Chapter 434: The True Winner

The Earl took his family and entourage and left the castle, a small cavalry escorting more than a dozen carriages, fleeing in panic towards Twilight City.

On the other side, the main force of the Salvation Army also marched mightily to the plain twenty kilometers away, where they set up a new camp.

And in contrast, in the siege camp outside the castle, only Thomas's caravan and the refugees living in divided areas remained.

The sun in the distance had already set, and everyone was waiting for the sun to rise tomorrow.

Sitting in his carriage, Thomas was restless, occasionally lifting the curtain to look towards Quemubao, his palms and back were covered in sweat, and his heart was full of nervous emotions.

He often warned himself that he was a merchant, not a gambler. Compared to the gains of a deal, the risks behind the deal were what he should consider first.

However, at the moment, he seemed to have been pushed into a high-stakes gamble where the gains and risks were completely impossible to estimate.

Would the Earl really leave? Or was this just a delaying tactic?

And the King of the Laine Kingdom, did he really not care about this territory, or was he deliberately letting these people kill each other for a while, and then come back to clean up the mess under the holy banner?

Anything could happen.

Including the provincial Viceroy who had been sitting still, the main force of the Green Forest Army watching like a tiger, and even the Imperial army stationed at the Brass Pass... it was impossible for them not to have noticed the chaos here.

Even they themselves—the Salvation Army—might have a force behind them that he couldn't imagine.

The people of the Twilight Saint Saint Xingsheng seemed to have their fate in their own hands, but it also seemed that their fate had never been in their own hands.

Of course, it was too far to say these things now.

Compared to the future of the Laine people here, Thomas obviously cared more about his caravan, and he had to prioritize his own life.

"Can't wait any longer..."

Thomas gritted his teeth, finally made up his mind, got off his carriage, and came to the carriage next to Mr. Prince Kelin.

This gentleman who was always calm was the same as before, just leisurely reading by the window, as if he were completely unaware of the tension and killing outside.

However, those lazy eyes seemed to have already seen through everything in front of him, and even saw the future not long from now.

"Prince Kelin... Lord."

He couldn't help but change his tone, saying softly and urgently, "The Salvation Army has lifted the siege of Quemubao, should we... pack up and leave?"

Luo Yan asked casually.

"Where do you plan to go after leaving?"

Thomas answered without thinking.

"Of course Twilight City! Isn't that what we came here for?"

Luo Yan nodded thoughtfully, closed the book in his hand, and said in a friendly tone.

"It's true that you came for this. However, are you sure that's where you want to find what you're looking for?"

Thomas was slightly stunned.

"What... do you mean?"

Luo Yan continued.

"Quemubao is just an Earl's territory around Twilight City, and the Green Forest Army's target here is more to march towards Twilight City. If you go there, you're just moving from a cage that has already been opened to a cage that is locked tighter. Since you are a person who does business, you should understand what I mean."

Thomas's face changed slightly, obviously understanding the deep meaning of this sentence immediately.

The lord's army might have a better-looking way of eating than the uprising farmers, but it definitely didn't mean kindness. If those guys really had that kind of thing, this chaos wouldn't have appeared in the first place.

By the time he reached Twilight City, his goods might not be his anymore, just like when he first met Bulunnan.

Thomas smiled bitterly, his voice dejected.

"Saint Xisi above... I've already started to regret doing this business."

This is not a place to do business at all.

Luo Yan didn't comfort him, but changed the angle and said.

"Then you might as well change your perspective. Perhaps it was the god in the dark who sent you here to help these poor people establish order. If you are a believer in the god in your heart from the bottom of your heart, and recognize the kindness you believe in, this can also be the most successful deal you've ever made."

Thomas was stunned when he heard this, and seemed to have some realization, and after pondering for a moment, he said in a low voice.

"Can you point me to a clear path?"

"It's very simple, you have two paths to take. Either keep going south, don't go to Twilight City, let alone stay here, cross the Torrent Pass in the southern part of the Twilight Forest, and keep walking to the Whirlpool Sea, to a place called Thunder City. Or stay here, continue to take in the starving people who come to seek refuge, and assist the household registration department of the Salvation Army to complete the registration of the identities of the starving people... continue what you are already doing, I think people will not forget what you did for them so quickly."

After a pause, Luo Yan continued with a smile.

"Of course, you can also stop while you're ahead, and go back with the remaining goods... I think you've made quite a lot of money, haven't you?"

On the way, he spent money to buy a lot of Thomas's goods as supplies to sponsor "Saintess Kalian" and the Salvation Army.

He is a person who pays attention to fairness.

Further back on the road, it is impossible for anyone to offer a price more beautiful than him.

