Atlantis Chronicles Episode 15

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This post was last edited by 52106761 on 2012-3-24 17:54.
Episode 15: The Fall of the Empire
Synopsis:
Cover Character: Taqis. The
Duchy of Plato has swept away its previous decline and resolved the problem of the roaming barbarian soldiers. The Grand Duchess,
with ulterior motives, sets her sights on Ying Mulan for revenge! Rig, who has agreed to lend a helping hand, has his plans completely disrupted by the magical beacon fire of Saint Hualong! Adding insult to injury, bad news arrives from the north—the largest nation on the continent of Atlantis has fallen! The invaders seem to be the demons, whom Lord Salle longs to return to!
Faced with this war whose influence is growing ever larger, how will Rig, who has been forced into this situation, cope
? Characters
: Taqis: The Grand Duchess of the Duchy of Plato, who, for the sake of consolidating her rule and her own safety, does not hesitate to use Rig.
Rig Ampa: A rogue magician empowered by a demon core device, a near-celestial-rank mage coveted by international powers, unknowingly drawn into a complex vortex of war.
Kona: A dragon girl, somewhat scatterbrained, who loves collecting gold coins and magic crystals. The longer she lives among humans, the wiser she becomes.
Divirachi: A dark-skinned, tall bard who follows Rig and records heroic deeds.
Ying Mulan: Marshal of the Southern Islands Allied Forces. Due to being manipulated, the allied forces are driven to the brink of defeat, forcing them to seek Rig's help. Audrey
: A mage from the Medivh Realm, skilled in spatial magic, with a seductive and alluring personality, and prone to jealousy.
Chapter 1 Rig's Troubles
"What is that?" Rig asked in surprise, looking at the magical flames that had half the sky red.
"The highest-level alert of the Saint Hualong Empire, 'Beacon Fires Everywhere.' All Saint Hualong military personnel who see this beacon fire must immediately report to the nearest Saint Hualong army."
As an outstanding military genius, Ying Mulan was clearly very familiar with the military knowledge of various Atlantean nations, but she too was puzzled.
Rig scratched his head, surprised. "Could it be that the expeditionary force's camp was attacked?"
"Impossible!" Ying Mulan categorically denied. "It's said that there are only three such general mobilization orders in the entire Saint Hualong Empire. Even if the entire 300,000-strong expeditionary force were wiped out, they wouldn't be qualified to issue one. Only..." Ying Mulan's expression turned strange. "Only the Saint Hualong Empire itself is in danger of annihilation."
Rig was startled. "The Saint Hualong Empire being annihilated?"
What a joke! It was widely recognized as the most powerful country on the Eastern Continent
of Atlantis. People were already laughing if Saint Hualong didn't go and destroy other countries. Who could destroy such a behemoth of a huge empire? Among the three great powers of Atlantis, the Kingdom of Medi was the most powerful, but the Western Continent, far overseas, although aggressive, posed no real danger. After all, there was a vast sea separating them. Not to mention how to transport its army, the logistical supply lines alone would be enough to cripple the entire fleet of the Kingdom of Medi.
The Eastern Lai Continent and the Northern Che Continent are connected, but the only major power on the Northern Che Continent, the Northern Ross Federation, is a loose federation composed of various non-human races. These dozens of alien races, driven by humans to the icy wilderness, have inconsistent governance, diverse customs, and while their military strength appears formidable, it is purely theoretical…
Only the Saint Hualong Empire, the most powerful human empire on the Eastern Lai Continent, possesses an unimaginably large population, dozens of provinces, hundreds of counties, an active army of nearly three million, and the most fertile land and forests.
If the Saint Hualong people, who have always considered themselves the legitimate descendants of the Great Hua Empire, weren't so complacent and arrogant, and if the empire's high-ranking officials weren't constantly embroiled in internal strife, and if the imperial family weren't completely sidelined and rendered powerless, then the Saint Hualong Empire might truly have restored the supreme glory of the Great Hua Empire a thousand years ago.
Even so, the strength of the Saint Hualong Empire in Atlantis, especially on the Eastern Lai Continent, is absolutely unparalleled. But this terrifyingly powerful empire actually issued a top-level magical alarm signal—one of only three such signals in the entire empire—in the southern border
. This baffled not only the ignorant rogue but also Marshal Ying Mulan, a military genius and outstanding commander.
Affected by the magical flames, the entire Chicken Intestine Ridge descended into chaos. Barbarian soldiers emerged from their caves and tents, gesturing and discussing the red light filling the sky.
Fearing an enemy attack, Ying Mulan quickly tidied herself and went out to order increased vigilance and patrols.
A short while later, she hurried back into the magic-free zone, where she saw Rig standing with Divirachi and King Lear, beckoning to the rogue with a strange expression.
"What's wrong?" Rig asked, approaching with a puzzled look.
"The Saint Hualong Expeditionary Force's camp is on high alert; all the soldiers are busy breaking camp..."
Ying Mulan whispered.
Rig paused, then said, "It seems they're really in big trouble back home!"
"What did King Lear say?" Ying Mulan asked softly.
"What could he say? The old man said he'd never seen a sky full of beacon fires in his entire life!" the rogue said, somewhat dissatisfied. "We're all locked up by you! What could we possibly know?"
Ying Mulan hesitated for a moment, then whispered, "Can I ask you for help?"
"Help with what?" the rogue asked, somewhat puzzled. "Do you want me to go and gather information from the expeditionary force? Are you worried that the magical beacon fires are fake, and that the expeditionary force will attack your camp while they're setting off?"
“Exactly.” Ying Mulan nodded, then said cautiously, “All the assumptions you’ve made are certainly possible. But the most crucial thing is that without concrete intelligence, I can’t make a decision about the next course of action. You promised to let me and my men escape danger, and you’ve taken the deposit; you can’t go back on your word!”
Rig was speechless for a moment, then finally said, “You trust me that much?”
Looking into the rogue’s eyes, Ying Mulan said firmly, “I can only trust you!”
Surrounded by the nations of the Scorpion Tail region and the Saint Hualong Expeditionary Army, Ying Mulan and her tens of thousands of men were now at their wits’ end; any straw could break the camel’s back.
Rig suddenly smiled and nodded, “Just wait for my news! However, I’m taking Divirachi with me.”
“Why?” Although Ying Mulan had never taken that big black man seriously, she still found it strange to hear Rig make this request.
“He’s my legendary recorder! If I don’t take him with me, he’ll keep nagging me about it. Don’t you know, no one with a brain problem would become a bard!” the rogue said helplessly. “Besides, with King Lear in your hands and I’ve already taken your deposit, what else do you have to worry about?” Ying Mulan
stared at Rig for a long time, as if trying to etch his face into her heart. After a long while, she slowly nodded.
Rig packed a small bundle and set off with Divirachi. Although King Lear was furious, he was helpless under the spell-blocking barrier.
“Rig, do we really have to help Ying Mulan escape?” Divirachi asked impatiently as they walked out of Chicken Intestine Ridge.
The rogue glanced at the charcoal-headed man: “Do you have any suggestions?”
“No!” the charcoal-headed man immediately repeated his old tune: “I’m a very self-disciplined bard. I will only faithfully record the words and deeds of the legendary protagonist and will not actively influence or interfere with him!”
The scoundrel, already immune to such talk, even though he had brought Divirachi out under this pretext, couldn't help but roll his eyes and say disdainfully, "Hey, Old Black, from the first time we met, you've been spouting this million-word epic hero's saga. It must be hundreds of thousands of words long by now, but the thing is, I've never seen you write a single word!"
Divirachi paused, a hint of embarrassment appearing on his dark face, then coughed and stammered, "Actually… well, I've been mentally rehearsing it… By the way, why do you call me Old Black? My surname isn't Black!"
A loud bugle call suddenly rang out. From the high ground on both sides, thousands of soldiers emerged, bows drawn and arrows nocked, layer upon layer, while dozens of fast horses galloped out from behind the ravine.
The riders were fully armored, their sharp lances gleaming in the sunlight, the gleaming blades of their tips faintly revealing a hint of blood.
Divirachi and Rig stopped simultaneously, knowing they had entered the encirclement zone of the Southern Frontier Kingdoms.
"I am Rig Ampa, a student of the Plato Duchy at the Saint Hualong Platinum Magic Academy. This is my companion, Divirachi. We are both magical cavalrymen in the first expeditionary force of the Saint Hualong Empire. May I ask which army you are from?"
The rogue shouted hoarsely in Donglai with a Cretan accent, holding up a Saint Hualong Empire expeditionary force identification badge.
Rig's name was already renowned throughout the Southern Frontier. Even on the front lines of the battlefield, these soldiers, though they had never seen Rig before, knew the name of the magical little mage Plato.
"It's Cavalryman Ampa!" a joyful voice came from among the knights. From the distinctly Saint Hualong accent in the address, Rig knew these dozens of knights belonged to the five thousand vanguard cavalry of the expeditionary force.
The knights galloped over, dismounting before reaching Rig and Divirachi, and approached on foot to show their utmost respect.
The rogue, even if he did understand these knightly etiquettes, wouldn't care. Looking at the dozens of cavalrymen, he asked curiously, "Why are you all here guarding?"
One of the cavalrymen chuckled and replied, "Because the countries in the Scorpion Tail region basically don't have cavalry units, to prevent these barbarians from launching surprise attacks, we've divided into many small teams to patrol in shifts. Of course, our main role is to relay messages and stabilize the morale of the southern border kingdoms!"
Even without much military knowledge, the rogue understood the symbolic significance of these iron-blooded Saint Hualong cavalrymen appearing in the armies of various countries. He nodded and smiled, saying, "Thank you for your hard work. Um, may I ask where the army of the Duchy of Plato is stationed?"
The dozens of knights who had been laughing and joking suddenly fell silent. Seeing the strange expressions on the cavalrymen's faces, the hooligan asked in astonishment, "What's wrong?"
A Saint Hualong cavalryman, clearly the captain, said, "Don't you know, Ampa Cavalry? On the very first day the encirclement of Jichangling was formed, the 30,000 troops of the Duchy of Plato withdrew, and they even took our 3,000 vanguard cavalry with them!"
"What?" Rig was startled. "The duchy's army left long ago and took 3,000 cavalry with them?"
Rig and Divirachi looked at each other, both astonished.
"What did they do?" Divirachi asked疑惑地问道.
The captain hurriedly said, "A barbarian army has entered the territory of the Duchy of Plato. Grand Duchess Plato is leading all the troops in pursuit, along with the Archmage Susan."
"Oh!" Divirachi suddenly realized, muttering, "No wonder the cavalry went along too, so Vice Dean Susan is also there!"
Rig, however, was anxious and said to the captain, "Give us two horses!"
The captain's eyes lit up, and he immediately said, "Yes! Rig, please allow our expeditionary force's vanguard battalion, third battalion, fifth squad to accompany us."
"Accompany us? What are you doing following us?" the hooligan asked, puzzled.
The captain chuckled, looked around, and whispered, "We want to follow behind the magical little mage and pick up some military merits! We patrol around the hills every day, we're practically professional horsemen now."
"Then let's go!" The hooligan was quite decisive, not caring whether it was appropriate for these dozens of Saint Hualong Empire cavalrymen to follow him, a Platonic man, and hurriedly mounted his horse. He pulled on the reins and galloped forward, only turning back sheepishly after a few steps, asking, "Which way?"
The Scorpion Tail region was mountainous, with dense valleys and rugged roads. The continuous warfare in the southern borderlands had deliberately or unintentionally damaged many roads, making travel even more difficult.
