This necromancer is going to seduce the beautiful girls who are already dead.

The pure impact of the magic "Impact" carried by a low rumble shattered the other two boxcars, and two very distinct sounds of shattering glass came from inside the boxcar, which was filled with many potion bottles—the sound of all the potion bottles on board breaking!

"Oh no! Potions!" Santos exclaimed in alarm. There were three cartloads of potions! Nearly half the amount he had purchased from the Eastern Empire!

This time, Abyss didn't give the two controlled people any more time. He simply chanted a spell, and a powerful stream of magic immediately enveloped them, interfering with all their magic release.

Just as the unknown controller said, when these two people forcibly used magic, their skin began to turn red rapidly, which was a phenomenon of capillaries bursting in their bodies!

freeze!

Without hesitation, the Abyss used freezing magic, freezing them both into blocks of ice. This rapid freezing wouldn't cause them much harm; instead, it stopped their movement and spellcasting, protecting them.

"I'll heal them!" At this moment, Flora ran down from the car. It seemed she was going to use her divine magic to free the two people from control and heal their fatal wounds that the Abyss had managed to control in time. With some of her methods, the people in the convoy wouldn't realize she was using divine magic.

Even so, all the potion bottles inside the three carriages shattered. The impact of the spell had shattered even the wheels of the carriages into pieces, and wood chips were flying everywhere. Under such immense force, it was impossible for any potion bottle to remain intact!

"Damn it!" Santos cursed out, "That despicable Kevin!"

The other guards were also heartbroken. This was something they had risked their lives, lost several comrades, and gone through countless hardships to retrieve from the Eastern Empire! Now, half of it had been lost!

"It seems I underestimated the enemy's intelligence. I really didn't expect this kind of attack." Abyss pinched his chin and shook his head slightly to express his regret for his miscalculation.

"The potion bottles are all broken?" Rebecca leaned out of the carriage window and glanced at the wagon that had been destroyed by magic. "The enemy's attack was really ruthless. Forcing those two people who didn't know magic to use magic put a lot of strain on their internal organs. Luckily, we have Flora."

As she spoke, Flora, who was crouching beside the two guards, nodded to the Abyss, indicating that she had resolved the issue of the guards being controlled. High-ranking divine magic is always very useful in situations like this.

"Your Highness! I failed in my duty to safeguard the potion and deserve to die!" Santos knelt down directly before the carriage in grief.

However, Gylvia's reaction was very calm: "You did nothing wrong. The enemy is too cunning. I won't punish you. Now get everyone moving and collect the smashed potions. Once we're done, we'll set off immediately and return to our base as quickly as possible!"

"Put away those potions? But weren't they all broken?" Santos asked, puzzled.

“We’ll know once we start cleaning.” Sitting in the carriage, Jivia smiled confidently. “Be quick, and tell the soldiers to be careful not to cut their hands.”

Chapter Seventy-Four: "No One Would Have Expected"

In a secret basement of the royal palace within the Kingdom of Ossi.

This is the spot where Kevin killed the old woman who was a dream-watcher; it has now been cleaned up. The bed where dream-watchers used to sleep now houses a new dream-watcher—a thin, dark-skinned boy. His eyes are wide open, pupils dilated, and his mouth agape, as if he has witnessed something horrifying. Clearly, the boy is dead, and he died completely unprepared.

Abos's thin figure sat quietly to the side, a victorious smile on his face, showing no fear whatsoever at the grotesque corpse before him.

“It seems I still have the upper hand,” Abis muttered to himself. “No one would have imagined that my attack would be carried out in two seemingly unrelated steps. You killed my Nightmare Spirit, but you couldn’t stop my plan from continuing… The last move was called a feint, and I lost to you. Now, this move of feinting will surely surprise you… Abis… I hope you like this gift I’ve given you…”

As Abos sat there smugly talking to himself, the basement door was suddenly pushed open by someone.

Without hesitation, Abos rose from his seat and knelt down facing the doorway: "Your Majesty, you have arrived."

Besides Apos, the only people qualified to enter this basement are the Dream Watcher and Kevin. Since the Dream Watcher is dead, it must be Kevin who enters.

The newcomer was indeed the burly and strong Prince Kevin, his expression still cold and stern. Entering the room, he first glanced at the Dream Watcher lying dead on the bed, then looked down at Abos kneeling on the floor, and spoke indifferently.

"It seems the Dream Seeker has died as a result of your scheme. So, did his death bring any valuable gains?"

