Riding and Slashing

Chapter 221 The Legion of Fear
December 355 of the Pandeli calendar.

Li Ang is creating enemies, while Emperor Mario of the Bacchus Empire is considering how to deal with the enemies created by the Bacchus themselves.

Two months ago, Emperor Marius himself climbed onto the walls of Siyuan City and started a arduous and lengthy battle to defend the capital with Xila Youzas' rebels.

His Majesty the Emperor himself stood on the city wall, which was a great encouragement to the people in Siyuan City, and the morale of the soldiers in Siyuan City naturally doubled.

But the battle was still extremely difficult.

The military strength of the rebel army has been increasing all the time. The rebel army of Xila Youzas and Demosci Augustus probably gave up all their territories and devoted all their military strength to the battle to besiege Siyuan City.

By the beginning of October, the strength of the rebel army even reached more than 6000 people, three times that of the defenders of Siyuan City.

That was once the main force in the Imperial Legion.

More than 100 shadow centurions, leading more than 3000 peasants and soldiers as before the reform;

Six hundred Imperial Immortals formed an extremely strong attacking force, and the only good news is that almost no one in the Imperial Vanguard rebelled;
Three hundred imperial knights brought more than 2000 retinues.

In addition, the Oleg Fort in the southeast of Siyuan City has been captured by the Snake Worshipers, and the army of thousands of Snake Worshipers also launched an attack on Siyuan City from the south.

If you add up the enemies on both sides, Siyuan City faces tens of thousands of enemies.

But the current Siyuan City only has 1000 or [-] people from the Imperial Immortal Legion, plus more than [-] garrisons and some temporary militias, the total army strength is only [-], and there is no advantage in terms of sharpness.

Of course, Siyuan City is the capital after all, and all kinds of material reserves are very sufficient, and Emperor Marius has always been confident in his command.

In Emperor Mario's view, the large number of enemy troops was not a problem. After all, it would be difficult to supply the rebels with too many people. Sooner or later, the rebels' food would have problems.

Moreover, it is always easier for the attacking side to reveal their flaws. As long as they defend Siyuan City firmly, it shouldn't take long to find a chance to defeat the enemy with one blow.

And Siyuan City's various reserves are enough to last for more than a year, and there is no problem with the people's hearts.

So he wasn't too worried at first, as long as he fought steadily and made no mistakes, the rebels would have to withdraw within a month.

But Emperor Marius once again encountered an unexpected situation.

The siege continued for more than two months. Not only did the rebels fail to withdraw from the siege, but they fought more vigorously. There was no sign of a shortage of food and grass.

In more than two months, Xila Youzas' rebels launched five large-scale storms from the north, while the Snake Cult's army also tried three times from the south.

Although the enemy's full attack was repelled by Emperor Marius every time, it was not an option to continue like this.

October has passed, and the enemy may have seized the newly harvested grain in the surrounding areas. It is impossible to expect the enemy to run out of grain.

On the contrary, Siyuan City has been locked into an isolated city.

After all, it is really difficult to operate with the enemy on both sides and without any support.

Emperor Marius tried to bring the Immortal Legion out of the city, attracting the rebels and the Snake Cult to the same battlefield.

But for some unknown reason, the army of the Snake Cult would always retreat voluntarily when encountering such a situation, as if deliberately restraining the troops from conflicting with Xila's rebels.

Emperor Mario's plan to let the enemy bite the dog also failed.

This is also a situation that Emperor Marius has never encountered before—these heretics of the Snake Worship Cult have become brains?

And the rebel army is also consciously restraining the team from conflicting with the Snake Worship Cult. The enemies on both sides blocked Siyuan City from the south to the north.

Due to the failure of the storm, the rebels and the Snake Cult almost coincidentally launched the tactics of fatigue.

In other words, it’s not a coincidence—the rebels are making noise during the day, and the Snake Cult is out at night. It’s hard to tell whether they are attacking or feinting in the siege, and they always have to deal with it.

