Everyone fell silent when they heard this.
Wu Qianling shouted firmly:
"Everyone listen to my command! Leave Wuwang City! I can give up everything else, but I want you all to live!"
The moment she said this, it was as if she had become everyone's backbone. No one dared voice opposition again.
"Little brother, do you still have the city map?" Wu Qianling asked, her expression firm.
Shigeo nodded, pulled out the Wuwang City map from his large scroll, and handed it back to her.
She glanced at the map, then looked down at her watch. Dawn was nearly here. If she wanted to lead everyone out, it had to be now.
"Let's go! We're leaving!"
Just as everyone was getting ready, the entire shelter shook violently as if the ground itself was being torn apart.
Shigeo frowned slightly.
"They've activated the Secret Treasure!"
Wu Qianling's face paled with tension. It's over. We won't escape now.
The Secret Treasure of Wuwang City consisted of two things.
One was the tailed beast known as the Zero-Tails.
The other was the Floating Fortress.
The reason the underground city and the surface city were so closely bound together was because the entire city itself was a floating fortress of the Sky Country. It was precisely because of this that the name "Sky Country" existed.
The Zero-Tails and Wuwang City depended on each other. The Zero-Tails' chakra powered the city, while the city provided the Zero-Tails with protection.
Now that the treasure was activated, and the Zero-Tails had been discovered by the hair-demon woman and Shennong, they had set the city in motion—turning it into a massive airborne warship.
The tremors grew worse. Wu Qianling, who had just ordered everyone to leave, suddenly froze, unable to give the command anymore. This change unsettled everyone, filling them with unease and panic.
Most of the people knew nothing of what was happening outside, and even less about the secrets of Wuwang City. To them, this was simply an earthquake. Ninety-nine percent of them thought the ground was collapsing and began pushing toward the exits in desperation.
Shigeo, who knew the truth from the Naruto storyline, instantly realized the danger. With a leap, he blocked the main passage and used Doton (Earth Release) to seal the other exits shut.
"Don't panic! Stay put and don't move. Right now, leaving is the worst thing you can do!"
"What do you mean? The ground's shaking apart—why shouldn't we get out?"
"You're insane! Weren't you the ones who just said we had to leave? Now that the earthquake's here, you tell us to stay? Move aside!" a few men at the front shouted angrily.
Wu Qianling stepped forward, her face troubled.
"Everyone, please stay calm. Shigeo is right. Outside it's far too chaotic—staying here is safer for now."
But the crowd grew more agitated.
"First you tell us to leave, now you tell us to stay? Do you even know what's happening? We want out!"
The tremors struck again, stronger than before. Stones and dirt crashed down from the shelter ceiling, injuring several people badly.
That was the breaking point—panic surged like wildfire.
Everyone rushed toward the doors. Wu Qianling and Elder Bu's words were drowned out. The same townsfolk who had once sworn loyalty to Wuwang City were now clawing desperately for survival, their oaths forgotten in the face of death.
The older generation knew better, but the younger ones didn't understand the true cause of the quake. Worse, they didn't trust Wu Qianling, the supposed "princess" they hardly knew. The scene spiraled beyond control.
Bodies pressed toward the exit, but Shigeo stood firm in the doorway like a wall. His voice rang out cold and absolute:
"I said you can't leave. That means you're not leaving!"
This only fueled the chaos.
"Who are you to command us? You're not from Wuwang City! You just hate the fake City Lord and want revenge—why drag us down with you? Her crimes have nothing to do with us! Move! We want to live!"
The shouts rose into a chorus.
Elder Bu tried to calm them:
"Don't panic! Wuwang City has had quakes before, they aren't as deadly as they seem—"
Before he could finish, another violent crash shook the shelter. The ceiling cracked further, and debris buried several people alive.
Now there was no stopping the hysteria.
"Let us out! We'll all be buried alive if we stay!"
Shigeo tried to reason, but his words fell on deaf ears. The people only grew more desperate, curses and pleas filling the air. Elder Bu collapsed to the floor, overwhelmed.
Wu Qianling, still a child despite her title, stood paralyzed, not knowing what to do. Someone shoved her hard, screaming:
"Some princess you are! A whole year of killings, and what did you do? Nothing! If you'd told us earlier your mother was an impostor, we could have risen up then. Instead, you hid! You're no better than a coward! And now you stop us from saving ourselves? You're worthless!"
Shigeo's anger boiled over.
"How dare you speak like that? She's the one who asked me to save you! I told you to flee before—you chose to stay behind!"
"We don't care about the past! What about now? Will you let us live?"
"Will you let us live?"
The chants grew louder, filling the shelter with rage and fear. The older folk only shook their heads in sorrow.
Wu Qianling stood back up, her face pale but determined.
"You're right. I was weak. I failed to rally you when I should have. I don't deserve to be your princess. If you want to leave, then go."
Shigeo's brow furrowed tightly.
"Qianling, if they go now, they're only marching to their deaths! This is the wrong decision!"
"Who decides? You or me?" Wu Qianling snapped, her usual gentle demeanor gone. She glared at him with fierce determination.
"You're not from Wuwang City. This isn't your burden. Let them go!"
(End of Chapter)
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