Chapter 413
Theresis wasn't annoyed at being interrupted; he completely understood the Blood Demon Great Lord's feelings.
"I know you've all been tolerating those Duke's Army for too long. When the time comes to endure no more, this land will finally bear the brunt of our fury! Now, there are a few things I need to tell you."
At this point, he gave a wink to the masked Confessors Leader beside him. The latter understood, stepped forward, bowed slightly, and introduced himself to the crowd:
"Greetings, members of the Sarkaz Military Committee. Over the next two days, a total of three forces will pose a threat to the Central Urban Area."
Firstly, there were the Dukes stationed outside the Londinium City. They constantly sought to use the pretext of 'liberating Londinium's to lead a large army into the city, and then use this opportunity to declare themselves kings.
Although they outnumber each other the most, they pose the least threat. Unless the contents of the meeting are leaked, it will be too late by the time they realize what's happening.
Secondly, there's the Londinium Self-Rescue Army, who have been hiding in the city and constantly opposing us. They are poorly equipped, but they have the advantage of familiarity with the terrain and a large number of people. They often hide in residents' homes or in the intricate underground pipe network, making them very difficult to eradicate completely. In the next two days, you can send additional personnel to areas within your Defense Zone that connect to the underground pipes, in case of any unexpected events.
The last force, as some may already know, is the Xenolithic Heir received the 'Demon King Power' from Her Empress. They have led Rhodes Island's assassins and elite troops into Londinium. They are the fewest in number, but pose the greatest threat. If anyone spots any Rhodes Island members in the Defense Zone, it is best to report it immediately. Our King will coordinate efforts to nip these dangers in the bud as soon as possible."
Upon hearing this, the Blood Demon Army scoffed.
"Ha, an assassin? What use are assassins? They're not going to come and assassinate our king, are they?"
"That's really true."
Manfred had his own informants in the royal court who learned about Ascalon's affair:
"It's said that this afternoon, Rhodes Island assassins infiltrated the Shard Building. The Confessors Leader clearly spotted them, yet let them go. I don't understand if this was negligence on his part, or if he had ulterior motives?"
"Enough, Manfred!"
Theresis usually took good care of him, but at this moment she had to interrupt him rudely:
"Don't say anything that could undermine unity. I don't want anything to go wrong in the next couple of days, understand?"
"Yes, Your His Highness!"
Londinium, Temporary Camp for the Self-Rescue Army.
Because the Sarkaz City Defense Army frequently launch raids and sweeps across various areas of the city, the Self-Rescue Army do not have a fixed headquarters. They rotate between different camps and do not stay in one place for too long.
W and Ines ran into an old friend, so they didn't go into the factory with Shi Lei and Clovicia.
"Speaking of which, it's quite unexpected that Theresis spared your life. I haven't heard from you in a long time; I thought you were long dead."
"..."
Heredrey remained silent in the face of W's sharp tongue.
He was always like this when the trio worked together before; he often kept quiet and acted like a cool guy.
Now that Heredrey has lost his left eye and wears a black eyepatch, his closed mouth makes him appear even more ruthless.
Seeing that he didn't respond, W raised an eyebrow and grinned mischievously:
"Tsk, you're not doing so well now. Do you regret your decision back then? If you had come with me to Liyue City, you might be managing three or five hundred people by now."
Upon hearing this, Heredrey asked with a puzzled expression:
"Liyue City? You're not from Rhodes Island?"
Despite W's sharp tongue, she's actually happier inside than she appears, because she doesn't have many friends to begin with.
"Heh, it's a long story. Heredrey, do you remember Scout from Babel? He was a really good sniper and master of stealth."
"Um."
"When I first joined Rhodes Island, he was the one who received me. When he heard I wanted to join, he immediately recommended Liyue City. He said that if he weren't Rhodes Island operator, he would have retired to Liyue City. I figured Scout wasn't the type to talk big, and since Ines wasn't around, I couldn't find anyone to argue with, so I went to check it out."
Ines's face immediately fell, and she glared at her:
"Why are you dragging me into this story about how you joined Liyue City? I just hope you don't come; your chattering is incredibly annoying."
Upon seeing the familiar scene of bickering, Heredrey's memories seemed to return to the past, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.
After the two had finished their banter, W finally brought the conversation back to the main topic:
"Hey, what happened to all those people who used to follow you? If they're all still alive, come to Liyue City and join me."
