Where Did an Army of a Hundred Thousand Come From?

Dugu Qing rubbed his arm, which was a little sore from the extreme operation, walked over to Laiwei, and stomped on his head until it was crushed.

"Your era without magic lasted only a minute. Serie, now it's time to settle accounts with the Shadow Warriors! What I hate most are those who lurk in the shadows and shoot arrows from the cold, who don't go to eliminate the Demons but only bully their own kind, making a mess of the world."

Serie gave Dugu Qing a reassuring look, then stood up from the pool of blood.

"The assassination attempt on me by the Shadow Warriors is the Empire's official declaration of war against the Continental Magic Association. From this moment forward, I declare the Continental Magic Association officially withdrawing from the Empire, and all cooperation between the two sides is hereby terminated."

The nobles looked grim, exchanged glances, and shouted defiantly.

"Lady Serie! You must have made a mistake!"

"The Shadow Warriors have long been banned by the Empire! How can you punish the Empire like this!"

"This assassination was entirely the evil act of the Shadow Warriors Commander alone. Isn't killing him enough?"

Serie walked up to Laiwei's corpse, kicked it away with an aura of dominance.

"Of course not. Laiwei is nothing but a lowly scoundrel. I am the Mage of God, the supreme ruler of this era. What is Laiwei to me?"

Serie always presents a gentle and lovely image to her students.

All the nobles believed the rumors and acted with impunity.

Now, Serie's face was flushed red with anger and fury, and she was displaying her sharp edge, so everyone immediately shut their mouths.

No one dared to reason with a woman, especially since the nobles were in the wrong.

"The Shadow Warriors were banned by the Empire, perhaps a setup you orchestrated to clear yourselves of suspicion. This assassination is far from over. If I find out that the Empire did indeed help the Shadow Warriors, given the Continental Magic Association's good relationship with the Valen Free City Venist, Valen, and the Blade Knights, hiring tens of thousands of troops to destroy the Empire wouldn't be out of the question."

Serie's eyes were sharp and piercing, her golden hair moved without wind, and her imposing aura surged forth.

The nobles in the hall were all silent, none daring to meet her gaze.

In truth, Serie wouldn't need mercenaries to punish the Empire!

At her command, countless forces, including the Southern Countries, Central Countries, and Northern Countries, the Church of the Goddess of Creation, and others, would form a blockade of the empire.

For ordinary countries, a blockade is no big deal, but the empire is in a war zone, with the Demons territory to the north.

The lack of food aid from the south was bad enough, let alone being blockaded.

"The Shadow Warriors, you're so evil!"

"Who on earth gave them those orders?!"

"Investigate! Investigate thoroughly! Find all the accomplices and exterminate their entire families!"

Inside the hall, a cacophony of voices erupted, and the reputation of the Shadow Warriors plummeted.

Seeing this, Serie snorted disdainfully and turned to leave.

Dugu Qing cast Cleansing Magic, his body was completely refreshed, and he left with Serie.

Frieren, Fern, Jian Ze, Stark... seeing that they could finally leave the politically charged ball, they all followed suit without any hesitation.

The Central Building, headquarters of the Imperial Mage Corps, located within the Second Ring Road of Imperial Capital.

The emperor entered the hall and saw the elderly Fuleisi. He suppressed his anger, removed his crown, and sat down in the main seat.

"Fuleisi, speak! What do you want with me here?"

Fuleisi adjusted her glasses, took out a long list, and slowly stepped forward to present it to the Emperor.

"The Commander of the Imperial Guard, the Mayor of the Imperial Capital, the Minister of the War Department, the Minister of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Court Mage... a total of 367 people! They have colluded with the Shadow Warriors and are plotting rebellion. Your Majesty, please order the execution of these traitors."

Upon hearing that Fuleisi intended to kill so many people, the Emperor's eyes widened. He cautiously took the list, glanced at it, and was immediately overwhelmed by immense fear.

