Chapter 468 Strategic Shift
Necropolis, Resurrection Square.
The standing skeletons suddenly opened their eyes and began to howl like wolves and ghosts towards the gloomy and dark square.
"MMP! Why is it gone?!"
"How can you kick a player offline before a boss fight?!"
"At least let me finish watching the CG! That angel stabbed it with a stick and then what? Did he kill the demon king too?!"
"Where's the dog plotting? Come on and get beaten!"
There was a lot of chatter in Resurrection Square.
Just a second ago, they were chaos rats that killed all enemies and risked their lives for the Demon King, but in the blink of an eye, they were "reincarnated" into skeletons.
Who can stand this?!
Unlike those newbies who were making a fuss, [Yi Ye Zhi Qiu] calmly checked the reward.
The profit is okay.
The contribution points given were just enough for him to break through his "Soul Level" to the Gold Level and raise the level cap from LV.70 to LV.90 in one fell swoop.
There should be no one faster than him in the entire server!
[Pig-Headed Knight] walked over from the side with his head in his hands, looking at the noisy newbies in the square, with an expression of watching a show on his scaly face.
“It’s like these newbies are playing this game for the first time.”
Is there any MMORPG where you can reach the maximum level as soon as you enter?
If such a good thing really happens, what will the hardworking guys who are working hard on the progress think?
To be honest, the operation team of "Catastrophe OL" is still very conscientious. At least their demon king modeling is handsome enough, and the sense of immersion and participation is strong.
The [Tauren Warrior] glanced at him.
"You said nothing."
[Pig-Headed Knight] was stunned for a moment, then scratched his head embarrassedly.
"That seems to be the case."
Suddenly, Wan: "..."
…
"Long live the Kingdom of Ryan!"
"Long live Campbell!"
"Long live Her Highness Irene!!"
The chaotic clouds finally dissipated from the sky, and boiling cheers followed the long-lost sunshine, echoing in the streets and alleys of Dusk City.
Hearing the cheers of "Long live the king", people who didn't know would think that Edward Campbell was the king who ruled this territory.
Amidst the sound of drums celebrating their victory, the army of the Duchy of Campbell crossed the devastated battlefield and entered the dilapidated provincial capital from the south gate of Dusk City.
Upon learning that the heroes who saved them had arrived, the survivors flocked to the streets, cheering and whistling for the young men entering the city.
Some excited people rushed forward to shake hands with them and even hug them.
Saint Sith above——
Praise the brave Campbell people!
After defeating the devil of hell, these brave young men once again defeated the terrible chaos for their king!
The prestige of the Campbell family was higher than ever in this land, and they were eager to invite the Grand Duke to be their king.
It’s a pity that the laws of our ancestors cannot be changed.
They could only express their overflowing gratitude with cheers and whistles.
Looking at the cheering crowd, Irene, who was riding on a horse, smiled and waved, extending greetings to the survivors on behalf of her brother.
However, when she noticed those pale and thin faces, her happy mood was tainted with a hint of sadness.
In such a huge city like Dusk, there is not a single fat person to be seen.
Whether men or women, old or young, they were all starving to the point of being skin and bones, as if they could faint at any time.
She could not imagine what these poor people had suffered before her army arrived here.
But fortunately——
It's all finally over.
At this moment, both Irene and the citizens of Dusk City were immersed in the joy of victory, unaware that a greater storm was quietly brewing in the western part of Dusk Province...
…
The Governor's Mansion in Dusk City is one of the few buildings in the city with relatively intact structures.
Servants were bustling around, placing ale and barbecue on the long table covered with white cloth, preparing to welcome the victors.
In the previous battle, in order to cope with the continuous siege of the Green Army and the endless swarm of rats, the defenders of Dusk City dismantled almost everything that could be used and pushed it onto the city wall.
Including the beams of houses.
Stacked fireplace stones, etc.
Fortunately, they still had a Governor's Palace left undemolished, otherwise they would probably have to go to the church to entertain Her Highness Irene.
