The Demon King is unfathomable

Chapter 440 Another Fate

With the arrival of May, spring is gradually coming to an end, and the temperature in Quemu Ling has also warmed up considerably.

It wasn't just Maitian Village that changed; Quemubao also underwent significant changes.

The refugee camp outside the castle, in particular, looked noticeably thinner than before.

As a large number of villages around Maitian Village gradually became inhabited again, many displaced people simply settled down in those places.

They didn't have a specific destination in mind; they just followed the migration crowds, begging wherever they could find food. They would work for whichever lord would give them a bite to eat.

If there is work to be done there.

Many people were drawn into the Green Forest Army while fleeing, or unfortunately became food for bandits because they were alone.

As for Sparrowwood Castle, although refugees still join in every day, the large crowds that once filled the castle are no longer visible outside.

These newly arrived migrants mostly came in groups of three or five, often appearing as family units, and some even drove horse-drawn or ox-drawn carts.

Those who still kept livestock in those days were obviously not serfs, not to mention that some of them were dressed in relatively decent clothes.

At the southern outpost of Quemu Fort, about twenty horse-drawn carriages were moving along the broken dirt road, and the dust they kicked up could be seen from several miles away.

The sentry on duty thought he was seeing things; he remembered that when Count Theron Gard fled, he didn't seem to have this many carriages.

These carriages did not belong to any one person; at least eighty families were crammed into the crowded caravan. They followed the caravan, placing their children and luggage on the carriages and taking turns to rest, their faces bearing the marks of travel fatigue and the weariness of the journey.

As two cavalrymen approached, a commotion arose in the crowd. The woman clutched her child tightly in her arms, while the man stepped forward.

Seeing that the soldiers on horseback were not wearing bandit turbans, everyone breathed a slight sigh of relief, but they still dared not let their guard down completely.

They don't always wear the green headscarf on their heads; they decide whether or not to take it off and put it on depending on the situation.

Like pirates on the vast ocean.

"Your Excellency Knight, is this the territory of Earl Theron Gard?" a burly-looking man asked boldly.

The cavalryman reined in his horse, dismounted to show his friendliness, and then stepped forward to look at the weary group of people.

“There are no counts here, only knights loyal to the saintess, the divine child, and all people… In the name of Saint Sith, you must answer my question honestly: where do you come from?”

“I answer your question honestly in the name of Saint Sith. We all come from Twilight City.”

"Twilight City? You came from the governor's office?"

The cavalryman looked surprised. He had seen many refugees, some brought from Stillwater Beach and others from Griffin Cliff, but this was the first time he had seen one from Twilight City.

“That’s right,” the man standing at the front of the refugee group nodded, his expression complicated. “The situation there is getting worse and worse. The governor has been issuing two grain requisition orders a month. At first, they were for the merchants in the market, and later for the citizens… But I have to say that what he’s doing is completely illegal! According to the kingdom’s laws, the governor, who is acting on behalf of the king, can only requisition grain from the king’s direct vassals. We are not nobles!”

"Isn't it making things difficult for him to ask Theron Gard to collect grain?" the young cavalryman riding over teased.

"So we had no choice but to run." The man shrugged. "He promised to give us the harvested grain, but anyone with a brain knows that's bullshit. Besides, I heard another earl has fled from his territory to Twilight City. I don't think they can hold out! By the time the Duchy of Campbell's army arrives, it will be too late!"

Clearly, he didn't know that the runaway count was Theron Gard, the lord of Sparrowwood Territory.

But even if he knew, it wouldn't matter. He hadn't come for the count in the first place; he had heard about the saintess from the refugees from the north.

It is said that the River Saintess, who received the divine oracle from the Son of God, influenced the Salvation Army, and many refugees who passed through Sparrowwood Fortress were able to reach Twilight City thanks to their relief.

The refugee also said that if he didn't have relatives in Twilight City, he wouldn't want to go any further.

In fact, the guy who arrived in Twilight City had already begun to regret it. The legendary Twilight City, which supposedly had everything, actually had nothing but people's disdain and the ever-approaching flames of war.

"What's your name?" the cavalryman asked, looking at the man.

The man said hesitantly.

“Anthony, the carpenter.”

The cavalryman nodded.