Therefore, the troops of Siyuan City were also divided into three parts by Emperor Marius, and they defended the city in three shifts, but this way it would be difficult to defeat the enemy in one battle.

Siyuan City fell into a passive situation, and the battle has continued like this until now.

Although the rebels and heretics were unable to break through Emperor Marius' defenses, Siyuan City also had no way of contacting the outside world.

The current layout of the palace is completely like that of the frontline headquarters.

Emperor Marius once again stood in front of the map.

But this time the map has been replaced with the defense map of Siyuan City.

"Alina, is there any information that can be passed in recently?"

Emperor Mario's complexion looks quite bad now. The long defense of the city made him quite tired. The soldiers could take turns to rest, but it was difficult for him to rest well.

Now he looks thinner than two months ago, and his cheeks are sunken.

It's just that his eyes are still firm, and his face is always calm.

"Your Majesty, I haven't received any news from the outside world for nineteen days. But I can confirm the situation in the city..."

Alina has also put on light armor now, but she obviously doesn't know any martial arts, she doesn't even have a sword, and only a dagger is pinned to her waist.

It seems that the dagger should not be used on the enemy...

"How does the Senate plan to deal with me?"

Emperor Mario smiled sarcastically: "Those guys who can only eat, drink and have fun, what else do they do besides wasting time on the podium? Do they really dare to kill me? If it weren't for these bastards who kept dragging their legs... ..."

"They did a good job a few days ago. They hid all the hooligans in the city these days... Maybe tomorrow they will change their appearance and become an army..."

Arina walked to the map and pointed to an area behind the palace.

"Hey, it seems that they have made progress, and they actually have the courage to use force... Sheila Youzas and Augustus have been harassing and causing fatigue these days. It seems that it is for this? It seems that they I don't know our plan...it's all thanks to you, hard work, Alina."

Emperor Mario served the wine glass again, and drank a glass of red wine to calm down.

"The poisonous snakes have all returned to the Shadow Wolves tonight. It has been confirmed that they are ambushing behind the palace, which is near the North City Gate. If there is no accident, they will let those local ruffians switch to the North City Gate tomorrow morning. I think they It is possible to attack the palace."

Alina looked at the tired Emperor Marius, shook her head and sighed: "Your Majesty, you'd better stop drinking so much wine, you've become so thin..."

"Hey, this is my only hobby, Alina. Don't worry, I won't fall until the enemy is dead. Do you think we should wait for them to come to the door, or should I lead the troops to go directly to them?"

Emperor Marius was walking to the metal wine jug, intending to pour another glass, but he looked at Alina's worried eyes, sighed at the glass in his hand, and finally put the glass down.

"It's too dangerous to wait for them to come. You'd better go to the city wall. It's safer to go among the troops. I'm not sure if they have other intentions. If they catch you, it will be over... …I will lead the shadow wolves to find them quietly - and no one will judge you that way."

Arina gathered her hair together, put on the hood of the cloak, and put a hideous mask on her face.

The mask was painted with devilish oil paint, and under the mask, the soft eyes were bloodshot.

"Actually, I don't care who says gossip at all... You shouldn't get bloody, kid."

The sharp gaze in Mario's eyes turned into kindness at this moment, and he shook his head at Alina.

"Of course I don't care about it in normal times, but now the city is under siege. You can't be suspected at this time. I will deal with them. Bloody... Thousands of innocent people died because of my plan, I The crime has already been serious, why are you afraid of blood?"

After Alina finished speaking, she picked up a badge in the shape of a wolf's head from the table, and left the palace hall through the secret door behind the screen.

"Arina... oh..."

Emperor Mario stretched out his hand, sighed, and then subconsciously wanted to get the wine glass, but squeezed the wine glass and put it down again.

"Come on! Follow me to the city wall!"

He picked up his sword, put on his crowned helmet, and went out.

His Majesty the Emperor had been commanding the battle that night from the high tower of the inner city wall, from which everyone could see him waving the royal eagle.

