Chapter 78: The Location of the Spirit Seal

Chapter 78: The Location of the Spirit Seal

Beicheng has been cut off from the rest of Shangnanzhou for nearly thirty years.

Due to geographical reasons, they are surrounded by mountains, forming a natural 'city wall' that acts as a barrier.

By sealing off the original passageways leading into the city, they can effectively isolate themselves from the people of other cities. Beicheng is also the largest area in Shangnanzhou, with its urban area almost equal to the combined size of the other three cities.

With abundant natural resources, fertile land, and endless marine resources along its coastline, it is Shangnanzhou's most densely populated area.

Therefore, even without contact with other urban areas over the years, they have been self-sufficient. The only real challenge is acquiring military equipment.

The other three cities haven't rebelled as long as Beicheng has, and occasionally still have contact with Dongcheng, where high-ranking officials are stationed. In earlier years, they were lucky enough to acquire a lot of military equipment discarded by other star systems, which has kept them afloat for a while.

But the people of Beicheng have remained steadfast, so the Silver Dragon Battalion has cut off their resources for years.

While Beicheng has no trouble with farming and breeding on its land, it is relatively lacking in mineral resources for metal and ironware.

This means that even with skilled technicians in this area, they can't mass-produce new weapons.

Within the Tianlong system, there are mining planets where resources can be extracted.

But those places have long been strongholds for the devil hordes. They tried venturing out a few times early on, but the gains didn't justify the losses, so it was better not to go. Over the years, not to mention the multiple generations of military equipment that have been replaced, even their earliest batch of equipment, no matter its quality, couldn't endure the constant battles with the devil hordes.

Moreover, Taiyue Star has vast seas, and Beicheng is Shangnanzhou's region with the most exposure to the outer sea.

Besides the already entrenched devil hordes, they occasionally have to guard against other foreign tribes that can travel by water, who frequently land to harass them, further depleting their resources. Holding out until now, Beicheng's military resources are truly on the brink of exhaustion.

The person being questioned is Chen Jianguang, the current overall commander of Beicheng's military.

He is also the one who overheard those high-ranking officials in Dongcheng mocking Shangnanzhou's military guards. He is a double S-level psychic, and all current military operations in Beicheng rely on his arrangements.

He frowned and thought long and hard before finally making a 'tough' decision.

"I remember the informants outside the city mentioned that the military resources in Xicheng are very abundant, and Nancheng is best at the reuse and modification of discarded military equipment," Chen Jianguang mused for a moment, then continued, "First, send a team out in plain clothes to investigate their situation."

"Find an opportunity to seize some from them."

Yes, Beicheng has decided—to use force.

For the stability of Beicheng, this is the only way.

Chen Jianguang also recalled hearing that the military guards of Nancheng and Xicheng have recently shown a tendency to gradually submit to the Silver Dragon Battalion.

He felt even more disdain for them, and the slight guilt and remorse he originally harbored vanished instantly.

After all, there is no hope for supplies from the Silver Dragon, and if they care too much about the lives of people in other urban areas, it will be Beicheng that perishes. This world is ruled by the strong, just like the law of the wolf pack—whoever wins takes the territory and resources.

·

Tianshe, Bishui Villa.

Xu Qingran couldn't remember when or how he got into bed.

But when he woke up, his head was pounding, and the memories of last night's madness came flooding back without a break.

He fell silent instantly.

Then he grabbed his phone and sent another message to Shen Tingyu: "Where are you?"

Shen Tingyu's reply came as quickly as ever: "At the Lyra Base?"

"Are you awake?"

Xu Qingran didn't respond further.

Instead, he said to the system, "It seems that the information in your guidebook isn't necessarily accurate."

System: ???

What guidebook?

Oh, that *Flirty Uncle and Charming Niece-in-law*?

Just as it realized, it saw its host thinking seriously: "I see that in novels, whenever the protagonist's partner is stimulated, they would mindlessly drop everything, rush over with red eyes, and lose control."

But Shen Tingyu, he remained unmoved.

—A man with the persona of a crazy, domineering CEO like a Teddy bear, yet with the composure of a monk.

System: 「……」

It was naive to expect its host to wake up feeling remorseful and ashamed. How could it forget his name is Xu Qingran?

Shyness?

Nonexistent.

The white dog guarding the room saw him get up, wagged its tail, and walked to the bedside with a cool expression.

