Otherworldly Desert Dust-Chapter 422 377: Evil City
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Steel Eagle City once again took to the skies, its Feather Towers unfolding, reaching above the clouds in an instant.
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At first, Wu Hen was curious, since Steel Eagle City could restart to the clear blue sky, why didn't it fly to farther lands to prey on other towns, which could at least avoid ambushes from Grand Canyon City.
But after seeing several of Steel Eagle City's hunting processes, Wu Hen understood that even a Steel Eagle City would find it not so easy to swallow up smaller towns.
Scouting and intelligence were of great importance.
In Steel Eagle City, there was a department whose members, disguised as wandering merchants, would investigate the town's resources and the capabilities of its special engines while trading in the marketplaces.
It could be said that without sufficient preparation, even a formidable living city like Steel Eagle City could easily fail in hunting, and the energy expended in a failure would require even more effort to replenish.
Hunts by Steel Eagle City always had precise targets, but if they ventured into unfamiliar territories without having dispatched city spies to thoroughly gather information, they might end up with unwanted resources after a brutal battle, which would disrupt the entire operation of Steel Eagle City.
Hence, when Prison Town fell to Steel Eagle City, it was definitely premeditated.
There were three target towns on the edge of the swamp: Crocodile Town, which specialized in breeding; Black Spring Small City, which mined the swamp's dark energy; and Evil City, a criminal stronghold that thrived on robbing other villages.
Chi Luo had no interest in the breeding town, for even after its annexation, providing fresh livestock to the town would only strengthen the residents' cohesion, but that was not the immediate material resource they urgently needed.
They needed energy, ample dark energy.
Considering the formidable armed strength of Black Spring Small City, Chi Luo settled on Evil City, a criminal fortress that had been robbing in the swamp, especially targeting small towns and family-owned mining villages. According to reliable information gathered by Chi Luo's men, Evil City was currently at its wealthiest...
Eliminating Evil City and confiscating all their wealth was akin to raiding all the large and small villages in the marshland, which would save a considerable amount of time for Steel Eagle City.
After obtaining enough resources and energy from Evil City, they would immediately launch an attack on Black Spring Small City.
They would not annex Black Spring Small City, but merely take all the dark energy they had mined over the years. After completing these two hunts, they would no longer fear Grand Canyon City.
"Our targets are too clear, which makes it easy for Grand Canyon City to predict our moves. How can you be so sure that there are no intelligence agents from Grand Canyon City among these small towns, perhaps they are deliberately baiting us," Levi once again voiced his dissent.
"You should shut up!" Chi Luo was somewhat fed up.
"You have exercised your mayoral right to make a final decision only once during your term. I acknowledge your authority, but I am discussing this seriously with you. We should consider how to select our targets even if we are willing to take risks!" After becoming the Deputy Mayor, Levi was forceful, not indulging the thoughtless Mayor.
"Follow my plan!" Chi Luo directly rejected any further advice from Levi.
"Deputy Mayor Levi, our plan is already drawn up. Changing it at this late stage would only disrupt the rhythm further. At this point, we should stand united and handle the predicament we are facing," the Commander of Resources said.
"As the Deputy Mayor, it is my duty to report the potential risks we may face to all of you and the Mayor. But if everyone refuses to adopt them or listen, then that's a separate issue," Levi said indifferently.
Wu Hen inwardly nodded at Levi's approach.
Although Chi Luo's current decisions were reckless and likely to fall into the trap set by Grand Canyon City, Levi's speaking out now was better than after the fact. This would convince the other commanders in Steel Eagle City that he, the Deputy Mayor, was wise and had anticipated the situation before anything happened.
After offering his suggestion, Levi chose to stay silent.
Once the huge body of Steel Eagle City entered the clouds, it entered a state of Cloud Sky invisibility, and the city's special light steel structure allowed it to soar through the skies, unseen as clear blue glass, even by those who watched the sky for a long time, the living city's presence undetected.
The swamp terrain was not too complicated, at least lacking the frequent elevations of mountains or abrupt fissures. The extensive wetlands were covered with various bizarre plants, some dry and decaying, others showing a strange vitality, especially areas overflowing with brightly colored flowers and vines which often concealed danger.
Evil City had moved into an area of rotten bald cypress trees. Each tree, charred black, reaching into the swamp, stood tall and robust like ancient giant soldiers cursed, solemnly and eerily stationed in this gray realm...
The fortress nestled by the swamp, and one could see many captured women washing clothes by the waterside, most of the attire stained with blood that was hard to clean.
