Chapter 121: Fourteenth Episode: Chapter 3 (1/2)
Chapter 121: Fourteenth Episode: Chapter 3
Translator: EndlessFantasy TranslationEditor: EndlessFantasy Translation
There was endless water, never stopping. It was such a strange thing; when it was cheerful, it could turn into lake, rivers, and sea, yet when it was depressed, it could turn into dark abyss and tunnels. Water indicated the development of human civilization, yet at the same time, it left behind devastating scars in the development of civilization.
The water was dark, deep and without boundary! The immense pressure hurt the people's chests and lungs as if they'd been heavily hit by something. The journey was dangerous. The rugged rocks were sometimes protruding and sometimes sunken. It was dark and cold. The people in the water tunnel searched for a way in difficulty as they kicked with their limbs.
The scene they saw was simply bubbles and darkness. Feeling the underwater flow, the people realized that they could not properly identify the flow of the underground river at all. A darkness that surrounded them from all directions made their heads hurt. The water flow that came from all directions surrounded their bodies as if forming a cocoon around them. This cocoon slowly drained their breaths and took away their mobility. When their consciousness too was gone, this cocoon would show the thing it nurtured in the end ----- death! Death was not scary. But no one would want to die in hell after seeing it.
Paul was in the lead! The King of Assasins still had high stamina. In the dark underwater tunnel, this huge crocodile even stopped to search for the right way! Oscar was the second of the group. He had already refilled his breath twice using the water bag. Even though he sensed that things were a little wrong, but the blood loss and water pressure adding to intense exercise rendered him unable to think about this problem. The last instinct to stay alive was pushing him forth.
Aeolia! The poor Countess Aeolia's shoulder injury had already deformed under the pressure of the water. Her blood had already clotted, yet the pain of the injury made her almost lose control! The hard rocks tore at her dress and the cold water almost froze her limbs! Aya wanted to breathe. She wanted to take deep breaths freely as she did before!
Shaw Curlink was complaining and cursing! He had already tortured the female family members of the King of Assasins, Snowstorm in his mind several times! The reason for this was because the Black Devil realized that every single time he refilled his breath, the air that escaped from the bag was even more than that the people took in. So, he knew that he was deceived by Paul! He was so willingly deceived! He regretted that he did not believe in his own judgment. No one could dive for 1000 meters!
Finally, there was no air left in the water bag. It became heavier and heavier and was soon filled with the river water.
Aeolia suddenly pushed Oscar's hand away. The Countess kicked both her legs violently. The dark underground river immediately became a chaotic whirlpool. She consciously sealed her nose and mouth, but the pressure in her chest made her claw at her neck crazily! Her need for breath could snatch away her life in an instant!
Black Devil rushed forward. He pulled the water bag open and put it over Aya's mouth. Aya slowly calmed down! Even though she had a mouth of icy water, but she was able to take in the last bit of air that was trapped in the water bag made of leather.
Endless! Oscar did not know what meaning there was from moving forward this way! His eyes slowly closed and the pressure on his body was slowly disappearing!
Paul suddenly increased his speed! He pulled the young Prince to dive quickly. The water flow became faster and icier as they moved faster. Oscar finally regained his conscious under the strong pressure.
Could it be that.... Could it be that we are about to succeed? Paul was going up! Oscar felt excited like never before! This excitement was the same as the scream that he let out when he came out from his mother's body. It was just like getting to orgasm with the woman he loved the most!
”Flush... Flush....” Great sound of water echoed in the cave! Following that, heavy breathing and vomiting sound filled the whole space! Just like the beasts that came from the abyss, the people were expelling the blood that was accumulated in their chests with the most primitive roar.
Paul climbed onto the side. He was groping within an indescribable darkness! Soon, after a series of tinkling sounds, the light of the fire torch lit by the King of Assasins finally brought light into this dark, cold and wet space.
”What.... What is this?” Even the Black Devil's tongue shivered when he spoke.
Oscar simply groaned. He found that no voice came. Aeolia simply moved her eyelids. Her lungs were burning and so was her blood. She was exhausted. She wanted to just die like this.
”Are you talking about this?” Paul turned his fire torch around in this enclosed space. The people found that there was no exit to this space. Nor there was any hint of life.
”Yes! I meant this!” The Black Devil climbed onto the side like a clumsy kid, but this guy truly had a strong stamina. He simply took a few deep breaths before helping Paul with the other two 'bodies'.
”Can't you see?” Paul glared at the Black Devil. ”This is Plan B!”
