The next morning, Jun Yelan summoned the city's stewards and announced the events of the previous night.
These stewards had also heard the commotion last night but had remained behind closed doors. To them, if Jun Yelan couldn't handle such matters, he wasn't fit to be their City Lord. They could easily take over themselves.
Jun Yelan saw their reactions with an expressionless face. He waved his hand, signaling for Li Dali's body to be dragged out. The stewards looked at the corpse, and the sight of the blood made them all lower their heads. They didn't want to end up like that and couldn't afford to offend the City Lord at this time.
Jun Yelan looked at Li Dali on the ground and tapped his chair arm, "Send him back, let Alliance Leader Li see his good disciple."
"Yes, City Lord." Someone immediately took Li Dali away to be delivered to Alliance Leader Li.
The stewards then realized Jun Yelan was different this time, actually declaring war on the righteous sects. They understood Jun Yelan had changed and became more obedient, lowering their heads to avoid trouble.
Jun Yelan took a list from his side. "The assassins from last night have been identified. Some are even your family members. Your reach is long; you want to live under the protection of the Dead City, yet you also want to destroy it." He tossed the list to a nearby scout. "Kill everyone on this list, leave none alive."
"City Lord, spare us!" The stewards hadn't expected things to turn out this way, nor had they imagined Jun Yelan knew everything and was so formidable. But no one responded to their pleas. They were dragged away.
Jun Yelan waved his hand, dismissing the remaining stewards. "Do your duties."
The stewards bowed their heads, trembling, "Yes, City Lord." They quickly exited the door, wiping the cold sweat from their brows.
Jun Yelan looked at the official documents on his desk, realizing he needed to personally visit the city. Otherwise, these people would only go through the motions. He looked at Lan Yan beside him and asked, "Would you like to visit the city?"
Lan Yan's eyes lit up. She had been here for some time but hadn't explored the Dead City yet. "Okay!" She eagerly grabbed some snacks to eat on the way.
Jun Yelan smiled faintly, his earlier anger dissipating. He took Lan Yan with him and headed into the city.
This was Lan Yan's first time exiting the main hall directly. As far as the eye could see, there were neatly arranged houses and vendors hawking their wares. It was no different from any other street outside.
Jun Yelan watched Lan Yan's expression and slowed his pace, letting her take it all in. His purpose today was also to patrol the city and see how the citizens were living. Although half of the Dead City's inhabitants were criminals, the other half were homeless people.
Lan Yan also looked quietly. She saw a family on the left where a woman with scars on her face was washing the face of the child in her arms. The child's eyes were unfocused. On the right, an old grandmother with wrinkled hands was drying vegetables. She picked up two vegetables and took them to the door of the woman on the left, smiling, "Just dried, to add to your meal at noon."
"Thank you, Grandma Lin," the woman replied gratefully. The old grandmother smiled nonchalantly, patted the child's head, and hobbled back home.
Moving further ahead, they saw what seemed to be a couple. The wife was helping her husband, who had a broken leg, sit by the door, then she began to cook. The husband, sitting nearby, was weaving a basket, and the two would occasionally exchange smiles. Lan Yan saw it all. When she first arrived, she had only encountered troublemakers. It turned out these were the ordinary people living their lives. They had nothing, yet their faces were filled with smiles. She couldn't help but look at Jun Yelan ahead, beginning to understand why he was doing all this. Jun Yelan wasn't doing it for the troublemakers but for these people living peacefully. A ripple of emotion stirred within her.
At this moment, a scrawny man with a sharp mouth and monkey-like cheeks walked towards them, clicking his tongue at his meager coin purse. He looked ahead and his eyes, filled with ill intent, fixed on Lan Yan. Lan Yan was walking beside Jun Yelan, telling him about the city. "City Lord, this place is different from what I imagined, but I really like it here."
The man then walked towards Lan Yan, feigning a stumble, his hand reaching for Lan Yan's waist. However, his hand was suddenly broken, and he was sent flying. Jun Yelan stared coldly at the man, shielding Lan Yan to the side. "You dare touch my person!"
The man, not reacting immediately, recognized Jun Yelan's identity and cried out, "City Lord, spare me!" He trembled all over. How could he be so unlucky to run into the City Lord himself! And the City Lord cared so much for a woman!
Lan Yan looked at her waist and let out a cold snort. "You wanted to steal my coin purse? This is all my monthly allowance." Thinking of it made her angry, so she took out her slingshot and fired at the man's hand, ensuring he could never steal again. Jun Yelan looked at the man's appearance and realized he wasn't just interested in Lan Yan's coin purse. The thought of the man's hands wanting to touch Lan Yan's waist made him wish he could chop them off. He said coldly, "Break your own hand."
"City Lord!" The man, stared at by Jun Yelan's icy gaze, could only draw his waist knife, immediately crying out in pain. He had stolen and bullied so many women before without consequence; today was just too unlucky!
Jun Yelan stopped looking, took Lan Yan's hand, and walked forward. "Stay close to me. It's dangerous here."
"Mm." Lan Yan smiled, feeling the warmth from Jun Yelan's palm, and continued to stroll through the city. Passing a stall, an old grandmother was selling flowers. "Young sir, why not buy a flower? Give it to the beautiful maiden beside you. See, she isn't wearing anything on her head."
Jun Yelan paused upon hearing the latter part. He looked at Lan Yan's head. He had never seen Lan Yan wear any jewelry, only a simple hairpin. He paid for a flower and handed it to Lan Yan. Lan Yan gracefully accepted it and wore it on her head, asking, "Does it look good?"
Looking at the person who was even more beautiful than the flower, Jun Yelan's earlobes turned red. He nodded and quickly walked forward. Lan Yan's smile deepened, and she chased after him.
Afterward, the two of them toured the entire city, understanding its current situation. It was almost dinnertime. Jun Yelan booked dishes at a local restaurant and came out with a food box, looking at Lan Yan who was already eating snacks. Lan Yan wondered, "City Lord, aren't we eating here?"
"Mm, I'll take you somewhere." Jun Yelan held the food box in one hand and Lan Yan's hand in the other, walking towards the city river. Lan Yan looked at the city river that appeared before them. The surface of the water shimmered, reflecting the stars in the sky. She crouched down and stirred the water, and the stars seemed to be in her hands. She turned to look at Jun Yelan and exclaimed, "City Lord, it's so beautiful here." This was the only beautiful place in the Dead City. Jun Yelan didn't know why, but he wanted to bring Lan Yan here today. He looked at the pavilion in the center and said, "Let's eat first." He put his arm around Lan Yan's waist, tapped his toe on the water's surface, and flew towards the pavilion. Lan Yan looked around and shouted with excitement.