“Very good, Mr. Carpenter. Her Highness needs your skills. We are currently restarting the timber business in Sparrowwood Castle, and we hope you can find a new direction in life here.”

Anthony paused for a moment, then asked instinctively.

"The timber business in Sparrowwood Fortress? Are you sure? There's a war going on right now, where would you sell it to?"

The knight answered without hesitation.

"The dwarfs of the south."

The dwarves from the south?
That must be a hellish dwarf...

However, Anthony didn't dare to ask too many questions. Besides, he had only heard that the area around Shattered Rock Peak was the territory of the Hell Dwarves, but he had never actually been there.

Hundreds of years have passed; perhaps dynasties have changed there by now?

At that moment, the knight suddenly remembered something and asked.

"By the way, you mentioned the army of the Duchy of Campbell... what does that mean?"

“Don’t you know?” Anthony looked at him in confusion. “The governor requested aid from the Duchy of Campbell in the name of the king. The duke’s army has arrived at Rapid Pass and is, unsurprisingly, fighting against the army of ‘Fenian, the Shadow of the Jungle’… People say they will probably fight for a month.”

The cavalryman said nothing, but silently memorized the information and remounted his horse.

"Thank you for the message. Please stay close to us with your family and neighbors. Things have been rather unsettled here lately; ratmen have appeared in the forest."

"You'd better keep a close eye on your children; those sneaky creatures love to eat children."

……

The reconstruction of Quemuling is in full swing.

The refugees from Twilight City not only brought the city's technology and wealth, but also brought news from afar to the people living in Sparrowwood Territory.

The army of the Duchy of Campbell is advancing towards Twilight City, and the Green Forest Army has also intensified its offensive against Twilight City.

The attitudes of these two distinct and antagonistic armies toward the Salvation Army are currently unknown.

Besides Sparrowwood Territory, which is controlled by the Salvation Army, there are three other earldoms around Twilight City: Stillwater Beach Territory, Griffin Cliff Territory, and Grayswamp Territory.

Currently, the capitals of these three earldoms are under siege by the Green Forest Army, and are teetering on the brink of collapse as the offensive intensifies.

Both the Green Forest Army headquarters and the Governor's Office sent envoys to Quemu Fort.

However, perhaps because they saw each other in the castle, neither group of envoys made any excessive demands.

On the one hand, they offered the Salvation Army great rewards to persuade them to stand on their side; on the other hand, they hoped, as a second-best option, that this ambiguous army would remain still, or at least not side with the opposing force.

In the Lord's Hall of Sparrowwood Castle, a solemn military meeting is underway.

Facing the map spread out on the round table, Brennan pointed in the direction of Rapids Pass and said with a solemn expression.

"According to the intelligence brought by the refugees, the Duchy of Campbell has sent troops to us. Knowing Finnian as I do, that cunning fox won't surrender easily; there's likely to be a long battle between them..."

He paused for a moment, casting an incredulous look at Karen, then at the officers sitting at the round table.

"Just as the Holy Maiden foresaw in the oracle, the king's lackeys finally couldn't restrain their claws."

Not just Brennan.

Everyone, including Leiden, couldn't help but show a look of surprise, even awe.

Just weeks ago, the saint had foretold a threat from the south, and that prophecy has now come true.

When they first heard the prophecy, many people were filled with a sense of hope or doubt, thinking that the king had his own army and that even if the rebellion was quelled, it wouldn't be Campbell's turn to step in.

Seeing all eyes on her, Karen spoke in a calm voice.

"The oracle said that those soldiers might not be our enemies; they were actually a group of homeless and pitiful people."

“That makes things easier, haha,” Brennan laughed heartily upon hearing this, his gloom vanishing. “The Earl has plenty of land left; we can just give them some! As long as they’re willing to farm it with us!”

Brennan's men mostly looked relaxed. They were farmers before, and although they now carried swords at their waists, they were still more comfortable using pitchforks and flails.

Only the knights who had previously served the count did not look too optimistic.

They weren't upset that the Earl's land had been given to outsiders, but rather they were concerned about more practical issues... The Holy Maiden of the River Run had only gained the approval of the farmers along the River Run, not the recognition of the Campbells beyond the Turbulent Pass.

Whether from a religious perspective or from a practical standpoint, they have no reason to admit it.

