The golden-armored troops, radiating a palpable aura of grimness in the desolate wasteland, were a striking sight.
Upon leaving the detached residence, Rou Si moved without pause, leading her subordinates in an orderly withdrawal. As they retreated, Rou Si meticulously left behind trails of her aura in the wilderness, cautiously surveying her surroundings as if facing a formidable enemy.
"Halt."
As her troops entered the woods, Rou Si suddenly raised her hand.
Everyone stopped at the signal.
"Shed your golden armor and put on the black iron suits."
Rou Si, her brows furrowed, spoke. Her subordinate generals were somewhat puzzled as to why their commander was issuing such an order.
"Don't waste time. If you don't want to die, hurry and change!"
Rou Si’s stern reprimand directed at her generals made them quickly remove their golden armor and don the Swift Wind Set for adventurers.
Seeing this, Rou Si finally nodded in satisfaction.
"You all return to the city."
"Commander, what’s wrong?"
A general, clad in golden armor and bearing a two-meter long battle blade on his shoulder, approached with a contemplative gaze.
He had been observing Rou Si's demeanor throughout their journey. Although his tenure with this commander wasn't particularly long, he was considered the most senior within the entire corps, having been among the first to follow Commander Rou Si.
Freedom Town had five commanders.
Commander Er Gou was stationed within the city, while the other four commanders each held posts in the four cardinal directions of Freedom Town, guarding the important routes leading into the settlement.
Among the commanders, Commander Hei Lu had the best reputation.
He was known for his indolence and his considerate treatment of his subordinates.
Most importantly, the welfare and benefits provided by his corps were the best among the other corps. Moreover, due to the commander's laziness, his subordinates rarely had to deal with petty matters. Unfortunately, Commander Hei Lu was too idle; even though many people eagerly wished to join his corps, the number of times his corps had expanded was the lowest among all the corps, leaving many to lament missing the opportunity to join Hei Lu's forces.
The other commanders each had their own distinct flaws.
Commander Jack was the most warlike.
His troops were constantly on the move, day and night, whether exploring for treasures, suppressing bandits, or directly conquering cities to seize resources. His subordinates suffered greatly, although the benefits and treatment were not bad.
If one urgently needed funds or wished to improve their cultivation through combat, Jack's corps was a good choice.
The corps under Commander Er Gou, who was stationed in the town, was directly affiliated with the City Lord's mansion. As they were stationed to defend the city, they had few opportunities for external resource exploration, and their treatment was considerably worse compared to the corps operating outside.
The advantage was their fixed station within the city, making it the preferred choice for those who wanted to settle down and start a family.
However, the conditions for joining were much stricter, requiring not only cultivation level but also academic assessments, essentially making it a civil servant position.
Commander Ku Ka was the most mysterious.
Everyone's understanding of his corps was rather superficial. The members of his corps rarely contacted the outside world, and even when they did, they never spoke of internal affairs.
Each commander had their respective advantages and disadvantages. Only Commander Rou Si seemed to be abandoned by everyone, with the poorest recruitment results and a very bad reputation among the common folk.
There were rumors that he was effeminate and unpredictable in his moods.
Some also whispered that he had homosexual inclinations, and those who joined his corps and caught his eye were said to become his male concubines.
Commander Rou Si had never offered any explanation for these rumors. However, those who had followed him for a long time knew that despite his delicate appearance, Commander Rou Si was deeply considerate and his concern for his subordinates was in no way inferior to Commander Hei Lu.
The welfare and benefits were also top-tier.
Furthermore, the seemingly effeminate Commander Rou Si possessed formidable strength.
During numerous explorations of varied wildernesses, his corps had faced crises multiple times, but Commander Rou Si had always turned the tide. To this day, not a single person in their corps had sacrificed their life, something no other commander could claim.
He had always followed Commander Rou Si closely.
Regardless of the perilous situations they faced, Commander Rou Si maintained a calm and composed demeanor. Yet, at this moment, the general perceived an unprecedented gravity on Rou Si's face.
"You want us to return to the city, then... aren't you coming back with us?"
"Hurry and go. If you don't leave now, it will be too late." Looking at the worried general before him, Rou Si, with her delicate eyes, rarely revealed a smile. "You've been with me for almost a year, haven't you?"
"It's been almost a year."
"Time flies."
Rou Si looked up at the leaves in the forest, her hand placed on her head, following the gaps to look at the light filtering through them.
"Boss Chen Yu left Freedom Town a year ago. Ever since I became a Divine General and took on the role of commander, I haven't had a chance to speak with Boss Chen Yu. I know, with Boss Chen Yu's keen senses, he must have sensed my initial disloyalty. He's so perceptive, he must have felt it."
"Commander, how could you be disloyal? I think among the commanders, you are the most loyal to our Great City Lord."
"Perhaps."
Rou Si, her eyes filled with emotion, squinted, a look of longing in her expression.
"To be honest, I'm not happy being a commander. If I had to pick the most enjoyable days of my life, it would be when I was with Boss Chen Yu in that small camp. Ku Ka, Hei Lu, Jack, Er Gou, none of us had transformed yet. We'd occasionally go out hunting, find a few treasure chests, banter with Elder Hei, and watch Nuoya fill the camp with flowers. Those were the happiest times."
"Alas, we can't go back."
"I can understand why Boss Chen Yu did this. It was that damned Divine Lord... who forcibly placed him on a burning pyre. He had no choice but to do this, for everyone's sake. And we who followed him from the beginning should share his burden."
"I agree!"
"Commander, what are you talking about?" The general standing beside Rou Si revealed deep confusion in his eyes. "You told us to retreat quickly, so let's not waste any time and make our escape. Have you sensed something? Has that seventh prince from the royal family secretly sent people to hunt us?" I can take my men and stay here, and you quickly return to the city to bring reinforcements."
"Hu Zi, I'm not going back."
Rou Si suddenly raised her hand and cupped the general's head, their foreheads touching.
"I want to trust you, can I?"
"Commander..."
"This is my command token. Take this token back to the city, and you will be the acting commander of the sub-city from now on." Rou Si took out a palm-sized token from her embrace. The general's hands did not accept it, and in the end, Rou Si held his hand and forcefully pressed it in. "Take it!"
"Commander, what are you doing? How can I command our sub-city? Stop fooling around and hurry with me..."
"I can't go back."
Facing the general's anxious cries, Rou Si suddenly let out a desolate laugh.
"Perhaps... this is where I end."