city.

After listening to Master Su's words, the city lord nodded slightly, but a hint of doubt also arose in his mind.

He had governed Nuchuan City for many years and knew the powerful figures in and around the city very well, but he had never heard of such a top expert.

It is truly unbelievable that the people living among the people of their own city would willingly do the work of laborers.

He was filled with suspicion, thinking that Master Su might have mistaken him for someone else, and also worried that the other party's origins were unknown and related to the mysterious enemy targeting Nuchuan City.

But then he thought about it again. The situation in Nuchuan City was critical. Not only were the soldiers exhausted, but the people were also terrified. All the methods they could think of had been exhausted.

Even if there's only a one in ten thousand chance, even if it's just a slim opportunity, as the city lord, he has to give it a try.

"I will go and invite him now. Please wait here, Master Su, so that we can meet this reclusive master together."

Zhao Heng instructed his personal guards to immediately go to the construction site outside the city to invite the mysterious and powerful figure on whom Master Sun had placed high hopes.