The Alchemist of Lust 24~25

Episode 1 Happy Birthday

"Tsutsumi, happy birthday!"

"What is this?"

"It's called the 'Magic Ring,' a gift from my mother. I heard it contains magical power."

"Wait... don't tell me this is a keepsake?"

"Pfft, I knew you'd find out, but I didn't expect it to be so soon."

"You're giving me a keepsake as a birthday present? I won't accept it... Ah?!"

A warm kiss touched my lips, and this sudden kiss made me forget everything. If I had to count the happiest moments of my life, this would probably be it. Beneath the kapok tree on the back hill of Tauralia, Cecilia and I sealed our love with a kiss. As her lips slowly parted, she placed the ring in my hand, her face slightly flushed, and smiled, "You must take good care of it. If it gets damaged, I won't let you off the hook. Also, you must remember me for the rest of your life."

Staring blankly at the ring in my hand, my mind seemed to go blank. In fact, Cecilia missed her mother dearly, and this ring held great significance for her. I scratched the back of my head and replied, "You? Who could forget a strange person like you?"

Cecilia's smile suddenly vanished, and the sound of gongs and drums rang in my ears, jolting me awake from my deep dream. Struggling to sit up in bed, my upper body drenched in sweat, I instinctively looked at my left hand, where the magic ring was still securely on my middle finger. Startled awake, Falan Zhi, who was sleeping beside me, sat up naked and hugged my hand, asking, "Admiral?"

It wasn't a dream, but a memory from Tauraria. Even after waking, my mind was still a jumble, and a trace of moisture lingered at the corner of my eyes. I couldn't help but sigh deeply. Xiao Zhi looked at me anxiously and asked, "Are you crying, Admiral?"

"Huh? No, this… this is sweat! Aren't you hot? By the way, what day is it today?" Why did I suddenly remember something from the past? "

Ah… we left Huaduoge on the 22nd, so today should be the 26th."

My mind raced, and I nodded, "It's June now. Oh, so it's my birthday. No wonder I had this dream."

Xiao Zhi was startled and asked, "Is today Lord Avanti's birthday?"

I smiled bitterly and said, "Birthday my foot! Since becoming the lord of Febenli City, I haven't celebrated my birthday for five years. If it weren't for this dream, I would have almost forgotten my own birthday."

Could it be a dream from Cecilia? But she's not dead yet. Cecilia is half a month younger than me; she was born on July 10th. She should be living on the border between the south and the capital right now. If we keep heading north, we'll definitely meet again.

Xiao Zhi said, "Then Xiao Zhi will go and inform the others to celebrate the Lord's birthday together."

"Ha, no need, who would celebrate a birthday during a military campaign?"

Another sound came from outside the camp, and a messenger was already outside the tent saying, "Sorry to disturb the Lord's sleep, we encountered patrols from Hao City, and Lord Osman is on his way to deal with them."

I laughed and said, "Is this a gift from Hao City? Xiao Zhi, help me change into military uniform."

"Yes, sir."

When we arrived half a mile from the camp, Osman had already led over a thousand White Wolf soldiers in a night battle with the city's garrison. The enemy numbered about eight hundred to a thousand, of whom more than a hundred carried short swords and wore ordinary soldier uniforms, presumably ordinary patrolmen. The remaining six hundred or so wore blue uniforms and were equipped with fine steel spears and half-shields. These soldiers were the Blue Goose Army that had been summoned to reinforce the city. In the midst of the melee, Osman wielded his spear, fighting back against three enemy generals—two men and one woman, all appearing to be under twenty, but none of them were familiar to me.

The female general roared, "White Wolf traitors, how dare you invade the territory of the divine race!"

Osman didn't reply, his spear striking the female general's twin swords, then using the butt of the spear to force the other two men aside. He calmly placed his spear upright on his hip, the butt embedded in the ground, and said, "Hahahaha... I don't care if it's a dragon's den or a tiger's lair, there's no place a wolf dares not go." Just as

the female general was about to attack, the other two grabbed her arms and pulled her back, watching intently as I led the Black Dragon Army towards us. Their expressions were full of suspicion. They asked, "What army are you from? Why are you invading Hao City?"

I walked to Osman's side and laughed, "You're still young; it wouldn't be good if I told you."

My army couldn't help but burst into laughter. The female general, unwilling to be humiliated, drew two white streaks with her twin swords and slashed towards my face. Osman drew his spear to defend himself, but I stopped him with a gesture. Simultaneously, Maki Fen slid from its sheath, sparking as it grazed the twin swords in mid-air. Where the sparks passed, the two swords were sliced in half by Maki Fen. The female general recoiled in shock, while the two male soldiers provided cover with their spears. Their warriors couldn't believe their eyes.

The enemy's attention was entirely focused on Maki Fen. The Southern Legion was renowned for its superior weaponry, and the commander of a prestigious city wouldn't use inferior equipment. Yet, against the sword in my hand, it was instantly destroyed; their astonishment was understandable. I pressed my advantage, saying, "I hate being woken up, so I'll use you to vent my anger."

Maki Fen swung in a wide arc, charging straight at the three young soldiers. Osman, not daring to let me risk my life, led his soldiers in a swarm. Upon clashing with the two male soldiers, their spears were no match for Maki Fen's sharpness, being sliced in half with a single blow. Even their formidable spear skills were rendered useless.

Three soldiers retreated, weapons broken, just as another blue-clad army arrived to meet them. Leading them was another female general, beside whom stood an elderly man of about five years old. I frowned and stopped the pursuit.

This girl looked quite like Cecilia! The

new female general was incredibly fiery; without uttering a word, she leaped forward, her spear aimed straight at my face. I tentatively called out, "Tiling."

Tiling's expression turned to surprise when I called her name. At the same time, I drew my sword and deflected her spear. Tiling was Cecilia's younger sister, four years younger than us. I remembered her as a child in Tauralia; I hadn't expected her to have grown so much, her breasts quite firm.

Tiling stared at me in astonishment, then suddenly realized what was happening and took five or six steps back. Her actions surprised the other four soldiers. Tiling shook her head in disbelief, saying, "Impossible! Avanti should be held back in the capital by the young master. You...who are you?"

The mere mention of Avanti's name caused the entire thousand-plus enemy troops to retreat, creating a commotion. Even the old and three young guards were moved, gathering together in a tense standoff. The name "Avanti" not only shocked the women's world but was also synonymous with public enemy number one in the South.

I believed the young master Tiling spoke of was Yuret, but why was I being held back by him? I'd never been held back by anyone before. A flash of insight struck me, and I suddenly understood something.

Sheathing my sword, I smiled and said, "Five years have passed, Tiling, you've grown into a beautiful young woman. Come, let your brother give you a hug." Tiling

finally confirmed that I was Avanti. The blood drained from her face, and without hesitation, she said, "Retreat!"

Osman gave me a deep look, and seeing that I allowed the enemy to leave, he wisely stopped his men from pursuing.

Our troops finally arrived outside Hao City, separated by only one hill. To be honest, this was my first time here myself. This city, known as the foremost city in the South, is unforgettable once seen. Hao City is unlike any other city; it's not built of ordinary rock, but of refined muscovite. Muscovite itself contains aluminum, and combined with the unique techniques used by the southerners, the surface of the rock develops a subtle blue hue. Under the morning sun, Hao City shimmers with a sea-blue light, like a seashell.

The city's terrain is also unique. Located beside the sea, it has only two land gates, the south and west, with docks connecting to the open sea on the northeast and north sides. At the city gate stand two silver angel statues, each over ten feet tall, with sapphire-encrusted eyes, outstretched wings, and wielding a sword, as if warning intruders not to approach. A row of dark blue military flags, embroidered with the sun and wild geese, flies atop the city walls, while countless crossbows are visible in the moat.

The foremost city in the south, a major city second only to the imperial capital in the empire, indeed possesses an extraordinary aura.

An army of about eight thousand men, judging by the area, had already lined up outside the city gates. Leading them was an old general clad in thick black armor, wielding a three-pronged halberd; he was the man who had appeared with Tiling the previous night, and the two young soldiers, two men and two women, from the previous night were also among them.

I led twenty thousand troops to slowly challenge them, while the other half rested in camp. This brought the fighting forces closer together, and the Blue Goose Army formed a defensive formation, their spears pointing at us. An old general from the enemy ranks rode out and shouted, "Are you Avanti-Radel?"

