The first yellowish rays of sunlight broke through the navy blue cloudy skies, heralding a new day.
Instead of continuing their climb upwards, the freaking zombie-like humanoids quickly jumped off one another, breaking their assault on the wall. Like something calling them back, they staggered and trudged back into the forests, much to the relief of the weary troops.
"Why don't we follow them to see where the source is?" I asked.
"Look at our men, most just want to sleep so that they can fight another night," he gestured towards them. "Every night is a battle to keep the city safe."
The bleary-eyed men rubbed their eyes. A sea of earthen smudged faces greeted me with nods and yawns. Some were stretching themselves while a few slid down against the wall to a sitting position.
I looked over the wall as the skies illuminated the ground. Where there should had been bodies, there were arrows sticking out and rocks strewn across the orangish barren soil.
"We tried to follow a few times, but it was a dead end," General Han shrugged. "They just disappear. We even ran for traces of ling qi - there were none. We don't know what they are even though they, like the Mo beasts, can vanish into thin air."
"Did you report this to Governor Zhao?"
"Him? We can't. Line of command is like this - I report to the Houshan city administrator who then passes it onto the Beihou provincial administrator who decides if it goes up further to Governor Zhao," General Han explained.
"But in the provinces near to the capital city, the key city administrators can bypass the provincial administration for urgent matters," I pointed out. "This is an urgent matter."
"Your highness, look around you. This is a poor border province. Nobody cares about us. We don't even have at least one of your royal relatives here in the northern provinces," he replied.
General Han motioned towards his resting men, who were now talking to each other. "They are genuinely pleased that a young Prince like you is taking an interest in the city's plight. All these men have families here."
"Send a message to Governor Zhao then," I said. "If the city administrator wishes to protest, tell him to come straight to me."
***
At early sunrise, the Hu men looked uneasy about last night. Some had been awake the whole night listening to the sounds wafting from the city gates.
The atmosphere was thick with uncertainty and doubt. Houshan city did not feel safe.
One by one, they gathered around Okutai, who was sitting cross legged by the makeshift fire place in the courtyard. His wrinkled, bony fingers sprinkled some grassland herbs on the fire.
A bitter sweet aroma burst out perfuming the area, calming some of their frayed nerves as they watch some of the weary soldiers trudge past their open courtyard door.
Aguzen was lying next on his side leisurely on the layers of cotton blankets while watching the old shaman chanting monotonously over the fire and throwing more herbs into the flames.
He yawned lazily, as he turned around and noticed Ji Feng walking past, talking to the General of the city.
Okutai halted the chant with his head hanging low. He suddenly waved the staff over as bells on it softly jiggled.
"Old magic in the air. A thousand dead arises," Okutai muttered as he chanted.
"A thousand dead?" Aguzen rose up and stared at Okutai. "What about the land spirits?"
Okutai shook his head, "Suppressed by a star god. Not a good sign."
"Didn't you say that there are three star gods for the Prince?"
"A fourth is against him," the shaman declared in an ominous tone.
The Hu men started murmuring among themselves in discontent.
"Has this happened before? What did our ancestors say?," Aguzen asked.
***
(Meanwhile, in the vicinity of Xuanlong sect)
A great black bony chair made from skeletons of various species appeared in front of his desk. A human figure was manifesting slowly as fingernails grew longer, darkening into a shade of black. The eyes were flowing red with malicious fury. Dressed in a majestic black gown, his long black tresses flowed.
Governor Zhao sighed as he put down his tea cup.
"If it isn't old Huixing coming to visit me…"
Huixing, the Deity of Trouble, smirked as the strong vermillion flames emanated from his body.
"Where's the other player in my way?" He demanded to know.
Governor Zhao raised an eyebrow and replied, "You are in my way. I wouldn't be here if you did not pull a transmigrator here."
"Because they placed one on my planet!"
"Maybe you should have thought carefully when you transported half of ancient China over centuries into this damn planet without authorisation. Even the damn poisonous herbs are the same! And just look at the animals!" Governor Zhao retorted. "You might as well duplicate Earth and take it here."
Huixing growled.
"You are the trouble. The one they call the star of trouble," Governor Zhao pinched his forehead.
"Ba…"
"Please don't even mention my true name here," Governor Zhao replied.
His neat and simple room immediately transformed into a hellish surrounding, with large flames surrounding him.
"Really now," Governor Zhao coughed politely, unfazed by the threat. "Playing creator god is a dangerous game."
"This is MY planet," Huixing growled.
"And my advice is that you look closely at the new authorised transmigrator which was ordered by Primordial Chaos."
"You mean that Ji Feng. He won't survive mine. I heard that one is so badly damaged that he can even summon ling qi to save his life."
Governor Zhao chuckled. "Not everything is about ling qi here."
The celestial Go board has been set. The pieces have been laid before him and Huixing still took him for a fool. At least Zaixing was wary of him.
He narrowed his eyes at the troublesome deity. Huixing had the audacity to dabble with the Jinshi netherworlds. It reminded him of a situation which happened several millennia ago.