Chapter 230: Losing the land but surviving the people, both the people and the land survive
After this, the man named Sigismund Sinclair no longer mentioned his ideals, his hometown, or the woman he once loved deeply.
But he had not forgotten what he had been through, the carnage he had committed, or why his wife had died.
He knew he was not the son of prophecy.
He wasn't sure if everything he did was right, he just knew that he couldn't become the enemy he had been fighting against.
So he did not try to make a comeback, but began to wander around Pendor, becoming a lone ranger, killing those "evil people" who did not conform to his views of good and evil in his own way.
His armor was no longer white, but black, pure black.
Gradually, he moved away from his hometown and came to the south.
When he wandered into the territory of Bacchus, he heard about a series of reforms promulgated by Emperor Marius.
Those reform clauses seem to be all for the people’s sake…
He thought that Emperor Marius might be the true son of the prophecy, and he planned to live a peaceful life in Bacchus and never fight again.
But a small act of bravery not long ago directly wiped out the hope in his heart - he saw a Bacchus noble beating a servant and was about to beat him to death. He stepped forward to stop them and was accused of "robbing others' legal property" and was imprisoned.
The servant was a slave. Slaves were just property in Bacchus. Outsiders had no right to interfere with how their masters treated them. Interference would be tantamount to robbery...
So Sigismund applied to participate in the gladiatorial fights in prison. He was not sentenced to be a slave, but only served as a gladiator temporarily.
But after an uprising in Siyuan City, he stood with the slaves and gradually became an important figure in the uprising army - it's a bit strange to say, but he does have experience in rebellion...
The gladiators' army later grew larger and larger, in fact, it was because Sigismund was indeed very skilled in rebellion.
But this proficiency was probably also the root cause of the rebels getting out of control in a short period of time.
Because Sigismund was good at recruiting people, but he did not know how to discipline a large army, because he himself was not a disciplined person.
But what Sigismund could be sure of was that the mistakes he had made would not happen again.
He looked at the lord with a frank look in his eyes, because he really had no selfish motives - he believed that what he was doing was right.
He was doing what he had not completed twenty years ago as if by instinct.
Or rather, this was what his wife, that stubborn woman, wanted to do.
For the sake of civilians, and for a free and stable life.
The little incident caused by Sigismund alarmed everyone, but fortunately, except for Arina and Cleon, everyone present was their own people, and the final shouts were limited to "fighting for freedom."
But Alina just looked at Li Ang thoughtfully and said nothing.
General Cleon himself was born a commoner, and he said nothing.
The two of them silently led the plague fighters into Boshi City.
The Glorious Cross Plague Repellents must help Governor Justus control the Red Death in the city. This is the most important thing at the moment.
Although the plague drivers are just skilled crossbowmen without any medical skills, they at least have rich experience in preventing and controlling the Red Death, and have a determination that most people do not have.
After they entered the city, order was quickly restored in Boshi City.
Justus's mind is indeed worthy of his status. After meeting General Cleon, he handed over the management of the City of Knowledge to the Plague Repellent who is more adept at controlling the Red Death.
Afterwards, a Red Death prevention and control center was set up in the city's Great Hall of the Knights of the Glorious Cross.
In order to avoid being in the city and causing General Cleon to be restricted in his work, Justus even took the initiative to leave the city and come to the lord's military camp.
"Mr. Li Ang, nice to see you again... I didn't expect that you would be the one to save Boshi City. I must thank you."
Justus was quite calm when he entered the lord's camp, but the young imperial guards around him were all extremely nervous.
Because the gladiators who were fighting for their lives a day ago were also in this military camp.
"Sir Justus, I heard that you deliberately took the initiative to fight and delayed this army... This doesn't seem like something you 'unexpectedly' thought. It was probably your idea that your daughter came to me for help, right? If I'm not mistaken, Knight Commander Loris of the Knights of the Radiant Cross is your man, right?"