I rode out on my six-legged leopard and replied, "I am Avanti. And who are you?"

The old general said in a deep voice, "Hmph, I am Ledi! Take this!"

Ledi charged at me on his warhorse, his trident spinning rapidly above his head, his old face looking like he wanted to devour me. Hao City belonged to Herus's base, and he was the garrison commander here. As for the name Ledi, I had never heard of it before. Since we were several hundred paces apart, Ledi had enough time to prepare before he attacked. I gripped the hilt of Machifen and silently waited for him to reach me.

This Ledi yelled like a pig being slaughtered, his trident attacking with the force of a peak, the tip constantly changing course to make it impossible for me to catch it. I smiled coldly. This man had seen that I was using a short weapon and feared the sharpness of Machifen; he would definitely avoid close combat with me. Sure enough, his halberd ultimately struck not me, but the head of the six-legged leopard, perfectly utilizing the advantages of a long weapon.

That was a good idea, but unfortunately, our levels were too far apart. I drew my halberd and, with a long howl, unleashed the Dragon Fiend's most prized move:

the Dragon Fiend's Four Absolute Sword Techniques—the Dragon Fiend Iaijutsu Slash.

This move would subject the scabbard to immense pressure, instantly breaking the hilt. A vortex would form between me and Ledi, transforming into sword energy that slashed horizontally at Ledi. Ledi was terrified, desperately pulling his trident back to defend, but the shaft was immediately severed by the sword force, the remaining force sending him tumbling from his horse.

Had he not been riding on the six-legged leopard and wearing heavy armor, he would surely have been killed. The Blue Goose Army was dumbfounded. They had entrusted Ledi with a duel with my skills, but he was defeated with a single strike. The White Wolf Army was also shocked; they had never seen me fight and were unaware that I had reached the level of a master. Ledi was seriously injured, and our soldiers quickly captured him alive. Although the Blue Goose Army also wanted to rescue him, their horsemanship was no match for the Black Dragon and White Wolf armies.

Sheathing my sword, I shook my head and said, "That old devil He went to the Eastern Capital to fish in troubled waters, leaving only brats and elders to guard the city. It's utterly boring. You have one day to lay down your weapons and surrender the city, or don't blame me for being impolite."

The enemy, from generals to soldiers, were furious, but they dared not act rashly. Our army had over 40,000 elite cavalry, led by me, and with General Feng Poyue in the ranks. Compared to them, the list of the Hao City defenders was utterly inferior. If Yuliete were here, we could still fight a few battles, but now even I don't know what the enemy has the strength to continue.

Having scared off the Hao City defenders, and having Ledi imprisoned and tortured behind the camp, I sat alone on a small grassy slope outside Hao City, staring blankly at this nationally renowned city. Osman and Poyue appeared beside me. The former said, "Admiral, this is for you."

Osman shoved a bottle of wine into my hand, and I couldn't help but ask in surprise, "Where did you get this wine?"

Osman smiled wryly and said, "I 'picked it up' in Huaduogo City. I thought the Admiral might need it."

I glanced at the wine; it wasn't an expensive, famous brand, but as Osman said, I did want to have a little bit of it now. After opening the bottle and taking a couple of sips, I handed it to them, and they followed suit, each taking a sip. I said casually, "My first love once said that Hao City was the most beautiful city she had ever seen, and she so hoped to bring me to see it. Alas, she never dreamed that my first time witnessing Hao City would be to conquer it. Isn't that absurd?"

Po Yue chuckled and said, "I grew up in the Wind Chime Mountains, and my only wish was to serve the Winged Human Royal Family. Now I'm sitting here listening to you complain."

This time it was Osman's turn to smile bitterly and say, "I'm not much better off than you. As a member of the Gancha family, I'm being chased by my own White Wolf Army, and my father's fate is unknown. Now I'm sitting here worrying and drinking alone. Isn't that absurd too?" I

couldn't help but laugh and said, "I'm sorry, I was just feeling a bit emotional." "I never intended to make you two feel so sentimental about your past."

The three of us men exchanged glances and smiled bitterly. Po Yue handed me the wine and asked, "Our lord seems quite concerned about Hao City."

I shook the bottle and said, "Both for public and private reasons, advancing on Hao City is extremely important. The situation in the Empire is delicate right now. What worries me most isn't the royal family, but actually the Divine Clan. Herus's Blue Goose Army is eyeing the Eastern and even Northern Empires, Yuret's land forces are eyeing the Imperial City, and there's also Tianmei behind them. They're waiting for those two foolish princes to make their move; it's only a matter of time before they take advantage. Before that happens, I must strike first."

Osman asked, "Everyone knows about this. Won't the two princes be foolish enough to let Herus succeed?"

Po Yue laughed and said, "There's something in this world called greed."

I laughed too. He said, “Yes, they are blinded by greed. Of the two princes, the second prince seems more like a loyal character, while the eldest prince is definitely a villain. If the second prince had the upper hand, I wouldn’t have risked attacking Hao City. The problem is that the Imperial City and the Golden Lion Army are both in the hands of Vandia. This man is impatient and eager for quick success. It’s almost certain that he will do anything to eliminate his nemesis. I even foresee the terrible situation of Tianmei leading the South to take the opportunity to launch a large-scale invasion of the Imperial City.”

Osman pondered for a moment and sighed, “This humble general thought that becoming an admiral was just a coincidence. It turns out that every step the admiral takes has a purpose. My father always said that I could only be a general at most, but I could never become a grand marshal. I’ve always been unconvinced. Now I understand his invaluable advice.”

Po Yue asked, “Do you think Hao City will surrender?”

Osman said, “In the end, Hao City is… ” "If the great city surrenders, the entire south will be thrown into turmoil. Herus and Yuret will have no choice but to retreat, and all their advantages will be lost. Therefore, they will definitely defend it to the death, even at the cost of mutual destruction."

I replied, "But the city's forces are only about ten thousand strong, and there are no great generals in the city. They can't defeat us no matter what."

Po Yue said worriedly, "That's right. We would definitely win in a territorial battle. The problem is that they are determined to defend. With the city's fortifications and abundant resources, how can our pure cavalry force attack it? You know, our army is deep in enemy territory, and the longer it drags on, the more troublesome it will be."

Osman asked, "Is there any way?! Will they come out?"

I simply lay down on the grass and said, "If it were you, you would also stay in the city and not come out, but I have a bad feeling."

The two of them were stunned at the same time and asked, "A bad feeling?"

"Hmm, are there any ambushes along the route to Woda?"

Po Yue asked. "Of course there are, but we haven't found anything, which is indeed worrying."

Osman asked, puzzled, "Xiangcheng is already in dire straits, why don't they send someone to Woda for help?"

I said calmly, "It means the enemy has other reinforcements."

Osman was startled and asked urgently, "Other reinforcements? Which army?"

I laughed, "Are you crazy? How would I know? What did that old devil named Ledi say?"

Osman said, "He's very stubborn. All we know is that he's Herus's senior, and he's followed Herus for years. It's impossible to persuade him to betray us."

"Ha, so he's Herus's confidant. Castration or sodomy, you at least need to find out who the reinforcements from Hao City are before we can attack with peace of mind."

Just as Osman was about to answer, a series of clanging sounds came from behind. Po Yue frowned and angrily said, "How dare you raid our camp!"

Upon closer listening, the sounds were of weapons clashing, coming from near the entrance of our army camp. I shook my head and said, "It's not a raid on the camp, it's a kidnapping. Let's go join the fun."

I led Po Yue and Osman to the camp entrance and found our soldiers surrounding a group of eight men in black, one of whom was clearly a woman. Oh dear, why are my pants bulging?

Eight men in black, all wielding thin-bladed knives, stared resolutely at our soldiers. The three of us stepped forward, and Osman shouted, "Surrender immediately, or face execution!"

The woman pulled off her veil, revealing herself to be one of the four young generals of Hao City. Pointing her knife at us, she snapped, "We came here with no intention of leaving! Release my father if you know what's good for you, or don't blame us for being impolite."

The girl and the eight men in black tore open their outer garments, revealing gunpowder cartridges strapped to their bodies. Po Yue nudged me with his elbow, and I gestured for them not to make any rash moves. The smell emanating from them confirmed they were high explosives; it would be quite a spectacle if all eight of them exploded at once.

