Chapter 429 Siege and Famine
The wheels rolled over the dry land, raising a cloud of dust.
Under the personal escort of "Iron Bull" Brennan, one of the twelve leaders of the Green Forest Army, the mighty "pilgrim" army marched towards the direction of Quemu Territory.
Ever since everyone entered the territory of Quemu Territory, the air has been filled with a smell of decay that seems to be visible to the naked eye.
The refugees all had expressions of panic on their faces. Obviously, they had not expected that the situation in Quemu Territory, which was close to Dusk City, was even worse than that in their hometown.
On the other hand, the soldiers wearing green turbans looked calm. Firstly, they had just eaten and drunk their fill, and secondly, the surrounding scenery was not the most bleak they had ever seen.
Looking around at the scene, Hogg's mouth curled up into a sarcastic smile.
"Someone told me that they were rebels, but why was it that wherever they passed by, it was like a plague of locusts?"
With the protection of the gods, he was naturally not afraid of the rebel leader.
Brennan knew that the mercenary was mocking him, but he didn't care, nor did he take his words seriously. He just spoke calmly.
"There is no such thing as a war without death. When we win, we will naturally distribute the lord's land and food to them as compensation. Then they won't have to die."
Hogg: "Haha."
Brennan frowned.
"why are you laughing?"
Hogg grinned.
"Nothing. I just vaguely remember hearing something similar somewhere. Something like that... as long as you kill the God of the Underworld, people won't have to die anymore."
It seems that it was said by the Dragon God Gutaf?
Or perhaps it was Saint-Sis himself who said it.
He doesn't remember.
Taf, who was sitting in the carriage, sneezed, raised her paw to scratch her nose, and then subconsciously looked at the demon king who was sitting and meditating beside her.
"Are you scolding me?"
Luo Yan smiled faintly.
"I'm not as boring as you."
After saying that, he looked at Sarah who was sitting next to him and said in a gentle tone.
"How are you?"
He noticed that Sarah had not been in a very good mood since a while ago.
Sarah was stunned for a moment, then came to her senses and answered softly.
"I'm fine, Demon Lord. Thank you for your consideration."
Luo Yan: "Your expression tells me that you are thinking about something. Of course, if it is something that is inconvenient to talk about, then I won't ask."
"...I just thought about some things that happened before I met you," Sarah smiled sheepishly and whispered, "The feeling of being hungry is terrible. I feel like I don't even have the strength to die."
She had known hunger.
In order to survive, she even tasted all the earthworms in Thunder County.
Although she was indifferent to human suffering, she found it difficult not to empathize with those who suffered when it came to hunger.
Luo Yan was silent for a while and spoke softly.
"That's for sure."
On the other side, Karen, sitting in the caravan, lifted the curtain, and the scene that came into her eyes made her heart tighten.
Dead bodies of starving people could be seen everywhere on both sides of the road, their bodies curled up as if they were still fighting hunger at the last moment of their lives.
The fields scattered around the windmill had long been deserted, and the withered and yellowed grass leaves were like jagged white bones, wailing in despair in the wind.
This should be the season for spring plowing, but even the weeds cannot survive.
The village in the distance was dead silent, with only a few skinny stray dogs wandering among the ruins, looking at the convoy of uninvited guests with vigilant eyes.
This place is a veritable "death place". Now no one can tell who is responsible for this.
Perhaps it was the local lord, perhaps Chaos, perhaps the people themselves.
"Stop." Kallen said softly.
The convoy slowly stopped.
She saw some signs of life under a half-collapsed hut not far away, so she got off the caravan.
Brennan, carrying his battle axe, followed her silently with two soldiers.
Under the shadow of the hut, a man and a woman huddled together, each holding a thin child tightly in their arms.
Their faces were pale, their lips were cracked, and their eyes were staring blankly at the ground, as if they had lost all response to the outside world.
Kallen felt a surge of sadness in her heart.
Even without Mr. Colin's instructions, she couldn't help but want to help these people who were suffering from hunger.
She looked back at Brennan and whispered softly.
"They need help. Please have your soldiers bring some bread."