Apos finally raised his head, smiling, his fair skin creased with laughter: "Your Majesty, the enemy mage Abyss is indeed powerful, but my methods caught him off guard. I first sent two illusionists to knock out two men in their convoy, then sacrificed a Dream Seeker to the Lord, in exchange for the power to possess people, and controlled the two men who had been knocked unconscious and placed in their cargo wagons..."

“I’m not interested in talking about the results.” Kevin was too lazy to listen to Abos recount how he carried out his plan. He didn’t even glance at him, and walked straight to the bedside, sitting down on it, even though there was a corpse with its eyes wide open behind him.

"...Yes, I controlled two guards and destroyed three of their carriages. I think I destroyed about half of their potions. They didn't have a particularly large quantity of potions to begin with, and now they're probably in dire straits. Those pitiful potions are not enough for their restoration army, and they will be unable to fight against us for a long time."

"Hmm, that sounds pretty good." Kevin finally uttered that affirmative statement, but then immediately added, "But you didn't destroy all the potions. Is that all you're capable of?"

“The power of the Abyss is unfathomable. The two people I was controlling had their magic sealed and frozen by him, making them unable to be controlled by me anymore. Moreover, it seems that they used some high-level power to sever the connection between me and them, which may have been divine magic.” Abos seemed not to have expected Kevin to criticize him at this time, and his tone was somewhat dejected. “My strength is indeed only up to this point. The level of the enemy is too high.”

"Never mind then. I'm happy as long as I can weaken their strength." Kevin looked at Abos kneeling on the ground with disdain. "According to you, the Restoration Army suffered heavy losses this time. So I can have a few days of peace."

"I wonder if His Majesty is satisfied with the palace maids I found?" Apos asked at this moment, seemingly trying to get closer to him.

“It’s alright. They all have deep-seated fears because of the war. Although the Lord seems to be in a bad mood these past two days, He still praised me.” Kevin seemed more talkative than usual when talking about the Lord. “It seems that a very important source of food for the Lord has been cut off, but He didn’t tell me exactly what it is.”

"Perhaps it was Gylvia and her group who did something sneaky," Apos said after a moment's thought.

Kevin continued, “However, before I came here, I killed a new palace maid you found for me. She was very beautiful, and if I were an ordinary king, I might have actually fallen for her, but she was too gentle and considerate towards me. I felt she was trying to make me fall in love with her. So I chopped off her head. Don’t look for women who are scheming—or too kind—never again, lest I have to personally take the knife.”

“I understand,” Abos replied immediately.

He knew that his king had no interest in women or money, and that the only pleasure in his life seemed to be serving his lord.

“I have nothing else to do, so I’m leaving now. I need to start arranging the next Dream Watcher immediately. Although Gvia is going back to her base and we can no longer monitor her at will, I don’t want to be without a Dream Watcher when I need one.”

“This is necessary, my king.” Apos immediately bowed his head in submission.

……

Gylvia's caravan was moving quickly, all the horses fed nutritious hay and beans, and were making the most of their journey. Although the bumpy ride made Gylvia a little uncomfortable, the smile on her face did not fade.

“Kevin must think he has the upper hand this time. To prevent them from continuing to monitor our people through dreams, as the Abyss said, we won't sleep tonight. We should arrive at the base around tomorrow morning, then we can sleep.” Jivia held Rebecca's hand. “I really have to thank you this time; we've won a great victory!”

"Hehe, Your Highness, you flatter me. I only did a very insignificant job." Rebecca also had a relaxed smile. "Who would have thought that after I added something to the potions, they would remain intact even without the bottles?"

Leona was holding a potion bottle in her hand—if you looked closely, you would find that it was not a bottle at all, but a bottle-shaped but solidified potion block, the outer bottle had long been broken.

"By adding ingredients, you can turn these potions into indestructible solids. Even if the bottles break, they won't be affected. Then you can use another potion to restore them... You're really something. Your invention has completely changed the face of alchemy. It's as excellent as the heart of a grey elf," Abyss praised with a smile.

"In this way, we have safely escorted all the potions to the base, which will surely be a timely help to our restoration army!" Jivia said with determination.

Chapter Seventy-Five: The Leader Returns

The Restoration Army's base was located within the Western Empire, in an area known as Oknin, which was once the territory of the Kingdom of Ossi, and whose inhabitants were the original inhabitants of the Kingdom of Ossi.