Fortunately, our side was no pushover either. Reinforcements arrived carrying large buckets of water. The men in black huddled together back-to-back, and the atmosphere instantly became tense. Secretly calculating, I realized that Ledi was an old soldier, and extracting information from him would be difficult. Why not keep this girl? Firstly, it would be easier to extract information from her, and secondly, I could have sex with her—a brilliant plan to kill

two birds with one stone. I took two steps forward, pointing my middle finger to the sky, and said, "You think I'll just release her like that? Do you think I'm a Boy Scout? I can release her, but you have to stay and spend the night with me." The girl glared at me fiercely and shouted, "You lecherous scoundrel

, don't even think about it!" I laughed, "In the eyes of you Southerners, Avanti has never been a gentleman.

Otherwise, you can try! Explosion, I have a way to suppress your explosive force." Hearing my words, the soldiers relaxed, while the men in black seemed uneasy. Actually, I didn't have a way to suppress explosive force, but I was very good at lying. Everyone had witnessed my abilities, and now, looking at the girl with a lewd grin and a confident expression, it would be difficult for them not to waver.

Two of the men in black were sweating profusely. I said, "I'll count to ten. If you don't agree to the deal, it

's off. One, two, three, five, seven, nine..." The men in black were taken aback. The two who had just been sweating were so frightened that their legs went weak and they fainted. Another man's trouser leg was leaking water. The girl cried out, "Hey! What are you counting? You...you...wait a minute..."

"What? Scared?"

“You… fine! You win, but don’t go back on your word!”

The remaining five men in black grabbed the girl and said, “No, we can’t hand our young lady over to this lecherous thief.”

I scoffed, “What are you pretending to be brave for? If you’ve got guts, you won’t faint and pee. Osman, take Ledi outside the camp, and kick out the peeing bastard.”

Osman said, “Yes, sir!”

Osman chased Ledi and the raiders away, while the girl from the wealthy city was tied up and taken to the interrogation tent. I wiped my hands and smiled at Po Yue, “Teacher Po Yue, go back and rest. I can handle the heavy work of interrogating prisoners.”

Po Yue couldn’t help but squint at me, muttering before leaving, “How heavy is it…”

I lifted the tent flap, and the girl’s hands were hanging from the beam above her head, her ankles were bound with thick hemp rope, and her feet could only support her on her toes. I walked around her, admiring her figure, and asked, “What are your measurements?” "How much?"

The girl's face turned bright red, both ashamed and angry, yet she couldn't utter a sound. I gently touched her buttocks, and she immediately screamed, "Don't touch me! A scholar can be killed but not humiliated!

If you're going to kill me, hurry up!" I couldn't help but laugh and said, "Being defeated and captured is naturally a disgrace. Do you expect me to treat you with courtesy? This isn't your first time fighting, is it? Oh dear, with that expression, is it really your first time on the battlefield? Hahahaha..."

The girl angrily retorted, "Shut up, you dog! What's so funny!"

I took off my shirt, grabbed the golden leather whip from the rack, and tugged at it. With my back to the girl, I said solemnly, "I led troops to fight orcs when I was fifteen. Out of five hundred men, only a little over a hundred survived. Do you know how much my brothers wanted to go home? You scream for death just because your buttocks were touched? A person like you is not qualified to be a general."

Without looking back, I swung the golden leather whip backward, striking her lower abdomen horizontally and tearing a hole in her black clothes.

Half out of interest, and half because he felt the girl before him, who claimed to be from a divine race, had tarnished the reputation of soldiers, he lashed the whip without restraint, striking her thighs, buttocks, and chest. This girl, likely of noble birth, had never been bound and whipped before. She screamed incessantly as she was whipped, her body swaying violently, causing her testicles and buttocks to jiggle.

"It hurts! Stop! Ah!"

"Hmph, you can't even take a few lashes? You're truly useless."

This golden whip is my personal treasure, made from the leather of a second-generation imperial dragon's tail from Dragon Island. Its advantages are threefold: first, it hurts the skin but doesn't cause serious injury; second, it easily tears fabric; and third, it makes a louder sound when swung. My professional estimate is that it's worth no less than seventy gold coins. There are two techniques for whipping: one is the control of the strike point and force, and the other is the sound produced by the whip, which creates the whipper's imposing presence. The golden whip made a sound 20% louder than an ordinary whip, naturally possessing greater intimidating power. After only forty lashes, the girl's clothes were almost torn to shreds, her body exposed. I put away the whip, pinched her cheek, and asked, "You slut, what's your name?"

Tears welled in her eyes; she seemed terrified by the whip, trembling as she said, "I'm not a slut, I'm Barbara, a descendant of the gods..."

"Barbara, I heard from your father that an army is hiding near Hao City. Is that true?"

Ledi hadn't actually said anything, but I guessed that Hao City hadn't sent reinforcements to Woda City, so they must be feeling safe. Barbara's eyes widened in shock. "Nonsense! Father wouldn't betray my people!"

I chuckled and leaned close to her ear, blowing a breath. "Haven't you ever wondered why I let Ledi leave so easily? How can he help me take over Hao City if he doesn't go back?"

Barbara's mouth gaped open, then she shook her head resolutely. "I won't believe it. Father is a true hero. He wouldn't betray our people."

"Hahahaha... That's why I said you're naive and innocent. Everyone looks out for themselves, little sister."

Barbara's eyebrows twitched, clearly trying to analyze the truth of my words. Releasing her face, I said calmly, "Anyway, you'll never go back to Hao City. I might as well tell you, Mr. Ledi only needs me to kill two people, and then he'll manage Hao City, and he'll give me enough benefits."

When I said Barbara could never go back, her delicate body trembled. I continued, "You were one of the conditions of the deal. He wanted me to kill Herus and Yurit, and from then on, Hao City would belong to him. I'm afraid only I could do that, hahahahahaha!"

I really do have a talent for talking nonsense; I almost believed it myself, ha!

Barbara gritted her teeth and said angrily, "Impossible! Father isn't such a coward!"

I lifted Barbara's chin with the handle of the whip and laughed, "Whether you're a coward or not is none of your business. I just want to verify Mr. Ledi's words with you. Whether you say it or not doesn't matter. You'll know everything after we capture Hao City tomorrow."

"Hmph, you're delusional! The great city of Hao will not fall, and you, this villain, are destined to be defeated and die!"

I couldn't help but laugh. Raping this girl would be effortless, but that would be too despicable and unsightly, and I had no interest in it. It would be more challenging to make her beg me. So I said, "How about we make a bet? If Hao falls within a day, you will swear to be my slave and serve me for life."

This time, it was Barbara's turn to laugh. She said, "A day? Hahahaha... That's a huge joke. It's absolutely impossible. What if you fail?"

I shrugged and said, "Nothing much. I'll send you back to the city in an eight-man sedan chair, guaranteed to be unharmed, and my army will retreat immediately. What do you think?"

Barbara's gaze was fixed on my face as she considered it carefully. My confidence made her begin to doubt whether Ledi had betrayed his people. Barbara was intrigued and asked, "When does a day begin?"

"It begins at sunrise, of course. If we still can't conquer Hao City by sunrise the day after tomorrow, I'll admit defeat."

“It’s a deal, don’t regret it.”

Leaving the prison camp, Osman was already waiting outside. Seeing me, he immediately came over and asked, “What did they get out of you?”

I shook my head and said, “She didn’t say anything, but from her reaction, we can tell that Hao City really does have reinforcements. I guess there are three possibilities: Tianmei returned in time, Woda City has strategic communication with Hao City, and the last one is military forces from outside the Imperial South.”

Osman said, “The first possibility is unlikely, otherwise the kidnappers wouldn’t have been a few good-for-nothings. The second possibility is more likely. Hao City and Woda City have close ties; cutting off communication for a day might have alerted Woda City.”

After pondering for a while, I nodded and said, “Woda City isn’t difficult to deal with. Their military strength is similar to Hao City’s, and they don’t have any high-ranking generals in charge. Just set up an ambush to scare them, and they’ll be too afraid to send troops for a while. But something doesn’t make sense. Ledi and his daughter are hiding something; they think it’s something we can’t guess.”

