chapter 37 city 2

[ Ding! I found a city. Do you want to absorb it?

Long Su silently agreed, and the black banner bearing the Daqin symbol began to dissolve into the human-fanged statue, causing it to melt before his eyes. 

A peculiar white fog started to emanate from the liquefied remains, eerily spreading outward in all directions.

Contrary to his previous experience, this time the fog did not transport Long Su and his skeleton army away from the area it covered. 

Instead, it enveloped him in its strange, opaque embrace, leaving him and his army unaffected.

Feeling uneasy and more than a little ridiculous that his own ability just blind himself, Long Su quickly ordered his units, "All units, make your way to the city gates!" In his haste to escape the fog, he stumbled, nearly losing his balance on several occasions, while the skeletons moved with their characteristic steady, uncoordinated gait.

The scene was almost comical, with Long Su hurrying through the city, enveloped in a peculiar personal fog bank, while his undead army marched along beside him, seemingly unfazed by the absurdity of the situation.

As they pressed on toward the city gates, Long Su couldn't help but wonder if the fog worked differently this time because it's city this time. 

None the less, he almost fell down many times because, for him, it really was foggy and it was impossible to see anything in front of him but to reach the city gates quickly, even if it meant enduring a little embarrassment along the way.

The skeletons, being the loyal and dependable soldiers they were, followed their lord without question, never wavering in their duty, even as their commander struggled to maintain his dignity within the peculiar fog.

—————— 

of the city lord's scouts, a messenger hastily entered the main tent. With a sense of urgency, he declared, "My lord, urgent news from the scouts!"

The Blood Clan city lord, who had been reclining on an ornate chair, sat up, a mixture of curiosity and concern etched on his features. 

"Has another human dared to enter the city?" he inquired, his voice laced with suspicion.

"No, my lord, but a strange occurrence has taken place. A peculiar white fog has begun to cover the city from within, spreading toward the outskirts."

The messenger explained, his brow furrowed with uncertainty. The city lord's expression grew grave. 

"White fog, you say? Tell me more. Where did it originate?" he demanded, the unease within him growing as he considered the potential implications.

The messenger cleared his throat, recounting the information he had gathered.

"Our bats followed the human army into the city. Strangely, the human did not proceed to the city palace to steal the city treasure but instead made his way directly to the statue of our revered god."

" but suddenly, the bats lost their connection with us, and now our scouts can only see the city shrouded in white fog."

Upon hearing that the human army had ventured directly to the sacred statue, the city lord felt a surge of panic.

He knew that if any harm befell the statue, he and his family would face the wrath of the church.

His internal struggle was palpable as he weighed his options. 

After a moment's hesitation, he made his decision. "Send the order to the army! We will surround the city at once," he commanded, his voice resolute despite the turmoil within him.

"Yes, my lord!" The messenger saluted and quickly departed to relay the command.

As the city lord donned his armor and prepared to march with his personal army to be the first one arriving to the city his thoughts were consumed by worry. 

'I hope we are not too late,' he mused, his heart weighed down by the gravity of the situation. With the fate of his city, his family, and his own life hanging in the balance

As the city lord and his thousands of personal guards swiftly descended upon the city, Long Su, having just emerged from the fog-engulfed gates, found himself facing a formidable force. 

The sight of the vast army arrayed before him, along with the meticulously organized groups of soldiers advancing from all sides, was enough to cause his confidence his idea that the trap was aiming to anyone who enter the city

Glancing to the left and right, Long Su could see that his small contingent was vastly outnumbered. In every direction, a sea of soldiers stretched out before him, their lines unbroken and resolute.

Overhead, a cloud of bats soared through the sky, their watchful eyes monitoring every movement below.

Determined to maintain a façade of calm, Long Su resisted the urge to reveal his inner turmoil.

With the fate of his newfound city resting on his shoulders, he knew he must buy time for the transformation to be completed.

Resigned to his role as protector and decoy, Long Su ordered his skeleton army into a defensive formation. 

The enslaved skeletons formed the front line, their blank visages staring down at the encroaching forces with unwavering resolve. Just behind them, the spear-wielding skeletons stood ready, their weapons glinting menacingly in the dim light. 

Finally, the sword- and shield-bearing skeletons encircled Long Su, prepared to defend their leader to the last.

the enemy forces drew ever closer, Long Su steeled himself, his face a mask of calm determination.