bookrandom Chapter 1428 The Arrival of Xiao Shen
Chapter 1428 The Arrival of Xiao Shen
Finally, he looked at Yin Pan'er and softened his tone: "Pan'er, you will accompany Prime Minister Yin to assist in the settlement of affairs and to comfort the women and children."
"Your Majesty!"
Yin Weiyong wanted to persuade him further, but when he met Xiao Ce's eyes, which seemed to hold the stars and the sea and were unwavering, all his words stuck in his throat.
He saw in those eyes a will that transcended the mundane, a determination to burn one's bridges, and even more so, a compassion and responsibility that was almost divine.
He knew he couldn't change his lord's decision.
Yin Weiyong took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in his heart. The struggle on his face finally transformed into a solemn and loyal resolve, as if he had decided to burn his bridges.
He bowed deeply, his voice trembling slightly yet unwavering: "This old minister... obeys! I will do my utmost to live up to Your Highness's expectations! But... Your Highness, please take care of your health! Pan'er..."
He looked at his daughter, "You must... protect the Prince!"
He knew that his daughter's abilities might come in handy at a crucial moment.
"Your subordinate obeys!" Han Da clasped his hands in a deep fist salute. Although there was worry in his eyes, there was even more unconditional obedience to Xiao Ce's orders and burning fighting spirit.
The night owl's figure swayed slightly, as if blending into the air, and a deep response echoed from the shadows: "Yes."
Wei Wuji bowed solemnly: "Your subject obeys the decree!"
Yin Pan'er suppressed her worry and nodded vigorously: "Your Highness, rest assured, Pan'er knows what to do!"
The group set off with Xiao Ce.
When Xiao Ce, accompanied by Yin Pan'er, Ye Mao, and several elite bodyguards (who were invisible but exuded a chilling aura), stepped into the edge of the basin formed by the huge collapse, a heavy aura mixed with decay, dampness, filth, and a kind of desperate struggle rushed towards him.
What lay before them was not a flat wasteland, but a massive, three-dimensional nest that had grown wildly against the steep pit walls, layer upon layer, and hidden from the sun.
Timber, rusted iron sheets, boulders, and collapsed beams were stacked and supported on each other, forming a labyrinthine network of passages and platforms.
Dim light struggled to penetrate through the broken cracks above, only to be fragmented by the rising, foul steam and the ubiquitous smell of cooking fires.
Sewage flowed freely on the narrow "street," and shadowy figures moved about. Men, women, and children, dressed in tattered clothes, crawled in the shadows, their numb or wary eyes scrutinizing every outsider.
The air was filled with suppressed whispers, children's cries, groans of pain, and occasional angry arguments coming from the corners.
This is a forgotten corner, a breeding ground for despair.
Even though this wasn't Xiao Ce's first time here, he still felt somewhat suffocated in this environment...
This time, I guess it's a silver lining. Sometimes, the obsessions people hold in their hearts aren't necessarily right...
This time, however, Xiao Ce revealed his true colors...
Xiao Ce, dressed in plain robes, possessed an extraordinary air. Against this gray and filthy backdrop, he stood out like a snow lotus suddenly blooming in the mud, strikingly beautiful.
The moment he appeared, he immediately attracted the attention of everyone who could see his face.
"Look...look at that person!"
An old man leaning against the door of a dilapidated shack suddenly opened his cloudy eyes wide, and the broken bowl in his hand fell into the sewage with a "clatter".
"Oh my god... then... then is it...?"
A woman washing clothes by the sewage ditch froze, rubbing her eyes in disbelief.
"The portrait! The portrait on the wall has come to life!"
A boy pointed to a blackened earthen wall not far away, on which a blurry but still recognizable majestic figure was painted with simple paint. It was a portrait of Xiao Ce!
This is the image of "Xiao God" that has become almost universally popular among the people under the deliberate guidance of the Xiao Kingdom.
In this corner of the stagnant ghost town, it was as if a huge boulder had been thrown in!
"Lord Xiao! It's Prince Xiao!" A shrill voice, trembling with excitement and tinged with tears, rang out.
"Lord Xiao has appeared! He's here! He's come to see us!" another voice shouted immediately afterward.
thump! thump! thump!
Like wheat fields blown down by a strong wind, the dozens of residents closest to Xiao Ce, whether they were old, weak, women, children, or fierce-looking men, all knelt down in unison in Xiao Ce's direction after the initial shock!