At this moment, Leiden, who had been silent, suddenly looked at Karen and spoke.

"What if they consider you a 'heretic' and demand that we hand you over?"

Brennan, who was grinning just a second ago, suddenly widened his eyes, a murderous aura enveloping the entire lord's hall, and stood up, slamming his hand on the table.

"They dare!"

"I'm just stating the facts. Staring at me won't change anything. You can probably save your courage for the Campbellians who will come here later." Faced with Brennan's murderous gaze, Leiden simply replied.

He knew very well what a knight was, because he himself was one.

However, he still harbored a sliver of optimism, after all, he himself had gone through the process of going from doubt to belief.

It seems that if Her Highness were to demonstrate once again the miracle that occurred in the castle that day, even the Campbellians would understand the undeniable authority of the oracle.

If not—

Let's have a fight then.

He believed that the divine artifact given to him by the Son of God was not meant for him to keep as a decoration in his home, but that the Son of God had already seen the day he would use it.

Please don't argue over me.

Seeing that the group was about to start arguing, Karen calmed their hearts with a gentle voice and continued speaking.

"Compared to the people who live on this land, my personal fate is insignificant. Whatever they think of me, whether they praise or curse me, I hope you will continue to uphold your piety and move forward... worthy of the sword in your hand and your original intention."

She paused for a moment, then continued.

"As for the Campbells... I believe they are also a devout group of people, and I will try to persuade them."

She believed it.

Because her god had promised her that he would be watching.

Brennan remained silent for a long time before looking at Leiden and speaking.

"In any case, we need to strengthen the defenses of Sparrowwood Fortress, so that if they suddenly turn against us, we won't be helpless."

Leiden nodded.

"a wise decision."

He didn't trust the Campbells.

If those people truly cared about their neighbors, they should have come long ago…

……

News of the killing of "Shadow of the Jungle" Finnian quickly reached Sparrowwood Territory, shortly after news of the Campbell Duchy's military intervention arrived.

Brennan was shocked for a long time after hearing the news.

He remembered that the guy was a platinum-level expert, skilled in using bows and daggers, and especially adept at fighting in the jungle.

If we create enough distance, even I might not be a match for that guy!
Unlike the "Champion Warriors'" astonishment, Layden showed no surprise.

Based on his understanding of the Duchy of Campbell, the Green Forest Army, a disorganized and ragtag force, was no match for the Campbell militia.

As for top-tier combat power, that's even more impossible...

"...The Light of Praise is the legend of the Campbell people and the greatest asset of the Campbell family. That sword is not entirely a sword; it can be a gun, an axe, or even a shield... Any weapon that the Dukes of Campbell have ever used and recorded in the epic can be conjured by the Light of Praise."

The castle's training grounds.

When Brennan asked him for advice, Leiden, who was training soldiers, pondered for a moment and shared his knowledge of the Campbell family.

"Moreover, the most troublesome thing is the descent of the 'ancestral souls'. The inheritor of the Light of Praise can call the souls of their ancestors back to the mortal world to fight alongside them. It is precisely because of this that Grand Duke Campbell's enemies are often not facing one person, but the ancestors of the Campbell family... None of the Demon Kings of the Thunder County Labyrinth throughout history have been a match for the Campbell family."

Brennan's expression turned somewhat grim, and he spoke with difficulty.

"But I heard that its owner is a young girl... perhaps she herself is not very strong."

Leiden chuckled.

"Have you forgotten what level you were at a few years ago? What makes you think that only you can have such extraordinary encounters, while the chosen ones favored by God can't?"

Brennan fell silent.

really--

Before joining the Green Forest Army, he was just a hunter, not even an adventurer.

He never deliberately honed his martial arts skills; he only fought to survive, battling the lord's soldiers and other bandits...

When he discovered that he had miraculously survived to the end, his strength had grown to a level that even surprised himself.

There were twelve people like him in the Green Forest Army!
In other words, if someone like him can become a strong person, there's no reason why those chosen by Saint Sith should grow slower than him...

...The news from Jiliu Pass was like a heavy cloud hanging over the newly cleared sky of Quemu Territory.

Just as the Salvation Army's leadership was feeling heavy-hearted due to the Campbellians' intervention, a fierce battle was taking place on Griffin Cliff, hundreds of kilometers away.