The lord reached out and took Justus into his own tent. This action was exactly the same as when he kidnapped Justus before.
"No, Loris is just my good friend, not my subordinate... I just asked Loris to try to find a powerful lord who can understand the situation for help. I know that the King of the Fierce Lion will most likely not respond to Bacchus' request. After all, Ulric is not very broad-minded..."
Justus shook his head and smiled, probably remembering the first time he met the Lord.
It was the same large military tent, the same 'arm-in-arm' posture, even the trembling looks of the visitors' attendants were exactly the same...it was just that the host and the guest had switched positions.
"Aren't you afraid that the reinforcements won't arrive? What if Boshi City is captured? You're gambling..."
Li Ang took out his small knife again, but this time he was really peeling an apple for the customer.
"I can only do my best and leave the rest to fate. After all, I have no other choice. There are internal and external troubles... At least let Luciana go to Sarleon Territory to seek help, then she will be safe..."
Justus sighed with some emotion and changed the subject: "Sir Leon, Luciana said that you will bring these gladiators to help the empire resolve the crisis?"
"Your daughter has changed her name now... Yes, I promised Alina that if you hand over Karen Deer Castle and this army to me peacefully, I will lead them to accomplish what she wants to do."
The lord nodded, cut the peeled apple in half and handed it to Justus: "Don't worry, I keep my word. The Snake Cult is our common enemy."
"I know you will keep your word. After all, this is also to eliminate the threat to your territory. If the empire collapses, your territory will be the first to suffer... I just want to ask you to rescue Dilingang first."
Justus took the apple with a look of anxiety on his face. "Just like this apple, the empire has been cut in half for a long time... I'm afraid that Dilingang will not be able to hold out for too long. If Dilingang is captured, the follow-up troops of the Snake Cult will surely invade in large numbers, just like..."
"Just like Bacchus' invasion of Pendor more than a hundred years ago... I can understand that once they have the largest port in Pendor as their base, their attacks will definitely not stop."
Li Ang looked at Justus seriously. "However, I thought you would advise me to rescue Siyuan City as soon as possible... Emperor Marius may not be able to hold on for too long in Siyuan City. Aren't you worried that the capital will be breached and the emperor will be killed? If I remember correctly, you and Emperor Marius are the closest comrades-in-arms..."
"I trust His Majesty's ability. As long as he is in Siyuan City, he will be able to hold back any enemy, including the Legion of Terror."
Justus certainly seemed to have confidence in Emperor Marius.
"It's really enviable that Emperor Marius has a friend like you... Will there be other reinforcements from the Empire that will go to rescue Siyuan City?"
Leon looked into Justus' eyes and began to eat the apple.
"...Yes, the Ashborn Empire of the Amara Continent will send the Phoenix Knights to support us... Luciana actually told you this?"
Justus frowned.
"She didn't tell me, you told me... and before you came, I actually just wrote a letter to Siyuan City for Alina."
The Lord looked at Justus and smiled: "Governor, I promise you to go to Dilingang first. But I hope you understand that we are still enemies."
"I understand, I understand... In fact, you can join the Empire. I believe His Majesty would be happy to make you the Governor of the North... You might even be chosen as the next Emperor!"
Justus looked at Leon and finally spoke out the words of recruitment.
"I no longer have the chance to join the Bacchus Empire. The gladiators outside won't agree... Besides, an old empire like Bacchus is too old for me..."
The Lord sighed and shook his head: "We can be friends, but we can only be enemies..."
…
Siyuan City.
Emperor Marius received the best good news he had received in months.
The siege of Boshi City was lifted.
This was the news that several Shadow Hunters desperately brought back, along with a letter.
Letter from Arina to Emperor Marius.
For the Bacchus Empire, if any of the three core cities was relieved, it would free up power to save other places.
If Siyuan City can be stabilized, it is only a matter of time before the crisis is resolved.
But the issue of time is a big problem.