Brennan had already agreed to her terms, so he didn't say much. He nodded and waved to the two soldiers wearing green turbans behind him.
"Do as she says."
The job was assigned to two young soldiers.
They immediately untied a sack from the packhorse, grabbed a few pieces of bread that smelled of wheat, and walked over quickly.
However, an unexpected scene happened.
When the dying family saw two soldiers wearing green turbans approaching, instead of showing the joy of being rescued, their eyes burst into extreme fear.
The woman seemed to have come back to life, uttered a sharp scream, and held the child tightly in her arms, as if she wanted to drown him in her shriveled chest.
The men used their weak bodies to shield their wives and children, staring at the soldiers with green turbans in horror, as if they were looking at wild beasts running out of the jungle.
On the other hand, the child who knew nothing stared at the food in their hands with longing eyes and swallowed the little saliva that was left.
He didn't know that there was a war outside, nor did he know the difference between the lord and Kailan. What did it matter who won or lost among them?
He just knew that it was what kept him and his family alive.
The soldiers stood there in a daze, looking at their leader at a loss, then at the nun, and subconsciously took a step back.
Kallen didn't say anything, she just walked forward, stood in front of the family, and soothed them in a gentle voice.
"Don't be afraid, we are here to help you."
The man raised his head, his cloudy eyes filled with distrust and fear. He stared at the green turban on the soldier's head, his lips trembling, but he couldn't say a word.
Callen looked back at Brennan.
"They seem afraid of you. Why?"
Brennan didn't answer. For the first time, a hint of discomfort appeared on his rugged face, and his eyes shifted.
Seeing that he seemed to be hesitant to speak, Kallen stopped asking and squatted in front of the thin child and spoke in a gentle voice.
"Can you tell me? What happened here? Why... are you so afraid of us?"
Perhaps her voice was sincere enough, or perhaps the threat of death overwhelmed her fear.
The boy didn't speak, but an old man next to him, who was so thin that he was just a bag of bones, spoke tremblingly.
“It’s them…”
He extended his bony index finger and pointed behind Kallen.
If he hadn't suddenly made a sound, no one would have noticed this old man curled up in the corner, his breath weaker than that of a mouse.
Kallen looked at him, then looked behind her.
"them?"
"They broke into the village and stole our last bit of food, just after the Lord's cavalry visited our barn," the old man continued timidly, carefully observing Brennan's expression. "Not only that, they also blocked the road out of here. We can't escape even if we want to. We can only wait to die here, or go forward and go to the Earl's castle to eat the Earl's food..."
There was no way the Count would open the door. If he really did what these green hooded men said, he would just be waiting to die in another place.
Looking at the bread in the hands of the two soldiers, the old man's eyes radiated a desire for food, but he was also afraid that this was a trap set by the green turbans...
Even he himself couldn't explain it, because he had nothing, so what was there for them to deceive him about?
The old man's accusation hit Brennan like a slap in the face.
His face, which had just regained some color due to the miracle, turned red in an instant, and his eyes were full of embarrassment and shame.
The two young soldiers also lowered their heads in shame, not daring to look into the frightened eyes of the family.
After all, they are still a little young and not thick-skinned enough.
Those veterans were very smart, so we coaxed them into doing this job.
"That's... a tactic!"
Brennan tried to defend himself, but his voice was weak. "If we don't use extreme measures, there's no way we can take Fort Sparrow!"
He paused, then added, "Of course... I admit that my men may have been a bit rough when carrying out orders."
A little rough?
Hogg had a playful smile on his face and couldn't help but think of what happened before.
This guy practically stripped them naked and drove them towards the castle at gunpoint.
In fact, Brennan didn't need to explain at all, but when he thought of Saint Sis standing behind the nun, he couldn't help but say a few more words.
Just think of it as speaking to Him.
Kallen slowly stood up, ignoring his defense.
She looked calmly at the man holding the battle axe, her eyes clear and firm, as if she could see through the struggle deep in his soul.
"If you do something more abominable than the devil in order to end hell, then your hell will not end. You will lead everyone into another, even more cruel hell."
There was no anger or condemnation in her words. It was as if she was simply speaking on behalf of the god behind her, announcing another future that He had seen.
