"Black Armor Knights, attack!"
Yaduo De ordered the approaching knights.
Lin Lei looked at the Black Armor Knight who had suddenly appeared beside Alice and realized what had happened. Alice and the others had set a trap in the underground passage, and by a twist of fate, he had accidentally destroyed it.
"Blizzard."
"Summon Water Elemental."
Alice was just as undaunted. She set aside her greatsword, raised her staff, and shouted.
"She... she's actually a mage."
Lin Lei was taken aback, and his movements slowed despite himself.
"Look out!"
Henry hurriedly blocked the Blood Demon's sneak attack from behind Lin Lei, but the gap in their strength left him badly wounded and sent him flying.
Henry's shout brought Lin Lei back to his senses. Seeing Henry sent flying because of him, he launched into a ferocious attack like a lion.
With the help of the knights led by Yaduo De, the tide of battle gradually turned. The soldiers who had been on the verge of collapse were safely moved to the rear, while demon after demon fell to the inner courtyard floor.
"Trying to run?"
After killing the Evil Walker in front of him, Lin Lei surveyed the entire battlefield and spotted the culprits, Moran and the two Yishe brothers, slowly sneaking away.
With a burst of speed, Lin Lei reached Red Hare. With the horse's help, he charged after them.
Although Lin Lei had less than a tenth of his strength left after fighting for so long, Lady Moran and the two Yishe brothers were in even worse shape. The ritual and the Holy Light's attacks had left them covered in wounds.
You're mine. I'm going to strip you bare.
Lin Lei thought excitedly. He was about to finish them off.
As his blade came down, the two Yishe brothers, who were running at the rear, were decapitated. The last of their blood trickled over their withered muscles and onto the ground, making an already gruesome scene even more horrific.
Lin Lei didn't stop. He continued chasing Lady Moran.
By now, Lady Moran was like a frightened antelope, drifting toward the exit of the Lord's Mansion.
"Vmmm."
With a ringing of steel, Moran, in her Banshee form, turned into mist and dispersed into the air, leaving not a trace behind.
And so, every member of the once-powerful Shadow Council met their end in Flower Territory.
The battle at the Black Armor Knights' position was also drawing to a close. Even with the help of mages and priests, Lin Lei's subordinates had been killed or wounded. His force, which had numbered more than a hundred, had dwindled to just a handful.
"Miss Alice, what should we do next?"
After checking his men's casualties, Lin Lei went to Alice to report. Yaduo De was standing beside her.
"Hmm..."
Alice pondered for a moment, then spoke to Lin Lei.
"Although the trouble at the Lord's Mansion has been dealt with, many other places were attacked. I need you to take some men and restore order.
"If you encounter anyone taking advantage of the chaos to cause trouble, don't bother informing me. Just cut them down."
"I'll be glad to serve."
Lin Lei answered respectfully. Before turning away, he glanced at the Water Elemental beside her.
This enormous elemental creature, its entire body made of seawater, had shown tremendous offensive and defensive power in the battle. Lin Lei had never seen an elemental creature before, so he couldn't help taking a second look.
After Lin Lei left, Alice turned to Yaduo De with gratitude.
"Sir Knight, I'm deeply grateful that you came so quickly and helped us destroy those hateful dark creatures."
"May the Holy Light bless you. There's no need to thank me, beautiful Miss Alice. Destroying evil is every knight's duty, and our territory is close to yours. It's only right that we help."
Yaduo De spoke warmly.
"Miss Alice, who was that warrior who came here just now? I feel as if I've seen him somewhere before."
"His name is Lin Lei. Thunder Roar. He used to be an ordinary hunter, but now he's one of my Centurions. He's never left Flower Territory, so perhaps you mistook him for someone else, Mr. Yaduo De."
"Perhaps."
Yaduo De's tone shifted.
"This Warlock's summoning of the Burning Legion is a matter of great importance. I must return to The Holy See and tell the Pope what happened, so I need to leave now."
Yaduo De saluted with his sword. Under Alice's gaze, he rallied the knights and led the vast black tide toward Lordaeron, where their Holy See was located.
After leaving the Lord's Mansion, the first place Lin Lei went was his wife's home, Ai Mansion.
When he arrived at the entrance, the gate, made of ironwood, had two enormous holes smashed through it. Several corpses lay on the steps, most dressed as servants, with a few wearing patterned clothes.
Although he had expected this, Lin Lei still struggled to accept that even the home of a powerful military and political figure had been attacked. All the servants in Lord Aixing's household had served in the army, and even the weakest had Bronze-rank strength.
Without dwelling on it, Lin Lei hurried inside alone. Corpses were scattered everywhere. The sight would have terrified any ordinary person, but it only made him more worried about Aierlan and her family.