Rig, concerned for Lady Eva's safety, had ridden several fast rides, leaving both rider and horse exhausted, finally entering the territory of the Plato Duchy a day later.
The barbarian invasion had brought devastating destruction to the southern border kingdoms. Especially in the early stages of the invasion, the barbarian army, in order to establish their authority, massacred several coastal cities, causing unparalleled destruction.
The Plato Duchy, located in the central part of the Scorpion Tail region, suffered relatively less damage, but both sides of the road were lined with ruined villages and towns. Many burned houses still emitted lingering smoke, and on the ruins, arrows and javelins could often be seen embedded in the walls, along with half-burnt flags.
Many new graves lined both sides of the road, presumably containing corpses. These weren't the benevolent burials of the barbarian or ducal armies, but rather the desperate measure of nearby villagers fearing the decaying bodies would spread plague.
The southern border region has a humid climate, and the mountains and forests are often filled with highly poisonous miasma; the local people have thousands of years of experience in preventing plague.
"The fighting is fierce! The barbarian army has been burning, killing, and looting, while the Plato Kingdom has been pursuing them relentlessly. There must be many casualties on both sides," Divirachi remarked with some emotion, looking at the increasing number of graves along the road.
Rig frowned. "Aren't these guys supposed to be attacking Crete? Aren't they wasting time by burning, killing, and looting all the way?"
"They're looting food!" A squad leader from the vanguard of the Saint Hualong expeditionary force immediately saw the key point and replied, "These barbarian soldiers don't carry any supplies on their march; they have to loot as they go, which is why they're moving so slowly!"
Rig naturally knew that the barbarian army that had been fleeing since the Cross River Valley was practically penniless, and the barbarian soldiers trapped on Chicken Intestine Ridge had even been eating tree bark and grass. This barbarian army that had marched to Crete naturally wouldn't be carrying any supplies.
"Hurry, hurry!"
Rig urged repeatedly, his anxiety growing as he got closer to home. Although he knew that the entire duchy's army was pursuing this barbarian army, including Teacher Susan and three thousand Saint Hualong cavalry, he couldn't relax until he saw Lady Eva safe and sound.
"Reg, if we keep running like this, the horses won't be able to take it," Divirachi kindly advised.
After a day of continuous high-speed travel, even the burly, bandit-like Blackhead looked exhausted, and the warhorses beneath them were soaked in sweat.
The young rogue himself was also aching all over, his muscles felt like they were about to fall apart, and he could barely grip the reins. But with red eyes and gritted teeth, he roared, "That's my mother! My mother!"
"I know she's your mother, but can't you be a little more rational?" Divirachi retorted without backing down. "All the troops of the Duchy of Plato have gone there, along with three thousand cavalry from Saint Hualon. Even if we're fast, can we outrun them? Besides, there's Vice Dean Susan and Kona Mi. And the barbarians know that's your hometown, where your mother is. They might dare to plunder on Ying Mulan's orders, but no one will dare to act recklessly. What are you worried about?"
Rig paused, staring at Divirachi, panting heavily. Divirachi glared back defiantly. After a long standoff, the little rogue took a deep breath, a hint of weariness rising in his eyes, and whispered, "Whatever."
Divirachi turned to the cavalry and said, "Rest!"
Then, looking at Rig, he said, "You're not feeling well. The rope's too tight, it'll break easily..."
"Nonsense!" Rig glared at Divirachi again, then dismounted and walked to a corner, leaning back to sit down and close his eyes to rest.
The cavalrymen also dismounted, but didn't rest immediately like Rig. Instead, they first removed the saddles and bridles from their horses, then drove them to the nearby riverside meadow before returning to rest.
Divirachi, of course, wouldn't do these things. He sat down next to Rig and whispered, "Rig, what's wrong with you? I've felt something's off about you since we left Chicken Intestine Ridge."
"What's wrong with me?" the hooligan said coldly, not even bothering to open his eyes.
“Prolonged war can drive people irritable and even insane, especially in places like the Scorpion Tail region, which hasn’t experienced war for centuries. Ordinary people can only drift along, but those with certain abilities, watching their homeland being invaded and ravaged time and time again while being powerless to stop it, experience a more intense sense of frustration than ordinary people!”
Divirachi analyzed in his usual calm tone. “But I think you’re not only worried about that, you’re also panicked and fearful!”
“Panic and fearful? What’s there to panic and fear?” Rig said dismissively.
Divirachi said calmly, “I naturally don’t know why you’re panicked and fearful. I just want to say—calm down. As long as we keep trying, everything will get better, at least tomorrow will be better than today. Now, don’t say or think anything, just rest and recover your strength, and get going as soon as possible!”
After saying that, Divirachi fell silent, leaning against the wall and closing his eyes.
Although the little rogue didn’t move an inch, not even lifting his eyelids, his heart was in turmoil.
Countless chaotic thoughts churned in his mind like waves, stirring his heart into turmoil.
"You are indeed panicking!" Lord Bead's voice echoed in the little rogue's mind: "The big black guy is right."
"Sall." Hearing Lord Bead's voice, the little rogue's heart suddenly calmed down. He asked curiously, "Why am I so panicked?"
Lord Bead calmly replied, "Because you've grown up and realized that all of this isn't a game!" "
What do you mean?" Rig asked in astonishment, "When did I treat all of this as a game?" The Demon Core was naturally very clear and understanding of its symbiotic partner's psychological changes. It said calmly, "The deal you made with Ying Mulan! You promised to help her and her subordinates escape and leave Southern Xinjiang, but now you find that this promise has made you betray your beliefs about the country! You don't know what to do, so you're very anxious."
The little rogue paused for a moment and honestly admitted, "Lord Sal, I don't quite understand what you're saying!"
"You..." Lord Bead fell silent.
The hooligans said impatiently, "Sall, what did you just say? What's wrong? Are you mute?"
"I'm saying that after you traded Ying Mulan's asshole for the safety of her men, you now find that the Duchy of Plato harbors a nationwide hatred for these barbarians. You don't know whether to keep your promise to the young ladies of the Ying family or break your promise and help your country defeat these barbarians. Because even a fool knows that the Grand Duke of the Duchy of Plato died at the hands of the barbarians, so the Duchy will never let them go. After wiping out the barbarian army that invaded Crete, the Duchy's army will definitely come back to intercept and kill them at Chicken Intestine Ridge. Tens of thousands of barbarians without food will be trapped in a desperate situation, and their annihilation is only a matter of time!" Lord Pearl said impatiently, "What you're really concerned about now is whether Ying Mulan's virginity is more important than avenging your Grand Duke!"
"You're talking nonsense! Do you think I'm that vulgar and shameless?" The hooligans immediately became furious.
The Demon Core Lord scoffed, "If you were truly that shameless, you wouldn't be so flustered like a headless fly. It's precisely because you still have a few shreds of conscience at play that you're caught in the middle, torn between fulfilling your promise to Ying Mulan and the unyielding national and personal vendettas of the Duchy. With a symbiotic partner like you, I'm truly unlucky."
"Promises...national hatred..." The little hooligan felt his head spinning, and for a moment he didn't pay attention to Lord Bead's sarcasm. He just asked worriedly, "Am I really like that?"
Sensing the little hooligan's fear, Lord Bead sighed and said, "If you were older, you would find that the logic of human morality is quite chaotic; betrayal and treason are commonplace in human history. If you understood that, you wouldn't be so confused about your current predicament. But you are still too young, and you have seen too many heroic biographies and magical plays at the Platinum Magic Academy. Those fancy and gorgeous things are just made by art magicians to fool simple-minded guys like you!" "
Lord Saler, stop talking about this useless stuff and get to the point!" the little hooligan groaned weakly in his mind.
"This... is quite difficult. The Duchy of Plato is determined to eliminate the barbarians, and Ying Mulan sees you as her only hope for escape. If you could give up either side, you wouldn't be so frustrated, but to have the best of both worlds is absolutely impossible!" Lord Bead analyzed with its usual calm.
Hearing this, the little hooligan was extremely disappointed and said, "Aren't you supposed to be very powerful? The so-called most intelligent and great core of the devil? How come you're stumped by such a small matter?"
"What does this
have to do with me?" Lord Bead scoffed. "What benefit do I get from helping you solve your problem?" The little hooligan immediately retorted angrily, "No benefit. Don't you always look down on humans and gods? What gives you the right to look down on them? Solve this enormous problem, and I'll admit that the demon race is truly the greatest!"
"Immense problem?" Lord Bead sneered and said disdainfully, "The goblin city below Chicken Intestine Ridge is very large. With Audrey, that space mage, there, it's easy to hide tens of thousands of barbarians from Chicken Intestine Ridge!"
Chapter Two: The Encirclement of the Duchy
"Strange, you just dozed off against the wall, how come you've become so radiant?" Divirachi looked at the energetic Rig with a strange expression.
The hooligan on horseback laughed loudly and replied, "That's because I've discovered that there's really nothing of a importance in Atlantis!"
Then he shouted at the cavalry of Saint Hualong, "Move out! Move out!"
Divirachi was even more puzzled and leaned closer to the hooligan, whispering, "Is it because you sent a cavalryman to deliver a letter to Ying Mulan? Can you tell me what that letter said?"
Rig glared at the charcoal-headed man and frowned, "Why are you asking so many questions?"
Divirachi glared back at the hooligan with righteous indignation and roared, "I'm your historian! A million-word epic, I have to collect every single detail about you! How can I let go of something as important as writing a letter?"
The hooligan and the charcoal-headed man stared at each other for a long time. Seeing that Divirachi was so persistent that he didn't even blink, Rig finally surrendered and whispered, "Actually, that letter wasn't for Ying Mulan, it was for Audrey!"
"Audrey," Divirachi exclaimed in surprise, "When did you become acquainted with that blue-haired divine mage from the Kingdom of Medi? How come I didn't know?"
"I don't know her. I just told her that if she could help me get rid of these barbarians, I'd consider joining the Kingdom of Medi. You know, with that Magic Beacon appearing, I always felt that Saint Hualong was a bit unreliable..." the hooligan blurted out casually.
Divirachi suddenly realized, "Oh yeah, there's that Magic Beacon trouble! I'd forgotten all about it. So, you're preparing for the future."
"What's the point of planning! I'm just grasping at straws in my desperation. Let's get going!" Rig shouted again, urging his warhorse to charge ahead. Divirachi shook his head, still puzzled, muttering to himself, "It doesn't make sense! A nap and his personality changes drastically. He's like a completely different person!"
Divirachi, of course, didn't know that when the problem that had been troubling Rig for so long, a problem he himself didn't know how to solve, was casually resolved by Lord Bead, the little rogue was completely convinced of the power of this mysterious and great Demon Core, Number Forty-Seven, Lord Saler.
After Lord Bead obtained the core box and could absorb energy on its own, the communication between the Demon Core and its symbiote became more and more distant. It spent its days hiding in the synchronization space, doing who-knows-what.
The little rogue, now a mage, had developed a bit of the bad temper of a mage, no longer constantly ordering Lord Bead around, and trying to solve his own problems as much as possible. Of course, this was mainly because most of the time, the Demon Core simply ignored his commands.
However, through today's exchange, Rig realized that the major issues that had caused him so much anxiety and distress were resolved effortlessly by the Bead.
Rig was overwhelmed with excitement and gratitude, and naturally, he regarded the Bead as his spiritual support, so it was only natural that he became so emboldened and spirited.
