Chapter 296: The Choice

“Mobilize the militia and take over the city’s defenses,” Magistrate Tan ordered.

Tan wasn’t a fool; he quickly devised a plan. But when the time came to execute it, he discovered a critical flaw.

Years of embezzling funds had left Clearwater County’s militia a hollow shell. Originally meant to number three thousand, they couldn’t even muster eight hundred, and those present were mostly old, weak, or infirm. The “militiaman” guarding the main gate, he heard, was a toothless old man with failing hearing and eyesight.

Such men were useless for combat—not even fit to be Xiongnu fodder.

“Not all of them are worthless,” a nearby advisor murmured, stroking his triangular beard, a sinister glint in his eye. “Your nephew, County Magistrate, commands a company of sturdy young men, all eager for a fight. They’d make excellent sacrificial pawns.”

Those in this line of work thrived on such cruel calculations.

“Yuanzhi?” Magistrate Tan’s gaze flickered as he recalled Chen Yuanzhi, the rowdy youth who often drank and brawled with his cronies outside town. They’d indeed be perfect as rear-guard fodder. But he couldn’t abandon his nephew. After years of accepting bribes from the Chen family, selling their son to certain death would surely provoke the old Chen patriarch to send assassins after him. With the chaos of war brewing, such murders would go unpunished. To safeguard his own life, Magistrate Tan resolved to notify the Chen family and a few other wealthy clans immediately.

Magistrate Tan had done all he could, fulfilling his duty to the utmost.

“Summon the patriarchs of the major clans,” he ordered. “We must convene to discuss the city’s defenses.”

In this region, the County Magistrate and the powerful clans were inextricably linked. Any significant decision required their approval to be implemented. The image of a County Magistrate wielding absolute authority, as often depicted in historical novels, likely belonged to the early days of the dynasty. By the mid-to-late period, local power had grown, and the relationships between these clans had become deeply intertwined. Whether a newly appointed magistrate could wield true power depended entirely on his political acumen and the cooperation of the local clans. Without their support, even the most well-intentioned decrees would never leave the County Magistrate’s Office.

When dealing with obstinate Tusi lords or powerful clans, recalcitrant magistrates might even meet with unfortunate “accidents,” such as drowning.

Magistrate Tan’s summons quickly reached the desks of the clan patriarchs, and Chen Luo also received an invitation.

The moment Chen Luo saw the invitation, he sensed a surge of Tribulation Qi.

The Tribulation is coming!

Standing by the window, Chen Luo watched his “son” practicing swordplay in the distance. He wondered how the boy would face his first Demonic Heart Tribulation. So far, his “son” had shown no remarkable qualities—lazy, vain, and exhibiting all the flaws of a typical ne’er-do-well.

County Magistrate’s Office.

The heads of several prominent families arrived as scheduled, and Chen Luo was also present.

“Lord Tan,” the head of the Wang family began after a brief exchange of pleasantries, “we’re all in this together. Could you please give us a clear assessment of the situation in the North?” This was the question foremost in everyone’s mind.

If the northern defenses held, they could endure. But if they faltered, early preparations were crucial. As respected figures, none of them wanted to become targets of Xiongnu raiders.

“The situation is not optimistic,” Magistrate Tan replied, carefully choosing his words. He then swiftly steered the conversation to his own agenda.

“Regardless of the North’s fate, we must safeguard our people’s livelihoods. Since winter’s arrival, Clearwater County’s trade routes have been blocked, causing hardship for our citizens. Many families can’t even afford fuel for warmth. This appalling state of affairs is unacceptable to me. My investigation reveals that the Mountain Eagle bandits are solely responsible for disrupting the trade routes. To alleviate the people’s suffering, the county will mobilize a force of able-bodied men tomorrow to eradicate these bandits and restore peace to Clearwater County.”

As he spoke, Magistrate Tan produced a meticulously prepared plan that his staff had finalized in advance.

The former County Commandant, once the second-in-command of Clearwater County, now stood meekly by the side like a whipped dog, a clear testament to Magistrate Tan’s manipulative prowess.

Charcoal?

The Mountain Eagle bandits plaguing the people’s lives?

All made-up names! Three years ago, there had been a band of bandits operating outside Clearwater County. But they lacked official backing and dared to encroach on the interests of the county’s powerful families. In retaliation, these families joined forces to crush them. Now, the sudden emergence of this “Mountain Eagle” group left no room for doubt about its true purpose.

Because they needed it.

And so, the bandits reappeared.

The old foxes around the table swiftly deciphered Magistrate Tan’s veiled intentions.

“These bandits must be eradicated!” Lord Wu declared, slamming his fist on the table with feigned righteous indignation. “Anyone who threatens the livelihoods of Clearwater County’s citizens is an enemy of the Wu Family! Magistrate Tan, we will contribute one hundred men to this campaign!”

“Though the Zhang family is smaller, our loyalty to the imperial court is unwavering. We will provide eighty men.”

“The Wang family offers one hundred and fifty!”

“The Chen family will supply one hundred and twenty,” Chen Luo added.

The number of bandits they claimed to eliminate would determine how many family members could flee under the guise of official business.

The attendees were all from prominent families, and they would inevitably bring “military provisions” when they fled the city. They would certainly need a substantial number of retainers and guards—the agreed-upon quotas of around a hundred per family were carefully considered. If they truly unleashed their resources, each household could easily muster five or six hundred people.

After finalizing the quotas, the families swiftly returned home to prepare.

