Chapter 435: Arrival in Water Screen City

“Hehe, that kid Rod—this time he’s really done something amazing!” Drolong added, breaking the somewhat dull atmosphere.
“Yes, with the Gate of Gods and Demons open, the divine essence of the God King—this time he’s really reaped a huge benefit. His future is boundless!” Merk exclaimed with deep emotion.
“What’s that compared to? He won’t be able to relax until he deals with the matter of the demon souls. How can he be as carefree as us? He must be the most troubled right now!” Sognar always liked to bring up things that made everyone want to avoid discussing them, causing the others to roll their eyes. Couldn’t he leave them in peace for a moment?
“Don’t worry, he won’t disappoint us!” It was an old man who had remained silent up until now speaking. His silver-white hair and aged appearance gave him a somber look.
Of course, this was relative to Merk and the others. For Rod and the Scorpion King clan, this face was all too familiar—Bianuo, the old man who had raised Rod. Rod thought he was already dead!
His purpose for coming here was simple: to assist the Black Phoenix clan! As for why Rod sent him here, perhaps only he knew. After all, when Rod first arrived in Dark Moon City, he sent this old man away before even having the chance to meet him, which shows just how important he was.
“Well, indeed, nothing seems too difficult for that kid!” Sognar pouted, though reluctantly, he had to agree with this statement.
The others were also deeply moved. They knew Rod too well. From the beginning to now, it seemed true—this made them sigh with admiration for the kid’s resilience. No matter how big the challenges, he could solve them and persevere. That was the most precious spirit, and it was because of this spirit that he had been able to reach where he is today.
In the time that followed, they sat together, chatting and laughing, completely free from the tension one would expect before battle. Perhaps after suppressing it for so long, they really needed to relax.
Time flew by. One night passed swiftly, and before long, dawn arrived.
The sun rose above the horizon, glowing red, giving off a vibrant energy. The air was fresh, with a gentle breeze bringing a slight coolness. Tiny droplets of dew clung to the trees and grass along the road, reflecting dazzling colors under the sunlight—absolutely beautiful.

In the early morning, the songs of birds sounded especially pleasant. These little creatures were always so hardworking; with the arrival of sunlight, they began their busy day. Their chirping filled the air, accompanied by green mountains, clear waters, and a gentle breeze. If there were no wars, this would surely be an ideal place.

“Boom… boom… boom…” A deep sound came, like thunder, powerful and intense.

“He’s here!” Locke said excitedly, eager to see what Rod had become.

Sure enough, a dark mass gradually appeared in the distance, becoming clearer as it moved closer. The figure at the forefront was unmistakably familiar, followed by a fierce army. The wolf army displayed their imposing presence; even after days of non-stop travel, they showed no signs of fatigue, which was truly admirable—after all, they were born for battle.

In the blink of an eye, the army reached the outskirts of the city. The guards on the walls panicked upon seeing them. Some were utterly helpless and began to scream in panic. Chaos ensued inside the city.

The mere presence of this army was enough to fill them with fear.

“Kid, you’ve finally arrived!” Merk and the others had sharp eyes and immediately noticed Rod’s change—it was a change in aura, a qualitative change they could only envy. Especially realizing his strength had grown even further, they exchanged glances. He was already extraordinary; now that he possessed a divine status, they didn’t know what words could describe him.

“How’s it inside the city?” Rod asked directly, looking at Merk.

“It’s all locked down. As long as that guy is inside, he can’t escape! But what methods do we have to find him?” Merk asked anxiously after pondering for a moment. That was the biggest challenge—finding one person among tens of thousands in Water Curtain City without any clues was extremely difficult.

Hearing this, Rod also frowned deeply. This was the biggest problem at the moment. If nothing else worked, perhaps they would have to use the Wolf King’s method!

Taking a deep breath, he said, “Take Water Curtain City first. Only by getting inside can we proceed with the next plan.”

“That’s the only option. When do we start?” Doron asked thoughtfully.

“Now!” Without further delay, after giving a brief instruction to the others, Rod raised his voice and said calmly.