Only then did Xu Qingran realize how he had gotten back to the room.

He reached out and patted the white dog's head.

Then, with a smile, he gently pinched its cheeks and whispered to its calm eyes, "Dog man, let's see how long you can last."

Xu Qingran knew Shen Tingyu's concerns.

But he didn't think he was that fragile, nor did he believe that he and Shen Tingyu were a bad match. So, he planned to find ways to provoke him, to see when he would give in. Anyway, he wasn't in a hurry; it was Shen Tingyu who was.

After getting up and having lunch, Xu Qingran got a message from Mu Ziyu.

Saying that the resources promised to him had been approved by the faction's council. However, it would be a bit difficult to provide everything at once, so they would be delivered to Shangnan Continent in batches.

During the waiting period, Xu Qingran still spent most of his time training.

He also went to the pet store to buy a lot of dog supplies, like special shampoo, toys, and combs. After buying these items, he took the dog to the suburbs. Sometimes they camped in the wild within the safe zone, and other times they went to the edges of nearby disaster areas to practice cooperative strikes with the white dog, improving their rapport.

The white dog, which had signed a master-pet contract with him, could automatically share his source crystal detection data.

And the white dog's abilities were even comparable to a double S or even a typical 3S-level psychic. Working with it felt as comfortable as having a second Shen Tingyu by his side.

The time to prepare and depart with the supplies was ten days after Mu Ziyu notified Xu Qingran.

Xu Qingran personally went to the Silver Dragon's main camp base on Cloud Star to oversee things, bringing the white dog and his aircraft aboard the starship heading to Shangnan Continent.

The ship's hull was emblazoned with a huge Silver Dragon logo, and its design mimicked a dragon's form, making it quite impressive. He quickly checked the items Mu Ziyu had arranged for him, which were temporarily enough for use in the South and West cities.

Including the reinforcements sent to Shangnan Continent, there were about 100,000 people, with an average level of A-S.

He had full authority over them and could arrange their positions in Shangnan Continent as he saw fit. It was said that among these hundred thousand people, more than half had voluntarily applied to the battalion to be dispatched to Shangnan Continent with him.

Apart from some who were already very supportive and particularly admired him as fans, most of the others were either former residents of the Tianlong System or had originated from there. They still had some feelings for that place, but given the previous circumstances, staying there offered no prospects, so they had no choice but to seek development elsewhere.

Now it's different!

The one going to the Tianlong System is the rising star of their battalion, Young Master Xu!

Xu Qingran inexplicably exudes a particularly reassuring sense of trustworthiness. Since he is recruiting, they must follow him and give it a try!

Thus, the large force set off in grand fashion.

Navigation matters were handled by the ship's captain, and Xu Qingran didn't need to worry about them at all. His daily routine during the journey was to stroll from one end to the other and back.

It was about three days after they departed from the Yunxing main base.

Xu Qingran happened to be observing the navigation route and coordinates and noticed that the current navigation point was somewhat close to the Lyra System. After some thought, he had an idea.

"Colonel Xu, where are you headed?"

At the ship's hangar, staff responsible for daily cleaning and inspecting various fighters were busy.

Suddenly, they saw Xu Qingran opening his own aircraft, preparing to board.

Xu Qingran said, "I have something to attend to. Tell the captain not to worry about me and to proceed."

"Once I'm done, I'll catch up on my own."

After leaving these instructions, he took off in his aircraft.

Meanwhile, in the Lyra System.

At the location of the old Golden Wing military base, it was nighttime.

The military personnel in the base seemed listless, very tired, all resting, eating, and chatting, with no training currently taking place.

These people had just followed Shen Tingyu a few days ago to the new base to oversee the repair of the nearby damaged energy stations and also conducted a large-scale sweep of the devil groups still lurking around the Lyra System, only returning this afternoon.

The effort was immense, and they were utterly exhausted.

However, the worries of the past few days could finally be set aside, and they could provide a new explanation to the residents near the new base.

The Golden Wing Battalion's military base, Xu Qingran, without applying for any permits, was not convenient to enter.

So he parked his vehicle several kilometers away, took a photo of the Golden Wing military base with his phone, and sent it to Shen Tingyu.

When Shen Tingyu received the message, he was sitting idly in his own restroom.

Clearing his mind, recovering from the immense consumption of mental energy.

He opened Xu Qingran's message, his reaction unusually slow.

