Han Li and Shi Chuan Kong exchanged a few casual words before continuing to follow the group silently.

After advancing several hundred feet further, the sound of the wind and sand gradually lessened. The enormous shadows they had seen earlier in the storm began to emerge, revealing themselves as two adjacent black mountain peaks, each towering thousands of feet high.

The two peaks were jagged and uneven, their surfaces riddled with countless holes of varying sizes, all eroded by the wind.

Han Li looked up and saw a massive canyon formed between the two peaks, with a black fortress, several hundred feet tall, built in the center of the canyon.

The fortress was of a rugged design, with three massive domed bunkers on top, separated by two sections of ramparts. Below were thick, towering black walls.

Han Li's group entered the canyon area, where the peaks and fortress blocked most of the wind and sand, providing considerable relief.

Reaching the city gate, Chen Yang removed the cotton cloth from his face, shook off the sand, and walked to a stone platform outside the gate. He raised his palm and struck a large bronze bell hanging above.

"Dong..."

With a deep and resonant bell sound, a gap suddenly opened above the city gate, revealing several figures peering out. A voice called out, "Captain Chen Yang is back, open the gate!"

Following this announcement, a rumbling sound echoed from within the city walls, accompanied by the whirring of gears. Two heavy black gates slowly swung inward.

"Brother Li, Brother Shi, let's go." Chen Yang returned, greeted Han Li and the others, and said with a smile.

The group slowly entered the fortress, and the stone gates closed again behind them.

Han Li entered the fortress and found the situation inside quite different from what he had imagined.

The interior of the fortress was quite spacious, covering hundreds of feet. Huge braziers were hung on the walls every few feet, filled with the oil of unknown exotic beasts. When burning, they produced no smoke but emitted a faint fishy odor.

The fortress contained a large amount of space, occupied by various gears and mechanisms. Three massive stone pillars stood in the center, each spiraled with stone stairs leading to the three bunkers on the city walls.

Many people were moving about inside the fortress, each busy with their own tasks. Chen Yang's subordinates were leading various exotic beasts toward the right side of the fortress.

Han Li and the others stood in the hall. Soon, two Demon Clan men dressed in crimson robes approached, each holding a thick tome in one hand and a brush soaked in cinnabar in the other.

Chen Yang seemed very familiar with these two, a smile appearing on his face as he actively greeted them.

"Captain Chen Yang, it seems your harvest this time is quite bountiful?" one of the men, a round-faced man with a sword-like mark between his brows, said with a smile.

"Thanks to the two registrars, we fortunately didn't return empty-handed," Chen Yang said with a smile.

The other registrar, a long-eared, square-faced man, had a cold expression on his face. He coldly surveyed Han Li and the other two and asked:

"Are these three, 'Obedient Citizens' or 'Surrendered Citizens'?"

"They are guests I invited back, and they will also be joining our Green Goat City. As for which type... I'll discuss it after I meet with the City Lord," Chen Yang said, his face slightly embarrassed.

"According to the rules, the first thing after entering the city should be to assess their levels. Captain Chen Yang, I'm afraid this is not appropriate," the square-faced registrar frowned and said.

Seeing this, the other registrar quickly stepped in to mediate, pulling on his colleague's sleeve and saying:

"Surely Captain Chen Yang wouldn't deceive us? He is one of the City Lord's most valued hunting captains. He said he'll have them assessed after meeting the City Lord, not that he won't have them assessed at all. Waiting a little longer won't hurt."

The square-faced registrar could tell that the round-faced registrar had deliberately emphasized the words "most valued," clearly intending to remind him. He then stopped insisting.

"If that's the case, then postponing it is fine," the square-faced registrar said.

"Then I thank the two registrars. The spoils from this hunt have been brought back. I'll have to trouble you two to take inventory. Please accept this small token of my appreciation," Chen Yang said with a grateful smile.

As he spoke, he reached out and passed over two beast cores hidden in his sleeve.

The round-faced registrar smiled and said, "No need, you're too kind," while unobtrusively accepting the cores.

"Afterward, I must go and meet the City Lord. I'll arrange for you to rest first." After they left, Chen Yang turned back to Han Li and his companions and smiled.

"Who were those two just now?" Han Li asked, his brow slightly furrowed.

"They are the two registrars in Green Goat City, responsible for recording the hunting teams' harvests and registering new citizens," Chen Yang glanced at the two men's backs and replied.

"What do they mean by 'Obedient Citizens' and 'Surrendered Citizens'?" Han Li continued to ask.

"Brother Li has excellent hearing. 'Obedient Citizens' and 'Surrendered Citizens' are the levels used to classify different people in the city. 'Obedient Citizens' have a higher status and can join the city guard or hunting teams, and they can also obtain more resources. 'Surrendered Citizens' have a lower status and can only do miscellaneous tasks, and they enjoy far fewer resources," Chen Yang explained.

