LRAB Page 85
Page 85
The sentry hesitated. Just then, a sharp whistling sound suddenly rang out, causing both the sentry and the veteran to instinctively take cover behind the city wall until a loud bang echoed. The veteran, supporting himself with his helmet, peeked out and saw a small stone projectile land ten paces in front of the wall. He then spat on the ground: "Damn Leonians, still fiddling with their broken catapults at this hour. Tomorrow I'll smash it down—thud!"
Another small stone hit the city wall solidly, startling the veteran so much that he immediately dropped to the ground, cursing loudly, "Damn Leonians! Are you trying to make your grandpa laugh to death by firing something smaller than your grandpa's testicles?!"
The vulgar insults effectively broke the initial shock and fear, boosting the morale of the soldiers who were hiding on the city wall. While these soldiers laughed and mocked the weak and ineffective attack of the Leonians, Lydia had already fully armed herself and stood on the catapult.
Human cannon, level one readiness!
After several calibrations, the engineering corps captain, finally confident, gripped the hammer, aimed it at the catapult's start lever, his arms trembling and his palms sweating, but under Lydia's cold gaze, he still swung the hammer with all his might.
Human Cannon, Level Two Ready!
The lever she pulled activated the gears, and the towering lever arm was pulled down. Lydia crouched inside the "ammunition compartment," feeling a sudden wave of weightlessness wash over her. However, for a dead person, none of this could cause her much psychological distress, much less shake her composure and calmness. She could even appreciate the bright moonlight and the howling wind.
Human Cannon—Fire!
Lydia traced a perfect arc in the air, the whistling wind attracting some attention, but the soldiers, already accustomed to the trebuchet's movements, simply took cover skillfully. No one cared whether what flew overhead was a stone or a bloodline being harder than stone.
Until Lydia landed with a thud, kicking up a cloud of dust and smoke behind the city wall.
The soldiers turned back in astonishment, terrified that the enemy's catapults could hit so far, but some sharp-eyed ones spotted Lydia surrounded by various lights beneath the gradually dissipating smoke.
To be honest, it's rather tragic.
Nia's meticulously crafted rune plate armor was mostly destroyed, and the triple protection of [Rock Shield], [Frost Spirit Armor], and [Death Sanctuary] shattered the moment she landed. Fortunately, the inner lining of the armor was intact, and her injuries were much less severe than Lydia had anticipated... or rather, her body was far more robust than the stone projectile.
The next second, the icy white Frost Spirit Armor reappeared around Lydia, enveloping her completely and deflecting several accidentally fired crossbow bolts. The sound of the bolts hitting the ground served as a signal, and the dust kicked up settled again. The soldiers, having seen Lydia clearly, instinctively launched an attack, raining down crossbow bolts, but they only managed to pierce the dust. Lydia's shadow had already disappeared into the nearby steps leading to the city wall.
[Death Charge]
The guards of Golden Flower Castle roared and blocked the only exit of the stairs, displaying extraordinary courage and elite training. Unfortunately, even though Lydia was seriously injured, she was not someone that a group of ordinary people could stop.
"Get out!" — [Fearful War Cry]
With a roar, almost all the valiant soldiers were gripped by fear, turning and fleeing, even triggering a small stampede. The few soldiers with exceptionally strong will were struck across the throat by a sharp blade and fell to the ground.
Easily defeating the soldiers blocking her way, Lydia skillfully located the mechanism room controlling the drawbridge and the gate. She easily sent the guards away with two sword strikes, then directly cut the iron chain controlling the drawbridge with one sword, forcibly lowering the drawbridge that had been resting for a day. With one hand, she turned the winch to pull up the heavy iron gate until the mechanism jammed.
This series of actions may seem long, but in reality, from Lydia's landing to the opening of the city gate, less than thirty seconds had passed. Apart from the soldiers nearby, most soldiers in other areas hadn't even figured out what was happening, and they had no time to care.
As Lydia's [Roar of Fear] resounded, and the heavy thud of the drawbridge hitting the ground echoed, the prepared Ravenwing Guards, Shadow Raven Knights, and Black Raven Riders immediately spurred their horses, shouting the maxim: "The crows are cawing—the feast has begun!!"
The commotion of thousands of cavalry charging together was earth-shattering. Seeing this, the guards of Golden Flower Castle had no time to pay attention to Lydia's "small commotion." They sounded the alarms and raised their crossbows to prepare for battle. As for the catapults... the night watch soldiers did not have any engineers!
