CHAPTER 679: CHAPTER 5: TWILIGHT OF THE EMPIRE

The makeshift Imperial Army within White River City had shown a resilience that exceeded Lord Solomon’s expectations.

Perhaps, realizing that the outcome of this battle would decide the fate of the Empire, these reinforcements from various parts of the Empire displayed unprecedented fighting spirit and unity.

Despite the assistance of two giant dragons, the battle had continued from dawn until dusk.

Bodies littered the city, clogging the streets. Family banners with various crests were discarded on the ground like trash, soaked with blood and mud, and the air was heavy with the stench of blood.

The Wing Tribe had paid a heavy price of nearly two thousand lives for their final victory.

This number had somewhat soured Lord Solomon’s expression.

The expeditionary force he had brought to the Bratis Continent totaled just under sixteen thousand men, and although they had seen consecutive victories in their campaigns, the nature of war, even in victory, meant casualties.

To date, he had lost over three thousand compatriots, and the army had sustained more than two thousand wounded; even if only a small portion had permanently lost their combat capabilities, it still instilled a sense of crisis in Lord Solomon.

He realized it was time to let his troops rest. Having captured Lion Heart Castle and won the battle of White River City, they had proven their strength and the Red Lion Empire’s vulnerability to the people of this continent.

Next, Lord Solomon would win over a group of powerful and ambitious lords, letting them continue the conquest of other regions, while he would also dispatch dragons for assistance.

However, the main force would focus on recuperation, engaging only in key battles.

As Lord Solomon was pondering his next moves, he saw his chief, Sigismund, approaching.

The "chief" was the one flying at the forefront, leading the direction for the army.

Only the ones with the most outstanding vision, the best endurance, and who were the bravest and most nimble could become the chief.

Sigismund looked grave. "Lord Solomon, Shajia has disappeared."

Solomon frowned upon hearing this, but replied, "He fought bravely in the recent battle. If he wants some entertainment afterward, let him have it."

"But I’m afraid the entertainment he’s looking for this time isn’t that simple," Sigismund said. "Not long ago, someone saw Shajia leaving White River City with a group of men, flying westward."

"Westward?"

"I asked the last person who talked to him. That person mentioned Shajia told him he was going to the Western Territory, looking for a lady named Ireya to avenge Moen and others."

"That fool!"

It was the first time Sigismund saw Lord Solomon so furious, his eyes even showed a hint of murderous intent. However, Solomon quickly regained his composure.

"How many did he take with him?"

"Seven warriors from the Golden Eagle Tribe, two close associates from the White Back Tribe, and four from the Owl Tribe, mostly his confidants."

Sigismund asked, "Do we need to adjust our strategy for Shajia, targeting the Western Territory next?"

"No need," Lord Solomon said, "let’s stick to the original plan, and spread the word that those who wish to pledge loyalty to us can come to Lion Heart Castle within a month. The first ones to arrive will be granted large tracts of land."

Sigismund nodded, but then couldn’t help but ask again, "Lord Solomon, do you really intend to let Shajia get away with everything? What if something happens to him? Lord Sibulun..."

"Lord Sibulun is not on the Bratis Continent," Solomon said. "Let him come here and accuse me of wrongdoing. Besides, the thirteen people Shajia took with him are all skilled hands."

"Even if they can’t kill the lady named Ireya, there shouldn’t be any danger," Solomon said. "We should still focus on more important matters."

......

Far away in Green Field, Miss Rabbit sneezed, wondering who was talking about her again.

Since she had made her feelings clear, the young girl felt her relationship with Merlin was warming up, but before she could rejoice, a series of disastrous news had bewildered her.

Lion Heart Castle had been taken over, and the next morning, Emperor Gars’s corpse was hanging on the city gate, and then, a little later, Miss Rabbit received news of a crushing defeat of the army at White River City.

It was said that out of a hundred thousand men, less than twenty thousand had escaped; the rest were either killed in battle or taken prisoner, including many nobles, with many families suffering heavy casualties.

The only thing that could be considered good news was that the ten thousand men led by Hels, because they were moving slowly, had not yet managed to reach White River City and thereby narrowly escaped the catastrophe.

Additionally, with the Elf Kingdom declaring war against the Empire, the dwarves on the other side of the Dragon Ridge Mountain Range grew restless as well, seeing the vulnerability of the Red Lion Empire and also wanting a share of the spoils.

However, without the wild tribes as allies, crossing the Dragon Ridge Mountain Range was not going to be easy.

Moreover, to save his own life, the Dwarf Prince Oli, upon his return, had fiercely praised Ireya and the Double Rest Sect to Dwarf King Herry, causing the king to grow wary of the lady.

Eventually, they decided to bypass the Dragon Ridge Mountain Range and instead launch an attack on Golden Valley, but the lords of Golden Valley were not easy to conquer.

The area was famously wealthy within the Empire, with lords generally very affluent and well-equipped (many of whom had bought weapons and armor from the dwarves), and the Campbell Family was known for their cunning and resourcefulness, predicting a fierce clash.

After taking stock, Miss Rabbit realized that aside from the Western Territory where she was and the even more remote Northern Territory covered in ice and snow, it seemed there was hardly any part of the Empire not involved in the war.

And the lady knew very well that the tranquility in the Western Territory was only temporary.

The Winged Tribe had set foot on the Bratis Continent with the intention of conquering it from the beginning, so no one could remain uninvolved.

Thus, the lady planned to summon her most trusted vassals and advisors to discuss their next moves the next time Li Yu arrived.

But what Miss Rabbit didn’t expect was that before Li Yu arrived, she would first encounter an unwelcome visitor.

"What, you mean to say that Duolin City has fallen?"

Miss Rabbit looked at the young Silver Moon Church priest standing before her, dust-covered and appearing to have traveled a long distance, puzzled, "Did the Wing Tribe launch a surprise attack on you?"

"No, it was Hirodod, Hirodod’s Blood Moon Association; they had been plotting for a long time and finally succeeded in inciting a rebellion within Duolin City."

The young priest’s eyes were red; in a hoarse voice, he said, "The thugs of the Blood Moon Association have now occupied Duolin City, killing six High Priests. Only Quintus the High Priest has escaped and has now gone to Rock Snow City to seek help."