Chapter 588
The Battle in Front of the Royal Prison!
Chapter 588 The Battle in Front of the Royal Prison!
Fayette's answer was completely predictable.
Just as the unfathomable demon king had predicted, these desperate drowning people could only desperately grasp at every straw around them.
The snow is still falling in Roland.
However, even the heaviest snowstorm seemed unable to conceal the tragic scene beneath the gates of the Royal Palace in Roland.
Countless corpses lay piled up in the square, untouched by anyone; their eyes were deathly gray, their eyelashes stuck to the snow.
Some of them wore coarse linen clothes, some held muskets and pitchforks, and some clutched frozen bread tightly in their hands—that was both their reason for charging and the price they paid for their ideals.
Last winter, Theoden de Vallout delivered a passionate speech here, shedding tears for the people of Laine who died in the winter fire.
Now, standing on the palace terrace and looking out, all that comes into view is a mass grave where no one claims the bodies...
On the city wall.
The Radiant Knight Hagmer stood silently, facing the deathly quiet square.
The silver armor that symbolized the glory of the knight's homeland was now dull and lifeless, the mottled bloodstains looking as if they had rusted.
He did not look at the people he had personally killed, but silently stared at the longsword in his hand that symbolized glory.
His sword trembled slightly.
It's not just about swords.
Even the once sacred and unshakeable domain in his sea of consciousness—the "Silver Castle"—has undergone a heart-stopping change.
The once pristine, silver-white city walls were now covered in crimson cracks. The light that once enveloped the towers was no longer warm; instead, it carried a chilling, ominous aura.
What's even more chilling is the interior of the castle, where armor has been replaced with torture instruments made of black iron, and the towering halberds and swords have become the devil's claws.
It didn't resemble a fortress guarding the kingdom's glory; rather, it was like a blood-red prison that imprisoned and tormented countless wronged souls.
Fortunately, none of the rebels were strong enough to force him to use his full domain to deal with them.
And this bloody and gruesome prison is currently only visible to him.
At least, that's what he thinks.
Behind Hagmer stood knights and squires of the Lionheart Order, as well as royal guards soldiers stationed at the palace.
In the past, his back view was always the focus of everyone's attention, but since when did people stop daring to look at him?
That's not all—
The eyes that were looking at them no longer reflected worship, but rather unease and even panic from the depths of their souls!
That figure that once shone like the sun over Roland City now resembles the entrance to an abyss...
A knight walked up behind Hagmer, removed his mask stained with blood and bits of flesh, and reported in a low voice.
"Commander... the rebels have occupied our city defense camp on the west side and seized the cannons from the armory. I suggest we send a cavalry unit to intercept them... if they manage to push the cannons to the city gate, the consequences could be disastrous."
Hagmer heard the whispers behind him, but did not turn around.
A scarlet aura was slowly invading his mind, and he had to do everything he could to suppress the force that was tearing at his spirit, without letting his guard down for even a moment.
Come over here.
'Shut up.' Hagmer gritted his teeth and growled from the depths of his mind.
The voice in the void merely chuckled at his stubbornness, concealing its brutality and slaughter beneath a mask of rationality.
'What are you still clinging to? Don't you realize that you, everyone behind you, and your glory... are nothing more than pawns on the chessboard of the Os Empire? And all the pain you feel right now stems from this curse buried deep in your souls.'
'...'
"Isn't that so? They revel in the holy city, drinking and enjoying endless luxury, while you here slaughter each other for a few loaves of bread and scraps of paper. If I hadn't come here, even a thousand years later, the story of this land would remain the same. Your soul would be reincarnated here countless times, the same script unfolding each time, and the time after that."
'...'
'Only blood can write truth, and only by fighting your way through can you achieve true redemption. Come to my side... you're already on my side, aren't you? I can give you fairness and the liberation you desire.'
Hagmer exhaled a puff of white mist, forcibly suppressing the restlessness and whispers in his heart, but he could not refute the voice from the depths of his being.
Is not it?
He couldn't help but ask himself the same question.
The Devalo family held fast to their posts on the frontier, devoting themselves to the Os Empire, yet the empire never gave them a second glance.
A thousand years ago, the Ryan people were not barbarians.
Until the holy light shone upon this land, they gradually became one. First disappeared was language, then faith, and finally civilization.
Hagmer knew he shouldn't be thinking about these things at this time, but the crumbling faith deep within him needed something to fill it.
The Book of the Word was no longer his salvation, nor was the New Testament, and he could not possibly believe in chaos or demons, but people always have to believe in something.
then--
History has taken over the ecological niche that originally belonged to religion.