However, despite the Golden Flower Castle guards' best efforts and utmost loyalty, they were still slower than the well-prepared cavalry. It wasn't until the Ravenwing Guards rushed into the city gates that they unleashed their first volley of arrows, which was sparse and posed no threat to the fully plate-armored Shadow Raven Knights. They also didn't have time for a second volley.
The Shadow Raven Knights had stormed through the city gate and completely controlled it.
Even if riding horses was not allowed on the city walls, the Shadow Raven Knights, clad in fine plate armor, completely overwhelmed the Golden Flower Castle guards, who were outnumbered and still wore old chainmail and saddle blankets!
Before long, the two city walls centered on the city gate fell into Lydia's hands. By this time, the infantry and archers who could only charge on foot also arrived. So the city walls remained, but the guards on them changed their flags.
A little while later, Lydia cornered Baron Golden Flower in the main hall of the castle, who was about to transform into the Faraus Runner again. Looking at Lydia, whose armor was tattered and who was covered in blood, he knelt down and surrendered to her with a look of dejection: "Your victory, madam, but was it all worth it?"
"I am Zhuang Sen's blade, and I will give everything for my master." Lydia snatched the Golden Flower Baron's longsword, and the Ravenwing Guards behind her immediately rushed forward, bound the Golden Flower Baron tightly with iron chains, and then forced him to drink a weakening potion.
The next day, news of the Battle of Golden Flower Castle spread rapidly.
The author says:
作者的话：一点小脑洞，我们不死者是这样的（）进度更新：月票20/50，催更票40/50，打赏1500/5000
Chapter 214: The Bloodline Cult's Competitor
The Hall of Radiance, once a place of bustling activity and joy, was now heavy with an oppressive atmosphere that froze everyone's expressions, including those of Olco Farau. The aging eagle's face was still full of rage, but it seemed to be tinged with weariness and exhaustion, having lost the commanding spirit that once fueled his fury.
Lilith Farau, Colm Farau, Mann Farau… three of the Farau family's top leaders are gone, not to mention the exorbitant price of 500,000 gold coins paid to save their lives—a year's work for nothing. Adding in other losses, such as disrupted trade routes and lost markets, the family has suffered even greater losses this year, truly bankrupt.
And now, even the territories that were once guaranteed to break even are being lost.
The priests of the Bloodline Order stood amidst the crowd, using the dazzling light as cover, smiling as they surveyed their surroundings, assessing the possible choices the Falau family might make. Continue to resist, or choose to negotiate?
Hopefully, they will put up a fight. If the Farau family chooses to negotiate, how will Bishop Cameron and his men appease the Earl who is favored by Patriarch Brad, and what will they offer in exchange for technology?
In the eyes of the Bloodline Cult members, the Faraus present were not human beings, but walking "technique points"! The more they killed, the more techniques they could get from Zhuang Sen!
Therefore, we need to find a way to trick them into dying... The priests of the Bloodline Order remained outwardly respectful and gentle, keeping a low profile to the point of being overlooked, but inwardly they were full of ideas, waiting for the right opportunity to intervene.
……
Olko's anger seemed to have been exhausted by the silence, and he spoke directly: "You all know about the Golden River Territory and the Golden Flower Territory. Now the Leon people have begun to invade the Three Rivers Territory. What do you think we should do?"
The group exchanged bewildered glances, none of them quite sure how to respond. Normally, this would have been Lilith's or Colm's job, or at the very least, Mann Farau's. The others were only responsible for more detailed, specific executions, not such a broad yet crucial strategic direction. In essence, by arresting Lilith and the other two, Johnson had essentially ripped out three-quarters of the Farau family's intelligence, with the remaining member already too old.
However, under Olko's piercing gaze, someone finally mustered the courage to speak up: "Your Excellency, the Leonians only managed to take over Golden Flower Territory by relying on Lydia Ston's special bloodline. I think we should send more people with high-level bloodlines to guard against her tricks!"
Lydia's human cannon could not be concealed. Many guards at Golden Flower Castle witnessed her descend from the sky and slaughter everyone in her path, especially those nearby. Those guards hit by the [Fear Cry] escaped because they were focused on fleeing, and they also spread the news. Moreover, there was no need to hide it, because this kind of method was impossible to prevent. The castle could not be reinforced, and the catapults had no anti-aircraft capabilities. There was no other way but to intercept her with a bloodline member as powerful as Lydia.
But the question is, how many high-ranking bloodlines are left in Falau?
Olco Farau was certainly one of them; the reputation of the Furious Eagle had not yet faded, but as a count and the head of the Farau family, it was not appropriate for him to be on the front lines guarding against a mere female knight. The Church would not participate in this civil war, not even the bishops of the Church of War were willing. After all, the territory of Leon was already very unfavorable to them; if they gave Count Zhuangsen another excuse, the Church of War might be completely expelled.
