As night fell, the merchants in Dongshan City began to close their shops. Both the foreign caravans that had come to do business and the residents of the city returned home one after another.
On the main road, twenty or thirty tall Tauren were rushing to their temporary residence, pushing carts filled with goods.
These Tauren were clad in simple animal skins and wielded powerful weapons such as massive maces and hammers. They looked rugged but exuded an air of toughness.
The Manniu tribe belonged to the lowest yellow-level race in the Tianheng Continent. They possessed brute strength but lacked high intelligence.
Currently, tensions between the empire and the major tribes of the Barbarian race were escalating, with occasional skirmishes on the borders. However, this did not hinder trade between the two groups.
The Barbarian Bulls used their immense strength to hunt down some Warcraft, obtaining valuable materials that they traded with humans in exchange for essential goods.
Of course, human merchants, notorious for their treachery, would naturally exploit them. With no other options, the Barbarian Bulls had to comply, even though they felt resentful.
This group of Tauren had used ten Warcraft crystal cores to acquire these carts of daily necessities. Looking at the hoarse grins and anger on their faces, it was evident they felt cheated.
The leader, a tall middle-aged Tauren, carried an axe as large as a door panel on his back. He glanced at the aggrieved tribesmen behind him, then at the carts filled with meager provisions, feeling a fire of indignation burning within him.
Those ten crystal cores represented the lives of his clansmen, yet they had been swindled by human profiteers. After numerous visits, they had received only a paltry return. The more he thought about it, the angrier he became.
If this weren't human territory, and if Clan Leader Qian Jie Wan hadn't warned him to restrain himself before departing, he would have split the sharp-mouthed, monkey-cheeked merchant in half with his axe.
Suddenly, a group of human soldiers, clad in armor and wielding long swords and bows, approached from the front. The young general leading them halted and shouted angrily, "What are you doing!"
The middle-aged Tauren replied, suppressing his anger, "We are businessmen from the Barbarian tribe. Why are you stopping us without reason?"
"Nonsense! I can tell you're Tauren at a glance! Don't you know the current relationship between the kingdom and your tribe? You claim to be trading, but where are your credentials?"
The young military commander was aggressive, ready to provoke a fight over any disagreement.
The middle-aged Tauren's eyes widened in fury. "What kind of certificate? I never ask for certificates when doing business!"
The young general's irritation peaked. Hearing this, he snapped, "If you don't have one, you're a spy! Brothers, search them!"
With that, the soldiers unsheathed their swords, surrounding the group of Tauren. In response, the Barbarian Bulls brandished their massive weapons, preparing to confront the human soldiers.
Tension hung in the air as the two sides stared each other down. Residents who had initially gathered to watch the commotion began to retreat, sensing the escalating conflict.
Meanwhile, some onlookers wondered, *Since when did our soldiers dare to confront the Tauren so openly?*
After a moment, a group of soldiers clad in dark leather armor, embroidered with sun and moon patterns, rushed over from a distance. There were about a hundred of them, led by a middle-aged general on horseback, wielding a broadsword, exuding authority.
"What's going on? Who dares to cause trouble in Dongshan City?" a loud voice boomed before the general even arrived.
"It's General Zhao!" someone in the crowd exclaimed. The figure approaching was none other than Dongshan City's top general, Zhao An, who had reached the third level of the Body Refining Realm!
"Why is he here?" wondered the young general, frowning.
"General Zhao! These spies from the Barbarian tribe want to conspire from the inside and outside to destroy Dongshan City!" the young general shouted.
With that, he roared angrily, swinging his sword at the Tauren in front of him.
The Tauren, however, would not allow themselves to be slaughtered without a fight. The mace in his hand blocked the blow fiercely. With the Tauren's strength, how could a mere human injure him?
But something occurred that stunned everyone.
The mace in the Tauren's hand was sliced in two by the long sword as if it were made of paper. The fine steel sword continued its path and struck the Tauren's arm. With a sickening crack, the thick arm broke in response.
Silence. A deathly silence fell over the crowd.
The next moment, a scream akin to that of a slaughtered pig echoed in the air as a fierce conflict finally erupted between the two sides.
Seeing this, Zhao An shouted, "Kill all these Tauren!"
The battle escalated, blood splattering across the field. Roars, screams, and the clash of weapons filled the air with chaos.
Though the human soldiers were superior in numbers, the Barbarian Bulls fought fiercely, and neither side could gain the upper hand for the moment.
Suddenly, billowing smoke appeared from the south side of Dongshan City, accompanied by distant shouts: "The treasury is on fire! The treasury is on fire!"
Seeing this, the young general shouted loudly to Zhao An, who was engaged in battle with the middle-aged Tauren, "General! The treasury is burning. There may be thieves taking advantage of the chaos to rob it. I will lead my men to quell the disorder!"
Without waiting for Zhao An to respond, he rallied his soldiers, shouting as they retreated toward the distant streets.
Zhao An sensed something was amiss but couldn't articulate it as he was preoccupied with the middle-aged Tauren and had no time to dwell on details.
In mere moments, several key locations in the city caught fire. The entire city descended into chaos as people shouted, "The Barbarian Bulls are breaking into the city!"
Teams of soldiers rushed through the streets, causing pandemonium. A group of soldiers in bright uniforms on enraged horses swung their swords at any foreigners they encountered.
At least twenty to thirty foreign merchants fell under their long swords, igniting fierce resistance from the foreigners.
"We're all inferior races; who's afraid of whom?"
At this point, the city was plunged into complete chaos, and the situation spiraled out of control.