Castle of Black Iron

In the following days, Zhang Tie felt like he was entering a dark, disgusting nightmare realm. What torture!

After July 7th, the elites of the Zhang Clan from Huaiyuan Prefecture and the Unrivaled Cavalries of the Taishi Clan from Langye Prefecture withdrew 15 km away from Heavens Cold City and surrounded Heavens Cold City firmly. Any demonized people running out of Heavens Cold City would be struck down by the troops.

Those demonized people included males, females, the young and the old. Most of them were commoners before the event, therefore, their fighting strength was limited. Even though some of them had fighting skills, they couldn’t match the troops of the Zhang Clan and the Taishi Clan at all.

Before killing these demonized people, Zhang Tie was struggling inside. The first wave of demonized people came rushing towards him from inside Heavens Cold City and were wearing commoners’ clothes.

However, these people’s eyes...They looked pretty grim while uttering a strange and meaningless sound. With various weapons in hands such as wooden sticks and kitchen knives, more than 400 demonized people rushed out of Heavens Cold City.

”These residents in Heavens Cold City had been killed by demons and the Zhen Clan. They weren’t human anymore. They are just demonized creatures and zombies. They had been controlled by puppet worms in their heads!”

A military officer of Huaiyuan Palace shouted hoarsely. After that, he shot out one bolt and broke the head of a demonized zombie rushing out of Heavens Cold City.

When that demonized zombie’s head was broken, his brains sprayed in all directions. Zhang Tie then found a disgusting half-palm sized, pink, smooth demon which looked like an octopus with many tentacles.

When it dropped onto the ground, it started to creep like an octopus going ashore.

Seeing this, Zhang Tie grit his teeth out of fury and started his massacre from then on.

For girls from Hidden Dragon Palace, more than 90% of them could only persist for several hours. They then withdrew from this place, leaving male students here.

For most of them, they would not hesitate at all no matter how cruel the fight was and how ferocious the enemy were. However, facing those commoner’s bodies which had been controlled by puppet worms, many of them could hardly accept it.

Zhang Tie didn’t know how had he carried on these days. When he chopped off the head of a 7-year old girl, Zhang Tie seemed to hear something break in his heart.

From then on, Zhang Tie became as firm as iron inside and totally turned himself into a machine that reaped the lives of demonized zombies.

On July 8th, some columns of black smoke rose into the sky outside Heavens Cold City. They were collecting the corpses of the demonized zombies and burning them. From then on, the black smoke columns didn’t disappear for a long time.

On July 9th, the airships and clan members of the Lan Clan, Ou Clan, Dantai(澹台, a Chinese surname), Wang Clan and Li Clan arrived at Heavens Cold City consecutively. They were 5 of the 6 clans that ruled Jinyun Country.

After they arrived at Heavens Cold City, they encamped 15 km away from Heavens Cold City and joined the clean-up of the zombies running out of Heavens Cold City.

On July 10th, more airships arrived at Heavens Cold City. By then, the sky nearby Heavens Cold City was covered with airships of various countries and powers on the continent. They were here to get first-hand information about the event in Heavens Cold City.

On the same day, although big figures didn’t want to release the news of the coming Holy War, the event in Heavens Cold City finally spread out and shocked the whole Eastern Continent.

On July 11th, after knowing about the event in Heavens Cold City, more and more people arrived at Heavens Cold City, including representatives from small clans, wandering warriors, journalists from some famous media outlets, tipsters and those who wanted to make money here.

For some, Heavens Cold City was a dangerous dead city. However, the wealth in this city still existed. All the wealth in Zhen Clan or those powerful households were still in Heavens Cold City. As long as one was fearless enough, he could go in there and find them.

Although many people came here for wealth, nobody was brave enough to go inside. At this moment, there were at least 1 million zombies in Heavens Cold City. Meanwhile, tens of thousands elites from 6 influential clans of Jinyun Country and 40,000 unrivaled cavalries were surrounding the city firmly. Nobody was courageous enough to enter.

At this time, Heavens Cold City was like an alluring prey. Before those ferocious lions ate their fill and left, no wolfhounds dared to draw close. Instead, they could only wander around the prey. Those left by lions might be a grand feast for the wolfhounds.

...

On July 13th...

On the 6th morning since he came to Heavens Cold City, Zhang Tie woke up after a nice sleep last night. He had not slept for consecutive 3 days. After pulling open his sleeping bag, Zhang Tie walked out of the tent.

As Zhang Tie slept in clothes last night, he got up directly.

As the sun had just come out, the moment he walked out of the tent, Zhang Tie could see the columns of black smoke in the distance. Although he was far away from, as he was on a plain, Zhang Tie could still smell the slightly scorched odor from those burning corpses in the breeze.

