Seeing that Julius was about to leave, Cinna couldn't take it anymore. "Wait for a second! Grand General Rhys, we can just talk it out. Why are you being so rash?""What else is there to talk about? You don't even trust me. It's clear that you're just disrespecting me!" Julius acted like he was angry."Don't get so worked up. It's not that Sir Judd doesn't want to meet you. It's because he doesn't have time. If it's possible, please wait for a moment. I'll go and ask about his thoughts." Cinna forced a smile."Hurry up if you want to ask. I don't have that much time to wait." Julius stood with his hands behind his back arrogantly."Of course. Please sit. I'll go and ask right away." After consoling Julius, Cinna went to a corner and started calling someone.Cinna nodded after being on the phone for about two minutes. With his single gesture, his subordinates immediately scattered around to check their surroundings.After a while, everyone returned without any findings.Cinna and
At this moment, Cinna took out a black cloth inside the moving SUV. Then, he handed it over to Julius with a smile. "Grand General Rhys, it'll be a long journey. Please close your eyes and rest.""What? What do you mean?" Julius furrowed his eyebrows.。"This is our rules. Any outsides that come to our base must be blindfolded just in case," Cinna explained."What? Do you not trust me?" Julius pretended to be discontented."Don't misunderstand. Everyone will be treated the same way. Please understand." Cinna did not back down."Alright. Go ahead. I just happened to be tired, so I'm going to lie down and rest." Julius didn't want to waste any time.Thus, he closed his eyes, shifted comfortably, and lay in the car."Thank you for your cooperation." Cinna smiled and blindfolded him. Time was slowly going by.The car initially traveled smoothly. However, the road became winding almost an hour later.The car's rockiness could cause a person to feel sleepy."General Shaffer, are w
The level of defense in the Dragon Guard's base was indeed formidable.After passing through the wall, it was a different scene before Julius.From its size, the base behind the wall could be considered a town. There were all kinds of buildings, such as barracks, training grounds, labs, armories, bunkers, and military airports.There were also many facilities for the civilians there.After scanning around, Julius predicted that the military base could accommodate at least 50 to 100 thousand people based on the size of the buildings.Counting out the logistical personnel, this was still an extremely powerful army!With so many weapons and troops, it could take down a city in no time.Despite having experienced many ups and downs, Julius couldn't help but secretly be alarmed at that moment.The Dragon Guard had kept it too well. Without revealing any signs, they had accumulated a substantial military force.Plus, even West Lucozia's spies didn't notice anything.Suddenly, Juliu
"He faked his death? Is that even possible?" Reagan raised an eyebrow."I wouldn't have believed it either if I didn't see it myself."Julius shook his head and sighed. "All in all, we're still lacking compared to Rufus. That's why he managed to fool us. "Now that my subordinates are all under his control, it's impossible to turn the tables. Thus, I came to you for help."After thinking for a moment, Reagan replied, "Give me some time to think it through. You're saying that our mission failed and that Rufus didn't die. "Plus, all your troops have been captured, leaving you with no way out.""You're correct. That's about what happened." Julius nodded."Honestly, I'm a bit curious. If the mission failed and all your men were captured, how did you manage to get away?" Reagan asked."To be honest, I pretended to surrender just to get away," Julius replied."Pretended to surrender? What do you mean?" Reagan's curiosity was piqued."I hope you won't mind if I say this."After re
At that moment, a Dragon Guard's spy suddenly walked over."What's the matter?" Reagan asked indifferently."Sir Judd, we found two spies that should be from West Lucozia outside. May I know how we should take care of them?" the Dragon Guard spy asked."Spy?" Reagan raised an eyebrow.After shooting a meaningful look at Julius, Reagan replied, "Bring them over. I want to question them!""Yes, sir!" The Dragon Guard spy nodded before gesturing to those standing outside.Soon, two tied-up men in black clothes were brought over.Just as the adhesive tapes were ripped off from their mouths, one of them started to yell, "You traitor! How dare you betray us! I hope that you'll die miserably!""Slap him," Reagan spoke calmly."Yes, sir!" The dragon guard spy walked over and slapped the man in black on both cheeks.The blows caused blood to spill from the man's mouth and nose. He was left dizzy and missing several teeth before the beating ceased."I'll ask, and you guys answer. If y
"Sir Judd, it's true that they're spies. However, I truly don't know anything about this. "I've told you everything that happened these two days. May lightning strike me if I hid anything from you," Julius promised.Reagan chuckled at his response. "Don't be so anxious. I'm just joking." Reagan patted his shoulder and smiled. "Of course, I believe you. The two spies should be under Rufus. He had them secretly follow you as he feared you would run away.""Rufus is a cunning man that could do anything. It's normal for him to have such a plan. It's fortunate that you arranged everything properly and managed to find out the spy in time. "Otherwise, the location of the base would have been revealed," Julius said in relief."We still don't know how much information did they get. However, West Lucozian monarchy should have already gotten the base's location," Reagan replied calmly."They already know? What should we do? Should we retreat?" Julius raised his eyebrow.With a smile,