Osman said, “So, military forces from outside the Imperial South?”

“Yes, most likely pirates.”

"Pirates...how could that be? The Blue Goose Army is an imperial army after all..."

"You don't know, Herus will stop at nothing to achieve his goals. He once joined forces with his mortal enemy, Zhenlov, when he was in Zhenfoming. What's so surprising about him colluding with pirates at a critical moment?"

"Then we need to be prepared."

I patted Osman on the shoulder and said, "Don't worry too much. We are the Black Dragon Knights and the White Snow Wolf Army. So what if it's the Blue Goose Army? As long as we don't underestimate them, we have nothing to fear."

"There's one more thing that worries me. The wood on the nearby mountains is not good enough to make siege equipment. With our all-cavalry force, it will be very difficult to capture a strong city with a level one defense."

"Hahahaha...you don't need to worry about that. Your elder brother has already given us the strongest siege weapons."

"What does my brother have to do with this?" Osman looked confused and didn't understand what I was talking about at all. I just smiled slightly and walked towards Frannanzhi's boudoir. Chapter

2 ◆

At sunset in Hao City, the entire army broke camp. To my left was Osman, to my right was Po Yue, and behind me were more than a dozen Black Dragon Army cavalry generals. As I made a hand gesture, horn flutes sounded immediately, and military flags were raised one by one. Forty-six thousand elite cavalrymen from the north and west marched like a tidal wave over hill after hill, heading towards the largest city in the south of the empire.

Crossing the mountains, we arrived at the defensive perimeter of Hao City in the blink of an eye. This pearl-shell-like city had its gates tightly closed, and not a blade of grass was left outside. Boiling oil and iron sand were already prepared on the walls, and many crossbows emerged from hidden compartments. Several generals stood solemnly at the head of the defenses, including Ledi, Tiling, and two unnamed young generals. If Hao City were to fall, the entire empire's war situation would be affected.

However, we also faced difficulties. Osman and Poyue had changed their relaxed approach from the previous battles, and even their experienced knights were uneasy. Cavalry is undoubtedly the king of the field on the plains, but facing a tightly closed, fortified city, they could only sigh in despair.

I ordered the standard-bearers and drummers: "Beat the drums, Black Dragon Scale Formation!"

The Black Dragon Scale Formation was one of the Radel family's secret formations. Forty thousand Black Dragon Knights immediately formed sixteen rows, each row containing two thousand five hundred men, with six paces between each knight, arranged one in front of the other by half a horse's length, resembling multiple waves at first glance. The advantage of the Black Dragon Scale Formation was its stability, but its disadvantage was its slow movement; it was a formation used to stop enemy attacks. The White Wolf Army did not know this formation, but at Osman's instruction, six thousand White Wolf soldiers were divided into two halves to act as flanks.

Our army advanced slowly in the Dragon Scale Formation, and the White Wolf Army expanded accordingly, opening a massive formation over three thousand feet long, displaying the military might of the northwest and south fronts before the largest city in the south. As the distance to Hao City gradually narrowed, the atmosphere grew increasingly tense. Finally, Ledi on Hao City couldn't resist giving the order, and the first ballista fired from a hidden compartment within the city walls, followed by a volley of shots.

As a weapons expert, I knew the range of the ballistae. I subtly raised my hand, signaling the entire army to halt. This volley only landed a few dozen paces in front of our lines. Even if a few managed to reach our lines, they were exhausted and posed no real threat; this was merely Hao City's warning.

Looking back at the ground, there were no fewer than five hundred ballistae, each as tall as an adult. If our army were to be bombarded two or three times, we would be in serious trouble. Hao City's messenger shouted, "Those traitors who dare to invade the holy land of the divine race will all meet a terrible end!"

Hao City's soldiers cheered. Relying on the city's superior defenses, even our mighty army would be nothing more than targets. Without my command, the cavalry had already taken out their shields, but these small shields, while effective against arrows, were utterly useless against the large ballistae.

Po Yue asked in a deep voice, "Are we going to break through?"

Large beads of sweat trickled down Osman's forehead. The cavalry behind him were so tense that their mounts were restless. Even if they broke through the ballista array, they would still have to endure the enemy's slamming of boiling oil and stones—a truly bloody battle. Another shout came from Hao Cheng, and more than thirty arrow towers appeared overhead. Although they were small, mobile towers, they weren't cheap.

As expected of the Southern Army, their weaponry was indeed plentiful.

Hao Cheng shouted again, "Black Serpent villain! White Dog villain! Come and die if you dare!"

Just as the enemy had written, even with our numerical advantage, we lacked the terrain. Even if we successfully captured Hao Cheng, it would be a Pyrrhic victory. If it weren't for the morale boost from several previous victories, our army might have lost control. In this solemn battlefield, Doraemon's lighthearted music suddenly played in the background. I took out a treasure from my pocket—the "Dragon Flute" I had snatched from Mute!

The cheers from the city garnered continued unabated, their morale soaring ever higher. I chuckled inwardly, thinking their joy would only last a short while, and began to play a tune on my Dragon Flute. The Dragon Flute was incredibly popular during the Shaka Dynasty; almost one in five summoners possessed one, and its use was widespread.

As I played the Spiral March, the air particles within a fifty-foot radius around me vibrated violently, and my vision blurred. The knights didn't understand why I was in the mood to play, but they dared not disturb my performance until the spiral melody ended, at which point the surrounding air seemed to return to normal.

Only I could faintly sense a dragon's aura flowing within fifty feet, gathering all my vital energy, and proclaiming:

"Summoned in the name of Avanti, appear—Godzilla!"

My vital energy burst forth like a dam breaking, gushing out in all directions. Not only did my body feel weak, but my head also spun. I gritted my teeth to maintain my energy output. Dark clouds suddenly gathered, blocking out the sunlight. The ground trembled, and seven enormous yellow earth-elemental magic circles appeared on the soil. Each circle contained at least a hundred runes, and deep, powerful roars emanated from within the magic circles.

The shouts in the city finally ceased, replaced by screams of panic. Even the soldiers behind me were dumbfounded. Slowly, the massive silhouette of "King of Monsters," Godzilla, emerged from the giant magic circles.

Avanti's exclusive advanced summoning technique—"King of Monsters," Godzilla!

The Dragon Flute's ability is to summon dragons, but it greatly reduces one's own energy by forty percent. Although my energy was completely depleted, I finally managed to summon Godzilla. If you say it's the strongest siege weapon in the world, probably no one would disagree. It must be mentioned that the Dragon Flute isn't an invincible toy. During the dragon summoning, other summoning techniques consume twice the energy—a truly ridiculous feature. Po Yue was

also seeing Godzilla for the first time. This veteran general stared wide-eyed like the other soldiers, while Osman and the others were naturally even more stunned. As soon as Godzilla appeared, I realized I'd forgotten something. Our warhorses immediately panicked, and the dragon scale formation slightly deformed. Catching my breath, I gestured, "It's my summoned dragon! Everyone, put blindfolds on your horses and follow behind Godzilla, advancing slowly!"

The generals, having already guessed it was reinforcements, were both surprised and delighted as they blindfolded their horses. Godzilla's tail slammed into the ground, causing the entire earth to tremble, before the mighty creature strolled leisurely towards the city.

Silence reigned above the city. Ledi, finally regaining his senses, watched the monster, taller than the city walls, approach and, without hesitation, ordered an attack. Hundreds of ballistae slammed into the black dragon. Godzilla's hide was incredibly thick, impervious even to high-level magic and explosive arrows, so how could it fear hundreds of ballistae? The ballistae were all deflected, and it scratched its belly with its front paws, gazing at the city, opening its massive jaws, its dorsal fin flashing white light, and firing a beam of white light.

The entire world seemed to suddenly turn white; the intense light shook the earth, forcing our army to halt. When we finally managed to look ahead, the once beautiful, azure city was now charred black, a large crack running through it, white smoke rising from several hidden compartments, rendering the crossbowmen behind them unable to fire a second shot.

The situation had completely reversed; our army's morale soared, and we advanced slowly with Godzilla's pace. In contrast, over half the soldiers on the walls of the city had fallen, and the rest were scattered in disarray. Only after forming a pact with Godzilla did I sense its attack pattern. Its indestructible beam cannon required three to four minutes to gather power; another shot would likely destroy the city.

