Otherworldly Desert Dust

"How do you plan on dealing with them?" Wu Hen managed to keep his patience and asked Prison Director Levi.

Levi was supposed to be a reasonable person; at least during Wu Hen’s obligatory reformation in this town, they didn’t make things too difficult for him. In fact, it was easier than what traditional beasts of burden had to endure, working only a few hours each day.

"Of course, lock them all up in the death cells, take away the vegetables and grains they’ve cultivated, and collect the pretty women into our beds..." Prison Director Levi, with the demeanor of an old-time pirate chief, let out a spine-chilling laugh.

Wu Hen’s eyes turned cold.

He had thought this was a civilized place.

No choice then, he’d have to resort to his own brand of violent aesthetics to solve the problem at hand.

Suddenly, a wooden basket flew over and slammed heavily onto the Prison Director’s head.

The one who threw the basket was the same living affairs official from before. After kicking the Prison Director, she kindly explained to Wu Hen, "Young man, this old rascal just likes to make these tasteless jokes. Don’t worry, we are not savages. How could we possibly do those things?"

"Yes, our hunting of villages is also part of our duties," said the young female officer at that moment.

"But they were living quietly in their villages without violating any laws, being arrested like this seems somewhat illogical," Wu Hen said.

"That’s because you don’t quite understand our laws. There are eight hundred if not a thousand wandering villages like this on our land. They are like small vendors or citizens who live on the margins of our laws, engaged in activities that are not quite decent, but not enough to be called crimes. If we happen to come across them, we have the option to enforce the law or not. Of course, if we lack certain important living or strategic resources, and they just happen to have them, we have the right to tax and punish them," explained Prison Director Levi.

Wu Hen listened but was completely perplexed.

Yet for some reason, his mind conjured an image of city management officers capturing street vendors.

"So after you confiscate their goods, can you set them free?" Wu Hen asked.

"Why would we confiscate their goods?" Levi asked.

"Then what are you planning to do?" Wu Hen was even more confused.

"Just watch and you will soon marvel at the wonders of our technology!" Levi said.

With that, Levi went to the command platform and pressed a special button.

This button seemed to be a trigger for the entire Living Town prison, as the massive town like a mountain giant began deconstructing amongst the valley and forests. The ancient, lively walls unfurled along the woodlands, and the houses embedded themselves into the undulating earth as the great town’s machinery swiftly penetrated into the soil. The tall prison naturally laid itself upon a relatively flat part of the valley...

What followed were roads, streetlights, shops, factories, workshops, arsenals, defense towers... The layout and facilities of the town naturally spread out, seamlessly integrating into the forest, with the valley, streams, and rolling terrain.

Another town had appeared in the valley, well-arranged and orderly, as if it had been thriving there for centuries, a peaceful and prosperous small town.

Wu Hen had seen this before. Previously at the Dark Energy Spring Eye, Living Town had transformed into a small industrial gathering town, but what shocked Wu Hen was that the recently captured living village had also integrated into this new town!

At the position of the town square, a black statue appeared, seemingly the soul structure of the town. It began releasing a dark ripple into the air, which seemed like a lubricant for space. When the dark waves reached the village, the fertile land north of the town was seen to be merging with the village.

The village’s ridges, houses, orchards, streams...

Space was being reorganized in an inconceivable manner, as the soil and topography included each other in the dark ripples, transforming mutually. A previously barren road in the town continuously changed within the ripples, from overgrown with weeds to covered in dirt, then to studded with pebbles.

The stone path extended through the lush wilderness on the outskirts of the village and entered the small paths of the village, like a vein connecting the town with the village.

At last, the town and village joined together, and Prison Town had expanded with an additional village, which had not changed much from before. It was still covered in shade-loving plants, still full of raspberries, and still had an orchard.

Wu Hen was dumbstruck!

The town had devoured the village!

After being devoured, the regions merged.

That special dark ripple and the Dark Engines buried within the town and the village seemed not only to give life and power but also to possess grafting and splicing properties!

Overnight, the town had grown.

From having only a prison and small-scale industry, it now had a raspberry plantation, rich ridges, and orchards, and had absorbed all the villagers from that village!

"All villagers, please take note. You have been fully taken over by Xiao Shi Prison Town. According to the Da Xuan Law, you will work for us for a year obligatorily. After a year, you may choose to become independent or merge with us. During this legal year of labor, please maintain your farming and provide the agricultural products to the town on time. Those without jobs will be conscripted to work in town..."

The living affairs official from before turned on the broadcast and transmitted her voice into the newly annexed village.

In the village, the residents still kept their doors and windows tightly shut.

However, it was apparent that they were experienced with this kind of thing and chose not to struggle pointlessly. Everything would be dealt with after daybreak.

"Boom!"

The sound of a bell rang out from beside the village well, as if responding to Prison Town’s announcement.