"...Whatever you have done before, you must stop from this moment on."
Glancing around at the silent soldiers, her gaze finally fell on the distinctive green turbans on their heads.
"Please take it off."
It was not a tone of command, but it carried an unquestionable force that went far beyond a command, as if it was a decree issued by the gods themselves.
The soldiers looked at each other.
The green turban is a symbol of their identity and the flag of the Green Forest Army, even more important than their heads.
However, they surprisingly didn't show any anger or ridicule, but instead subconsciously looked towards their leader...
Should we listen to the gods?
Brennan said in a deep voice as she looked at Kallen.
“Is it necessary to do this?”
Kallen nodded seriously.
"If you still harbor a trace of reverence for the gods in your heart, if you consider the people of Twilight Province more important than your own honor, then remove it. You should have seen the fear in their eyes."
"At least in front of those starving people, at least until our contract ends, we are no longer the Green Army, but the 'Savior Army'."
The air seemed to freeze.
Brennan gripped the axe handle tightly, a conflict brewing within him.
Giving up the name of the Green Forest Army was undoubtedly a betrayal to "Green Turban" Kailan. However, he thought again of what Kailan often told them. He always told them that the Green Forest Army was a ranger who robbed the rich and gave to the poor, unlike those noble lords hiding in the castle.
In that case, what the nun said makes sense.
More importantly, his ultimate goal was to capture Quemu Castle. The Green Forest Army's leadership had granted him considerable discretion in this matter—as long as he could capture the castle and complete the siege of Dusk City, the capital of Dusk Province, the process was unimportant.
After a long moment, Brennan loosened his clenched fists and, to everyone's surprise, shrugged his shoulders, as if accepting everything.
"Alright," he muttered, "If this is what must be done to capture Fort Quemu... I will cooperate with you until our contract ends."
At worst, I can put it back on after I capture the castle.
After saying that, he was the first to pull off the green turban on his head.
Seeing their leader do this, the other Green Forest Army soldiers looked at each other and felt that something was wrong, but they finally did as they were told.
The rebels who rose up in rebellion were unaware that they had not only eaten the food provided by "Saint Kallen" but also listened to her commands and even changed their flags under her persuasion...
In fact, not to mention them who had no opinions of their own, even Kallen herself did not realize what she had unintentionally done.
She was simply following the instructions of the kind gentleman and completing every task he had assigned her step by step.
A gentle smile appeared on Kallen's face as she nodded approvingly at them before turning to look at the family who were standing there in a daze.
"As you can see, we are no longer Green Army soldiers. Can we sit down and talk? I have many questions for you. We can talk while we eat..."
"Okay, okay! I will tell you everything I know, Lady Saint..." The old man nodded as if waking up from a dream, and hurriedly made way for the door.
The other party actually did this for their family. If he didn't cooperate, he would feel embarrassed...
…
The dark clouds shrouding Twilight Province seemed to be loosening. However, across the river, inside Quemu Castle, the atmosphere was as oppressive as the sky before a storm.
In the Lord's Hall, Earl Seron Gard was pacing back and forth anxiously.
After listening to the military intelligence report from his subordinates, his fat body was covered in cold sweat and his eyes were filled with panic after being overwhelmed by fear.
Although he was once a brave and skilled knight, his comfortable life had already dulled his edge and bravery.
Not only that, he is now sixty years old. Even if he still has that kind of ambition, he probably can't display it.
"A hundred thousand troops! They actually have a hundred thousand people! Damn, aren't these damn things hungry? When did they multiply to so many?"
And those damned tax farmers!
It was not until now that he realized that the actual population living in his territory had one more zero than the number in his account book!
Now, this group of lunatics, armed with weapons they got from nowhere, surrounded his castle.
Not only that, they also burned, killed, and looted everywhere, destroying the entire Quemu Territory!
Looking at the middle-aged knight with a stern expression on his face, Theron complained in a painful voice, "Oh, Raiden, tell me, what should we do!"
The man named Leiden is a knight who has been loyal to the Gard family for generations, and he is also a genuine platinum-level powerhouse.
Looking at the earl who was losing his composure, he answered calmly.