”How could a water bag help us dive successfully for one kilometer? I didn't mention that there were a few underground holes that are higher than the water level because I hoped that everyone would complete this journey with their lives on the line. If not! To be honest, if we always think that we will be able to rest..... Be able to rest! Then believe me! We won't even reach this place!”
”Whatever that you said!” Black Devil turned his head away without help. With the help of the light of the fire torch, Sha began to scavenge through a huge sack that Paul threw out from a corner!
”Paul!” Black Devil was astonished. ”Have you scouted this path before? Then you kept food here. Oh! O God of Light! You even prepared white wine!” Shaw said as he took the one bottle out of the sack.
”Hehe! Smart kid! You finally understand?” Paul was proud of himself. This King of Assasins took the white wine and quickly heated it up with the fire torch. Then, he held up Oscar's head and poured a huge mouthful of white wine into the young man's mouth!
Oscar immediately woke up from the intense coughing. God! He almost fell asleep just now! Who knew if he would wake up again after he fell asleep in this kind of place? Oscar scanned this cold and terrifying space. He smiled at Paul. ”Ola! Thank you!”
”Look at you!” Paul smiled as he turned to Black Devil. ”This is the correct way to treat a friend.”
Black Devil shrugged. He took the white wine in Paul's hands and held Aeolia up. ”Come! Brave lady, don't be scared! This thing will make you choke but it's definitely good for you!”
As expected! The strong liquor just ran down her esophagus! Aeolia then coughed violently. She even hoped that her whole chest would be expelled out of her body! Slowly, Aya's face reddened. Coughing made the pressure she felt on her chest and stomach disappear. Nice! The nice feeling of her body and heart made the Countess gave a forced smile. At this moment, Aya suddenly realized that the young Prince still held her hand. He really did not let her go.
”Everyone, have some food!” Paul took out the food that he'd stashed previously. Even though the bread and sauces tasted a little weird, the hungry people did not care about this at all. Even Aya was gobbling up the food.
Paul was very satisfied. His friends were all alright. And that hateful Black Devil's mouth was also shut by food. As an assassin preceded only by 13 of the Westland, Paul's days of hiding at the riverside were not in vain. During this time, he'd attempted to infiltrate the castle 6 times, but he realized that rescuing four people guarded by Paladin guards at different locations was impossible! Thus, Paul began to hide and wait for his opportunity. He was waiting for the day to make his move.
Who was Paul? Many years ago, he had simply been an unconventional country's knight that was helped by the land inherited from his family and his friends to go on with life. But one day, he'd found 13 in a broken farmhouse, and his life trajectory had changed enough to connect him to a whole different world.
Paul received the strangest, weirdest and scariest systemic education in this world. It was about assassination technique, the theory of infiltration, art of disguise, the opportunity of waiting and the secret of life!
So! Paul became the King of Assassins! It was because of this that he could successfully escape from the encirclement of ten thousand men. He'd searched for a thousand miles with only little hints until he came to Lombardy. He could infiltrate into the castle on high defense for six times. He could spend the dark days in that enclosed basement for half a month.
This underwater tunnel was only a test for the King of Assassins Paul! Since there was no chance for rescue in the short time, Paul then changed his thinking to a special line of thought for assassins. Their lines of thought were different than that of heroes and knights. For an assassin, life was the most important! Before he could carry out the rescue plan, Paul was already thinking about the possibility of running away. And this underwater tunnel, the entirely hidden path, was undoubtedly the best choice.
Half a month! Half a month of exhausting search finally allowed the King of Assassins to understand the rise and fall of the tide and the path in this underwater tunnel. Every underground space that could hide him had fire torches, weapons, and food. Every turning point in the darkness had a noticeable mark. When Paul had finally done all of this, he found that his actions were a little extra. This was because, at this moment, he could already close his eyes and dive from the well until he reached the river. In the meantime, he only needed to change his breath once or twice.
”Alright!” The King of Assassins clapped his hands at his companions. ”Is everyone ready? There's still another 700 meters of distance underwater!”
”Is there still any chance to rest?” Oscar asked weakly.
”Hehe! I am not telling you!” Paul flashed a mouth of shiny white teeth. The people could only reply with bitter smiles.
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The forest disappeared into the faraway horizons, forming a dark line in the morning light. The plains that connected to the forest was not wide. Actually, it was only a poor, low-lying land. On this slightly bumpy low-lying land, the bodies were all buried. The weapons had already been collected, but the color of blood in the soil and the broken ashes of smoke were still presenting the tragedy caused by the war.