After cleaning up at the riverside, Zhang Tie then started to gnaw his compressed high-heat dried meat and drank water. His mind then gradually recovered from the numbness due to the 3-day endless massacre.

All the provisions for elites and soldiers of Huaiyuan Palace were transported from Huaiyuan Prefecture by Huaiyuan Palace’s airships, because all the food close to Heavens Cold City made people scared.

Although based on the experience in the Second Holy War, after the death of the parent puppet worm, except for the eggs that had been incubated in a host’s brain, all the other eggs that had no hosts would die. However, after hundreds of years, nobody could guarantee this remained unchanged just like nobody could have imagined that the Zhen Clan had a parent puppet worm one week ago.

The refugee camp of Heavens Cold City was at the riverside, which occupied hundreds of thousands square meters. Now, the riverside had been covered with new tents.

From July 7th to now, there were still live people escaping the city. The number of live people escaping Heavens Cold City together with the troops of the Zhang Clan and the Taishi Clan was the most. In the following days, although they were still trying their best to rescue the living and had assigned small batches of elite troops inside the city to search for people as well as cleaned out the demonized zombies near the city gates several times, the number of living being rescued decreased gradually.

Yesterday, Zhang Tie fought throughout the day near the north gate and killed those demonized near the north gate of Heavens Cold City. However, he only saved 5 live people. Gradually, it became increasingly hopless for people to survive inside.

...

Those in the refugee camp looked numb and dull. Although it was morning, the refugee camp reminded you of the dawn. There was no joy in the refugee camp. It was filled with low sobs and nightmare like screams. Although they had escaped from Heavens Cold City, they had not recovered. Even while they slept, they would still always wake up with a start due to small sounds.

”Argh, stay away from me, stay away from me, don’t eat me...”

The door of a tent in front was suddenly opened while the dischevelled man ran out of it. He directly rushed towards Zhang Tie madly followed by some people, ”Stop him, he got sick again!”

When he ran in front of Zhang Tie, Zhang Tie stretched out his hand and lifted him up like he was grabbing a chicken. After that, he lightly patted the back of that man’s neck, causing him pass out.

Those people chasing after that man were in doctors’ working uniform. They were assigned from Huaiyuan Prefecture and Langye Prefecture to cure people in the refugee camp.

At the sight of Zhang Tie, those doctors became a bit scared as Zhang Tie was in a field combat suit covered with an invisible iron-blood killing qi after several days of killing.

After these days of killing, Zhang Tie didn’t remember how many demonized people he had killed, at least 2000. Like those soldiers who had experienced fights many times, Zhang Tie’s killing qi due to committing massacres was also an invisible threat to others.

”Argh, thanks, thanks!” Those doctors hurriedly appreciated Zhang Tie.

”It was a pleasure!” Zhang Tie replied calmly.

Realizing that Zhang Tie was easy-going, those doctors let out a deep sigh. Two male doctors directly took the man from Zhang Tie’s hands. An elder doctor rapidly checked whether that man was still live. At that moment, even if Zhang Tie killed him, nobody would blame Zhang Tie.

After checking that man’s situation, the doctor found that he just passed out. He then became reassured as he ordered the other two younger doctors. ”This man has been stimulated too much spiritually, feed him more vermilion soul-easing powders today. Carry him back into the tent first!”

”Yes, sir!” The other two younger doctors then carried the man back into the tent.

”Alas, what a pitiful man...” The elder doctor sighed deeply as he followed them back into the tent.

Similar things happened numerous times in the refugee camp these days. Although many people had escaped Heavens Cold City, they were stimulated severely spiritually and were driven mad. Furthermore, some people who could not accept the fact that all of their relatives had died chose to commit suicide. One or two refugees would commit suicide in the refugee camp everyday.

Walking in the refugee camp and glancing over those refugees who looked numb and rueful, Zhang Tie was filled with mixed feelings inside.

These days, as long as he was free, Zhang Tie would come to have a look in the refugee camp. After glancing over those numb and resentful faces, he then walked towards the battlefield and killed every demonized person he saw.

Even Zhang Tie didn’t know how could he become like this. Perhaps, he did this for a bit of comfort and to search for something meaningful.

Zhang Tie gave all the warm dried beef and rations that he received today to some kids who were gazing at him and desiring his food with fearful looks.

At this time, most of female students from Hidden Dragon Palace were doing various jobs in the refugee camp so as to normally run the refugee camp.

Zhang Tie caught sight of Yuan Ziyi. She was very lively in Hidden Dragon Island, however she now looked a bit haggard and sad due to the affairs in the refugee camp these days. She was delivering dried rations and disinfectant to those people in the refugee camp. A lot of people were lining up in front of her for the items looking like they had lost their souls.