"Someone's here."
Lin Lei searched the interior. Faint sounds of fighting reached him, growing clearer as he approached.
"Aierlan, are you all right...?"
When Lin Lei reached the battle, the first thing he saw was the enormous corpse of an Ogre lying in the middle. A huge hole gaped in its chest, and he could even see its innards through it.
Seeing Aierlan and the others still fighting, Lin Lei charged in and cleared out the remaining enemies.
"Aierlan, are you all right?"
"Grandpa is dead. He died fighting the Ogre chieftain just now."
Aierlan dropped her weapon and clung to Lin Lei, sobbing.
Lin Lei fell silent at her words. No wonder he hadn't seen the old man when he came in. If the old man had still been alive, with his Gold-rank strength, these few stragglers wouldn't have dared act so brazenly.
Lin Lei stepped away from Aierlan and walked toward a conspicuous human corpse on the ground. The dead man still clutched a bloodstained spear.
Turning the body over, Lin Lei saw that Viscount Aixing's eyes were still open, filled with unwillingness.
Lin Lei remembered sharing a meal with him just yesterday. Now they were separated by life and death, and his heart grew heavier.
He closed the man's eyes, then spoke to Allen behind him.
"Allen, stay here and look after your family."
"Yes."
Allen answered, fighting back his grief. His expression hadn't changed even while fighting demons, but now his eyes were red, tears glistening in them. He held them back, refusing to let them fall.
"The rest of you, come with me."
Lin Lei spoke hoarsely. There were still many places in Flower Territory that needed him to restore order. It was his responsibility.
On the road, Lin Lei ran into Chiliarch Ola. His body was covered in wounds, and only two of the four Centurions who had been with him were still alive. The Centurion Hu Baifu, whom Lin Lei knew best, was nowhere to be seen.
After exchanging information, Lin Lei and Chiliarch Ola each headed elsewhere to maintain order.
It wasn't until nightfall that peace finally returned to Flower Territory.
"Quick, quick..."
A lord's carriage, escorted by numerous knights, finally made it back to Flower Territory before nightfall.
"What happened here?"
Seeing the corpses that still littered the street and the horrifying bloodstains, Edward's captain of the guard could hardly believe his eyes.
"Everyone, stay alert! There may still be enemies."
The carriage party had been safe and sound the whole way, but after reaching the territory, they had ended up in the most dangerous place of all.
"Miss Alice, Lord Edward is injured and urgently needs treatment."
Fortunately, they happened to meet Alice and the others as they were making their rounds. The captain of the personal guard hurriedly reported the situation to her.
"What! Where is my father now?"
Led by the captain of the guard, Alice hurried to the carriage to check on Edward, who was still unconscious. After the long journey, his lips had turned pale and his face had gone ashen. His condition was rapidly worsening.
"Water Healing!"
Alice immediately cast a spell, using a healing spell from the water school of magic.
At her bidding, a stream of water coalesced out of thin air and flowed into Edward's body.
Under the Water Healing spell, his terrible injuries gradually stabilized. His ashen face grew ruddy, and the pain on his face eased.
Alice withdrew her spell, exhausted. Casting a spell like that was still difficult for her.
"Thank goodness, he's getting better. A few doses of medicine should bring him around."
Alice breathed a sigh of relief and ordered her subordinates to carry the lord back to his room and take good care of him.
"How did my father get injured? With his Platinum-rank strength, there are hardly any people in the kingdom who can hurt him. How could a small hunting trip leave him in such a state?"
Alice kept the captain of the personal guard behind and asked him what had happened.
After the captain of the personal guard recounted everything to her, Alice erupted in fury.
"Those hateful dark creatures—ugly, despicable, shameless, vile..."
At that moment, she was nothing like a noble young lady of the lord's house. She kept cursing the creatures that had attacked their territory.
Flower Territory had once ranked among the top ten territories in the kingdom. After this attack, so many had been killed or wounded that there was now a vacuum in its middle and lower ranks. It would take twenty or thirty years of recovery to return to its former state.
"Alas..."
After a while, Alice finally stopped and let out a soft sigh.
"There have also been signs of Orcs in the Storm Kingdom to the south. They carry the aura of destruction, just like those two Orcs from before.
"They have bodies far stronger than humans and swift mounts, yet King Ryan of the Storm Kingdom doesn't understand the threat they pose. His entire kingdom is in danger."
The Storm Kingdom lay south of Alice's kingdom, with almost nothing between them. If the Storm Kingdom fell, they would be the first to face the threat.
Alice's words were remarkably prescient. If Lin Lei had been there to hear them, he would have been astonished. Her predictions would gradually come true, piece by piece, in the days ahead.
Before you continue