The battlefield had moved inside Simonton City. From the moment the siege began, the citizens locked their doors and hid inside their homes. The Sandoria soldiers had enslaved the people, and even abused women during their occupation. Despite knowing that the city would be a battlefield after the gates fell, the townsfolk fervently hoped the Hell Monarch Army would drive the Sandoria soldiers away.As the fierce battle raged, Aurora charged into the city with the main army and quickly fought her way to the front lines. Though she wasn’t the only female general, she was the only one wearing a custom battle robe specially made for her by the Ministry of Defense. Her armor featured a red headscarf, symbolizing her determination to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with her male counterparts.Despite the chaotic fighting, she stood out like a sore thumb.Liam spotted her, as did many Westhaven soldiers.The strategy to target her began. The Westhaven troops she pursued began a strategic r
Liam and Victor were still not on the battlefield. They stood on high ground, watching the battle unfold. The city was littered with corpses. There were fallen soldiers everywhere, and the blood almost seemed to stain the city red. The majority of the dead were Westhaven and Sandoria soldiers. The battle in this trapped city was all about courage; no tactics could be applied any longer.Victor understood it was only a matter of time before they would have to give up the Southern Frontier. After entering Simonton City, he saw clearly that the Westhaven forces were only there to take out their frustration on Starhaven soldiers and to kill a general named Aurora. They lacked the resolve to defeat Starhaven, and had no intention of dividing the Southern Frontier with Sandoria. Their motives were driven more by anger than by a strategic goal.Victor was furious. If not for the Westhaven forces, the Sandoria forces might have been defeated long ago. If that happened, fewer battles woul
The sudden retreat of the Sandoria and Westhaven soldiers left the Starhaven army stunned.When they heard the retreating horns, they thought the Sandoria army might be using some kind of tactic to lure them in. After thinking it over, the Starhaven army realized there was no need to chase them after they left Simonton City. Their goal was to drive them away, not wipe out the entire army.The Starhaven army could only watch as their foes fled, abandoning their armor and weapons in their hasty retreat. Was victory really that easy?They had prepared themselves to fight to the last breath. With Westhaven making such a grand effort to assist, how could they possibly retreat so easily? Even with Rafael personally on the battlefield, it was a fierce fight. The reality was just as harsh—everywhere was filled with corpses, and the city was drenched in blood. Even the falling snow couldn't cover up the overwhelming stench of blood.Simonton City was vast, and beyond the city, there wer
The Westhaven soldiers surrounding Aurora were numerous. She struggled to hold her ground. Glancing around, she saw even more of them converging on her position.They hadn’t engaged in the main battlefield but had been lying in wait, preparing an ambush specifically for her. It dawned on her that while her previous use of this tactic had yielded significant gains, this time, it had led her straight into a trap.Her martial skills, slightly superior to those of her cousin Zeke, allowed her to hold off the attackers for a while. However, her soldiers were falling around her, one by one, into pools of blood. The Westhaven troops showed no mercy, their ruthless efficiency revealing them to be elite forces.Panic gripped Aurora’s heart. She tried to escape, but Westhaven soldiers surrounded her, their long blades blocking any possible retreat. She fought back in desperation and panic, but fear drained her strength. As a blade descended toward her arm, she instinctively pushed a nearby so
Aurora's face went deathly pale. A taste of her own medicine?She knew very well what she had done to the young general she had captured at Victory Pass. At the time, the young general had led over a hundred men and fought fiercely. After killing a few of her soldiers, he fled. To capture him, she had ordered the slaughter of several villages in Fawnrun City, suspecting he was hiding among the common people.She burned with the need to find him to avenge her fallen comrades and establish her own reputation. Moreover, capturing a young general was worth more than killing ten soldiers.At the time, her intention was straightforward. But after capturing the young general, he had been extremely arrogant, accusing her of violating the treaty between their nations and massacring civilians. His curses were particularly vile, condemning them to be childless and bereft of descendants.Because of the severity of his curses, she had decided to punish him. As for his curses about being chi
The Westhaven spies in Starhaven had been active for a long time, eventually falling under the direct control of Westhaven's crown prince, Arthur Tudor. After Arthur's downfall, these spies massacred an entire household. Their actions tarnished Arthur's reputation, and led to the destruction of the whole intelligence network.Hector was a commendable general. He and his sons all perished on the Southern Frontier battlefield. The widows left in his family, including orphans and even household servants, were mercilessly slain by Westhaven forces. Indeed, Westhaven had committed such barbaric acts.Because of this, they dared not publicize Aurora's massacre of the civilians and kept it hidden.Aurora was the instigator, but she wasn't solely responsible. The Westhaven spies had committed even more heinous atrocities. The only victims were the Sinclair family. Edmund had heard Carissa was the only one left from Hector's family, which was who Aurora had mentioned.Aurora had even repl
