At noon, Dick Chen finished lunch and sat quietly in the courtyard of a local house, waiting.
The Coachman asked, "How long do you plan to wait? You’ve held me up all day. You’ll have to compensate me for the lost fares."
Dick Chen nodded. "I’m a man who seeks fairness. You won’t miss a single penny that’s due to you. I am waiting here for my warriors. Once they have all arrived, we’ll set off."
"You have warriors here?" The Coachman was surprised. "You have people in Iron Gate Fort?"
"That depends on how you define Iron Gate Fort," Dick Chen said with a smile. "If you only count the canyon where the Home Cultivators live, I have people there too, though not many. However, if you include the surrounding villages within the boundaries of Iron Gate Fort, then I truly have quite a few."
The Coachman nodded. "It’s good that you have people on your side. However, let me make this clear: Iron Gate Fort has its Local Deity. With my cultivation level, if I were to strike at will inside the fort, it would draw the Local Deity’s attention. A mighty dragon cannot suppress the local snake. I wouldn’t have the upper hand against the Local Deity, and you would also suffer for it. Therefore, I can’t take the initiative to strike."
Dick Chen was already prepared for this. "To the east of Iron Gate Fort, there’s a forest. You just need to be ready to provide support from there. If I enter the forest, it means something has gone wrong. You will then have to eliminate all my pursuers and ensure my safe departure."
The Coachman nodded. "Simple enough."
While they were talking, people gradually began to arrive at the gate. Dick Chen waved to them, and the newcomers entered the courtyard, standing respectfully by his side.
These people included men and women, old and young. One of them, a Home Cultivator named Jin Yuan Kang, was a figure of some standing in Iron Gate Fort.
Dick Chen asked Jin Yuan Kang, "Old Jin, have you tried to persuade them?"
Jin Yuan Kang sighed. "I have, but they wouldn’t listen. They always say..."
"No need to say more." Dick Chen cut him off, not wanting to hear any details from Jin Yuan Kang; he was only interested in the outcome.
By one o’clock, thirty people had gathered in the courtyard.
Dick Chen stood in the middle of the courtyard and addressed the crowd, "My name is Chen Weixin. Most of you know me. After multiple rounds of selection, I chose you to embark on the path of chasing the light, the path of rebuilding Puluo State. You’ve attained a new life and a new faith. Today, we will fight our first battle for that faith. We will cleanse all the corrupt forces that hinder Puluo State’s progress. If any of you are afraid, you can say so now. I will let you leave without any repercussions. We are comrades with a common ideal. Among us, there is only fairness and free will, absolutely no coercion or force!"
Upon hearing these words, everyone remained expressionless, their resolute eyes showing not the slightest hint of retreat or hesitation.
To the Coachman, such gazes were completely incomprehensible. He glanced towards the gate, as if he had noticed something. He saw a very faint spiderweb at the gate, almost invisible. As a Cultivator Above the Clouds, the Coachman had to strain to see it; the others in the courtyard couldn’t perceive it at all.
Should anyone choose to leave, they would have to pass through the main gate and would inevitably be entangled by this spiderweb. The consequences would then depend on how the ’famous detective’ Da Boyins chose to act.
Once everyone had arrived, Dick Chen led his people out. The Coachman went ahead to wait in the forest, while Da Boyins retracted the spiderweb and awaited Dick Chen’s command.
Dick Chen instructed, "You stay here and protect the Long Spear. If I fail to capture Iron Gate Fort, you must immediately leave with it."
Da Boyins bowed respectfully and watched as Dick Chen and his group departed.
The thirty individuals followed Dick Chen to the front of Iron Gate Fort. The fort’s Steam Gate was tightly closed. The entrance to the canyon and its flanks were heavily guarded by Home Cultivators.
Outside Iron Gate Fort, a boundary line had been drawn with lime, a full hundred meters from the gate.
For the Home Cultivators, who were relatively dogmatic in their actions, grasping the concept of the ’right moment’ to strike was somewhat difficult. However, if a boundary was established, the decision became much more straightforward: if anyone crossed the line, the Home Cultivators would retaliate at once.
When Wu Yongchao saw Dick Chen leading his group forward, he ordered everyone to prepare for battle. Someone pointed at Jin Yuan Kang and said to Wu Yongchao, "Old Jin is with them."
Wu Yongchao was startled. "Wasn’t Old Jin sick? Wasn’t he resting at home? When did he go out?"
Everyone looked at each other, unable to answer. Standing outside the fort, Dick Chen began to shout, "Brothers and sisters of Iron Gate Fort! I am Chen Weixin. I come here today not to bring war or slaughter; I want to bring you light. I want to give Iron Gate Fort a new start, a complete overhaul and renewal. I wish to bring true happiness to Iron Gate Fort, to return to every one of you the light that rightfully belongs to this world."
Dick Chen spoke persuasively, but most of the Home Cultivators could scarcely understand him. To be precise, they understood each word individually, but when these words were put together, comprehension proved difficult.
Dick Chen continued, "My brothers and sisters, from this day forward, I, Chen Weixin, shall be your Fortress Lord! You can confide in me all the sufferings you’ve endured. I’ll spend my lifetime soothing the wounds in your hearts. I am willing to become your father, the father of the entire Iron Gate Fort. Just as I would cherish my own flesh and blood, I will cherish every person in Iron Gate Fort. Please, open the gate now! Embrace your future, embrace your rebirth, embrace your new Fortress Lord!"