Whether it is Siyuan City or Dilingang, I am afraid there is not much time left...
Emperor Marius now faces almost the same situation as Justus did before - the Red Death has also been discovered in the city of Siyuan.
The same internal and external troubles.
What’s more, what’s worse than Boshi City is that the enemy outside Siyuan City is the Legion of Terror!
Emperor Marius had seen this terrible legion with his own eyes from the city walls.
It was an eerily quiet army.
Their bodies had already decayed, their empty eye sockets looked lifeless, and their pale ribs were faintly visible under their green skin.
That was a bunch of withered corpses!
But their bodies in dark green armor were still obviously strong and neat. They seemed to have not forgotten their fighting instinct and had strict discipline.
The leader of the Legion of Terror was also at the front, a beautiful woman riding a long-maned horse.
She was wearing tight dark green armor, had a graceful figure, and her long black hair fell down her back from behind the helmet that covered the upper half of her face.
Behind her, there were nearly two hundred guards dressed in the same attire—they were the horned viper vanguards that the shadow centurion who had served as a scout had encountered before.
"I am Maltis! Surrender to me or be conquered by me!"
These were the only words Emperor Marius heard, spoken by the beautiful female commander of the Legion of Fear from over a hundred meters away, and only once.
But I'm afraid that everyone in Siyuan City can hear this sentence - this sentence is as if it is shrouded in magic and reaches everyone's ears, extremely clear.
Maltis...
Emperor Marius had heard of the name.
Because one hundred and fifty years ago, it was the Legion of Terror led by Maltis that broke through the capital of Bacchus on the Amara continent and destroyed the ancient Cubax Empire.
"Your Majesty, she should be a Sindar Elf, and her guards were once elven warriors. Even if they cannot ride horses during the siege, it is unlikely that we can defend the city..."
Sura, the commander of the Shadow Wolf Pack, was also on the city wall, and this time he did not hide in the shadows.
"The resurrected Sindari elf... can she do magic?"
Emperor Marius had also seen information about Martis in ancient documents. When he was young, the emperor was a librarian in Siyuan City.
Maltis was a personal guard of the Sindarin Elf King and died in the Titan War.
No one knows how she came back to life, but her name is mentioned in many historical records.
"I don't think so. We haven't seen it anyway... But the army of the undead that never dies is a powerful magic. Perhaps only the Sindarin elves have such magic power."
Sura shook his head, his blood-red pupils had shrunk, and it seemed that only the Legion of Fear remained in his eyes.
This terrifying enemy did not look like the undead at all. They were even building siege equipment, just as slow, orderly and silent as the most elite regular army.
In fact, this was not the first time that the Legion of Fear had been known to the public. Emperor Marius also knew the origin of this legion, and it was recorded in many documents.
General Sura, the commander of the Shadow Wolf Pack who came from the continent of Amara, also confirmed the situation of the Legion of Terror.
Most of the members of this legion originally came from the Third Legion of the old Bacchus Empire on the continent of Amara.
Yes, this was the main army that stayed in the Amara continent to fight against the Snake Cult after General Osa invaded the Pendor continent one hundred and fifty years ago.
The legion was annihilated in the battle with the Snake Cult.
However, when the continent of Amara fell into total chaos and the Cubax Empire gradually withdrew its defenses to the imperial capital, the dead Third Legion unexpectedly reappeared on the battlefield.
But each of them became a horrible undead, and had a new legion leader - Maltis.
The Legion of Dread was undoubtedly powerful, as it was able to destroy the mighty Old Bacchus Empire. Various documents and records all used the same statement - "it was impossible to contend with it."
Of course, the current New Bacchus is unable to confront it head-on.
And, the most troublesome thing is that the Legion of Dread is not the only enemy that Siyuan City faces.
The rebels of Shira Yuzas reappeared in the north of Siyuan City. Their military strength is unknown, but their attitude is very clear - they must have cooperated with the Snake Cult.