Magistrate Tan’s intelligence was undoubtedly more accurate than their private channels. If even the County Magistrate was fleeing, what chance did ordinary citizens have? The Xiongnu would show no mercy to civilians. The only regret was abandoning the fertile lands passed down through generations.

But with their lives at stake, there was no time for sentiment.

“Brother Chen, wait a moment,” Magistrate Tan called out to Chen Luo, who was about to leave.

“Yun Yao mentioned yesterday that she misses you and hopes you can join us for a few drinks tonight,” Magistrate Tan continued. Yun Yao was Chen Luo’s cousin, and the Chen family’s current status in Clearwater County stemmed entirely from this connection.

The two families were inextricably linked—if one suffered, both would fall; if one prospered, both would rise.

“Very well,” Chen Luo nodded, then departed with the other family heads. Too many ears were present for sensitive matters to be discussed openly.

Night fell.

Chen Luo arrived at the Tan Family as promised.

The moment he entered, he saw his cousin, Chen Yunyao. Magistrate Tan had already prepared wine and dishes. After settling in and exchanging pleasantries, Magistrate Tan, with no outsiders present, quickly turned to the matter at hand.

“I received this news earlier today. The Xiongnu have breached the first line of defense in the north. The second line, hastily assembled, is manned by raw recruits—cannon fodder! We have at most half a month left.”

Chen Luo’s heart skipped a beat.

He had long anticipated this calamity, but he hadn’t expected it to arrive so swiftly.

Considering his “son” Chen Yuanzhi’s temperament, he doubted whether the young man could survive this crisis.

“The Xiongnu cavalry moves swiftly. A direct escape is no longer an option. I propose we leave a rearguard to cover our retreat.”

“Yuanzhi is your nephew, after all.”

Chen Luo’s expression darkened. He wasn’t a fool; he understood Magistrate Tan’s implication instantly. As prominent landowners, they were acutely aware of the sorry state of Clearwater County’s local militia. The elderly, infirm, and disabled soldiers would never suffice for a rearguard action. The only possibility was Yuanzhi’s band of ruffians.

As someone caught in the midst of this tribulation, Chen Luo had to play the role of ‘father’ well. Otherwise, this Demonic Heart Tribulation would be meaningless. He had to seize as much advantage as possible before the Tribulation Qi dissipated completely.

“If I were sending Yuanzhi to his death, I wouldn’t be telling you any of this,” Magistrate Tan sighed, setting down his wine cup. He had anticipated this situation long before inviting Chen Luo to the banquet.

“You want those ruffians to stay behind and cover our retreat?” Chen Luo understood the magistrate’s meaning, but he was also puzzled. Magistrate Tan was supposed to be the Demonic Heart, an integral part of this Demonic Heart Tribulation, tasked with stoking the Pass Transcendence cultivator Chen Yuanzhi’s innermost desires. Why was he suddenly urging Chen Luo to flee? The relationship between the Demonic Heart and the Heavenly Tribulation seemed different from what he had previously assumed.

It was more like a crucial component, essential but not central.

The true core lay within the ‘tribulation’ itself—the Immortal Cultivator’s own fundamental nature.

“They are all grown men,” Magistrate Tan said. “In this critical moment of survival, it is their duty to defend their homes and country, to shoulder the responsibilities of true men.”

Magistrate Tan, a seasoned official, framed every statement from the perspective of the greater good.

“Very well,” Chen Luo agreed. He planned to discuss the matter with Chen Yuanzhi that evening and see how his son would choose.

Responsibility versus cowardice—this, Chen Luo believed, was the true crux of this Demonic Heart Tribulation.

That night, in the Chen family study:

”…So that’s the plan. Any further questions?”

“You’re asking me to abandon my brothers and save my own skin?” Chen Yuanzhi stared at his father in disbelief, feeling a chilling sense of unfamiliarity. He couldn’t understand the powerful figures above—those who enjoyed the finest privileges. When the Xiongnu attacked, why didn’t they think of defending their homeland? Instead, they were the first to flee, leaving clueless commoners to die in their place, sacrificing their lives to secure their own escape.

“Not everyone will flee. Wang Dacai will also venture outside the city to suppress bandits, just as you will,” Chen Luo said impassively.

“Venture outside to suppress bandits?” Chen Yuanzhi laughed bitterly, meeting his father’s gaze for the first time. “Do you even believe that yourself?”

“Whether I believe it or not is irrelevant. What matters is survival.”

Chen Luo gazed at his ‘son’ and calmly laid out the reality. As the family patriarch, he had to fulfill all the duties of his position. His primary responsibility was to safeguard the clan and ensure the continuation of their bloodline. Matters beyond that were beyond his purview and capability.

“Trading the lives of innocent people for a chance to survive?” Chen Yuanzhi stared at his father, the towering figure he had once revered in his mind now crumbling before him.

So, Father is just an ordinary man after all.

“Have you considered what will happen to the city’s residents if we all flee? They too have parents, spouses, and children. They trusted the imperial decrees and donated their food rations, relying on the court to protect them from the Xiongnu.”

“And staying here will guarantee their safety?”

“If we fail, what will become of your mother and sisters?” Chen Luo’s voice remained steady, but his two sharp questions left his ‘son’ momentarily speechless.

He might disregard his own safety, but what about his mother and younger sisters? If they fell into the hands of the Xiongnu…

“Go back and think it over carefully. Tomorrow, we’ll ride out together to deal with the bandits.”