It took him a few seconds to realize the location in the night scene photo and the connection between the sender.

Below was another message.

"I'll give you only 30 minutes."

Shen Tingyu hurriedly left the restroom.

On his way, he encountered his subordinates. Seeing his hurried and anxious expression, they asked in confusion, "General Shen Tingyu, where are you going?"

"Has something happened at the base again?"

Shen Tingyu didn’t look back: "Just dealing with some personal stuff."

Soon after, he disappeared from the inquirer's view.

After messaging Shen Tingyu, Xu Qingran got back in his car.

The white dog was left on the starship, and he was alone in the aircraft. While waiting, he scrolled through his phone aimlessly and came across a video of Qi Duo performing with Lin Mumu.

Both of them looked great.

It was only then that Xu Qingran remembered he still had two concert tickets for Qi Duo that he hadn’t had the chance to use.

Suddenly, the sound of the car door unlocking echoed in the aircraft.

Right after, the passenger side door opened, and the black-haired, blue-eyed man stood outside, breathing slightly heavily as he looked at him.

Ever since Xu Qingran and Shen Tingyu started dating, they had registered each other's soul information for commonly used items like their houses and vehicles. So, Shen Tingyu could unlock the car door without Xu Qingran's help.

Xu Qingran glanced at the time on his health bracelet.

He thought to himself, that was pretty quick.

"...What brings you here?"

Outside the car, Shen Tingyu looked as if he were in a dream.

Xu Qingran looked at him, a smile on his lips: "I'm heading back to Shangnan soon, and before I go, I wanted to see my boyfriend again."

Shen Tingyu stepped into the aircraft.

The door slid shut slowly, and the inside was roomy. Xu Qingran got up from the driver's seat and could still move around inside the cabin.

He walked up to Shen Tingyu, looking down at him from the passenger seat with a clear, proud gaze.

He reached over and gave his head a gentle push, making him look up and meet his eyes. Shen Tingyu was chilled from the cold air outside, and he looked quite tired, clearly worn out from recent mental strain.

Even so, his eyes still brimmed with patient tenderness, and he smiled at him: "I'm glad you showed up, or I might've been really bummed."

Xu Qingran seized the chance to tease him, asking mischievously: "What would've upset you?"

Shen Tingyu's smile paused: "..."

Wisely choosing silence.

Xu Qingran hadn’t seen him in a while and was getting antsy.

Thinking about it, he asked him again: "Shen Tingyu, do you remember that bottle of wine I drank that day?"

"Would you like to try it?"

Shen Tingyu looked up, surprised: "Did you bring it?"

Xu Qingran chuckled lightly: "No."

After replying, he actively sat in his lap, grabbed his collar to pull him closer, and looked down at him from above: "But I had some not long ago, you can taste it on me."

Before Shen Tingyu could fully process the meaning of those words, the person on top of him leaned down and gently brushed against his lips.

It felt deliberate, as if trying to ignite his desire, kissing and teasing him repeatedly, with movements both soft and lingering. When those beautiful eyes looked up at him, they were filled with seductive charm, and he asked with a hint of pride, "How is it?"

Shen Tingyu couldn't resist such bold temptation.

His eyes darkened, his gaze heavy, like the lurking danger in the ocean's depths.

He reached out and pulled the person close, not responding.

His other hand had somehow found its way to the back of Xu Qingran's head, applying gentle pressure, taking charge.

Xu Qingran must have really pushed his buttons this time.

In all their previous encounters, Shen Tingyu had never lost control of his strength like today, leaving Xu Qingran breathless with the intensity. It felt like payback for Xu Qingran's drunken teasing a while back. Shen Tingyu even tore through the high collar of his shirt, marking his throat all the way down to his collarbone, leaving possessive marks in their wake.

The system had mentioned that Xu Qingran's body was a perfect vessel tailor-made for 'driving.'

His entire body was hypersensitive, and even such simple stimulation could cause his fair skin to flush slightly, his eyes clouded with desire. Even in the throes of passion, his gaze remained clear and proud.

As if this wasn't a loss of control.

But a deliberate choice to surrender to the person before him.

Besides deepening their bond, Xu Qingran's actions also served to transfer psychic energy to Shen Tingyu, replenishing his losses.

Making sure he wouldn't be too out of it in the days ahead and could handle any sudden situations.

During their interaction, Shen Tingyu accidentally caught flashes of some of Xu Qingran's soul memories.

