Chapter 341: Crushed at a Single Touch

Over these years, Marcelo had plenty of experience negotiating with Wali.

According to the usual procedure, they should have drawn up their formations, exchanged greetings, stated their respective demands, and finally engaged in long, friendly consultations.

But he did not expect that this time, they would not even have a chance to speak before the leading Knight brandished a longsword wreathed in flames and launched a charge at them.

Instantly, the sounds of slaughter rang out across the wilderness.

For Luoning, although Jiliu Island was not yet his, with Bruno's promise, it would certainly belong to him in the future.

In his territory, it was better to have more obedient people.

These thorns deserved to be disciplined.

Even if there was to be a negotiation, it would only begin after defeating them head-on.

The Knights brandished their longswords and launched a charge against this group of rebels.

Some of them came from the royal Knight Order, some were the Knight Squad from Jianjiao City, and others were the troops stationed on Jiliu Island year-round; each unit had received professional training and held a natural advantage over this group of rebels.

With the two Silver Knights, Kalada and Luqi, leading the way, the two sides presented a lopsided posture almost as soon as they made contact.

Pfft!

Clifford slashed a Knight charging at him with his sword and kicked away two others who pounced on him, a flash of panic in his eyes.

"No, staying here any longer means certain death!"

He did not hesitate any longer and fled rapidly toward the rear.

Just then, a sharp whistling of wind sounded, a shadow swooped down rapidly, and the Griffin's sharp claws aimed for his shoulder.

Clifford was a Golden Knight after all and possessed a certain amount of combat experience. Although he did not turn his head, he reacted instinctively, rolling on the ground and dodging the strike by a hair's breadth.

"A Griffin!"

Clifford was terrified; although some great nobles also possessed Griffins, the appearance of such a creature usually made people think of the Auduin Royal Family.

If Jiliu Island were a place of strategic importance or one that could bring significant economic benefits, the eyes of the great nobles would quickly turn toward it once trouble arose.

But this was a place for holding prisoners; although it had decent timber resources, the annual output was just so-so.

To the Kingdom, this income was like a drop in the bucket and could be compensated for from many other places.

He could not understand how, just as Jiliu Island had a little trouble, the royal family had sent people, and even a very precious Griffin Knight at that.

This was equivalent to playing poker, where you just played a three, and your opponent immediately threw down a royal flush; how was one supposed to play that?

Run, he had to run!

It was just that how could a human's speed compare to a Griffin's?

Moreover, just as Clifford was fleeing, a figure imbued with Extreme Speed Magic flashed in rapidly, the Yanliu Sword thrusting toward him.

In his panic, Clifford raised his sword to meet it.

Under the impact of the immense force, Clifford could not withstand this mighty power, and the longsword in his hand was sent flying.

Luoning's figure blocked his path: "I haven't heard of when the White Flower Society added a Knight of your strength; tell me your identity!"

The fact that the opponent had been able to repel the siege of Wali and several other Knights with a single strike just now showed that the opponent had strength exceeding Bronze grade, at least Silver grade.

But according to Wali's introduction on the journey, the White Flower Society's highest combat power was only Marcelo, a Bronze Knight; it was impossible for a Silver Knight to emerge in such a short time.

The repeated setbacks filled Clifford with despair; he released his full Battle Qi to form a frenzy like a continuous tsunami, rushing toward Luoning with unstoppable power.

He wanted to use this strike to repel Luoning and simultaneously break through the blockade to escape this place of trouble.

Even diving into the Shanlin was better than being captured.

Meilongnika, who was guarding the flank not far away, shifted his expression, "This is the Level 6 water-attribute Battle Technique Tidal Surge; this guy is a Golden Knight, Luoning is in danger."

Lulansi had arranged for him to come and protect Luoning, and he would not interfere in the latter's ordinary battles. However, once there was danger, he had to protect Luoning from harm at the first opportunity.

But just as he prepared to act, the fire compressed to the extreme burst forth from Luoning's Yanliu Sword, piercing through the opponent's surging frenzy like a flash of light and slamming into the opponent's armor.

Meilongnika's eyes flickered, his heart quite shocked.

"Luoning actually used the Level 6 Battle Technique Fire Flash; is he like that Kalada, able to use techniques above his level, or is he already a Golden Knight?"

It was unimaginable that the Marquis's eldest grandson, whom everyone had looked down upon, had now grown to such a degree.

In an instant, Clifford was heavily knocked flying, crashing hard enough to break several trees by the roadside before collapsing under a tree. As several mouthfuls of blood sprayed from his mouth, he had lost the strength to resist.

Luoning put away the Yanliu Sword and turned his gaze from the opponent to the battlefield.

At this moment, the battle was nearing its end.

In the recent round of slaughter, more than half of the White Flower Society's people were dead or wounded, and the smell of blood filled this Shanlin road.

With Clifford and Marcelo captured, the remaining people no longer had the courage to continue fighting, and they threw down their weapons one after another, kneeling on the ground to beg for mercy.

The Knights and Infantry placed their longswords against these people's necks, holding them in place.

Although there was no suspense in winning such a lopsided battle, there were still some casualties on this side, most of whom were Wali's subordinates, along with some members of the Jianjiao City Knight Squad; as for the dozen or so Professional Knights led by Mixi, they had suffered no casualties at all.

Wali had his men bring Marcelo before Luoning.

Looking at the thorn who had been fighting him for several years kneeling on the ground, a sense of satisfaction could not help but rise in his heart.

"Marcelo, standing before you is the Earl of Wubei Territory, Ronin Wushan, who has come to exterminate you under the orders of His Majesty the King!"

"Heh, now do you know how vulnerable the group of people you gathered is?"

Marcelo raised his head, looked at Luoning with difficulty, and snorted with dissatisfaction: "If you want to kill, then kill; don't show that disgusting face in front of me!"

Wali Knight wanted to curse a few times to vent his anger, but Luoning raised his hand to stop him.

"You have guts, but don't worry, we won't kill you."

His purpose in coming to Jiliu Island this time was just to earn some merit so that Bruno would have a reason to grant him a title.

Captives were the best proof of merit.

He would take Marcelo and these key personnel back to Jinyu City to report to His Majesty the King.

Luoning signaled for Tangmu and Dawei to carry the unconscious Clifford over.

"Before I interrogate you, I am very curious: who is this person?"

At this moment, the crowd turned their gaze toward the person Tangmu and Dawei had carried over. During the battle just now, not everyone had noticed Clifford.

A flicker of evasion appeared in Marcelo's eyes, and only after a brief silence did he say, "Like me, he is merely a descendant of criminals imprisoned on Jiliu Island."

Luoning looked at Wali Knight, "In other words, your intelligence was incorrect. Among the native-born people of the Jiliu Island White Flower Society, there is a hidden Golden Knight."

"Impossible, the White Flower Society cannot have a Golden Knight!"

Wali was very certain, "If they had a Golden Knight—no, even if they just had a Silver Knight—the last time I came to collect timber, this group of people would have dared to kill me and then seize the Jiliu Island pier!"

He looked at Clifford, who was still unconscious, his brows furrowed deeply: "This person's skin does not have the sallow color unique to Jiliu Island; I believe he is definitely not a person from Jiliu Island!"

Wali placed his longsword against Marcelo's neck, "Speak, who is he?"

Marcelo let out a cold snort and still did not answer.

"Since that is the case, let us first lock them up securely and conduct an interrogation after they wake up."

Luoning said, "Before that, we can thoroughly search the White Flower Society's territory to see if there are any suspicious places." (End of chapter)