Chapter 52: The Sharpest Blade |
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Thunderkeep City.
This was the first major city seized by the Destiny Army when revolution broke out during the war between the legitimate heir and second son in the Postana Province.
Among the six major cities in Postana Province, the legitimate heir and second son had originally controlled three each. While the heir resided in the capital, the second son's cities possessed richer resources.
The Destiny Army had captured Thunderkeep, one of the three major cities under the heir's control. Currently, their forces were sweeping through the city to eliminate remaining Imperial loyalists.
As the supreme leader of Destiny Army, Deslar gazed upon the endless stream of confiscated supplies and captured nobles, yet found no joy in it. Frowning, he asked his trusted aide, "Has Deswen not returned yet?"
"Not yet, my lord. Please don't worry—perhaps Lord Deswen is already enjoying fine wine in Tars City. You know how these noble pigs resist."
Deslar shook his head. "Deswen wouldn't disregard my orders like that. Something major must have happened."
Just then, commotion erupted outside as Deswen rushed in anxiously. Seeing his flustered state, Deslar immediately stood up. "What happened?"
"What? How is that possible?" Deslar immediately moved to the battle map. "This area is remote from the Empire—they couldn't have deployed troops there. How could Tars City alone scatter the Sixth Force?"
With a bitter expression, Deswen explained, "It wasn't even Tars City that did it... but a minor territory."
"What? You mean tens of thousands were defeated by a territory with mere thousands? What was Evelos doing?"
Even considering the Sixth Force was newly recruited with poor training and combat effectiveness, no minor territory should have been able to challenge them!
Deswen added, "More accurately... by one man. Someone named Jonas."
"Who is he?"
"A lord's son! A powerhouse who's been hiding his strength for years. He single-handedly broke through the army and captured Evelos. That's what caused the Sixth Force's collapse."
"What?!" Deslar sat down heavily. "One man... give me a moment to process this."
They had expected problems attacking major cities, never anticipating disaster would strike here. After collecting himself, Deslar asked, "What's the current situation?"
Deswen reported, "This Jonas seized Tars City within two days through decisive action. He's already allied with surrounding lords and nobles, likely establishing defenses now. Given his strength, this will be an extremely tough nut to crack."
Deslar examined the map. Tars City lay diagonally below Thunderkeep, with noble territories scattered across the mountains. If unified, this position would become a critical choke point between Destiny's base and Thunderkeep—an irritating fishbone stuck in their throat.
He had dispatched an entire force to clean up this minor city and territory, never expecting such a rout. Frowning, Deslar mused, "To take Tars City, we must first pass Thunderkeep—a naturally defensible position. Sending one force might not be enough."
Deswen waved dismissively. "No need to worry about that. Thunderkeep's walls already collapsed under the Sixth Force's assault. They're currently rebuilding them."
"What? They're rebuilding walls now?"
"Yes, I confirmed it on my return. But I believe it's just misdirection—they'll likely set traps along the approach before retreating to defend Tars City."
Deslar's frown deepened. "Troublesome."
Deswen proposed, "Brother, let me lead the Third Force to crush them."
Tapping the table, Deslar asked, "Have you forgotten how the Sixth Force was routed?"
Deswen scoffed, "I'm no trash like Evelos. The Third Force's strength dwarfs the Sixth's by multiple times. The Sixth was just gathered riffraff who scattered at first contact."
Deslar still shook his head. "No. We haven't finished eliminating Imperial loyalists in Thunderkeep yet. We must retain forces in case the heir counterattacks. If they retake Thunderkeep, all our efforts will be wasted. At least until Thunderkeep's defenses are fully secured, we can't spare another force."
Deswen pressed, "Then what? Leave Tars City untouched? Its position is too precarious. If Jonas grows bold enough, he could even cut off our supply lines! You understand what that means."
Deslar sighed. "There's no choice... Wait. The root problem is this Jonas, isn't it?"
Deswen nodded. "Exactly. Without him, I'd be drinking in Tars City by now. I've looked into him—publicly deemed a useless wastrel, yet he emerged abruptly during this chaos. His ambitions run deep, likely planning this for years. He's genuinely powerful."
Deslar decided, "In that case, summon Yaoluo. Have her eliminate Jonas."
Deswen hesitated. "Can Yaoluo really kill Jonas? His strength shouldn't be underestimated."
"Relax! Yaoluo assassinated the Governor after penetrating numerous elite guards—Jonas will be child's play. Have you forgotten her abilities?"
Recalling Yaoluo's skills sent a shiver down Deswen's spine. "She's the most gifted assassin I've ever seen."
Many of Destiny Army's victories relied on Yaoluo's assassinations. And her abilities kept growing each time—truly monstrous.
"Go fetch her. Dying by Yaoluo's hand would be an honor for Jonas."
"One more thing—dispatch riders immediately to prevent Tars City from gaining more troops by absorbing smaller territories Jonas hasn't allied with yet."
"Yes, Commander!"
...
After Deswen left, Deslar sipped tea pensively. Soon, a black-clad woman materialized behind him—her form-hugging outfit accentuating every curve, from her slender waist to full hips. Though standing perfectly still, her very presence radiated lethal allure that set pulses racing.
"You came?"
"...Mm."
Her voice was quiet. The only visible features—her eyes—shone like stars yet chilled like frost, utterly devoid of emotion.
"Go kill Jonas at Thunderkeep. These nobles all deserve death."
"Understood."
"But this mission is extremely dangerous. If things go south, prioritize survival. You're Destiny's sharpest blade."
With that, the woman turned and melted into the shadows. Watching the darkness, Deslar felt inexplicable unease. He summoned several men.
"Follow Yaoluo. If the mission fails, protect her escape with your lives!"
"Yes!"
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