Although most people believed that it was the "Saint" of the Savior Army who summoned the angels to bring down divine punishment, Governor Baron Elaric was more inclined to believe that it was the determination of the soldiers and civilians in the city to advance and retreat together and resist to the end that moved the gods in heaven.
Of course, this does not conflict with his gratitude to the Duchy of Campbell. After all, no matter how incredible the miracle is, it cannot replace human power.
If the Campbell people hadn't bravely rushed to the rescue, even if more angels came, it would probably not have changed the fate of the city being destroyed and the people being killed...
At the same time that the army of the Duchy of Campbell arrived at the Governor's Palace, Baron Elaric also returned to the Governor's Palace from the city wall.
There was no time to change out of the bloodstained armor.
When he saw Her Highness Irene walking into the hall surrounded by knights, he immediately quickened his pace to greet her and saluted with his right hand on his chest.
"Your Highness, Irene Campbell, I am Elaric Valerius, a baron appointed by His Majesty the King and the Governor of Twilight City! Please allow me to express my sincerest gratitude to you on behalf of His Majesty and the millions of surviving residents of Twilight City. Your bravery and compassion will be forever engraved in the history of Twilight City!"
His voice was hoarse and high, and trembled slightly with excitement.
Although his actions were somewhat exaggerated, anyone could feel that his gratitude was sincere and genuine.
In response to Elaric's thanks, Irene responded with impeccable noble etiquette and then answered humbly.
"Your words are too kind, Your Excellency the Governor. Resisting the Chaos invasion is the unshirkable responsibility of every human leader. We are simply fulfilling our sacred oath. As for my bravery, it is nothing compared to the bravery of those who sacrificed their lives in this battle. Please reserve your gratitude for the knights behind me and my allies from the Mountain Kingdom."
Although anyone can tell that this is just a polite remark, the dwarf brothers in the Wanren Mountains like it.
Quentin Tonglue couldn't help but curl up the corners of his mouth, like a proud monkey.
"I am as impressed by your humility as by your bravery. It is truly enviable for the people of Campbell to have a noble knight like you."
Baron Alarik bowed and expressed his gratitude again, then his eyes fell on Irene's silver hair that was as bright as moonlight.
His gaze paused slightly and he spoke hesitantly.
"Your hair..."
He had heard that the Campbell princess had beautiful golden hair, but now it had turned a regrettable silver.
Although he didn't know what happened, he could guess a little bit when he thought about the legend of "The Legend of Light".
Facing the surprised or regretful eyes around her, Irene did not hide and casually tucked a strand of silver hair behind her ear.
She was indeed very sad at first, after all, everyone loves beauty.
However, when she found that His Highness Colin didn't care and even praised her beautiful hair, the uneasiness and sadness in her heart disappeared.
She only cared about what that gentleman thought.
It was like this before, and it is even more so now.
"Your Excellency, Governor, please allow me to explain on behalf of Her Highness Irene," Theresa, who was standing behind Irene, stepped forward and explained, "In order to fight against Kailan, who sold his soul to Chaos, Her Highness was forced to use the Light of Legend in his hand to preemptively overdraw the miracle bestowed upon the Campbell family by Saint Sith... You can think of it as compensation for calling upon the miracle."
There was a whisper around, and the guests standing in the corner of the hall all had surprised expressions on their faces.
There were also a very small number of people who showed shame on their faces.
When they abandoned their territory and fled, some people burned their lives to pick up the responsibilities they left behind.
How noble this is!
Of course, those who felt ashamed were a minority after all, and the vast majority of nobles still sneered at it, or even felt disgust from the bottom of their hearts.
Count Thord Wilfort, who had a sympathetic relationship with Irene Campbell, had already died in the siege of the Green Army.
After all, humans are not sheep.
The fire burned not only the dead grass in the pasture, but also the heroism of the land.
When all the loyal and brave souls are sent away, what remains will be a group of extremely cunning and fearless rats.