The memories were as dark as his own past. He saw a solitary figure in those recollections, someone who seemed to have no one who understood him in that place.

He saw him fall from a great height.

No cries or shouts—just calm determination as he reset his dislocated joints, bandaged his fractured leg, and even managed to fight through a group of beasts resembling alien creatures with such injuries.

He also saw the reason for his deep aversion to needles.

The final memory was of him alone in a desolate forest cave, repeatedly and disgustedly letting his own blood.

No one is born strong.

It's all about enduring more indescribable pain than others, accumulating experience.

Shen Tingyu instinctively softened his movements.

When his scattered gaze refocused, a trace of pain and anger flickered in his eyes.

But the person in his arms seemed unaffected by those memories.

Or perhaps, after being toyed with by fate time and again, he had become numb.

Unaware of Shen Tingyu's change in mood, he looked at him with a provocative gaze and asked, "Shen Tingyu, aren't you uncomfortable like this?"

He paused for a moment before realizing Xu Qingran was referring to his body's uncontrollable reaction.

"I called Xie Nanyi that day and learned about your concerns," Xu Qingran said.

Then, lowering his head slightly, he compromised, setting aside his pride for his loyal knight, and said, "I can accept that you don't want to take me, but if you're too uncomfortable, I can help you with my hands if you'd like."

Shen Tingyu came back to his senses, startled by what he said and the movement toward his lower body.

He firmly grabbed Xu Qingran's wrist, his tone resolute: "No."

Xu Qingran: "..."

He felt a flicker of anger, blinked, and asked coldly: "Shen Tingyu, you're always saying no to this, no to that."

"Honestly, are you even interested in me?"

The more he spoke, the angrier he became. He reached out and forcefully pinched Shen Tingyu's chin, forcing him to meet his gaze, and said: "I, Xu Qingran, have been around for a long time, and this is the first time I've compromised this much for someone. If you're not interested in me, we should just end this now."

"Otherwise, I'll chop you into a million pieces and leave you in the mountains for the dogs!"

Shen Tingyu paused.

He reached out and caressed his face, gently stroking his cheek with his thumb to soothe him, and said: "No, how could I not be interested in you?"

"It's just..." A rare flicker of hesitation crossed his eyes.

After a long while, he continued: "Given your all-encompassing D-type spiritual energy, there won't be any harm to me, but the problem is actually with me."

Xu Qingran listened quietly.

"E-type energy has two outlets during intense interactions."

Shen Tingyu explained: "One is an uncontrollable spiritual attack that happens when emotions get intense."

This is an inherent trait of the E-type; they have an overwhelming need to possess and control their partner. When things get intimate, they can't help but want to dominate everything.

If there is harmony, that's fine, but for someone like him and Xu Qingran, who are extremely incompatible, it could lead to a dangerous situation where one tries to dominate the other.

"The other outlet is the spiritual mark," Shen Tingyu said.

The spiritual mark is the main channel for spiritual exchange between two individuals with spiritual energy. Especially for partners who have formed a soul contract, it is a highly sensitive spot that reacts to the slightest touch.

Shen Tingyu fell silent for a few seconds.

Then, rubbing the bridge of his nose, he sighed: "Unfortunately, my spiritual mark is in that very place."

After he said this, the air in the aircraft seemed to freeze for a moment.

Upon closer inspection, one could notice that Shen Tingyu's ears turned an unusual shade of red.

Xu Qingran's gaze instinctively shifted downward.

Then he looked up and met his eyes, commenting: "...I underestimated you. You're really this shameless?"

Claiming that exposing the spiritual mark is shameless.

He thought differently; it's Shen Tingyu who's the shameless one.

As the tension eased, Shen Tingyu's hand on Xu Qingran's lower back slowly climbed up to his back.

Then, with a slight force, he pressed him into his embrace.

He buried his head in the crook of his neck and shoulder, his voice soft and gentle: "Xu Qingran, I'm really fine."

"Compared to this, I don't want to see you in pain anymore."

Xu Qingran was taken aback for a moment.

He wondered if Shen Tingyu was talking about the experiences he and the original host had shared in the past.

Seeing Shen Tingyu's somber mood, Xu Qingran felt too embarrassed to vent his anger, as Shen seemed even more upset than he was.

Remembering the scenes from Shen Tingyu's soul memories, Xu Qingran softened his tone, "Isn't it the same for me?"