At dusk, Rig and his group caught up with the rear guard of the Plato Kingdom's army. This was a supply train searching for food in nearby villages, but the barbarians had already burned and slaughtered them along the way, so their harvest was meager. They only managed to gather some food by searching deeper into the mountains and forests, which delayed them considerably, but they happened to encounter Rig and his
group. Although the soldiers didn't recognize Rig, they had heard of the magical little wizard's reputation and were naturally very enthusiastic towards him.
From them, Rig received the most detailed intelligence: the barbarian army that had attacked Crete had failed, but had been blocked in a mountain range thirty miles from Crete.
After the death of the Grand Duke of Plato, and with the entire duchy in a state of panic, Grand Duchess Taqis suddenly returned to Sandonia.
Faced with the ruined capital and the wailing people, Taqis decisively issued a national mobilization order, then assembled troops from the vicinity of Sandonia and marched towards Chicken Intestine Ridge.
The Grand Duchess's order was a nationwide mobilization; messengers rode swiftly, spreading the message to every city in the duchy, including Crete.
Although Crete had just experienced war, it immediately mobilized its entire army in response to the Grand Duchess's order. However, due to the distance and time difference, the troop movement was naturally delayed by several days. Therefore, shortly after the Cretan army set out, they discovered the barbarian army charging towards them like a pack of wolves.
The Cretan army immediately deployed defenses along the mountain ranges, blocking the path of tens of thousands of barbarian troops.
"Uncle Hank can stop tens of thousands of barbarian troops?" Upon hearing this news, Rig felt like he was dreaming, but the supply officer's explanation made it clear.
Crete's garrison numbered only a few hundred, but the militia, tempered by battle during the defense of Crete, numbered a full three thousand. Furthermore, after the siege of Crete was lifted, hearing that it was the hometown of the magical little mage, protected by numerous high-level mages and even dragons, the troops and civilians scattered by the barbarians from surrounding towns flocked to Crete. By the time
Hank received the Grand Duchess's nationwide mobilization order, Crete had over forty thousand people, and its militia and army numbered nearly six thousand!
Of course, expecting six thousand militia and soldiers to stop the three great families of the Southern Islands and their barbarian armies was a pipe dream.
But Crete had another advantage. When Rig left Crete, he left behind nearly a hundred fairies, who in turn subdued almost five thousand wild demons who worshipped the demon race.
Both fairies and wild demons were natural jungle warriors, and the terrain Hank chose, while not as treacherous as Chicken Intestine Ridge, was still easily defended and difficult to attack. Therefore, this ragtag army of over ten thousand managed to hold off tens of thousands of barbarian troops.
Having fled all the way from the Cross River Valley without supplies or provisions, the barbarian army had relied entirely on the encouragement of their generals to enter Crete and wreak havoc. Unexpectedly, they were trapped in the wilderness, and their fighting spirit was naturally low. Furthermore, soon after, Grand Duchess Taqi arrived with a large army, leaving these tens of thousands of barbarian troops with no way to go, not even a way to retreat. They were like rats trapped in a snare, with no escape.
Rig was overjoyed upon hearing this and urged him to go to the main camp. The soldiers in the grain-gathering team were naturally happy to take the opportunity to shirk their duties, and escorted Rig and the others directly back to camp.
The Scorpion Tail region is characterized by numerous mountains, dense forests, and rugged, complex river valleys and shallows. In such terrain, encircling a force of a few dozen or a few hundred men would be virtually impossible, but blocking an army of tens of thousands would be a piece of cake!
This is why powerful nations throughout the history of the Eastern Lai Continent, such as the Holy Hualong Empire, have never had the desire to conquer the Scorpion Tail region. It wasn't that these great powers didn't covet the forests and mineral resources of the Scorpion Tail region, but rather that the cost would simply outweigh the gains.
Unlike Rig and his group, the grain-gathering team members didn't all have horses. Rig, eager to get going, asked a Holy Hualong cavalryman to give up a horse, and he set off with the team leader. Galloping swiftly, they soon saw the camp of the Plato Duchy.
The duchy's army had been besieging the barbarian forces for two days. Dressed in simple uniforms, they were equipped with bows and arrows, swords, axes, and even civilians carrying hoes and kitchen knives to help. They had laid out defensive lines along the rugged mountains, blocking every road.
On each position fluttered a motley collection of flags: those of the regular army of the Plato Duchy, those of the garrisons of various cities, and, of course, many of the more numerous, spontaneously organized militias and volunteers—their flags even more bizarre; many had simply hung brightly colored bedsheets on their flagpoles.
Rig stared at a checkered bedsheet flag for a long time before barely managing to decipher the large, flamboyant characters: "Sixth Squad, Tiger Head Village, Citizens' Heroic National Protection Corps, Gavis Town, Plato Duchy." Half the characters were misspelled, and the dark red ink made one wonder about the pigment composition.
These diverse flags were planted on every nearby hilltop, standing out conspicuously amidst the lush green forest.
Looking at the banners that almost blotted out the sky, Rigg felt a surge of excitement.
He now truly understood the Duchy's determination to avenge itself against the barbarians. Taqis's mobilization order was driving the garrisons stationed in the most remote areas to rush here day and night! This small Southern Frontier Duchy had unleashed a desperate, all-or-nothing resolve in this war.
The barbarian army was also scattered among the hills and forests, some distance from the Plato Duchy's army. They had few banners, not even tents, their clothing thin, their faces haggard; Rigg, with his excellent eyesight, could even see the grotesque, smeared faces of many barbarians.
Each barbarian unit was mixed with family warriors in uniform: red for the Lin family's Red Army, green for the Footmen's infantry, and white for the Heavenly Family's Eagle Cavalry. These soldiers from the three great families of the Southern Islands were also dejected and bewildered.
The trees near the positions had been cut down to use as building materials for the camps. Both armies had constructed numerous palisades and arrow towers along the mountainside in front of their battle lines, standing densely like a fortified city, seemingly prepared for a protracted stalemate in this mountain forest.
On both the hilltops guarded by the Platonic Kingdom and the barbarian army, bonfires emitted plumes of white smoke. This was to dispel the miasma and flies in the dense forest, and also to ward off the dampness and the cold of the night. Above the forest, frightened flocks of birds circled and soared in the sky, emitting mournful cries as they lost their homes.
Such fortifications, built purely to utilize the terrain, naturally lacked any real formation. Especially the barbarian army, having lost their advantageous position, tried to compensate for their losses by haphazardly and crampedly arranging wooden huts covered in branches and leaves, leaving only narrow paths barely wide enough for a single person to walk through. Hut after hut stretched endlessly towards the distant mountains, a dark, dense mass that seemed to stretch to the horizon.
The combined forces of both sides exceeded 100,000 men; on a northern plain like Bojing, they might not even fill a single corner. But in the narrow valleys of southern Xinjiang, the sheer number of enemy and friendly forces created a palpable sense of impending doom.
The densely packed tents conveyed an immense pressure, making the very air heavy with a chilling atmosphere.
Although the young rogue had seen such a massive army before, he had always remained an observer, unmoved. Now, however, these were his own people's army, connected to him by blood. Watching the soldiers moving about, a surge of boiling blood welled up within him.
Rig knew that the Duchy of Plato had almost mobilized its entire army here. Although there were only tens of thousands of soldiers, as far as the eye could see, there were crowds of people and a forest of spears.
This was the largest number of soldiers the Duchy of Plato had ever gathered since its founding. Since the barbarian invasion, the duchy's army, which had always been terrified and easily routed, had rallied together under the stimulus of the Grand Duke's death and the call of the Grand Duchess. They had formed a huge encirclement with their own flesh and blood, ready to avenge their blood feud with the barbarians.
On the tip of every soldier's spear and on the tip of every flag, there was a small piece of black gauze tied, a sign of the national mourning for the deceased Grand Duke.
Soldiers from all the towns, villages, and estates of the Duchy of Plato, whether they had been regular soldiers, garrison troops, or militiamen who had only recently acquired weapons, had all lost the panic and fear that had gripped them since the war.
Everyone fell silent. Some were silently repairing fortifications, sweat pouring down their faces; others were repeatedly wiping their weapons; still others were staring intently at the enemy's location from the trenches with grim eyes.
"Such a heavy killing intent!" a Saint Hualong cavalryman couldn't help but mutter softly, and all the Saint Hualong cavalrymen's faces hardened.
As professional soldiers, they naturally understood the oppressive atmosphere before a life-or-death battle. The longer this oppression lasted, the more silent it became, like a fire covered with straw—once it erupted, it would be all the more dazzling and bloody.
Facing the pressure from the Duchy of Plato, the soldiers of the three great families of the Southern Islands also clearly felt it.
These family soldiers, who had been in a superior position since the invasion, naturally showed a hint of contempt and arrogance towards the Scorpion-tailed people.
They shouted and mocked loudly from behind the palisade, causing a commotion, but to the Saint Hualong cavalry, these family soldiers were clearly putting on a brave front, using this method to mask their inner fear and unease.
On the contrary, the dark-skinned barbarians remained indifferent, busy smearing themselves with various tree sap and mud.
These barbarians were brutal, fierce, and extremely stupid, brimming with boundless energy, each one as aggressive as a savage. They watched the performance of their clan soldiers with indifference, while busily stuffing edible tree bark and grass into their mouths and chewing voraciously.
Whether they were wild or civilized, the barbarians of the Southern Islands were extremely superstitious; the words of their tribal shamans were considered absolute. Queen Ginny, who performed miracles, was a true god in their eyes.
Since they were sent here by the gods, these barbarians completely disregarded the army before them; when the drums of attack sounded, they would simply carry their crude weapons and charge forward, overturning and smashing down any obstacles in their path.
These savages were often astonishingly brave, but if a battle went poorly, they were faster than anyone else at fleeing. They would disappear without a trace into even the densest forests.
At the very center of the barbarian camp were rows of massive palisades, three or four meters high, blocking all possible views inside. From within came muffled howls. The enormous sound made Rigg's heart sink; it was the sound of the Lin family's Vajra and Violent Bears.
These giant beasts, originating from an island in the southern archipelago, were the Lin family's greatest asset and their trump card in attacking Crete.
Rigg didn't know how many beasts were in the palisades, but Lin Fengqi had initially equipped his five thousand Red Army soldiers with over thirty Vajra and Violent Bears. Now, with all the armies of the three great families in the Scorpion Tail region here, the number of giant beast legions was likely considerable, not to mention the Heavenly Family's Dragon Eagle Brigade!
The Lin family's behemoths, the Tian family's dragon eagles, the Ying family's black cavalry... these were all the trump cards of the invading coalition from the Southern Islands.
While the Walkers didn't have their own unique legions, they were masters of siege weaponry. This vast wooden palisade was clearly their creation.
Compared to this, Ying Mulan's camp on Chicken Intestine Ridge was practically a child's toy. If it weren't for the terrain of Chicken Intestine Ridge being so advantageous for defense, Ying Mulan's camp would have been breached long ago.
"Rig!" A green figure leaped and ran towards them. Before Rig could react, he was slammed off his saddle with a loud "bang."
The unfortunate warhorse neighed in fright, then collapsed to the ground, its hooves buckling. The other warhorses scattered far away, and the cavalry couldn't hold them back.
The one who could enter with such imposing power was naturally the green dragon girl, Kona. Her dragon might was unstoppable for any low-intelligence creature, even these battle-hardened warhorses.
