Chapter 44

"Is the Ice City just like that? Are they that weak?" On the way to the underground new city, Nigris, projected on the small bronze dragon, asked curiously.

Phyllin didn't know the background of the small bronze dragon, but as the mount of the Watcher, it must have some significant background. He carefully replied:

"It was too sudden and too professional. Their siege methods were something we've never seen before. In the past, when the Demon Valley attacked Ice City, they used large symbiotic demon beasts to throw stones, but the stones didn't fly far and were quickly shot down by the city's crossbows. But these enemies broke through the city gates in less than fifteen minutes, and the gates didn't even have a chance to be blocked with sandbags."

There was nothing more to say. No matter how good the defense, it still required people to execute it. If the people couldn't react in time, talking about a response would be futile.

The main issue was still their weakness. If they were experienced in battle, how could there have been any space for the enemy to breach the city gates?

Dealing with such a breach was actually quite simple. Pile up debris to make the ground uneven. The breach would be disrupted by the obstacles, whether by colliding with them or merging with them, both of which would be fatal.

However, Ice City, which hadn't experienced a proper siege for over a thousand years, couldn't realistically be expected to have such experience.

"What's the situation now?" Nigris asked.

"Thanks to the underground caves and the Resting Wind, most people have escaped. We are temporarily accommodating them in the underground city, but their numbers are too large, and the food supply is insufficient," Phyllin said with concern.

Ice City was a human-dominated city, much larger than the Lich City, with a population of about 50,000 to 60,000.

The transported Holy Vanguard only had 100 people. Breaking through the city was easy, but controlling it was difficult. Ice City was a semi-underground city, built on a cliff face, with extensive cave systems and tunnels leading to various planting areas. The Holy Vanguard couldn't possibly seal them all.

In fact, after breaking through the city gates, the Holy Vanguard immediately realized this problem. Many people heard the red-robed paladin's curses: "May your ancestors curse you, Leonard! You send us thirty people for this terrain? I can't control your ancestors' graves!"

"Didn't you say there were over a hundred people? Why is he talking about thirty?" Nigris immediately noticed the discrepancy.

"They seem to have split into two factions. The heavily armored shield bearers, priests, and paladins are one faction, and the other seventy soldiers are another. When the red-robed paladin was cursing, the soldiers were almost about to start an internal conflict," Phyllin explained.

Nigris fell silent for a moment, then sighed, "They broke through the city like that, these enemies are too professional. Don't engage them head-on; use the terrain to your advantage."

Phyllin nodded, "A wise decision, sir. I think the same. We should use the underground caves and the Resting Wind to outmaneuver them. The only thing I'm worried about is if they burn our planting areas. If they have food, all the living people will tie their own hands and surrender."

Ang, who was flying ahead, suddenly stopped, his hollow eye sockets shifting to Phyllin.

Phyllin immediately felt a sense of danger and quickly waved his hands, "Not me, not me, I'm afraid they'll burn it."

Ang then turned his head away.

The new underground city was a vast underground space, far from the main city, with its own independent entrance and exit, connected to the main city by caves. It could already be considered another underground city.

In the past, a few reclusive residents moved here, but their numbers were very small, about a dozen households, similar to a remote mountain area.

The escaped residents of Ice City were all arranged by Phyllin to stay here, totaling about 10,000 people. In the coming days, more refugees would arrive, possibly reaching six times the population of Lich City.

Lich City had only 5,000 living people, and the food supply was calculated based on that number. Even that wasn't enough, and they had to buy food from Ang. Now, with over 10,000, or even 30,000 people, Phyllin's meager food reserves would be quickly depleted.

People had already started escaping yesterday, so Phyllin had been providing for them for several meals. With no other choice, he decided to ask Ang for credit, or perhaps the starving refugees would gladly exchange their faith for Ang's salvation.

Seeing Ang's arrival, Lisa hurriedly called out, "Come, come, children, come here. Uncle Bones will treat you. Sir, could you please help treat them? I can't handle it anymore."

Many injured children, either supporting themselves or carried by their parents, slowly approached, looking at Ang with some fear.

Unlike the Lich underground city, Ice City was a human-dominated place. Minotaurs, troglodytes, and goblins could occasionally be seen, but skeletons were rare. Many people instinctively feared the unfamiliar, and if it weren't for the beautiful Aunt Lisa calling them, these children wouldn't have come near.

Ang tilted his head, looking at the children in front of him, somewhat hesitant. He didn't know healing magic; the only one with a healing effect was Lisa's Purifying Beauty, which he learned because Lisa borrowed his power.

Fine, let's use this, even though the effect isn't great.

Ang opened his palm toward the children, and one by one, bright large light orbs were released from his hand, landing on the children.

Purifying Beauty was a divine spell modified by Lisa, with both purifying and beautifying effects. The beautifying effect also helped to heal small wounds.

Moreover, Ang's Purifying Beauty had been upgraded, and when he cast this modified spell, the light orbs, originally palm-sized, became as large as washbasins.

The children surrounding him would never forget this scene. As the skeleton's hand emitted light, all the blood, dirt, and wounds on the people's bodies visibly disappeared, as if the light was purifying the filth and pain.

The children's eyes shone with shock and admiration. At that moment, Ang's terrifying appearance was no longer frightening but mysterious.

Each child, their eyes glowing with admiration, had soul flames surge out and head toward Ang.

There were too many soul flames, and Ang didn't mind, directing them into the leather bracelet. He vaguely felt the bracelet getting warm, but his hand couldn't sense temperature, only his soul could. He easily overlooked it.

The constant flashes of holy light drew the attention of the others. After treating the children, Ang began to transfer food. With a wave of his hand, bags of food kept appearing in front of him.

Each bag of food weighed 20 pounds. At one pound per person, 10,000 people would need 10,000 pounds, which is how many bags?

Ang couldn't calculate it, so he looked up to ask Nigris. However, he was startled to see that almost everyone was offering one or two soul flames, like a flood rushing toward him. Everyone's eyes were filled with excitement—there was food to eat.

Having food to eat, amidst the destruction and displacement, was the only faith these people had.

Ang was overwhelmed by the surging soul flames and didn't dare to receive them himself, directly directing them into the leather bracelet. The bracelet glowed, and the runes on it lit up one by one.