Endless Winter: My Camp Upgrades Infinitely

Chapter 1257: Chapter 416: Secluded Cultivation Charge, A Half-Hearted Arrest, Let Your Superior Come [Subscribe Request!]

Many people who originally planned to complete their transactions in Hongmen City and then return, after witnessing the confrontation between Great Xia and the Six Towns on the eighteenth, were all eager to explore Xia City. Thus, starting from the 18th of last month, more and more people followed the North Bank of Xing River to Xia City.

Unlike other districts in Xia City, the North Fifth District does not need to establish subordinate Eight Departments. Previously, to meet the transaction needs of these people, Qiu Peng specifically set up a Camp Supply Department here. However, as the population grew, order also needed to be controlled, so Li Tiancheng established a Prison Department here and appointed Hou Ming as Chief of Punishment.

By the fifth of October, according to Hou Ming’s statistics, the area’s population had exceeded 63,000, of which Cold Resistance Level accounted for twenty percent, while the rest were mostly Earth-digging Realm Limit, with few possessing ordinary Earth-digging Realm cultivation.

Most of the newcomers chose to join Great Xia, but some decided to leave. Although the population in the area flows in and out, the overall trend constantly increases.

As the population rises, the difficulty of control naturally increases.

Moreover, these people come from all directions, with different temperaments and habits; most are here for trade, making conflicts likely. Some are outright enemies, itching to fight upon sighting each other, not to mention those with ulterior motives, causing chaos beyond imagination.

Arguments aside, even with the strict prohibition of violence by Great Xia, fights occur almost daily, and occasionally a murder case surfaces, making the pressure on Hou Ming, the new Chief of Punishment, enormous.

Originally, according to Great Xia regulations, a stationed Chief of Punishment could be granted at most three Silver Order Prison Wardens. Without other options left, he requested twenty additional Silver Order Prison Wardens from the Inner City Headquarters to barely meet the North Fifth District’s needs.

The patrol task for the North Fifth District is managed by Fei Peng and Beizhao, armies that just completed the Bashang population migration currently stationed in Xia City, taking turns overseeing each camp, while Prison Wardens only handle investigation.

This shows how chaotic the North Fifth District is!

Coincidentally, Xiang Liang is one of the 20 Silver Order Prison Wardens called in.

At this moment, Xiang Liang looks apprehensive as he follows his superior Hou Ming, beside Bai Shanning and another twenty-two Silver Order Prison Wardens, behind them are over a hundred Iron Order Prison Guards. The group of over a hundred people, fully armed, is heading noisily towards a house in the inner side of the North Fifth District.

The atmosphere in the North Fifth District suddenly turned murderous precisely because these hundred-plus Prison Wardens were dispatched simultaneously.

”The Prison Wardens are all dispatched, what’s the matter?”

”Surely something major happened, likely a murder case!”

”A murder doesn’t require this many people, it’s not unprecedented, maybe many people died at once?”

”Possibly, let’s follow and see!”

......

Along the street, seeing so many Prison Wardens dispatched simultaneously, many pedestrians immediately guessed something substantial had occurred. Some timid ones returned to their residences, but some daring ones not only speculated but even followed behind the Prison Warden troop intending to watch the commotion.

”That Chu Yan’er seems suspicious, how could there be an issue!”

However, at this moment, Xiang Liang is too anxious to concern himself with these outsiders.

Just earlier at the Prison Department, upon receiving notification from Chief of Punishment Hou Ming, stating that Chu Yan’er and her six companions were all problematic, he was dumbfounded.

Meeting Chu Yan’er occurred unexpectedly; last month on the 19th, while escorting Mu Longhe from Hongmen back, in Baiyang on the way to Songyang Ridge, they accidentally crossed paths with Chu Yan’er and her group, who were embroiled with two Advanced Snow Ridge Foxes. Outside the Great Xia Territory they could ignore it, but certainly not inside.

Thus, he, along with Xiang Wentian and Bai Shanning, stepped forward.

Supposedly with Xiang Fuhai present, they needn’t act against two Advanced Snow Ridge Foxes; however, Xiang Fuhai intended to train his grandson Xiang Wentian, creating an opportunity for the five of them to intervene.

After rescuing the seven, they found out they skipped the main road to reach Xia City earlier and accidentally entered Songyang Ridge’s Hunting Team, thus attracting the two Advanced Snow Ridge Foxes.

After being rescued, the seven showed immense gratitude. Upon learning they were also heading to Xia City, they promptly requested to travel together.

Given the previous inspection of the seven’s details at Qinghepu, Xiang Liang and Bai Shanning had no suspicions, so they agreed.

During the battle driving off the Snow Ridge Foxes, Xiang Liang personally rescued the only female among the seven, Chu Yan’er, who then engaged him warmly, constantly chatting during the return to Xia City. Gradually, the two grew closer.

Concerning the later developments, surprises unfolded!

Despite her unassuming appearance, Chu Yan’er possesses exceptional artistry, matching even the Chief Painter Bai Yunzi of the Craftsmen Department, garnering massive recognition within days of arriving in Xia City.

Coincidentally, Xiang Liang has been reassigned by Hou Ming to the North Fifth District, further deepening their relationship, and due to saving her life, Chu Yan’er not only rewarded him richly but also painted a portrait of his wife Wang Yuxiu for free.

Living in the Inner City, upon hearing Lady Yuan sought a skilled painter for her son Yuan Shao’s birthday celebration, intending to reciprocate the kindness, Xiang Liang introduced Chu Yan’er to Lady Yuan.