After the Western Empire occupied several towns and large villages, it did not truly control the area, merely legally making it Western Empire territory. The local inhabitants refused to speak the official language of the Western Empire, preferring only Ossi. The governor previously sent by the Western Empire was completely unable to manage these locals who deeply resented the Western Empire; even killing a few ringleaders proved futile, nearly escalating into a large-scale popular uprising. Ultimately, the governor was urgently recalled, leaving this unruly land in disgrace.

Knowing the fierce nature of the Oknin people, the Western Empire feared that suppression would lead to even greater chaos, turning the once orderly populace into elusive mountain bandits, severely impacting the Western Empire's commerce. Therefore, the Western Empire decided against a bloody policy and opted for a gradual approach. Encouraging trade with the Oknin people, granting them substantial tax reductions for thirty years, and appointing local officials were all measures that calmed the people of this new territory, allowing them to contribute a small but insufficient amount of tax revenue to the Empire.

However, the locals still refused to obey the direct commands of the Western Empire, and banditry remained a serious problem in the vicinity. The current emperor of the Western Empire, Beos, even regretted listening to his mother and launching a war against the Kingdom of Ossi.

This land, which refused to bow down, became the base of the Restoration Army. The Empire was unwilling to interfere and forcibly manage it, and the army of the Kingdom of Ossi was also unable to enter its lost territory due to the treaty personally signed by Kevin. For these two reasons, Oknin became a safe haven where Gylvia could temporarily gain a foothold. The local residents greatly admired this compassionate and courageous princess, and every day a large number of young men reported to the Restoration Army camp, requesting to join the army.

The morning sun was warm and gentle; the cold season in Okenin had just passed, and the streets of Xiaoduo Town were bustling with activity. Blacksmith shops, leather shops, bakeries, and butcher shops were all working at full speed, producing supplies for the Restoration Army soldiers. Ordinary people, having prepared their own necessities, also diligently supported the Restoration Army; men contributed their labor, and women their skills. Not a single person could be seen idling on the streets. Even the children in the streets and alleys played games involving wooden sword fights, both boys and girls.

Outside the city, the shouts of soldiers training filled the air. Many families in the town had sons serving in the army, so when people heard the young men training, their eyes softened a little.

Xiaoduo Town, which served as the base of the Restoration Army, has been temporarily transformed into a fortress, with a considerable number of guards patrolling and standing guard around it to ensure the safety of the area.

The guards at the town's east gate suddenly spotted a figure riding a horse approaching from afar.

"Archers, prepare!" The guard commander, watching the figure galloping away on horseback in the distance, ordered the archers on the city wall to prepare to defend against the enemy.

The clatter of hooves grew closer, and the commander saw that the approaching rider was dressed in mercenary attire and was alone. He relaxed slightly, and a sense of exhilaration welled up in his heart.

"Brothers of the Restoration Army! Prepare to welcome Her Highness the Princess's entourage! We're back! We're back!" The rider on horseback shouted in fluent Ossi before even reaching the city gate.

The horse was already drooling from running, and the rider jumped off its back before it had even come to a complete stop. He landed on the ground, stumbled slightly, and regained his balance. He quickly pulled out a gleaming silver name tag strung on a red string from his pocket and shook it frantically for the guards on the city wall to see.

The commander immediately recognized the nameplate; it was a token worn by the guards who escorted the princess to the Eastern Empire to purchase potions!

"The princess is back! Quickly, inform the governor!" The commander, filled with great joy, ordered a nimble child soldier beside him, "Make sure everyone along the way spreads the news of the princess's return!"

As the boy ran and shouted, the whole town quickly learned of Gylvia's return, and the already bustling town nearly boiled over. The governor's orders came back quickly: open the city gates immediately, and all the guards not on duty were to assemble at the east gate to welcome the princess. Even the governor himself was on his way.

The guards and soldiers who arrived first stood together, followed by a large crowd of people who had come after hearing the news, eagerly awaiting the princess's return.

Soon, several carriages came into view after crossing a slope.

That's right, those are the caravans disguised as merchant caravans that Princess took with her when she set off! Now they're back!

The people immediately cheered, singing hymns in praise of Princess Gylvia to celebrate her safe return. The soldiers waiting at the gate, though bound by military discipline and not yet allowed to cheer, were also filled with eager anticipation, their faces beaming with excitement.