The bell rang, and the commanders in the command room each let out a sigh of relief, seemingly ready to finally get off work and go home to sleep.

They left two people on duty while the others each headed home. As for other matters that needed coordination, the small towns and villages had reached some sort of silent agreement to discuss them at dawn.

"Getting off work, getting off work, we can enjoy delicious and tender fruits first thing tomorrow morning!"

"Yes, a wonderful day indeed. Everyone worked hard."

"Prison Director, our town is running short on women. While we have plenty of energy, let’s go hunting in those refugee camps and bring in the beautiful women to improve the look of our village."

"Good idea, our town really lacks the vitality of young girls. It would be best to have an artistic dance and song troupe to entertain. We can’t skimp on atmosphere," the Prison Director nodded.

A few middle-aged sleazy men joked vulgarly after work, quickly drawing cold stares from the female commanders. Despite that, they continued to laugh and joke, completely unfazed.

"You should go get some sleep, too. If you’re interested, follow her early tomorrow morning. She’ll be responsible for speaking with the villagers. Of course, we hunted that village; they belong to us as subordinate citizens, so there’s no need to be too polite. Otherwise, they’ll become presumptuous," the Prison Director said to Wu Hen.

"Don’t be so surprised. Your Workshop Village and Quarry Village were both annexed in the same way. Earlier on, we were just an isolated prison. Thanks to my wisdom and valor, we’ve developed into quite a stylish small town."

Wu Hen was at a loss for words.

Quite an eye-opener!!

Is this even possible?

Towns annexing villages by simply grabbing people in the middle of the night. That’s all it takes!

He had discussed the Cang Chu Divine Realm’s technologically advanced society with Chief Li before, but he never imagined it would be this way—truly beyond human imagination.

So, in this place, when two villages get into a brawl, it’s not the villagers swinging farm tools around. It means two villages literally starting their engines and duking it out!

"Can I go for a walk in the village?" Wu Hen asked.

"Be my guest. The village is now in our jurisdiction. As long as you don’t leave our territory... Of course, keep yourself in check. Including criminals, everyone on this land has rights. Don’t you dare sneak into some girl’s home because you think she’s pretty. We are not bandits, nor are we invaders. If you violate human rights, we’ll have to lock you up in prison," the Prison Director explained.

"Do you think everybody thinks like you dirty men, with only filthy things on their mind?" the Chief of Life snapped.

"Men are like that, naturally. Conquest stirs desire. Anyway, we are lawful and civilized citizens of Da Xuan, and more so Da Xuan civil servants..." Prison Director Luo Wei said.

...

Wu Hen walked down the stone path that had recently been laid toward the village.

He had a vivid memory of the outskirts of the village.

When he first ran out from there, Wu Hen had wondered why the village had no roads, being enclosed in a valley by lush vegetation...

Now Wu Hen understood: neither the village nor the small town needed roads to the outside world—they had legs and could move on their own, faster than any form of transportation.

For example, if the villagers wanted to go to the city one day, they didn’t need to travel early in the morning. Just sleep through the night, let the village engine activate, and head towards the big city. The next day, when they open the windows, the vast and bustling city is right there on the earth.

Wu Hen ran back to the Herbal Garden.

He saw the old wooden hut.

He pushed the door open to find the old man puffing away at a bag of tobacco, seemingly waiting for him.

The old man, seeing Wu Hen return, didn’t seem surprised but merely glanced at the device on Wu Hen’s neck and said grumpily, "I warned you not to run out at night."

"Mr. Ding, I was wrong." Wu Hen sincerely apologized.

"You didn’t suffer much, did you?" Old Man Ding Di asked.

"No, they were kinda friendly and civilized, just had me work voluntarily," Wu Hen responded.

"That’s fine then. Come back and stay here. Don’t stay up in town anymore. I’ll vouch for you; they won’t trouble you anymore," Ding Di said.

"They know I’m a Xuanzhen Practitioner."

"It’s no trouble. Just don’t tell them you’re an Awakener," Ding Di stressed.

"Oh, okay." Wu Hen felt somewhat guilty and then whispered, "Did I cause trouble? The village got annexed by them, and you all have to work for them for a year."

"You definitely caused trouble, but it’s not a big deal. It’s like we’ve gone from owning everything to having to pay extra taxes. I’ve heard of this Prison Director; he’s someone who follows the rules. For now, being attached to them isn’t necessarily bad," Ding Di explained.

"That’s good, then. I’ll find a way to make it up," Wu Hen said.

"That device on your neck, I’ll find a way to remove it for you. Keep a low profile and don’t be so impulsive until you understand the laws here. You got lucky this time running into Engine Town, but not all Engine Towns on this land are so civilized. Some are no different than cruel and ferocious Poachers," Ding Di warned.