He lightly tapped Shen Tingyu's head, a faint smile in his eyes, "You must've had a hard time before we met, right?"

"Anyway, I feel the same way you do."

"I also believe our souls are more compatible than any other couple in the empire."

Xu Qingran stood up, adjusted his clothes, and said with downcast eyes, "I should go."

"I'll let it slide for today." Sooner or later, he'd find a way to make Shen Tingyu submit.

Shen Tingyu gave a helpless chuckle.

He didn't argue further, just took Xu Qingran's left hand and, through the glove, gently caressed his spiritual mark before leaving the aircraft.

After getting out of the car, his complexion looked much better, having replenished his spiritual energy.

He stepped aside, watched Xu Qingran's aircraft leave, then slowly walked to his car and headed back to the base.

As Xu Qingran stepped out of the aircraft and back onto the starship, his legs felt a little weak.

The aftereffects were intense.

The flush on his face had faded, but his clothes were noticeably messier than when he'd left. His clothes were wrinkled, and a button at the collar had come undone, barely hiding the marks on his neck.

As he passed by, someone asked, "Colonel Xu, what happened? Are you okay?"

Xu Qingran paused, then said, "Nothing much, just had a fight with a big dog."

The guard was puzzled: "......?"

He remembered Xu Qingran hadn't brought his white dog. Did he have another one? And all that trouble just for a fight? What kind of grudge would make him insist on it before returning to Tianlong?

Xu Qingran's mood lifted a bit after meeting Shen Tingyu.

Midway through the journey, he got a call from Deputy Mao of Shangnanzhou.

When he answered, Deputy Mao's tired voice came through: "...Colonel, when are you coming back?"

"Something huge has happened in Shangnanzhou."

·

Deputy Mao said the southern and western cities of Shangnanzhou had been 'hit' while Xu Qingran was gone.

And it wasn't the residents—it was the military camp.

Xu Qingran laughed, "That's embarrassing, and you're telling me this?"

There were plenty of guards in the military district, each with self-defense capabilities. How could they possibly get robbed?

Deputy Mao: "......"

"There's no helping it; the North City military guards were the ones who raided them. They were previously a key focus of the Silver Dragon Battalion in this area, so the average level of guards in that district is higher than in other cities. Given the current state of the Southwest cities, they really can't compete."

Xu Qingran's gaze halted briefly, showing surprise: "North City military guards? They left the city?"

Deputy Mao sighed: "Ah, yes."

After learning more, the items stolen from the South and West cities were mainly military equipment.

Things like spiritual energy knives and guns, armored vehicles, fighter jets, etc., about seventy to eighty percent had been taken by the North City.

The West City had just been attacked, first by Xu Qingran and Shen Tingyu clearing out a wave of people, then by Ming Hai clearing another wave, and finally, Su Wenxu took away some of the involved military guards during his investigation, leaving them severely short on manpower.

The South City, in order to reclaim their territory as soon as possible, especially the areas cleared by Xu Qingran, nearly exhausted all their energy battling the devil hordes to ensure the progress was not wasted.

And the military strength of the North City originally was more than double the combined strength of the West and South cities.

Their sudden attack left the South and West cities unable to withstand it. By the time the East City got the news, the North City had already raided the military districts of the South and West cities and returned to the North City district.

After listening, Xu Qingran had a rough grasp of the situation.

Unfazed, he casually remarked to Deputy Mao: "It's okay, let them keep what they took."

"Forget about the stolen items; they weren't worth much anyway."

Deputy Mao was baffled: "......?"

He was so anxious he seemed about to cry: "But our South Continent can only rely on that subpar equipment to guard the city districts and compete with the devil hordes and the foreign races around Tianlong. Without these weapons, the military guards can't possibly fight the devil hordes barehanded."

Xu Qingran: "Relax, I told you it's fine, it's fine."

"I'm already on my way back, likely arriving in about two days. If the South and West cities have been diligently carrying out the tasks I assigned them, then the progress should be fine, not missing these two days."

Hearing that Xu Qingran was nearly back, Deputy Mao finally let out a sigh of relief.

He nodded, then remembered Xu Qingran couldn't see him: "Yes, I've been monitoring the cleanup in each district as you instructed; everyone's been quite honest and diligent."

"Then there's no issue," Xu Qingran said nonchalantly. "Let them rest for a couple of days."

"We'll talk about the rest when I get back."