As the capital of the Earldom of Griffin Cliff, Griffin Cliff Fortress, with its strategic location and magnificent walls, served as the western gateway to Twilight City.

At this very moment, this sturdy fortress standing on the edge of the cliff is teetering on the brink of collapse under the raging onslaught of the Green Forest Army.

The brutality of the war exceeded everyone's imagination.

The rebels, like an endless swarm of ants, used makeshift ladders and their own flesh and blood to repeatedly assault the towering city walls.

Arrows rained down, stones rolled like thunder, and screams and the clang of metal clashed together to create a bloody symphony!

The castle, stained red with blood, was like a small boat on a vast ocean, seemingly about to be destroyed by the raging storm at any moment!
Yet amidst this chilling bloodshed and chaos, one figure stood firm like a towering mountain peak.

Standing on the crumbling city wall, Count Solder Weaver was like a blood-soaked war god. With each swing of his longsword, several rebel soldiers fell dead on the spot.

"For the King! For Glory!"

He roared and swung his sword, the boiling dragon god's energy swirling around the blade, and the wind-like sword blocked the gap in the castle!

The sword in his hand was like an insurmountable wall!
With his platinum-level strength and unparalleled swordsmanship honed through countless trials, he has single-handedly killed more than two thousand rebels since the start of the battle!

The corpses piled up like hills around him. His bravery greatly boosted the morale of the defenders and intimidated the enemy.

Count Solder plunged his longsword into the chest of a rebel, kicked the corpse off the city wall, wiped the blood from his face, and let out a furious laugh.

"Ha ha, you scoundrels! As long as I live, I will never let your filthy hooves set foot in Twilight City!"

Although the vast majority of nobles in the Twilight Province have abandoned their obligations, not all nobles are cowards corrupted by wine, women, and wealth.

The Weaver family has been loyal to the king for generations, honing their martial skills in the process.

While other nobles indulged in social banquets and bedroom activities, only the Wiefert family lived a life like ascetics!

Of course, this is precisely why his territory was so poor that there wasn't even a decent cannon on the towering city walls.

Under his valiant resistance, the besieging rebel army finally began to waver. They looked in fear at the blood-soaked god of war, and their offensive gradually weakened.

Just as victory seemed within reach and the Weaver family was poised to establish a new legend on this land, an almost imperceptible shadow crept out from behind the pile of corpses beside Solder.

It was a hunched figure, even shorter than a dwarf, so much so that a cloak the size of a bath towel covered his entire body.

Solder sensed the danger and almost instinctively turned around, but the fatigue accumulated from the continuous battles made him a step too slow.

A poisoned dagger was thrust out silently and precisely into the gap in his right leg armor.

"what--!"

Solder cried out in pain, turned around, and stared wide-eyed.

The attacker was not human, but a hunched monster wearing a cloak!

Beneath the shadow of the hood, a pair of gleaming, eerie green eyes stared intently at him, the light on their teeth a mixture of excitement and terror.

"rat!"

Count Solder let out a thunderous roar and slashed out with his sword, the boiling flames seeming to distort even space itself!

The rat-man assassin frantically tried to dodge, but it was too late. Faced with the full force of a Platinum-level knight's attack, he didn't even have time to scream before being instantly killed!

Looking at the bloody mess on the ground, Solder was about to curse the scoundrels when his wildly beating heart suddenly clenched.

A tingling sensation came from my legs.

He subconsciously looked down and saw black blood seeping from the gaps in the armor where the dagger had pierced, accompanied by wisps of black smoke rising from it.

Sensing his power draining uncontrollably from his body, Solder's expression finally changed, a hint of seriousness flashing in his resolute eyes.

Taking advantage of his momentary hesitation, a burly man, as large as a bear, leaped onto the city wall with heavy steps.

A strange mist, visible to the naked eye, emanated from his mouth and nose. A massive, chained guillotine was slung over his shoulder, its blade still stained with the blood and flesh of an unknown astray. His body was covered in hideous scars, as if he had just stepped off an execution ground where he had been subjected to a thousand cuts.

Seeing the swaying Count Solder, the burly man let out a cruel, beast-like laugh, wielding his guillotine like the wind.

“Chaos’s lackey…” Count Solder leaned on his longsword, trying to steady himself, but the poison had already invaded his internal organs.