"Don't panic, my Lord. The castle's defenses are impregnable, and the food we have stored is enough for us to hold out for three years. As long as we keep the gates closed, I can assure you they won't be able to break in."
and--
The rebels surrounding them might not actually have numbered 100,000; that claim was probably just a lie. The truth was, even those peasants themselves couldn't quite count their own numbers.
"Three years? What about three years from now?" Count Theron screamed. "Where are the reinforcements? That bastard from Dusk City can't be relied upon at all!"
To him, the people outside the castle were already a burden that could be discarded at any time. The only thing he cared about was his own life and the life of his family.
He even began to regret it.
If he had known that these rebels were so difficult to deal with, and if he had known that the king of the capital was so neglectful of his territory, he should not have stayed in this castle!
Leiden said in a deep voice.
"Three years... Even if reinforcements don't arrive, it's enough time for everyone outside to starve to death."
Theron was stunned for a moment.
Just as he was about to say something, a guard ran in panting and reported breathlessly.
"My Lord Earl! There's something wrong with the rebels outside the city... outside the city!"
"What's wrong?" Theron shuddered with fear, his face pale. "Are they starting to attack the city?"
Leiden also frowned, his hand subconsciously pressing on the hilt of the sword.
"No, quite the opposite. Although they've gathered outside the castle, they haven't set up any siege equipment..." The guard hesitated for a moment before whispering his findings. "Our sentries noticed that they seem to be... distributing food to the starving people outside the castle."
Distribute food?
Leiden was stunned, his expression gradually becoming ugly.
The reason why he looked unhappy was not because of the hypocritical kindness of the rebels, but because they had extra food and wasted it on useless things.
He had intended to starve those outside the city to death.
But if the food supply of these rebels has become so abundant, they will probably be the ones in the castle who will starve to death in the end.
And thinking deeper...
Where does their food come from?
Including the weapons in their hands.
It's obviously impossible for those things to appear out of thin air.
Leiden's expression grew increasingly grim, and he gradually sensed a conspiracy. Although he had thought this uprising was somewhat strange before, this feeling had never been as strong as it was now.
It was not only the platinum-level knight who had a solemn expression. Theron, who was standing next to him, also showed an expression of disbelief, almost suspecting that there was something wrong with his ears.
He pushed the guards aside, held up the hem of his gorgeous clothes himself, and, surrounded by several guards, stumbled up the west wall of the castle.
But the scene that came into view immediately afterwards left the earl dumbfounded, and he was stunned for a moment.
In the center of the rebel camp, huge pots were set up, boiling steaming porridge. Soldiers were distributing the porridge and bread to the hungry people lining up in long queues.
The bread was even off-white with an orange border, and he could even smell the aroma of freshly baked wheat!
The expected scene of bandits sharpening their knives to attack the starving people did not appear, but was replaced by a scene of order.
And those people who should have hated the rebels now showed numbness on their faces after surviving a disaster, and a hint of... gratitude?
Saint Sis is above!
Have they all forgotten who lifted the lid of their pot and scraped away the last grain of wheat hidden in the cracks in the wall?
They reconciled now?!
And those rebels... where on earth did they get so much food?!
Sharon couldn't believe what he saw. He scanned the crowd and soon discovered something that confused him even more.
Although the soldiers were still wearing those uneven and tattered clothes, they all took off their green turbans and tied undyed linen around their shoulders instead.
Although it was only a small change, the entire army seemed to have been reborn overnight, from a group of ferocious jackals to a group of devout... pilgrims?
The sun really rises from the west!
The bandits stopped robbing and actually started providing disaster relief to the people!
A faint panic gripped Theron's heart, a fear born of something he couldn't understand. Surrounded by soldiers, he leaned against the cold parapet, staring out at the moat and muttering to himself.
"What happened?"
He would rather believe that they were acting and that the cunning rebels would take the bowls from the residents' hands in the next second.
However, the hungry people wolfing down their food didn't seem to be lying...
"I'm afraid we're in trouble." Leiden walked behind Theron, staring at the scene outside the castle and said in a deep voice.
Regardless of whether there were 100,000 rebels before.
Now they definitely have...
(End of this chapter)
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