At Reagan's order, the subordinates quickly served the alcohol and food.Just like that, Reagan and Julius started to indulge in the food and wine.…At that moment, Dustin and Austin sat in the villager's house located beyond the mountain ranges. They sipped on coffee as they waited for news.Ever since Julius had been taken away, they had been secretly following him. At last, they arrived at a place called Bronx Mountain Range.Bronx Mountain Range was vast and boundless, not to mention it was situated at the border.Half of its territory belonged to West Lucozia, while the other half was under the control of an enemy nation.The two countries remained at peace in recent years. There wasn't any obvious conflict other than some disputes from the countries' spies.Due to Bronx Mountain Range's unique geographical location, no one would go there except for a few farmers and hunters who relied on the mountains for their livelihoods."Dustin, it's been the entire night. The signa
It was midnight in West Lucozia castle. Rufus sat on the edge of the bed and coughed violently. His body trembled from how hard he coughed.Blood would dribble on the floor with his every cough."Your Highness, the medicine is here!" After hearing Rufus coughing, Eloise quickly rushed into the room with the medicine in hand.Eloise placed the medicine down and gently patted Rufus' back. Her eyes were filled with worry and distress.After Rufus finally stopped coughing, the floor had a pool of blood.His complexion was as pale as a sheet. Plus, there were beads of sweat on his forehead."Your Highness, you should quickly drink the medicine." Eloise picked up the medicine and handed it to him with both hands."It's too bitter. I feel nauseous just smelling it." Rufus furrowed his eyebrows, seemingly unwilling to drink the medicine."It's good for you. You should drink it," Eloise advised gently."I'm going to die soon, anyway. It doesn't make a difference if I drink it or not.
"Langdon, I can't tell if you're playing dumb or if you really are that stupid." Though Austin was smiling, his eyes were cold. He continued, "You asked for physical evidence, and I provided it. You asked for witnesses, and I gave you those too. Now, with both evidence and testimony laid bare, and even the criminal confessing, what else do you want?""Hmph! The government is rife with corruption. I'm simply seeking justice and preventing you from wrongfully killing the innocent." Langdon still held his righteous stance.Some of the royal advisors who had initially supported him now stayed silent. They could sense Austin's rising anger and didn't dare provoke him further. At that instant, they had lost their confidence. As Austin had pointed out, the solid evidence was right before them, and it was impossible to deny.Langdon was a member of the Rhys family and Austin's elder. He could afford to speak without a filter, but the others couldn't. If they truly angered Austin, the
"Sir Thatcher? Mr. Wentworth?" When Langdon saw their faces, his eyes went wide in disbelief. "You… How did you two end up like this?" He was genuinely stunned.Huxley and Percival were two of the most powerful figures in West Lucozia. They commanded respect wherever they went, and even Langdon himself had to show them deference.He never expected that they had fallen from their positions of prestige to become disheveled prisoners overnight."Austin! You've gone too far!" Recovering from his initial shock, Langdon's fury erupted. He didn't even bother with titles anymore. "Do you even realize what you're doing? These two men are pillars of West Lucozia and the prince's most trusted advisors. They're your elders and mentors. Yet, you tortured them like this. Are you even human?""He's right," someone chimed in. "They dedicated their lives to this country. What crime did they commit to deserve such cruelty by Your Highness?"The gathered officials erupted in outrage and condemned
"Your Highness, you mustn't speak such nonsense." Langdon put on a righteous front.He continued, "I've always prided myself on my integrity and never done anything dishonorable. I've never betrayed the prince's trust or let the people down, and I have nothing to hide.""Such lofty words," Austin scoffed. "If you have nothing to hide, why not let the enforcement team investigate?"Langdon's face tightened, and a flicker of unease crossed his eyes. After all, what official didn't have some skeletons in the closet? A full investigation would likely turn up something, no matter how small. Even if the offenses weren't serious, the damage to his reputation would be permanent.With so many officials watching, Langdon couldn't afford to back down. If he did, he would lose his standing in the political world—and his claim to integrity along with it."Go ahead and investigate." He raised his chin and said confidently, "I've lived an honest life and never engaged in anything illegal. No m
