Chapter 1

Endless darkness enveloped the land, with the faint glow of stars and the occasional firefly in the jungle being the few sources of light in this world.

The night was misty, like a thin veil covering a grayish-white city.

At the center of the city stood a graceful and elegant statue, visible to anyone who entered the city and looked up slightly.

She emitted a unique moonlight in the dimness, her white and holy face, exquisitely beautiful and dignified, causing every newcomer to involuntarily hold their breath.

The statue was lifelike, resembling a goddess of the night draped in a cloak woven of moonlight and mist. Her alluring figure, partially hidden in the haze, was even more captivating.

However, even though she was a stunning beauty, the people of the city did not dare to show any disrespect.

She was the ruler of the city.

She was not a symbol of beauty, faith, or freedom, but more often represented slaughter and war.

People called her the Valkyrie, and in just one year, she had tamed this wild and chaotic land.

She brought a semblance of order and established proper laws in the city and its surrounding territories.

...

The guards at the city gates were somewhat lax, turning a blind eye to anyone entering the city, including groups of ragged beggars who flooded in.

Zhuminglang lingered at the city gate for a long time. Seeing the group of beggars, he decisively joined them and successfully entered the city of Yongcheng.

These beggars seemed to have fled from some other city-state, speaking a language that Zhuminglang couldn't understand. When they saw the misty statue of the Valkyrie, they were stunned, pausing for several seconds before dejectedly moving on.

They were originally from the Pine Forest Tribe, with their own Five Forts City. Although their land was not vast, they were still a significant force in the region.

A year ago, their Five Forts City was destroyed, and the ruler's body was neatly displayed on the street. The residents of the Five Forts City, without protection, were either enslaved or became homeless refugees. After wandering through several cities, they ended up in the territory of their nemesis.

Ironically, in just one year, any thoughts of revenge or revival had been completely eroded by the harsh conditions of living outdoors and the constant struggle for food.

All they now wished for was a wall to protect them from wild beasts and a place to live, even if it meant living in a dirty street, under the rule of the Valkyrie who had destroyed their Five Forts City.

"There's porridge being served, go to the back street," a soldier with buck teeth said coldly to the group of beggars, who resembled cockroaches and rats.

"Sir, I am from Sang Town. I was delivering silk to the city lord's residence when I was attacked by bandits. They took my money and the silk I was supposed to pay to the city lord. Could you please inform Uncle Wang from Sang Town to come and pick me up?" Zhuminglang approached and politely said.

"What nonsense! Stay away from me. If you starve to death, do it far from this street. If the city lady sees this mess, I'll lose my head," the buck-toothed soldier shouted, ignoring Zhuminglang's request.

Zhuminglang had no choice but to step back. The beggars, hearing the call for porridge, rushed to the back street, and Zhuminglang was almost carried along with them.

The back street was very dilapidated, far from the grand main street. Most of the houses were made of wood and mud, and few were intact. The area was chaotic and desolate, and entering it felt like the warmth of human life had vanished, leaving only decay and ruin.

The porridge distribution was not a lie. At the back of the back street, in a wooden courtyard, a city lady's attendant in a light blue dress was serving porridge.

She smiled kindly, showing no disgust at the lice-infested beggars. Even when her white hands got dirty, she continued to serve bowl after bowl.

Zhuminglang was also hungry and, given the situation, had no choice but to accept the charity.

"Thud, thud, thud..."

Soon, the beggars began to fall one by one, some collapsing backward and others falling forward.

Some of the still-conscious beggars tried to run, but they suddenly convulsed and foamed at the mouth before they could take a few steps.

Zhuminglang was stunned.

No way!

He had heard of ruthless city rulers who, to maintain the appearance of a prosperous and holy city, would regularly distribute poison to beggars, refugees, and other homeless people, killing them and burying them outside the city.

It was like dealing with rats in the sewers...

The thought of meeting such a fate filled Zhuminglang with deep resentment.

Moreover, if he died, who would take care of the little one, which needed so many mulberry leaves every day?