Their foreheads slammed heavily into the cold mud and gravel, unconcerned. Their bodies trembled violently with excitement, awe, or fear.
"May God Xiao protect you!"
"God, you have finally come!"
"Lord Xiao, have mercy and save us!"
The shouts quickly coalesced from scattered cries into a wave of sobs, echoing in the cramped space and spreading rapidly into deeper areas.
Countless dilapidated doors and windows were pushed open, and countless heads peeked out from dark corners and high shacks. When they saw the towering figure below, they were all utterly shocked and immediately knelt down in worship.
"Prince Xiao!"
"It really is Xiao Shen!"
"Kneel down! Kneel down!"
The news spread like a plague—no, like the radiance of a miracle—with astonishing speed through every dark corner of the ghost town...
The entire vast, lifeless underground lair exploded in that instant! A cacophony of voices and a sea of heads surged forth...
Their previously numb and desperate faces were replaced by fervent excitement, humble pleas, and incredulous shock.
Everyone, whether they were criminals or law-abiding citizens, instinctively chose the most humble posture of submission in front of this deified "God Xiao".
The narrow passage was instantly blocked by the surging crowd. Everyone wanted to push their way to the front to catch a glimpse of the divine face, but as they got closer, they were intimidated by the invisible majesty and could only prostrate themselves on the ground, shouting "Your Highness!" "God Xiao!"
Yin Pan'er followed closely beside Xiao Ce, feeling the overwhelming impact of this faith, and was also deeply moved.
She had actually expected it, but she had never truly seen the terrifying appeal of the "God Xiao" name at the bottom, especially in such a desperate place.
The figure of the Night Owl loomed behind Xiao Ce, its sharp eyes scanning every corner of the frenzied crowd, wary of any potential danger...
But he also clearly sensed that what filled the air at this moment was more pure awe and ecstasy, and that malice was suppressed to the lowest point under the divine power.
Xiao Ce remained calm, his eyes deep and unfathomable, showing no arrogance but rather a compassionate kindness towards all living beings.
He did not speak immediately, but let the thunderous waves of worship assault his eardrums and the hearts of every kneeling worshipper.
He needed to let this emotion ferment, to let the light of faith temporarily and completely dispel the gloom of despair.
When the shouts subsided, only sobs and excited gasps remained...
Xiao Ce slowly raised his hand and pressed it down.
A simple gesture, yet seemingly containing an invisible power, instantly silenced the entire noisy ghost town, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Tens of thousands of eyes, filled with intense longing and awe, were focused on him.
Xiao Ce's voice wasn't loud, yet it clearly pierced through layers of space, like warm spring water flowing into everyone's heart, carrying a soothing power:
"I am Xiao Ce."
Just one name stirred up a wave of suppressed excitement and whispers.
"My visit here today is neither for inspection nor to interrogate anyone."
His gaze swept over the countless faces below, gaunt yet filled with tears, and he slowly said, "I have come to save you!"
"Save us?"
The crowd stirred, filled with doubt and disbelief.
The people in the ghost town have long been accustomed to being forgotten and abandoned.
"Not bad!"
Xiao Ce spoke with unwavering resolve to the crowd: "I recently received a divine revelation!"
The four words "divine revelation" were uttered!
Like a thunderclap, it exploded in everyone's hearts!
In this era, the words "divine oracle" carry immense weight, especially when they come from the mouth of "Xiao Shen"!
“My divine friend warned me…”
Xiao Ce's voice carried a solemn, divine radiance as he said, "Here, beneath the Dragon Guardian Ghost City, the earth's veins are unstable, and the malevolent energy has accumulated deeply!"
A collapse and earthquake disaster far worse than those of a few years ago is brewing!
Soon, the heavens and earth will collapse and the earth will split apart, swallowing all living beings here!
"what?!"
"It's going to collapse again?!"
"Even worse than last time? My God!"
Panic, like an icy tide, instantly replaced the previous fervor, sweeping across the entire square and every corner where the sound could be heard.
The horrific memories of the devastating catastrophe years ago were instantly rekindled; countless faces drained of color, and bodies trembled violently. They were survivors or descendants of the previous collapse, and knew all too well what a living hell it was!
"Your Highness...Your Highness, please help me!"
"God! What should we do?"