Besides these, only two bloodline users in the entire Farau territory have completed the third awakening: Rein Farau, the 180-year-old captain of the Holy Eagle Knights, and Moen Farau, the 178-year-old deacon of the Farau Merchant Guild. They are also Olco Farau's uncles. For a level three bloodline user, this age is not particularly old, but it is definitely not young either.
Therefore, it would be inappropriate, even shameful, for the Farau family to either have Olco Farau take the lead or send two old men to fight against the twenty-year-old Dantalian.
The priest of the Bloodline Order had a sudden inspiration, realizing this was likely an opportunity. He naturally possessed the strength of a third awakening, albeit a subpar version achieved through technical skill. But the Farau people were unaware of this, and besides, the opponent was one of their own. Helping them put on a couple of charades would be easy, wouldn't it? That way, even if they were ultimately defeated, they could conveniently shift the blame to someone else…
Thinking of this, the priest of the Bloodline Order immediately stepped out from the crowd, smiling as he spoke: "Count Farau, I..."
“Leave it to us, Your Excellency.” A gruff voice drowned out the gentle words of the Bloodline Order priest. A burly man with thick hair, resembling a bear standing upright, pushed his way through the crowd. “An undead is nothing in the depths of winter!”
The Bloodline Cult priest stared in astonishment at the suddenly appearing bear-like man, surprised that he hadn't noticed him in the crowd before. However, his extensive knowledge allowed him to quickly deduce the reason from the badge the man was wearing and recognize his identity as a member of the mercenary group [Icewind Group], who was from the Winter Kingdom but had been working almost exclusively in the White City Federation!
This mercenary group often has members with the bloodline of the Snowfield White Bear, who possess the ability of stealth hunting, which allows them to reduce their presence.
But doesn't the Icewind Gang only operate in the White City Federation?
The Source Blood Cult priests weren't the only ones taken aback; everyone else felt the same way about the suddenly appearing burly man, except for Orko. He first glanced at the Source Blood Cult priest who had just volunteered but was interrupted, seemed to hesitate for a moment, but finally nodded to the burly bear-like man: "Let me introduce you. This is Dagan Dara, the leader of the Icewind Legion. From now on, military defense will be mainly handled by Lord Dagan and his warriors."
Dagan Dara grinned, revealing two rows of healthy, white teeth: "At your service, oh..."
"My lord, urgent intelligence—"
A messenger rushed in, interrupting Dagan Dara's pleasantries. A clear displeasure flashed across the burly man's face, but no one paid any attention. Everyone looked at the messenger, including Olco. For a messenger to rush into the Hall of Radiance so recklessly, it must be something extraordinary.
Under everyone's watchful eyes, the messenger indeed delivered an incredibly explosive piece of news: "My lord, news from the front lines: Young Master... Lilith has joined the Leon Army, claiming... claiming she will purge the treacherous officials around you and bring fairness and justice back to Falau!"
Lilith, has rebelled?
A sense of utter absurdity washed over everyone present. Even Dagan Dara, setting aside his displeasure, scratched his head. Lilith Farau, the rising star of the Farau family, the undisputed future earl and patriarch, had actually betrayed them and sided with the enemy?
Could this messenger be an enemy spy in disguise?
Compared to Lilith's defection, everyone felt that this was more likely, but as the letter delivered by the messenger was verified, everyone had no excuse.
The Bloodline priests took the opportunity to quietly retreat back into the crowd, their eyes sweeping over Dagan Dara.
Chapter 215: Fourth-Level Inheritance
Johnson leaned comfortably against Lady Lydia's chest, chatting with Lydia and Celine through the [Shared Library], sharing intelligence from the front lines and the rear. Lilith's filial counterattack was indeed effective, at least significantly impacting the enemy's morale. After all, Lilith Farau had a high reputation in the Farau Territory; she was a sure thing for the future Earl.
The intelligence about the Icewind Gang, which was handed over by the Bloodline Order, was also passed on by Zhuang Sen. Speaking of which, the Farau family is indeed very bold to collude with the White City mercenaries when the Falling Star Kingdom was preparing to attack the White City Federation. They are a merchant family that dares to buy and sell anything.
But the boldest one was Lydia.
Zhuang Sen picked up his pen and angrily wrote on the shared book list: "Didn't I tell you not to use the Human Cannon move again? That's the body I like. Where am I going to find a replacement if I break it!"
A moment later, Lydia's prompt reply came quickly: "A proper siege is too slow, and the losses are too great~ And it's really alright, Nia's armor is very strong, mine..."
