In addition to these, the regular army also maintains the tradition of preparing talisman papers. When encountering corpse soldiers, they can imbue their weapons with magical power to slay these spirits. His fire dragon chariot is actually the vehicle of John Harris, and a master of Daoist arts has sealed an exorcism spell upon it. The crimson flame dragon beast is a spirit extracted through soul imprinting techniques, possessing a deterrent force against ghostly soldiers.

This group of corpse soldiers numbered only six or seven hundred, and the fire dragon chariot dashed through their ranks in the blink of an eye. Seeing that no corpse soldiers were pursuing from behind, Grace Walker finally relaxed, reined in the crimson flame dragon beast, and burst into tears.

After fighting so bitterly for so long, he hadn’t felt it before, but now every muscle in his body ached, and the grief and indignation weighing on his chest was impossible to vent.

“These damned bandit soldiers, one day I’ll have you all tied up by your little dicks and dragged to death by the fire dragon chariot!”

He cursed them in every way he could think of until his mouth was dry, and only then did Grace Walker put away the fire dragon chariot. Since there was an official road here, following it would surely lead to a city. After resting for a while and regaining some strength, he set off again.

This time, luck was on his side—the official road led straight to Lingzhou City. After traveling day and night, Grace Walker saw the towering, majestic city of Lingzhou, and the bustling crowds coming and going at the city gate. The pressure of the past ten days was finally lifted from his shoulders.

His clothes were tattered, making him look little different from a refugee or beggar. After another day without food, his spirit and strength were at rock bottom.

He managed to blend in with the crowd of refugees outside the Lingzhou city gate. Looking around, Grace Walker noticed quite a few members of the demon race and couldn’t help but marvel to himself, “The ethnic policies here are really tolerant. So much better than the racial discrimination on Earth.”

From Mr. Brooks, he had already learned some basic facts: whether in the Central Lands or the Western Barbarians, though the two sides were at war, there was no oppression of different races. This was because the people of Shenzhou were often of mixed blood, making it troublesome to distinguish between them.

Chapter 15: King of Beggars

Lingzhou City is the only major city in Lingzhou, much larger than the other six prefectures and twenty-two counties. Its walls are high and thick, able to accommodate over two hundred thousand residents. Although to Grace Walker, who has seen cities of millions and knows the scale of modern metropolises, it still seems rather primitive, in the Central Lands of Shenzhou, it is already an extraordinary feat of civil engineering.

After the ravages of war, a county town like Yanggu was left with barely a hundred people. The other prefectures and counties were also in dire straits, with many people afraid to return to their old homes, instead bringing their wives and elders and flocking to Lingzhou City.

After all, Lingzhou’s high walls and deep city, along with the protection of the only remaining army, gave the people some comfort.

After sneaking into the city, Grace Walker’s first thought was: where could he find something to eat? In Yanggu County, he could go out hunting every day and never worried about going hungry. But what wild animals could there be in Lingzhou City?

“It’s a pity. If I’d been reborn in a prosperous era like the Song or Tang, I could just set up a stall on the street, draw some flowers, birds, fish, insects, portraits, or landscapes, and surely make a fortune. How could ancient painting skills compare to my CG level honed by drawing H-GAME illustrations?”

“If I drew some beauties, I guarantee that with a single shake on the street, every man passing by would get a raging hard-on and have nosebleeds gushing everywhere! What’s ‘Wu’s robe fluttering in the wind’ or ‘Little Li’s landscapes’ compared to the shock of big-breasted, long-legged, sexy babes? Someone might even shoot their load right in their pants on the spot…”

Grace Walker was an art major, and by his sophomore year had drawn countless nude models. To make ends meet, he’d done magazine and game company illustrations, and was extremely skilled in all kinds of comic techniques. While this kind of art might not be highbrow, its appeal was undeniable.

Thinking such lewd thoughts, he couldn’t help but grin, and wasn’t paying attention when he suddenly bumped into someone head-on.

Looking up, he found himself face-to-face with an extraordinarily elegant monk.

The monk looked to be in his thirties, with a square face and large ears, a face like a full moon, and a faint red glow enveloping his whole body. He seemed like a living Buddha, inspiring instant respect and warmth in those who saw him.

“Greetings, young benefactor. I was in a hurry and didn’t see where I bumped into you. Are you alright?”

The other spoke kindly and gently, and Grace Walker truly felt he was unharmed, so he quickly waved his hand and said, “No problem!”

The monk smiled slightly, his bearing broad and serene. He didn’t hurry to leave, but instead pressed his palms together at his chest and said, “Young benefactor, you are no ordinary person. I have a word of advice for you: In the Pure Land, under the Bodhi tree, only with a calm heart can one remain unstained by dust.”

“What nonsense is this baldhead spouting?” The goodwill Grace Walker had just felt instantly vanished, and he looked at the monk with some disdain. “Preaching superstition in the street—shouldn’t he be handed over to the authorities? Is he trying to scam money?”

Seeing Grace Walker’s expression, the monk smiled faintly and drifted away. This left Grace Walker, who had been preparing a few choice words to send the monk packing, at a loss for words.

“This baldhead is really strange!”

He didn’t believe in any Zen riddles at all, and turning away, Grace Walker immediately put the monk out of his mind.