Chapter 412
"What? You think I'm joking? Believe me or not, I'll eat her right here and now."
Everyone looked at each other, as if they were forcibly holding back their laughter.
Heredrey was unaware of the situation and assumed they had only a casual relationship with Lupo. That's why he was so indifferent when their lives were threatened, standing there watching the show.
In reality, everyone was thinking, "Of all people to mess with, this old guy had to provoke Texas. She's Shi Lei's first wife, and she's nearby."
This Old Man is going to suffer a lot later.
The strength of the Jade Shield is undeniable; it seems no one has ever been able to break it. Ines once asked Broca, who said he was powerless to help either.
Therefore, the group was not worried about Texas's personal safety and waited for Shi Lei to arrive and rescue her.
Mudrock wanted to make a move, but his opponent was much faster. Making a rash move might provoke the Old Man, so it was better to do nothing.
Seeing everyone's confident and fearless demeanor, Texas naturally understood what it meant.
But she was the only one kidnapped at the scene; it would be so embarrassing to wait for her own man to come to her rescue.
Texas didn't have time to wait for Shi Lei; she wanted to resolve the crisis herself. In an instant, Originium Arts, sending a torrential Sword Rain directly at the Old Man's face.
The King of Scavengers showed no panic upon seeing this. Although this type of Originium Arts was highly effective against ordinary soldiers, it caused him little harm. It would probably take many scrapes to inflict even a slight injury.
Seeing that the Sword Rain of swords had no effect, Texas unleashed the Xuanji Screen behind her. This move was impossible to defend against and actually forced the King of Scavengers aside.
Before the opponent could make another move, countless Texas stones appeared around Texas, allowing her to successfully break free.
"Hmph, you dare to show off your meager skills before an expert!"
The King of Scavengers admitted that the Originium Arts that had just unfolded the screen was somewhat unexpected. However, it was only troublesome, not entirely insurmountable.
He moved behind Texas with incredible speed and reached out to grab the other man's shoulder.
Just as he was about to touch it, a blurry, indistinct figure appeared out of thin air before the King of Scavengers. Before he could even react, his entire hand was forcibly twisted by a tremendous force, almost snapping it off.
The King of Scavengers groaned, trying to forcefully pull his hand away, but he was no match for the opponent's strength.
His eyes narrowed, and his left hand transformed into Blood Blade. He slashed down, severing his right hand, and only then was he able to create some distance.
After escaping with his severed arm, the King of Scavengers's wound began to sprout disgusting, wriggling granulation tissue. It began to rapidly regenerate into the shape of his right hand at a visible speed.
For these Scavengers, even the most severe injuries can be quickly healed by devouring flesh and blood.
"Jah..."
Before the King of Scavengers could even utter a second laugh, he was inexplicably thrown into the air. He couldn't even see his opponent's movements clearly before suffering a massive blow to his abdomen. He crashed to the ground, creating a crater covered in spiderwebs.
"Ugh..."
The King of Scavengers vomited two mouthfuls of black blood, only then realizing the gravity of the situation, and hurriedly spoke:
"Wait a minute, I surrender!"
Only then did the afterimage gradually take on a physical form. Shi Lei stood at the edge of the pit, coldly staring at the strange Old Man who exuded a putrid stench.
The King of Scavengers secretly observed, but was surprised to find that the other party did not have any obvious racial characteristics on its head.
"Um, friend, it's a misunderstanding. Really, it's all a misunderstanding. I discovered that this Miss is from a branch of the Child of Earth and Stone of the Ten Royal Courts, and I wanted to give her a chance to become stronger. I have no ill intentions towards you."
This remark almost made Shi Lei laugh.
If holding a weapon to Texas's neck isn't considered malicious, then what would be considered malicious?
Flexible judgment criteria?
Ever since meeting Ifrit in Trimon, Shi Lei had studied the Ten Royal Courts of the Sarkaz, learning about the past glories of these races.
This guy reeks of decay, much like Scavengers. He's interested in the bloodline of the Ten Royal Courts, so he's probably in cahoots with the Sarkaz. Even if he isn't, daring to threaten Texas with a weapon is a death sentence.
Considering the Old Man's abnormal self-recovery ability that he had just displayed, Shi Lei stopped using physical methods and went all out from the start.
Although the King of Scavengers has lived for thousands of years, he cannot cultivate Psychic Power. Compared to the King who cultivated his Psychic Power within the seal, he is many times weaker.
A surge of intense Psychic Power flooded his mind, the intense stimulation causing his brain to shut down instantly. It felt as if a thick, long steel needle had pierced his brain, and he fainted immediately.
