I have a city in another world

When Tang Zhen arrived, the black-clad cultivator's lair was already deserted. Judging from the traces left behind, it was clear that they had retreated in a hurry.

To avoid exposing their secret, the other party even set a fire, burning all the valuables to ashes.

Under normal circumstances, these valuable items could have been taken away instead of being burned, resulting in a huge waste.

The other party was so flustered and hurried that they clearly sensed the impending crisis and dared not hesitate or pause.

Analyzing the cause and effect, it is very likely related to Tang Zhen.

The black-clad cultivators who went to carry out the assassination might all have life lamps. When a person dies, the lamp goes out, and their companions behind them will know immediately.

They attempted to assassinate Tang Zhen, but died one after another in a short period of time, resulting in the complete annihilation of their army.

Such a powerful cultivator is beyond their ability to fight; a decisive retreat is the best option.

After all, the city was already surrounded and under control, so there was no need to fight a desperate battle with a trapped beast.

Of course, it's also possible that other circumstances arose that led to the enemy's hasty retreat.

Tang Zhen didn't seem to care that he had come in anger and left empty-handed.

They're just a few ants. Whether you step on them or not makes no difference. There's no need to dwell on them or continue hunting them down.

This matter ends here. If the other party dares to provoke us again, they will surely pay a terrible price.

Furthermore, there must be a powerful figure involved behind this matter, and the other party is not weak; they are likely a top-tier cultivator.

Ordinary cultivators would never be able to orchestrate such a grand scheme, sacrificing the entire population of a city.

The path of cultivation in this world is so insidious and vicious, truly regarding all living beings as mere plants and trees.

However, looking across all the realms, where is there a merciful path to cultivation? The process of breaking through the limitations of life and gaining great power is always dangerous and extremely cruel.

Tang Zhen arrived quietly, then left with a flick of his sleeve, letting the flames soar into the sky.

Such a commotion had already alarmed the nearby residents, as well as the official cultivators of Nuchuan City.

They rushed to the scene immediately to stop the flames from burning, but inadvertently discovered a large amount of evidence.

Various pieces of evidence suggest that some wealthy and powerful families in the city had intricate connections with the enemy outside the city.

The discoverer did not hesitate and immediately reported the news to his superior, and delivered it to the city lord's mansion as soon as possible.

Upon seeing the evidence, Zhao Heng flew into a rage and ordered his personal guards to immediately launch an investigation.

He had long suspected that there was a traitor hidden in Nuchuan City, but he lacked sufficient evidence to determine who it was.

If this problem cannot be resolved, it is equivalent to facing an enemy while also being wary of a knife coming from behind by a comrade.

He was under immense pressure, yet he felt utterly helpless.

It's truly a pleasant surprise to obtain such evidence at such a crucial moment.

However, at the same time, he also had doubts, wondering if this was a trick by the enemy to incite infighting within Nuchuan City, and then reap the benefits.

If that's the case, falling into their trap will inevitably lead to even greater losses.

The people of Nuchuan City are already in a state of panic. If internal strife breaks out at this critical juncture, how will they fight off the enemy's attack?
Not long after, Zhao Heng received another message, the content of which was related to Tang Zhen.

Tang Zhen was suspected of being assassinated tonight. After dealing with the enemy, he reappeared at the scene of a fire in the enemy's stronghold, stood for a moment, and then turned and left.

Throughout the entire process, Tang Zhen did not conceal his presence, and was thus seen by the spies who were secretly monitoring him.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Heng fell into deep thought and realized that the matter might be related to Tang Zhen.

Because of Tang Zhen, the enemy actually burned down their stronghold and chose to flee in panic, which shows how terrified they were.

Just how strong is Tang Zhen to make an enemy who has the upper hand so fearful?

The enemy saw through him clearly, but he couldn't see through him at all, and didn't even want to cooperate with Tang Zhen. Zhao Heng felt a pang of disappointment, but then his resolve hardened.

He would never relinquish the position of city lord of Nuchuan City to anyone else; this was his bottom line, and there was absolutely no room for negotiation.

If it were handed over to Tang Zhen, what difference would that be from defeat? Zhao Heng didn't even dare to think about the price he would have to pay for it.

Assuming that he really relinquishes his position as city lord, who can guarantee that Tang Zhen will definitely be able to help Nuchuan City get out of the crisis?
Zhao Heng did not want to gamble, nor did he dare to gamble; instead, he wanted to seize the initiative.

We will never give up easily until the very last moment.

In the following days, the situation in Nuchuan City became increasingly tense.

The disruption of supply lines caused prices to skyrocket in the city, and despite government intervention, the situation remained largely unaffected.

More often than not, people have money but can't buy things, and many families have run out of rice and cooking oil.

The plants that once grew in the city have now become food substitutes, and have been plucked clean by groups of people. Even the trees have been stripped of their bark, leaving only bare trunks.

Whether it's poisonous or edible, as long as it fills your stomach, that's all that matters.

To prevent starving people from rioting, the government increased patrols and set up soup kitchens in various places, stipulating that each household could only receive a limited amount.

Unbeknownst to many, an unknown epidemic has broken out, and many people have contracted serious illnesses but have no way to receive effective treatment.

The clinic was overcrowded, and the streets were filled with people lying down, groaning and pleading.

Outside Nuchuan City, more and more ferocious beasts are gathering, and they have completely surrounded the city.

The authorities sent people to clear the area several times, but each time they were wiped out and unable to break through the beast's encirclement.

Left with no other option, the defenders could only hold their ground on the city walls, preventing the ferocious beasts from approaching or scaling them.

However, various poisonous insects, birds and bats that spread disease, under the control of the cultivators, continuously flooded into the city at night. They were the culprits behind the epidemic.

The authorities sent people to hunt and kill the birds, but the effect was minimal. They could only order everyone to stay indoors and not go out easily to avoid being attacked by poisonous insects and birds.

In just a few days, Nuchuan City has transformed from a once prosperous place into a hellish landscape. If things continue this way, it will likely fall into ruin before long.

The powerful and wealthy people in the city have finally panicked and are gathering at the city lord's mansion, begging to turn the tide and not wanting to continue waiting to die.

Most of the powerful and wealthy held the idea of ​​seeking peace with the enemy outside the city in exchange for a chance to preserve their lives and property.

As for the others, those ordinary people, whether they live or die is none of their concern.

Zhao Heng's resolve wavered. He also wanted to make contact with the enemy to see what their true intentions were.

If the request isn't excessive and can resolve the crisis in the city, then there's room for negotiation.

But so far, the real enemy has not shown up. Those powerful figures who were captured earlier are just pawns that the enemy can discard at any time, and they cannot provide any useful information.

There was no suitable way to contact the other party, so they could only grit their teeth and bear it.

In Zhao Heng's view, the enemy might feel that the time is not right and that it is not the time to negotiate.

Therefore, the enemy is waiting until the city becomes more chaotic and Nuchuan City is under greater pressure, so that they can gain more bargaining chips.

If that's the case, we must hold on and absolutely not lose our composure or fall into the enemy's trap.

This way, we will have more confidence during negotiations and won't be manipulated by our enemies.

Many powerful figures shared this view, and they chose to support Zhao Heng, deciding to grit their teeth and continue to hold on for a while longer.

These people have plenty of food at home, and now that they are shut down and cut off from the outside world, the losses are not particularly severe.

As for the people in the city, let them endure the hardship for now, and believe that the clouds will eventually part and the sun will shine through. (End of Chapter)