Chapter 555 The Knights Hospitaller of St. Colin!
On Burial Peak, in the smoke-filled trenches, the soil, soaked in blood, was as sticky as a swamp, and the embers that had not yet burned out slowly outlined the contours of the battlefield.
The fierce battle is nearing its end.
As the last ballista position was blown off by a grenade thrown by a grenadier, a dozen charred clan rats raised a white flag and huddled trembling in the dead corner of the trench.
They threw away their rusty knives, raised their filthy claws, and uttered grating pleas for mercy.
"No! Don't kill us! Squeak!"
The leader of the clan rats banged its head into the muddy water, making a sharp and mournful sound.
"We are innocent! We did not harm your compatriots!"
The clan rats nearby chimed in agreement.
"That's right! All those bad things were done by the Shrek warlords! That damned fat guy forced us to do them!"
"Go find him! Don't kill us!"
"Injustice? Injustice has its perpetrator, and debt has its debtor! We were just following orders!"
The ratmen were terrified.
While the Campbells were also very skilled fighters in the past, they didn't fight in the way we see them today.
They should first line up in a square formation, beat their war drums, and then start loading bullets, and then... when did these humans become so terrifying?!
Looking at the group of weeping rats, the Ryan Battalion soldiers who surrounded them showed no pity, only cruel grins.
Weren't you pretty awesome before?
Why did you stop?
Most of these young men were refugees from Roland City, while the rest were refugees from the Twilight Province.
Their homes were burned down, their relatives were sold into slavery, and the hardships they endured along the way had long since extinguished the warmth in their hearts.
Before, they didn't know who to hate, but now their hatred finally has an outlet.
A sergeant stepped forward, not even glancing at the begging rat, and spoke in a cruel voice.
"Of course we'll go find him. But before that, you guys go down and save him a seat, and please say hello to him for me."
Before he finished speaking, he waved his hand behind him.
A soldier carrying a metal bucket walked forward expressionlessly, a cruel smile playing on his lips, the dark nozzle aimed at the leader of the rats.
Although it didn't know what the thing was, the clan rat's face showed instinctive fear when it saw the flames ignited at the front of the nozzle, and it screamed involuntarily.
"No--"
call--!
A fiery orange dragon roared out and instantly engulfed the small corner.
That was a flamethrower from the Kingdom of Gutaf, modified to suit human physique and usage habits, powered by a pressure boost from the Dark Runes.
Although this thing doesn't have a long range, it's still exceptionally efficient at clearing out caves, and even more so when cleaning up trash.
The piercing screams lasted only a few seconds in the flames before turning into the crackling sound of fat popping, like dry firewood exploding in a fireplace.
The stench of burning instantly overpowered the smell of gunpowder, and the dozen or so rats that had just been shirking responsibility were now a pile of curled-up ashes.
Sir Dick Binn stood behind a bunker not far away, clutching the rifle tightly in his hands, his facial muscles twitching uncontrollably, his eyes filled with fear.
Saint Sis above—
I never imagined the Campbellians could be so ruthless. They're barbaric themselves, and they've corrupted the gentle and courteous Lane people into beasts!
"This is insane..."
Dick Bin cursed inwardly, but he kept his mouth tightly shut, not daring to let even the slightest hint of dissatisfaction show on his face.
He knew very well that these young men had long disliked him and were afraid that the fire dragon would accidentally spray onto him the next second.
Just then, Company Commander Kester strode over. He was the leader of all the lads in the 1st Company, Lane Battalion, 1st Mountain Regiment.
According to Campbell's "New Army" regulations, in battle, soldiers of lower ranks must salute their superiors, regardless of their rank.
Therefore, even though he was extremely unwilling, Sir Dickby placed his hand between his eyebrows.
Looking at the young men saluting, Kester simply returned the salute, then turned his gaze to the still-burning ash in the corner of the trench.
He didn't say anything, but simply gave the order in a deep voice.
"Alright, stop playing around. Pack up your gear, we have a new mission to carry out."