”Only so little today? We’ve got some dried meat yesterday, where’s it today? How could this make us full?” One guy shouted loudly with the dried rations in hand, arising the others’ attention at once.

”Latest materials are stil under collection in Langye Prefecture. They are on the way now. The road near Overcloud Pass is not convenient for the transport vehicles to pass. These items were transported by airships, therefore, they are limited in quantity!” Yuan Ziyi explained patiently. Having experienced so much these days, this fiery girl also became patient.

”I don’t care, I want two packs!” Saying that, he directly took one more item away in front of Yuan Ziyi.

”One pack for one person!” Yuan Ziyi grabbed that man’s hand and continued to explain patiently.

”If not for you, how could Heavens Cold City become like this? Heavens Cold City was good before; however, after your arrival, it was ruined; therefore, you need to be responsible for what happened in Heavens Cold City!”

Given that Yuan Ziyi was a young girl, that man became rude instantly as he pointed at Yuan Ziyi’s nose and swore. ”Little girl, I tell you, this father had numerous wealth in Heavens Cold City. I dressed and ate well every day. If not for you, how could I lose everything? Do you think that you could drive me away with such little things? No way! You should compensate every copper coin that I lost in Heavens Cold City! This father has determined to take two packs today. You owe me! Let go, if not, I will teach you how to do...”

Yuan Ziyi was so angry that she quivered all over. Working so hard in refugee camp everyday, she was still sworn in this way, Yuan Ziyi had never suffered this since she was born. Therefore, tears started to fill her eyes.

With a cold look, Zhang Tie then walked over there. He patted the man’s shoulder first. When that guy looked around, Zhang Tie slapped his face directly, causing some of his teeth to go flying out at once along with a clear sound ”Pah”.

”Argh, help, they’re killing me...” That man shouted loudly.

Zhang Tie then smacked him with the back of his hand, causing another tooth to come flying out. The man wanted to continue to scream, however, at sight of Zhang Tie’s distant look and killing qi all over, he forcefully swallowed his words back.

Zhang Tie then stared at his hand. Seeing this, that man hurriedly put down the other pack. However, seeing Zhang Tie’s eyes were still fixed on his hand, the man hurriedly put down his own pack.

”Senior sister, keep working, no need to shed tears for such a person. There are so many bastards like him in this world. No everybody in the refugee camp is pitiful. I heard this man wanted us to compensate his wealth to him, I will send him back to Heavens Cold City and return his wealth back to him right now!” After saying this, Zhang Tie smiled at Yuan Ziyi before directly holding the man’s neck and dragged him out of the refugee camp like dragging a dog. The surrounding people gave way to Zhang Tie automatically.

The refugee camp was next to the station and defense line of the troops that surrounded Heavens Cold City. Zhang Tie dragged the man and walked towards Heavens Cold City after passing by the defense line easily. With his neck being held, the man could do nothing but pant. Seeing Zhang Tie dragging a person, nobody asked him what for, no matter the Zhang’s troop or Taishi’s unrivaled cavalries. Neither did they glance at that guy at all. After these days, Zhang Tie’s performance in Heavens Cold City had won many people’s respect.

Even though they didn’t know Zhang Tie’s name, many of them had remembered Zhang Tie’s face and knew that the master of this face had killed and saved the most people in Heavens Cold City these days.

On the battlefield, those who were powerful and liked to save others at the risk of their own lives would certainly gain the respect from their comrades in arms. Since Zhang Tie’s javelin throwing skill was too attractive and shocking, he became unique among all the Zhang Clan’s powerhouses who excelled at using crossbows. Therefore, Zhang Tie, as a young powerhouse in Hidden Dragon Palace was pretty well-known among the Taishi Clan’s unrivaled cavalries. He started to be considered on the same level as Zhang Wumu and became the most powerful man next to Lan Yunxi.

Like that of the Zhen Clan in Heavens Cold City, the Taishi Clan in Langye Prefecture also had tens of thousands soldiers and was a local power. Of course, young elites like Zhang Tie who would probably become an influential figure in Zhang Clan were more important in the Taishi Clan’s eyes. Although the Zhang Clan only had 8 cities, the comprehensive strength of Yiyang City alone was at least more powerful than the sum of 10 common cities. Therefore, a clan’s power could not be simply judged by the number of cities it owned.

The comprehensive strength of a clan with 4 knights was at least 100 times greater than that of a local power which only occupied a remote city. Therefore, only after a few days, not only common soldiers, even the greater part of military officers in the unrivaled cavalries of Taishi Clan had been able to recognize Zhang Tie.

After passing by the defense line of the Zhang Clan and Taishi Clan, although being still 10 more km away from Heavens Cold City on the plain in the daytime, they could still see a couple demonized people wandering in the wild. The closer they were to Heavens Cold City, the more demonized people they would see.