The light was weak. The sun was still hiding in the east. Venus was getting dimmer. Only the crescent moon created a shiny white silhouette in the sky. The few ruins in the army base were still burning. Beside these ruins and the road full of corpses, the Titan warriors quietly lay on the floor. The warriors let out a light breathing sound, only some individuals let out loud snoring sounds.
The warriors who were on the lookout tonight stood at every corner in the army base. They stared into the distance from the defense tower they'd built temporarily. Also, they were overseeing the Deiss hostages who had been ordered to bury the corpses. There were not many hostages, only a measly three to four hundred people. They were mostly injured and wore lifeless expressions like living corpses.
Alan seemed to have not slept for a whole night. In a wooden house that was luckily not destroyed in the army base, the Marshal of Guards was still studying the detailed map with the help of an oil lamp. His silverfish hair was dyed the color of sunset in the light. His mouth sometimes quirked, sometimes pinned. His eyebrows sometimes knitted together and sometimes relaxed. Alan was calculating and thinking. He was planning the winter attack and even the war strategy against Deiss in the future five or ten years.
”Has the order been relayed?”
Colonel Payne Lubelly who was napping at the side was suddenly jolted awake. He saw the many generals who were accompanying the Marshal directing friendly smiles towards him. This assistant felt his face became piping hot. He quickly opened up the notebook that recorded everything from the war.
”Setting the attack target from the frontline battlefield to all Deiss military targets in the Munich Province. Eliminating all armed forces that possess weapons and dare to oppose the Guards including the unfriendly citizens and civilians! Towards...”
”Alright!” Alan waved his hands. ”Pass the orders!”
”Sir Marshal!” A general suddenly stood up from the seat of the map demonstration table. ”Northern Army Group Chief of Staff requests to speak!”
”Lieutenant General Roggins?” Silverfox felt a little surprised. He did not expect the first person to stand up was the Chief of Staff of the Northern Army Group. His impression of this Lieutenant General.... This was a person that valued his words.
”Request granted.” Alan looked at this general expectantly.
”Sir Marshal, if I am not mistaken, your order is...… Does it intend to turn the region within a certain range of the inner side of Deiss border into a no man region?”
”Why do you say that?” Alan gave a faint smile.
Lieutenant General Roggins sighed. It seemed that Marshal was forcing him to speak out the deeper meaning hidden in this order. Was it hard to understand? Roggins looked at his colleagues all sitting in this room. There were his subordinates in the Northern Army Group and the high-ranked generals that belonged to the Army Combat Department in the room. But all of them avoided his gaze at this time. Without any meaning, Lieutenant General Roggins sighed again.
”Report, Marshal. You ordered for Major General Silvio Barrick of the southern mountain area to be responsible for the Chief of Foreign Land's Scout. I think.... Your intention is obvious enough, so.... I don't want to say anymore.”
Major General Silvio Barrick squirmed a little in his seat. He slowly raised his eyelids. He looked at the furious Lieutenant General Roggins and Marshal Alan who did not say anything. This killer that caused The Great Massacre of Horfansted only let out a cold snigger.
”Everyone!” Marshal Alan knocked on the table lightly. He attracted the attention of the people. ”Major General Silvio Barrick was an excellent general. Even though he made some mistakes before, but his commanding ability and the battle spirit were worthy to be learned from by everyone, so..... I don't think there is any problem with my arrangement.”
Lieutenant General Roggins finally could not sit tight. ”Sir Marshal, I wanted to ask Major General Silvio Barrick a question!” Without waiting for Alan to react, the Chief of Staff of the Northern Army Group had already turned to his colleague of the southern area. ”Sir Brigadier, if you encountered unfriendly civilians and towns, what will you do?”
Silvio opened his eyes. ”Those with weapons..... Kill. Without weapon.... Chase away. Those towns that dare to stop the military officers.... Burn. Those towns that dare to resist..... Eliminate them from the map.”
Lieutenant General Roggins reached out his shivering fingers and pointed at Silvio. ”Sir Marshal! You've heard it! As the Chief of Foreign Land's Scout, his thinking is exactly the same as his known name 'butcher'! I.....”
”Lieutenant General Roggins!” A military officer suddenly stood up. He interrupted the words of the Northern Army Group Chief of Staff. ”Those towns provide clothing and food for the Deiss Border Army and those civilians provide free labor for the Border Army! Clearing them out is necessary! Only through doing this, we can destroy the border chain of the Deiss.”
”No! No!” Roggins waved his hands violently. He glared at Silvio who was relaxing on his chair as if this was somebody else's business. ”It may be like that towards the Italians! But our enemy now is Deiss! Even if the Deiss did not mind such sacrifices, they would use the same technique to treat the citizens of our country.”