"Rig, where have you been? I haven't seen you in ages!" Konam's green hair flew wildly, her pretty face beaming with a cute smile. The little rascal's forehead bulged with veins as he roared, "Can you get off me before you ask me a question?"
"Ouch!" The green dragon girl then realized she was sitting on the little rascal's chest, her green skirt billowing, revealing even her snow-white legs. Konam quickly reached out to press down on the hem.
It has to be said, the green dragon girl is becoming increasingly integrated into human society; she never cared about being exposed or anything like that before.
"Get up!"
Rig was practically gritting his teeth. The green dragon girl's powerful impact was even a bit too much for the little rascal's body, modified by Master Bead, let alone with Konam sitting on his chest the whole time. He couldn't catch his breath; anyone else would probably have fainted by now.
Konam jumped up, clutching her skirt, then looked at Rig with a silly grin. The thug struggled to his feet. He had intended
to scold the reckless fellow, but seeing Kona's radiant smile, he suddenly lost his temper.
Looking at Kona's expectant eyes, he helplessly stretched out his arms; the green dragon girl cried out and threw herself into Rigg's embrace.
"Rigg, I missed you so much," Kona's voice was soft and sweet.
"Yeah, I missed you too!" The thug wasn't lying. How many times had he been manipulated, how much he missed Kona, his powerful henchman! Especially when he was trapped in that twisted anti-magic field.
Then the conversation took a dramatic turn, completely unexpected.
"Rigg, I want to mate!" The green dragon girl looked at Rigg with a charmingly innocent expression, her beautiful eyes sparkling.
The little rascal immediately broke out in a cold sweat, and hissed, "What nonsense are you spouting?"
"I want to! I just want to!"
The little green dragon shook Rigg's arm, as if begging for a favorite toy. Although this little green dragon looked completely human, she was a pure green dragon at heart, and naturally didn't care about human morality and etiquette. She said whatever came to mind, which was very much in line with her straightforward dragon nature.
But Rigg couldn't be so nonchalant. This was the main camp of the Plato Duchy, surrounded by soldiers who had gathered out of curiosity.
After all, the arrival of the magical little mage was extremely exciting news, and it had already spread throughout the camp.
The Plato Duchy didn't have the strict hierarchy and cumbersome etiquette of the Holy Hualong Empire, so it was perfectly normal for them to flock over.
Then many people heard the conversation between the green-haired girl and the magical little mage.
Although they were both speaking Donglai language with a Plato accent, many soldiers still understood it. Most soldiers didn't recognize the human form of Konami, but the green dragon girl's beauty and innocence were obvious.
So everyone looked at Rigg as if he were a rogue who had abducted an innocent girl and committed a crime.
Sensing countless piercing, menacing gazes, Rig quickly flashed a fawning smile. "Um... 'mating' is a very ancient ritual in Saint Hualong... just like our handshake..."
The surrounding crowd suddenly understood, and the Saint Hualong cavalrymen all looked up at the sky with teary eyes.
"I'm so itchy, I have strange dreams every day..." The green dragon girl, oblivious to the awkward atmosphere, continued speaking.
Rig had to explain again, "She hasn't bathed for many days. You all know it's inconvenient during wartime..."
The surrounding soldiers continued to understand, and the Saint Hualong cavalrymen's faces turned red.
"Let's go mating!" The little green dragon excitedly grabbed Rig's crotch, and everyone's gaze immediately froze.
"Um... the ritual... of not bathing..."
The little hooligan stammered, a white light flashing around him, and then he and the little green dragon disappeared from everyone's sight.
The soldiers of the Plato Duchy remained bewildered, while the Saint Hualong cavalrymen burst into laughter.
They naturally knew that this lovely green-haired girl was a student at the Saint Hualong Platinum Magic Academy, and also the green dragon that could transform into a human.
Perhaps not every soldier in the Saint Hualong Empire's expeditionary force knew this, but the most elite vanguard battalion had memorized this necessary intelligence and information long before setting off.
Moreover, they had fought alongside the Archmage Susan against this green dragon at Chicken Intestine Ridge.
Chapter Three: The Little Green Dragon Wants to Mating.
"What's wrong with Kona?" Looking at the green dragon girl tightly wrapped around him, Rig asked, quite puzzled.
The Beaded One remained silent for a moment, then uttered an answer: "Pressure!"
"What?" Rig, even though he clearly heard those two words, still asked in astonishment, as if he didn't understand the meaning of the word at all.
Kona, the little green dragon, has always seemed carefree, except for her love of magic crystals and magic shows. What pressure could she possibly have?
"The continuous wars have made even a carefree little rogue like you feel restless and uneasy. Of course, this green dragon will feel the same restlessness and pressure. What's so strange about that?" Master Pearl said casually.
"But... she's a dragon!" the rogue said incredulously. "Aren't dragons the creatures that love war the most?"
"You've watched too many magic shows. None of those screenwriters have ever actually met any real dragons. They're all just making things up in their rooms. Don't you know what dragons really like the most?" Master Pearl teased.
The rogue naturally knew that Kona loved treasure and watching shows the most, but he still said incredulously, "Okay, even if she doesn't like war and feels pressured, why would she want to do 'that'?"
Rig remembered Kona telling him before that dragons only mate once a year, so the little green dragon was never very enthusiastic about such things. Aside from a few times on the way to the Saint Hualong Empire, after arriving in Platinum City, Kona and Rig slept genuinely and simply.
"She's in a human body now," Bead-sama explained simply, clearly having no intention of being a lewd teacher. "The conditions for arousal in a human body and a dragon body are naturally different, especially since you ate the Fruit of Life, and your body contains a large amount of life energy. This vitality will naturally induce female creatures to feel close to you."
"Oh," Rig nodded, seemingly understanding, and cautiously asked, "Saler, do you still absorb life essence water now?"
"With the core energy box, my energy needs aren't as urgent as before, but dragon life essence water is hard to come by, so it's good to have some stored up," Bead-sama answered confidently.
Since opening her own synchronization space with the demon-armored energy core box, Bead-sama indeed no longer pressured her symbiote as much as before, constantly threatening to drain her until she dies.
However, the little rogue isn't as free as before to readily borrow the Bead's abilities; much of it now depends on whether Demon Core Forty-Seven is in a good mood.
The little rogue naturally doesn't know if this change is good or bad. But regardless, Rigg knows that if he's in trouble, especially in life-or-death situations, the Bead will absolutely not stand idly by.
Before, it was because the Bead was too lazy to change symbiotes; now it's because Rigg's body contains the Bead's primordial energy.
Demon Core Forty-Seven, who regards primordial energy as the highest principle, naturally won't allow his most precious primordial energy to disappear in Atlantis, even if it's just a tiny fraction.
At this moment, Kona finally woke up. She turned her neck against Rigg's chest, asking curiously, "Where is this place? Why are those colorful walls moving around?"
"This is my synchronization space!" Rigg once again attributed the credit to the Bead. There was no way around it; the existence of Demon Core Forty-Seven, the Lord Saler, was an absolute secret.
"What is a Synchronization Space?" the green dragon girl asked, completely bewildered.
As a low-ranking green dragon, relying solely on her powerful physique and venomous dragon venom to fight, Kona naturally wouldn't understand what a Synchronization Space was. Although she was a formal Art Magician at the Platinum Capital Magic Academy, how she got in... well, that's another story...
"It's a magical illusion. We stay inside for a long time, but outside it's only a fleeting moment, and we won't be discovered!" Rig searched for words to describe it, but Kona's eyes lit up instantly, and she exclaimed excitedly, "It's an upgrade room! Wow, that's great!"
"What upgrade room?" the little hooligan asked, somewhat confused.
"It's the upgrade room in Gods and Demons! Many people join the game late, have low levels, and get bullied, which makes them resentful. Then Dios introduced a strange room where you get three times the time and five times the monsters in a day, but the price is ten times that of a normal map. Yeah, a lot of rich people go in, and their levels rise very quickly. That's the upgrade room!"
The little green dragon rambled on, then sighed, "I don't even know what level my account is anymore. You know, I don't have to pay to go into the upgrade room!"
"That swindler!" Rig gasped. Three times the time, five times the monsters, but ten times the price.
That guy is really ruthless! However, Rig asked curiously, "Why doesn't he charge you?"
"Because I'm your girlfriend! Dios said you're a major shareholder, so my game fees are deducted directly from your bonuses! I collect a lot of treasure coins in the game, all from him, saying it'll be deducted from your bonuses!"
The green dragon girl blinked her beautiful long eyelashes and said happily.
The thug felt a chill run down his spine: "Damn it, that unscrupulous businessman probably already pocketed all my profits."
He hurriedly asked, "Kona, were you the only one he sent you things?"
"Of course not. Teacher Susan, Lophis, Mivian, Bao'er... Dios also said he deposited a lot of items into Aegris and Espira's accounts, but they've been out and haven't returned to the academy."
Kona counted on her fingers, then excitedly asked, "Reg, Dios said we girls are Reg's 'girls' group. He also said he'd give me a Golden Horn when we go back this time, and we can establish a 'God's Gang.' Hmm, I really want to go back and play games."
"God's your mother!" The little hooligan let out a long howl to the sky, tears streaming down his face... This "girls' group, God's Gang" thing, forget about the bonuses, I bet when we get back to Platinum City, that bastard will pull out a thick stack of bills for me to sign.
"Reg, I really want to mate!" Kona roared again, and then the green dragon girl started tearing off Reg's clothes.
"Slow down, slow down, don't tear it!" Reg cried out in pain. After days of arduous travel and warfare, his clothes were already in poor condition, and with the immense strength of the little green dragon, they were quickly torn to shreds.
"Rigg, I missed you so much! Did you miss me?" the little green dragon looked up at Rigg and asked earnestly.
"Of course I did!" the little rogue replied immediately and decisively.
In fact, when he had nothing to do, he seemed to think of Agris; when he was in heat, he thought of Espira or Wen; when he was using magic, he thought of Susan. Only when fighting did he think of Kona, whose fists were more effective. However, as a mage, the times he needed to use his fists in a fight were few and far between.
"I missed you too. Fighting isn't fun at all; watching others fight is much more interesting," the green dragon girl complained, reaching out to tug at Rigg's large, fleshy breasts.
"Ah! Wait a minute!" the little rogue exclaimed, startled, and quickly pulled Kona into his arms.
The little green dragon was incredibly strong. Even with the protection of the Pearl, Rig didn't dare to be too careless and quickly launched a gentle offensive: "Konami, let me see if you've lost weight!"
"No! Although fighting is boring, transforming into a dragon has its advantages. I can eat a lot! Yesterday I ate three cows and four pigs."
The little green dragon's answer left the little rogue speechless. The cruel reality resounded in his mind that the beautiful little woman in his arms was a dragon! A dragon!
Thinking of this, the little rogue felt a chill in his heart and forced himself to change the subject: "Konami, where's Agnes? I haven't seen her."
"She went back with Teacher Susan. That guy, Huo, seemed to be in a hurry!" Konam said indifferently.
As a dragon, even though she was an exchange student at the Platinum Magic Academy of the Saint Hualong Empire, she didn't have Saint Hualong Empire citizenship. No magical beacon fires or supreme orders fell on her.
It was Agriss, a magician officially registered with the Magic Association, who had to arrive at the designated assembly point as quickly as possible.
Of course, Susan, as a super-rank magician and a member of the Magic Association's council, was even less of a concern.
"I haven't even seen her," the little rogue sighed inwardly.