Perhaps due to its long absence from the battlefield, Godzilla seemed quite pleased, treating the battle like a leisurely stroll. I wondered what the soldiers, who had fought so hard, would think if I voiced my observations. Of the three young generals who had defended the city, one old and one young, a major general had already disappeared. Tiling was the first to get up and commanded, "Motorized arrow towers, attack!"

The soldiers on the city walls struggled to their feet and managed to push out six intact arrow towers, ready to face Godzilla's approach. The motorized arrow towers were modified from ancient arrow towers, generally over ten feet tall; even this smaller one was over seven feet high. When activated, they fired hundreds of arrows in a scattered manner, making them extremely powerful for city defense. Thirty arrow towers were enough to deal with ten thousand siege troops.

But against Godzilla, they were an exception.

The six arrow towers unleashed a volley of arrows; if this barrage landed on our troops, it would certainly cause some casualties. However, to Godzilla, these arrows would probably be nothing more than a tickle. Ludi finally appeared on the city wall, covered in dust and looking quite disheveled. He stared blankly at Godzilla, unfazed by the crossbows and arrows. He brandished his trident and shouted, "Fire! We can't let the monster get near the city!"

The city's arrow towers and guards unleashed a barrage of arrows, but their power was insufficient to stop Godzilla's advance. Tiling, enraged, hurled her spear and shouted, "Defend the city to the death!"

The city held extraordinary significance for the Southerners. I had no doubt about the enemy's resolve, but they were powerless before Godzilla. Our army's morale reached its peak. Osman ordered the White Wolf Army to spread out to the left and right, while I commanded the Black Dragon Army to form a long snake formation, preparing to breach the city walls. Just as we were about to reach the moat, and the soldiers felt victory was assured, a strange fluctuation suddenly swept over us.

A magical fluctuation?

I wondered. There was no reason for Yurit to leave a group of mages idle in the city, so I had always believed there were no mages in the city, or if there were, they wouldn't pose a threat to Godzilla. But when I looked up, I didn't see the mage corps, but rather a young general standing on the edge of the stone, gripping his longsword and standing proudly, his gaze seemingly drawn to something.

A strong sense of unease rose within me; I vaguely sensed something was happening, yet I couldn't quite grasp it. The young general raised his longsword high and shouted, "May the gods live forever!"

Before tens of thousands of soldiers, the unknown youth placed the sword against his head and slashed it; blood spurted from his neck, and a strange purple light emanated from his body.

This bizarre action caused both sides to pause temporarily. The young general died instantly on one side of his neck, but the light around him did not disappear. At the same time, another, even more intense silver light erupted from the city gate, crashing straight towards Godzilla. Godzilla roared in anger, its progress actually halted by the silver light. I glanced at the city gate and discovered that one of the two silver angel statues that had been there was gone!

Looking down at the sea of clouds, a silver-haired angel with snow-white robes, silver feathers, a halo around her head, a floral wreath at her feet, and deep blue eyes blocked Godzilla's path. Her appearance was elegant and graceful, her beautiful eyes radiating a righteous blue light, yet the two swords in her hands trembled and roared in anger.

I couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, "'Divine Judgment'?"

The ultimate electric magic—Divine Judgment!

Po Yue and Osman asked in unison, "Divine Judgment? What is that?"

Because of our interconnected contracts, I understood Godzilla's feelings at that moment; it was enraged! Standing before this god-level dragon was another god-level angel. I pondered, "Divine Judgment is a conditionally activated reverse magic, a rather profound and mysterious spell. Sigh, never mind, explaining it to your foolishness is pointless."

Godzilla charged forward forcefully, the silver-winged angel radiating a purple-blue light. She pointed her longsword, and the light transformed into over a hundred electric arrows that struck Godzilla, exploding into a dazzling burst of lightning. This attack was more powerful than high-level magic, but unfortunately, it encountered Godzilla. Godzilla has the ability to absorb lightning; the electric arrows were absorbed by it, and it roared to the sky, firing a white beam cannon in retaliation.

The Silver-Winged Angel neither dodged nor evaded; her longsword condensed lightning elements, transforming into a purple giant sword tens of feet long, which she cleaved in the middle of the beam cannon. Our vision turned white again; Godzilla's white beam cannon was split in two, barely brushing past the two corners of the city. The two corners immediately collapsed, and the white light shot a mile away, causing a massive explosion in the forest a mile away.

That angel is incredibly powerful!

The Judgment of God is a spell cast by a mage on a divine artifact and placed within a magic circle. It activates automatically under certain conditions. Judging from the current situation, the activation condition is that the city is invaded, and someone within the magic circle vows to defend it to the death. The angel chose that young boy, who willingly sacrificed himself, summoning the angel with his life energy.

After all, it's an ultimate-level spell; the caster must be that gossipy old woman!

The truly terrifying aspect of the Judgment of God is that the angel's fighting power is actually transformed from the summoner's will. While physical strength is finite, willpower is infinite. That young general, determined to defend the city to the death, granted the angel unimaginable power.

Without that unwavering resolve, this angel wouldn't have been able to stop "King of Monsters," Godzilla.

The battle situation changed again. Tiling and Ledi, their eyes bloodshot, made a wise decision. The latter shouted, "Brothers, we can't let General Godzilla sacrifice himself in vain! Everyone, let's go out of the city and meet the enemy!"

The soldiers of Hao City, who had lost their morale, were reignited. The whole army roared in unison. This situation was far beyond my calculations. I didn't expect Tianmei to have this trick up his sleeve. The so-called desperate army will surely win. This battle is very tricky. I said to the generals, "Teacher Poyue, try to cover Godzilla. Osman will take charge of the whole army." Osman

asked in shock, "This humble general will take charge of the whole army? What are your plans, Admiral?"

I jumped off my warhorse and decisively said, "Before the enemy leaves the city gates, I must seal the other angel statue first, otherwise this battle is doomed to be lost."

I must admit that I was a bit overconfident at first. The largest city in the south of the empire, the birthplace of the gods, is not as easy to conquer as I imagined. Summoning the Silver Lion Goose, I flew close to the ground, instantly leaping across the moat. At the same time, the city gates swung open, and a large number of green-clad soldiers poured out. These green-clad soldiers were clearly not from the Southern Army. The Southern Army always prided themselves on their culture and had meticulous appearances, but these green-clad soldiers all had ferocious faces, scarred or tattooed, and their weapons were a chaotic mess—almost every imaginable weapon imaginable.

Behind me came Osman's shout: "They're pirates! Engage them in the Crescent Moon Formation!"

The angel statue was about a hundred paces from the city gate, but I was more than six hundred paces away. Given the Silver Lion Goose's speed, we would arrive at roughly the same time. This angel statue was different from the one in battle; she wore cloth armor, her hair only reaching her shoulders, and besides a sword, she carried a shield. The one in the sky was probably a high-magic-attack Cherubim, while this one was definitely a high-physical-attack Virtue Angel. If she were unleashed, we'd be in big trouble.

I gripped the lion goose's belly tightly with my legs, spun around, and hung upside down beneath it. At the same time, I clasped my hands together and cried out, "In the name of Avanti, I summon the Essence-Sucking Spider!"

The Essence-Sucking Spider possessed me, instantly replenishing my essence. I concentrated my energy, chanted an incantation, and countless green-clad soldiers poured out of the city, shouting as they charged forward. My heart skipped a beat, and my scalp tingled. What worried me wasn't the green-clad soldiers, but the remaining Angel of Power statue. It finally showed signs of magical fluctuation; its pair of sapphire eyes began to glow, perhaps searching for a target.

In the sky, the Silver-Winged Angel attacked Godzilla, unleashing more than ten crescent-shaped silver sword strikes, each imbued with lightning. Although Godzilla's appearance was inconspicuous, it wasn't entirely stupid. Knowing its own allies were behind it, it bravely withstood the sword strikes without retreating an inch—quite loyal indeed.

The sword energy struck Godzilla, exploding in white smoke. Godzilla roared in pain, but we were lucky. If it hadn't had an elemental advantage over the Cherubim, Godzilla would have been felled long ago, and Osman and his men would have been in dire straits. The Cherubim pressed its advantage, but was blocked by a white light, and a flying bow appeared beside Godzilla.