At least the voice from the heavens was not wrong.
The Ottoman Empire could have saved them, but those arrogant fellows insisted on waiting until things were beyond repair before making a pretense of intervention.
If the Isaac dynasty still stood on this land, the people of Rhine would not need to rely on anyone else's power; they could defeat chaos and demons on their own...
I really want to kill them all.
Hagermer couldn't help but think so.
Perhaps only in this way can the endless cycle of suffering be ended.
Seeing the silent Hagmer, the knight standing behind him hesitated whether to report again, but a hand was placed on his shoulder.
He turned around and saw his adjutant, Alarand Xiuwen, shaking his head at him.
"Leave it to me."
The knight swallowed hard, nodded, and withdrew.
……
The attack was scheduled for noon.
The Lionheart Knights must destroy the gunpowder the citizens have gathered before they can push the cannons to the castle. And predictably, it will be a fierce battle.
This group of rebels somehow acquired a batch of incredibly powerful rifles and explosives, which would be troublesome even for superhumans.
Lieutenant Alarand Xiuwen left the city walls and went to the church directly opposite the side hall of the palace.
The church was empty, with only a few flickering candles barely clinging to life. There was not much left to maintain the dignity of the Holy Light.
Alarand removed his helmet and placed it on a nearby bench, then sat down before the dusty statue of the god and silently prayed for the upcoming campaign.
'God—'
Please forgive your people.
Just then, an aged voice rang out from behind the statue, landing on his shoulder like dust falling from the roof.
"Poor child."
Alarand looked up abruptly, his hand instinctively reaching for the hilt of his sword. There stood an elderly monk in a tattered grey robe, seemingly wiping the statue.
He hadn't even noticed him just now.
"Who are you?" Alarand asked warily.
The old monk spoke slowly, his voice like a leaky whistle.
"Just an old man."
"You didn't seek refuge?"
"Is there any safer place in this city than by His Majesty's side?" The old man smiled faintly and said casually, "Besides, if I leave, who will listen to your prayers?"
Alarand remained silent.
The old monk withdrew his gaze from him, his cloudy pupils returning to the statue, and lifted a rag to wipe the dust from the shadows.
“I heard the gods weeping. He was heartbroken. He couldn’t understand why the pious lamb had turned into a hideous wolf. Knights pointed their swords at the peasants, the king roared on his throne, and the nobles sat watching from afar… The blood of the Ryan people filled the ditches.”
These words were like a thorn, piercing Alarand's heart and sharpening his gaze instantly, which then turned back towards the old monk's brow.
"Watch your words, monk."
"As you wish."
The old monk spoke gently and then fell silent. However, listening to the sound of the rag wiping the statue, Alarand felt as if a file was scratching at his heart.
His Adam's apple bobbed, and he lowered his voice to continue speaking, as if trying to justify his actions.
“We are doing our duty… This is the King’s order! You saw it yourself, those guys outside are traitors, they deserve to die!”
"is it?"
The old monk stopped sweeping, slowly raised his head, and looked out of the church window at the city wall shrouded in blood.
"If that's the case, you should be proud of yesterday's victory, but why can't I see a smile on your face? And your captain, Prince Hagmer, I respect him greatly, both for his strength and for his honor... but now, does that proud lion still deserve my respect?"
Alarand's pupils suddenly contracted, and he wanted to refute, but he couldn't utter a rebuttal.
Because he noticed it too.
Recently, Hagmer has become increasingly silent, and his aura has become strange, making it increasingly difficult to sense the power of the Holy Light.
This does not mean that Haigmer has become weaker.
On the contrary, he seemed stronger than before, but this strength burned with a chilling, devilish aura...
"It seems I'm not the only one who thinks this way..."
The old monk observed Alarand's expression for a while, sighed softly, and muttered to himself with regret.
"Perhaps this is the inescapable fate of all extraordinary beings: the closer one gets to godhood, the further one drifts from humanity, and gradually forgets the source of their power. Perhaps before long, our Radiant Knights will no longer be our knights, but chaos itself—"
"Shut up!"
Alarand, who was sitting on the bench, suddenly sprang up, grabbed the old monk by the collar, his eyes bloodshot, and squeezed out a sentence through gritted teeth.
"...Tell me! How can we make our commander return to his former self?!"
Apparently—
Deep down, he wasn't really confident that his commander wouldn't become a puppet of Chaos. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been so agitated; he could have just laughed it off.
What's the point of making things difficult for a cultivator?
The old monk let the other man hold him, showing no panic on his face, only looking at the knight on the verge of collapse with kind and compassionate eyes.
