A werewolf, using all four limbs, rushed to Randall's side and cried out in frustration, "By the Holy King! We're too late!"

Upon hearing this, the orc, like a maddened ancient beast, let out a deafening roar, grabbed an Imperial soldier who hadn't managed to escape the gate, and tore him in two alive.

The werewolf looked at Barbara in Randall's arms, a thought flashing through his mind. He brought his ear close to the woman's mouth and shouted, "Carol, stop going crazy! Come here! She's still alive!"

The orc, covered in blood, turned around in disbelief, quickly approached the werewolf, and whispered, "Aldenan, are you sure?"

"The bullet went slightly off target and missed her vital organs. However, she won't last much longer."

Hearing the conversation between the beast and the wolf, Randall seemed to awaken from a dream: "I know you..."

Carol grabbed the knight and pulled him in front of her, angrily saying, "You bastard! Is this how you protect Miss Barbara?!"

Aldenan looked at Randall and said regretfully, "There's a secret passage in the backyard of the royal city that leads directly down the mountain, and you didn't even use it?!"

Randall was taken aback.

He suddenly recalled Jennings' last words.

"Lead the remaining soldiers and civilians and retreat into the royal city; that is our last hope!"

So that's how it is!

Randall held Barbara's body, closed his eyes, and gave a bitter smile. Hope had always been right before his eyes, but he had been blind to it.

"Black-armored knight inside! Listen to me!" A broken Common tongue came from outside the door: "On behalf of my master—the commander of the Imperial Kassagi Guard, the great General Ilem—I issue you this final ultimatum!"

"If you surrender to the Empire and hand over your armor, my master guarantees, in the name of Allah, that everyone inside will be spared! Otherwise, we will annihilate everything here with cannon fire!"

Aldnan glanced at Carol: "It's time to go, or we'll never be able to leave!"

Randall looked into Carol's eyes and said in a deep voice, "Swear to me! You will never harm Miss Barbara!"

Carroll roared angrily, "You bastard who hurt Miss Barbara! You have no right to talk nonsense to me!"

Randall smiled.

He reluctantly handed Barbara to Carol and solemnly said, "Take her with you and leave here immediately."

Randall then looked at the surviving civilians behind him and said in a low voice, "Please take them with you."

Carol picked up Barbara and glanced at Randall: "And you?"

Touching the two bombs he had picked up earlier, Randall straightened up and said with a smile, "I will stay and buy you enough time."

——————————————

Twenty minutes later, Ilem, surrounded by a large number of Imperial Guards, stepped through the gates of Lone Rock City.

Looking at Randall, the black-armored knight who sat cross-legged in the middle of the hall, clutching a longsword, Ilam frowned and said, "As you requested, I have come to see you in person." (Arabic)

After the translator finished speaking, seeing that Randall remained unmoved, Ilam continued, "Among my followers, there are also believers like you who were originally devout followers of God, but without exception, they only discovered the mercy and omnipotence of the true God after converting to Allah." (Arabic)

Randall slowly raised his head: "If your God is merciful and omnipotent, then can He help me destroy your army, even if I am a heretic?" (Common Language)

Seeing the translator pause for a moment, Ilam shouted in displeasure, "What is he saying?!" (Arabic)

Just as the translator was about to speak, screams and cries of Imperial soldiers suddenly came from outside the door.

Enraged, Ilem raised his riding crop and roared at those around him, "See which bastard is causing trouble?! Bring me his head!"

Before the words were finished, a soldier, pale-faced and trembling, rushed into the hall, shouting at the top of his lungs, "The true God! The true God has descended!"

Elam laughed angrily: "Let me crack open your head and see what you're really thinking..."

Outside the gate, a strong wind blew up, and a huge shadow was cast over the royal city, turning the clear blue sky into a dense, overcast one.

As the last rays of sunlight were swallowed by darkness in the royal palace, Ilem drew his scimitar and cried out in a panic, "What's going on? What's going on?!"

As the wind outside grew stronger, the entire hall began to shake violently without warning. Cracks appeared on the smooth floor, and the ceiling, covered with murals, was torn apart.

Suddenly, a huge, sharp black claw appeared, like a blade piercing tofu. It first demolished the walls of the royal hall, and then ripped off the entire roof.

A ferocious and terrifying black dragon head loomed in and out of the murky sky, looking down upon the masses of people in the city.