Once the heroic spirit of the entire kingdom was exhausted, the Devalu dynasty would come to an end.
This must be painful for Theoden's descendants, but those who have escaped by chance should not be too happy.
Because the next one to appear will be Urgos's chosen one——
In fact, if Silas hadn't hit a wall and attracted higher-level forces to come in turn, he would have succeeded.
In other universes, he has also been successful.
Upon hearing about Irene's situation, Baron Alarik's face showed a trace of regret. He sighed deeply, his tone heavy with sorrow.
"I see... Please forgive my intrusion. I never imagined you would pay such a heavy price for us."
He knew very well what silver hair meant to an unmarried noble girl; it was almost like sacrificing her own happiness.
"You don't have to feel sad for me, Your Excellency the Baron," Irene said softly with a smile, looking at the Baron who was clearly overthinking things. "In a hundred years, we will all turn to dust. It is my honor to use this brief life to become a firefly to illuminate other souls... I believe those who love me will be proud of me, not sad."
When Erin was halfway through saying this, her cheeks felt slightly hot.
In fact, there is nothing wrong with what she said. She really believes this from the bottom of her heart, and has always practiced her oath in this way - using her power without hesitation to protect the subjects of the Duchy of Campbell.
However, unfortunately, she was unexpectedly awakened from her long sleep in the previous battle and turned into an immortal vampire.
Until now, she still hadn't figured out what had happened, and could only believe the explanation given to her by His Highness Colin.
Perhaps in Saint Sis's view, her mission is not over yet.
Rather than revealing her identity and causing trouble for herself and those around her, Irene had no choice but to maintain this beautiful misunderstanding.
Unaware of her vampire identity, everyone was completely captivated by her radiant ideals. Even the local nobles who looked down on her had complicated expressions.
The Duchy of Campbell's sending troops can be understood as fighting for land, but her sacrifice was obviously not for worldly land or money.
A priest closed his eyes, made the sign of the cross on his chest, and offered a devout prayer for the noble knight lady.
Saint Sith above——
Please allow Her Highness to stay in this world for a while longer, and do not take her away from your pious servants in such a hurry...
The atmosphere in the hall of the Governor's Mansion was tinged with a hint of sadness.
In fact, Irene didn't want this to happen, especially since she knew very well that she would not die. She really didn't want people to dilute the joy of victory because of unnecessary guilt.
Just when she was about to say something to break the sad atmosphere, a bloated and funny figure was one step faster than her.
That man was not a court jester who amused people, but a serious aristocrat, dressed in luxurious clothes. However, at this moment, he looked more like a clown than a clown.
"Your Highness Irene! Your Highness Irene!"
Theron Gad screamed as he pushed through the crowd, stumbled, and fell to his knees at Irene's knees with a thud.
Irene was startled. Seeing a greasy hand reaching out for her skirt armor, she quickly stepped aside.
Theresa's hand was already on the sword, but when she saw that the other party was a noble and of high status, she widened her eyes and held down the sword that had been drawn an inch.
But Theron Gad doesn't care.
The fear of the past few days had already crushed his spirit. He was crying and wailing even more miserably, like a baby abandoned on the roadside.
"You are finally here! Your Highness! Please make the decision for me!"
"Wait a minute, tell me who you are first—"
"Theron Gard! Earl of the Sparrow Territory! Five hundred years ago, we had an alliance with the Campbell family—"
"Shut up!" Theresa shouted angrily before Irene said anything.
Charlize Theron was so frightened that she shrank her neck and dared not mention the matter again. She immediately got straight to the point and cried about the brutality of the rebels.
"The Salvation Army! The so-called 'Salvation Army'! They claim to be servants of Saint Sith, but in reality they are just a bunch of bandits taking advantage of the situation! They stole my castle and occupied my territory! For the sake of Saint Sith, Your Highness Irene, you must stand up for me!"
Count Theron cried with tears and snot, completely disregarding his dignity as a nobleman, and everyone present was stunned.
