Leaning back in his chair, Chen Yu exhaled, occasionally rubbing his head.
He was vexed.
He didn't know why, but for several days now, he had felt an inexplicable anxiety, a kind of unbearable, uncontrollable restlessness.
"Is it that serious? Aren't all those demons within controllable limits?"
Within the projection of his wristband, Jiang Yaqing, standing in the snow, spoke softly.
They had been in frequent contact lately. Demons had been causing trouble within the territory of Fengqi City, and the little demon had been sent back to Freedom Town. Chen Yu had been under extreme pressure.
He needed someone to confide in.
Mi Ye was a collaborator. If Chen Yu confided in her, he wouldn't receive understanding but scorn; that was her personality.
She was someone who absolutely admired strength.
If he showed a vulnerable side in front of her, she would only think that Chen Yu might not be a worthy object of loyalty, and thus consider pledging allegiance to someone else.
In the current situation, nothing could go wrong with Mi Ye.
As for Crai and the others, they couldn't offer much advice on the external conflict. Telling them would only add to their troubles.
Only by talking to Jiang Yaqing could Chen Yu relax a little.
"Just a few days ago, you told me Liao Dao was a paper tiger, and the demonic creatures he brought couldn't fundamentally affect you. How is it that in just a few days, you're looking so gloomy again."
"I don't fear the demons outside Fengqi City." Chen Yu replied softly.
No matter how terrifying the demonic creatures led by Liao Dao were, as long as Chen Yu remained in Fengqi City, those creatures wouldn't be able to get anywhere near the main city of Fengqi.
During this period, he had been diligently improving his elemental affinity.
At this moment—
His elemental affinity had long since surpassed ten thousand.
Even a Saint-level mage couldn't achieve this level.
Liao Dao had also led demonic creatures to launch several surprise attacks during this time. Without exception, they were all annihilated. He was now wary of Chen Yu and shouldn't dare to commit such acts again in the short term.
"Right, you said so yourself."
Jiang Yaqing shrugged her shoulders and said softly.
"Then why do you still look so downcast?"
"I..." Chen Yu frowned. "I don't know the specific reason. Perhaps it's my former free city-state. I haven't received any response from them these past two days."
"Do you want me to help you check?"
"Can you check?"
"If you need me to, I can help you with this small favor. Though it's a small favor, you'll owe me a big one, and it might be difficult for you to repay it later~"
"If you can really help me check."
"No problem."
Knock, knock, knock!
Suddenly, there was an urgent knocking sound from outside the door.
When the visitor entered the room, Chen Yu's brows furrowed instantly.
Half an hour later—
"City Lord Chen, now that you're here, I feel much more at ease." Mi Ye, clad in armor, had a smile in her eyes, and her tense face gradually relaxed, relieved.
"What's the specific situation?"
Chen Yu stood on the city wall, gazing outwards. Hei Lu spoke in a low voice.
"About an hour ago, sentinels noticed movement from the demon side. I dispatched a reconnaissance team and discovered they were assembling troops, and it wasn't a small-scale assembly."
"A full-scale attack?"
Chen Yu's expression changed slightly upon hearing this.
It was true that Liao Dao had been probing during this period, but he had almost always brought only a few thousand demonic creatures, appearing to want to engage in a protracted war with Chen Yu.
Suddenly launching a full-scale attack, what was this guy thinking?
"Have all our people arrived?"
"They're all ready." Hei Lu's expression was solemn. "Including City Lord Mi Ye's forces, our total troop strength is about 1.2 million. Even if the demons want to launch a full-scale attack, they might not be able to defeat us."
Chen Yu remained silent.
A full-scale attack?
So sudden.
Could it be that the premonition he felt was because of Liao Dao?
That shouldn't be the case.
If it were truly a full-scale attack, it wouldn't be a bad thing for Chen Yu. He could directly purge the demonic creatures, allowing him to allocate his attention to Freedom Town.
A protracted war like this was something Chen Yu disliked.
After stalling with him in Fengqi City for so long, had Liao Dao also lost his patience?
"Boss, they're here!"
Hei Lu raised his hand and pointed outside the fortress.
A vast, black expanse.
The entire earth seemed to be trembling violently.
Gazing intently, it was indeed Liao Dao's forces, countless demonic creatures with primeval strengths. The scale was far greater than in their previous encounters. It seemed Liao Dao had truly gone all out this time, intending to fight Chen Yu to the death.
Mi Ye, clad in armor, paled slightly upon seeing this scene.
She was no damsel in distress.
The territory of Eluk City had been reclaimed by her, one city and one territory at a time.
However, this was her first time encountering a war of this scale, and she was well aware of the strength of those demonic creatures. Victory meant life, defeat meant death.
In a battle with no retreat, it was inevitable that she would feel some fear.
But when she looked at Chen Yu, she felt an inexplicable sense of peace.
"It should be okay, with City Lord Chen here, it should be fine!!!"
The vast demon army stopped about two li away from the fortress Chen Yu had built. Liao Dao, riding alone, emerged and stopped about a hundred meters outside the city.
"Chen Yu."
"Can't wait any longer?" Chen Yu, standing on the city wall, said softly. "You've brought so many people here this time; it looks like you're prepared to settle the score with me. Are you also prepared for your entire army to be annihilated?"
"Hahaha—"
Liao Dao, standing below the city, suddenly burst into laughter.
"Chen Yu, you're truly naive to the point of being laughable. Do you really think the crushing defeats in the past few rounds were because I was no match for you? If you think that, I'll be very disappointed in you."
"Oh?"
"Don't you feel that I was deliberately stalling for time? And do you understand why I was stalling for time?"
"Stalling for time?"
"I'm very sorry, but my mission is complete." Liao Dao shrugged. "I'm not here for a decisive battle with you. This time, I purely came to mock you. You've lost. My men will be heading to the Tato Kingdom shortly, and my purpose for coming here is also for this dynasty. You were just a side quest I received. I was just playing around with you, and you actually went to the trouble of building a fortress?"
Liao Dao looked playfully at the fortress before him.
"Actually, even if you didn't have a fortress, even if you didn't send troops to defend, I wouldn't have done anything to you. As long as you stayed in Fengqi City, that was enough."
"You, you're truly pathetic."
"Goodbye."
Waving his hand, Liao Dao turned and walked away. Chen Yu's heart tightened, and he called out.
"What did you do? Is it Freedom Town—"
Ding—
Suddenly, Chen Yu's wristband chimed.
"Old Yu!!!"
"What's the situation in Freedom Town?"
Chen Yu's voice was urgent, and Yu Pu's voice from his wristband was intermittent.
"Brother Yu."
"Free... Freedom Town... has fallen!"