The Villain Princess survived the Imperial Riot

Page 72

You have to understand that the Iron Army is not here for nothing, and the military expenses still have to be paid by local lords and dignitaries.

Therefore, even if there might be traces of free will, local authorities would rather turn a blind eye and conceal the incident, hoping that the rebellion will be exposed elsewhere. After all, they have been doing business with old friends for ten years, and it seems somewhat unkind to expose themselves on old friends' territory.

As time went by, the rebels openly expanded their power throughout Yunling. The stronger the rebels' influence became, the more the lords and local bureaucrats dared not say a word. If the rebels were kept fat and strong, even if the empire did not punish them, the exponentially growing military expenditures due to the size of the rebels would crush them into a pulp under the mountains.

The leader of the rebel group Ji Fengqiu is a relatively honest man. Even though the flags of rebellion were raised all over Yunling, he remained inactive, thanks to the master's good strategy.

As luck would have it, the military district general sent out such a light cavalry battalion because he saw that this place was calm and had a rugged terrain, making it very suitable as the burial place for Tingsen's daughter.

As a result, before the Iron Army had time to choose a good feng shui site for Noel Tinson, the rebel leader who received the news thought that his "old friend" had finally lost his patience and was going to stab him in the ribs, so he simply took the initiative.

This Iron Army had only a few thousand men, with at most two hundred ratmen, a thousand horses, and a hundred or so mixed-blood griffins. He, the commander-in-chief of this place for ten years, already commanded tens of thousands of men. With a ten thousand-to-one advantage, and the home-field buff, I had the advantage. Why not unleash a brilliant strategy and ambush the Iron Army?

The outcome was quite impressive. Apart from sixteen Iron Knights and forty-two Skaven who were injured by the landslide, the Iron Army suffered no substantial losses.

The ambushed rebels were no match for the Griffin Knights' high-altitude bursts of fire, and a seemingly unceremonious massacre concluded. The only ripple was the rebel leader, a master of the realm of blade cultivation, using his esoteric skills to hold out for a few more minutes before being disemboweled by several high knights, whose abdomens were filled with explosives and then suspended high in the air, ignited with fireworks.

"The valley where the rebels are hiding is a good place. We'll set up camp there tonight," Mines said to Clara. "I'll call a meeting of all the officers. They're all trusted confidants of the Crusaders promoted by the general, and they're quite capable of being used. Also, there are ten cans of concentrated rune explosive buried in the conference room, enough to collapse the entire mountain road and separate us from the troops."

Although the inside story behind this mission was "eradicating the worms," Mines, as a High Knight, sincerely believed that a High Knight, so loyal, brave, and blessed by destiny, would never be bewitched by worms, let alone become one themselves. Therefore, in the eyes of the mission's executors, this was clearly a political assassination with a clear purpose.

The situation in the palace is turbulent and unpredictable. The High Knights do not participate in politics, but who to support and who to be loyal to is a knowledge bestowed by the God-Emperor.

Murdering Tingsen's legitimate daughter was no small matter, especially since the man was no ordinary person, his realm even slightly superior. Therefore, Mines was determined to do his best, leaving no clues, and making it impossible for his soldiers to learn the truth.

"Thank you for your trouble." Clara nodded.

"As followers, it is our duty to work for Tianlong." Mines lowered his head modestly.

The Knight Commander before him was no ordinary "Knight Commander," but a Knight Commander of the High Knights. Although his rank was equal to his, his position within the Iron Cross was far superior.

When it comes to serving Tianlong as a dog, he is a hero among dogs who only eat meat and steak.

Night fell quickly. The Iron Army's camp was located in a remote valley in Silent Wind Hill. This was originally a small town controlled by the rebels, and now there were no living people except those in the Iron Army.

The blood was filled with smoke and the aroma of wine.

Imperial soldiers were warlike and aggressive, and their alcohol tolerance was no less than that of the Russian herdsmen, causing just as many incidents. Therefore, the Iron Army restricted alcohol consumption, and except for officers, soldiers were only allowed to drink in small amounts with permission.

And tonight, Captain Reinhardt showed some mercy by emptying the town's wine cellars and holding a grand banquet to celebrate this outstanding battle, which could be considered a small or a big one.