Meanwhile, the Doctor and his companions outside the alcohol plant encountered Sarkaz Soldier who had come to reinforce them.
To protect the Doctor's safety, Amiya gathered energy in her hands, forming Black Lines that forced the enemies back.
The Sarkaz Soldier were instantly enraged by this sight, their expressions filled with disgust.
"Are you the Xenolithic Heir?"
Amiya did not give a direct answer, but tried to persuade the Sarkaz Soldier in a gentle manner:
"Now that you know who I am, can we stop and have a proper chat? We're not necessarily enemies; we're all working hard for this land."
"Ha, what a joke. Xenolithic Heir? That's the power of us Sarkaz Demon King! Just seeing you use it makes me want to vomit. I won't allow you to sense my emotions. Die!"
They fired Mechanical Crossbow at Amiya and the Doctor, but were unable to penetrate the Jade Shield's defenses.
Upon seeing Rhodes Island surrounded, Crownslayer and Clovicia immediately sent reinforcements. A fierce battle ensued, and the situation gradually spiraled out of control.
Fortunately, not long after, the appearance of one person boosted the morale of the Self-Rescue Army soldiers. Someone recognized the woman who had escaped from the alcohol plant and exclaimed:
"Look! It's Miss Heidi!"
The Self-Rescue Army gained high morale and joined forces with the Glass Gang to deal with the Sarkaz reinforcements.
Having achieved her rescue mission, Clovicia knew it was no longer safe to linger and immediately ordered everyone to retreat.
"Once the demons lose contact with this place, they will quickly send more City Defense Army as reinforcements. Everyone, quickly clean up the battlefield and evacuate in an orderly manner under my command!"
Heidi looked back at the alcohol plant, reluctant to leave.
"Clovicia, there are still some citizens of Londinium inside. We need to rescue them quickly."
"We don't know when the demon reinforcements will arrive, so the sooner we leave, the better. If we don't take these citizens with us now, we won't be suspected of being involved."
"But I can't risk their lives!"
Amiya, upon hearing that there were still people inside, echoed Heidi's suggestion and advocated for going in to rescue them:
"The lives of the citizens matter too. Let's go in and save them no matter what. Doctor Zhongli hasn't returned yet; he's probably dealing with other enemies. Since Miss Heidi has returned safely, it means the obstacles on the road have been cleared."
Clovicia remained silent for a moment, then gritted her teeth and agreed to this daring and adventurous plan:
"Alright, the Reconnaissance Team will continue to observe outside the factory. The rest of you, come with me inside to rescue the civilians!"
June 23, 5:00 pm
The Shard, Londinim-Sadion district.
Three hours after the alcohol plant went missing, the Sarkaz Military Committee, formed by Theresis, held a meeting.
The organization's main members consisted of the Ten Royal Courts, as well as generals including Manfred.
It was called the Ten Royal Courts 'Ten Royal Courts, but now it exists in name only. The Flame Demon are confirmed to be extinct, the Stone Wing Demon are suspected to be extinct, and the Wendigo are on the verge of extinction. The Cyclops are not participating in the battle, Mistress of Banshees has defected to Rhodes Island.
The Ten Royal Courts only of Bloodfiend, Scavengers, Liches, and the elusive Shapeshifter.
The Blood Demon Great Lord propped his legs up on the round table, yawning listlessly. He had obtained the mission to help Manfred search for Rhodes Island, but had come up empty-handed.
"What's wrong with that Scavengers guy? Why are we all waiting for him?"
He was unable to contact the King of Scavengers and did not know his whereabouts. The last communication was two days ago, when he said that the army was about to arrive in Londinium.
After waiting for ten minutes without seeing anyone, Theresis placed her hands on the table and turned her gaze to the crowd present:
"Let's not wait for the Scavengers. This meeting, which concerns the future of the Sarkaz, shall now officially begin!"
[Urge Update Sign-in]
The book is currently at chapter 10 of the main storyline; chapters 11 and 12 depict events that occurred within a few days.
The plot of Chapter 13 of Arknights is expected to be released after October 8, 2023.
I originally intended to write a side story after sealing the Sui Beast, but I really didn't want to drag it out.
The author will begin to simulate and predict the subsequent content from this point, and will adapt the events based on the changes made by the protagonist.
If any future plot developments differ from the official version, readers should refer to the author's version when reading this book.
Chapter 490 The Fierce Battle of the Strong (4K)
When the King of Scavengers still hadn't arrived after ten minutes, Theresis decided to wait no longer. He surveyed the scene and addressed the members of the Military Committee attending the internal meeting:
"The purpose of today's meeting is to discuss the future of the Sarkaz. I believe you are all very concerned about the progress of the research projects at The Shard Building."