Coming here without choosing to rest and immediately deciding to attack the city was surprising enough for anyone, except for the Wolf King, who wasn’t affected at all. For the Wolf Clan’s army, attacking a city wasn’t difficult.
“No rest?” Merk asked in confusion.
“No need. Let’s hurry and resolve the matter with Water Curtain City as soon as possible!” Rod rejected Merk’s request. One strike can inspire courage, but repeated strikes lead to exhaustion. Although the army had just arrived, the Wolf Clan and the Scorpion King’s forces still had high morale. As for the Black Phoenix Clan, they had been waiting idly here for nearly a month and were full of energy. Now that the army had arrived, their confidence soared. Moreover, the pro-war soldiers inside the city had lost their composure upon seeing the arrival of the army.
This was the perfect time to attack! Attacking now could double the effectiveness of the current momentum. If they rested and relaxed at this moment, it would cost much more effort to attack again. That’s why Rod chose to launch the attack now.
“Good. Elder Dolon, go and make the arrangements. We’re ready to attack!” Merk agreed readily, not wanting to say more, and began giving orders to the generals around him. In just a few minutes, everything was ready.
Unbeknownst to them, chaos reigned inside the city. Hearing that Rod had arrived and that the Wolf Clan’s army had come, the soldiers, who already lacked confidence, became panicked. In the city lord’s palace, the Crown Prince and the Second Prince, who had recently calmed down, realized the danger too late.
“Damn it! The Wolves have arrived too?” The Crown Prince roared angrily, his face pale.
“You know about the Wolves turning against us. Don’t forget—my third brother has an army of 100,000. If the Wolves hadn’t turned against us, how could he be defeated so quickly?” Another young man beside the Crown Prince said coldly.
This man was the current Second Prince. Due to the conflict over Water Curtain City, the two of them had been at odds and even engaged in battles. If it weren’t for the Black Phoenix Clan surrounding Water Curtain City, they wouldn’t be sitting together now; they might still be in a life-or-death struggle.
“Hmph. Don’t think I don’t know what you’re thinking. If Water Curtain City falls, you won’t gain anything!” The Crown Prince snorted in response to the Second Prince’s words.
The atmosphere became tense, filled with hostility, making the officers, who were already anxious, feel utterly helpless.

“Enough talk—stop wasting time and quickly gather all troops to defend the city walls. Also, make those small families contribute both money and effort. Hmph, if Water Curtain City falls, they won’t escape consequences either. Tell them that if they help us repel the enemy army successfully, they’ll surely benefit in the future!” With a wave of his hand, the second prince turned to his officers and gave orders. In this regard, his ability was slightly superior to that of the war-obsessed first prince.

At that moment, the first prince stopped wasting energy and ordered his generals to prepare for battle immediately, while he and the second prince rushed toward the city walls. As for the others, some went to gather people to head to the city walls, while others began carrying out the second prince’s orders by contacting those small families.

Of course, these small families were the merchant families within the city or some branches of the pro-war faction.

Outside the city, the atmosphere was tense. Dull footsteps and a grim aura spread throughout the city, covering the sky and creating a sense of deathly stillness. On the streets, people rushed about with serious expressions. Yet no one noticed that in secret, members of those small families were overjoyed upon hearing this news.

When Water Curtain City fell to the Black Phoenix clan, they thought the end had come. But instead of targeting them, the Black Phoenix clan offered them plenty of benefits, letting them taste success. Then the first and second princes returned, forcing the Black Phoenix clan to withdraw from Water Curtain City, leading to the current situation—city under siege, martial law, and continuous internal strife. With both internal and external threats, there was no hope left. Not to mention the profits, they were also forced to supply a lot of food and supplies to both sides, which left these people deeply dissatisfied. But due to their weaker strength, they could only endure in silence.

They suffered the greatest losses and were naturally resentful. After all, merchants exist for profit! Thus, Rod’s earlier tactics quickly took effect, causing these small families to resist and hope that the Black Phoenix clan would invade the city. They even secretly passed information to give the Black Phoenix clan an advantage. Meanwhile, people within the city spread rumors to put the two princes in a very unfavorable position, losing all public support.

It’s easy to imagine the situation inside the city now. Most people must be waiting for the Black Phoenix clan to take control. Facts have proven that the two princes are unfit to lead the pro-war faction—they lack the ability. Under their leadership, Water Curtain City has already been in ruins.