Meanwhile, things were also exciting. I arrived at the angel statue two seconds before the green-clad soldiers, slapping its head and immediately channeling earth-elemental magic into it.

Intermediate Earth-elemental magic—Earth Binding Demon Array!

The magic had barely entered the angel statue when a group of green-clad henchmen attacked, stabbing me wildly with knives, spears, grenades, and other weapons. Normally, my swordsmanship wouldn't have made it difficult to deflect the attack, but there's a period of vulnerability while casting the spell. Fortunately, the lion-goose managed to fly high, and only its shoulder and chest were grazed by the weapons. Being able to seal the Angel of Power, this minor damage was well worth it.

The magical fluctuations of the Archangel immediately became chaotic. Black thorns sprouted from the base of the statue, growing rapidly and tightly binding the statue, severing its connection to the magic circle, until finally almost completely enveloping it. This earth-based demon-binding array was invented by me, and there are no more than ten magic masters in the empire capable of breaking it. There's no need to trouble the Archangel in this battle.

With a twist of my waist, I spun around from the goose's belly onto my back. Looking back, I saw that Osman had already arranged my army into a crescent shape. The Hao City forces, with pirates as their vanguard, were charging at my army in a chaotic manner. In contrast, the Blue Goose Army was only now leaving the city gates, taking the opportunity to organize their formation. I believe that Barbara's reinforcements are not angels, but these pirates. If it weren't for Godzilla's presence, more than ten thousand pirates would indeed disrupt our strategy.

Recalculating the entire situation, I decided to abandon the ground battlefield, spurring the Lion Goose into the sky, and flying towards Po Yue and the Cherubim. I shouted at Po Yue, "She's an Archangel! Watch out for magic attacks!"

Po Yue turned his head away; his once long, straight black hair had become an afro, and his battle robe had four large holes. He said irritably, "Thanks for the reminder, but please be earlier next time."

Ha, I'm finding Po Yue increasingly humorous.

I couldn't help but laugh as I walked past Po Yue, simultaneously unleashing all the power of the Soul-Sucking Spider! This Archangel is of the lightning attribute, and among the five attributes, lightning's destructive power is second only to fire. If Po Yue and I were hit, we would be in danger. The Archangel spotted a new enemy. She hurled her sword into the sea of clouds. The sword spun in the air, reflecting a dazzling flash of light, and disappeared into the clouds for about three seconds. Suddenly, a rumble of thunder sounded in the clouds, and dozens of light spell characters appeared.

High-level lightning magic—Five Thunderbolts!

Damn it, is that Five Thunderbolts from Tianmei again?!

Po Yue cried out, "My lord, danger!"

Looking up from below, he saw that the Archangel wasn't wearing underwear, but unfortunately, he had no time to appreciate it. Five Thunderbolts was a powerful, wide-range attack; if he couldn't withstand it, even Po Yue would perish. The Archangel waved his jade finger at us, activating Five Thunderbolts. The sky turned white, the area a full hundred meters in diameter, and countless bolts of lightning shot towards us. Due to its immense size, even the Dark Eater Ball couldn't contain it.

I had already suffered once during the last marriage contest, only saved by a cockroach-brand lightning rod. Since then, I've diligently studied Tianmei's magic, developing spells specifically targeting lightning. I clasped my hands together, extending my thumb, index finger, and little finger, and rapidly chanted an earth-based incantation. The lion-goose stopped in mid-air; I was determined to take Tianmei's attack.

Intermediate Earth Magic—Earth Core?! Lightning!

I extended my fingers forward, gathering all my earth magic between my index and little fingers to form a high-density sphere of earth element, which was then encased in a barrier to resemble a small core bead. The Thunderclap, guided by the earth element, was channeled from multiple uneven currents and aimed at the core bead. Before the lightning even arrived, my hand felt numb. I tossed the core bead towards the Hao City army. The Lion Goose followed suit, swerving to the side.

Success! This spell truly succeeded!

That lightning bolt, composed of multiple concentrated currents, was no joke; it was as thick as a large mangrove trunk. The lightning was absorbed by the core bead, curving in a small arc as it pursued the enemy formation with the force of a dragon vying for a pearl. The lightning swept past me ten feet, like a massive dragon of light swirling around me. Even after dodging the attack, half my body felt numb, and one of the Lion Goose's wings lost power. We both plummeted to the ground.

My Silver Lion Goose and I plummeted at high speed, only to be struck by lightning! We were suddenly caught in the midst of the Hao City army's ranks. Both sides screamed for different reasons, and chaos reigned on the ground. Our fall abruptly stopped as Godzilla's giant claw gently caught us, rescuing us into its grasp.

Everything happened too fast; before the Hao City army could react, the lightning struck, sending dust flying and tearing the defenders to shreds. A gaping hole was punched in the center of the army's formation—a fatal blow to Hao City. Godzilla roared to the sky and unleashed a white beam cannon at the Cherubim. The Cherubim, without a sword, crossed her arms to defend herself. With a deafening roar, the white beam blast sent the Cherubim flying into the clouds. When she emerged from the clouds, she had already transformed back into a silver statue, spinning and crashing towards the north gate of Hao City.

The pirates, who had been fighting the Black Dragon army, scattered and fled upon witnessing the Cherubim and the Hao City army's crushing defeat. Osman didn't pursue; instead, he led his 40,000-strong army directly to attack the city's defenders. Tiling and Ledy knew the situation was hopeless, but they still tried to lead their remaining troops into the city to defend it to the death. However, the enraged Godzilla turned and slammed its massive tail into the city walls, instantly shattering the entire gate and revealing a gaping hole leading directly into the city.

The Black Dragon Army surrounded the wounded and battered city soldiers. Godzilla put me down, Ledy wept bitterly, Tiling was dejected, and the city's soldiers lay dead, their bodies scattered everywhere.

The city was finished!

The gods were finished!

I was rich!

After driving Godzilla away, my army escorted the surrendered city soldiers into the city. Ledy, his hands bound and tied to the back of my horse, could only be paraded through the city in humiliation. Tiling was luckier; out of respect for Cecilia, I took her to the prisoner-of-war camp. All the houses in the city were closed, and through the curtains, one could vaguely see frightened people peeking out. The streets were unusually quiet.

Po Yue led his army to the north of the city to receive the docks and the Blue Goose Army camp, while Osman led his troops to occupy various government departments and city gates. I smiled slightly and led three hundred men to Herus's official residence. Herus never expected that while he was leading his army to eye the eastern coastal city, I would sneak across Panlin Gorge and launch a surprise attack on his home base.

As soon as I arrived at the residence, more than thirty spear-wielding warriors rushed out, two of whom were dressed as mages. Three hundred Black Dragon Knights surrounded them. I stepped forward and said, "I

am Avanti..." "You lecherous thief, die!" Before I could finish speaking, a warrior, unafraid of our numbers, charged at me alone with his spear. The stability of the spear tip showed that he was skilled in martial arts. However, my knights were not to be underestimated. They rushed up to protect me and killed the warrior with a flurry of spears.

I gestured for the knights to retreat, saying, "The conflict between this admiral and the prime minister is purely a personal matter. Those who have no connection with me, please leave, or don't blame me for being ruthless."

Those chosen as guards for the prime minister's household must be exceptionally skilled in martial arts. However, the situation was already decided; no matter how powerful they were, they couldn't defeat tens of thousands of valiant knights. Seeing the warriors' unwavering resolve to die, I gestured to the rear. The knights immediately drew their bows and arrows; a massacre was imminent.

"Stop!" A voice came from inside the mansion. A noblewoman of about fifty years old emerged. I had seen this woman before in the capital; she was Herus's wife, Anmara.

Anmara stared at me and said, "Not only did you lead troops to attack Hao City, but you also invaded the Prime Minister's residence. This is treason! Avanti, do you know your crime?"

I laughed and said, "Herus led troops to occupy the Imperial City and the East Sea, which is a crime of disturbing the king. I only captured the king."

Anmara was not angry, but just smiled coldly and said, "Absurd! Whether it is disturbing the king or not, what right do you, a mere viscount, have to judge?"

I also laughed and said, "Whether it is treason or not, what right do you, a mere woman, have to judge? I don't care whose wife you are, if you know what's good for you, get out of here!"

