Moao Calendar Year 134, May 15

Chui Mountain Town, daytime

In the Moao South Slope Territory, after all, there aren’t many Cold Resistance Level people, and very few can bear the cold light to go out and about, so even in the relatively most populated town, there are few people on the streets during the day, making it unusually quiet.

If it’s like this inside the city, then the city gate area is even more deserted.

At the South City Gate of Chui Mountain, apart from more than a hundred steadfast Yellow Armored Soldiers standing dutifully outside the half-open gate, there wasn’t another soul in sight.

No wonder, the busiest time for the gates is usually at night; during the day, unless there’s a special situation, no one enters or leaves the city.

Speaking of which, precisely for this reason, all town cities usually only send a small number of Cold Resistance Level to guard the gates during the day, so the situation at the South City Gate now is clearly a bit abnormal.

Soon, a middle-aged man dressed as a general with two swords at his waist, clad in Silver Armor, slowly walked down from the city gate tower.

Seeing the group of soldiers standing unwaveringly on both sides of the gate, the middle-aged man’s face first showed a trace of approval, and then he quickly lit a bonfire in the corner of the gate, shouting to the group of soldiers, "Brothers, you’ve all worked hard. Anyway, there aren’t many people now, come over and warm yourselves by the fire!"

Upon hearing the middle-aged man’s order, the Yellow Armored Soldiers immediately relaxed their expressions, hurried to the bonfire, shook off the snowflakes from their bodies, and then extended their hands to warm themselves by the fire.

Cold Resistance Levels can resist the severe cold but aren’t immune to feeling cold. Being able to warm by the fire is undoubtedly more comfortable than standing like posts on either side of the city gate.

However, it wasn’t long before one soldier couldn’t help but speak up.

"Colonel, pardon my bluntness, but Deputy Army Chief Duan is going too far, isn’t he? This gate-guarding duty shouldn’t fall to our Yellow Armor Army!"

These words seemed to ignite the long-suppressed anger in everyone’s hearts, as many began to voice their opinions.

"Back when the Lord and Army Chief founded the army, they were clear that our Yellow Armor Army was the town’s heavy asset, the core cornerstone, and greatest reliance for Chui Mountain’s foothold in the Moao South Slope Territory. We are not to be deployed unless necessary, but now they want us to do even gate-guarding duties? What are the fifteen thousand Defensive Army doing then?"

"Things have changed! Ha... When the army was founded, the former leader said personally that only he and the Army Chief had the authority to mobilize the Yellow Armor Army. Now? We’re being used at the whim of Duan Mian, Duan Sheng, Duan Yang, and Duan Chang!"

"Well, our Third Army unit isn’t the only one suffering, right? The First Army seems quite comfortable?"

"Of course, they’re under the direct lineage of the Lord... the Duan Family. Who dares to command them recklessly? The Second Army started restructuring last year, and more than half were removed due to age restrictions. I hear replacements are almost done, so they’re likely to turn their sights on us in the Third Army soon."

"What nonsense about age restrictions. It’s just an excuse to weaken the Mu Family’s influence in the army because the main Army Chief was crippled. Even before the Second Army began restructuring, Vice Commander Mu Ziheng of the Mu Family was already removed, and those soldiers dismissed were all closely aligned with the Mu Family."

"I’ve heard the same! Qinghe’s Deputy Army Chief position was eliminated last year, leaving only the Commander position for our Third Army. But I’ve heard his Commander position is also at risk."

"Our Third Army is the direct line of the Army Chief. How will the Lord change that? Replace us all?"

"That’s very likely."

"The Duan Family are just scoundrels! The Army Chief was only captured by the Great Xia, not dead. The Great Xia Lord has publicly stated that he would return him after ten years. They’re so eager to suppress the Mu Family now, what will they do when the Army Chief returns?"

"It won’t matter if the Army Chief returns; he’s been crippled!"

"This..."

As everyone was discussing indignantly, the Silver-Armored middle-aged general unexpectedly reminded them with a word.

Upon hearing his voice, everyone’s expressions stiffened slightly, and they turned to look at the middle-aged man, all showing deep resentment on their faces.

Just like in other towns, Chui Mountain also had two types of troops: the ordinary Defensive Army and the elite Yellow Armor Army.

The Yellow Armor Army had three units: the First Army was considered the Duan Family’s direct lineage, the Third Army as the Mu Family’s direct lineage, and only the Second Army was alternately commanded by the Duan and Mu Families. Although that was the case, in terms of actual influence, the Mu Family was stronger.

Those on gate duty now were all Third Army Soldiers.

Since the Battle of Hongmen two years ago, when Army Chief Mu Longhe had his arms cut off by the Great Xia Lord Xia Hong and was taken to serve in Great Xia, their situation, as the Mu Family’s direct unit, had significantly worsened in the town.

Take the Northern Three Towns, for example; there were basically two types of internal high-level situations among the nine towns in the Moao South Slope. One was like Beishuo and Jin Mountain, dominated by one family, with Beishuo governed by the Yang Family and Jin Mountain by the Shangguan Family. The other was like Wuchuan, where the Qin Family and Ye Family shared power.

Chui Mountain belongs to the latter, with both the Duan Family and the Mu Family in power.

Strictly speaking, Duan Hong was actually a junior to Mu Longhe. Chui Mountain’s foundation was initially built by Mu Longhe and Duan Hong’s father Duan Zhao together.

In the year and a half since Mu Longhe’s absence, under the instigation of the Duan Family’s younger generation, Lord Duan Hong continuously suppressed the Mu Family. First, Duan Xing replaced Mu Qingyu as the head of the Inspectorate, and then Zhu Ziying, Helian Shan, Qiu Sanming, and many of Mu Longhe’s former subordinates were dismissed.