Deputy Mao looked at the hung-up communication with a face on the verge of tears.

Though he firmly believes in Xu Qingran's strength, this problem is quite significant this time! Even if Xu Qingran is powerful, the cleanup of the South Continent in the future can't rely solely on him fighting alone, right? He's also human, with limited energy!

Deputy Mao, worried, raised his hand to touch his head, instantly pulling out a few strands of hair.

"......" No way!!

When the South and West cities received Deputy Mao's relay, they were also quite skeptical.

Forced to rest, but they couldn't really feel at ease.

......Does Xu Qingran really have a way?

Is he going to take them directly to confront the North City head-on? This, they probably can't do, right!

They remember there should be a 3S-level big shot inside the North City.

The average level of military guards is also higher than theirs, and now they have more people...... this definitely can't be won.

Major Lin Xuan from the southern district of Nan City was under immense pressure.

Unable to do anything in the break room, he couldn't help but complain to Lin Ya, who was brewing coffee: "I told you, those who come to be commanders are the best at making grand promises."

"He disappeared for so many days, making me worry all the time that he might not want to continue. He hasn't fulfilled the promises he made to me yet, how can he be so irresponsible to abandon Shangnan Zhou? He's even worse than those previous commanders!"

Lin Ya hummed a tune, completely unaffected by him: "Don't worry, if Young Master Xu says there's no problem, then there's definitely no problem. Just wait for him to come back."

Then she realized something and turned to her brother with a raised eyebrow: "Hmm? I remember when Young Master Xu first arrived, someone in the camp cursed the new commander for several days? According to your attitude, if the young master left and left Shangnan Zhou to you guys to handle, wouldn't that be exactly what you wanted?"

Lin Xuan choked on her words.

Propping his chin, he turned his head away: "It's not... it's just that all the trouble in the southern and western cities was caused by him! That's why we couldn't hold off the attack from the north. If he wants to leave, he should at least clean up his mess before leaving!"

He definitely wasn't a fan of Xu Qingran!

During these two days of mandatory downtime, the soldiers in the southern and western city camps were particularly worried.

Leaders like Lin Xuan and Ma Biao were on edge. Hearing from Deputy Mao that Xu Qingran was about to return, they rushed to the eastern city to confront him.

Before they knew it, it was the day Xu Qingran promised to return.

But they didn't see Xu Qingran's ship. Instead, at the landing zone in the eastern city, several large starships arrived. As soon as they landed, they filled the landing zone, leaving almost no extra space in the small area.

The starships were shaped like dragon heads, with the exclusive emblem of the Silver Dragon Battalion, making it clear where they were from.

A group led by Deputy Mao was stunned.

Especially when they saw Xu Qingran striding down from the starship, commanding others to transport boxes of items one after another, they could hardly believe their eyes.

...What is this all about?

Until Xu Qingran walked up to them.

He raised his eyebrows slightly and said to them: "Such a grand welcome for my return? I'm truly moved."

He said so, but there was not a hint of emotion on his face.

Deputy Mao, representing the group, struggled to speak: "Colonel, may I ask what those are...?"

Xu Qingran glanced back in the direction he was looking and replied: "Ah, these are the military supplies I secured from the Silver Dragon for Shangnan Zhou."

Everyone was stunned again: "...?"

Xu Qingran tilted his head slightly, thinking for a moment and said: "Just an extra hundred thousand elite soldiers, two hundred thousand psychic guns and knives. Two thousand fighter jets, ten thousand armored vehicles and tanks in total, and three hundred thousand sets of the latest high-protection military gear. There are also a lot of cannons, bombs, gunpowder, and mechs, but I can't remember the exact numbers."

Everyone listened in shock.

—That many?!

Xu Qingran added: "And they are all new military equipment, with the same designs and specifications as those in other star systems."

Everyone was shocked again.

Really? Is this really what our Shangnan Zhou is entitled to?!

Xu Qingran: "I almost forgot, these are just the first batch promised by the Silver Dragon."

"There will be more new military supplies coming to Shangnan Zhou in the future."

The crowd: "What?!"

Wow!!

And it’s not over yet.

Even the crops, meat, and eggs they had angrily submitted earlier were frozen and transported here, enough to last them a good while. In addition, Xu Qingran brought back many seeds for cultivation, planning to clear some land so the residents could start farming.

The crops produced could be consumed locally in Shangnan Continent and also sold to other star systems.