First, I need to thank a Gallic Noble who wishes to remain anonymous. Without his provision of airship technology, we would never have been able to build such a revolutionary spaceship. His contribution was also indispensable to another project that would change the landscape of this land.
If we eventually defeat the alliance of nations and gain control of our territory, we will designate a special area to allow this meritorious general to regain the glory of Gaul."
Hearing Therese make this promise publicly in front of so many people...
A short man wearing a mask and black stockings, sitting in the corner, nodded in satisfaction.
Speaking of Gaul, it is a country that has been completely wiped off the map of Terra.
In the past, Gaul was a superpower that dominated this land.
Corsica I, the last emperor of Gaul, implemented many reforms during his reign. He also drafted a new imperial legal code and issued numerous laws. This greatly enhanced Gaul's industrial potential and military strength, leading to a prosperous and thriving nation.
The prosperity of Gaul and the ambition of Corsica I swelled like a sponge that had been soaked with water.
The imperial army began to expand outwards, constantly encroaching on the lands of neighboring countries. It was not until they attempted to bring Sargon under their control that they aroused strong alarm among the major powers.
Ultimately, between 1020 and 1030, a fierce 'Four Nations War' broke out between Gaul and Sargon, Victoria, and Ursus.
First, Sargon started the war, confronting the imperial army of Gaul. As Victoria and Ursus intervened in the war, Gaul began to show signs of decline.
This four-nation war nearly depleted Victoria's military reserves, indirectly leading to Columbia breaking away from central control, assembling its army, and declaring independence.
Even so, Gaul still suffered a bitter defeat. Emperor Corsica I was sent to the guillotine, and his territory was divided up by Victoria and Sargon.
From that point on, Gaul ceased to exist.
Various handicrafts and winemaking techniques from China flowed to other countries, but the nobles and old powers were still unwilling to give up and were always thinking about restoring their former glory.
However, after decades of trials and tribulations, those last nobles passed away one after another. Their descendants did not have the same ambitions as their elders; they only hoped to own a piece of land to take in the Gaul refugees who had been scattered to various places.
Theresis was very lenient with these Gallic Noble, not only providing them with ample conveniences but also appointing a former Gallic Officer to be in charge of city defense and security.
Although such behavior may have been intended to impress the Gallic Noble, it's better to actually do it than to just make empty promises; at least the attitude was correct.
Both the vanquished Gaul and the repeatedly targeted Sarkaz were like drifting duckweed, sharing a similar plight in some ways.
Their shared experience of being enemies with the world brought them together, which is not surprising.
Theresis made his promise in front of so many members of the Sarkaz Military Committee to demonstrate his stance to the Gallic Noble in the corner.
After all, both projects in The Shard Building were projects he was in charge of. With the Sarkaz illiteracy level, it would have taken them hundreds of years to achieve this.
Making a public commitment is like giving the other party peace of mind, preventing them from failing at crucial moments.
Theresis turned her head and glanced at the Gallic Noble in the corner, then looked away and continued:
"As you all know, the plans for The Shard Building were kept strictly secret. It wasn't that I didn't want to talk about it, but rather to ensure the plan could be successfully completed."
Now that we're about to reach the stage of verifying the results, it's time to tell everyone the truth. With the help of this Gallic Scientist, we have successfully developed a device capable of causing and manipulating the course of Storm Cataclysm.
More than one person had warned me before that occupying Londinium would put us at odds with other countries. With the Sarkaz's current military strength, they were simply not capable of dealing with it.
But things change once we have the device to create Catastrophe. We can gather storms to create Catastrophe and direct them towards Victoria or Sargon.
A Catastrophe that continues to rage and expand within our borders will make other countries hesitant to act. We can then use this as an opportunity to gain a breathing space of 20 to 50 years.
The Sarkaz are currently in a situation where they will be attacked and wiped out if they don't become stronger. That's why I went to Londinium and devoted myself to creating the device that would cause Catastrophe.
For a long time to come, we will need to recuperate and rebuild. Only in this way can we defend our homeland when faced with encirclement and suppression by various countries in the future!
The two projects on The Shard Building will enter their final stages tomorrow. After final testing, they can be officially deployed to the battlefield.
Everyone here today is a witness to and participant in this momentous event. I hope that you will strengthen the Defense Zone over the next two days. Once we pass the final test, we can take action against the various Duke who have been stationed outside the city for more than half a year."
"Ha!"
Upon hearing this, the Blood Demon Army's eyes lit up:
"Your Majesty, of all that you've said, this is the most agreeable. I've wanted to take action against these Dukes for a long time. I've been holding back until now, and I'm about to explode with frustration."