Alarand's breathing gradually calmed down, and he slowly realized his loss of composure. He loosened his grip on the old monk's collar and lowered his head.
"Feel sorry……"
“It’s alright.” The old monk shook his head gently and continued in a kind voice, “I can feel your pain, and your anger is not your intention.”
"..."
Seeing that the knight remained silent, the old monk gently placed the rag in his hand aside, looked at the sky outside the window, and continued speaking.
"Your pain, and your commander's pain, both stem from the same source. There is probably only one way to save Prince Hagmer."
"source?"
Alarand raised his head.
"What is it?"
"It's Your Majesty."
A deathly silence fell over the church until a sharp, clear sound of a sword rang out.
"sulfuric acid--"
Alarand drew his longsword, its cold light illuminating his terrified and distorted face, as well as the old monk's calm expression.
"You're an encyclopedist!"
He stared wide-eyed at the rebellious cultivator. With a slight twist of his wrist, the aged head would roll to the ground.
However, the old monk simply looked at him calmly, without flinching in the slightest.
“I am a servant of the gods. I do not belong to any faction, nor am I loyal to Your Majesty… Therefore, I will tell you the truth.”
"Isn't the current chaos in the Kingdom of Ryan precisely because of that incompetent king? For his own selfish desires, he wants to drag the entire kingdom down with him!"
"The only way to preserve the last glory of the Devalo family is to crown the one who truly possesses chivalrous zeal. You know very well who deserves that crown, and that is not only what you and I think, but also what Saint Sith thinks!"
"Hand the king over to the rebels to quell their anger. Or let the whole kingdom perish in their fury."
After taking one last look at Alarand, whose pupils were trembling, the old monk slowly closed his eyes, preparing to be martyred for his faith.
"If you want to kill me, then go ahead."
Alarand's hands trembled, his faith and loyalty locked in a fierce battle, his pupils filled with struggle.
Time seemed to freeze at that moment.
Until the long sword gradually left the cultivator's throat.
"sulfuric acid--"
The long sword was sheathed.
Alarand took two steps back, as if his spine had been ripped out, and stumbled all the way to the church entrance.
He didn't say goodbye, but just took a deep look at the old man with his head down, and then walked out of the church without looking back.
Perhaps—this is indeed the best way.
They used the already rotting corpse to quell the citizens' anger.
Then, let the real lion be crowned king!
Unbeknownst to Alarand, just as he disappeared into the snowstorm, the monk standing beside the statue revealed a strange smile.
Within those murky pupils, pale blue cubic crystals spun slowly.
And the shape of that crystal was exactly the same as the crystal that the sage Aumon Strachet had seen...
……
Slaughter itself does not invite the corruption of chaos, just as greed itself does not invite the claws of eternal hunger.
Only "unrestrained greed" and "endless desire" are the key to attracting the claws of eternal hunger.
The same goes for the flames of destruction.
Once one loses oneself in the carnage, even a demigod becomes a prisoner of chaos. And the stronger one is, the more powerful one becomes, the stronger the force of karma drawn from the void becomes.
This is why neither Saint Sith nor the Demon God advocates gaining power through killing, even though it is the fastest way.
As for cannibalism, that would be even faster.
After all, the soul that dies only leaves behind a little bit of spiritual essence that is "not brought into this world and not taken away when it dies," which is nothing compared to the complete refinement of a person's soul.
Those are not even in the same league.
It's not even a type.
After all, while mere killing can increase strength, it cannot directly affect one's soul level. From this perspective, "holy water" is indeed a great invention.
It solved the problem that raising a soul's level required establishing a legend in the hearts of the people, making gods something that could be produced.
And that is precisely why—
The spiritual school doesn't mind letting their lab rats become gods first, because anything that can be produced is a tool.
They have become beings who transcend the gods.
As for Cassius...
He knew, of course, that Xuebang was using him, but he didn't see anything wrong with it.
After all, even if he wasn't used by the Academy, he was used by the King, or even by Marius... Couldn't Eddie have been used by another, even stronger, magician?
Being used is never a bad thing; it's more regrettable to have no value to others, especially in such chaotic times.
"...So that's how holy water is produced."
The dungeons of the Royal Prison.
Looking at the clear liquid sloshing in the transparent container, Cassius's face showed an intoxicated expression, wishing he could suck it all up in one gulp.
Seeing his greedy expression, Eddie simply smiled faintly, a hint of researcher's pride curling at the corners of his mouth.
"Now you know how far behind we are, right?"
Cassius turned to look at Eddie, opened his arms with a smile, and exclaimed in genuine admiration.