The brazier beside him remained on all night.

That night, the palace was set on fire, and the entire bedroom was burned to ashes.

Fortunately, His Majesty the Emperor fought on the city wall all night.

The next morning, even bigger news came that 25 noble lords had been assassinated, several taverns north of the palace were also set on fire, and a gladiator training camp was littered with corpses.

Emperor Marius immediately announced that there were traitors in Siyuan City, and yesterday evening, he let the enemy's secret troops sneak into Siyuan City from a secret passage, killing many "loyal and brave men" in the Senate.

The dead included several members of the Senate, as well as twenty or so high-ranking officials, as well as their families.

Emperor Mario said that the enemy might still be in the city, and immediately launched a big rope across the city.

But at the time of Dasuo, a troop wearing gray and black equipment appeared near the North City Gate, suddenly killed the militia troops who came to change defenses, and then opened the North City Gate!

——Obviously, this is probably the 'secret army that sneaked into the city'!
The rebels outside the city also saw an excellent opportunity, and they rushed forward shouting 'Kill Mario', and they were very cooperative, as if they knew that the North City Gate would be opened for a long time.

But just after the rebels entered the north gate, a large number of soldiers stood up on the city wall, and the 'secret army' also suddenly attacked the rebels.

The effect of this battle was remarkable. Thousands of rebels died inside and outside the north gate. The remnants of the rebels were chased by the Immortal Legion, and they were defeated and broke the siege line they had set up in the north.

Emperor Marius chased him all the way wielding his sword of rhetorician, and almost rushed in front of Sheila Youzas.

Fortunately, Sheila Yuzas ran away after beheading several immortals. Otherwise, the exhausted Emperor Marius might be killed by this powerful traitor...

In any case, the rebels were almost completely routed, and the Emperor Marius won a brilliant victory.

But this victory cannot be fully credited, because Siyuan City is still facing the army of the Snake Worship Cult to the south, and the troops cannot pursue it too far.

Although the rebels suffered heavy losses, they were not wiped out, but they would definitely not be able to siege the city again in a short time.

Siyuan City finally opened a path.

After returning to Siyuan City, Emperor Marius had thousands of captives and hundreds of prisoners in his hands.

"Son... Are there really so many traitors in the Senate?"

Emperor Marius saw Arina who was waiting for him behind the screen in the palace hall.

"That depends on how you define 'traitor', Your Majesty. I can only say that the ones I let the shadow wolves kill were either internal agents of the rebel army or heretics who had an affair with the Snake Cult. There are no innocent people."

Alina was still wearing a mask, her eyes were bloodshot.

"...they deserved to be tried, as did the captives and prisoners..."

After all, Emperor Mario held his wine glass and took a deep sip.

"Your Majesty, I think they should be allowed to charge against the army of the Snake Cult, otherwise they should be made slaves... This is the usual way of the Senate, isn't it?"

Alina closed her eyes, her expression could not be seen under the mask.

Mario didn't speak.

After being silent for a while, Alina opened her eyes and said softly: "Your Majesty, when facing a formidable enemy, it might be better for a wise emperor to be dictatorial..."

"No, Alina. Don't pin your hopes on the wiseness of the emperor, I will always die... A dictator may be able to keep his family status, but he will certainly not consider the lives and lives of the people."

Emperor Marius drank the red wine in his glass and exhaled: "I have seen the Sarleon Kingdom when it was ruled by a mad king...I would rather not be emperor than let my country live in poverty in the future!"

"However, as long as the Senate still exists, you will always be restrained..."

Alina lowered her head, and her voice became lower and lower.

"Son, the Senate may indeed be sick, but what we should do is to cure it, not deny its existence. The emperor's power must be limited, otherwise it will only make people keep chasing the emperor's throne, and no one I will pay attention to the responsibilities and obligations of this profession.”

Emperor Marius stepped forward and patted Alina on the back: "Son, do you want to sit in that seat for a while..."