Heredrey looked at W with the same dismay and helplessness a father would show his daughter, which ultimately turned into a soft sigh:
"You're still the same, always trying to poach my people."
"Hahaha, is Schwab still alive? He carried you for a whole day and night, dodging more than a dozen Theresis's assassins. Such a close friend, yet he's not by your side. Did something unfortunate happen to him?"
Heredrey paused upon hearing the name, and after a couple of seconds, he began to explain:
"W, you're mistaken. He left the team back when he was assigned to protect Rhodes Island."
"Alright, your memory has always been better than mine. But there's something I'm curious about. You risked being killed to join Theresis, and now you've ended up in this sorry state. Have you ever regretted it?"
"..."
Heredrey knew perfectly well why she would say such things to embarrass him. It was because Theresis, whom he had sided with, was the murderer of Theresia. And the person W admired and revered most in her life was Her Empress.
Seeing a former comrade working for a mortal enemy makes the other party's venomous words and sarcasm understandable.
"W, don't try to provoke me. I'm glad to see you and Ines have found a good place. But not all Sarkaz can be like you. We don't have better options, only worse ones."
"Ha."
W laughed, shaking his head in disagreement.
"Did I hear that right, Heredrey? Are you trying to use that lame excuse of 'bad circumstances' to cover up your incompetence? You can fool others all you want, but don't fool yourself too."
Heredrey, and after several seconds he slowly spoke:
"W, you weren't always so aggressive in your words. Do you have to make everyone unhappy before you're satisfied?"
W showed a look of disgust upon hearing this; she was simply unhappy that Heredrey had joined Theresis's ranks.
After the Empress's assassination, the regent extended an olive branch. If Heredrey wanted to serve him, why didn't he go then? Why is he now becoming a henchman?
"What else could I do? Seeing an old friend come back from the dead, I'm being merciful by not blowing you up. I never imagined I'd be associated with that word one day."
Heredrey raised an eyebrow slightly, acknowledging this:
"This sounds like your true thoughts. Are you finally willing to be honest with me?"
W clenched his fists silently, no longer concealing his anger.
"Tsk, that's what I hate about you. Just like Ines, you always think you can see right through me. Haven't you knelt before Theresis enough times to be unable to see through his hypocrisy?"
Heredrey, show some semblance of a mercenary. Draw your sword, I challenge you to a duel!
I'm going to teach you a lesson, you fool! Let's see if I'll stab your last eye with a dagger, or if you'll plunge a sword into my heart!
Despite losing an eye, Heredrey was not intimidated by the threat.
When disagreements arise among mercenaries, they often don't resort to philosophical arguments, but rather settle things with fists and kicks.
In Kazdel, where the law of the jungle prevails, whoever is stronger has the right to speak.
There's no conflict that a fight can't resolve. If it ends in a draw, then we'll have another fight.
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Chapter 491 But I Refusal (4K)
The tense atmosphere between the two men quickly attracted the attention of the other Self-Rescue Army in the Temporary Camp.
Their homeland had been occupied, and they already harbored deep hatred for the Sarkaz. This resentment usually extended to the entire race, treating everyone equally regardless of whether the other side was good or bad.
Had it not been for Commander Clovicia's assurance that these Rhodes Island operator were allies, it would have been absolutely impossible for them to cooperate with any Sarkaz.
Now that they see the two Sarkaz about to fight, they naturally have no reason to stop them. Regardless of why they start fighting, it's always the Sarkaz who get hurt. If one of them dies in the fight, they'll even cheer.
Even more extreme, some people started betting on the spot.
The battle between the Sarkaz is indeed full of dramatic flair, making it hard to ignore.
As soon as the betting opened, more than a dozen Self-Rescue Army placed bets nearby. Whether they could win money or not was secondary; they just wanted to see the Sarkaz tear each other apart and fight amongst themselves.
"Pierre, I'll buy that male Sarkaz for 1,000 Victoria Coins. I saw him when I went to the factory to work overtime before; he seems to be Manfred's confidant. I heard he used to be a legendary mercenary, and his strength shouldn't be underestimated."
A member of the Self-Rescue Army who had bought W's stock retorted sarcastically upon hearing this:
"That female Sarkaz is no ordinary person. She just entered the Abandoned Distillery with four other women and one man—six people in total. They dealt with nearly a thousand Sarkaz inside, and did it incredibly swiftly and efficiently. If the male Sarkaz were more capable, they wouldn't have been brought back as prisoners."
"Oh? Is that so? Pierre, can I change my character to a female Sarkaz now?"