Lydia has already taken over the Three Rivers Territory. The speed of her takeover was obviously due to her use of the Human Cannon again, which made Zhuang Sen feel very distressed: "Lydia, your safety is my top priority. And the progress we've made is enough. You're not allowed to use it again, or next time I'll lock you in your room and forbid you from going out."
Lydia replied, "Such a generous reward... I understand!"
Zhuang Sen first typed a question mark: "Ledya! (╰_╯)#"
Lydia added in reply: "(*^__^*) Hehe."
Seeing Lydia's reply, Zhuang Sen's feigned anger vanished. He picked up his pen and sent a kissing emoji back. He looked at Dantalian opposite him. The holy nun sat upright, staring at Zhuang Sen with a bright smile. Deep affection adorned her charming eyes. From her appearance, she did not look like a bloodline user who had awakened four times.
Indeed, during this period, not only did Zhuang Sen drink the potion and complete the fourth awakening of the [Secretary Angel], but Dantalian also completed the fourth awakening of [Holy Lamia] and began her final attempt. Today, after Lydia had familiarized herself with her new state, the fourth inheritance was performed for her.
"Are you ready?"
Zhuang Sen closed the [Shared Book Catalog]: "Don't be reckless again this time, darling."
"Don't worry, don't worry, I'm not that fragile now." Dantalian leaned forward, her ample breasts swaying and creating huge waves. "Besides, I don't seem to have any weaknesses that the Legacy can attack now. Maybe I can just walk over normally like Piper."
"I hope so." Zhuang Sen opened the system and used the inheritance on Dantalian.
Black screen transition.
The opulent palace filled with the beautiful Lamia reappeared. The long-absent pure white Lamia sat atop a jewel-encrusted, magnificent throne, her serpentine tail pressing down on Zhuang Sen while casting a calm gaze upon Dantalian. Zhuang Sen tried to squeeze free from the serpentine tail, but even with his current strength, he couldn't resist its binding and oppressive force, and could only resentfully succumb to the pleasure.
On the other side, Dantalian met the gaze of the pure white Lamia with a holy smile, then her serpent tail swayed as she walked forward. This time, no new Lamia appeared to challenge her, nor were there any strange changes. Only the pure white Lamia's gaze followed her until she was blocked by thin air and could no longer move forward.
"It really went that smoothly?"
Although she had spoken with great confidence beforehand, Dantalian was still somewhat surprised that she had actually passed the inheritance so easily. After all, if she asked herself honestly, she still had many small problems in her heart. For example, she would occasionally feel jealous that others could play games with Zhuang Sen that she couldn't, such as Nia, who could be provoked by the great Zhuang Sen, or Lym, who could swallow Zhuang Sen whole, or even Rani, who could use poison to turn Zhuang Sen into a beast of desire...
Moreover, she has many worries. For example, although she has received church education and studies hard, dealing with all sorts of tricky legal issues is still exhausting, especially when implementing new laws. There are also frictions between the church and the lord's power; even in the vengeful church, not everyone is so devout and kind, and not everyone is unchanging.
So how could she have made it to the end so easily? She was actually prepared to shatter the law or see Zhuang Sen being manipulated in all sorts of ways.
Dantalian raised her head and looked at the throne that was now very close, and at the pure white Lamia who sat on the throne.
Pure, white, beautiful, sacred... countless words of praise welled up in Dantalian's heart the moment their eyes met, but among these complex feelings, one thing held absolute dominance: proud sorrow.
Dantalian was stunned and lost in thought. The next second, the black screen flashed again.
"Dantrian, are you alright?"
The sound of Zhuang Sen's voice quickly dispelled Dantalian's subtle emotions, and she smiled gently: "It's nothing. I told you this would be easy, but..."
Dantalian described the strange feeling she had last experienced, but Zhuang Sen had no clue what to do. Although he had been with that pure white Lamia many times, he had not felt any special emotions.
"Could that be the final test? After all, besides the distance you traveled, the time you spent in the inheritance was also a reward criterion. You failed, so the inheritance ended?"
"Perhaps." Dantalian didn't dwell on the matter and took the initiative to end the topic, taking out a palm-sized blood-red gem. "This time, in addition to knowledge and bloodline development, there's also this."
Zhuang Sen accepted the gem, and a system notification popped up.
Bloodborne Gem - Lamia Subspecies
[A gem formed from the condensed bloodline of the Lamia race, containing the bloodline of all Lamia, it is the most precious treasure of the Lamia clan.]