Alina shook her head: "I don't want to sit there... Your job is too tiring, I'd rather be a librarian."

"Hahaha……"

Emperor Marius laughed: "Son, when I was your age, I was indeed a librarian...and I said the same thing back then—a dictatorship might be better."

Alina froze.

"I wish you were a boy...there would be much less resistance, and I could easily make you a general and then let you enter the council..."

Emperor Marius suddenly began to sigh.

"You have two sons, Your Majesty, and they are both of high moral character."

Alina's eyes visibly widened.

"But you don't like any of them, do you? The boss is upright, and the second child is brave and good at fighting. They are all good qualities. But the boss doesn't know how to change things, so he can only be a judge at most; the second child has no responsibility, at most he can only be a general. ...Let them be emperors and they will definitely die..."

Emperor Mario stared at Alina and smiled wryly: "Only you, Luciana...you are what an emperor should look like, but I can't let you into the parliament, and my son is not worthy of you."

"Your Majesty...you probably drank too much."

Arina stepped forward to take away Mario's glass.

"No, no, child. I'm sober, you know, I never get drunk... Go to Boshi City, Luciana, and take my guards with you. Your father will definitely need support."

Mario stopped Alina's hand and looked at Alina with a smile: "You will be in danger if you stay here. Today I found the envoy of the Snake Cult in the rebel camp outside the city."

"Have they turned to the Snake Worship Cult? No wonder the shadow wolves are so cooperative...I can't leave, Your Majesty..."

Alina exclaimed in a low voice.

"No, it's not a refuge, but an alliance. The Snake Cult envoy is from the Dread Legion... Alina, if the Dread Legion comes, I won't be sure to protect you. Let's go...Leave Siyuan City and help your father .This is the task for you, after securing Boshi City, ask your father to bring back those gladiator rebels."

Marius picked up his orator's sword from the table: "Take my sword and do whatever you think you should do, and whoever dares to disobey you will judge him with my sword."

……

In mid-November, Emperor Marius organized a "death squad" of 500 people and launched an offensive to the Snake Cult army in the south.

There were a small number of deserters in the "Death Squad", a small half defected, and most of them almost all died in battle.

These so-called death squads actually didn't dare to die. They were just captives captured from the rebel army, and the family members of some important figures in the city who died under assassination.

But the 500 people played a big role. Emperor Marius led the main army behind to force the Snake Cult army back, and burned the Snake Cult camp and luggage, and the Snake Cult army had to retreat. To Olega Castle.

At this time, Marshal Kairos, who had not heard from him for a long time, finally appeared with the group army.

He seized the opportunity for the Snake Cult army to retreat, and launched a surprise attack on their way back to Fort Olega. The Snake Cult army collapsed and Fort Olega was also recovered.

But bad news always comes with good news. On the second day after the group army led by Kailos had just recovered Olega Fort, the seaside village of Ziza under Olega Fort was massacred. Cultists appear on the shores of the Bacchus Empire.

That's the Legion of Dread.

"How many enemies are there?"

Emperor Marius looked at the envoy sent by Kairos, and for the first time, there was a little uneasiness on his face.

"It doesn't look like a lot, about 3000 people, Your Majesty. But... the ten scouts I led were killed by five of their knights... none of them died."

The messenger who reported the message was a shadow centurion, but at this time this experienced warrior seemed extremely nervous: "Your Majesty, I am definitely no match for those guys wearing horned viper armor..."

"Are there many horn viper warriors like this?"

Emperor Marius frowned.

"It won't be less than two hundred, and there are more than 1000 knights, who seem to be much stronger than the imperial knights... In fact, I think that anyone in that army has the fighting power of a knight, Your Majesty... Moreover, their horses... ..."

The Shadow Centurion seems to have detected very clearly, this is a very professional scout.

"What happened to the horse?"

"Their horses look like they're from the underworld! Five spear throws can't knock a horse down..."

(End of this chapter)