Genius in the whole system: The useless young lady dominates the world

“Rock City is an important hub in the central region. Its geographical location is extremely dangerous. It is also the only way to Flowing Cloud Valley and an important stronghold of Rift Sky in this area. The city must be heavily guarded. It will probably be more difficult for our ‘caravan’ to pass through safely than before.”

Feng Xiao (Old Feng) looked at the massive city in the distance and sighed, "Pan Shi City, as its name suggests, is easy to defend and difficult to attack. The city lord, Pan Shi Hong, is from a branch of the Pan Shi tribe. He submitted to Lie Tian long ago. He is greedy and ruthless, and is deeply trusted by Lie Tian. The Pan Shi Lie clan chief that Senior Qing Li mentioned before... he is the direct clan chief of the Pan Shi tribe. He is said to be upright and has always been at odds with Pan Shi Hong. However, the Pan Shi tribe is weak in the city and has always been suppressed by Pan Shi Hong. In recent years, he has kept a low profile and has hardly been involved in worldly affairs. Whether he is truly loyal to His Majesty and whether he is willing to risk helping him are all unknown."

Di Lin (A Tu) listened silently. His honest dog demon face didn't show much expression, but his hands, which were tightly gripping the reins, had knuckles that were slightly white from the force.

With his father imprisoned and his country in ruins, and now even contacting his former subordinates so difficult, he felt a great deal of pressure and urgency.

“No matter how difficult it is, we must try.” Lu Lingxi’s tone was firm. “Panshi City is our first stop in the heart of the central region, and it is also a key node for obtaining core intelligence. Chief Panshi Lie is our only clue at present. We must find a way to contact him and gain his trust.”

“Yes,” Nalan Rongzhi agreed. “Let’s enter the city first, find a place to stay, and then make further plans. Baihu, Fengxiao, the arrangements after entering the city will proceed according to the previous plan.”

White Tiger (Big Bear) replied in a muffled voice, "Don't worry, Master, leave it to me and Old Feng."

Youming (Xiao Hei) and Anye (Xiao Hui) also perked up and continued to play their insignificant menial roles.

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, a small, seemingly weary caravan appeared on the official road leading to Rock City.

The beast-drawn wagon moved slowly forward, its wheels creaking monotonously over the road. Nalan Rongzhi (Nalagu) remained aloof and arrogant, sitting by the wagon's shaft with his eyes closed, seemingly indifferent to everything around him. Lu Lingxiyao (Xiaoqi) held a tattered animal skin scroll (actually secretly observing her surroundings) and sat quietly behind him. Baihu (Xiongda) and Fengxiao (Laofeng) walked beside the wagon, warily surveying their surroundings. Dilin (Atu) kept his head down, concentrating on driving the wagon. Youming (Xiaohei) and Anye (Xiaohui) followed behind, occasionally feeding the horned beasts pulling the wagon some hay.

As they approached Rock City, the number of pedestrians and carriages on the official road gradually increased, but the atmosphere was unusually oppressive. Most of the demons were in a hurry, keeping their heads down and rarely talking to each other. When they occasionally encountered patrolling Wolf Fang Guard squads, they would all step aside, lower their heads, and not dare to look directly at them.

The city gate was right in front of us. Rock City lived up to its name. The city walls were made of huge black rocks, dozens of feet high, thick and solid. The walls were covered with dense runes and crossbow bolt holes.

At the city gate, hundreds of elite Wolf Fang Guards, clad in heavy black armor and wielding halberds or heavy shields, were stationed. Their aura was even more fierce than that of the guards at Eagle Sorrow Pass, and they were carefully checking every demon entering or leaving the city.

Above the city gate hung a huge portrait of Lie Tian. Lie Tian's face was majestic (in reality sinister), and his eyes were disdainful. Below him were various notices and wanted posters, some of which were the most eye-catching. They were written in blood-red demonic script with words such as "Beware of spies" and "A great reward will be given for reporting remnants of the previous dynasty".

"Stop the caravan and submit to inspection!" a Wolf Fang Guard centurion shouted sternly, his gaze sweeping over Nalan Rongzhi's caravan.