The fortress was primarily constructed of wood, but not ordinary trees. The wooden walls and houses were connected to wood engines, which on sensing danger would dissolve into countless wooden beetles, scattering in all directions and vanishing into the swamp in an instant.
Steel Eagle City had already learned of their escape tactics.
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So they wouldn't immediately use the Eagle Claw upon detecting the targetāthey planned to first deploy restraining laser instruments underground before Human City even sensed danger, creating a wall of restraints around, to ensure that Evil City couldn't disintegrate and flee.
"What do you think?" Levi asked Wu Hen.
"The technology of Evil City is quite interesting, fitting their survival style. Once they're legally pursued and hunted by your cities, they disperse and escape quickly," Wu Hen said.
"Every town and even some special villages have their technologies, but the resources sustaining their technologies are often limited to certain areas, so it is difficult for them to move elsewhere unless it's the kind of technology that can operate efficiently throughout Da Xuan, or even the entire Cang Chu, like Living City... Actually, the seeming plunder of resources, the continuous swallowing up of other cities, is also for the integration of various technologies. When a city has mature technology in every aspect, it becomes a colossal city," Levi said.
"Most people in this fortress are criminals wanted from your prison, right?" Wu Hen inquired.
"Yes, originally Evil City was the ultimate target for Prison Town, and I would need to give it my all to possibly subdue them. With the strength of Prison Town at that time, it was bound to be a fierce battle... But now that I've become the deputy mayor here, it's easy for me to handle them," Levi said.
"Things may not be as simple as you think; perhaps this is the archenemy you can't escape at this stage," Wu Hen warned, looking down from above. He was observing Evil City through Steel Eagle City's surveillance instruments, while also collecting all the information with his Fourth Rank Spiritual Vision.
"What, you feel something is off with Evil City?" Levi raised his eyebrow.
"If you were Grand Canyon City, where would you choose to ambush us?" Wu Hen asked.
"Logically speaking, Black Spring Small City should be the most ideal because it has the strategic resources we need and is the only chance for them to turn the tide against us," Levi said.
"But even for Grand Canyon City, it wouldn't be easy to silently consume a small Living City, look at Chi Luo, he must first raid Evil City before daring to make a move on Black Spring City. This means Grand Canyon City also needs to weigh whether they can quickly take down Black Spring City and whether they would suffer from the city's resistance and incur losses..." Wu Hen said.
"That's the reasoning," Levi nodded.
Wu Hen and Levi were now in agreement.
Grand Canyon City must be lurking somewhere in the marsh.
They must be like a marsh crocodile, silently waiting for the eagle to fall from the sky, ready to bite Steel Eagle City in one gulp.
In that case, among the several targets chosen by Chi Luo, there is a high probability that Grand Canyon City is lying in ambush.
But exactly which Living City or town are they hiding in?
This was what Wu Hen and Levi were discussing right now. They couldn't intervene in this combat plan, but Grand Canyon City was an unavoidable threat. Only by defeating Grand Canyon City could everyone truly be safe.
They both had to analyze the route of Grand Canyon City and determine where they were lying in wait.
Chi Luo could be reckless and mindless.
Levi, the soon-to-be mayor of Steel Eagle City, and Wu Hen, his chief of staff, couldn't just throw in the towel.
"You think Grand Canyon City is right beneath Evil City?" Levi suddenly understood Wu Hen's implication, somewhat astonished.
"Most of Evil City's population are criminals, and their temperament is similar to those managers of Grand Canyon City. If I were the ruler of Grand Canyon City, I would send people into this fortress to tell them that if they swore allegiance to me, they could have a new legal identity in my city. If you were the lord of Evil City, would you agree?" Wu Hen countered.
Levi pondered briefly, then nodded his head.
Wu Hen's analysis was very logical.
Days had passed, and there was no movement from Grand Canyon City.
They couldn't possibly fail to find Steel Eagle City; if they hadn't launched an attack while Eagle City was vulnerable, then there was only one explanationāthey must be nearby!
They were well aware of Steel Eagle City's situation, and they knew Eagle City would definitely come out to hunt.
So they just had to place a trap under a big piece of bait, waiting quietly for Steel Eagle City to take it!
The most suitable bait... It really was Evil City!
"I remember someone, that guy mentioned Evil City more than once in internal meetings to Chi Luo, painting Evil City as an easy catch. If your speculation is correct, then this guy is very likely a mole from Grand Canyon City!" Levi suddenly said.
"A mole in the command hierarchy??" Wu Hen exclaimed in shock.