Xu Qingran said, "I've already negotiated with the Mo Group. Their logistics company will handle the transportation of food and ingredients, including the cold chain."

"They offer the fastest, most efficient, and most reliable logistics in the entire empire. Given that Tianlong is still developing, they’ve agreed to give us a 50% discount on shipping fees. With hundreds of billions of people in the empire, the demand for food has always been high. So, the sooner you reclaim the land taken by the devil hordes, the more land you’ll have to grow crops, boosting Shangnan Continent’s revenue."

Everyone was speechless.

The surprise was overwhelming, the reward too big. For a moment, they didn’t know how to react.

Xu Qingran smiled and said, "See? I told you the things you were worried about aren’t a big deal."

If North City wants the old weapons, let them have them.

This works out even better, saving him the hassle of figuring out how to get rid of the old weapons later.

But it looks like North City is on the verge of collapse.

Deputy Mao and the others were instantly thrilled.

Ma Biao was completely in awe of Xu Qingran, ignoring their age and rank difference, and blurted out, "Bro, you’re amazing!"

"In all these years, the best thing Silver Dragon has done for Shangnan Continent is making you our colonel!"

"We’ve been fighting for so long, and no one could get Silver Dragon to cough up resources! If Silver Dragon had been this cooperative earlier, wouldn’t we have worked with them?!"

Someone added, "Maybe the previous colonels never stood up for us!"

"So, the colonel didn’t leave to ditch Shangnan Continent but to get resources for us?!"

"Hail Colonel Xu!"

"Because of this, Old Li will follow the colonel from now on, and only you as the leader!"

Deputy Mao glanced at the military district representatives who had been grumbling and scowling before Xu Qingran arrived.

He watched them happily push past him to surround Xu Qingran, their eyes glowing with admiration, no longer showing the disdain they had when he first took command.

He was suddenly overwhelmed with emotion.

Deputy Mao had been here for more than ten years.

Since he arrived, the relationship between Shangnan Continent’s military and Silver Dragon’s officers had been terrible. He had never seen any colonel receive the treatment Xu Qingran was getting. It must be said, this young colonel indeed has something special about him.

Xu Qingran modestly accepted the praise that was rightfully his.

Then he looked at Lin Xuan, who remained silent in the crowd, specifically calling out his name, and said with a smile, "I hope Lieutenant Colonel Lin hasn’t forgotten our agreement."

Lin Xuan: "..."

He had said that as long as Xu Qingran could help them get the supplies, he would recognize him as the colonel.

Lin Xuan, being thin-skinned, gritted his teeth and said, "I said I'm just considering it!"

"This still depends on what you do next!"

Xu Qingran shrugged indifferently, "Alright, then your share of military provisions will also wait until I assess your situation."

Lin Xuan was speechless.

Word of the military supplies' arrival quickly spread to the major camps in the South and West cities.

Everyone's reaction was the same as Deputy Mao and his men, first being utterly shocked, then bursting into cheers.

They were likely to believe any confident claims Xu Qingran made from then on.

They even believed that if Xu Qingran claimed he could lead them to reclaim the old Silver Dragon City, they would trust him!

As the South and West cities breathed a sigh of relief, the North city was also tallying up the military supplies they had seized from outside.

After several days, they finally managed to organize and account for all the seized items.

Chen Jianguang watched with satisfaction from the main camp, seeing cart after cart of weapons and armor pass by, and tanks and fighter jets lining up to enter the large warehouse.

Coincidentally, the scout tasked with gathering intel outside the city came to him from a distance.

He folded his arms and coldly inquired before the other could speak, "So? What's the situation in the South and West cities now?"

"If they're willing to reconsider their actions and not kowtow to the Silver Dragon Battalion officers, once we handle our situation here, we might consider helping them clean up the severely affected areas, given these supplies."

The scout beside him hesitated for a moment.

Then he stammered, "The South and West cities... have received a lot of new military supplies."

Chen Jianguang couldn't believe his ears, his face a mask of disbelief, "...What did you say?"

The scout's head lowered even further, "I heard, I heard that the new colonel from Shangnan Prefecture has brought them a lot of new military supplies and reinforcements. It's also said that they are all brand new equipment from Silver Dragon, the latest models currently deployed by the Imperial Military."

"So, the South and West cities are saying they no longer need the junk we took."

Chen Jianguang's face immediately turned ashen.