Although Agriss had always maintained a distant relationship with him, she had silently done many things for him. The little rogue seemed to have always liked her, but having spent so much time in the Southern Frontier, they hadn't had much opportunity to communicate, which truly made him very melancholy.
"Don't think about her!" Although Kona was brash, she was, after all, a female dragon. She keenly sensed the little rogue's absent-mindedness and couldn't help but get angry. She grabbed his groin and began to roughly twist it.
"What the hell! It's going to break! It's going to break!" the little rogue screamed in terror.
"If you dare think of anyone else again, I'll eat it up!" the green dragon girl gritted her teeth, a hint of anger appearing on her delicate and beautiful face.
"Wow, my Kona fan is jealous now!" the little rogue exclaimed with some surprise.
The green dragon girl's mind had always been immature; among dragons, she was just a little girl. Her favorite games were watching magic shows and saving gold coins and magic crystals. As Rig's most legitimate girlfriend, she didn't mind her boyfriend's infidelity at all.
This made the first dragon rider somewhat regretful. It was good that his girlfriend was generous, but if she wasn't jealous at all, didn't that mean this boy wasn't very important to her? At least not as important as those magic crystals and gold coins, right?
Of course, the little rogue actually thought that those magic crystals and gold coins were more important than him, but not as important as a magic show. This was something he couldn't tolerate! After all, the little rogue was recognized as the greatest genius in the history of the Platinum Capital Magic Academy, wasn't he? The fact that
his Kona fan was jealous today was truly a big surprise!
Rig held Konam in his arms, caressing her fair, delicate, and incredibly supple skin. The Dragon Transformation Technique sculpted the most perfect human body, every muscle and skin exquisitely crafted.
Of course, this "most perfect" referred to explosive power; the dragons' aesthetic sense was completely different from humans', and "most perfect" certainly wasn't the most beautiful.
But the Dragon Transformation Technique, improved by Master Bead, certainly wouldn't turn Konam into a muscular woman. While the green dragon girl's human form wasn't as breathtakingly beautiful as Agnes, she was definitely a femme fatale. It was just that the little green dragon was always carefree and had a personality like a young girl, which made people overlook her beauty.
Feeling the boundless vitality of the youthful body beneath his hands, Rig also became somewhat excited. He kneaded Konam's firm, round breasts, kissed her smooth, white skin, and their equally naked bodies rubbed against each other.
A moment later, Konam cried out, "Ah! Rig, I want to mate!"
The little rogue was somewhat amused and exasperated. The green dragon girl was clearly not very romantic, straightforward and decisive.
Keep in mind, Konam had only been intimate with that scoundrel two or three times before—you could count that on one hand—making her even less experienced than any of Rig's women.
Rig gestured for Konam to kneel and curl up on the ground. The green dragon girl didn't object much to this position; in the young green dragon's mind, this was the most correct animal mating position. Male-on-top or female-on-top were not orthodox dragon practices!
Rig took a deep breath and walked to Konam's side. He didn't immediately begin mating with her as she instructed, but instead began to admire the green dragon girl's beautiful body with an artistic eye.
Kneeling on the ground, Konam's extremely beautiful and sexy buttocks were round, full, firm, and high, her skin as smooth and delicate as snow. This beautiful curve perfectly showcased the green dragon girl's youthful vitality.
Rig reached out and caressed Kona's exquisite buttocks, feeling the smooth, delicate skin against her skin. Her slender waist seemed almost too small to grasp, and her long legs were perfectly complemented by that alluring, snow-white, round bottom. Rig's blood boiled instantly, and a low growl escaped his throat.
Uncontrollably, Rig buried his face between Kona's beautiful, round buttocks, sinking his entire face into the firm, plump shape of her buttocks.
Rig, completely absorbed, extended his tongue, licking from Kona's soft buttocks, down her cleft, her anus, and finally down to her tightly closed vaginal opening, sucking and smacking her labia and clitoris.
After a long while, Rig lifted his flushed face. Excitedly, he climbed onto Kona's back, straddling her long, slender legs. He gripped her firm, round buttocks tightly with both hands, forcefully shoving his rock-hard penis into the green dragon girl's tightly closed anus. He thrust impulsively a few times, but to no avail.
Rig, panting heavily, used both hands to forcefully pry open Kona's round buttocks, revealing a pink and delicate vaginal opening pulled apart by her hips.
Rig was ecstatic. Without thinking, he freed one hand, grasped his penis, and placed it between Konam's round, protruding buttocks
as she lay prone. He aimed at her pink vaginal opening and thrust it in hard. He felt the head of his penis sink into a warm, moist sensation in an instant; he had succeeded. Rig wrapped his arms around Konam's slender waist and, with overwhelming force, plunged his entire burning penis in, all the way to the hilt.
As an incredibly hard, scalding penis accurately penetrated the depths of the green dragon girl's vagina, both Rig and Konam cried out in pain.
Rig felt countless scales gripping his penis tightly, while the green dragon girl felt a burning pain rapidly spreading from her lower body throughout her entire body.
Um… the green dragon girl had been fighting frequently lately, using many dragon clan secret techniques, including those specifically for healing wounds… so, poor Konam, today it was as if this little rascal had deflowered her again.
"Ugh...it hurts...no...!"
The green dragon girl cried out in pain, her eyes brimming with tears. She involuntarily swayed her hips, struggling to shake off the thug's agonizing penis.
Rig, however, stared wide-eyed. An intense pleasure spread from his penis throughout his body as Kona's round buttocks swayed. It was a bittersweet experience, so pleasurable that Rig couldn't help but shiver.
"Bio-engineered armor activated!" Rig first secured his penis, then began thrusting excitedly and frantically into Kona's vagina. His hips slammed harder and harder against her round, high buttocks, and he cried out, "Oh...baby...your butt is moving...it feels so good...it's amazing...don't stop...harder..."
The little green dragon, though confused, obediently continued to rotate her round buttocks, hearing the young man's apparent pleasure.
Rig groaned, his hips grinding against Kona's round buttocks with each movement. After a while, the little green dragon seemed to realize she was getting tired. She stopped swaying, curled up, and squeezed her snow-white thighs together, clenching her buttocks.
Rig felt Kona's buttocks clench tightly, her scaly vaginal walls constricting his penis so tightly it was practically impenetrable. This pleasure made his blood boil, intoxicating and soul-stirring. He couldn't help but moan softly, "Baby...it feels so good...be gentle...you're squeezing so tight...I'm going to ejaculate easily...baby...be gentle..."
Kona wasn't intentionally trying to please the little rascal; the green dragon girl was just making these movements subconsciously due to the pain.
Hearing Rig's repeated pleas for mercy, the more rational Kona felt that since she had taken the initiative to mate with Rig, she should take responsibility for it. So she relaxed and decided to ignore the pain that was making her uncomfortable.
Rig noticed that Kona had relaxed her beautifully rounded buttocks, and the feeling of almost ejaculating from her tight vaginal grip subsided temporarily with the relaxation of her vaginal muscles.
Rig was completely captivated, and with unrestrained confidence, he thrust between the green dragon girl's slender waist and round, firm buttocks. His hands caressed the smooth, white skin of her back, sliding down her ribs, and then he grabbed Kona's delicate, perky breasts and began thrusting.
"Ah...it hurts..." Kona cried out, kneeling there, her brows furrowed.
The physiological conditions of dragons meant that their virginity was more painful than that of humans, so they wouldn't experience pleasure so quickly.
Especially now, in this mating position with the deepest penetration, it was truly adding fuel to the fire for Kona.
Rig frowned, reluctantly pulling his thrusting penis from the green dragon girl's vagina. He embraced Konam's supple body, forcefully supporting her as she knelt on the platform that had risen from the synchronized space.
Rig spread Konam's plump buttocks, made even more rounded and jade-like by kneeling, revealing a sticky, viscous white fluid between her slightly engorged labia. Rig couldn't help but let out a low growl. He gripped his wet, viscous penis and eagerly thrust the head into Konam's vagina between her buttocks, mingling with the viscous, filthy fluid as he forcefully penetrated!
Rig's strength was so great that Konam involuntarily swayed her hips, resisting the dull ache and numbness caused by the powerful impact deep within her vagina.
Rig held Konam's slender waist, half-kneeling to push his penis even deeper, and began to thrust violently into the green dragon girl's vagina.
While they were having intercourse, he didn't forget to reach out and grasp the two small, delicate breasts of the little green dragon, pulling, grabbing, kneading, and squeezing them—it was utterly inhuman torture.
Strangely, Kona felt no pain at this moment; she only felt an indescribable comfort emanating from the kneading and pulling of her breasts, an unparalleled pleasure. Deep within her lower body, it felt like a burning flame.
Only when Rig's hot, hard penis thrust in forcefully did that emptiness and slight itching subside, replaced by an ecstatic pleasure that spread rapidly through her vagina.
Before long, Rig was panting heavily, his hands holding Kona's firm, round buttocks, and he began to help her sway and twist in circles.
This stirring stimulated Rig, causing him to moan incoherently, his eyes glazed over. Konami, propelled by inertia, involuntarily rubbed her exquisitely beautiful buttocks together, her vagina, brimming with lustful fluids, gripping Rig's burning hot penis as it spun incessantly, faster and faster.
Konami felt Rig's penis grow thicker within her swirling vagina, hearing the muffled moans emanating from his throat. Excited, Konami spun her beautiful hips even more vigorously.
In the wave of frenzied rotation, Konami suddenly felt an unparalleled pleasure she had never experienced before, instantly sweeping through her entire body from the depths of her vagina. This ecstasy was so intense and enduring that Konami found her lower abdomen and vagina spasming with ecstasy.
Almost simultaneously, she felt the penis thrusting and swirling inside her ejaculate streams of scalding liquid during its rapid thrusting, spraying deep into her violently spasming vagina, burning her with an almost unbearable, soul-stirring ecstasy.
Konami continued to rotate her round hips, but the speed gradually slowed, until finally she came to a complete stop. Rig breathed heavily, his body convulsing with pleasure, lying motionless on Kona's kneeling back.
After a while, Rig's penis, still wet from ejaculation, slowly softened and was squeezed out by Kona's spasming vagina. The semen and vaginal fluid trapped inside flowed out in a grayish-white stream from between the green dragon girl's engorged labia, spreading thickly across Kona's entire vulva and running down her inner thighs.
A few dewdrops of milky-white fluid also dripped from a patch of light green pubic hair, clinging to her skin like strands about to fall.
Chapter Four: Kill Them All
"Rig, the Grand Duke is dead, and I want you to avenge him!" These were the first words Lady Taqis spoke to the scoundrel.
There was no command, no request, no euphemism, no politeness; it was spoken as if it were the most natural and inevitable thing in the world.
It was as if Rig Ampa, standing before them, wasn't the Platonic wizard who had caused a sensation in both empires, but merely any ordinary servant of the Grand Duchess's household.
His tone when he said, "I want you to avenge him," was as casual as asking Rig to pour a cup of tea.
"Yes," Rig's reply was even more unexpected, lacking even the most basic "As the Grand Duchess commands."
Well, even if this little rogue hadn't received proper court etiquette, couldn't he at
least say "Yes, ma'am"? To speak to the Grand Duchess in such an equal tone left
the ducal generals and nobles in the camp dumbfounded. The Grand Duchess, however, nodded, her expression obscured by a black veil. She said calmly, "Count Philip, Rig is new here; please introduce him to the situation."
Count Philip was an elderly man nearing sixty, his hair and beard completely white, each strand meticulously combed.
He was not tall, and a red and gold-trimmed cloak trailed to the ground.
