Chapter 472
The intelligence networks of the various Duke were previously located in the Mid-level District, with little information available about the Central City District.
The region has a large Sarkaz Garrison, which prevents non- Sarkaz from approaching military facilities and important locations.
Even with former Victoria soldiers who had surrendered earlier acting as informants, they were unable to obtain more information.
After the airship exploded, the various Duke, to avoid the possibility that the Green Flame were a contagious virus, withdrew and quarantined their intelligence personnel, resulting in slower intelligence gathering than before.
Duke Windermere's intelligence source was Texas, who obtained a telephone from the Self-Rescue Army.
She and the Doctor knew that helping the city's residents on their own was too slow, so they proactively contacted each other for assistance.
Given that the Shapeshifter had abandoned their Decapitation Operation because of Zhongli's reputation, Duke Windermere, in order to repay this favor, temporarily put aside his grudges and sought cooperation.
"What did you say?!"
These two leaders of the Ten Royal Courts were Theresis's right-hand men. If they were to fall in battle, it would mean a significant reduction in the Sarkaz Army's fighting strength.
Duke Windermere, knowing they would react this way, calmly continued:
"Now that the Shard Building has fallen and the Sarkaz City Defense Army have surrendered, I asked Duke Godot to bring me here because there is something more important to discuss with you all. The massive storm that the Sarkaz were developing in the Shard Building has been successfully activated. We have yet to find a way to shut it down. The storm is still expanding, and I believe you will receive a report soon."
I hope you can send troops to evacuate the city's inhabitants as soon as possible. There are nearly a million people in Londinium, and I alone am powerless to do so."
When war begins, ordinary people are like trash that can be discarded at will, like cannon fodder that can be ignored.
When war is raging, the common people serve as a buffer between the Duke and the Sarkaz, and are also movable targets.
When the war ended, the common people became the heart and soul that the Dukes vied for, a political bargaining chip to demonstrate their victory.
Upon hearing this, Duke Godot was the first to express his opinion:
"Most of the Victorians, and it is my duty to help them. However, I have limited numbers and can only do what I can. The rest will depend on you all."
That's true, but everyone knows that he will send more soldiers to help the people, not fewer.
The Duke Wellington, who supports Ablana, a descendant of King Gael, also needs to win over the hearts of the people.
He wasn't worried that the renowned Duke Windermere would lie about such a matter. He only needed to Scout scouts to investigate further to ascertain the truth of the intelligence.
"We suffered considerable losses in our previous operations. But if the people are in trouble, we will definitely send warships into the storm to provide rescue and assistance, while also relocating the affected people in the city to safety."
This statement was utterly false; if the Dukes truly cared about the people, they wouldn't have waited outside the city for half a year. However, the four Duke present tacitly refrained from pointing it out.
If the deaths of the King of Scavengers and the Blood Demon Great Lord are true, then Theresis probably won't last much longer.
After the Sarkaz withdrew from the stage of war, it was time for various Duke to take the stage. Whatever they were planning behind the scenes, they no longer needed to hide it.
To quell external threats, one must first secure internal stability.
Having received the endorsements of all three Dukes, the Duke Kester, naturally unwilling to be outdone, offered his own promise:
"I will send people to help the people, and I can also guarantee that the Duke Faf and the Duke Normandy will participate."
The subtext of this statement is that these two Dukes have already sided with Kester. If any conflict arises in the future, the Duke present should carefully consider their options.
This was the Duke Kester's territory, Duke Wellington, not wanting to be presumptuous, coughed twice and took his leave.
"Ahem, everyone, I still have a lot of things to take care of at the Frontline, so please excuse me for now."
Without looking back, he turned and left the hall. Duke Windermere followed closely behind.
Watching the two figures disappear into the distance, Duke Godot shook his head, his tone filled with regret:
"Hey, he's gone already? Just like the rumors, he's really efficient. I grew up hearing the story of the Duke Wellington's 'Imperial Funeral Bell,' I never thought I'd see him with a completely white beard."
Time waits for no one, and some things you just have to accept.
"The Duke Wellington is indeed getting old, but he still treats his enemies like a ravenous beast, tearing out their entrails and chewing the flesh to pieces before swallowing it."
With no one else present, Duke Godot appeared very relaxed and chuckled upon hearing this:
"Duke Kester, now that you mention it, I'm getting a little hungry. Speaking of which, what kinds of prey did the Duke Wellington eat when he was young?"