The person opening the betting booth shook his head and put the money away.
"Tsk, do you even understand the rules? Wherever you place a bet, it's a one-time thing, you can't change it."
"Okay, I guess I lost at cards. I just hope they play intensely and don't disappoint me."
Looking back at Heredrey and W, both had already drawn their weapons and were ready to fight. The onlookers quickly made way for them, giving them enough space to fight.
Ines crossed her arms and looked disgusted, showing no intention of playing peacemaker.
In the past, as long as they didn't throw the game, Heredrey would definitely win; he never won when playing seriously against W.
But now, the situation is different. First, he lost an eye, and his eyesight is greatly impaired. In addition, Lord Shi Lei is nearby, and the shield has not been withdrawn.
As long as the Jade Shield is on W, even if his hand-to-hand combat skills are lacking, he will be invincible. It can be said that from the very beginning, the outcome of this battle was already predetermined.
W gripped the dagger in his right hand, licked the back of the blade with the tip of his tongue, and then lightly ran it across his left thumb. Seeing that the blade hadn't left a wound, he nodded in satisfaction.
Before joining Liyue City, her combat style was primarily focused on long-range sniping with close-range assassination as a secondary strategy. Her priority was survival, followed by maximizing damage output.
But after going on a mission with Lord Shi Lei, the feeling was completely different. Even when surrounded by dozens of Sarkaz Sorcerer, I didn't suffer any damage.
This kind of combat, where you don't have to worry about defense and can just focus on attacking, is incredibly addictive for W. She hadn't had enough of killing at the Abandoned Distillery and wanted to eliminate more of Theresis's subordinates to vent her anger.
Heredrey wielded a massive Greatsword in both hands, swinging it with tremendous force. It was clear he was pursuing a path of overwhelming power and destructive force.
Moreover, the Greatsword has a considerable attack range; a single sweep can cover a large area. If the moves are used properly in battle, it is difficult for the enemy to get close.
This time, W took the initiative to provoke the other party and initiated the challenge. Heredrey had no better choice, so he complied with the other party's wishes.
"Come on, W. It's been a year. Let me see just how much you've grown."
W grinned mischievously, his words still sharp and unforgiving.
"Hahaha, don't say I'm bullying you. Since you can't see with your left eye, I'll give you your left hand. This time, I'll make sure you lose fair and square, so you won't have any excuses later."
Heredrey knew W loved to talk big and didn't take his words to heart. This battle was no joke, and he wouldn't hold back like before.
"Stop talking nonsense and get to it."
He gripped his Greatsword and assumed a fighting stance, but did not launch the first attack; instead, he waited for W to make his move before counterattacking.
She may have learned something else this year, but she needs to figure out the approach before formulating a battle plan.
After learning that Jade Shield had been activated, W abandoned guarding the central gate and swaggered towards the opponent.
Ultimately, she was simply unhappy that Heredrey had joined Theresis's ranks. That behavior was more disgusting than swallowing a fly, making W extremely uncomfortable.
Whether she cheated or not is irrelevant. She just wanted to give Heredrey a good beating to bring him to his senses.
Moreover, Lord Shi Lei has already entered the camp and is discussing official business with the Self-Rescue Army Commander. Since there is no one on site to provide the shields, the shields are essentially one's own.
No problem.
Seeing the other party approach without any warning, a fleeting look of doubt flashed in Heredrey's eyes.
He wasn't sure if W genuinely didn't want to defend, or if he wanted to wait until he made his shot before suddenly changing his strategy.
Before she could even think, her opponent was already within attack range. Heredrey swung his Greatsword, bringing it down on her head!
Seeing that W made no move to dodge, he suddenly loosened his grip. He then placed the sword against the other man's pale neck and asked with a serious expression:
Are you in such a hurry to die?
"Heh, you're the one who's going to your death!"
Before she finished speaking, W had already rushed forward. Unlike Greatsword, her dagger's attack range was only half a meter. She thrust it in from an unusually tricky angle from above.
Heredrey's basic skills were very solid; he withdrew his Greatsword to parry and successfully neutralized the attack.
W kept attacking, and he kept defending. Until he caught an opening and slashed with his sword again.
Although he didn't know what she was up to, Heredrey wouldn't be lenient again.
You forced me to do this!
The Greatsword swung with a whooshing sound, heading straight for W's shoulder. Instead of retreating, the latter advanced again, thrusting his dagger at a tricky angle, seemingly trying to trade blows.