His chest was adorned with numerous badges of varying sizes, a gold sash draped diagonally across his impeccably tailored uniform, and his white-bearded, gloved hands gripped the hilt of his sword.
His trousers were perfectly pressed, without a single wrinkle, and his gleaming boots stood at the most impeccable military posture.
Rig stared in disbelief at the Count. If it weren't for the incongruous uniform, the rogue would have thought he was facing the royal guards of the Saint Hualong Empire.
Indeed, only the Saint Hualong Empire possessed such royal guards, standing ramrod straight like javelins. The entirety of Atlantis, including the powerful Kingdom of Medi, while possessing its own ceremonial guards, lacked the extreme discipline and strictness of the Saint Hualong Empire's royal guards.
After all, the Kingdom of Medi was less than three hundred years old, and could not possibly be compared with an ancient country like Saint Hualong, which was nearly a thousand years old. Moreover, Saint Hualong was the only descendant of the Great Hua Empire.
Could it be that this Earl Philip had once served as a royal ceremonial guard in Platinum City? Rig wondered without malice as he faced the solemn-faced highest-ranking officer of the Plato Duchy's army.
"Your Excellency Ampa, the southern bandits below the mountains number over 50,000 and are completely surrounded. Their forces are mainly infantry and giant beastmen, with a small number of eagle riders. Half of them are scholars and half are natives, and their fighting strength is far superior to ours."
Duke Philip's face was grave. "Our soldiers are equal in number, and although we have used the terrain to our advantage to surround them, the prospects for victory are not optimistic."
Rig looked at the impeccably dressed Earl-General, whose chest was practically overflowing with medals, then at Grand Duchess Taqis, and suddenly asked, "Grand Duchess, how do you want me to take revenge?"
Taqis hesitated for a moment, then said coldly, "Kill them all!"
Her hand, gloved with black gauze, pointed towards the direction outside the camp.
"I'll go kill them!" The little rogue turned and left, not even glancing at the generals and nobles. Several staff officers, their faces flushed, carrying huge sand tables, stared blankly at the magical little mage striding away, dumbfounded.
A dazed advisor unconsciously loosened his grip, and the heavy sand table crashed down, followed by a scream from the camp.
"Are you crazy? Why did you run out without listening to the intelligence?" Lord Bead, bewildered by the symbiote's actions, asked curiously.
"Listen to what? I wouldn't understand anyway!" the rogue said nonchalantly. "Just charge in."
"Have you ever fought a war?" Lord Bead asked in surprise.
"No," the rogue replied matter-of-factly, "But you have!" The
wise Demon Core was speechless.
Lord Bead wanted to tell its symbiote that the scale and scope of the war between gods and demons were incomparable to the small-scale wars currently waged by humans.
Moreover, in its more than one hundred lifetimes as a symbiote, it had never served as a strategist! While
Saint Hua Rong certainly relied on it to establish the Great Hua Empire, there had only been one Saint Hua Rong in over a thousand years! Besides, Saint Hua Rong had never relied on Lord Bead to fight; fighting was commonplace for him.
Fortunately, the little rogue was just talking; he didn't intend to rely on Lord Pearl to fight the war. He wanted to find the Saint Hualong cavalry. The
Saint Hualong cavalry naturally wouldn't obey the orders of the Plato Duchy, so when Vice Dean Susan left, she entrusted all the cavalry to the green dragon girl.
Kona, of course, wouldn't command them in battle; when there was a battle, the little green dragon would charge in herself. So these three thousand cavalrymen were just sitting there eating for free, treated like decorations.
"Kill the fifty thousand barbarian troops below Guangling!"
General Feng Zhenshan, the vanguard general of the expeditionary force, was a general from the northwest of the Saint Hualong Empire, which partially bordered the Northern Che Continent. When the Northern Che beastmen couldn't survive in the freezing cold, they would raid and plunder the Saint Hualong border, so he was very experienced in combat. But upon hearing the little rogue's request, this battle-hardened imperial general was immediately dumbfounded.
"They have fifty thousand, and we have fifty thousand too! Kill them one by one, is that not possible?" Rig said casually.
"Hmm. If Plato's 50,000 men were all magicians, even if they were all novice magicians, wiping them all out would be a piece of cake," Divirachi said sarcastically from the side. "Unfortunately, they aren't."
Rig kicked the charcoal-headed man, leaving a clear footprint, and then ordered him, "Hurry up and come up with a way to kill these 50,000 men!"
"Why me? I'm just a bard!" the charcoal-headed man immediately cried out as if he had been greatly wronged.
The hooligan glared at him and said righteously, "Because you're writing my biography! If the plot isn't good, if you can't kill these 50,000 barbarians, the readers won't be satisfied, and then your lousy book will sell poorly, and you'll become a laughing stock in the Atlantean literary world..."
Divirachi's dark face immediately became serious: "That is indeed a problem!"
"So, you need to get this sorted out quickly. Otherwise, you should switch careers and write time-travel novels!" the hooligan said mercilessly.
The charcoal-haired man paused for a moment before awkwardly saying, "Actually... time travel is quite popular..."
Rig ignored the man and turned to the vanguard general of the Saint Hualong Expeditionary Force, asking, "General, do you have any good ideas?"
Feng Zhenshan looked at the palisades in the valley and said in a deep voice, "The individual combat strength of the barbarian army far exceeds that of the duchy's soldiers. If we don't use the terrain advantage to fight them head-on, the duchy's chances of winning are slim."
"You mean..." Rig asked, looking at General Feng.
"Get them moving, force the barbarian army to fight a breakout. The duchy will use the terrain advantage to block them, deplete the barbarian army's strength, and then launch a central surprise attack with a strong force, surrounding them from all sides and attacking from the center. The barbarian army will inevitably be thrown into chaos!" General Feng explained simply.
Rig paused for a moment: "Force them to break out"
Even a fool would know that if the barbarian army could break out, they would have already charged out! The fact that they built such a high palisades is precisely to prepare for positional warfare.
Under such circumstances, asking them to abandon the meticulously constructed wooden city of the Walkers and instead attack the mountains surrounded by the armies of the Principality of Plato is simply absurd!
"A swift victory is the only feasible method. Otherwise, we can slowly wear them down. The barbarian army is trapped in the valleys and running out of supplies. If we continue this siege, they will be annihilated within a month at most, without even a fight! It's just a matter of time, but it will save us a lot of trouble," General Feng said frankly.
Rig glanced at Feng Zhenshan and asked, "Can you stay here for a month?"
"Impossible!" General Feng replied decisively, "The highest imperial beacon has been lit. Although we don't know the reason, according to imperial military law, we must reach the expeditionary force camp within three days. Fortunately, we are all cavalry, and our speed is relatively fast, so we can only stay here for a maximum of two days."
Rig naturally knew that the Holy Hualong Empire's magical beacon was the highest-level general mobilization order. For General Feng to allow these three thousand vanguard cavalry to stay here for two days was already the limit he could manage, out of consideration for Teacher Susan and the magical little mage. Allowing these cavalrymen to remain would be a violation of military orders, the most serious kind.
"How...how do we let them break through?" Looking at the densely packed barbarian soldiers in the valley, Rig was momentarily at a loss.
Divirachi then leaned over and chuckled, "That's simple, just scare them!"
"Scare them?" Rig looked at the honest smile on the charcoal-faced man's face and couldn't help but ask, "Scare them how?"
"Just let the three great families and these barbarian soldiers know that if they don't break through, they'll face annihilation soon."
Seeing that Rig was still clueless, Divirachi couldn't help but say angrily, "Are you from the Platinum Capital Magic Academy or am I? Aren't you in the Magical Drama Directing Department? Do I have to remind you of these deceptive tactics?"
"Deputy Commander, there's important military intelligence." A red-clad Lin family officer rushed into the tent: "It's extremely urgent!"
"We're trapped here, what could be so urgent? Has Ying Mulan's defenses been breached? We can't help you then." Lin Fengqi said coldly, her tone revealing a hint of impatience.
The Lin family officer paused for a moment and said, "There's no news from the Marshal, but we're about to be in big trouble!"
"Other countries in the Scorpion Tail region have also surrounded us, including the Saint Hualong expeditionary force," Lin Fengqi said unhurriedly. "This valley is a dead end, but with this wooden city, even if there are 100,000 troops outside, it won't be easy for them to devour us. Be careful not to break their teeth!" "
Vice Marshal, the sentries in the tower just reported that the Duchy of Plato is building magic arrays on several mountaintops, and those in charge of the magic arrays are all super-rank mages!" the Lin family officer said urgently.
"A Super-Rank Mage's Magic Array!" Lin Fengqi's expression changed instantly. He stood up abruptly, his hands trembling. "What are they trying to do?"
"It should be a forbidden spell, and a large-scale one at that." The Lin family officer said cautiously, "Deputy Commander, the terrain here is much smaller than Henghe Valley. If those Super-Rank mages use a magic array to create a large-scale fire-type forbidden spell, our fortified city will become a fire pit from which we can't escape!"
Lin Fengqi knew, of course, that the Buxing family had built this fortified city entirely with wood. Although they had taken many measures to defend against enemy fire attacks, these methods were all against the enemy's ordinary rockets and torches.
If it were a Super-Rank mage's forbidden spell flame, it could even melt stone, let alone this wood that had only undergone simple fireproofing treatment.
"Notify the Tian family and the Buxing family, as well as several tribal chiefs and the Grand Wizard, to come for a meeting!" Lin Fengqi said quickly. "We cannot sit idly by and wait to die!"
A moment later, the leaders of this barbarian army gathered in Lin Fengqi's camp, and everyone's face was extremely grim.
Lin Fengqi's face was cold as she said in a low voice, "Everyone, we've reached a critical moment. What suggestions do you have?"
"Wasn't it agreed that the Marshal and the Kingdom of Medi would hold back the army and mages of Saint Hualong? How come those super-rank mages are here again?" the general of the Walking Clan asked in confusion.
"I sent people to check. There are indeed several hilltops where magic arrays are being built, and according to the Eagle Whistle's report, there are indeed super-rank mages directing them. Judging from their clothes and appearance, they should be some super-rank mages from Saint Hualong." The general of the Tian Clan sighed and said, "However, not all of Saint Hualong's super-rank mages have come. Some should still be with the Marshal."
"At this moment, this fortified city is a death trap!" Lin Fengqi said slowly, "What suggestions do you have?"
"What other suggestions do you have? If we stay here any longer, all 50,000 of us will be boiled alive. We have to break out. Even if we can get half of them out, it's better than being cooked in one pot!" the general of the Walking Clan shouted.
The Tian family general nodded, saying, "Our only way to survive right now is to fight our way out. Our only consideration is where to break through."
"Breakthrough?" Lin Fengqi's handsome face was grim. "On the mountain ridges ahead are the Cretans and those barbarian demons who have surrendered to them. Our Vajra and Violent Bear are completely ineffective against those demons. That green dragon is constantly flying overhead. The Tian family's dragon eagles are okay for occasional reconnaissance, but they're completely unreliable for a breakout. Let alone seeing that green dragon, just hearing its roar makes us afraid to even spread our wings. Without the giant beasts and dragon eagles, what do we have left? Only men to fill the gaps!"
The Tian family general sighed, his spirits low. "I feel like we've been tricked by Ying Mulan again."
"Tricked?" Lin Fengqi scoffed coldly. "When she proposed the split-force plan, wasn't it our own choice—one team for sniping and one team for long-range attacks?"
