Chapter 411: Growing Unease
“Damn it! Feng City has always ruled this land, and now Luo City dares to slander us like this? Those bastards! Find out who said those words—track them down! The moment they leave Luo City, kill them immediately!
“How dare they treat us with such disrespect? I’ll make sure they learn firsthand that Feng City is not a force they can afford to offend!”
The Third-in-Command clenched his fists in fury. Never in his worst predictions did he expect things to deviate so wildly from their expectations. These martial artists were supposed to flock to Feng City’s tournament in droves—yet now they were openly ridiculing Feng City and choosing Luo City instead.
However, just as his furious orders fell, the same subordinate who had earlier delivered the bad news hesitated before cautiously adding, “Third-in-Command, the truth is… I-I didn’t manage to see exactly who said it. There were too many people… They all left together…”
SLAP!
“You useless fool! A whole crowd dared to insult Feng City right in front of you, and you let them walk away without identifying a single one of them?! What the hell do I even keep you lot around for?!”
Meanwhile, the Second-in-Command had already taken his seat in the VIP section of the tournament grounds.
But as the competition’s scheduled start time drew closer, he noticed something was off.
Based on past experience with Feng City’s monthly auctions, guests would typically arrive well in advance—at least a quarter of an hour early. Given that today wasn’t just any event but the grand opening of Feng City’s very first official martial arts tournament, the excitement should have been even greater.
Yet, when he surveyed the grandstands, he was met with an unsettling sight—rows upon rows of empty seats, far more than he had anticipated.
The vast, open seating areas, meant to host a roaring audience, instead radiated an eerie emptiness.
A sliver of unease crept into the Second-in-Command’s chest. If their grand tournament’s opening battle was met with such poor attendance, Feng City would become a laughingstock.
That was something he absolutely could not allow.
“Go find out what’s going on.”
The Second-in-Command murmured to a subordinate behind him, his voice low but laced with urgency.
The subordinate immediately obeyed, sprinting toward the entrance gates.
But when he returned moments later, his whispered report only deepened the Second-in-Command’s frown.
“Sir, the entrance is running as usual… but nearly no one is coming in anymore.”
A chill passed through the Second-in-Command’s gaze.
Behind him, the other attendants could feel the temperature drop. One of them instinctively stepped half a pace backward, unwilling to stand too close to the brewing storm.
Just as the Second-in-Command prepared to send another scout to check the city gates, an enraged shout rang through the air—
“Second Brother! Something’s wrong. Not many people are coming today.”
The Third-in-Command stormed over, his lightness skills allowing him to cross the distance with ease. His face was twisted with anger, and his tone carried deep frustration.
Hearing those words, the Second-in-Command could no longer remain seated.
He shot up from his chair and strode briskly toward the host’s resting chamber, his movements sharp and deliberate. The Third-in-Command understood the urgency and hurried after him.
Inside the chamber, the Second-in-Command turned abruptly and fixed his cold gaze on his counterpart.
“What happened? Did you follow through on the orders I gave you yesterday? Why is attendance so low today? We sold plenty of spectator tickets just yesterday—where the hell is everyone?”
“Second Brother, as soon as those people saw the new rules posted at the city gates, they turned around and left… I mean, no, they didn’t go back home. They returned to Luo City.”
“To Luo City?!”
The Second-in-Command’s frown deepened.
He had been crystal clear—anyone who failed to enter today would forfeit their pre-purchased ticket for the opening round.
So why were so many martial artists still choosing to leave?
This was Feng City’s first large-scale martial arts tournament, one that had gathered top-tier fighters from across multiple nations. This was a historic event—an unprecedented display of power in the martial world!
Surely, these fighters had come here precisely to witness such an awe-inspiring spectacle… hadn’t they?
The Second-in-Command’s expression darkened further, his unease intensifying.
Sensing the growing tension, the Third-in-Command wisely kept his mouth shut, fearing he might bear the brunt of his superior’s fury.
After a long, tense silence, the Second-in-Command finally turned back to him.
“What’s done is done. Feng City cannot afford to backtrack on its words now. The first round of matches is set to begin in less than fifteen minutes. We proceed as planned.
“But once this tournament is over, Luo City will pay the price for their defiance.”
With that, he swept his sleeve dramatically and strode out of the chamber, his irritation barely concealed.
Normally, he would have taken the stage to host the event himself, but today he had no patience for such trivialities. He waved the responsibility onto the Third-in-Command instead, leaving him to handle the opening announcements.
Meanwhile, in Luo City…
A large number of travelers who had set out early in the morning for Feng City’s tournament had returned just as swiftly, leaving Luo City’s City Lord, Yu Haojie, puzzled.
Frowning, he ordered his men to investigate the situation.
When his scouts reported back, his expression twisted in disbelief.
“Feng City is outright restricting their movement? So they were serious about competing with us for business?”
Yu Haojie hadn’t expected Feng City to be so aggressive, nor had he anticipated that so many martial artists—who had originally come for the tournament—would defy Feng City’s authority and return to Luo City instead.
While he felt relieved, a greater sense of unease settled within him.
One of his subordinates stepped forward with a reassuring smile.
“City Lord, there’s no need to worry. We were initially concerned that Feng City’s tournament would overshadow our food festival, but it turns out they’ve actually helped us instead! If it weren’t for Feng City’s enormous reputation and the sheer number of elite warriors they’ve drawn in, the wastelands would never have seen such an influx of visitors.
“With so many guests pouring into Luo City, we’re not just making a fortune—we’re also rapidly spreading our name across multiple nations. Even if Feng City retaliates later, we’ve already reaped significant benefits.”
Despite the logic behind these words, Yu Haojie remained troubled.
Yes, Luo City had profited immensely from this turn of events. But he couldn’t shake the feeling that they had stepped into dangerous territory.
As the days passed, more and more martial artists arrived, drawn by the buzz surrounding Feng City’s tournament. But instead of staying there, many filtered into Luo City instead.
And with each passing day, Yu Haojie’s unease only grew stronger.
Yu Luo disguised herself, donning a veil before heading out. She had been planning to sneak into Feng City and witness the final match firsthand.
But just as she was about to depart, a servant from Chi Jincheng arrived at her doorstep.
“Miss Yu, my master invites you to accompany him to Feng City. Would you have time to join him?”
Yu Luo tilted her head slightly, smiling beneath her veil.
“I was just about to go. Since that’s the case, I shall travel with your master. Go and let him know—I’ll be ready shortly.”
(End of Chapter 411)
