A Few Days Later…
The wheels had already been set in motion.
With Princess Feilian’s full support, Bai Zihan wasted no time.
He gave full authority to make guns and bullets to Lao Shen, and with a mixture of blacksmiths from the Inner City, Bai Zihan expected them to produce 100 guns per day.
Well, it might be slow at the start, but with their expertise, he believed it was totally achievable—even if it came at the expense of their sleep.
The forges of Ironmist glowed red day and night, and the clanging of metal became a lullaby for the desperate.
Bullets were packed, weapons distributed quietly to soldiers and volunteers—those who still had the will to fight, even when their stomachs were empty and their morale worse.
The Princess visited the workshops herself. She spoke with the refugees.
She stood on ruined walls and addressed anyone who would listen.
Her voice cracked. Her words weren’t polished—but they were real.
And sometimes, that was enough.
At least, they could feel that the Princess really cared for them unlike most other people.
The Princess also deployed the scouts on Bai ZIhan’s demand to get a rough estimate of the Demonic Beasts.
But while Bai Zihan and Feilian worked on building something, their enemies worked just as hard tearing it down.
The rumors came slowly at first.
Then like a flood.
“The refugees are spies from the North. They’re here to capture our city and the princess is fully supporting the idea.”
“The Princess is hiding rations to feed her own supporters. Look, we got less food ever since she brought them.”
“It seems like they want to let the demonic beasts enter and destroy the Inner City of Ironmist like the Outer and Middle City!”
…
None of it had to be true, but with those words echoing, people began to believe they were.
Worse still, Minister Ren had stopped supplying food to those in need, making it sound like it was because most of the food had been confiscated by the Princess to feed her own people—and that she had abandoned the rest.
People didn’t care about the truth.
Everyone knew their suffering was ultimately caused by the Demonic Beasts—but since they couldn’t do anything about that, they turned their anger elsewhere.
Previously, they blamed the Princess for not saving them.
This time also, they all knew Minister Ren was the one in charge of the city’s resources. But Minister Ren was ruthless—he’d tortured anyone who dared go against him.
Princess Feilian, on the other hand, was an easy target.
And with dissatisfaction already brewing, it didn’t take much for the blame to fall squarely on her shoulders.
The smart ones—those who still had working minds, hearts, and enough food not to go mad from hunger—they knew what this was.
An agenda! This time it was against the Princess.
But the smart ones didn’t speak up.
Not in public. Not when you could be beaten or worse for defending the “enemy.”
So silence reigned.
And into that silence, poison poured.
There were people who didn’t only speak with dissatisfaction but took action.
Refugees were assaulted, and there was no way they would take it lightly.
They retaliated—sparking growing tension between the Inner City residents and the refugees.
***
In one of the crumbling courtyards converted into a makeshift resting area for refugees, the atmosphere was thick with tension.
The refugees sat in a loose circle, their faces drawn and weathered.
Most had swords or makeshift weapons within arm’s reach—not for the Demonic Beasts, but for the city’s own people.
“This is bullshit, Hong Tao! At least back at the shelter, we only had to worry about the Demonic Beasts. Now we’re being accused of things we didn’t even do!”
“Taking their food? We haven’t even taken a single grain of rice from them. Do they think we were helpless, starving refugees? We still have the supplies we collected back in the Middle City.”
“And how the hell did we turn into spies? Do they really think we survived because we’re spies? What kind of idiotic accusation is that?”
“They had already injured many of us. If we don’t do something, those people might even kill one of us.”
…
The refugees were filled with resentment after facing discrimination—despite being from the same city and suffering through the same crisis.
In truth, their situation was even worse.
They had witnessed their homes destroyed and barely escaped with their lives from direct attacks by the Demonic Beasts.
Now, they had to endure this kind of humiliation.
“Maybe we should go back. Seriously! We survived out there once—we can do it again. And now that we’ve got guns, there’s no real danger.”
One of them suggested.
Many murmured their agreement.
That just showed how much they hated it here—where they were treated like dirty rats instead of fellow citizens of Ironmist.
What they once thought was Heaven had turned out to be Hell. And what used to be their Hell now felt more like Heaven.
At least, at the shelter, they all worked together for a single same purpose of survival and respected each other.
More and more began to feel they should just return to the shelter.
All eyes turned to Hong Tao, who stood silently with his arms folded and jaw clenched.
He was the one Bai Zihan had appointed to look after everyone—a temporary leader in Bai Zihan’s absence, tasked with making difficult decisions.
“We wait!”
Hong Tao said finally, his voice low but firm.
“Captain Bai is working with the Princess. He’s doing something that might perhaps save Ironmist. We can’t disturb him right now.”
A few scoffed quietly, but no one challenged him outright.
After all, he was Bai Zihan’s chosen representative—and it was Bai Zihan who had rescued them and given them the strength to fight back against the Demonic Beasts.
They still respected him, believed in him—more than they did in the Princess or any other authority.
So even if they had to endure a few more days of humiliation, they were willing to do it—for Bai Zihan.
But Hong Tao knew there was a limit to everything.
And if things kept going this way, some of them might leave.
He just hoped Bai Zihan would act before that happened.
***
Princess Feilian had been receiving more and more bad news.
Rumors were spreading like wildfire, and the tension between Refugee and resident of Inner City grew with them.
Her name was also being dragged through the mud.
At this rate, it wouldn’t be surprising if a mob stormed the palace and tried to take her head.
She didn’t even need to investigate to know who was behind all this.
Who else could cut off food supplies to the Inner City besides Minister Ren?
Why were the guards standing by while riots broke out and innocent people were attacked?
Because they’d likely been ordered to by Minister Duan.
While those men stayed behind the scenes pulling the strings, she was the one taking all the blame.
She had tried to call a meeting—tried to urge Minister Ren to resume food distribution, to do his damn job.
But he and the others refused, claiming they were “too busy with critical state matters.”
Powerless as she was, what could she do if the entire council chose to rebel?
“So, they’re finally making their move.”
She muttered, brow furrowed.
She knew why.
They felt threatened by Bai Zihan—and rightly so.
What she hadn’t expected, or maybe hadn’t wanted to believe, was that they’d stoop so low as to use innocent people as pawns to get to her.
Her fists clenched.
She gave a short, bitter laugh.
“Of course! They won’t come at me directly. But they know the people will do it for them.”
While Bai Zihan had planned to rally the people to help her regain her authority, it seemed her enemies had thought of the same thing.
They were using the people too to go against her.
And now, unless Bai Zihan moved quickly, they might succeed.
“Captain Bai, what do you think we should do?”
Princess Feilian asked her only ally in all of this.
Bai Zihan was aware of the general situation, but he didn’t see it as a major problem.
After all, no matter how many rumors were spread or how much trouble was stirred up, none of it would matter in the end—so long as they could fight back against the Demonic Beasts and reclaim the lost territory.
But of course, there was always the chance that their enemies wouldn’t give them that opportunity.
And just as he was thinking that, one of the guards burst into the room, face pale and full of urgency.
“Did something happen?”
Princess Feilian asked with a frown.
A guard would never enter like this unless it was an emergency—and judging by his expression, it was.
“Yes, Your Majesty! A large group of Demonic Beasts has been spotted. It looks like they’re preparing to attack the Inner City!”