"The assessment that registrar mentioned is used to classify people, right?" Han Li nodded and asked.

"Haha, let's talk as we walk..." Chen Yang said with a hearty laugh.

With that, he took the lead and led Han Li and the other two toward the left side of the fortress.

Han Li and Shi Chuan Kong exchanged a glance and slowly followed.

"According to the rules of Green Goat City, newcomers must undergo an assessment to determine their level, which is then recorded before they can be assigned and arranged according to their different levels. However, I've seen your strength with my own eyes, so I want to report to the City Lord and directly bring you under my command. I don't think you'd want to be separated, would you?" Chen Yang said as he walked.

"Wouldn't that violate the rules of the city?" Shi Chuan Kong asked, frowning.

"Rules are rigid, people are flexible. If, after the assessment, those registrars follow the normal procedures and assign you to other hunting teams, wouldn't that be a great loss for me? However, whether or not an assessment is still needed afterward, I must ask the City Lord about it," Chen Yang waved his hand and said.

"That's no problem," Han Li shook his head and said.

"Brother Li, rest assured, with your strength, I think it won't be long before you become the new captains of the hunting teams. Don't forget my recommendation then, haha..." Chen Yang looked deeply at Han Li and smiled.

As they spoke, the four passed through three stone archways and arrived in front of a circular archway carved into the mountain.

Han Li glanced over and realized that this so-called Green Goat City was actually carved inside the mountain bodies of these two peaks.

Inside the circular archway, directly opposite was a human-shaped stone statue over ten feet tall. Its appearance was somewhat similar to that of the Human Race, with no wings or scales, but its face was very blurry, making it difficult to see clearly.

"Is that perhaps the statue of the City Lord you mentioned?" Han Li asked doubtfully.

"Brother Li, you've guessed wrong. This statue is from a very ancient era, even older than this Green Goat City. No one in our Green Goat City, not even the City Lord, knows who it depicts. Perhaps only Lord E Kui, the City Lord of Blackrock City, knows the details," Chen Yang stopped and looked at the statue, saying casually.

"It's nothing, I was just asking," Han Li said.

"The left peak of Green Goat City is divided into four levels. The level we are on is the Forging Layer, where all the city's armor and weapons are forged, and where various Beast Strange Pills are refined. Most of the armor, weapons, and pills are owned by the City Lord alone, who is responsible for their distribution and use. Only a few will circulate and be sold and traded in the city's few shops," Chen Yang explained.

"What about the others?" Shi Chuan Kong glanced at the ceiling and asked.

"The level above is where the Surrendered Citizens live, and the two levels above that are where the Obedient Citizens live. The top level is where the City Lord's mansion is located. In a moment, you will go to my mansion to rest first. I have to go and meet the City Lord," Chen Yang continued to say.

"Then we'll be bothering you," Han Li said with a cupped fist and a smile.

Afterward, Chen Yang took the three on a brief tour of the bottom level and then led them up a spiral staircase to the third level.

The third level was significantly smaller, and there were fewer people than on the two levels below. However, a wide passage extended outwards, and along the way, they could see the entrances to various cave dwellings.

Chen Yang's cave dwelling was in the middle of the passage, and the area inside was quite large, making it one of the better dwellings.

Han Li and the others followed Chen Yang into the mansion, and four people, one woman and three men, immediately greeted them with respectful bows.

The men were all dressed as servants, while the woman's clothing was slightly different. Although the color was also a monotonous cyan-gray, it was tailored to fit her perfectly, accentuating her graceful figure.

However, somewhat unfortunate, the woman's appearance could only be considered average, not particularly outstanding.

"They are also considered Surrendered Citizens, but they are my personal property. If you are interested, Brother Li, you can have some fun with my maid. You know, women are scarce resources here, and it's not easy to have one all to yourself," Chen Yang said bluntly, his eyes sweeping over the woman without restraint.

"After a long journey, I don't have the energy for that. I'd rather rest first," Han Li smiled and declined his offer.

"Then, everyone, please go to the guest rooms to rest. I will come to entertain you after I meet with the City Lord," Chen Yang said with a slight bow.

Han Li and the other two immediately returned the bow.

"You, take good care of these three honored guests," Chen Yang instructed solemnly before turning and leaving.

The plain-looking, enchanting woman stepped forward, apologized, and led Han Li and the other two along the corridors of the mansion to their respective guest rooms, swaying her supple waist as she went.

After she left, Shi Chuan Kong and Xie Dao Ren left their own guest rooms and came to Han Li's side.

After closing the stone door of the guest room, the two sat down at a stone table in front of Han Li.