A bloodthirsty Ryan soldier wiped the sweat and mud from his face and looked at his officer excitedly, asking, "What's wrong with you?"
"What mission, sir?"
"Has that bastard Shrek been found?"
"Haha, I can't wait to rip that beast's intestines out!"
Looking at the group of eager young men, Kester didn't say much, only succinctly throwing out a sentence.
"You'll understand when you get here."
The young men who received the order still looked eager to try, thinking they were going somewhere to wipe out the remaining rats.
Only Sir Dick Binn, who was always observant, keenly noticed the odd thing in the company commander's eyes.
That wasn't the look of someone going to battle; it was more like the look of someone attending a funeral.
With a mix of trepidation and excitement, Sir Dick Binn followed behind his teammates.
They crossed the winding trench, stepped over charred corpses, and arrived at the entrance to a huge cave halfway up the mountain.
A much fiercer battle has just ended here.
The ground was littered with rocks and severed limbs shattered by hand cannons, and green and black blood mingled together.
The tens of thousands of ratmen stationed here once put up a fierce resistance, relying on the terrain, and among them were many powerful superhumans.
There are also extraordinary individuals among the rat people, and their numbers are quite large.
However, under the relentless and unreasonable heavy firepower of the Gutaf Kingdom's lizardman army, the ratmen were ultimately defeated.
The cave entrance had been cleared, and a squad of fully armed lizardmen was guarding it.
After following his teammates into the cave, Sir Dickbin, who had been complaining about the difficult journey, suddenly stopped and instinctively covered his mouth and nose.
It was an indescribable smell.
It wasn't the smell of gunpowder or the stench of corpses, but rather a mixture of rotting matter, excrement, and the odor of magic potions—a truly despairing atmosphere.
By the dim torchlight on the cave wall, he finally saw the scene before him and understood why the company commander had such a complicated expression on his face.
Inside the enormous cave, countless iron cages stretched as far as the eye could see.
The group of Ryan people locked in cages could no longer be called human; they were like animals waiting to be slaughtered.
Those eyes were empty and numb, oblivious to the changes outside the cage, showing no reaction whatsoever.
That's not all—
Outside the cage was a group of women wrapped in tattered blankets, who appeared to have been brought out by the lizardmen from a deeper cave.
Their eyes were equally vacant, and their faces were ashen. What was even more shocking was that each of their abdomens was swollen with an unnatural bulge.
The situation here seems even more exaggerated than in the cave at the foot of Burial Peak; the experimenters seem to be no longer satisfied with one child per person.
"By Saint Seth..." Sir Dickbin's Adam's apple bobbed as he forced out a curse.
What exactly is this...?
What hell?
A tall lizardman officer walked over.
His green scales were still stained with blood, he carried an exaggeratedly large-caliber rifle, and wore an antique crystal pendant around his neck.
He looked at the group of dumbfounded human soldiers in front of him, and didn't say anything extra, but simply gave Kester a standard military salute.
"Those rats originally planned to release poison gas and perish together with us, but fortunately our scouts anticipated the enemy's move and averted the trouble."
Kester returned the salute and said solemnly.
"Thank you for your hard work."
"Not really, you guys are the ones who have a lot to do."
The lizardman officer shrugged casually, then raised his thick thumb and pointed behind him.
"They're all your people inside... I'm handing them over to you."
His expression was clearly not as relaxed as his actions; it was as if he couldn't wait to get rid of this mess from his grasp.
Understanding the complexity of the other person's feelings, Kester nodded silently.
He turned around, looked at the young men behind him with bloodshot eyes, and gave a concise order.
“Take our people home.”
There were no cheers, no slogans.
The soldiers silently surged forward, using pliers or rifle butts to break the chains and rescue their trembling compatriots.
Finally, some people started to cry, some gritted their teeth, and others patted them on the shoulder and said comforting words.
"It's all over now..."
The voice was too pale, but it was the only thing they could say.
Seeing this, Sir Dickbin felt as if his legs were filled with lead, and his oily old face had never felt so hot with pain.
Are these the people His Majesty cherishes like infants in his arms...?