Especially the priest of the Dusk City Cathedral, he stared at Earl Theron as if he saw a ghost... This guy was not like this when he confessed in front of the statue before!
Baron Alarik's face turned the color of liver, and he wished he could find a crack in the ground to crawl into. In front of the Campbell people, this fat pig had completely disgraced the entire nobles of the Kingdom of Ryan!
Did he think that begging would earn him the respect of his neighbors?
They will only be more unscrupulous when asking for benefits, because they will feel that the nobles of the Kingdom of Ryan do not deserve it at all!
However, Theron's title of earl was slightly higher than that of baron.
Apart from cursing in his heart, Elaric could only look away in shame and pretend that he saw nothing.
No one understood why Theron acted like this and thought he was crazy, but they didn't know that he was actually very sober, even more sober than anyone else here.
The Inquisition is on its way!
Others may not know what the angel means, but he is a smart man and realized in an instant that it is the ritual magic of the holy city!
The king could not "legally" abolish the titles of nobles, but the Vatican's tribunal could.
He must convince Irene to take back the Quemu Territory for him and bury all his mistakes in the dust before that group arrives.
Otherwise, once the Court of Inquiry knew that he had handed over his territory to a group of evil cultists, the entire Quemu Territory would be wiped out, and his family would be completely destroyed!
The entire hall fell into silence in an instant, and everyone's eyes were focused on Irene. The scene was extremely awkward at one point.
The Salvation Army is now stationed outside the city.
Although the Campbell people may not know those guys, they are comrades who have fought side by side after all, and the request made by this guy is indeed a bit thoughtless.
What if they are colluding behind the scenes?
Even if that's not the case, the Duchy of Campbell is still a vassal of His Majesty the King, and there is no way they would clean up the mess for you, an earl.
Irene looked at the earl in front of her who had no image at all, and for a moment she was a little amused and helpless. After all, she really had some collusion with the so-called saint.
That was His Royal Highness Colin's suggestion.
If her identity is accidentally exposed, Kallen can use her identity as a saint and the "Oracle" to cover her up, at least to prevent the Campbell family from being humiliated.
Irene winked at the knights beside her and asked them to help the man up.
"Anyway, you... please stand up and talk first."
…
Unlike the lively and bustling atmosphere inside the Governor's Palace, the Salvation Army camp outside the city appeared solemn and quiet.
The army of tens of thousands of people did not enter the city, but set up camp on a plain a few miles away.
Neat rows of tents were like squares on a chessboard, the patrolling soldiers walked with steady steps, and Brennan's loud voice could be heard on the training ground...that guy seemed to be angry.
They did not enter Twilight City.
As for the reason, it is not complicated.
On the one hand, the residents of the city still have certain prejudices against this complex army, and not everyone believes in "Saint Kallen" and her oracle.
On the other hand, their identities are indeed too sensitive, and forcing their way into the city will only put their friendly forces in a difficult position.
The backbone of this army was mostly rebels who once gathered in the mountains.
And the base they are proud of now, the Territory of Sparrowwood, legally speaking, still belongs to Count Theron Gad, who is currently making a scene in the Governor's Palace.
They are the victors, but also a group of "illegal occupiers" without identity.
Not to mention that the citizens of the city have complicated feelings towards them, even they themselves are hesitant about their own identities.
The war is over.
The famine seemed to be coming to an end.
If we continue to fight, it seems that our only opponents will be the king and the empire behind him...
Looking at Leiden sitting at the camp gate drinking alone, Gunter walked over to sit next to him, took the wine jug he handed over and filled his own glass.
This taste is really something you never get tired of.
Gaunt smacked his lips and praised sincerely.
"This wine is really good."
Raiden grinned.
"This is Thunder City's fine wine, said to be produced in the winery of Silverpine Forest. Honestly, I only tasted it after joining the Saviors. I'm afraid my lord has never tasted such good wine."
After drinking the red wine in the glass in one gulp, Gunter filled his own glass again and said casually.