"You've won! I admit, you've already surpassed even the gods... So, can this thing make me a god?"
Eddie said with a smile.
“We will further purify it to produce ‘blood of the gods.’ When taken in conjunction with the effects of the ritual, a divine spark will be born within you… and then you will discover that the power of extraordinary beings is utterly insignificant in the face of that power.”
is it?
With a smile on his face, Cassius looked at the clear, transparent container again, a thoughtful expression suddenly appearing on his brow.
Noticing the change in his expression, Eddie asked casually.
"what happened?"
Cassius said thoughtfully.
"I was just thinking... was Lint Isaac also a god who condensed his divine essence in this way?"
"How could that be? Back then, let alone you, even we hadn't figured out the connection between souls, faith, gods, and superhumans." Hearing this foolish question, Eddie couldn't help but curl up a mocking smile.
This group of illiterate people seems to never understand the difference between "equal to" and "included in", let alone what "sufficient condition" and "necessary and sufficient condition" mean.
He really wanted to give this guy a copy of Xuebang's entrance exam and see how many points he could get.
"Then how did he become a god?" Cassius asked with interest, seemingly unconcerned about Eddie's thoughts.
Eddie said calmly.
"Of course, it's the oldest method: listen to and respond to people's prayers as a prophet, and then weave corresponding divine legends and creeds. Over time, you'll find yourself gradually becoming different from yesterday. This feeling is said to be similar to awakening extraordinary power, but the actual manifestation is completely different... because what you actually awaken is another power that transcends the extraordinary."
"for example?"
“How should I know?” Eddie laughed. “But you’ll find out soon enough, our ritual is almost complete—”
The moment he finished speaking, a deafening explosion suddenly came from outside the castle, and the panicked shouts and screams of soldiers could be faintly heard in the background.
Cassius's expression changed slightly, and he subconsciously looked towards the door.
"what's the situation?"
Eddie closed his eyes, then opened them, his right eye gleaming with a pale blue starlight.
“These damn rats dug a tunnel under the prison wall… You’d better go and deal with it, my ceremony here will take a while.”
Cassius didn't speak, his face grim as he walked straight to the door.
Meanwhile, outside the prison, the sound of bones grinding together was deafening, and hordes of the dead were pouring out of the streets and alleys.
They were all dead citizens.
Some of them held muskets, others swords, and their eyes either burned with green soul fire or were filled with a deathly coldness.
Seeing the vast sea of skeletons and the horde of corpses, the soldiers standing on the edge of the collapsing prison wall all changed their expressions, and the muskets in their hands trembled uncontrollably.
"Undead! Damn it—!" Sir Skydkin roared, unable to suppress his fear any longer. He handed over command to his adjutant and hurriedly ran to the rear under the pretext of seeking reinforcements.
These rebels!
They actually sold their souls to the devil!
Instead of foolishly running into the collapsed wall, he crossed the barricade, turned a corner, and plunged into the alley without looking back.
As for medals, swords, and hats.
At that moment, he returned everything to his Majesty, including the glory he had once regarded as his life.
It must be said that Skedkin is a smart man; otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to stand out from the Royal Guard and become a favorite of His Majesty.
His escape was insignificant to the overall situation; the guards holding the royal prison would not easily let go, nor would the tomb keepers.
But the revolutionaries' offensive has only just begun!
As the city walls collapsed, more undead crawled out from beneath the ruins and lunged at the royal guards holding their ground.
"Long live the people!" a player playing a ghoul shouted excitedly, brandishing his short sword as he charged toward the nearest Royal Guard centurion.
The centurion hurriedly raised his gun and fired, the bullet piercing the ghoul's chest, but it did nothing to stop its advance, and it was quickly brought close.
Seeing the ghoul getting close, the centurion decisively drew his sword and beheaded the ghoul.
The head flew off due to inertia and rolled towards the icy corner of the wall.
However, just as he was about to breathe a sigh of relief, a wisp of flame shot out from under the headless corpse's clothes.
The centurion's expression changed instantly.
Oh shit--
"boom--!"
There was no time to dodge!
The towering flames instantly sent him flying, while the hundred-man squad behind him collapsed like felled wheat.
Seeing the miserable state of the soldiers in front, the centurion standing at the rear immediately changed his expression, brandishing his sword and roaring loudly.
"Don't let those undead get close!"
pity--
The dead do not listen to them.
Those fearless warriors poured out of the streets and collapsed tunnels, and in just a few breaths they broke through the defenses that the National Assembly had failed to capture in more than a month!
Looking at the army surging forth like a tidal wave, Marshal Fayet, standing on the rooftop behind them, swallowed hard and spoke in a trembling voice.