"Sura, are you ready?"
Emperor Marius turned around and took a deep look at the imperial palace of Siyuan City.
"Your Majesty, are you really going to do this? I still can't believe that this is what Miss Alina meant..."
Sura frowned, still looking at the Legion of Terror who were building siege equipment under the city.
"This is not Alina's idea... This is the work of Leon. Alina is still young. She can't make such a decision, nor can she say such words..."
Emperor Marius sighed: "He is indeed a great enemy of the empire, but the empire does need a great enemy like him..."
A few hours later, Siyuan City was engulfed in flames.
The Legion of Terror immediately launched an attack from the south gate of Siyuan City.
At almost the same time, Hira Yuzas's rebels also launched an attack from the north.
A fire broke out in the city, with flames shooting up into the sky. It was obvious that there was chaos inside, so this was naturally a good time to attack . The enemies on both sides were smart people.
But this time Emperor Marius did not stop the enemy on the city wall.
He allowed the rebels and the Snake Cult army to enter the city from the north and south gates, while he himself led most of the people in Siyuan City out of the city from the west and took away everything he could.
After all, Siyuan City is a coastal city with a port to the west, so it will not be attacked if it leaves from the west.
The Legion of Dread is indeed terrifying, and the defenders of Siyuan City do not dare to fight against the withered undead or demons, but it is not a problem to escape from the port.
However, there were limited ships, and many people even had to rely on driftwood to move, and most of the supplies could not be taken away.
But it is enough to get people out. The Red Death has been discovered in Siyuan City, and the Legion of Fear cannot communicate. If they fight in the city, they will eventually die.
"If you lose the people but keep the land, you will lose both the people and the land; if you lose the land but keep the people, you will keep both the people and the land. If you are facing an invincible enemy, it is better to let them defend the city while you attack them from outside."
This is what the letter said, signed by General Changhe Town...
This was the official title bestowed upon him by Emperor Marius when he was plotting to harm Leon.
But Leon only wrote this sentence, and the final decision was made by Emperor Marius.
Only His Majesty has such courage - to abandon the capital Siyuan City and use Siyuan City to trap the powerful enemy!
The Legion of Terror and the rebels of Shira Yuzas easily broke into the city from the south and the north. There were no troops left in the city, and someone opened the north and south gates.
Those who opened the city gates were those who were infected with the Red Death and were left in the city.
They were not noble enough to fight the enemy until the last minute despite being sick. They just wanted to escape from the city.
But the rebels and the Legion of Terror would not listen to their arguments. They killed these people as they rushed into the city, which was a great relief for them.
But then, the rebels and the Legion of Terror discovered at the same time that there were no living people in Siyuan City.
The raging fire burned all the supplies in Siyuan City. All the supplies that could not be taken away were piled up in the square and burned to ashes, with flames shooting into the sky.
Emperor Marius left the enemy an empty city with no people, no food, and even no clean water - all the wells in Siyuan City were filled with corpses.
There are indeed a lot of valuables left in the city, but gold and silver are things that can neither be eaten nor worn...
It is unknown whether the Dread Legion will require food and water, but the rebels of Shira Yozas certainly will.
And there is no doubt that both the Rebels and the Legion of Dread want control of the capital.
As a result, just one day later, the rebels of Shira Yuzas and the Legion of Terror engaged in a firefight in the city...
On the night when the fighting broke out in the city, several small troops outside the east gate of Siyuan City took advantage of the night and began to build fortifications outside the city.
Those were the Shadow Wolves. Led by Sura, they killed a small group of Snake Cult warriors who remained outside the city, and then blocked the east and north gates of Siyuan City from the outside.
At the same time, General Agasson's troops arrived at the foot of Siyuan City and used the camps and siege equipment built by the Legion of Fear to build a defense formation to block the south gate.
The situation on the battlefield changed suddenly. Emperor Marius sealed the Legion of Terror and the rebels in Siyuan .
