My mom is waiting for treatment, and you're summoning me to be a hero?

Shiyi Village.

"...Old Li's family at the east end, even the little grandson didn't escape...the house was burned down to just a frame."

"Half of my cellar collapsed, burying all the winter food I stored inside. I don't even know if I can dig it out..."

"The monsters retreated strangely during that last attack; it seemed like they suddenly lost their will to fight."

"Stop thinking about anything else. There might be another wave before dark. Be alert, check all the usable equipment again, and get ready."

……

Shi Qin leaned against a relatively intact wall, closed her eyes to rest, and listened to the discussions of the surrounding villagers.

She also sustained several new wounds.

Uncle Tieshan came over, holding a piece of unidentified animal meat that was slightly charred.

"Girl, have something to eat. You know, even though we can't grow any crops, we've been able to eat meat every meal these past few days."

His tone carried a hint of bittersweet helplessness.

Shi Qin rolled her eyes at him, silently took the roasted meat, took a small bite, and chewed very slowly.

Her gaze remained fixed on the direction of the valley.

"I hope nothing bad happens to my brother and the others."

She said in a low voice.

Tieshan plopped down next to her and shrugged. "That wave of monsters' attack and retreat were indeed a bit strange. Could it be... that Brother Shi and the others have already succeeded?"

Upon hearing this, Shi Qin's lips curved slightly, revealing a very faint smile.

"What are you thinking, Uncle Tieshan? They've only been gone for less than half a day, it's not even dawn yet, how could they be gone so quickly?"

Tieshan scratched his head and realized that what he had said was far-fetched.

Just then—

Suddenly, a clear and rhythmic sound of horses' hooves came from the direction of the village entrance to the south!

The villagers and soldiers who had just been talking in hushed tones all instinctively turned to look.

The monsters are back?

Did they come from the south?

Amidst the rising dust, a dozen or so riders slowly entered the village.

The figure on horseback became clearer.

There were more than a dozen young men and women.

They wore fine light armor or leather armor.

He exuded a sharp and capable aura, and his eyes revealed a subtle sense of superiority.

Even more striking were the weapons they carried on their waists or backs.

Even when it's just hanging casually, it faintly emits a light, whether bright or dim.

That's the "Holy Armor of Light"!

These people are actually heroes!

Leading the way at the very front of the procession was a middle-aged man who was overweight and dressed in a magnificent red robe.

Upon seeing this person, Deputy General Wang, who had been staying in the village, suddenly had his pupils contract!

He practically tumbled and crawled out of the crowd, ran to the fat middle-aged man's horse, and knelt on one knee.

"This humble servant...respectfully welcomes Your Excellency, City Lord!"

The person who arrived was none other than the supreme ruler of Mingbei City!

City Lord – Liu Sanguan.

Upon hearing the blood-soaked deputy general's visit, Liu Sanguan on horseback merely raised his eyelids slightly.

He gave a barely audible "hmm" through his nose and then looked away.

The young warriors behind him completely ignored their lieutenant.

Instead, he looked around at the ruins and villagers with great interest.

"Tsk, how come there isn't even a decent house in this area?"

A female warrior wearing fiery red leather armor curled her lip.

"I heard this village has been attacked several times, so it seems there aren't any particularly capable people here."

A male warrior holding a longbow shrugged.

"Lord Liu,"

A male warrior with a slightly aloof demeanor spoke.

He was about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, and a long sword with a faint chill emanating from it hung at his waist.

It was Jiang Shu, the captain of this brave team.

"I hope nothing goes wrong this time. I hope the culprit from last night hasn't been caught yet."

Upon hearing this, Liu Sanguan put on a warm and smooth smile, and spoke with certainty.

"Don't worry! This time it will be absolutely foolproof! Right now, the whole city thinks that the hero is resting in the city lord's mansion, and the city has been quickly sealed off. The murderer must still be in the city. Letting you leave the city now is actually the safest thing to do."

Jiang Shu listened and nodded slightly, which was considered as his approval.

If his team completes this mission, he can be promoted to a B-rank hero.

Naturally, they didn't want to be delayed because of Zhou Buyan's death.

Before Liu Sanguan could say anything more, a voice suddenly came from among the villagers.

"You're the city lord?! Are you here to help our village?!"

Tieshan was the first to react, and a huge surprise burst across his honest face.

"Haha! Great! Great! We're saved! Folks, the city lord and the hero have come to rescue us!"

His shout brought the villagers, who hadn't been aware of the situation, to their senses.

This was immediately followed by unbelievable cheers!

"Long live the City Lord!"

"Hero! Please, you must kill that beast!"

……

Upon hearing these words, Liu Sanguan, seated atop his white horse, showed no joy, but rather a hint of impatience and disgust in his eyes.

But his smile remained unchanged, and he even raised his hand to gesture for everyone to be quiet.

After the cheers subsided, he said loudly:

"Fellow villagers of Stoneclothes Village! You have suffered! Today we will finally defeat that Demon Beast King!"

The villagers erupted in cheers once again.

"Once this scourge is gone, the villagers can go back to farming!"

This time, some villagers even started kowtowing.

A slight smile curved the corners of Liu Sanguan's lips:

"Now that farming is allowed, let's cancel this year's tax exemption."

Liu Sanguan's casual remark left the villagers stunned.

The ecstasy on their faces froze instantly, turning into a blank, stunned expression.

They looked at each other, wondering if there was something wrong with their ears.

Even Shi Qin was stunned, unconsciously tightening her grip on the short sword in her hand.

Tieshan's honest smile froze, and he subconsciously took a step forward.

"Lord...Lord of the City, you mean...taxes? Taxes will be collected this year?"

The feigned gentleness on Liu Sanguan's face vanished instantly.

Instead, there was undisguised impatience.

He looked down at Tieshan, his fat cheeks twitching.

"What? Haven't I made myself clear enough? The scourge is about to be eradicated, the fields can naturally be cultivated, and taxes can be resumed—it's only right and proper!"

"It's only natural?!"

Tieshan seemed to be ignited by these four words.

"Lord City Lord! Look! Open your eyes! Look at the state of this village! Houses are burned down, crops in the fields are all ruined, and our food supplies are almost gone... What are we supposed to give you?! Our lives?! You're trying to force the few remaining people of us to our deaths! I—"

He didn't finish his sentence.

laugh--!

A fine iron arrow shot out from the sky and accurately pierced through Tieshan's left arm!

The arrow pierced through his arm, spraying a cloud of blood!

"Ugh—!"

Tieshan let out a painful roar, his strong body staggered backward, and he fell heavily to the ground.

"Uncle Tieshan!"

The villagers were stunned, and several young people instinctively rushed forward to support Tieshan.

Liu Sanguan withdrew his hand as if he were merely brushing off a speck of dust, his face revealing undisguised annoyance.

"Enough with the nonsense. If you can't pay your taxes, can't each household chip in?"