"Is this the power of the Emperor behind you?"
This is... terrifying!
Standing to the side, Thanos fiddled with the brim of his hat with his index finger and simply replied with elegance and composure.
Not all.
Not all...
Fayette stiffly moved his neck, raised the binoculars in his hand, and turned his gaze back to the front of the battlefield.
The undead surging from all directions had completely taken over the battlefield, and the Royal Guard, caught between the gravediggers and the National Assembly, was routed like an avalanche.
But at that moment, something unexpected happened!
A dark shadow swept across the battlefield, and the skeleton soldiers at the front line were instantly harvested like blades of grass blown down by the wind, turning into flying bone fragments!
Seeing Cassius emerge from the castle, the players on the front lines were not afraid at all; instead, they erupted in even more excited shouts.
"Guys! Time to take down the boss!"
"Oh, oh, oh! Experience! My experience!"
"Charge! You get contribution points for touching it!"
"For Mia Padridge, Mom!"
"???"
Seeing the undead suddenly rise in morale, "Deathstroke" Cassius, who had been standing indifferently outside the prison, suddenly paused, a strange look appearing on his pale face.
Undead...
Is there such a thing as morale?
Without a moment's hesitation, seeing the approaching sea of skeletons, the dagger in his hand moved, and he once again transformed into a shooting star, charging into the battlefield.
Not just him—
The same was true for the tomb keeper who followed closely behind him!
Three hundred elite tomb guardians poured out, their short swords flashing like the wind, and in an instant, they reaped nearly a thousand fast-moving players.
"Holy crap—"
"That idiot planner is pulling this trick again!"
"Damn it! Is this even humanly possible?!"
Sensing that the monster's strength was extraordinary, the newbies, realizing what had happened, immediately cried out that they had been tricked.
No wonder the veteran players were overtaken by them; it turns out those experienced old guys knew something was up all along!
There was no time to hesitate; the players who rushed to the front had no choice but to bite the bullet and go for it.
Fortunately, the game developers aren't entirely heartless; even if you're killed by the BOSS, you still get contribution points and ghost money.
and--
This expansion seems to have added a "resurrection on the spot" feature. The dead can quickly be reborn at the nearest resurrection point to the battlefield, returning to fight with a new identity.
As he watched Cassius reap the rewards of the "Demon King's servants" in the distance, a bloodthirsty excitement gradually crept onto Thanos's face.
Finally, the mouse got out!
Fayette looked nervously at Lord Shadow beside him.
What do we do now?
Thanos did not answer, but simply raised his right hand slightly and then waved it forward.
Just as his right hand fell, a dense, rain-like green light suddenly rose from the alleyway three hundred meters away from the prison wall!
Those were arrows gleaming with green light!
Led by Sherry Moonblade, the night elves lurking in the alley unleashed wave after wave of arrows into the air!
As one of the Demon King's most loyal subordinates, she has now reached the peak of the Gold rank. Her older sister, however, has surpassed their father to reach the Platinum rank and is currently leading the most powerful Night Elf mage legion in the Great Tomb of Nazarick, lying in ambush on the other side of the battlefield, ready to strike at any moment!
Cassius's pupils contracted slightly as he leaped backward to avoid the torrential rain of arrows.
However, his men were not so lucky. They fell one after another under the enchanted arrows, leaving more than twenty corpses in the blink of an eye!
Cassius's heart was bleeding.
Although Eddie told him not to worry about the dead ants, these brothers were, after all, his own trusted followers whom he had personally promoted.
Looking in the direction of the rain of arrows, he gritted his teeth, but ultimately couldn't bring himself to kill them. Instead, he swung his dagger behind him.
"Retreat to the tower!"
The gravedigger, who had just broken out of the prison tower, quickly tightened his defenses, abandoning the square below the prison walls, and retreated while wielding his dagger to deflect the arrows.
The players quickly surged forward and recaptured the position abandoned by the gravedigger.
As the flag was planted in the prison square, Fayette's face lit up with joy, but his expression quickly turned serious.
Suddenly, a ghostly blue light shone, enveloping the entire main building of the prison, like an aurora descending from the sky!
Upon seeing this, Thanos raised his eyebrows slightly, and this time he finally lifted the brim of his hat instead of pulling it down lower.
"It seems our old friend finally couldn't resist making a move."
"Xuebang?"
"clever."
Thanos took off his top hat and casually hung it on Fayette's head, as if it were a hat rack.
"Put it on for me for a while, Your Excellency Marshal."
this time--
It's finally his turn to appear!
(End of this chapter)