Desperate cries rang out again.
"How can I, the king, sit idly by and watch you perish in the earth?"
Xiao Ce's voice suddenly rose, and he said to the crowd, "Having received this divine decree, I have spared no effort to expend my divine power to communicate repeatedly with my friends in the heavens, pleading to delay the calamity and to seek a way to save you all!"
He raised his hand and pointed to the center of this huge ruin, where there was a relatively open natural platform formed by several huge collapsed stone slabs, which was the only square in the ghost town.
"In half an hour, I will announce to the world from the central square! All people of the Dragon Guardian Ghost City, regardless of age, gender, or past, must gather at the square immediately!"
I, the King, will personally reveal to you the path to safety and survival! This is divine guidance, and also a lifeline bestowed upon you by me! Go and spread the word immediately, without delay!
As if they had received a supreme decree, the crowd instantly unleashed tremendous energy!
"Quick! To the central square! The prince is going to rescue us there!"
"Pass on the message! Quickly, pass on the message to Old Scarface and the others! Prince Xiao has appeared in divine form! He's here to save us from this misery!"
"Make way! Don't block our way! His Highness is waiting for us in the central square!"
"Honey, grab the baby and get out of here! To the square! We're saved!"
The people who had been kneeling on the ground just moments before suddenly seemed to be injected with a frenzied life force, scrambling to their feet and rushing towards the central square without regard for anything else.
Shouts, running, collisions, and urgings mingled together, forming a surging tide of survivors rushing through the maze-like alleyways of the ghost town.
The news was spreading ten times faster than before...
In the dark corners, the hidden outlaws and the entrenched black market bosses, after hearing the keywords "Xiao Shen's manifestation," "divine warning," "earthquake collapse," and "the central square grants a way out,"...
Their faces were filled with shock and hesitation. In the end, the instinct for survival overcame all doubts, and they emerged from their hiding places to join the surging crowd.
Looking at the bustling scene, Yin Pan'er felt immense admiration for Xiao Ce's decisiveness and methods.
With just a few words, borrowing the power of the gods, the flames of survival were ignited, instantly transforming the disorganized and hostile ghost town into a group that obeyed commands and yearned for guidance.
This is Xiao Ce's tactic. After all, if he directly talked to them about technology and underground factories, the people on their side wouldn't understand.
Xiao Ce walked steadily towards the central square as the crowd parted to greet him on their knees.
With each step he took, an invisible force seemed to spread, bringing order to the chaotic scene before him and calming the fervent emotions into awe-inspiring waiting.
The central square was quickly packed with a dense crowd.
A large crowd gathered, all eyes focused on the slightly elevated stone platform in the center.
When Xiao Ce appeared on the platform, he was like a pillar of strength, instantly silencing all the commotion, leaving only heavy breathing and suppressed sobs...
Like the most loyal shadow, the night owl hid in the shadows closest to Xiao Ce below the platform, its whole body tense.
Xiao Ce stopped and his gaze swept over the countless faces below, faces filled with fear, longing, humility, and the last glimmer of hope.
He got straight to the point, his voice carrying clearly to every corner:
"I know you are filled with fear and your doubts remain. The gods have warned that an earthquake is imminent!"
I always keep my word and have no interest in lying to deceive you!
Believe it or not, I will immediately let you experience for yourselves whether the earth beneath your feet is roaring!
Before he could finish speaking, Xiao Ce's mind stirred slightly!
He made direct contact with the underground factory...
Deep underground, in the vast factory that had been dormant for hundreds of years, one of its outermost, non-core, abandoned energy circulation pipes was momentarily activated, almost imperceptibly, under the precise control of the Star Network Hub's core consciousness. It was like an unconscious breath from a sleeping behemoth.
Buzz...!
A deep, almost imperceptible, yet bone-chilling vibration suddenly surged from the soles of everyone's feet! The stone slabs beneath their feet, the supporting wooden frames, the hanging rags, and even the very air itself trembled with an extremely subtle yet clearly discernible vibration! Fine dust pattered down from the cracks in the rubble overhead!
The tremor was weak, brief, and fleeting, yet it was enough to terrify tens of thousands of people in the square in an instant!
"The earth shook! It really shook!"
"The gods are angry! What the prince said is true!"
"My God! It really shook just now! The house was going to collapse..."
"Your Highness, save us! We believe you! We believe you..."