No wonder Edward called them sardines; they were indeed tortured to the point of being inhuman, while he was still talking about the Second Age and the ancient covenant.
Although most of the Ryan nobles were shameless Shar-Pei dogs, he still had a tiny bit of reverence for the Holy Light, and wasn't so shameless as to spout nonsense without blushing.
Thinking about the shameless lies he had told, he wished he could jump off a cliff and smash his head against a rock to his death.
However, he ultimately did not do so.
He stepped forward with his comrades, offered a shoulder to the limping Ryans as they emerged from the cages, and spoke in a voice tinged with remorse.
"We...go home."
...
Near the artillery positions, smoke filled the air, and the pungent smell of gunpowder permeated the atmosphere.
Sir Wesley stood on the makeshift command platform and slowly lowered the monocular telescope in his hand.
Even he, who was usually calm and experienced, was now filled with deep shock, his eyes filled with excitement and fervor.
At the edge of the horizon, the once fortified stronghold of the ratmen had been transformed into a sea of fire, with the duchy's flag fluttering amidst the flames.
The devastating firepower displayed by the Kingdom of Gutaf's "Hive" rocket launchers far exceeded the expectations of all Campbell's officers.
The rockets raining down from the sky were like a meteor shower from the heavens, relentlessly shoveling through every inch of land. The soldiers' role seemed reduced to nothing more than charging forward and taking over.
This is exactly the firepower he's been looking for!
The only drawback is that the single rocket is too small; it would be better if it could be made bigger!
The Duchy of Campbell had experimented with skirmish tactics in previous wars, using high morale to compensate for a lack of organization and taking full advantage of mobility to attack the enemy's flanks that were not protected by cavalry.
However, even though skirmish tactics have a sufficient theoretical and practical basis, the tactic of firing in formation remains the mainstream.
But now, the practice of queuing up for execution may truly be relegated to the sidelines of history.
A battalion of 600 to 800 men, through proper organization and deployment, can perfectly support a battle line that would otherwise require two thousand-man squads to hold!
With such terrifying firepower, he was absolutely confident that he could withstand the attack of a force of ten thousand!
As for the extraordinary?
That's something else to consider.
Moreover, faced with such firepower, even superhumans would likely have no choice but to retreat and seek opportunities to break through from the flanks of the battlefield.
Thinking this, Sir Wesley couldn't help but feel grateful that the lizardmen, known as the children of the Dragon God, were a group of peace-loving friends.
If they really want to return to the continent of Os with such terrifying weapons to compete for hegemony, even the vast Os Empire would probably find it extremely troublesome.
“By Saint Sith…we took Burial Peak in just one day.” Standing next to Sir Wesley, an officer from Campbell couldn’t help but clench his fist in excitement.
Originally, they expected that it would be quite good if they could break through the first line of defense in half a month, but they did not expect that the little rats on Burial Peak would be so easy to defeat.
At this rate, they'll probably be able to take down the entire Carrion Clan in less than six months!
"Haha, I bet the little rats of the Carrion Clan are in a panic right now!" another officer standing next to him said excitedly.
"Don't underestimate them. Their superior transcendents haven't even made a move yet. I reckon the chosen ones of the Gluttonous Rats are already getting restless."
"I'm more worried about the people behind these rats than the chosen ones. Those evil spells don't seem like something ratmen could conjure."
"Whoever did this, they'll go to hell!"
Standing to the side, the envoy of the High Mountain Kingdom, Alek Dadi, also looked stunned, his eyes wide like copper bells.
His braided beard trembled slightly as he muttered to himself.
"By the progenitor... is this power really not a forbidden elemental spell?"
Although the dwarf was also skilled in using firearms, this was the first time he had ever seen such exaggerated firepower. In contrast, Quentin Copperfurnace, who had already witnessed this scene once in the Dusk Province, reacted relatively calmly. He even felt that the mysterious Prince Colin had not yet unleashed his full power.
And that is indeed the case.
So far, the stunned ratmen are passively taking hits. Neither the Carrion Clan nor their parent clan has recovered. Weapons like magic crystal cannons and hand-cranked Gatling guns have any room to be used yet.
