Chapter 62 Alarm Bell.

The search party was back in less than half an hour bringing with them five seriously wounded guards and one that didn't make it.

Paul immediately cast the healing spells on them once again depleting his mana but thanks to that they were now all out of danger.

He gave up his place in the carriage for the wounded and joined the escort team.

This was all he could do for now.

Once the wounded were loaded up the whole group started moving towards the city again.

They arrived just as the gates were opened and immediately they asked for healers since they had a lot of wounded.

This causes a lot of commotion at the gate but soon there were some healers from the mercenary guild taking care of everyone and the guards were taking statements from them all.

Paul planned to just go through this town and only stop to resupply their food but now things changed and it looked like they would have to stay here for a few days.

The main reason was that the guards wanted them to be available if they had more questions.

Another one was that the attacks on them were not the only ones and it was strange because many beasts normally fight one another yet they were working together.

This indicated that something was controlling them and until the mystery was solved they would have to stay in the town as traveling with only the three of them was too dangerous right now.

Also, Paul needed time to recover his mana before they could go anywhere.

This all led to renting a room in one of the inns in town for a few days that they would need to stay there.

The news about the attacks spread like wildfire across the whole town making many people postpone their travel plans until it was safe again.

The guards sent many patrols to check the surrounding area and most of them were attacked.

Fortunately, the guards had orders to return to the town immediately if they were attacked which resulted in a low casualty rate but it still cost almost a dozen guards their lives and some that returned were seriously injured.

This all looked more and more like a coordinated attack that managed to cut the town from the outside world

But nobody knew why this was happening and how this was achieved in the first place.

During the day there have been more people coming into town injured and with the news that some groups were wiped out completely 

Paul and the ladies learned about it the next day since the moment they got to their room they all took a bath ate something and went to sleep waking up the next morning.

The battle took its toll on all three of them, especially on Anna and Paul.

The girl had her whole idea about not killing forcibly removed from her mind, not to mention that her first fight was so brutal and gruesome.

Paul on the other hand was exhausted because of all the healing he did and all the magic he used during the fight on top of fighting alongside everyone else.

Fei Fei was not as tired but liked to sleep for as long as she could so she was also asleep the whole day.

when they finally woke up and went down to have some food, the Innkeeper informed them that the guards came looking for them as well as a servant from the Sun clan.

But since they were asleep they just left them a message to contact them at their nearest convenience.

Their first stop was the town guard headquarters where they were asked a few questions and also informed that this incident or whatever it was was not isolated to the White Cloud town only as most towns and villages in the area were all in the same situation.

To make matters worse they all asked for help from the province governor but he did not have enough forces to send them to every place so they focused on the nearest towns to the storm wave city and decided to spread as they eliminated all the beasts in the vicinity.

This was not good news since it meant that the reinforcements could take a few weeks to arrive and in the meantime, they were cut off and forced to rely on their forces to hold on. 

When they were done with the guards they visited the Sun clan or rather the Inn that they were staying at.

It turned out that the Lady Paul saved was the wife of the leader of the Sun clan and she wanted to express her gratitude for saving her and her guards personally.

She even wanted to pay him for his help but he declined as it was always better to have someone owe you a favor than to take money which he didn't need right now as he was still quite rich after the auction.

On their way back to the Inn they heard a bell that suddenly started ringing in a fast succession.

-What is that?

Anna asked not knowing the meaning of the bell.

-It's an alarm bell and it is only used when the town is in danger.

Paul explained with a solemn voice.

-It also summons every cultivator presently in town to defend it.

Fei Fei added, her expression as serious as Paul's.

-Let's, go.

Paul said and started walking to the nearest guard post.

-What is going on?

He asked the first guard that they met.

-A beast tide is coming and everyone is summoned to defend the walls.

The guard explained.

-What about this town's protective barrier?

Fei Fei asked.

-The barrier is functional but we have only enough power crystals to power it for a week if it can hold out for that long.

The guard said with a grim look on his face.

-How many beasts are we expecting?

Paul asked another question.

-I don't know for sure but from what I heard at least twelve thousand or more.

-Thank you for the information, now where is the rally point for cultivators?

-The nearest one is at the east gate, there should be someone to coordinate you once you are there.

The guard said and left, returning to his duties.

-Master, this is bad, if the barrier is breached then this place is finished.

There is no way that we will be able to defend the walls for more than two to three days and that is an optimistic prediction.

Fei Fei said.

-Then what should we do?

Judging by that guard this place won't hold for long.

Anna said with worry.

-That is why I prepared these.

Paul said taking out two sheets of paper with transportation circles on them and giving one to both ladies.

-This is our last hope if this place falls, these spells are already charged with magic and will take us to the coordinates I set in them.

All you have to do is to activate them with mana or Qi and within a few seconds you will be transported forty kilometers away.

That should be a sufficient distance from this town for us to escape.

Both ladies were shocked at what they just heard.

-You want to abandon this place?

Anna asked.

-Yes, but that is only if it falls.

I don't see a reason to die here if things go south.

Paul said and the girl had to admit he had a point.

Their deaths would not change anything if the town fell and since they could escape, why not save themselves?

-But you know that if we use this thing then we can't ever tell anyone that we even saw this place?

Fei Fei asked.

-Yes I know but it is still preferential to dying.

Paul answered.

-What are you talking about?

Anna had no idea what they were discussing.

-Anna, the moment we use these spells to escape, we can never tell anyone that we were here or we will be considered deserters and executed by any guard or even a cultivator that will hear about it.

Paul explained.

Anna turned pale.

Does that mean this is illegal?

She pointed at the spell in her hands.

-No, the spell itself is perfectly fine, but if you abandon the town or a city after the alarm bell rings, you are considered a deserter, which is punishable by death.

-Are you saying that we have to defend this town to the death or we will be killed if we run?

Anna had a problem believing such ridiculous rules even existed.

-That's right, but if the town falls then there most likely be no one to tell the tale and if we keep quiet about ever being here then there will be no problem.

Paul said.

-Ok I understand.

Anna said.

She was not happy with having a way out when many people would die if the town was breached, but she could do nothing about it.

-Just for the record, we will do everything in our power to defend this town, but I don't want to die in it.

Paul added, just to be clear.

Before they knew it they already reached the eastern gate and saw many cultivators already assembled, an area was prepared for everyone to change into their combat gear as well as many supplies such as arrows were at their disposal if they needed them. 

Paul and the ladies changed quickly and Joined everyone already present on the walls.

Only then did they have a chance to see what was going on outside and what they saw made them all turn pale.