"You don't need to be afraid. After all, we've won. Do you really think the Inspection Office would come after you for the crime of misreporting military orders?" David Thompson, as if guessing Henry Clark's thoughts, said leisurely, "Tomorrow we'll withdraw and return to Shaga City. Let's leave the rest of the mop-up to the troops of the Goxi Banner."

Henry Clark said anxiously, "But sir, we've worked so hard to achieve this situation. We should press the advantage and pursue the enemy!"

David Thompson: "If we take all the credit, the other units will say we're reckless and don't know our place. Then things will be tough for us in the future."

He lazily walked toward the tent. "It's already late, Deputy Banner Clark. You should rest too. We have a long journey ahead tomorrow."

Henry Clark suddenly understood. With thirty thousand troops defeating eighty thousand demon soldiers, the credit for David Thompson was so great that no one could take it away. Since that was the case, it wouldn't hurt to do a favor and let others have some share, so they wouldn't be too jealous. Truly, he had thought of everything!

Watching his figure disappear, Henry Clark felt he could see him less and less clearly...

By dusk the next day, the triumphant troops of David Thompson entered Shaga City, receiving a welcome from the citizens so enthusiastic it was almost frenzied.

Shaga City was close to the Hengchuan front line, and every time the demon army attacked, it was always the first to suffer the ravages of war.

Unfortunately, the Far East Army of the Zichuan family was not very reliable. Every time they faced the demon army, they lost more than they won, leaving the citizens exhausted from fleeing and in constant misery.

This time, when they heard the demon army was pressing in, the family only sent an eighteen-year-old young banner officer to meet the enemy—just because his surname was Zichuan. Otherwise, how could he have been promoted so quickly, becoming a banner officer at eighteen? No one had any hope and had already started packing up to flee. But somehow, this young banner officer had a stroke of incredible luck, and the demon army collapsed without a fight... When the news arrived, the whole city erupted in celebration!

As David Thompson's troops lined up to enter the city and rest, the welcoming crowd nearly overwhelmed the formation. Citizens stuffed the soldiers with worthless gifts: half-boiled eggs, sweat-stained handkerchiefs, silver-inlaid jewelry, and exploding party balls that could injure people... These things were useless anyway. They all drank together, sharing expired, unsellable cheap liquor. Because of this, thirty-seven bar owners in the city avoided bankruptcy, while eleven bar owners ended up declaring bankruptcy after their bars were trashed by drunken soldiers...

Solemnly robed monks and priests offered grand prayers for them: "Thank you, our ever-victorious protectors! May the War God's blessing always be with you!" Normally, no one believed in their god, but since they had nothing better to do, it was a rare chance to preach their faith without getting pelted with stones...

Young and beautiful women waved flowers, rushing up to hug and kiss soldiers they didn't even know... According to statistics, in the first hour after entering the city, over seven thousand soldiers of David Thompson's unit lost the first kiss they had planned to save for their sweethearts back home. The losses were enormous, and many touching—or not so touching—love stories began this way, giving the church's wedding priests a brief boom in business.

Later, someone calculated that during the less than one week David Thompson's troops were stationed in Shaga City, the city's birth rate ten months later was 169% higher than usual! And most of the babies were named things like "Huai Jun" (Cherish the Army), "Nian Bing" (Miss the Soldiers), or "Ai Jun" (Love the Army)...

At night, Roger Smith, Henry Clark, and Ethan Foster, the three deputy banner officers, went out to patrol the streets, checking for any breaches of military discipline or unruly behavior.

Ethan Foster: "Henry Clark, I feel like something's off with you today. It's been twelve hours and you haven't cursed at Banner Officer Xiuchuan even once! Are you feeling unwell?"

Roger Smith pretended to feel Henry Clark's forehead. "Hmm, so hot. Do you have a fever... Ow!"

Henry Clark withdrew his fist. "It's nothing. I've just changed my opinion of him a bit..."

At that moment, they all heard David Thompson's voice coming from a small bar nearby: "How much is a bottle of Greenfield Beer?"

The waitress replied, "Three silver coins, officer."

David Thompson: "Oh, that's a bit more expensive than in the imperial capital... I'll take two bottles!"

Waitress: "Excuse me, officer, are you with Lord Xiuchuan's unit?"

David Thompson: "Yes!"

Waitress: "Oh, our boss said that tonight, officers from Xiuchuan's unit don't have to pay."

David Thompson: "Why?"

Waitress: "Because you are heroes!"

David Thompson: "Heroes... Then I'll take four bottles!"

Waitress: "..."

Roger Smith asked Henry Clark, "You were saying you changed your opinion of him..."

Henry Clark, expressionless: "Now I've changed it again... Let's go, we don't know him!"

The Guqi Mountains form the boundary between the Far East and the Zichuan family's heartland. The towering, perilous peaks are an almost insurmountable natural barrier, with only the Long River Highway passing through the sole gap in the Guqi Mountains to connect the Far East with the family heartland.

The magnificent Valen Fortress, built in Imperial Year 456, sits at this gap, guarding the Long River Highway. It is known as the number one fortress on the continent (except for the demon clan's Great Demon God Fortress), and its strategic importance is self-evident. The fortress is incredibly strong, and there is a saying: "As long as you hide in Valen, even if the gods are enraged, you have nothing to fear!"