NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 148:
Chapter 148: Farewell, Prison:
Xu Xi no longer hid anything.
He revealed the truth about Daqian to everyone. The common people were shocked by such a terrifying revelation, but more than anything, they were numb.
These “sinful people,” driven to the borders, had long been accustomed to the cruelty of demons. They had witnessed their friends and family members perish tragically under the sharp teeth of these monsters.
The poor were well aware of the dangers of the Hundred Thousand Mountains—a true hell, a sea of death and blood created by heaven and earth itself. But…
Brother Xi said he would take everyone out of the Hundred Thousand Mountains. He had promised.
And so, they picked up their hoes and crude tools once more, forming a vast, endless crowd, following the Xu Clan out of the state and past the border.
A handful of people, newcomers to the survival army, hesitated and stayed behind. They didn’t know Xu Xi well enough to place their lives in his hands. The reputation of the Hundred Thousand Mountains was too fearsome.
“Sir, how can those people not believe you? It’s outrageous!” Wu Yingxue exclaimed angrily.
“This is normal, Yingxue,” Xu Xi replied calmly.
The crowd surged forward like a tide, dense and endless. From a distance, they resembled an unending black dragon. At the forefront of this sea of humanity were Xu Xi and Wu Yingxue. The girl clenched her fists in frustration, still indignant over those who had chosen to stay behind.
Xu Xi smiled faintly. “I am not a god. I can’t be loved by everyone. It’s normal for some to doubt me. Besides, this escape is indeed dangerous. It’s natural for them to be afraid.”
Looking back, Xu Xi saw countless feet trudging forward, flattening the dusty road beneath them. Some wore mended cloth shoes; others wore simple straw sandals.
To be honest, what puzzled Xu Xi wasn’t that some people stayed behind—it was that so many chose to follow him without hesitation. These people, unafraid of death, were willing to stake everything on his words and decisions.
Why?
Xu Xi knew the reason. Wu Yingxue knew it too. Everyone did. It was because they had all become fools—fools infected by Xu Xi’s determination and hope.
…
“Boom!”
“Boom!”
“Bang! Bang!”
The soldiers of the Qihuoshu Army, armed and armored, positioned themselves on the outer edges, protecting the old, weak, women, and children within. As the strongest combat force, the Xu forces led the way, cutting through obstacles while blazing a trail.
The long line moved steadily forward, leaving the state behind and passing through the border. The criminals, who had once fled to Daqian, now returned to the cold frontier, continuing onward without pause. They followed the faint but resolute figure leading them.
Time passed. The skill that made fools of them all also granted everyone a measure of qi and blood cultivation, accelerating their progress.
After many years, Xu Xi once again stood before the towering Hundred Thousand Mountains. Their peaks, like jagged blades, stretched endlessly into the horizon, dark and imposing. The mountain tops pierced through the clouds, forming a vast, otherworldly cage.
“One Hundred Thousand Mountains…” Xu Xi muttered. “This time, when we leave, there will be no returning. If we succeed, a broader world awaits us. If we fail, we die here.”
He gazed at the rugged peaks ahead, their sharp ridges like scales embedded in the earth. Memories of his first year in Qingniu Town surfaced—of staggering into town and witnessing the familiar faces lost to the tide of demons.
“This world is truly wretched,” he said softly.
Farewell, cage.
Meanwhile, across Daqian, rebellions erupted everywhere, drawing the Emperor’s attention. The absence of summer’s most fearsome monsters in the Hundred Thousand Mountains presented a narrow window of opportunity.
“It’s time to escape,” Xu Xi declared.
“I’ll take the lead and clear the path, handling the first wave of monsters we encounter,” he instructed. “Yingxue, you’ll guard the flanks. Make sure no monsters break into the group to harm the young or old.”
“Understood, sir!” Wu Yingxue replied resolutely.
“A Niu, you’ll guard the rear and provide support.”
“I understand, Brother Xu,” A Niu said, scratching his head with rough fingers and grinning. “My mother always said to listen to you. I’ll follow your orders.”
Aunt Zhang had passed away the previous year—not from starvation or violence, but peacefully in her sleep. The doctor said the hardships of her early life had damaged her health beyond repair, and the demon meat she had consumed to stave off hunger had only hastened her decline.
Despite the better life Xu Xi had provided in Daqian, the damage had already been done. The kind, elderly woman who had often made dumplings for A Niu was gone.
…
[You lead the survival army into the Hundred Thousand Mountains.]
[The immense commotion and the rising energy of qi and blood attract countless demons.]
[They swarm in droves, their sheer numbers blotting out the sun and casting shadows over the land.]
[They descend from the mountains, their eyes gleaming with bloodlust, devoid of reason.]
[You charge forward, fists glowing with the power of heaven and earth. With each strike, you obliterate waves of monsters, carving a path for the people behind you. Farmers wield hoes and forks. Soldiers brandish spears and swords. Years of fighting and your deliberate training have forged them into an impenetrable wall of iron, capable of resisting even the fiercest assaults.]
[The survival army pushes through, overcoming the first major mountain. Yet, you know this journey will only grow more perilous.]
[Your preparations were meticulous. You left behind weapons, tools, and strategies to counter any threats, even anticipating pursuit from the Emperor of Daqian.]
Days pass. The monsters grow stronger. Innate-level demons appear with increasing frequency. Casualties rise.
[Despite your best efforts, you cannot save everyone. Each loss weighs heavily on you, fueling your determination. Your qi and blood surge, forming sword light that cuts through mountains and skies alike.] [You long to break free of the Hundred Thousand Mountains and lead as many people as possible to safety.]