Man on the ark, forced to become king

"Otherwise what? That Kosichek guy screwed us over, he should pay for it!"

Romanov's voice suddenly rose a notch, his tone becoming intense.

All the army groups that entered the ice field lost contact, and the entire ice field was filled with strong Originium radiation, becoming an inaccessible forbidden zone. This loss was considerable.

That was an army group, the most elite army in Ursus, and there were two of them. Even the Grand Duke could not accept such a terrible loss; it was beyond just crippling.

The culprit behind all this is that insidious and despicable Koschche!

As for the warnings Kosich had given him, Romanov simply chose to forget them; he would never admit that he was wrong.

"So what? He's already dead, and he even sent us funeral invitations."

Snapped!

Duke Ulrich slammed his hand on the table, clearly very unhappy, but with nowhere to vent, he could only bottle it up inside, feeling depressed.

"Dead? Even if you're dead, you'd better make us pay back our losses!"

Romanov roared, jumped up from his seat, paced back and forth irritably, and swung his fist at the air as if he wanted to smash someone who didn't exist.

However, he could only vent verbally and couldn't actually take any action.

The struggles among nobles have been long-standing, but everyone always acts within the rules and cannot go too far, lest they incur public wrath.

Kosiché's death was perfectly timed, effectively evading responsibility for the Icefield Incident.

Even if they wanted to cause trouble for the Duke of Kosiché's mansion, they had to wait until after the funeral; otherwise, it would be a complete falling out, which might provoke the dissatisfaction of others and be a loss for them.

"Then go ahead and do it. We're not here to listen to you vent your emotions; it's pointless."

Prince Nikolai glanced at Romanov, who was pacing back and forth, a hint of disdain flashing in his eyes. He pondered for a moment and said, "At this point, there's no turning back. Everyone knows what will happen if we stay in the radiation zone after the natural disaster. If this matter isn't handled properly, your losses of two army groups are just the beginning, and the situation will continue to worsen."

"Therefore, we must prepare for the aftermath as soon as possible, and at the same time send more people to take back what belongs to us."

Romanov didn't even need to think to guess what he meant by calling this gathering today, nor did the taciturn Ulrich—they were simply afraid and wanted to back out.

After all, the losses this time were far too heavy, so heavy that they were all finding it hard to accept.

But is being afraid useful? Can they really stop?

impossible!

Nikolai saw it very clearly, so he directly cut off the words the other two were holding back.

If they stop now, it means that all the troops they invested in will have gone down the drain, and it will bring them even more serious consequences. In the end, they will lose both their people and their wealth, and they will even be unable to maintain their current status.

Without a sufficient army at their disposal, the title of Grand Duke is merely a title that sounds impressive but has no real deterrent effect.

They will become cattle and sheep to be slaughtered at will!

Give up? That will only make them die faster!

Therefore, the only way now is to continue betting and turn the two lost army groups into the cornerstone of success, so that the loss is not too complete.

Looking back now, Kosiché wasn't really trying to scam anyone this time, since he had clearly stated the danger of the target beforehand, and the intelligence he received was genuine.

Although they didn't know what had happened in the ice field, the enormous golden tree that covered a large part of the sky could be seen from a considerable distance. Based on the information they had, Nikolai felt that it was what they were looking for.

As long as they successfully acquire that item, they still have a chance to turn the tide!

"Investment? What will we invest?"

Upon hearing Nikolai's decision, Ulrich could no longer sit still and immediately glared at him, refuting his statement.

"Where can we find enough capable people? Let's face reality, Nicola. Kosiché has really screwed us over this time. Instead of gambling on that slim hope, we should consolidate our assets before things escalate. Whether we go to Victoria or Colombia, we can live well and might even be able to make a comeback in the future."

"Coward! We've paid such a huge price, and we're just going to give up like this? Are you dreaming? Or do you think everyone else is as stupid as you?"

Nikolai's words also became more intense. He barely managed to hold back from saying anything even more offensive, but he no longer concealed the look in his eyes that made him look like a fool.

He really wanted to crack open those two guys' heads to see what was inside. Running away? Did they want to die even faster?

Now everyone's eyes are fixed on the ice field, on them. Those are vicious wolves that devour people without spitting out bones, not soft and powerless sheep!

If they show any sign of backing down or losing their nerve, they will be torn to shreds!

They are now facing a complete dead end! Only by fighting to the death can they possibly seize a glimmer of hope!