”Sir! You are scared!” A general that was from Army Division in the Capital suddenly interrupted Roggins' words. ”You are scared of the revenge of the Deiss!”
Roggins waved his hands. ”No! I am not scared. I am simply worried about the citizens of the north. If we take such actions towards the Deiss' towns....”
”Enough! Sir Lieutenant General!” Another general stood up. ”You are scared. Don't forget that we are attacking now. You are actually worried about the retaliation of the Deiss. Don't you think this is a little overboard?”
”No! I only wanted to say that for our future defense work.....”
”Roggins!” Alan finally spoke. This Marshal made the chaotic room became extremely quiet right after he spoke. ”As the Empire's Military Affairs Chancellor and the Marshal of guards, I must say.... Your worries are indeed extra! Could it be that you see the winter attack of the Empire as a method to show our power? A demonstration of power?”
Roggins was rendered speechless. He still did not know what he was wrong about.
”You are wrong! You are completely wrong!” The Silverfox said as he shook his head. ”I must tell you that the Northern Army Group no longer needs to defend against the Deiss! The current moment is the key stage for the Guards to change our defensive position. The only reason I appeared in the northern battlefield is to tell you the correct method to treat the Deiss! From before, it is always the Deiss that causes trouble at the border, challenging me continuously! Now it is the time for us to retaliate! After the winter attack, there will still be the spring attack. After the spring attack, there will still be the summer attack. After the summer attack, then the fall attack! Do you understand my meaning?”
Roggins had his eyes wide open. He actually shook his head in front of all the military generals in the room.
Alan also shook his head. ”Alright. You can get out now. Go back to the base of your Army Group! This time you understand my meaning, right?”
Roggins returned the greetings. He walked out of the small room. To be honest, he could not stand that place. Let the Deiss people and those strategies of Alan to go to hell!
”Did you see that?” Alan pointed to the closed door. ”Look at how weak the general that was responsible for the defense work of the Empire's Northern Border is! He'd rather sit in the office and build a fire than get on the bad side of the Deiss. But will Deiss do as he wishes them to? This nation that loves to invade will keep hitting on your back continuously, testing your patience until there is an opportunity for them to grab, then they will suddenly spring out and bite you! The Deiss army is the craziest and bravest opportunists in this world. As long as they smell blood, they will use their life as a bet to try it out.”
”Sir Marshal! Lieutenant General Roggins was chosen by Her Majesty the Queen to lead the north....”
”Shut up!” Alan stopped the general of the Northern Army Group who was speaking. ”Her Majesty the Queen is in Dulin. If you have any complaints, then go back to the Capital!”
The generals of the north in the room all lowered their heads. Actually, none of them wanted to be excluded from the battlefield like Roggins. Their Lieutenant General was just like a total coward just now. No soldiers would face such things.
”Major General Silvio Barrick!” Alan suddenly turned to the person of the south with the nickname 'Butcher'. ”How do you see my order?”
Silvio kept a cold face all along. After The Great Massacre of Horfansted, the people had not seen this general showed a cheerful expression.
”Me? I don't have any opinion. I only obey orders.”
”This is perfunctory! Tell me your true thoughts, Brigadier of the Guards!” Alan's words hinted a stubborn aura.
Silvio shrugged. Even if he still acted as if he did not care about anything in front of the Marshal of Guards, no one dared to do anything to him since the nickname 'Butcher' had spread in the army.
”To be honest, Sir Marshal! I didn't want to compliment you originally, but your strategy looks good indeed! Rather than letting the Deiss disturb our defense line continuously, it's better for us to do the same thing. Keeping a long-term attack towards the Deiss, keeping the continuous involvement of the army and keeping the stability of the attacks. There will surely come a time when the Deiss get impatient. They either fight with us or sit on the negotiation table obediently...”
”Alright!” Alan waved his hands. ”That's the same as saying nothing. Anyone knew that! It can't be that no one thought of a long-term plan?”
The generals who were seated could not help but look at one another.
Alan shook his head. ”Sirs! Look at the map! Deiss sits at the north corner of the strong chain of Western Kingdom Alliance. To the east, it can invade Czerroc; to the west, it can invade the Weden Kingdom and attain the port; to the south, it can invade Riel; to the northwest, it can invade the few small countries controlled by the Ollier Federation. Now you know the true reason we launch an attack at the south of Deiss?”
A military officer raised his hand. ”Sir Marshal, we can stop the invasion pace of the Deiss and reduce the expansion intent of the Roulexberg Kingdom.”