"Ivan Yevgenyevich, the previous emperor of Ursus; Helkhorzoren, the previous Witch King of Sargon; and Corsica I Gaul emperor."
These names, when displayed publicly, are all renowned. This demonstrates just how much military merit the Duke Wellington achieved in his youth.
What happened next is not hard to imagine.
The idea that one's achievements overshadow one's ruler has always been a major taboo for a subject. After the Four Nations War, the Duke Wellington was restricted and weakened by the emperor for more than sixty years. It wasn't until the people gradually forgot the Funeral Bell of the empire in times of peace.
Actually, there's something I don't understand.
Duke Godot, like a straight man in a comedy duo, readily chimed in:
"Oh? What's wrong? Tell me, perhaps I can help you solve your problem."
The Duke Kester stared at the decorative painting on the wall, the Victoria flag in the upper right corner:
"The Duke Wellington is exceptionally talented and has seen so many grand occasions. Why would such a national hero go and support a Talulah to the throne?"
Duke Godot understood that when she spoke of the Talulah, she meant Ablana, a descendant of King Gael. He couldn't quite understand why the Duke Wellington supported other Dolak, given that the Dolak of the Atreus family were now the legitimate royal heirs.
"Who knows? Maybe what's happened over the years has disheartened him. People always change."
"Yes, people always change."
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Chapter 547 Pride and Prejudice (4K)
June 27, 6:20 pm
In just one day, the Storm Cataclysm that started at The Shard Building expanded to the size of several blocks of land.
It passed through the Mid-level District and Outer District, moving northwards. It is foreseeable that the scale of this storm's return after its initial foray will be unprecedented.
The Doctor returned to the Shard Building, attempting to find a way to stop the Storm Cataclysm. Unfortunately, all the data had been deliberately destroyed, and the equipment was also damaged.
Theresis left behind only a blood-stained suit of armor; his whereabouts and those of the Confessors organization remain unknown.
More than 30,000 Sarkaz City Defense Army surrendered and remained near the Self-Rescue Army's camp.
The straight-line distance from Londinium to Liyue City is over a thousand kilometers. With Shi Lei still not back, they lack the capacity and sufficient supplies to transport so many people.
Even food and water were left for the Sarkaz to fetch themselves from the Central City District. The local residents weren't so kind as to share their supplies with these prisoners who had invaded their homeland.
These surrendered Sarkaz City Defense Army lacked sufficient personnel to restrain them. Some, accustomed to wandering, slipped away quietly when no one was around. Others, after learning about the situation in Liyue City, decided to go and see for themselves.
With Wendigo and the Child of Earth and Stone as guarantors, most Sarkaz are willing to believe it is an ideal home.
Even if the reality differs from expectations, it's still better than falling into the hands of the Duke of Victoria. If they were in their hands, even death would be undignified.
Surprisingly, some Sarkaz who believed in the supremacy of strength didn't run away after learning that Shi Lei had defeated the King of Scavengers and the Blood Demon Great Lord. They wanted to see just how powerful the City Lord was.
Like Amiya, the Doctor initially didn't want Zhongli to bear the infamy of killing the Blood Demon Great Lord. However, W couldn't control her mouth while chatting with these Sarkaz, leading to the exposure of the matter. In addition, she said things like, "If too many civilians are killed indiscriminately, the City Lord still won't take them in." That night, many Sarkaz, fearing retribution, quietly slipped away under the cover of night.
Although more than 3,000 people were lost overnight, it wasn't necessarily a bad thing. From the perspective of verifying the eligibility of new members, W's actions indirectly caused a wave of purification.
The unruly, vengeful, and bloodthirsty Sarkaz all escaped within a day.
Although not all of the remaining Sarkaz Soldier are necessarily peaceful, this screening process has ensured that most of Sarkaz meet the criteria for recruitment.
The Duke Windermere kept his promise and marched to the Frontline with the main forces of the other Duke. They occupied different Entrance/Exit and took in homeless refugees.
The Rhodes Island spent the entire day in the Norbert District, and the following afternoon they mingled with the refugee crowd in preparation for leaving.
"Call"
A Pink-haired Feline Woman, looking back at the army at the Outer District exit, let out a long sigh of relief:
"Thank goodness, we're finally out."
"Percival, keep going, don't look back."
Nine, dressed in a hooded grey robe, led the Rhodes Island away from the troubled land of Londinium:
"Let's set up camp in the woods ahead. Our team needs to undergo another screening. There are quite a few patients who have been infected with Originium-related illness for only a few days, and their conditions are starting to deteriorate."