However, even with the strength already displayed, it is still astonishing enough!
Distance can create beauty, but it can also lead to misunderstandings.
In everyone's imagination, the isolated Kingdom of Gutaf has become a mysterious country with incredibly advanced alchemical technology and unfathomable national strength!
Looking at this group of astonished humans and dwarves, only Sak Gale, who was truly from the Kingdom of Gutaf, wore a strange expression.
He wanted to say that the continent of Gana could not compare to this place. Before coming to Thunder City, he could not believe that "ordinary people" could live in a palace that even chieftains did not have.
Needless to say, Queen Ethermata didn't have such a thing; it was clearly something His Majesty the Demon King pulled out of another pocket.
However, upon further reflection, he realized that even the esteemed Queen Ethermata was, in a sense, a "toy" of the Demon King, so it didn't matter if these people misunderstood.
So he coughed, puffed out his chest, and put on a mysterious air, deciding to let them misunderstand for the time being.
Anyway, he won't lose out.
...
Meanwhile, on the other side of the front line, a powerful shout pierced through the smoke-filled battlefield.
"Haa—!"
Eileen moved with lightning speed, her knight's longsword imbued with a dazzling divine aura, transforming into a shooting star on the battlefield.
Facing the oncoming meteor, the bronze alchemical golem, about six meters tall, stretched out its heavy arms, with dark green magic patterns faintly appearing on its palms.
Just as the two sides were about to collide, a crisp snap of fingers suddenly pierced through the battlefield, and the newly emerged magic runes shattered like glass shattered by a slingshot with a "bang".
"Dispel." (Dragon language)
Before the alchemical golem could react, a flash of sword light slashed across its neck in an instant.
The massive metal head crashed to the ground, its cut spewing forth dark green coolant that sprayed into the smoke-filled forest.
In the end, the collapsing golem was reduced to dust and vanished without a trace by the hurricane that followed Eileen's iron boots.
Clearly, this thing is not made of solid metal; it is merely a combination of alchemy, summoning, and necromancy.
In short, the composition is very complex.
"call--"
Eileen exhaled softly, twirling the Blade of Echoes in her hand and flicking the dark green coolant onto the ground. Her sharp gaze suddenly turned to the side.
Not far from where the golem had fallen, a sneaky Plague Fang assassin was lurking, its tiny, beady eyes flashing with terror.
He was just about to make his move when the human chosen one was off guard, but he didn't expect that the other party would spot him hiding in the shadows at a glance.
How did this human thing find him?!
The Gluttonous Rat Gello's blessing was enough to make his aura as faint as that of an ordinary rat. Coupled with his well-honed stealth skills, even a demigod would find it difficult to discover him.
The blessings of the gods are somewhat influenced by the power of rules, and belong to the same narrative level as the domain power of demigods and the power of wonders.
Unfortunately, the poor mouse didn't know that although Eileen was indeed a chosen one, she could no longer be considered human in the classic sense.
The vampire's nose was no less sensitive than the dwarf's; she had long since detected the suspicious aura, which could be attributed to the protection of the demon god Bayeri.
Seeing that he had missed his chance to assassinate, the Plague Fang assassin did not hesitate to dart into the shadows behind him, trying to escape the battlefield and find another opportunity.
However, before he could take a step, he found his hind paws firmly bitten into the ground, unable to move.
He looked down in horror and saw that two thick vines had somehow grabbed his feet, their sharp barbs tearing through his skin.
Paralytic toxin!
He was completely unaware of anything!
"Damn it—"
Before he could even scream, a flash of cold light appeared.
Sarah's figure appeared behind him like a ghost, and the dagger in her hand cleanly and swiftly swept across his throat, killing him in one stroke!
The battle in the distance has also ended.
Previously, the Carrion Clan's ratman artillery attempted to deploy their magic crossbows on the flanks of the Campbell Mountain Legion to counter the Gutaf Kingdom's artillery positions.
Also deployed here were six alchemical golems and hundreds of silver-grade magic scrolls... This was clearly not the work of the ratmen.