"You think you're so smart? Let me tell you, we've all been fooled! Fooled by Koschche!"

Romanov, panting heavily, his chest heaving violently, his eyes bloodshot, looked like a maddened beast as he suddenly turned and pointed at Nikolai.

laugh!

However, the next second, a line of blood bloomed from his neck, severing all his speech.

goodong...

The enraged head rolled to the ground, blood gushing from the severed neck. The headless body instinctively took a step forward and collapsed into a pool of blood.

"what--"

Ulrich's scream was uttered in a single syllable before his neck was severed by the sharp blade, leaving him a convulsing corpse. In his dimmed pupils, the shadow of a man in a black coat was reflected.

"The Emperor's...blade..."

Nikolai, the only one who hadn't died, took two steps back, a chill creeping up his spine from the soles of his feet.

He never imagined that the heavily guarded manor would be breached so silently.

Moreover, the ones who carried out the attack were the emperor's exclusive hyenas.

How dare he do this? Isn't he afraid of causing panic among the nobles and becoming the target of everyone's criticism?!

However, his questions would never be answered. A military knife, stained with warm blood, pressed against his flesh, and the sharp blade instantly severed the flesh from the bone. In the end, only a cold whisper brushed past his ear.

"Greetings from the North, Grand Duke."

Chapter 273 Turbulent Times, Imperial Decline

Blood dripped down the blade, staining the clean, bright floor.

Despite being so close, the perpetrator's black coat remained completely untouched.

All the blood was blocked by an invisible force, falling to the ground and flowing haphazardly, staining the magnificent hall with a cruel hue.

Some say that death is the fairest thing in the world, and that statement is quite fitting here.

Even a high-ranking duke, who could decide the future of tens or hundreds of thousands of people with a single word while alive, is nothing more than a gradually cooling corpse after his head is cut off.

Chapter 274 The Emperor's Power

News of Nikolai's joint rebellion with the Second Army swept through Ursus like a hurricane in a very short time.

The three mobile cities changed hands overnight, breaking free from the empire's control. Perhaps the empire never truly controlled them.

The troops and officials who were supposed to be responsible for defense offered no resistance whatsoever and joined the rebels' camp, cutting large swathes of territory off the empire's map.

This strike cut to the heart of the vast empire, completely exposing the weakness of imperial power to those with ulterior motives.

No one expected that when the rebellion broke out, the first one in Saint-Germain Castle would...

Chapter 275 Melting Ice and Snow

The far north ice plains are swept by howling winds and snow.

The sky is covered with layers of dark clouds, and the snow falls endlessly year after year. This harsh land, far from civilization, seems to have always been like this, with the cold wind and snow never ceasing for a single day.

This is a remote and dangerous island far from the bustling world, rarely visited by humans. Even most creatures cannot endure the extreme climate. Only a handful of creatures that have thrived here since ancient times can survive in this snowy landscape. Apart from them, there are mutated monsters and all sorts of strange tales wandering in the blizzards—without exception, all of them are related to evil spirits.

The defensive line built by the Ursus warriors separated civilization from the wilderness.

Chapter 276 Lin Lu: A Day of Disappointment at Not Being Able to Persecute Demons

In fact, not only No. 13, but No. 29 also felt immense pressure standing face to face with Lin Lu, and this pressure came from two aspects.

Firstly, there is the difference in their own strength. Although the Northern Legion guards the border and blocks evil spirits, and spends their entire lives fighting against those inhuman beings, when it comes to combat... their experience is not enough in front of Lin Lu.

Who is Lin Lu?

Traversing the mist, returning to the borderlands, as an unknown, faded being, I traversed mountains and seas, slaying through snow-capped peaks and sacred trees, battling demigods and numerous demons, igniting the flames of annihilation, burning through thorns, and slaying those who dwell within...

Chapter 277 The Goodwill of Gold

Yes, fear.

This is different from the vitality of the golden tree. The purest vitality naturally possesses characteristics that are completely opposite to the power of evil. The two are clearly distinct, but in reality, there is no absolute difference in strength.

Lin Lu can suppress the demonic corruption with the power of gold because he himself is powerful enough that a mere one or two, or even dozens, of demons cannot compare to him. Therefore, demons will be directly suppressed in front of him.

However, the black fire burning on the ground was very small, and no one provided it with the energy needed to continue burning, yet it still kept the flames on 13 and 29 alive.

Chapter 278 The Golden Law: Rebirth

"I'll do it."