Also, quickly locate the Rhodes Island operator; they should be near the Entrance/Exit. Our medical resources are limited; send those we can't save to them first.
Percival knew that Rhodes Island was ineffective, but she still felt it wasn't right to rely on Rhodes Island like this.
"Send them there for rescue and then take them away?"
"Yes, they are far more professional than us in treating Originium-related illness. The Rhodes Island and Rhodes Island have different functions and do not conflict with each other. They address the patient's physical problems, while we address the patient's survival problems."
Don't feel guilty about this. Even if we hadn't sent them there, Rhodes Island would have treated them anyway. Our ultimate goal is the same: to ensure that infected people can survive; we're just taking different paths."
Percival gave a wry smile; she didn't know how to evaluate it. It was as if she were asking someone else, yet also asking herself:
"Are the roads... different?"
"Yes, many patients who have just been infected with Originium-related illness are living in a fantasy. Perhaps they will only realize the harsh reality when they experience it."
Our visit to Londinium marks the raising of the banner of the Rhodes Island, sowing seeds of hope in the hearts of some of the Victorian Infected.
When these infected individuals, repeatedly exploited and abandoned, realize that justice must be achieved through struggle, they will remember us and the significance of the Rhodes Island.
As for eradicating the root cause, let those who are more capable do that. What we need to ensure is that oppression is no longer taken for granted. To that end, we will demonstrate our strength to the world when necessary..."
"Nine."
Upon hearing this, Talulah interrupted, saying:
"I have to leave once Zhongli returns."
Jiu was humiliated in front of everyone, but she didn't hold a grudge. However, she had no hope that Zhongli would ever return.
"Talulah, do you remember what the Self-Rescue Army said? They entered Space-Time Rift and were transported to an unknown place. Unless they find the vanished lich, they'll never be able to return."
"This is something I promised. It has nothing to do with whether he comes back or not. As long as Zhongli comes, I have to leave. Also, I am not a weapon of the Rhodes Island."
With the passage of time, Talulah is no longer the same Talulah she once was. If Nine continues to use the excuse of atonement, she will not be able to remain in the Rhodes Island.
Nine stared into Talulah's eyes, avoiding a direct confrontation, and continued, "..."
"This is your choice, and I respect it. If he can come back, you can leave if you want. But before that, you have an obligation to help promote the Rhodes Island. Only by letting more infected people know about us can we guide them..."
Talulah suddenly realized something and raised her hand in a shushing gesture. Nine immediately fell silent and followed her gaze to a sheltered hill in the woods.
"The color of the fire is strange, I'll go take a look."
Although Talulah had not yet approached the hill, she could smell the scent of death in the firelight.
Nine gestured to Percival, signaling her to call Red over. Talulah had almost never made a mistake in spotting enemies thanks to her exceptionally keen combat intuition.
She concealed her presence and crept over quietly, hiding behind a tree where she could hear two strangers talking.
"What happened?"
"Your His Highness, you didn't need to come in person. It's just a weak infected force, not worth mentioning."
"Ha, not worth mentioning? Do you know that the Rhodes Island has already infiltrated the Infected Squad?"
"Ah... Your His Highness, I'm very sorry, I will verify the identities of these infected individuals immediately. Please forgive my bluntness, but do we really need to care so much about that woman? Even if her Red Dragon bloodline is very detrimental to your claims, she is, after all, just a lowly infected individual, unfit to be the Empress of Victoria."
Ablana frowned slightly upon hearing this:
"Officer, have you forgotten that my sister is infected with Originium-related illness?"
The officers danced in Ablana's minefield one after another, and immediately became covered in sweat.
He apologized while slapping himself.
"Ah... I'm so sorry, Your His Highness! I spoke without thinking, I deserve to die."
"Alright, you can leave now. Come to think of it, I've never met anyone outside my family Dolak."
"Dolak?"
The officer was a bit slow on the uptake, taking several seconds to understand Ablana's meaning:
"Does Your His Highness mean that Talulah is nearby? If so, then I cannot leave even more."
"Roll!"
Ablana was quite annoyed and sternly ordered the officer to leave. The officer looked clearly unwilling, but left under orders from his superior.
She looked ahead with great interest, her gaze sweeping over the bushes, the reeds, and the birch trees.
Talulah knew that her presence had been exposed and that there was no point in continuing to hide, so she took the initiative to come out.
The Dolak was nearly wiped out, and this was the first time she had met Dolak outside of her family.
Their eyes met, and they understood each other's identities without needing any introductions.