Deposed Crown Prince: After three years of service on the frontier, the entire court knelt and begge

Zion Capo paused as he spoke:

"Those who don't believe me are welcome to try it!"

Upon hearing the Iron Man Legion's words, everyone present felt their hearts skip a beat...

The Iron Legion—they knew it all too well...

There are quite a few rumors about them...

The killing of the Illuminati bishop has long been demonized.

The new Illuminati's Iron Legion was rumored to be as evil as demons.

They initially thought these iron men were no different from ordinary people, and they didn't think anything of it.

However, it was only after the Iron Man made that subtle movement, revealing his deadly move, that we realized how extraordinary this person truly was...

With just a few simple killer moves, they strike fear into the hearts of many...

He surveyed the entire room, his gaze sweeping across the face of every nobleman like a knife:

"Before, you all had your own little schemes and hidden agendas... At that time, to be honest, I didn't want to interfere, nor did I have the ability to... Those of you who thought you were very capable and didn't want to be disciplined by me, you could try your luck in Lingas City..."

With a hint of disdain on his face, Zion Capo added a sentence.

"By the way, you guys must have gone there... but didn't get accepted, so you came back, right?"

The nobles' already unpleasant expressions became even more awkward after Zion Capo's words...

After all, these are the ones who were selected and screened back; there are others who haven't returned yet, and they are all still being screened.

Seeing the bewildered expressions on everyone's faces, Zion Capo continued, "Gentlemen, you don't need to feel embarrassed. The Alliance City of the Illuminati is a supreme place; it's normal that you were selected. If you had all been chosen, would it mean that it's not prestigious at all?"

Everyone was both amused and exasperated by Zion Capo's words of comfort.

It's unclear whether Zion Capo was genuinely praising them or criticizing them...

However, at this moment, they are very clear.

Zion Capo's confidence and assurance stemmed from his own strengths.

So I didn't dare say anything.

"Gentlemen, I will not look down on you... and please don't be discouraged. In the future, the Alliance City will be over there, and the British Empire will be over here. Once the true Western Alliance is formed, we will definitely have the advantage of being close to the source... and everyone will benefit!"

Everyone's faces lit up with excitement upon hearing Zion Capo's words...

Sion Capor continued, “I, Sion Capor, have been appointed in this time of crisis! From this day forward, I will act as the special envoy of the Alliance City, exercising the authority of the king! My primary task is to thoroughly eliminate all destabilizing factors within the Empire, restore order, and revitalize the nation! The Illuminati has already bestowed upon us great power and support!”

He waved to signal.

Behind the caravan, several flatbed wagons covered with heavy canvas were towed forward.

The canvas was lifted, revealing weapons that gleamed with a faint metallic sheen. These were not old-fashioned swords and armor, but rather standard Alliance City weapons!

They saw all sorts of short guns they had never seen before, gleaming with a cold light, with lightweight yet sturdy alloy armor, and even several portable cannons with ingenious structures that were obviously very powerful!

The sophistication of these weapons far surpasses any existing British armament.

"Look! This is the first batch of aid that the Alliance City has bestowed upon us to quell the internal strife and protect our territory! This is just the beginning!"

Zion Capo's voice carried a hint of incitement.

"They will be the arm of the loyal, and the nightmare of the rebels! All lords, armies, and capable individuals who are loyal to the Kingdom, loyal to the Order, and willing to walk with the Illuminati will receive my protection and share this power! Everyone knows that even the weapons Boudica boasted about before will be utterly vulnerable to the weapons we, the Illuminati, provide..."

The carrot and the stick! Naked deterrence accompanied by enormous financial incentives!

Ah Tie's thunderous slaughter instantly shattered any possible underestimation or wishful thinking in the hearts of onlookers.

The mountain of sophisticated military equipment before them was like a blazing flame, igniting the ambitions of those with lofty aspirations.