Austin sat in his chair and silently watched the royal advisors put on their pretentious act. He slowly sipped his tea as if he couldn't be bothered by their so-called accusations.His nonchalant demeanor made Langdon and the others frown. Their once-outrageous voices began to falter.They had stormed in full of righteous fury earlier, only to be met with complete apathy. What was the point of arguing when he wasn't even listening?"Are you done?" Austin finally spoke once the room had quieted down. "If not, go ahead and keep talking. Say as much as you need to until you're satisfied.""Your Highness, we're here to discuss serious matters. Your dismissive attitude is truly disappointing," Langdon said sharply."Serious matters?" Austin let out a short laugh.He went on, "You barge in here without even understanding the full picture and spewing accusations like they're facts. As far as I'm concerned, you're no different from clowns putting on a show.""You… How dare you!" Langdon
"Are you even qualified to sit while speaking to me?"Austin's words struck like the blow of a hammer. They were sharp and unrelenting, and they left no room for retort.Langdon sat frozen and was momentarily speechless. He hadn't expected a brat like Austin to have such a sharp tongue.If he admitted he had come for personal matters, he would keep his pride intact, but he would lose control of the conversation. Everything he had prepared—and all the accusations he meant to throw—would be meaningless.But if he insisted it was official business, he would have to show proper respect and offer a formal greeting. No matter how he answered, he would be conceding ground."I'll ask one more time. Are you here on official or personal matters?" Austin asked coldly."O-Official matters." Cornered, Langdon barely managed to get the words out."Well? Is this how an official conducts himself?" Austin pressed.Langdon had no choice but to rise and offer a deep bow. "Your Highness, it's an h
After a night of chaos, some of the Red Legion's members were killed, others were captured, and the entire force had been wiped out.But the fallout didn't stop there. The Prescott estate was also raided. All embezzled wealth was confiscated, and those found guilty were thrown into prison.Anyone connected to the Prescotts was placed under house arrest and subjected to rigorous investigation.And the man behind it—Warrick—had become the kingdom's most wanted fugitive.Until he was captured, Celestria remained under lockdown. Major roads were sealed off, and patrol teams scoured every corner to ensure Warrick had no way out.Austin's crackdown sparked outrage among senior officials who didn't know the full story. They voiced their dissatisfaction, with some even gathering outside the castle gates in protest. They stomped their feet in outrage, just short of openly cursing him.To them, Warrick had made great contributions to the nation. Even if he had committed crimes, he didn't d
Austin's words were calm and almost casual. Yet, they struck like thunder and echoed in the hearts of the three assistant generals of the Red Legion.If they answered Austin's questions, there might still be a slim chance of survival. But if they refused, death was the only outcome.After all, who would willingly choose death when they had worked so hard to achieve their wealth and status? Yet, pride and dignity held them back. They didn't want to be branded as traitors.Now, they were caught in a dilemma. Which was more important—their honor or their lives? It was an impossible choice."You have ten seconds left. If you don't speak, you'll lose your chance." Austin's voice was utterly devoid of emotion.His words seemed to pierce their souls, and the three Red Legion assistant generals broke into a cold sweat.As the countdown neared its end, Auron finally couldn't hold back. "Your Highness! I'll talk—I'll tell you everything."Dropping to his knees, he scrambled forward and wa
Axel swallowed hard, shock written all over his face. He had always known the Draken Guardians were formidable, but he had never expected them to be this lethal.He had pushed himself to his limit just to hold his own against Connor and Dave, only to end up seriously wounded. Yet, when the Draken Guardians arrived, they wiped them out—along with several dozen Red Legion soldiers—without losing a single man.If Axel hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he would never have believed that the Red Legion, a force renowned for its elite soldiers, could be so easily crushed. Or perhaps it wasn't that the Red Legion was weak, but that the Draken Guardians were far stronger than anyone had imagined.Even their most ordinary members were strong enough to become a mighty general. As for those at the level of captain, their strength was far beyond Axel's. The lethality of a team made up of such skilled experts had reached the point of being an overwhelming force."Mr. Cruz, please arrange some
"Damn it! This punk's tougher than I thought. We're in real trouble if this keeps up," Connor said, swinging his twin blades relentlessly. Every strike was aimed at Axel's vital points.But Axel was quick. He weaved in and out of reach and avoided direct confrontation. It was obvious he was just stalling for time."Sir Prescott should be far enough by now. There's no point dragging this out. Let's fall back."Sensing the futility of their efforts, Dave considered retreating. He didn't fear death, but he wasn't about to waste his life for nothing.Since Warrick had escaped, their interception mission was also completed."You guys hold him off. The rest of you, fall back with me."Connor was decisive. Realizing they weren't making any progress, he quickly ordered a retreat and left a few decoys behind to buy time.They had barely run a hundred yards when a wave of soldiers suddenly appeared at the alley's entrance. Hundreds, maybe even thousands, filled the narrow space and comple