Anmara's eyes were filled with murderous intent, and she and I confronted each other without giving way. The knights behind her had already nocked arrows and drawn their bows. As soon as they gave the order, they would massacre the Prime Minister's residence. To be honest, given my relationship with Herus, I wouldn't hesitate to massacre his entire family. Anmara wasn't stupid either; she understood her dangerous situation and sighed, "Admiral, please don't harass my family for Cecilia's sake?"

My expression changed drastically. I let out a heavy snort and drew my sword, beheading the samurai's corpse at my feet. Anmara, being a woman, paled at the sight. I said in a deep voice, "You dare mention Cecilia's name? I'm already being merciful by not killing the entire Herus family! I'll only count to three, and those who don't leave will be killed without mercy! One… two…"

Anmara knew I wasn't joking and immediately said, "No need to count, we'll make way."

Anmara turned to her men and said, "Thank you all for your continued care, but this is a personal grudge between the Prime Minister and the Admiral. The Admiral is clear about right and wrong and won't make things difficult for you."

The samurai's expressions were complex, but none of them wanted to die. The first to throw down their weapons was followed by others.

I inwardly praised Anmara; that tall hat had saved the lives of these warriors. I raised my hand to signal that there was no need to fire arrows, and only then did the knights step forward to escort the guards away. Herus was one of the most famous and wealthy men in the empire. His prime minister's mansion was even more magnificent than my own residence; I estimated it was probably comparable to a royal palace. Horses were kept in the front yard, and it would take ten minutes to reach the central courtyard by horse.

All the servants, big and small, had already been driven out. I sat down in the main seat in the central courtyard hall, placed my large feet on the table, and demanded, "Where is the steward?"

The elderly steward stepped out from among the servants and said, "This humble servant is indeed you."

I glanced at my men, and my clerk, sensing the situation, stepped forward, bowed, and said, "Please grant me six hours, sir, so that I may thoroughly investigate the Herus family's assets." "

This clerk is quite unfamiliar. Judging from his attire, he should belong to the White Wolf Army. Looking around the hall, there are about thirty large sculptures, paintings, and ceramics, not to mention countless smaller jade, coral, and gold artifacts. I'm sure there are many more valuable items inside. In my opinion, even twelve hours of investigation wouldn't be too much, so I smiled and said, 'Alright, besides the treasures and servants, count everything that can be sold for money. Leave the records with me after you're done. I'll reward you handsomely if you do a good job.'

The clerk said, 'Thank you, sir.' " "

At ten o'clock in the evening, in the small pavilion by the lake in the West Garden of the Prime Minister's residence, I sat in Herus's rocking chair, admiring the lake view. Two maids from the Prime Minister's household nervously brought me fresh fruit, while two others fanned me. The South was renowned for its shipping industry, hence the city's north gate connected to the docks. Herus's residence also faced the sea; the waves crashed at night, reflecting the bright moon—definitely a prime spot for picking up girls.

The moonlight was exceptionally bright, and I was mesmerized. The more I looked at the moonlight, the more it seemed like a giant gold coin. The South was the empire's most powerful region... " The city was a pillar of the economy, and nearly twenty percent of its liquid assets were concentrated in the operation of the city. With the city's fall, the Divine Clan immediately lost a large amount of wealth. Actually, the wealth was a minor matter; the real problem was losing the city's operational capacity. In terms of maritime transport and market competitiveness, the Divine Clan was essentially crippled, a truly severe blow.

Not long after, four soldiers brought Barbara in. She looked angry but remained silent. I smiled and said, "Miss Barbara, I only spent ten hours conquering your city. I believe you should be convinced."

Barbara still kept her mouth shut. I said to the soldiers, "That Ledi is no longer of any use. Drag him to the market and behead him to feed the dogs."

Barbara exclaimed in shock, "No!"

"Ha, I thought you'd gone mute."

Barbara sighed repeatedly, then suddenly knelt before me and said, "I, Barbara, am not a person who breaks promises. Since we have a prior agreement, I have no choice but to keep my promise. But please spare my father, and please spare the innocent citizens."

The maidservant placed a Bodhi seed in my mouth, which I swallowed whole, saying, "Hmm... It doesn't matter who I let go... It tastes good... But how do I know you might change your mind...

" Barbara said, "As long as the Admiral agrees, I'll keep my word. If the Admiral doesn't believe me, there's nothing I can do."

I chanted a spell, connecting to the subspace array in my home, and took out a black dog collar, tossing it in front of Barbara. Barbara's expression changed slightly upon seeing the collar. This girl was, after all, a southern military commander; she had never been so humiliated in front of others. But circumstances forced her to submit, and she lowered her head, slowly putting the collar around her neck.

The soldiers guarding outside said, "Admiral, Lord Osman has brought all the city's dignitaries and they are awaiting your orders."

I pointed to the artificial grassy slope about 150 paces outside the pavilion and said, "This chair is very comfortable. I don't want to leave. Tell them to kneel over there. Hey, female slave, come over here and massage your master's feet." "

Barbara didn't know who I was calling at first, until all the maids looked at her, and she looked back at me with surprise and shyness. Osman led the officials to the small grassy slope, and Barbara, her face flushed, knelt beside me and massaged my thighs. Osman looked at the records in his hand and said loudly: "Reporting to the Admiral, our army has captured 2,600 pirates alive. Most of the rest escaped by land. They are all subordinates of 'Sea Tiger' Tai'an. According to the intelligence they provided, Tai'an has 30,000 to 40,000 troops and is now following Herus north, and is likely to attack Linhai City." "

The soldiers and officials in the south were ashamed. They had always considered themselves superior, but Osman exposed their collusion with pirates. I couldn't help but sneer at Barbara, who also lowered her head, her face pale. William was lucky; he was going to have to divide his forces to deal with the Crown Prince anyway. If Herus and Taian had joined forces to launch a surprise attack, his situation would have been precarious. Now that Hao City had fallen

, Herus was in a dilemma. I said to Osman, 'Try to screen these pirates and recruit them. Loyalty is the most important thing. I only need three hundred experienced sailors.'

'Yes, sir.'

'How are the assets?'

'We are currently taking inventory of the banks and merchants in Hao City. We have found 25,000 gold coins in cash, treasure worth about 40,000 gold coins, and commercial goods worth about 170,000 gold coins. The inventory is still ongoing and should be completed by tomorrow morning.'" "

(25,000 gold coins acquired!)

(40,000 jewels acquired!)

(170,000 valuables acquired!)

Swallowing hard, I smiled and said, "Very good! Very good! All stored in one place. How about the grain?"

Osman took another ledger from the servant and said, "The city has eighteen large farms, twenty-seven large fishponds, over 100,000 poultry, more than 7,000 livestock, and countless fish. In addition, there are two official granaries, storing a total of 65,000 shi of grain."

(100,000 poultry acquired!)

(7,000 livestock acquired!)

(65,000 shi of military rations acquired!)

I couldn't help but ponder for a while. The grain left in the city was less than expected, mainly because Herus took the grain for his expedition. Osman continued, "In addition to money and grain, there is a mercenary group called Thunderbirds in the city, with more than 10,000 mercenaries. They have expressed their willingness to serve our army." "

Thunderbird Mercenary Group? That name sounds familiar.

Hmm, why is the little brother standing up all by himself? Can someone explain this?

" I smiled at Osman and said, "Money is no problem, we have plenty of money. Tell them to write a contract."

"Yes, sir! Also, our army has captured more than 800 beautiful women, awaiting your judgment, sir."

More than 800 beautiful women? My heart couldn't help but flutter. That's really tempting! But I'm used to making women submit. Abducting women is not my style. I handed them to Osman and said, "We men shouldn't make things difficult for women. Let them go home. You can send soldiers to bring the brothel girls from Hao City to the military camp to appease the brothers."

Everyone stared at me with incredulous eyes. I said coldly, "What are you looking at? Haven't you ever seen a handsome man before?"

Just then, Po Yue arrived with several hundred knights, looking travel-worn. He said, "I have settled the brothers. They are very satisfied with the Blue Flying Goose Army's camp." "I have also counted the Blue Goose Army's ships. The Blue Goose Army has seven medium-sized warships, twenty-one small warships, and forty fast warships left, but more than half of them are under repair."