After a brief silence, shouts erupted in the square, even more intense and more sincere than those during the previous "warm welcome":

"Your Majesty is wise!"

"Long live the Illuminati! Long live the Alliance City!"

"We swear to follow His Majesty to the death! To purge the rebels! To restore our land!"

Some minor nobles and local officials were even moved to tears, as if they had seen a glimmer of hope in the chaos of war. Lord Vito and others quickly composed themselves, adopting the most humble and submissive expressions, and led the chanting of slogans.

Zion Capo stood on the steps, bathed in the uneven but powerful roar of voices.

He knew this was just the beginning.

Atie's actions and the military equipment successfully established his initial authority as the "spokesperson of the Illuminati" in the capital and even in all places where news could be quickly transmitted.

Fear and greed are the most powerful catalysts for domination.

But he knew even better that the real challenge was just beginning: the deeply entrenched nobility.

Although many prominent families attended this recruitment drive, very few were actually accepted...

At that time, the reason given by the Illuminati for rejection was also very tactful. They simply told them that because this was the first batch, they would be extra strict, but there would be more recruitments later.

Of course, the Illuminati was actually a perfunctory affair. After the first batch was eliminated, it became very difficult to recruit for the second and third batches, and even then, it was very difficult to get any more members...

Now, Zion Cabo needs to make good use of the double-edged sword of Atie and the tiger skin of the Light, carefully building his own power fortress on the ruins of people's hearts.

Zion Cabo's iron-fisted return was like a boulder thrown into the stagnant waters of Britain, its ripples quickly spreading to every corner of the empire.

The bloody shock and display of superior military equipment in the Royal Capital Square were relayed to the castles, manors, and towns occupied by various factions via the fastest carrier pigeons and fast horses.

The effect is immediate.

The order in the capital was superficially and quickly "restored" under high pressure.

The curfew was strictly enforced, and any voices that openly questioned the king's authority or the Alliance City were silenced.

The officials who had been terrified in the square suddenly became more efficient than ever before.

The mountain of official business was dealt with swiftly, and overdue taxes were urged to be paid. Although most of the money ended up in the hands of factions loyal to Zion Cabo, at least the national treasury began to show a slow increase.

Locally, the reactions varied.

Some weaker, already wavering nobles, upon receiving news from the capital, almost immediately dispatched envoys with letters of allegiance and "tribute," traveling day and night to the capital to pay their respects.

They keenly sensed the change in the wind direction, and fear overcame their hesitation.

Zion Cabo kept part of his promise, giving these "wise men" a warm welcome, symbolically rewarding them with some less important Alliance City aid, and promising to allocate armaments to them in the future based on their "performance".

This was enough to make these minor lords grateful and happy to return to serve as grassroots tentacles of the new Zion regime.

However, the real test comes from those powerful nobles who hold sway over their territories and have deep-rooted influence.

Duke Horton of Frostwolf Keep in the North is one of the oldest and most powerful lords in the kingdom.

His territory was vast and rich in minerals, and he possessed over three thousand well-equipped private soldiers. His castles were fortified, and he consistently disobeyed royal orders.

After Sion's envoy arrived at Frostwolf Keep carrying his appointment as a "special envoy" and an invitation to "share military power and maintain order,"

They didn't even get to see Duke Horton, only receiving an arrogant reply from the butler: "Frostwolf Castle only recognizes the Lion Banner, that is, the former King William, and knows nothing about the Alliance City. Your Excellency is unwell and cannot receive you."

This is blatant resistance and provocation. In fact, even during Boudica's time, the Duke of Houghton never expressed loyalty, only opposition!

This Duke of Houghton can be considered a staunch conservative...

Their current attitude can be considered a rejection... which is completely different from before.

However, at that time, the Horton family was located in the north, in a very remote geographical location, so there was no need to attack them. Boudica also had many other things to deal with... Therefore, Boudica never bothered with it.

Boudica at that time decided to first pacify the internal situation and then deal with external threats...