However, these items have now become spoils of war for the Duchy of Campbell.
After eliminating the threat, Sarah flicked the blood off her dagger and flashed back to Luo Yan's side.
His handsome, calm face remained completely expressionless, as if the dagger hanging at his waist had never been drawn. However, a hint of anticipation flickered in his amber eyes, like a cat waiting for its reward after completing its master's task.
Luo Yan was a demon king who knew how to best distribute his favors evenly. He didn't hesitate to praise even a fool like Alakdo, so naturally he wouldn't hesitate to praise his loyal cat.
A gentle smile appeared on his face as he nodded and spoke.
"Well done."
Upon hearing this praise, Sarah's lips curled up slightly; clearly, this was exactly what she had been waiting for.
Although she tried her best to control her expression, the slightly swaying cat ears on her head honestly revealed her inner joy.
"That guy, Gold rank... he has the aura of holy water on him."
Hmm, well done—I think I've said that before.
Looking at Sarah's expectant eyes, Luo Yan wondered if he should pat her head, but just then, footsteps came from not far away.
Eileen sheathed her sword and strode over.
Sensing footsteps behind her, Sarah quickly suppressed her earlier display of intimacy, reverting to her usual expressionless demeanor. Like a loyal guard, she retreated half a step behind the Demon King, not wanting to cause him any trouble in his grand scheme.
"Colin, are you alright?"
Eileen asked with concern, her gaze sweeping over him to make sure he wasn't injured.
Although she had already witnessed Colin's power, she still couldn't help but subconsciously carry the "stereotype" of magicians.
That is someone who needs the protection of a knight.
After straightening his neatly arranged cuffs, Luo Yan nodded slightly with a warm and welcoming smile.
"Thanks to you, with the protection of a diamond-level expert, I didn't even have many opportunities to make a move."
Sarah's lips twitched slightly, as if she couldn't help but smile.
The Demon King remains as humble and humorous as ever.
However, at this moment, Eileen's attention was not on Prince Colin's humility and humor, but on his warm and gentle smile.
She felt all her fatigue had been cured.
“Not at all… If it weren’t for your and Lady Sarah’s support, I wouldn’t have won so easily.”
Eileen's cheeks flushed slightly, and her gaze drifted away somewhat shyly.
Luo Yan said with a smile.
"You're too modest. I believe that even without me and Sarah, you would be more than capable of taking down a few alchemical golems."
He was gratified that Eileen had regained her former heroic spirit, completely emerged from the previous gloom, and transformed her hatred for evil into a positive force.
Incidentally, on that rainy night before, their relationship had unknowingly grown much closer than before.
Eileen was able to emerge from the shadows so quickly largely thanks to his comfort and guidance.
The battle was over, and an ambiguous atmosphere began to brew in the relaxed setting, even though none of the three had initially thought of it that way.
Just as Sarah was pondering whether she should continue being the Magic Lamp, Theresa strode over with a serious expression, interrupting their conversation.
"Your Highness, we have found more survivors in the caves behind the mountain. Together with the survivors we rescued earlier, the number has exceeded five thousand."
"There are so many." Luo Yan's face showed surprise. It seemed that the players had found many caves that Alacdor had overlooked.
Theresa nodded solemnly.
"This includes nearly a thousand pregnant women, and now we are facing a thorny problem: there is not enough medicine on the front lines."
A priest's magic can indeed accelerate healing, lift curses, and even regenerate severed limbs, but it is difficult to treat wounds that have been festering and infected for a long time.
Without medication, simply applying holy light can actually accelerate bacterial growth.
This is why, after rescuing the first batch of prisoners, Luo Yan did not immediately cast several large-scale group healing spells, but instead handed them over to the more professional military chaplains to handle.
For those bodies that are extremely weak, the holy light that shines on all things will not only fail to save them, but may even send them away.
Although people in this world do not yet have the concept of microbiology, they have summarized corresponding experiences from the perspective of vitality.