Aurora was beyond flustered. Facing her cousin’s questioning, she felt guilty. Despite that, she still tried to defend herself. "I thought the person standing next to me was a Westhaven soldier. I didn’t realize it was John.""Hypocrite! How could an enemy soldier be standing next to you? If you're going to make excuses, at least make them logical!" Zeke retorted angrily. Aurora, embarrassed and angry, snapped, "Enough! Now, we're all prisoners of the enemy! We've slaughtered civilians in Fawnrun. They won't let us off easily. Instead of blaming me, think about how to escape!""The massacre of those civilians was your order! You said the young general was hiding among the civilians, and that some soldiers were disguised as commoners. You’re the one who ordered us to kill them without any mercy!" Zeke snarled.Knowing people outside could hear, Aurora said loudly, "I only told you to kill a few people to force him out! I never told you to kill them all!"Upon hearing this, the oth
Alas, Aurora's sliver of hope soon shattered completely.A bonfire was lit outside, and the wooden door was violently pushed open. A tall figure, exuding a powerful and oppressive presence, slowly entered. Even with his back to the fire, Aurora could make out his silhouette and knew who he was.It was Liam, the Westhaven marshal with whom she had signed the treaty in Fawnrun City.Aurora trembled violently, her back pressed against the wall as she stared at Liam in terror.During the treaty signing, this man had exuded an aura of strength and bravery, creating a sense of pressure. At the same time, he also carried an air of elegance. The negotiations and treaty signing had gone smoothly and quickly. He agreed to some clauses she proposed without hesitation, with only one condition: that she release the prisoner promptly after signing.He had been so agreeable then, making her believe the heavens were gifting her these military accomplishments.But now, his face was dark and murde
At precisely three in the afternoon, the long execution block was brought forward. The block was forged from ironwood, solid and unyielding. It was the only one of its kind in Starhaven, used solely for execution by Torso Cleaving.The block had been kept in storage for years.Augustus had once deemed the act of Torso Cleaving too brutal. Even those who committed the most grievous offenses were spared this form of execution. Yet, the punishment had not been abolished. It remained a tool to strike fear into the hearts of would-be traitors.The cruelty of Torso Cleaving lay in the fact that after a person was cleaved in two, the upper body could still crawl, struggle, and leave behind a bloody trail.Normally, Torso Cleaving wasn't meant to be witnessed by the public. But treason, betraying the kingdom, and plotting to overthrow the throne were considered unforgivable crimes. Salvador didn't know how many people had dealings with the traitors, and some conspirators were too deepl
The capital guards escorted Evelyn, Zoey, and Viola up to the execution platform. Evelyn's legs trembled, and she couldn't muster any strength. Her tears flowed uncontrollably, blurring her vision to the point that she could no longer see clearly."You foolish boy!" Evelyn let out a mournful cry, raising her hand and slapping Oliver's face. "You've disgraced your grandfather and your father! How can you face them in the afterlife?"Her slap lacked force; even as she exerted every ounce of her strength, Oliver barely felt the sting.Caught in a whirlwind of panic, Oliver's mind raced. Seeing his mom before him, he seemed to have found a lifeline in a stormy sea. He cried desperately, "Mom, save me! Please save me!"Evelyn, near exhaustion from her sorrow, could barely speak. "You've committed an unforgivable crime! How can I save you now? His Majesty once showed favor to you—how could you betray such grace?""Mom, I know I was wrong! I know it now!" Oliver cried, tears streaming do
After Evelyn finished crying, she didn't say much. However, she stubbornly insisted on going to deliver Oliver his final meal. Her eyes were swollen and her voice was thick with congestion, nearly a rasp. "I know the court allows family to see their loved ones before execution," she said, her tone strained. "I don't want anything else—just this one thing. I need to see him and make sure he's fed. I don't want him to die hungry and become a vengeful spirit."Tears began to fall once more as she cast a tearful glance at Zoey. "You have children, too. You should understand what it means to be a mother. To the world, he may be seen as the greatest of villains. But to me, he will always be that helpless child that hasn't changed."Zoey remained silent for a long moment, then finally said, "Mother, do you know how the final meeting is arranged? It is at the execution ground. Are you sure you want to see him getting decapitated?"Evelyn trembled, her body shaking with emotion. "You must