"How could we have known that the Duchy of Plato would go so mad this time, with its entire army pressing behind us, and that the people of Crete would actually set up an ambush in the treacherous mountains? And those thousands of wild demons, because of those demons, are completely obedient to the Cretans. Those barbarians are natural-born forest warriors, and we have no siege equipment, not even enough to eat," the footman general lamented, full of complaints.
"Stop talking!" Lin Fengqi said coldly, "Looking back and forth won't help. The mountains held by the Cretans are the narrowest and most treacherous, making a breakout from there virtually impossible. Tomorrow, focus on the other defenses. They also have 50,000 men, and we have about the same number. Our three families' elite warriors will fight to the death. Even if they have the advantage of terrain, these Plato Duchy troops, who haven't fought in centuries, can hold us all. And what about the army behind them? They don't have any fairies to help them!"
At dawn, the four gates of the barbarian fortress opened, and the barbarian army poured out in full force. Horns blared, drums thundered, and the swarm of soldiers shouted themselves hoarse, launching a fierce attack on the duchy's encirclement.
The duchy's soldiers, who were on high alert, felt the entire earth tremble. In this life-or-death moment, the barbarian soldiers, with no way out, unleashed a murderous aura that soared to the heavens.
Thousands of tall, burly barbarian soldiers, carrying wooden shields, launched their first wave of attack. Bare-chested and unarmed, they charged relentlessly up the rugged slopes and steep cliffs.
The duchy's defenders rained arrows down, and barbarian soldiers fell screaming in agony. But many more shield-bearers braved the arrow storm, frantically climbing upwards, using their rudimentary shields and bare flesh to close the gap with the duchy's lines.
After nearly half their numbers were wiped out by the arrows, the survivors finally crossed the treacherous slope. Shields were pieced together to form a shield, and then the foot soldiers charged forward with shouts.
They pushed shield carts made of wood, providing cover for makeshift catapults and ballistae, before unleashing a barrage of heavy weapons upon the duchy's defenses. Then the main force of the barbarian army launched a fierce attack on the hilltops defended by the duchy. Their numbers were so vast that the hillsides were filled with a dense mass of heads and the glint of weapons, the deafening shouts of battle echoing through the sky.
Dozens of arrow towers, erected by foot soldiers, began to suppress the duchy's rain of arrows from a higher angle. Using the shield-carts forming a fortress, the barbarian soldiers, carrying makeshift shields and wielding a motley collection of weapons, began a slow, large-scale advance towards the duchy's defensive lines.
Of course, not every barbarian soldier could rush to the narrow hilltops; most were crammed into the valley, shoulder to shoulder, row upon row, so crowded they could hardly breathe. Every barbarian soldier knew that the mages of the Plato Duchy were preparing magic arrays and forbidden spells on the mountain; staying inside the fortress would mean certain death, but the fortress occupied a large portion of the valley, so all the soldiers were crammed outside.
The barbarian generals knew that they were now racing against time. Once the magic array was activated, there wouldn't be much difference between being inside the fortified city and outside, facing a forbidden spell cast by several high-level mages.
Lin Fengqi simply hoped that the conditions for using the magic array and the forbidden spell were extremely demanding, and the time required was considerable, allowing them to use this time to close the distance with the Plato Kingdom's army as much as possible.
Once the distance was close, to avoid casualties among their own people, the high-level mages would naturally not dare to unleash their forbidden spells so recklessly.
That's why they mobilized all their soldiers from across the mountains and plains, regardless of family or tribe, advancing in waves and groups towards the duchy's defensive lines.
The barbarian soldiers were so densely packed that the duchy's archers didn't even need to aim; rank after rank of archers fired in rapid succession, thousands of powerful bows unleashing a torrent of arrows that rained down on the barbarian soldiers.
Even with shield carts and shields providing cover, many barbarian soldiers fell every moment, their corpses piling up layer upon layer. Yet they pressed on, vaulting over the shields and charging straight to the duchy's defensive lines. But there, countless rocks rained down from above, crushing them, leaving them bloodied and bruised. Then, massive, burning logs rolled down, carrying the pungent smell of charred flesh.
The steep, narrow mountains were incredibly difficult to climb. Sometimes, the barbarian soldiers would painstakingly climb to the top, only to be pounced upon by the duchy's soldiers before they could even get a foothold, a flurry of thrusts with swords and spears sending them crashing to the ground.
Because the crowd was so dense, the barbarian standard-bearers were unable to move in the flow of people, becoming easy targets for the archers.
The barbarian commanders brandished their long swords and shouted orders, but amidst the deafening battle cries, the soldiers couldn't hear their commands. But not hearing didn't matter; there was only one order: attack, attack, and attack again!
Under this command, the barbarian soldiers recklessly scaled the steep cliffs with their bare hands, enduring fierce attacks from the duchy's army with arrows and rolling stones, suffering countless casualties, yet still advancing wave after wave, fearless and relentless.
Countless
elite barbarian troops hadn't even reached the duchy's defenses before being routed and routed. Many barbarian soldiers, terrified by the brutal attacks, wanted to retreat or even flee.
However, on the narrow slope, this was simply impossible. Waves of soldiers surged forward, and the timid barbarian soldiers had no time to dodge. Some were pushed off the slope and tumbled off cliffs, while others were trampled to death on the road.
Wave after wave of barbarian soldiers charged upwards, ignoring fear and the consequences, each step leaving a trail of blood, yet they continued their desperate advance.
The fervent battle fervor and deafening battle cries enveloped the mountains in a bloody stench.
Chapter Five: Bloodbath Like a Song.
The barbarians launched a relentless, relentless attack, creating mountains of corpses and seas of blood before the duchy's defenses. Under this fierce assault, the duchy's defenses were finally breached in large sections by the barbarian soldiers.
Armed with maces, swords, and axes, the barbarian soldiers poured into the duchy's defenses through the breaches.
The soldiers of the Duchy of Plato refused to yield an inch, fighting fiercely behind the palisade, relying on their fortifications.
Barbarian soldiers and ducal soldiers engaged in hand-to-hand combat on the narrow battlefield, swords and axes clashing, spears and swords flashing, a fierce battle unfolding along every defensive line.
Both sides gritted their teeth, countless strange and wonderful weapons clashing and hacking at each other, everywhere filled with the flashing of blades, screams of agony, and boisterous curses echoing through the sky.
The fearless barbarian army fought to the death, unexpectedly gaining the upper hand on several defensive lines. A continuous stream of barbarian reinforcements surged forward, quickly achieving a numerical advantage; barbarian flags were even planted on several hilltops, and the barbarian army erupted in a deafening cheer.
Just then, brilliant magical light began to shine on the hilltops. The Holy Hualong Empire's military organization was complete; although the vanguard was entirely cavalry, it also included a considerable number of mages.
At the crucial moment, these mages intervened, inflicting heavy casualties on the barbarian soldiers. The morale of the duchy's army soared, and they stormed the hilltop, recaptured their banner, and launched a counterattack. Elite columns of shield bearers, swordsmen, and spearmen gradually forced the barbarians back.
Archers relentlessly fired arrows from the gaps in their ranks. In just moments, the barbarian soldiers who had reached the top suffered heavy losses, leaving behind thousands of corpses before being driven back down.
During this time, the foot soldiers' arrow towers, catapults, and ladders took the opportunity to approach the defenses. The barbarian archers suppressed the duchy's archers, while catapults hurled stones and logs indiscriminately onto the hilltop. The vicious barbarian soldiers, daggers in their mouths, axes on their backs, and swords in their hands, frantically climbed upwards.
Despite the rain of arrows and the carnage inflicted by falling rocks and timbers, the barbarian soldiers fought with ferocious disregard for their own lives. With this relentless attack, supported by arrow towers and catapults, and after suffering heavy casualties, the barbarian soldiers broke through the duchy's defenses for the second time, engaging in fierce hand-to-hand combat once more.
Every hilltop and defensive line defended by the duchy was now under a relentless barrage of attacks from the barbarian soldiers. Wave after wave of attacks swept through the barbarians, who repeatedly breached multiple lines in a short period. However, they met with the duchy's soldiers' desperate resistance.
The Platonians displayed unparalleled resilience and tenacity, refusing to retreat and displaying fierce bravery. With the cooperation of the Saint Hualong military mages, they repeatedly drove the enemy back.
On the blood-soaked battlefield, the soldiers clashed again and again, the deafening shouts and screams mingling together.
Every defensive line was shattered and constantly shifting, one moment captured by the barbarian army, the next recaptured by the duchy.
Countless battles raged on every hilltop, the corpses piling up, the wounded lying in pools of blood, groaning in agony, yet no one on either side could offer aid.
The soldiers were bloodthirsty, wielding broadswords and spears, hurling axes and daggers. Their weapons were stained with blood, their ground slippery, the bodies beneath their feet unrecognizable as either dead or alive, friend or foe. They only knew to relentlessly crush their opponents, one after another, until they too were felled. The thick stench of blood permeated every hilltop.
Spears broke, broadswords dulled, soldiers charged bare-handed, grabbing and kicking, biting throats, gouging eyes, attacking every vital point—their ferocity could only be described as madness!
Both sides had large reserves, but the narrow terrain prevented them from launching a full-scale assault to inflict heavy losses.
On a plain, these tens of thousands of troops might have been decided in an hour, but in the rugged mountains, it had become a protracted war of attrition.
Overall, the duchy's defenders, benefiting from the terrain, held a slight advantage; at least their reinforcements wouldn't suffer significant losses en route. Every barbarian soldier who reached the top of the hill left behind a trail of fallen comrades.
Even so, the barbarians' ferocity and madness began to put pressure on the duchy's soldiers. After all, the southern islands had been at war for years, while the Scorpion Tail region had enjoyed centuries of peace. While the duchy's soldiers were brave and tenacious, they lacked the bloodthirst and brutality of their adversaries.
If it weren't for the Saint Hualong military's mages providing crucial magical support to the duchy's army at every critical moment, the duchy's defenses would likely have collapsed long ago. However, the number of mages was limited, and their magical power was even more so. Faced with the relentless, wave after wave of barbarian attacks, the intervals between the mages' reinforcements grew increasingly longer.
The sun climbed higher in the sky, its blazing heat unable to deter tens of thousands from their desperate, life-or-death struggle in the mountains.
Approaching noon, after several hours of fierce fighting, the barbarian offensive continued. They left piles of corpses on the hilltops, yet wave after wave of reinforcements continued to pour into the battlefield. The
air was thick with the stench of blood; every inch of ground was covered in smeared flesh, and streams of blood flowed. The duchy's soldiers were pale and terrified; with so many of their comrades falling, the Platonic spirit of heroism had gradually faded.
"The barbarians are pressing in with all their might; our morale is waning," Divirachi keenly observed the shift in the enemy's forces and said to Rig, "It's time."
Rig turned around and solemnly said to General Feng beside him, "General Zhenshan, I entrust this to you!"
Feng Zhenshan grinned and replied, "My cavalry have been waiting all morning, Rig, rest assured!"
A giant green dragon, accompanied by a loud roar, soared into the high sky, its enormous form almost obscuring half the sky.
Although this green dragon was so arrogant, both sides in the battle were already familiar with its presence, and the fierce fighting did not even slow down for a moment because of its appearance.
With a long roar, the green dragon spread its wings and plunged into the barbarian army's camp in the middle of the valley. Immediately, a great fire broke out in the already empty palisade. The barbarian army's last escape route had been cut off.