Without giving him a chance to catch his breath, or the priests behind him to find an opportunity to cast their spells, the burly man swung his guillotine without a word, the chain whistling as it hurtled through the air as it hurtled straight toward the count's face!
Solder, who had lost feeling in his right leg, raised his longsword to try to block, but he was no match for the powerful blow and was cut in two along with the sword!

Blood stained the city walls.

"Your Excellency—!"

As Count Solder's body crashed to the ground, the battle cries of the soldiers on the city wall instantly turned into desperate wails.

Solder's eldest son, his eyes blazing with fury, picked up his father's longsword and charged forward, but in just two rounds, he was smashed into a bloody pulp by the whistling guillotine blade.

The burly man, as strong as a bear, grinned maliciously, hoisting the bloodied, mangled decapitated blade onto his shoulder, letting the crimson liquid drip onto his body.

“Aka...the executioner.”

Facing the terrified defenders, he uttered his name from his split lips, then brandished his chains and rejoined the fight.

The morale of the defending troops plummeted.

The scales of victory have already tipped, and the epic to be written today by blood seems destined to be one of bloodshed and betrayal, rather than loyalty and resilience.

The remaining seven hundred soldiers and fifty knights fought desperately, but they were ultimately outnumbered and overwhelmed by the green-turbaned men who surged onto the city walls like a tide.

Griffin Cliff Fortress eventually fell.

……

Green banners fluttered over the blood-red castle.

Tens of thousands of rebels poured into the castle, venting their pent-up anger on the survivors.

This includes the servants and maids in the castle, the priests and nuns hiding in the cellars, and people who have taken refuge in the castle for various reasons.

Aka did not stop his men; in fact, he joined in their game, adding to its bloody fun.

The only pity was that Solder's two sons had died in battle, and his wife had taken poison with their young daughter.

Along with the knights who held out in the castle until the very last moment, their souls ascended to the sanctuary of Saint Sith after their deaths.

Even if necromancy can make them stand up, they are still empty shells without souls, nothing more than flesh and blood.

After he got tired of playing with them, Aka hung the corpses on the city wall, making them watch helplessly as their castle was ravaged.

He had no enmity with the Weaver family.

He does this purely because it will make him feel good, and the gods behind him will also feel good and grant him more power.

The "banquet" lasted until noon the next day. Aka figured it was about time, so he ordered his men to kill all the survivors.

Blood flowed like a river in the castle courtyard; the stench of rotting corpses and the cawing of crows heralded the complete annihilation of a long-established family.

From that time on, the Executioner's reputation was so formidable that it would leave a chapter in the epic of the Kingdom of Ryan that people would tremble at the mere mention of his name.

The stench of blood lingered until the third day. Aka ordered his men to quickly clean up the battlefield, and then respectfully awaited the arrival of the true lord.

Those were the three highest leaders of the Green Forest Army.

They are "Green Turban" Kaylan, "Longbowman" Rhys, and "Quartermaster" Silas.

As the spiritual leader of the Green Forest Army, Kaylan looked at the corpse in the castle courtyard, a hint of pity flashing in his eyes, but it was only for a moment.

Compared to the brothers who died on the city walls and the serfs who were killed by the lords, the price paid by the Weaver family was far too light.

They got off easy by escaping the gallows of justice.

Unlike Kaylan, Rhys, carrying a longbow, merely glanced at Solder's head expressionlessly before looking away.

Only Silas, whose always smiling face revealed a hint of pleasure that no one else could detect, as if he were admiring something.

"Your Majesty! Aka welcomes you! The gates of Twilight City are open to you. I am willing to serve as your vanguard and help you take the Governor's Mansion of Twilight City!" Aka knelt respectfully on one knee, his honest and kind face filled with solemnity, and said in a deep voice.

He had washed the blood-stained guillotine clean, and it gleamed in the midday sun.

“You did very well, Aka…”

Kailan looked at Aka and nodded slightly, first acknowledging his contribution, but then changed the subject.

"However, I am not the king, so don't call me Your Majesty. Remember, we rose up to overthrow the king. If I call you Your Majesty, then what are we?"

Aka said respectfully.

"Okay, Your Majesty."

Kailan: "..."

Seeing that his boss was about to say something, Silas smiled and stopped him.

