Essence "Interlude·Sequel" (The Chronicle of Heroes II & III · The Tale of Little Rogue Ji) - Bulletin

Preface: (Words from Xiao Ji) Don't be surprised. As you can tell from the title, this is a continuation of the story that extends from the previous "interlude." However, to be honest, I currently have no intention of writing long serialized novels on 7723 because I lack the time and conditions... When I was in the first year of high school, I could almost post a "review post" every week, but after the second year, I truly felt a bit stuck... Additionally, knowing my own personal "laziness," I am aware that if I can't manage it, forcing it would only be a thankless effort. Even though that's my opinion, as an "amateur writer," I cannot ignore the professional instinct that comes with having a story—if a plot exists and I don't write it, it gives a restless feeling of "I must get this out" or "itching to write." Moreover, my friends might also be looking forward to seeing something exciting... So, to define this and any related posts in the future—it is a "fictional historical novel with irregular serialization." (Note: My definition of a "chronicle-style novel" is that it mostly focuses on someone's experiences [a 7723 member, but not in a general sense], and then recounts various events under different headings, inevitably intersecting with other people and their events... This kind of interwoven complexity pieces together a richly detailed historical picture of a chaotic era and human society from various angles!) The novel is uncertain; the serialization intervals might be long, or it might even be interrupted... I hope my friends can understand and be patient. Regardless, the plot is the most important thing! Let's see how the story unfolds step by step! _____ As for Xiao Ji's own novel, I feel the sense of visual imagery is quite good. (Uh... after all, when I write, I have many scenes in my mind, don't tell me that you don't have such imagination — —|) So friends are best to see it as an "animation" (with moving scenes), which will lead to a better experience.By the way, there is also an important point to mention: the structure of the novel's post is: occasional introduction (things I want to say) And main text And a 'mini-theater.' As for what the 'mini-theater' actually is, please see until the end~ _____Ladies and gentlemen, the story begins——(well, alright, I've already said too much…) _____The city remains prosperous and bustling, and the people here are focused on diligently working for their small livelihoods. They would never consider what the concept of 'war coming to their doorstep' actually means. The residents, accustomed to peace, even see the heavy, armor-clad figures running outside the city as a form of entertainment. In their eyes, so-called 'war' is merely a game played by hot-tempered people, a topic to casually discuss during meals. But in reality, everyone remains unaware, with only one person truly understanding it—though he believes there should actually be two who understand. _____By now, the situation has become very urgent; shouldn't he have taken some action already? _____In the noisy marketplace, various transactions were suddenly interrupted by a small commotion. Among the human crowd, several burly men dressed as soldiers spread out their arms to push through the people on both sides. Then, with light steps, they approached a large upright wooden sign cleared of people. Noting the soldiers' serious, almost rigid expressions and their indifference to surroundings, people passing by slightly lowered the brims of their hats. 'So these are the city's soldiers…' The corner of the young man's mouth under the hat twitched slightly. He seemed on the verge of saying something, yet held back. His clear eyes suddenly moved, following the soldiers' actions toward the large wooden sign. One of the soldiers took a rolled-up piece of paper from his body, then handed one end to another soldier. The other soldier understood, took hold of the end, and together they pressed the paper onto the wooden sign. Whether due to their rough handling or the fragility of the sign, this action caused the sign to shake. Unbothered, the two then spread out the paper and, after smoothing it against the sign with their backs to the crowd for a moment, completed the task.The two soldiers turned and left the large wooden notice board. "A bulletin? How strange! The city has not issued any bulletins for a long time, right?" "Yeah! Life is very stable now; there's really no need to issue a bulletin to adjust or declare anything! What exactly is the city lord doing?" When the posted paper was made public, the murmuring crowd turned their attention to the title, and the environment suddenly became noisy. However, if one listened closely, almost all of the voices were skeptical.

At this moment, one of the two soldiers from before stepped in front of the large wooden notice board, striking the ground forcefully with the butt of his rifle, and suddenly shouted loudly: "You civilians, quiet down! Watch your words, and stop casually saying things that insult the city lord! Anyone found publicly insulting the city lord will be executed immediately! You civilians should mind your own duties and control your mouths!"

Hearing this, a face hidden under a hat raised, and the once unclear eyes had somehow become sharp, staring intently at the people speaking so carelessly.

"Next, I, the City Gate Captain of the City, yes! I am in charge of your life and death, your livelihood — the management of goods entering and leaving the city, as well as city affairs. My family name is 'Cai,' my courtesy name 'Bu Nüè,' just call me Lord Cai,' I will explain the contents of this 'bulletin' to you!"

The man seemed afraid that people would not notice the difference between him and the soldiers, so he deliberately picked up the large gilded broadsword at his waist that the other soldiers did not have and gestured with it. "This bulletin is actually a 'martial law order,' which declares that except for the normal movement of goods, no civilian may freely enter or leave the city gates. Anyone leaving the city must apply, and those going out, along with the items they carry, must undergo inspection! So petty thieves, remember this: the city gate is under my control. If you dare to come to see me, Lord Cai Bu Nüè, I will not let a single one of you go! That's it, we're leaving!"

The man kept his head raised, surveying the crowd around him, completely ignoring their reactions. After saying all this, he signaled to the soldiers and strode away.

The crowd erupted in commotion, discussing among themselves: "The city lord is restricting our freedom!" "It's nothing, right? The outside is chaotic; the city lord is doing this for our good, protecting us.""What kinds of restrictions? There are no restrictions; he hasn't prohibited our goods from trading, right? That's enough. The rest has nothing to do with us, we can't control it anyway." "Yeah, it's just a small matter..." Although people were discussing, they soon dispersed individually, yet no one approached the large wooden sign. Among the dispersing crowd, a motionless figure appeared alongside a horse. He lifted the edge of his straw hat, revealing a profound gaze... _____ Against the backdrop of the bustling crowd, he approached the large wooden sign alone, staring at the two words 'Notice', suddenly lifting the corners of his mouth into a smile, then turned to look at the signature, the character 'Cun'. "We will flatten the Tancheng!" The words he had previously spoken soared again in his mind... "Let's go, Black Horse. I think we should go pay a visit to the lord of Tancheng." ========== There's more to follow, please wait for the next post…… ========== Mini Theater Ranger Xiao Ji (holding a microphone): "In 'The Chronicles of Heroes 2-3', that strong black horse was a very important character, so this time we're going to interview it~ Hello, Black Horse—" Black Horse (with hands—uh, hooves—looking thoughtful for a moment, then suddenly slowly says): "Actually, I've been struggling with the previous adjective; it should be ‘Nim—nasty,' yes, that ‘nasty'..." Ranger Xiao Ji (breaking into a sweat): "Uh… okay… so Black Horse, can you introduce yourself properly?" Black Horse (leaning closer, putting a hoof on the shoulder): "La la~ I'm the fine breed Obama from the Western Regions~ came here seeking adoption~ Got any wine? I'll only tell you if there's wine—" Ranger Xiao Ji (face forming the classic 'embarrassed' expression): "So Obama is hopelessly addicted to alcohol…" || — — — — —\ Next post story keyword: 'Conflict'.