In the meeting hall at the mountain pass, seven officers were seated around a long table. Not all of them belonged to Mines Reinhardt's men, but were "his own men" drawn from various quarters for this mission.

Mines sat at the head, opposite Noel Tinson, while Clara dozed against the door with her arms folded.

The nine people present all watched in silence, and in the distance came the sounds of soldiers celebrating happily, and the beautiful sound of military music played by organs and drums.

The meeting room was surprisingly quiet and no one spoke.

After a long pause, Noel Tinson smiled formally and said, "What's the matter, everyone? Is there some topic that I should avoid?"

"No, this is an issue that requires your participation." Clara said in a deep voice at the door.

"Your Excellency, Knight Commander?" Noel Tinson looked back curiously. "So, what's the topic?"

"Your execution and the aftermath."

"Oh?" Noelle narrowed her eyes, her wine-red hair fluttering slightly in the dead air. "I wonder what crime I've committed that would require the military to secretly execute a High Knight?"

"The Sin of the Worm," Mines Reinhardt said softly, his face flushing slightly. "You have heard the bewitching influence of that evil heretic and have betrayed the faith and path of the God-Emperor."

"Shouldn't the Inquiry be the one to decide whether I'm guilty? At the very least, it should be a military court. What does it have to do with you?" Noelle raised his voice and questioned.

"Hello, Major Tinson," a slender officer said coldly, "I am Lucas Stein, the Chief Prosecutor of Cloudtop City. I will leave all records as a witness. The Empire will not wrongly accuse any good person, and certainly will not let any bad person go."

Noelle's eyes darkened. She scanned the officers present and realized she didn't recognize many of them. She then demanded, "You can always find a pretext to accuse me. If you say I'm a worm, then I'm a worm. How many of you have ever seen a real worm?!"

All esoteric practitioners who possess the inheritance know of the existence of worms and the temptations they face when roaming the Dream Realm. However, true worms are far rarer than esoteric practitioners and are active in the Dream Realm. Unless one is a esoteric practitioner who specializes in investigating and studying worms, they may never encounter one until their death.

As for bewitching, who among those who wander in dreams is not under the influence of bewitching?

There are indeed cases of secret practitioners being parasitized by worms or transformed into worms, but those secret practitioners are often at a low level and can easily be seduced in their blind pursuit of the Tao. Secret practitioners who have reached the realm of enlightenment are all people with hearts as strong as rocks. How could they fall easily?

This is no longer the era before the Corruption War when everyone was in danger. The Worms have declined for thousands of years and are far less threatening than the Chaos with countless remnants.

"We all understand, Major Tinson." Lucas Stein glanced at the other officers, then calmly looked at Noelle, his expression righteous and awe-inspiring. "But after examining all the sufficient evidence, you will be the Worm Incarnate. If you are truly innocent, then tie your hands and feet. I will seal you and bring you to the interrogation center for a soul search and dream search. Then I will prove everything."

"Ridiculous! Tying your own hands and feet? Do you know who you're talking to?" Noel Tinson laughed instead of getting angry. "Everyone knows how the censorship distorts right and wrong. If you have evidence, bring it out now and let everyone here bear witness!"

"The investigators said they have evidence, so there is as much evidence as they want, but you can't see it." Stein clasped his fingers together, looked at the talented daughter of the Tinson family, and sneered in his heart.

"Your Censorate is so powerful that anyone dares to slander you—"

"Alright, Major Tinson, stop looking. No one will stand with you." In the end, it was Mines who made the final decision. "Even if we want to slander you, what does it matter? I'm sorry, you have to die here."

Slandering a high knight as a worm is too shameful and will ruin the reputation of all high knights. Mines has to save some face after all, and there are no outsiders present, so he might as well say it openly.

He thought he could see anger, unwillingness or fear on Noel Tinson's face, but the other party showed an abnormal sneer.

"So, the military's assignment was a trap specifically targeting me?" Noelle calmly turned her head and looked at Clara at the door. "Since the celebration, the princess's mood has indeed changed drastically, forcing me to adjust many of my plans... When did she realize this?"