"I heard that the Governor's Mansion is holding a banquet to celebrate the victory. You are a knight of the Kingdom of Ryan, why don't you go and take a look?"
There was an intriguing look on Raiden's face.
"What a great idea! Maybe I'll run into Theron Gad there. I bet his expression will be fascinating."
Gaunt said with a grin as he took a sip of his wine.
"I think he would be happy to mend fences with you."
Raiden shrugged.
"On the contrary, he probably wishes I would die immediately so that he could take his little, unnoticed filth into the grave."
Gaunt fell silent.
After a long while, he asked.
"What's next?"
Raiden glanced at him and raised an eyebrow.
"What's next?"
Gantt nodded and asked seriously.
"I want to know what you plan to do next."
He wanted to help these comrades who had fought alongside him and give them a good ending, but he first had to know where they were going next.
Leiden turned his gaze away from him and looked at the forest outside the barracks. His determined eyes were a little confused for a moment.
"Honestly, I don't know."
Perhaps the oracle will tell them.
…
It's not just Redden who feels confused about the future. There are also many sober people, especially the top leaders of the Salvation Army.
Not everyone is as stubborn as Brennan.
They were not naive enough to believe that "Saint Kallen" had really met Saint Sith and received any oracle from him.
But under the circumstances at that time, it didn’t matter whether it was true or false. Even the Sword Master could turn a blind eye, let alone them?
But now, things are different.
With the angel truly descending upon this sky, many things that would never have been weighed before will probably have to be weighed this time...
Luo Yan walked slowly on the slope at the edge of the camp, with his hands behind his back, looking at the outline of Dusk City in the distance.
Kallen, dressed in plain clothes, followed behind him, her gentle eyes filled with trust and piety, like a nun waiting for an oracle.
Actually, it doesn’t matter if you don’t have it.
Even better.
She had no worldly ambitions.
If there was still a desire for power and land in Brennan's eyes, and if there was still a yearning for honor and chivalry in Redden's eyes, then she simply wanted to make Mr. Colin happy.
Rather than responding to the expectations of her followers, it would be more accurate to say that she was simply trying to please the god in her mind...
"Danger is approaching."
The sudden oracle interrupted Kallen's thoughts.
She thought for a moment and asked hesitantly.
"Is it the Rat Man?"
"That's my opponent. It has nothing to do with you for now."
Luo Yan shook his head slightly, and turned his gaze from Dusk City to the distant west, as if looking through the clouds burned red by the dusk.
After a moment, he spoke.
"As for you, the threat this time does not come from Chaos, but from the Holy City."
Most people believed that the angel that descended from the sky and killed the Chaos clone with one blow was a miracle sent by the "Son of God" and a manifestation of the power of the God served by the Saint.
But Luo Yan would not deceive himself.
That pure and vast holy light energy, without any personal will, could only come from one place—
That is the holy city of the empire!
Gregory IX detected the arrival of the Chaos clone through some special channel and pressed the "nuclear button" in his hand!
It is obvious that the Holy See has set its sights on the chaotic area of Twilight Province.
Based on Luo Yan's understanding of the history of the empire, a chief judge riding a griffin is probably on the way now.
Once the chief judge arrives, all secular armies within the empire will theoretically obey his orders.
Going head-on with that kind of guy is a dead end.
As for why?
That is of course also because of the lessons of history.
Right on the land beneath his feet, a senior time traveler had already experienced it for him once, what it meant to be one step ahead of the version and be a genius, but to be two steps ahead and you are doomed.
Don’t think that the Rock Sword Saint Gaunt is now firmly on the side of the Salvation Army. That’s because the Salvation Army has been fighting under the banner of Saint Sith until now.
Once they point their swords at the church, these "rebels" who are enjoying themselves will soon realize what the true "will of the people" means and who the "people" are who are the "people's thoughts."
Kallen understood the deeper meaning behind Colin's words and said after thinking for a moment.
"You mean... the Holy See will interfere with us."
Luo Yan smiled faintly.
"To be precise, they are already here."
