Special personnel would "end the suffering" of soldiers whose wounds were clearly fatal. They drove a finely crafted metal spike into a vital spot at the back of the head, killing the severely wounded instantly and without the slightest pain.
Pierce's injuries clearly put him among those whose "suffering should be ended."
However, Pierce was a famous strongman in the city, and he had fought fiercely through the bloody battle, distinguishing himself by destroying two siege ladders in succession. Brook, a squadron leader of the king's guard, had also given specific instructions, so they had waited until now.
"How is he?" Sun Fei asked the young physician, clinging to a slim hope.
"I'm sorry, Your Majesty. We've done everything we can, but his internal organs have been jolted almost to pieces. Not even a high-ranking divine priest of the Holy Church could heal injuries like these!"
Divine priest?
Sun Fei had picked an intriguing word out of the young physician's answer.
But this was clearly no time to ask questions. He thought rapidly, trying to find a solution.
Several physicians in white robes approached and bowed respectfully to Sun Fei.
They carried a large wooden tray holding an exquisite little hammer and a strangely shaped spike. These were the tools used to end the suffering of the severely wounded. Pierce was the last of them. Although he was unconscious, it was clear that he was in tremendous pain. His injuries would not kill him immediately, and blood was gushing from his wounds and mouth like bottled water...
An elderly physician gently propped Pierce up from behind.
Another young physician had already positioned the strangely shaped spike against the back of his head. Just as the hammer was about to fall-
"Wait!"
Sun Fei could not help calling out to stop the physician.
He could not bear to see a true warrior like this leave the world in such an ignominious way instead of dying in battle beneath an enemy's sword. For a man like white-haired Pierce, it was nothing short of a disgrace... Besides, Sun Fei wanted Pierce to live.
"But... how can I save him?"
Sun Fei's mind raced.
Just then, Pierce, who had been unconscious with his grave injuries ever since he was carried down from the city wall, seemed to sense something and miraculously woke up. He opened his eyes, looked at Alexander standing before him, then at the physician holding him up. His gaze finally landed on the little hammer, and a smile suddenly appeared on his face. "Cough, cough, cough... My turn? Do it..."
Pierce did not say a word to Sun Fei.
He had been gravely wounded and knocked unconscious before Sun Fei displayed his might, so he did not know that the former fool of a king had now become Chambord City's hero.
The physician raised the hammer again.
"Wait..."
Sun Fei spoke up to stop him once more.
He looked down at the barely conscious Pierce, and a sudden flash of inspiration struck him. He lowered his head and said, "Pierce, I might have a way to save you, but you might have to suffer a little more."
"You? Ha... Your... Your Maj... Majesty, King Al... Alexander, th... that's... not a funny... joke... If... if you care for your soldiers... th... then I hope... hope you can... can give my poor nine-year-old daughter Louise a piece of... bread!"
Although Pierce was not entirely lucid, he clearly had no trust in the king standing before him. Believe an idiot? Did they think he, Pierce, was an idiot too? But when he spoke of his daughter, Sun Fei clearly saw a trace of concern in the eyes of the tough man who had shown no fear even when an enemy's sword pierced his body.
"What's the matter? Afraid of pain?" Sun Fei squatted down with a mocking look.
He was deliberately provoking Pierce.
It worked!
Pierce took the bait easily.
The hotheaded man reacted like a lion whose mate had been snatched away while they were mating. He struggled desperately to sit up, and his wounds immediately split open again, sending blood pouring out. "Ha... ha ha... ha... I... I, Pierce, would be... be afraid of pain? Cough, cough, cough... I..."
Sun Fei was startled.
This fellow was truly as stubborn as a mule. Sun Fei did not dare provoke him further; if he kept it up, Pierce would probably cough up blood until he died. He left him with the words, "If you're not afraid of pain, then hang on, for your daughter," before hurrying out of the treatment center.
As soon as he stepped outside, he saw Brook hurrying toward him with Angela and Jima.
The two beautiful young girls, Angela and Jima, had flushed cheeks. When they saw Sun Fei come out, their eyes lit up, and their big, watery eyes were full of disbelief.
Ha, it seemed the two girls had learned all about his "heroic deeds."
Sun Fei felt a wave of relief and could not help getting cocky again.
"Your Majesty, Pierce..." Brook asked hopefully.
"There may still be a way to save him..." Sun Fei had little confidence in the method he was about to try, so he could only spread his hands and say, "I can only try. If we're lucky, Pierce might survive."