Therefore, in this era without hospitals, although priests can fulfill the role of doctors, the ancient profession of herbalist, which originated before the First Age, has not been replaced.
"Medicine?" Eileen frowned. "What about the church?"
"The church has tried its best, and all the monasteries in the entire Spinor territory are working overtime to produce herbs, but the herb reserves are really limited..."
A faint trace of sorrow appeared between Eileen's brows.
"Can't we urgently transport some from Thunder City? What about the local apothecary guild in Raven City? We can purchase some from the general public."
Theresa shook her head with a pained expression.
"Raven City's stock was used up on the very first day. As for Thunder City... even before this battle began, the price of potions on the market had already started to rise, and now there's no market for them at all."
Seeing Eileen's complicated expression, Luo Yan interjected at the opportune moment.
"It's probably not just a matter of price. The surge in the number of wounded has far exceeded the capacity of the existing medical system in the Duchy of Campbell. Even if the royal family were willing to pay ten times the price, without sufficient raw materials and pharmacists, they couldn't conjure up so many life-saving potions out of thin air."
Theresa nodded solemnly. Although she wasn't capable of expressing herself so incisively, this was indeed the current situation facing the duchy.
"The priests who were in charge of treating our wounded said the same thing. Although they blamed the problem on the railroad taking over the monastery's apothecary, there was no point in arguing about whose fault it was. Sir Wesley agreed to squeeze some medicines and medical personnel out of the military supplies without affecting the soldiers' treatment, but this was still a huge gap compared to the current shortage we were facing."
She paused, then continued with difficulty.
"If we don't have enough medicine and pharmacists, we may have no choice but to make choices among the wounded..."
She phrased it tactfully, but it still made the atmosphere heavy.
Just as Eileen was caught in a dilemma, a messenger came running up breathlessly, breaking the silence.
"Reporting... Your Highness!"
Eileen immediately looked at him.
"What's up?"
“An army has arrived from our south.”
The messenger looked strange, seemingly unsure how to describe what he had seen, and could only vaguely state what he knew.
"They were carrying strange flags and looked like soldiers, numbering about five hundred, but they were unarmed. The leader said they were there to support frontline medical care and asked us to let them through... However, Sir Wesley couldn't find the unit's number or where they landed from, so he asked me to ask you if you had any clues."
A mysterious force suddenly appeared within the territory of the Duchy of Campbell. Hundreds of years later, this would certainly be major news, but in the year 1054 of the Os calendar, it wasn't much news at all; at most, it made people wonder...where did they come from?
Mercenary groups or monk groups usually enter the country openly through the port, then set up camp and leave under the supervision of their lords. But this force appeared out of nowhere and came so close to the front lines.
Although they were acting under the guise of rescue, no one dared to take it lightly.
"Medical support?" Eileen's eyes lit up, and she quickly asked, "Is it reinforcements from the church?"
“No…it doesn’t seem like it.” The messenger shook his head, gesturing with his fingers. “They claim to be from the ‘Holy Knights of St. Colin’, and their banner features two crossed swords pointing diagonally downwards. There’s no such emblem on the northeast coast of the Whirlpool Sea, so we can only assume they come from a more distant place.”
Eileen looked at Colin in surprise.
"Is he one of your people?"
She didn't recall the Principality of Colin participating in the coalition's operation, but if it was His Highness Colin who was involved, then everything made sense.
Luo Yan knew what had happened, but considering that he had been on the front lines recently and had been with Eileen, he showed just the right amount of surprise.
“Two swords crossed downwards… Saint Sith above, it seems we are not the only ones who are concerned about those suffering children of the Holy Light.”
However, Vivian really has a wicked sense of humor, changing the vampire's fangs into two downward-pointing swords, also trying to ride the coattails of the Holy Light's popularity.
"Let's go take a look."
Seeing Eileen's utter confusion, Luo Yan wore a mysterious smile, deliberately keeping her in suspense.
"If those people really came to deliver medicine, then they've really helped us a lot."
-
(From now on, all illustrations will be in the bonus chapters. By the way, please vote for me with monthly tickets~~)
(End of this chapter)
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