[Effect: Single use can greatly enhance the target's Lamia subspecies bloodline, with a chance to cause it to evolve directly; carrying it close to the body can accelerate the enhancement of the Lamia subspecies bloodline and optimize physical attributes; can be used as a nest anchor point]
Lamia's Last Glory and Hope
"Contains the bloodline of all Lamia species?" Zhuang Sen looked at the description of the [Blood Gem - Lamia Species] in surprise. This was the first time he had seen a bloodline-related setting on an item, and such an explosive one at that. It meant that if someone could extract the bloodline from this gem, they could cultivate all kinds of Lamia... Oh no, they would have to find someone who could carry the bloodline, and ordinary people don't have a system to do that.
Naturally, Zhuang Sen didn't intend to use it as a one-time experience potion. Why waste such a rare treasure when he could do it with essence? Carrying it close to his body was fine, but the most tempting thing was still... the nest anchor point!
But where should this nest be placed?
Forget it, no rush. Let's focus on getting [Secretary Angel] 100% developed first!
The author says:
作者的话：进度更新：月票22/50，催更票43/50，打赏1600/5000
Chapter 216: Deherme
The boundless plains reflected the azure sky, and the scattered villages and houses added a touch of life. The bleak autumn wind did not affect this fertile land at all; it was still full of vitality. In particular, the large city standing in the center—Dherrim—was as prosperous and bustling as ever. However, upon closer inspection, one could find that there was a sense of urgency, anxiety, and even fear in that bustling atmosphere.
The reason is not hard to find: it is the army of Leon that is slowly advancing, using its dark raven wings to paint and devour the blue sky!
After breaking through the three "barren" territories of Jinhe Territory, Jinhua Territory and Sanhe Territory, Leon's army has broken into the important territory of Farau Territory - the Deherim Plain!
This vast plain, along with all its land and resources, belongs entirely to the Farau family. It is the direct territory of the Earl and the agricultural heart of the Farau family. If it weren't for the late autumn season, one could see fields of green seedlings or golden waves of wheat. Furthermore, as the upper reaches of the Three Rivers Territory, the three major rivers of the Farau Territory flow through this area, bringing a commercial prosperity comparable to that of the Farau Territory's capital, Holy Star City. It can be said that this is the second core city of the Farau Territory. Losing it would mean losing not just a year or two's worth of revenue, but decades of hard work!
For Leon Territory, if they could capture this plain, their future food supply would be completely guaranteed, and trade routes would become more convenient and efficient. It would definitely be a succulent feast! Lydia was so eager to break through Sanhe Territory that she even went against Zhuang Sen's expectations and used the Human Cannon without regard for safety in order to take over this fertile land and offer it to Zhuang Sen.
However, given Zhuang Sen's strict demands, Lydia had no choice but to give up on another human cannonball challenge. The two hard landings had completely destroyed her rune plate armor, and without an important layer of protection, Lydia couldn't guarantee that she would land safely. So she stopped insisting, since she didn't want to change bodies casually—what if Zhuang Sen didn't like one?
Although it's comfortable to use just your head, you can't embrace Zhuang Sen, cling to Zhuang Sen, or cover Zhuang Sen with just your head!
Fortunately, there's no need to rush anymore.
Arriving at the gates of Deherme was enough to make the Farau family anxious, forcing them to seek help. The Icewind Legion was proof of this. Although it was a bit of a pity that it wasn't the Bloodline Order, it didn't matter. It was just another mercenary group to be eliminated. Moreover, with such a loyal precedent, the Bloodline Order might gain more trust.
Furthermore, the great city of Deherim could not be taken by the Leon army alone, which only numbered around four thousand soldiers. Moreover, this war should not be limited to the Leon family alone; the other lords should also demonstrate their abilities. Johnson did not reward them so much so that they would just sit back and watch.
In reality, the other lords of Leon were indeed quite obedient. Apart from the unfortunate Baron of Shattered Stone Territory who died, and the Baron of Longleaf whose soldiers were wiped out, the other vassals had already mustered their men and caught up with Lydia. Now, besides her own 4,000 men, Lydia had 13,000 men gathered from various lords under her command. Although most of them were infantry, and their equipment and quality varied greatly, they were basically inferior to the Black Raven Army, let alone the Shadow Raven Knights. However, the quality of the soldiers from Farau Territory was about the same, or perhaps even worse, since soldiers also had to pay a full tax.
"No matter how used to it I am, it still feels crazy. Luckily, Lady Lia isn't a madman like Olco."
Lydia gazed at the fortified city ahead. As Lady Lydia's guardian knight, she was, of course, a Faroese, and not only a Faroese, but also a Deherimian. She had lived in this city for several years when she was still Lydia Ston.