Feng Xiao (Old Feng) and Bai Hu (Bear Big) immediately stepped forward, their faces plastered with practiced smiles, and handed over the forged travel documents and the full amount of "entry tax".

This inspection was even more rigorous and meticulous than that at Eagle's Sorrow Pass. Not only were the documents carefully checked and the details of the goods inquired, but people were also sent to carefully examine every "goods" on the wagon with spears. The Wolf Fang Guard priest once again took out the "Demon Appraisal Plate" and walked past everyone in turn.

As the demon-detecting compass approached Nalan Rongzhi (Nalagu), the pointer trembled violently again and lit up red. But this time, having learned from the experience at Eagle Sorrow Pass, Lu Lingxi Yao (Xiaoqi)'s mental interference and illusions were more subtle and precise. Coupled with the "extraterrestrial powerhouse" aura that Nalan Rongzhi deliberately released, which was a mixture of various auras, and Baihu's (Xiongda) prepared explanation, the centurion, though still suspicious, impatiently waved and let him pass after Baihu's "just right" bribe.

The caravan slowly entered Rock City. The city streets were wide and lined with shops on both sides, including taverns, weapon shops, leather goods stores, and medicine shops. It looked quite prosperous, and there were also quite a few demons coming and going.

However, this prosperity was tinged with indifference; most of the shop assistants looked listless, and the prices of the goods were outrageously high.

On the streets, groups of Wolf Fang Guards could be seen patrolling everywhere. Their eyes were cold, and they had curved swords at their waists. Any demon who looked directly at them would be met with a stern rebuke or even a whipping.

Ordinary demon people rarely smiled; their eyes were filled with numbness, wariness, and exhaustion. They walked as close to the walls as possible and spoke in very low voices, as if afraid of being overheard.

"Let's find a place to stay first." Bai

Tiger (Big Bear) said in a low voice. He quickly found an inn called "Beast-Carrying Inn" in a relatively remote area in the south of the city with low passenger traffic.

The innkeeper was a rat demon who seemed shrewd but was actually somewhat timid. After collecting enough demon crystals, he arranged a few fairly clean rooms for them and a backyard where they could park their trucks.

After settling in, everyone immediately split up and began to work.

Using his identity as a fox demon and the social skills he had honed over years of traveling around the country, Feng Xiao (Old Feng) began to frequent the city's various taverns, teahouses, and even the chaotic underground trading places, subtly inquiring about the "Pan Shi Tribe" and its chieftain "Pan Shi Lie".

He was generous (using the demon crystals provided by Lu Lingxi Yao) and kept a low profile. He quickly pieced together some scattered information from some drunkards, mercenaries and informants: the Rock Tribe was indeed an inconspicuous small tribe in the city, mainly living in the poor area in the west of the city. The tribe members made a living by quarrying and blacksmithing and lived a hard life.

Chieftain Pan Shilie is a man of few words and a hard character. He seems to have had a conflict with the city lord Pan Shihong in his early years and was severely suppressed. In recent years, he has kept a low profile, rarely contacting the outside world and not participating in any power struggles within the city. He is like a rock in a latrine, smelly and hard, but he seems to have a lot of prestige within the clan.

White Tiger (Big Bear), acting as the caravan manager, leads Netherworld (Little Black) and Dark Night (Little Gray) on a "stroll" around the city, pretending to inspect the market and look for partners, while secretly observing the terrain, defense deployment, and patrol patterns of Rock City.

His honest appearance and burly physique easily lowered people's guard. Occasionally, he would casually inquire about the Rock Tribe from some local merchants or porters, and the information he obtained was basically consistent with what Feng Xiao had found out.

Lu Lingxi Yao (Xiao Qi) stayed at the inn, sorting out information from all sides and using her mental power to sense energy fluctuations and emotional undercurrents within the city.

She discovered that Lietian's rule was unpopular, but no one dared to resist due to the circumstances. She also vaguely sensed a faint energy fluctuation near the settlement of the Rock Tribe in the west of the city, as if it were some kind of protective barrier. Although it was not strong, it could effectively prevent most prying eyes from entering.

Over the course of several days, information about the Rock Tribe and Rock Lord gradually became clear, but how to make safe and effective contact became a problem.