As the convoy drew closer, the faces of the riders at the front of the procession became visible. The cheers from the crowd grew even louder, their waving hands rising and falling like waves. A surge of immense joy welled up in everyone's hearts, making them soar and sing their songs with all their might.

"Princess Gylvia! Princess Gylvia! Princess Gylvia!"

Amidst the people's singing, the door of a carriage carrying people in the procession opened, and an agile figure leaped from inside onto the back of a fine horse, appearing in everyone's sight on horseback, solemnly waving to the crowds welcoming them at the city gate.

"It really is the princess! The princess is back!" The people recognized their beloved leader at a glance, and everyone was in an uproar. In order to catch a glimpse of the princess, everyone stood on tiptoe, and some children were even lifted up by their parents and placed on their necks.

"Children of Ossi! I'm back! I've brought the potion back safely!" Gylvia shouted to the excited people, announcing her victory. "The traitor Kevin tried to stop me! To defeat me! But he failed! I'm unharmed, and the potion arrived safely!"

"Long live Princess Gylvia! Long live Princess Gylvia!"

Even inside the carriage, Abyss and his companions could hear the deafening cheers of the crowd. Even Flora, accustomed to grand occasions, couldn't help but be moved: "Princess Gylvia is so beloved by the people… Even during my previous speeches, the crowd below had never been this excited. Is this what a leader is like?"

"She is the hope of the people of Ossi, she represents the strength of the people." Abis closed her eyes, listened to the people's singing, and smiled.

Chapter Seventy-Six: The Treatment of Heroes

When Gvia arrived in front of the crowd, the people who had been cheering suddenly knelt down in unison.

Everyone seemed to be on a pilgrimage, bowing their heads as low as possible and prostrating themselves on the ground with a sense of awe and reverence. Now, whether they were soldiers, officers, or civilians, they were all shouting "Long live the princess!"

At this moment, a middle-aged man dressed in magnificent armor ran from the city at a speed that did not match his age. Upon seeing Jivia, he even increased his speed and knelt down in front of her with a thud.

"Governor of Xiaoduo Town, Dunn Daple, pays his respects to Your Highness! I am late in welcoming you and deserve to die!"

"Everyone, rise and look at me," Givia commanded from her horse with unquestionable authority. "You are the proud daughters of Ossi, and I want to see you with your heads held high!"

At Gylvia's command, not a single person raised any objection or hesitated even for a moment. They all quickly stood up from the ground, brushed the dust off their knees, raised their heads, and looked at their beloved leader with the utmost enthusiasm.

"Excellent! Everyone is in great spirits! This is the Ossi people I know!" Jivia praised loudly. "I have three things to tell you this time! The first, and most important, is that I have successfully purchased a large quantity of military potions from the Eastern Empire. Every bottle has been tested, and the effects are excellent! With these potions, our brave warriors will be invincible, striking fear into the hearts of Prince Kevin's lackeys! We will also encourage more of our compatriots to abandon darkness and embrace the light! With these potions, more people will not die from their injuries, but will receive proper treatment and survive!"

People cheered loudly, especially the soldiers at the gate, who were particularly excited. These potions were a matter of life and death, victory or defeat. With enough military-grade potions, and top-quality ones produced by the Eastern Empire, they would definitely gain a huge advantage in battle! Even Kevin himself didn't have many of these high-quality potions; the patents for the world's best potions were all held by the Eastern Empire!

"And one more thing, that is, I have finally defeated the nightmare that has plagued me for so many years! That hideous monster hasn't appeared in my dreams for two days!" Jivia announced loudly again, "Without the torment of nightmares, I can now command our invincible army with even greater dedication! And help the people reclaim the Kingdom of Ossi from that traitor Kevin!"

Upon hearing this, the people cheered even louder with excitement. Thanks to Gylvia's reminder, they finally noticed that the lingering weariness on the beautiful princess's face had completely disappeared. Now, she was radiant, her eyes bright and full of life; just looking at her seemed to draw courage from her spirit.

"The Restoration Army will surely win!" someone shouted.

"The Restoration Army will prevail! The Restoration Army will prevail!" The people cheered loudly with these words. Abis was right before; Givia was the hope of the people of Osi. Now that Givia had won, it greatly boosted their morale. The already brave people of Osi had an astonishing cohesion with such a tenacious leader as Givia, even surprising Flora, who had once been the center of attention.

"Dunn!" Gylvia called out the governor's name as she sat firmly on her horse.

"Your Majesty, I am here!" the governor replied loudly.