"Thud! Thud! Thud!!!"

The beggars fell one after another, their wide eyes filled with resentment and anger. But this land had always been cruel, and some rulers could take away others' cities and homes with a single word, so why couldn't they also take away lives for the sake of the city's appearance?

Without a city to belong to, the beggars were no different from rats on the bustling streets, and even if they abandoned all dignity and struggled to survive, they would never have a good end.

Zhuminglang began to feel dizzy.

He was a proper citizen of Yongcheng, a hardworking silkworm farmer, an honest silk merchant, who paid taxes on time and made voluntary contributions.

If those people were rats, they would die from rat poison, but he was at least a loyal ox, and he had only accidentally ingested the poison from his own yard... Spare my life!

Zhuminglang had no time to prove his identity. At that moment, several soldiers carrying burlap bags and long knives appeared in the courtyard.

He struggled to stay conscious.

In the end, Zhuminglang could not escape the effects of the "rat poison" and swayed before collapsing.

Just before he lost consciousness, he saw a pair of jade-like feet elegantly stepping toward him from the depths of the courtyard...

Zhuminglang tried hard to see who the owner of the feet was, but he lost consciousness completely.

In the haze of the drug and the chaotic thoughts, the jade feet merged with the statue of the Valkyrie in the city, forming a vivid and lifelike beauty who approached him with a graceful posture.

...

A rare beautiful dream. Zhuminglang felt that the heavens had not completely abandoned him, giving him a wonderful illusion before his head fell.

He dreamed that the graceful statue in the city came to life, slowly crawling toward him under the dim light of an oil lamp. Her exquisitely beautiful face, slightly raised, was the ultimate visual pleasure in the world. What happened next made Zhuminglang feel that dying was not so unbearable.

...

"Ah, I'm going to die."

Zhuminglang involuntarily shouted, thinking it was all a hallucination before death. However, his voice echoed in the enclosed area.

"I'm going to die... I'm going to die... I'm dead..."

Hearing his echo, Zhuminglang slowly regained consciousness.

He looked around and realized he was in a dungeon. The flickering light of the oil lamp was not an illusion, and he could even feel the heat when he reached out to touch it.

I'm not dead??

Was that not rat poison??

Oh no, if I'm still alive, I will likely be sold to remote stone mountains or mines as a slave!!

Being a slave in a dark mine... I'd rather be poisoned to death!

"Hmm?"

Suddenly, a pleasant, soft sound came from beside Zhuminglang.

He turned his head and saw a naked woman lying next to him.

Her hair was like black silk, and the remaining blush on her face made her incredibly beautiful. His heart skipped a beat at the close-up view, then started racing.

What's going on?!

Wasn't that just a dream??

Why am I in a dungeon?

Why am I locked in here with a woman?

Her face was unmistakably that of the statue standing in the center of the city, the Valkyrie who was as serene as a celestial maiden but ruled with an iron hand.

"You're awake, sister. You look great, it seems this little beggar served you well last night," a sharp, fox-like voice called from a high window.

The woman next to Zhuminglang was still dazed, as if she had just woken from a deep sleep.

"I wonder how many hearts will be broken when people hear that the radiant sister slept with a little beggar. But don't worry, sister, I'll make sure everyone hears about it and it will be the most talked-about topic at teatime," the sharp voice continued.

This made the woman next to Zhuminglang fully awake, but before she could respond angrily, the footsteps outside faded away, and the triumphant, sharp laughter echoed in the cold dungeon for a long time.

Zhuminglang was confused as he looked at the woman next to him.

She was clearly the city lord, the Valkyrie people spoke of. Her beauty was unmistakable, even without clothes... cough, cough, in any case, Zhuminglang was sure it was her.

So, judging from what the person outside said...

"Have you been overthrown?" Zhuminglang broke the silence in the dungeon and asked.

This land had always been chaotic, with wars never ceasing, and rulers changing as frequently as the seasons.

The Valkyrie did not speak. She used her long hair to cover herself, but unfortunately, her figure was too well-proportioned to be fully concealed.