When Carissa went to the palace to deliver her report, she also expressed her sympathy for Zoey besides presenting the confession. She didn't hide her admiration for Zoey in her words.Despite her difficult life, Zoey still had a kind heart. She continuously gave out food and medicine. Even though her whole family now lived in Skye Embroidery, she never asked for the money she had given away to be returned.Furthermore, Zoey had shown great courage and moral integrity. She had publicly condemned her kin for the sake of the greater good—a rare quality that many men, even among the nobility, could not aspire to.Recognizing the need for such an example to inspire his people, Salvador immediately issued an edict praising Zoey. He granted her 100 gold coins and a residence.As for the exiled men from the Prince family, they could return to the capital after the Southern Frontier won the battle, along with the Hell Monarch.Zoey had turned an impossible situation around. Now, who would
Oliver was a notorious criminal, and he should have been sent directly to the Supreme Court. However, Carissa took a different route. She had him detained at the Capital Guard headquarters, where he was to be interrogated first. Afterward, she planned to report the matter to Salvador. She would credit Zoey for her tip, and then plead for Caspian and Cedric to be allowed to return to the capital as soon as possible.Celeste was still detained in the Capital Guard headquarters. If she and Oliver met, it might uncover more secrets—such as just how deeply the Spencer family's collateral branch was involved in this mess.The two prisoners were held in adjacent cells, separated by only a narrow iron bar. When their eyes met for the first time, both faces changed instantly.On the way here, Oliver kept cursing Zoey for betraying him. But when he saw Celeste, he completely forgot about Zoey. He snarled, his teeth clenched. "You wretched woman, look at you now! It's true—bad people get w
Carissa and Violet set off together to investigate, disguising themselves as ordinary visitors. Upon arriving at Glowmere Sanctuary, they first offered candles and prayers before seeking an audience with the abbot. They made their identities known and inquired about a priest named Reuben.The abbot immediately summoned the priest in charge of guests, Carson Jenkins, as it was Carson's responsibility to handle the arrangements for priests who came to stay at the temple.Glowmere Sanctuary was one of the three largest temples in the capital, with a bustling number of visitors each year wanting to stay and listen to teachings. However, very few were actually allowed to stay.Carson recalled Reuben clearly. Reuben's spiritual skills weren't particularly high; originally, he wasn't eligible to stay at Glowmere Sanctuary. However, a few years ago, he had spent considerable time in the Southern Frontier, helping to guide the souls of the dead. Such compassion was a rare virtue, and it wa
Zoey composed herself, her features hardening into a mask of calm. "You should leave quickly. Once I've gathered the money, I will come find you. Until then, don't wander around and avoid being seen by the Capital Guard."Sensing the concern in her voice, Oliver was relieved. Women, no matter how sharp they might be with others, always seemed to lack a certain sense when it came to their husbands. After all, which woman didn't long for her husband's love?"You must hurry," he urged, "three days, at most."Zoey feigned hesitation, as though the request weighed heavily on her. "Given our current circumstances, as you well know, how could I possibly gather 3,000 silver coins in just three days?"Oliver's eyes gleamed with resolve. "Isn't Courtney a part of the Hell Monarch's household now? I know you have your ways. I'll wait for your word. But remember—three days! And don't tell anyone about it, not even Mom or Viola."With that, he pulled his hat low over his face and turned to
The citywide search tightened, and it actually forced Oliver to come out of hiding. But he wasn't searching for Viola—he was searching for Zoey.She had gone to Hell Monarch Estate to deliver a set of clothing for Courtney today. While she was out, she decided to pick up a few things for the ladies of Skye Embroidery. Afterward, she was making her way back to the workshop through the west alley when Oliver appeared.Her first instinct was surprise.Hadn't he told Viola not to tell Zoey about his presence? Why would he risk coming here personally to see her?"My dear, it is I," came a voice from beneath a wide-brimmed hat.His face was obscured, but the voice—there was no mistaking it.For a moment, Zoey was too stunned to speak, but then a surge of fury gripped her. She clenched her teeth, trying to swallow the anger that threatened to consume her. With a swift glance, she confirmed that the alley was deserted.Her heart sank as she regretted her earlier complacency. She had ass
Zoey questioned Viola in detail, asking how she had come across Oliver, what state he was in now, and whether he had brought his child with him.Viola recounted, "I was out yesterday to buy a stew pot, hoping to make some medicinal broth for Mom. After I purchased it, he came up to me. I was startled at first, thinking it was some pervert."But when he called my name, I recognized his voice. His face was so dark and haggard, and his eyebrows were shaved off. He has lost so much weight. If I hadn't carefully examined him, I wouldn't have believed it was Oliver."Viola paused as she recalled the encounter and Zoey's earlier words, still feeling a sense of unease.She continued, "He didn't have a child with him. He was alone. He told me he was forced to flee, and now there are arrest warrants for him everywhere. He has no money left, and with a child to support, things are really difficult for him. He asked me to talk to Mom about gathering 3,000 silver coins."Zoey quickly asked, "I