"That's wonderful." Brook was overjoyed.
As one of the few professional soldiers in Chambord City who had seen killing, Brook knew perfectly well how severe Pierce's injuries were. They were almost certainly fatal. He had come to Alexander for help with only a faint hope, never expecting this remarkable king to actually have a way.
"By the way, Brook, this convalescent center is far too rundown. Don't we have somewhere better to take the wounded soldiers?"
Sun Fei was deeply dissatisfied with this so-called treatment center.
Brook was taken aback. He started to speak, then stopped.
But the little girl Jimas, who was slightly out of breath from hurrying along behind him, showed Sun Fei no such consideration. Rolling her eyes, she said sarcastically, "Isn't that all because of you? If His Majesty hadn't listened to that dead fat pig Gejir's slander and sold everything valuable in the treatment center to pay for his entertainment, driven away the physicians, and even torn out the windows, it wouldn't have ended up like this..."
Sun Fei was embarrassed.
So he had done something that awful before.
"Besides this place, is there somewhere else more spacious that could accommodate the wounded?" Ignoring the little blonde Loli chirping provocatively at him like a sparrow, Sun Fei turned to Brook.
"The Holy Church's chapel in Chambord City and Lord Bazel the herald's residence could both accommodate them, but... but..." Brook spoke in one breath, then suddenly hesitated at the end, his words becoming halting.
"But what?" Sun Fei asked in surprise.
Brook did not know how to put it.
"The two places Uncle Brook mentioned do have enough room for the wounded, but Alexander, you can't do that..." Angela, who had been silent until now, explained patiently. "The divine priests left Chambord City before the enemy attacked, and the chapel has been sealed. We have no right to open it, or the Holy Church will come down hard on us. No country on the Azeroth Continent dares oppose the Holy Church. As for Lord Bazel the herald's residence, it isn't very convenient right now..."
The explanation left Sun Fei only half enlightened.
Once again, he realized that although he had absorbed Alexander's memories, he still knew pitifully little about this world. Seeing how serious Angela was, he could not help teasing her. "Is the Holy Church so powerful that even a king can't control them?"
The little blonde Loli began contradicting Sun Fei again. "When the divine priests in the city were leaving, even the enemies outside the walls didn't dare stop them. They saw the priests off respectfully instead. What do you think? Even the ninth-level empires that dominate the Azeroth Continent don't dare openly oppose the Church."
Sun Fei smiled wryly and dropped the subject.
He knew too little about the powers on the continent; if he kept asking, he would really give himself away. He hurriedly redirected the three of them. "All right, besides the chapel and Herald Bazel's residence, is there anywhere else?"
Brook shook his head.
Angela and Jima shook their heads too, apparently unable to think of anything suitable.
Seeing this, Sun Fei rubbed his chin. He was already considering Herald Bazel's residence. He still had a score to settle with Bazel's bastard of a fat-pig son, Gejir. With a son like that, the father was probably no good either, so Sun Fei felt no guilt about taking over such a man's residence.
Just then-
"I know another place!" the little blonde Loli Jima suddenly said.
"Where?" Sun Fei, Angela, and Brook were delighted and asked in unison.
The little blonde Loli stared at Sun Fei with a mischievous smile, her two shallow dimples full of smugness. "The front courtyard of His Majesty's palace has more than enough room for the wounded soldiers. Hee hee, it all depends on whether you're willing!"
Sun Fei's eyes lit up.
"Good idea. That's what we'll do. Brook, get people organized as quickly as you can and move all the wounded soldiers to the front courtyard of the main hall. Tell every physician that no matter how severe the injuries are, they must do everything they can to keep the soldiers alive. Leave the rest to me!"
Brook was stunned. "Your Majesty, how can you do that?"
"Why can't I?" Sun Fei chuckled. "They bled for me. Can't I give them a better place to receive treatment?"
The little blonde Loli Jima was completely dumbfounded.
She had suggested it not to solve the problem, but purely out of a child's desire to challenge Sun Fei. She had not expected... "Hey, hey, Alexander, have you really decided to do that?" the little Loli asked, unwilling to accept it.
A new week starts tomorrow.
The new-book rankings are constantly changing. Brothers, let's show the same spirit we Bladesmen once showed when we charged into the top ten of Qidian's overall monthly vote rankings in one go, and defend our place!
Please add this to your collection. Add it to your collection!