Of course, Kona would not set the fire; it was Rig, the magical little mage, who did. Although the little rogue's magical level was not very high, he was quite proficient in using fireball spells, which had almost become his specialty.
Moreover, while the magic circles used to intimidate were not forbidden spells, they still amplified fire magic. Combined with a large quantity of magic crystals, the raging fire quickly engulfed the entire fortified city.
Simultaneously, on a fiercely contested defensive line, a large number of archers from the Plato Duchy suddenly surged forth, their dense rain of arrows sending barbarian soldiers and their horses sprawling. Then, a resounding bugle call rang out, and a massive, dark mass of cavalry charged down the slope.
Throughout the Scorpion Tail region, cavalry was practically a legendary unit. Apart from a few duchies with a very small number of ceremonial cavalry, no duchy or prefecture would spend a fortune maintaining a real cavalry force. The complex terrain and humid climate of the Southern Frontier region meant it was unsuitable for cavalry warfare.
If the Southern Frontier region was unsuitable for cavalry combat, the southern islands further south were even less suitable. Theoretically, neither the three major families nor the various barbarian tribes should have been completely clueless about cavalry warfare.
However, there was an anomaly in the Southern Islands named Ying Mulan. Ying Mulan's dominance over the Southern Islands, routing the three major families, was all thanks to her three thousand Black Riders. If it weren't for the fact that each of the three families had its own elite forces to counter her, Ying Mulan would likely have already established a true British Empire in the Southern Islands.
Even so, the terrifying impact and destructive power of cavalry were already well-known to the barbarian army, deeply ingrained in the hearts of every barbarian soldier!
The standard strength of the Saint Hualong Empire's expeditionary vanguard was five thousand men, but only three thousand had come with Susan.
The vanguard was naturally the elite spearhead of every army. Ying Mulan's Black Riders had roamed the Southern Islands for years, and since invading the Scorpion Tail region, they had never encountered a worthy opponent. However, in the battle to blockade Jichang Ridge, they fought the Saint Hualong expeditionary vanguard to a standstill, with both sides suffering heavy losses. The strength of the vanguard cavalry was evident.
The three thousand cavalrymen all wore green armor, wielded sharp lances, had sabers at their waists, and short swords at their sides.
The warhorses' limbs and vital areas were also covered with a layer of soft armor, and each horse had a small round shield hanging from its saddle.
These fully armed Saint Hualong cavalry surged out of the hillside like a tidal wave, moving slowly at first, then gradually accelerating with the incline of the mountain road, their hooves thundering like lightning.
Despite the sheer number of enemy troops below, a dense mass of dark heads filling the valley, the three thousand iron cavalry seemed to see nothing, charging like a flood into the barbarian army's mountain of swords and spears.
The cavalrymen, steel spears in hand, pointed forward, used the momentum of the downhill charge to fiercely ram into the barbarian ranks. Amidst the shouts of men and the neighing of horses,
they carved a bloody path through the barbarian army like a tumbleweed. The giant dragon in the sky and the raging fire behind them had already filled the barbarian soldiers with fear, but the torrent of Saint Hualong cavalry left them no time to react, and they were swept away in disarray.
The three thousand iron cavalry did not linger in battle, ignoring the remaining barbarian soldiers forced to the sides. Using their cavalry's momentum, they charged deep into the barbarian ranks in the valley, trampling through them like a whirlwind, leaving swathes of barbarian soldiers dead.
The cavalry formation was like a sharp dagger, cutting deep into the barbarian ranks, leaving behind a trail of corpses and blood.
Faced with this unstoppable offensive, the three major families and the barbarian tribes had no time to adjust. Their armies were scattered and crushed by the Saint Hualong cavalry, instantly routed. The barbarian soldiers screamed in terror and scattered in all directions, trying to escape these demonic killing gods.
The high-ranking generals of the three major families naturally knew that, under these circumstances, as long as they could stop the Saint Hualong cavalry's charge and slow their horses, a mere few thousand cavalrymen would become lambs to the slaughter in the narrow valley.
They attempted to halt the flood's flow, but due to the narrow terrain, the three families' most formidable guards were blocked by their own troops, trapped in the chaos and unable to move, helplessly watching as their ranks were swept away and routed by the roaring torrent of iron.
Enraged, the barbarian generals ordered the execution of those blocking their path, further exacerbating the chaos.
Advancing, retreating, and fleeing ranks were in complete disarray.
The intrusion of the Saint Hualong cavalry instilled immense panic in the barbarian soldiers. Having received news that the duchy's army was about to destroy the palisade with massive magic, these soldiers had been attacking the hilltops with a death wish from the start.
They had never imagined that an enemy force would disregard discipline and penetrate their heartland, wreaking havoc. This unexpected turn of events left the barbarian soldiers bewildered; while those in front fought desperately to capture the hilltops, those behind frantically tried to turn and engage in battle.
The barbarian army's fierce offensive, which had been raging since dawn, was abruptly cut off. Many barbarian soldiers on the front lines were slaughtered, and the rear guard couldn't be replenished in time. The ducal soldiers seized the opportunity to reinforce their defenses, add manpower, and stabilize the hilltops and palisades.
"Block them! Block them!" The exasperated senior generals of the three major families urged their elite troops to intercept the Saint Hualong cavalry at all costs.
The elite troops, ordered to block them but constantly squeezed to the perimeter, finally erupted in anger after being repeatedly reprimanded. At a single command, a dense rain of arrows felled a large number of the barbarian soldiers crowding in front of them, and then a large contingent of soldiers charged into the fray.
Faced with the elite soldiers' attack, the panicked barbarian soldiers had nowhere to run and could only scatter to the flanks, plunging the valley into chaos. However, the Saint Hualong cavalry had already turned their horses around and charged into another group of barbarian soldiers, hacking and slashing, leaving the elite soldiers who
had managed to break through to the front lines dumbfounded as they watched them disappear into the distance. Besides the elite soldiers of the three major families, many barbarian soldiers tried to stop this raging, storm-like torrent of steel. They wielded spears and broadswords, their blades clanging against the cavalry's armor, leaving only small dents in the helmets and breastplates of the fast-moving riders.
These fearless barbarian soldiers were kicked and knocked down by the Saint Hualong cavalry's thunderous charge.
Large herds of warhorses galloped over them, leaving only a trail of blood and gore.
The valley was littered with the corpses of barbarian soldiers, and the Saint Hualong cavalry's relentless offensive showed no sign of stopping.
They were like tireless, raging waves, relentlessly crashing against the barbarian lines.
The barbarian army's formation crumbled under their charge, their soldiers fleeing in panic, relentlessly pursued by the Saint Hualong cavalry, driving them through the mountains and plains.
Tens of thousands of Pu's men were routed by a few thousand cavalry, scattering in all directions. Gao Hu of the three great families was enraged. However, the chaos of the battlefield had disrupted their orders, and the towering fire in the fortified city led the barbarian soldiers to mistakenly believe that a terrible curse had been unleashed.
The shadow cast by the devastating earthquake in Henghe Valley had sown a heavy shadow in the superstitious minds of the barbarian soldiers. The morale boosted by Lin Fengqi and his men's desperate struggle for survival vanished in the flames.
The barbarian army was routed, with large groups of soldiers fleeing in panic, driven away by the Saint Hualong cavalry.
The barbarian soldiers dared not look back; the entire force scattered, and soldiers joined the fleeing tide in the chaos.
The high-ranking officials of the three major families tried to stop the collapse, but to no avail; the barbarian soldiers had lost their minds. In the crushing chaos, they abandoned their spears, swords, and bows, trampling and shoving each other.
The Saint Hualong cavalry, unable to maneuver among them at high speed, could only hack and slash from horseback.
The barbarian soldiers, so close yet so far, only thought of escape; not a single one picked up a weapon to fight back against these infantrymen now on horseback.
The resounding bugles and the rapid beat of war drums echoed from the surrounding hilltops. The duchy's soldiers, shouting and armed, charged down their lines into the valley, attacking the collapsing, desperate enemy. Seeing the entire Plato Kingdom launch an attack, yet the legendary, terrifying forbidden spell failed to materialize, Lin Fengqi finally realized it was all a deception and a trap. He was so distraught he nearly vomited blood.
However, he was powerless to regroup his scattered troops across the mountains. Even with a legion of dozens of giant beasts composed of Vajra and Berserker Bears, facing tens of thousands of the duchy's troops attacking from above, the high-ranking officials of the three families could easily escape, but a decisive breakout to reverse the tide of defeat was nothing short of a pipe dream.
With the order for a general attack issued, the Cretan troops stationed at the foot of the mountains also poured into the valleys. Dozens of fairies led thousands of wild demons in with a roar, while a giant green dragon in the sky arrogantly sprayed a vast cloud of dragon saliva. Lin Fengqi immediately realized that even his own giant beast legion and the Heavenly Family's Dragon Eagle troops had become unreliable.
"Lieutenant Commander, the enemy is overwhelming! We must break through!" Several guards rushed forward, draped Lin Fengqi in ordinary soldier's clothes without a word, and dragged him toward a mountain ridge.
Lin Fengqi wanted to shout, wanted to draw his sword and fight to the death, but an officer's words brought him back to his senses: "Lieutenant Commander, this must be a conspiracy by the Ying family! If we don't go back and tell the family elders the truth, the Southern Islands will truly be unified by the British Empire, and all these soldiers will have died in vain!"
"Ying Mulan!" Lin Fengqi cursed through gritted teeth, swept into the chaotic throng by his guards.
The 50,000-strong barbarian army was utterly defeated in a single day, fleeing in disarray, their armor and weapons scattered, the valley filled with a deafening roar.
They fled aimlessly, pursued and killed by the Saint Hualong cavalry and the Duchy's soldiers. These barbarians, who had been ferocious and tyrannical since invading the Scorpion Tail region, were now as docile as lambs, unaware of the threat even with swords at their throats.
But the Duchy's army launched a full-scale attack, naturally creating gaps in their defenses, large and small. These gaps, though too small for large armies to pass through, allowed stragglers of barbarian soldiers to escape.
Lin Fengqi's elite personal guards, protecting him, managed to escape through one such gap. Facing the pursuing Duchy army, the guards, back to back and shoulder to shoulder, brandished their longswords, carving bloody paths through the enemy lines.
When Lin Fengqi finally broke through the encirclement, he found that fewer than ten of his thousands of personal guards remained! Of
the Lin family, the Tian family, the Bu family, and dozens of affiliated barbarian tribes, tens of thousands of soldiers, aside from a few hundred who escaped, the vast majority remained in the perilous land below Qingye Ridge, either dying in battle or surrendering!
Qingye Ridge had become a sea of jubilation, with tens of thousands of Duchy soldiers cheering and jumping for joy, tears streaming down their faces.
Every hilltop was ablaze with waving flags and the resounding beat of drums, soldiers and militia alike embracing each other in triumph. Deafening shouts rose and fell, countless voices merging into one:
"Long live the Grand Duke! Long live the Duchy!" The cry echoed through the heavens.
This was the most glorious day in the history of the Duchy of Plato. They had personally defeated the enemy who had murdered the Grand Duke, avenging the hundreds of thousands of their compatriots who had perished in the southern frontier.
Since the start of the war of aggression, the southern barbarian soldiers, portrayed as invincible through successive battles, had crumbled before them. The myth of the invaders had not only been shattered but also crushed by their heavy iron fist.
With this one battle, the Duchy of Plato had risen from a second-rate nation to one of the strongest in the Scorpion Tail region.

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