"Order the dockworkers, no matter what methods they use, I want seven medium-sized warships and fifteen small warships within three days. If they can't deliver them, they might as well jump into the sea."

(Seven "medium-sized warships" obtained!)

(Fifteen "lower-sized warships" obtained!)

"I know that the Blue Goose Army's warehouses have more than 10,000 sets of fine steel armor, 5,000 sets of water armor, more than 20,000 weapons, 57 light catapults, and more than 5,000 horses, all of which have been taken into our army." "

(Ten thousand divisions of high-quality equipment acquired!)

(Twenty thousand divisions of high-quality weapons acquired!)

(Fifty-seven 'light catapults' acquired!)

(Five thousand ordinary horses acquired!)

Awesome! This is the first time in this novel that a window has flashed twelve times in a row showing the acquisition of wealth!

Closing my eyes to think, my fingers lightly tapping on the rocking chair, all the officials of Hao City knelt nervously. I calmly said, 'The entire army will rest in Hao City for three days, awaiting the arrival of the White Wolf Army's reinforcements, but the people of Hao City must not be disturbed.'

Osman and Po Yue bowed and said, 'Your subordinates obey!' " Episode 3

: Revenge

According to the historical records of the Wuluost Empire, before the era of the Black Dragon's Flight, the most prosperous region of the empire was located in the south, with Hao City being the most economically powerful, supporting almost 40% of the country's economic activities. However, during a period of instability in imperial power, Hao City underwent an unprecedented plunder, not only emptying the entire city but also destroying it, and triggering a crisis of division in the south. It took the Divine Clan half a century to rebuild this famous city, but the war severely weakened it, causing the empire's economic axis to shift to the north for more than a hundred years after the Black Dragon's Flight, and the status of the country's largest city fell to the border city of Feibenli.

Because this attack passed through the Panlin Gorge, the southerners called this disaster the "Panlin Incident."

The docks and military camps of Hao City were originally built to accommodate 100,000 Sea Blue Flying Goose soldiers. The interiors were not only well-equipped, but the rooms were also the best in the empire, almost like hotels. Now we are using them to accommodate the Black Dragon and White Wolf allied forces, and they are naturally very pleased. The soldiers of Hao City had been disarmed and imprisoned in the Great Prison. Osman had arranged for me to meet with the leader of the Thunderbird Mercenary Group in the Council Building to discuss cooperation.

Upon arriving at the Council Building, I was slightly taken aback. Waiting in the hall was not a stranger, but the woman I had a past with. This woman was dressed in a gray-green swordsman's uniform, wearing a leather hood and carrying a slender silver sword. Her name was Doretz, the leader of the Thunderbird Mercenary Group. When I infiltrated the Imperial City with Dulisan last time, it was her Thunderbird Mercenary Group that was responsible for protecting me. "Send it here.

After the last trip to the Imperial City, I'll write a letter for Doraz?! A letter of recommendation for Giger, and I don't know what happened after that." Doraz smiled, more feminine than before; her standard of living must have improved, which can be inferred from her fuller, more abundant breasts. I gestured for everyone to leave, and after everyone had left the room, Doraz immediately pounced on me, wrapping her arms around my neck and giving me a wet kiss. Her large breasts pressed against me, and naturally, I wasn't going to be outdone, my hand moving towards her buttocks.

"Huh? Who's Lu Shan? Have we turned into a martial arts novel?"

After a long kiss, she pulled away slightly and said with a smile, "Doraz greets Admiral Avanti. How have you been lately, Admiral?"

I scratched the back of my head and said, "Still the same old thing, winning battles everywhere, training beautiful female dogs in my spare time, nothing special."

Doraz burst out laughing and said, "I haven't congratulated you yet, Admiral, your baby is already three months old."

"Huh? What!" Thinking back, I did use the Demon Moon Evil Book to make Doraz have a child, but I had long forgotten about it.

"Don't be nervous, I didn't ask you to take responsibility."

"Phew! You should have said so earlier! You scared me so much my legs went weak. Have you named the child yet?"

"Yes, I have. Annie."

"Oh, what a pity. I just thought of a name."

"Hey, what name did you think of?"

"Grossley, which includes the glorious Huisi, how about it?"

"As expected of the Empire's genius, even the name he chooses is better than others. If he's as lecherous as his father, he'll probably have a child soon. Let's leave this name to his descendants. Getting back to the point, I haven't thanked you enough, sir. After you recommended us to the Eagle Strike Mercenary Group, Chief Kigg personally contacted us and lent us three thousand men. He even gave us all the business in the south."

"Ah, so you're the Eagle Strike Mercenary Group's branch in the south?"

“That’s one way to put it, but Chief Kigg insists we keep the old name, though we can use the Eagle Strike group’s name on the Mercenary Guild’s register.”

Eagle Strike is the third largest mercenary group on the continent, with business spanning Vorost and Diyri, but for a long time it has been unable to expand into the south. Kigg is bold yet meticulous; he knows that Eagle Strike mercenaries are primarily composed of northerners, making it difficult for them to do business in the south. Thunderbird mercenaries are registered in the western region, and most of them are from the west or the capital, making them more easily accepted by southerners than Eagle Strike. Cooperation would be profitable for both sides. I couldn't help but ask curiously, "You guys have really grown fast. Last time we met, there were only about twenty kittens

, and now you have a force of ten thousand?" Doretz laughed, took off the crotch of his small cloth armor, and lay down on the table, saying, "Since we're old acquaintances, I might as well be frank. My army doesn't actually number ten thousand; it's only about seven thousand, but that sounds better."

I also took off my pants, my magic gun already proudly erect, and said, "I see. We happen to need some help right now, but before we talk business, I'd like to get some information from you first."

"Heh heh, you really know how to take advantage, alright! Seventeen days ago, Herus and Yurit split their forces into two routes. The former led over 90,000 Blue Goose troops on a sea expedition northward, while the latter, in conjunction with the garrison troops of various southern cities, formed about 40,000 cavalry and infantry to press down on the Imperial City, thus containing the forces of the North and the Imperial City. Strangely enough, rumors say that the military geniuses of the North and South—Avanti and Yurit—are vying for power in the Imperial City region. How come the Admiral is here?"

A sense of unease suddenly arose in my heart, and I asked, "Don't ask me yet, I want to know if Haihu has joined the Southern Army?"

"That's right! Haihu's military strength should not be underestimated."

"Then is there any news about the Blue Goose Army's battles?"

"Yes, the Blue Goose Army has been lingering outside Linhai City for many days, but it's only holding back the Red Goose Army, without taking any further action."

I was shocked and said, "Oh no!"

"Oh no? What happened?"

After receiving the definite intelligence, I immediately understood the whole situation. Yurit was a decoy, and the Blue Goose Army was also a decoy. The God Clan with Yurit?! While the Northern Alliance and the fake Avanti are being established, Haihu is maneuvering around the coastal city, creating a diversion. Herus actually shares my plan: his real target is to launch a surprise attack on his ally, Febenli City, all because of his concubine, Pommela!

Attacking Febenli City by sea is impossible, but with the strength of the 100,000 Blue Goose Army, even a land battle wouldn't be an obstacle—the situation is exactly the same as when we swept through the south. The Black Dragon Army's rampage in the south was due to Yulet's mistaken belief that I was in the Imperial City; in reality, it was Samaronchi who was dealing with him—a fortunate coincidence. Febenli City currently lacks sufficient troops. Unless someone sees through Herus's surprise attack and borrows troops from Dioga and the Fairy Clan in time, the situation is dire.

The general currently stationed in Febenli City is Ayera. Although he has resisted orcish invasions many times, his abilities are still insufficient to confront Herus. As for the strategist, it's Aria, the chief strategist of the Northern Alliance. Now, I can only trust her to understand the war situation; my city and people are in her hands.

Putting aside the situation in the north for the moment, I composed myself and asked, "Besides military intelligence, do you have any news about the Imero merchant clan?"

Doretz gave me a flirtatious wink, her breasts swaying slightly, and said, "How can you mention other women in front of a lady?"

I gave her nipple a hard twist and said, "Really? You call yourself a lady? Are there any adulterers in the world?"

"Hehehehe...you're so naughty. We have no news about the Imero merchant clan, but we heard that Herus was assassinated before his campaign, but the assassin was captured."

"Do you know their identities? Where are they being held?"

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