"You admit it?" Even Clara was a little surprised. If it weren't for Noelle's sudden change in temperament, Clara would have almost thought this was a political assassination. Noelle was her token of complete allegiance to the Sixth Princess of the Empire.

This was also the reason for the silence among those present. The High Knight was not without emotion; killing a colleague for political reasons was indeed damaging to his reputation.

"So what if it is, so what if it isn't, didn't that little dragon already arrange everything for me? But how could she know that I arranged it for her—"

Noelle was about to leap up when invisible shackles suddenly filled his entire body.

The arm with the drawn sword fell on the table, as if it was weighed by a thousand pounds. She raised her head, only to see a short staff symbolizing power slipping out from under Stein's shawl, and he recited aloud.

"Whoever listens to false words will become fuel for the Hell Fire."

In an instant, Noelle's blood vessels swelled, and a blazing fire burned from the inside out. All seven of her orifices were glowing, as if burning her body to charcoal.

The two tall knights responded, striking left and right. Their palms, forming seals, struck Noelle's burning cheeks like the sound of bells. With a resounding hum, Noelle broke free at the crucial moment. Their palms clashed, the residual force shattering the entire stone wall of the conference hall.

In the violent movement, Mines climbed over the heat wave and the long table. Chains with shining runes suddenly emerged from his sleeves, and he thrust his noose-like jabs towards Noelle's forehead.

Pierce their flesh and penetrate their spiritual marrow. If the strike hits the target, you can directly bypass the protection bestowed by the God-Emperor and pull out the opponent's soul.

But Noelle stubbornly resisted the shackles, dragged his bones that were cracking all over his body, and hit Mines' temple with his backhand, with a force like thunder.

"You think this—"

"Then—"

"Put me—"

Nuoyi'erming was still running fast in the fire, her body in a state of dying. She grabbed Minnesota's neck and was about to knock him out of the conference room.

However, her body was frozen in mid-air, not because of the restraint of the barrier, but because a large brown hand was holding her head.

"boom!"

Clara knocked it to the ground with her bare hands.

"boom!"

Under the unmatched power, Noelle was like a leaf swaying in the wind and rain, and could only be at its mercy.

Clara swung her like a chain hammer, constantly smashing deep holes in the ground.

"Buzz!"

There was a muffled sound, and Noelle bent her waist and wrapped herself around the Knight Commander's arm like a snake. She was still burning, but not a drop of blood was flowing. Her flaming red lips were open like a poisonous snake spitting out its tongue.

"I have the strength, but it's still a little lacking..."

Before Noelle could finish her words, Clara stuffed the canister of concentrated rune explosives into her mouth and dragged her into the deep pit.

"Reinhardt, light the fire!" she shouted.

"Roger that!"

First there was a bit of brilliant smoothness, and the air in the entire conference hall suddenly contracted, and then it expanded violently.

All the officers present were in a defensive posture, except for one who ran out regardless of everything.

"Fuck you! I'm not a high knight!!" Stein lost his composure and coldness. He lunged outward like a wild dog. The expanding heat wave blew him off several hilltops. The remaining sound was drowned out by the piercing explosion. "You beasts—"

Brilliant and glorious.

Volume 66: The Dreamer: . High Knight (II)

Thick smoke filled the sky, rocks fell, and the violent explosion shattered half of the mountain. The shaking earth caused serious avalanches within a radius of several miles, and the collapsed mountain road formed an insurmountable barrier.

"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!"

The soldiers who were drinking and singing immediately entered combat mode, but it was pitch dark, and even if there were magicians on board to illuminate, it was difficult to find out the direction of the attack for a while.

"Where's the Griffin Knight? Find the enemy's location immediately!"

"The Griffin Knight left for the nearest town an hour ago to resupply and won't be back until at least tomorrow morning!"

"Damn it, report the casualties--"

"Major, where is the Major—"

"Be patient." An elegant sergeant wearing a monocle walked into the tent where the junior officers were gathering.

"Advisor!"

"Quickly gather your respective forces and garrison in place. The rest of you just wait for instructions."

"But the Major and the others..."

"Excuting an order."

"Yes!"

……

At the other end of the collapsed wall, an explosion blew away countless pieces of rubble, and buried steel bodies stepped out from all directions.