An ordinary person would probably have been scared to death.
However, the ignorant "Saint Kallen" was not afraid at all, she just blinked at her Lord God.
"So what do you think we should do?"
Luo Yan thought for a moment and then spoke.
"Given the methods used by the Inquisition throughout the Empire's history, I can't be optimistic that they will show leniency towards you. You must prepare for the worst."
"So we can only continue to fight, right?" Kallen smiled gently and nodded. "No problem. As long as you wish, I am willing to fight against the Church for you."
Luo Yan glanced at Karen in surprise.
He was still thinking about how to tactfully convince this simple country girl that the church did not represent the truth, the Pope was not equal to Saint Francis, and even that it was not the New Testament or anyone else who distorted the Book of the Holy Scriptures, but the priests themselves who ignored the believers.
However, now it seems that this clever girl may have known for a long time that she was not the Son of God, and the only person she trusted from the beginning was herself.
This saved him a lot of time.
Reading the surprise on Mr. Colin's face, Karen blinked gently, and a playful blush appeared on her quiet and gentle face.
"I seem to have surprised you. Can I be proud of myself for a moment?"
"Of course... yes," Luo Yan smiled after coming back to his senses, and looked at her with appreciation, "You have a high level of comprehension. It seems I can teach you some advanced skills."
"It would be my honor." Kallen nodded slightly and responded softly, ready to listen to the oracle.
Looking at the "Saint" whom he had personally cultivated, Luo Yan thought for a while and spoke.
"The larger the organization, the more complex its internal forces. This is true for principalities, kingdoms, and empires."
"If you want to survive in this tight spot, you must grasp the core pain points of different forces, discover their interests and demands, and the constraints between them, and then unite all the forces that can be united and make them work for you."
"At the same time, strategically, you must learn to move your organization from under the sun to underground where the sun doesn't shine."
"Can you... be more specific?" Kallen's face showed confusion, and she obviously couldn't fully digest these words.
Luo Yan was not surprised by her reaction. It just proved that she was thinking about it, but she just couldn't think of it due to her limited vision.
He gave an example and she quickly understood.
"For example, Theron Gard, whom I asked you to let go. I can guess without even looking. He's definitely hugging Irene's thigh right now, crying and complaining, begging the Duchy of Campbell to send troops to reclaim the territory you've taken... before the Inquisition arrives here."
"But honestly, that idiot is daydreaming. Even if Irene is a military genius and takes back his territory for him in one minute, he won't be able to clean up the shit off his ass in the remaining few days."
really.
As he expected, the extremely clever Kallen grasped the core of the problem in an instant, her bright eyes flashing with cunning.
"But we can do what Erin couldn't, reclaim his territory for him one minute and wipe it clean the next... Am I right?"
"clever."
Luo Yan looked at Karen with appreciation, as if he were looking at a cunning little fox, and continued.
"The castle's church is still standing, the priests and nuns are still alive, and compared to the rest of the land, you are a paragon of piety."
"Those who once turned a blind eye to you were forced to obey you in the past, but now they are all your 'accomplices'. As long as you are not caught by the Inquisition, everyone will help you, because it is also for their own benefit."
"As for Count Theron Gad, he is your mascot. If you want to step back from the stage, you must push the legal lord to the front. As many steps as the Inquisition takes forward, you must step back. They will eventually leave here, and you will become a ghost that cannot be killed by swords."
After hearing this, Kallen completely understood what Lord Godson meant, and a smile of understanding appeared on her face.
Now there was only one last thing she couldn't decide on.
“What if Theron Gad doesn’t cooperate?”
"He's a smart guy and will cooperate."
Luo Yan smiled slightly.
"If he's not smart, get him a smarter 'Gad."
The first people to assist the Salvation Army in the Necropolis were not the "Grenadiers" and "Organ Cannons", but the intelligence personnel trained by Sarah.
That thing is not used to deal with the Green Forest Army.
He had expected this day to come, but he didn't expect it to happen so soon.
(End of this chapter)
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