“Aka isn’t very bright, so just leave him alone. Let him shout whatever he wants, don’t let the brothers’ good intentions be wasted.”

Rhys also wanted to say a few words of advice to Kylan.

We're about to take Twilight City, and the brothers are all waiting to be divided up the titles. You say you don't want to be king? Do you expect everyone to wait for the one sitting in the capital to bestow titles upon you?
However, just as he was about to speak, a commotion arose at the castle gate not far away, interrupting the words that were about to come out of his mouth.

A messenger galloped up on horseback, jumped off, and ran straight to the central courtyard. He knelt down on one knee in front of the three leaders.

The messenger was the same one they had sent to Sparrowwood Castle to investigate Brennan's movements; they hadn't expected him to return so quickly.

Kailan instinctively sensed something unusual.

Having received a signal from the leader, the messenger quickly reported the news.

"Lord Kalan! 'Iron Bull' Brennan... he's changed his name! Now he calls himself the 'Salvation Army,' and he's even hailed a 'Saint' named Karen!"

Catching his breath, the messenger recounted the situation of the Salvation Army without stopping, including how they used the castle's food to relieve the disaster victims, how they distributed noble lands to the refugees, and how they were spreading "new doctrines," and so on.

Upon hearing this, the four leaders of the Green Forest Army, including Aka, were all taken aback, their expressions varying.

Especially Aka, whose honest and simple face flashed with greed, as if he had seen a new toy.

"Saint?"

Upon hearing this, Kailan raised an eyebrow, as if she had heard something amusing, and chuckled.

"The name doesn't matter. As long as Brennan still adheres to our Robin Hood creed, it doesn't matter if he calls himself 'The Army of God'... However, I don't approve of using the banner of Saint Sith. New doctrines can't change the lies in the Holy Word. Those priests must be held responsible for this famine!"

"I think this Iron Bull has lost his mind; he feels itchy unless he has something tied to his nose."

Rhys snorted coldly, his eyes full of disdain.

He didn't believe in any divine oracle. If Saint Sith really existed, the famine would never have happened, and they should be living in paradise right now.

However, Brennan did not openly oppose them, and it was not appropriate for them to turn against that guy at this critical juncture when the siege was about to begin.

The immediate priority is to launch a full-scale attack on Twilight City; they must take it before the Campbells do!
"...In any case, as long as Sparrowwood Castle is not in the governor's hands, it will not affect the overall situation. Brennan's problem can be dealt with later."

Silas, as always, remained indecisive, smilingly acting as a peacemaker.

“Yes, yes, Brennan isn’t in a hurry… I’m even wondering if there’s some misunderstanding here? His parents became ghosts because the priests didn’t care about them, so no one should hate those charlatans more than him.”

Kaylan nodded.

“Then let’s do as Rhys says and decide what to do with Iron Bull after we’ve taken Twilight City… I hope he can turn back.”

He is a leader who listens to advice.

The arrangements for Sparrowwood Territory were temporarily put to rest. The four leaders walked side by side into the main hall of the castle, preparing to hold a meeting for the upcoming battle.

Throughout the meeting, only Silas behaved somewhat unusually, seemingly distracted. However, the others didn't think much of it and continued to offer their opinions and suggestions, after all, fighting wasn't exactly this "quartermaster's" forte.

His expertise lies in logistics.

No matter how passive the situation, he could miraculously procure supplies and deliver them to the front lines of the war.

It can be said that his contribution to the Green Forest Army's growth and strength to its current scale is no less than that of Kailan and Rhys.

He has always kept a low profile and stayed behind the scenes, rarely appearing in public, so he seems to have little presence.

Just like at this moment, no one noticed the fear behind that kind smile, or the barely perceptible ferocity.

'A saint? A miracle? Could it be that our previous actions of spreading chaos went too far and forced Saint Sith's 'chosen one' to come out?' Silas pondered to himself, feeling extremely anxious, like a mouse caught on a hot plate.

The Duchy of Campbell's military expedition was foretold by the great god Urgos, with the exception of Saint Karen.

He didn't know the full picture of the Urgos Plan, but this guy's appearance would undoubtedly pose a threat to that person's plans.

Silas's gaze unconsciously fell on Aka, who was almost asleep.

perhaps……

It's time to do something.

(End of this chapter)