Chapter 1

Endless darkness enveloped the land, with the faint glow of the stars and the fireflies in the jungle being one of 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 as soon as one stepped into the city and looked up slightly.

She emitted a unique moonlight in the dimness, her white and holy face, 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 of moon and mist. Her alluring and fiery figure, 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.

The city and its surrounding territories finally had a semblance of order and proper laws.

...

The guards were somewhat lax, ignoring anyone who entered the city, including groups of ragged beggars who flooded in.

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

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 leaving.

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 people 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 and revival had been completely eroded by the harsh conditions of living outdoors and the lack of food.

They only wished for a wall to protect them from wild animals 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 buck-toothed guard in military uniform said coldly to the group of beggars, who looked like 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. My money and the silk I intended to pay to the city lord were all stolen. Could you please inform Uncle Wang from Sang Town to come and pick me up?" Zhuminglang stepped forward and politely said.

"What nonsense! Stay away from me. If you die of hunger, do it far from this street. If the female city lord sees this mess, I'll lose my head," the buck-toothed guard shouted, ignoring Zhuminglang.

Zhuminglang had no choice but to step aside. 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. The wooden and mud houses were mostly in ruins, and the area looked chaotic and desolate. Entering such a place felt like the烟火气 (vitality of human life) had suddenly disappeared, leaving only decay and ruin.

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

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

Zhuminglang was also hungry. In such a situation, he had no choice but to follow local customs and accept the charity.

"Thump, thump, thump..."

Before long, the beggars began to fall one by one, either hitting the ground or collapsing forward.

Some of the still清醒 (conscious) beggars tried to run, but after a few steps, they suddenly convulsed and foamed at the mouth.

Zhuminglang was stunned.

No way!

He had heard that some ruthless city-state rulers, to maintain the appearance of prosperity and sanctity, regularly gave out poison to beggars, refugees, and vagrants, killing them and burying them outside the city.

Like getting rid of rats in the sewers...

The thought of ending up like this filled Zhuminglang with a thousand regrets.

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

"Thump! Thump! Thump!!!"

The beggars fell one after another, their wide eyes filled with regret and resentment. But this land had always been cruel, and rulers could take away cities and homes with a single word of offense. 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. Even if they gave up all their dignity and struggled to survive, they would never have a good end.

Zhuminglang's head began to spin.

He was a proper citizen of this city, a hardworking silkworm farmer, an honest silk merchant, paying taxes on time and making voluntary contributions.

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

Zhuminglang had no time to prove his identity. At that moment, several guards with burlap sacks and cold moon knives on their belts entered the courtyard.

He tried to stay conscious.

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

Just before losing consciousness, he saw a pair of jade feet, elegantly stepping from the depths of the courtyard...

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

In the haze of the drug and the chaotic thoughts, the jade feet merged with the statue of the Valkyrie, transforming into a vivid and lifelike beauty, seductive and graceful, her face flushed as she approached.

...

The dream was like spring, and Zhuminglang felt that heaven had not been unfair to him, giving him a dream of extreme beauty before his head was cut off.

He dreamed that the graceful statue in the city came to life, slowly crawling towards him under the dim oil lamp, her astonishing curves and slightly flushed face being the ultimate visual pleasure. What happened next made Zhuminglang feel that dying was not so hard to accept.

Under the dim oil lamp, the surrounding stone walls were cold and dark, but the porcelain-white body in his arms was burning hot.

"Ah, I'm going to die."

Zhuminglang involuntarily shouted, thinking it was all a hallucination before death, but unexpectedly, his voice echoed in the enclosed space.

"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 oil lamp was not a hallucination, 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 probably 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 found a naked woman lying next to him.

Her hair was like black silk, and the remaining blush on her face made her look 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 clearly that of the statue standing in the center of the city, the Valkyrie with a serene and beautiful appearance but iron-fisted rule!

"You're awake, sister. You look great, it seems that little vagrant served you well last night," a sharp, fox-like female voice came from the high iron 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 beggar. But don't worry, sister, I'll make sure everyone hears about it, and it will be the most talked-about topic at tea time," the sharp, fox-like voice continued.

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

Zhuminglang was confused, looking at the woman next to him who was now in chains.

The woman was clearly the city lord, the Valkyrie people talked about. Her unparalleled beauty was easily recognizable, even without clothes... 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 extremely chaotic, with wars never ceasing, and the speed of changing rulers was no less than the changing of the seasons.

The Valkyrie did not speak. She used her long hair to cover herself, but unfortunately, her figure was too well-defined, and not everything could be hidden.