Seeing those demonized people in the distance, the man’s face turned completely pale.

Right then, a team of 100 unrivaled cavalries of Taishi Clan rushed out of their station. It seemed that they were going to complete their daily task——cleaning the wandering demonized people in the wild. When they passed by Zhang Tie, the head glanced at Zhang Tie. With a voice ”Yi?”, he raised his head while all the other unrivaled cavalries stopped several meters away from Zhang Tie, indicating their excellent riding skills and fighting strength.

Zhang Tie looked at them. Although being several meters away from him, the warhorses in armor which were pacing in their places seemed being startled by something. With a low neigh in unison, they moved several steps back at the same time, almost causing the cavalries to fall down. The military officer was stunned inside, ’What a heavy killing qi! Even the warhorses are scared. How many demonized people has he killed to form such a heavy killing qi.’

”Zhang Tie...” That military officer directly called his name. He then peered at that person in Zhang Tie’s hand and pointed at him, ”Who’s he...”

Zhang Tie then revealed a smile, ’This military officer looks familiar. I have seen him several days ago. We even fought together and killed many demonized people.’

”This guy wants us to compensate him for his numerous wealth in Heavens Cold City. He even said that we arouse the event in Heavens Cold City and blamed us. I’m taking him into Heavens Cold City and gathering his numerous wealth for him. Now that elder brothers are going to execute your task there, as you are riding horses, you would be faster. Just take him into Heavens Cold City for me and show him whether his numerous wealth was still there or not. By the way, take him to have a look at the running water supply system for our innocence!” Zhang Tie smiled.

Hearing these words, a gleaming light flashed by his eyes as he also smiled, ”We should do that!”

”Sorry to trouble you, elder brothers!” Saying this, Zhang Tie casually threw that person of more than 100 kg towards that military officer.

After taking over the man, the military officer directly smacked that person and let him pass out. He then put that guy onto his war horse and laughed out loudly, ”Brother Zhang Tie is really straightforward. As you’ve called me elder brother, just tell me if you need my help from then on; I will never hesitate!” After saying this, that military officer shouted towards the other cavalries behind him, ”Brothers, this man called us elder brothers is the most excellent young powerhouse in Huaiyuan Palace, the very demon-killing javelin lord we have mentioned and heard these days. As he called us elder brothers, dare you pull out of your sabers for him?”

”We do!”

”We do!‘’

”We Do!”

All the cavalries pulled out of their sabers and raised them above heads.

Feeling this guy was not average, Zhang Tie stared at this 30-odd military officer deeply and clenched one hand into the other in front of his chest before asked solemnly, ”What should I call you, elder brother?”

”I’m Taishi Ci!” That man replied in a righteous way.

”I will invite elder brother Taishi and the other elder brothers for a drink tonight, how about that?”

”Fine!” Taishi Ci also pulled out of his saber and waved above his head, ”Brothers, go forward and kill our enemies now, after coming back at night, we will drink with brother Zhang, hahaha, jia[1]...”

100 cavalries then waved their sabers and passed by Zhang Tie. They then rushed towards Heavens Cold City. Zhang Tie could still hear them singing forcefully, ”enemies’ heads, brothers’ drink, sexy women and galloping horse...”

’That’s what heroes do!’ Zhang Tie nodded inside.

Not until Taishi Ci[2]and his cavalries disappeared from Zhang Tie’s vision did Zhang Tie return to the refugee camp. Zhang Tie didn’t even asked the name of that guy who was destined to not come back alive. Anyone who dared to say that Huaiyuan Palace aroused the event in Heavens Cold City and puzzled the others might easily lead to a chaos, which was a death penalty. As more than 1 million people had died in Heavens Cold City, why would such a person still be live? Why would he still be live?

Even Zhang Tie had not discovered that what he did now was totally different from that before. If it was before, he would never make decision on one’s fate so easily.

Through numb killings these days, at the cost of the lives of over 1 million innocent people in Heavens Cold City, Zhang Tie gradually figured out that there was only one way to ensure the survival of himself, his relatives, and friends in this world while fighting with the demons and their lackeys——you have to be more powerful and more merciless than demons.

What was the Holy War? It was a war on who was more powerful and merciless!

When Zhang Tie came back to the refugee camp, he saw some senior brothers from Hidden Dragon Palace who were patrolling and maintaining order in the refugee camp caught some guys who sneaked in the camp. They bound those guys and were escorting them out of the camp.

At sight of one of those guys being bound, Zhang Tie became stunned as he rubbed his eyes, ”Zerom? What the hell!”

Mouth being clogged by a piece of cloth, Zerom looked pretty embarrassed. When he caught sight of Zhang Tie, he widened his eyes at once and started to twist all over...