"Fuleisi, is this how you carry the empire forward?!"

Fuleisi's aged face was expressionless, yet her aura was imposing.

"In chaotic times, harsh measures are necessary. These people are corrupt, oppress the people, and commit all sorts of evil deeds. How can a country be governed well when surrounded by such a bunch of vermin?"

The emperor sighed, his heart pounding with anxiety, and he remained unwilling to budge.

A series of hurried footsteps came from outside the hall.

Kanonie, dressed in an imperial military uniform with a sleek cloak, entered the hall, a rare hint of panic appearing on her usually cold and beautiful face.

"Your Majesty, Captain, something terrible has happened!"

The Emperor knew Kanonie's character; she would remain unmoved even if Mount Tai collapsed before her. Yet now she was so tense. Could it be that Serie had lost her temper? Was she about to smash the Imperial Capital to pieces?

Oh my god! Oh my god!

The empire is beset by powerful enemies on the outside and traitors within; is it truly Heaven's will to destroy us?

The emperor broke out in a cold sweat, his mind went blank, and he stared at the ceiling in despair.

What exactly happened?

Although the emperor was still alive, Fuleisi was confident that she had completely taken control of the situation and looked at Kanonie with a puzzled expression.

"According to scouts, an army of 100,000 has suddenly appeared ten miles outside the city, assembling siege equipment. It seems... it seems they are about to attack the Imperial Capital!"

Upon hearing this, the emperor nearly fainted, his brain malfunctioning. He stood up angrily, shouting at the top of his lungs.

"An army of 100,000! Where did this army of 100,000 come from!"

Kanonie bowed slightly, his tone chilling.

"It was the Duke Lynn, the Duke Donna, the Duke Sturm... the seven great lords who rose up together. They said His Majesty was not the late emperor's legitimate son, and that a new emperor must be chosen to restore order to the court and make the empire great again..."

The Emperor and Fuleisi's eyes met, their surprise barely concealed.

The empire once ruled almost the entire continent.

For a thousand years, the glory days have been gone, the nation's power has declined, and only a corner of the north remains.

Now, of the empire's ten duchies, seven directly administered territories, three free cities, and two commercial states, most have suddenly rebelled.

Can an empire that appears strong on the outside but is weak on the inside withstand this sudden upheaval?

"Fuleisi, things have come to this point, we should join hands and get through this together."

The emperor's gaze hardened as he coldly stared at the other person.

"No, the more urgent the matter, the more special the measures must be taken. I request the Emperor to issue an edict allowing me to control all the troops in the realm."

Fuleisi dropped all pretense, stopped pretending, laid her cards on the table, and directly demanded power.

"Okay, whatever you say, whatever you say."

The emperor was furious, but had no choice but to agree.

After all, if the rebels were to enter the Imperial Capital, he would be doomed. Now, Fuleisi only wants to control the army.

In comparison, even the despicable Fuleisi suddenly seems as cute as a little white rabbit.

The emperor can only choose to delay his death from the options of bad or worse.

"Ha ha!"

I finally got what I wanted, and now I have absolute power.

Fuleisi was overjoyed. She tossed her cloak around her neck, looking as if she had become thirty years younger, and strode away.

Throughout the millennia-long history of the empire, more than twenty dynasties have emerged, some ruling for a century and others for several years.

There's only one Fuleisi family member now, not many at all!

Fuleisi firmly believes that if she takes control of the empire, she can bring it back to its former glory.

"Lady Fuleisi has improved! The Imperial Mage Corps, including me, will surely be given more important roles!"

Kanonie followed closely behind Fuleisi.

The two walked out of the hall, where hundreds of Imperial Mage Corps members, dressed in military uniforms, were neatly arranged in six square formations and saluted at the same time.

Fuleisi stopped in her tracks, tossed the long list of the dead into the air, and stood there triumphantly.

"His Majesty has issued a decree: everyone, listen up! Those on the list, kill them without mercy!"