After expressing his gratitude, Thomas left from beside Prince Kelin's carriage.

Although he didn't say his decision, he had already made a choice with his actions—this warm-hearted merchant began to organize the clerks in the caravan to appease the restless starving people because of the departure of the Salvation Army.

He was certainly not because of kindness or piety, but in terms of results, it was actually no different.

"Guys, don't worry, Saintess hasn't left you, she just left for a while to save more people!" Looking at the starving people gathered at the camp gate, Thomas stood on a wooden box and shouted to the crowd.

"Saint Xisi above... is there anyone more worthy of saving than us?" An elderly woman squeezed to the front and said in a trembling voice.

Thomas looked at her and nodded, saying in a gentle tone.

"Of course, there are quite a few people in the castle in front of you, they are obviously also people."

The night deepened.

Tafu, who was pretending to sleep on the cushion, yawned, glanced at the castle outside the carriage, and a flash of surprise flashed in her golden vertical pupils.

"They actually surrendered?"

Luo Yan turned a page of the book in his hand and said in a chatting tone.

"Otherwise? Fight with their neighbors?"

Tafu shrugged her wings.

"I'm just a little surprised, I thought you would summon a huge fireball and blast the city wall with a bang!"

"Why would I do that?"

Tafu yawned.

"Anyway, this is easy for you, isn't it?"

Luo Yan smiled noncommittally.

Whether it is easy or not depends on whether the designer of this castle considered bearing the attack of magic.

If it is a castle built of ordinary granite, just a few meteorite falls on the load-bearing structure are enough.

But if it is considered that it may be attacked by mages in the design, and a large amount of obsidian and other materials with anti-magic properties are added to the city wall... then let alone him, even a demigod would have to spend some effort.

But these are not the point.

The point is that whether it is transcendent power or the power of gods, it can only solve part of the problem, and cannot solve all the problems.

The night was silent.

The next morning, when the sun climbed over the treetops again and sprinkled light on the crenels of the castle, the mighty Salvation Army also returned to the camp outside the castle at the same time.

People cheered for their arrival, praising them for really not abandoning themselves.

The people on the castle were the same.

Although they didn't cheer, they just stood there silently, but what was printed in their eyes was clearly not fear and anxiety, but the expectation after the gate opened.

Kalian came to the front of the formation, without weapons, just looking at the city wall calmly, waiting for the defending soldiers to fulfill yesterday's agreement.

Lei Deng took a deep breath, squinted at the direction of the sun, and gave the final order.

"Open the city gate!"

When hearing this sentence, everyone's heart breathed a sigh of relief.

Including Kalian under the city, and Bulunnan and the generals of the Salvation Army waiting in full battle array.

"... Never expected them to be so trustworthy." A thousand-man commander muttered softly.

The thousand-man commander who was clamoring for a decisive battle in the military tent earlier curled his lips and said stubbornly.

"Consider them sensible... it saved us a lot of effort."

Bulunnan looked at the soldiers behind him and lowered his voice.

"Remember what I said yesterday, be restrained when you enter the castle in a while, don't look around with your eyes, don't stretch your hands, don't hurt anyone, don't be like a bandit who hasn't seen the world... for the sake of the Saintess, we are the Salvation Army, do you all remember?"

"Yes!" Everyone's expression tightened and responded immediately.

Actually, there is no need for the boss to mention this sentence.

After experiencing so many things, they had long been accustomed to their new identity.

This is much more interesting than being a bandit.

With the support of the gods, they have wine and meat every meal, and enjoy people's worship.

Unlike before, they had to dig food from the broken walls, and be looked at by people like devils, as if they were not as good as those nobles... Obviously, the things they grabbed were not as good as one-tenth of what those nobles took from people.

Accompanied by a heavy and long creaking sound, the drawbridge that had experienced several months slowly fell and hit the moat that separated the two worlds.

The siege ended here.

Led by Lei Deng, the soldiers in the castle put down their weapons and walked out.

Kalian, accompanied by Bulunnan and a group of soldiers, stepped forward and came to the gatehouse of the castle.

Lei Deng drew the long sword from his waist, looked at it in front of him for a while, and then handed it over horizontally without any regret, handing it to the so-called "Saintess".

"This sword symbolizes the control of nearly a hundred kilometers of land on both sides of the Torrent River, and also symbolizes the castle behind me... Devaluo I handed it to the ancestor of Sailong·Gade, and now I transfer this glory and responsibility to you on behalf of Sailong·Gade."

Kalian nodded slightly, and took the long sword that was too heavy for her with both hands.

"Thank you for your recognition."

"I didn't recognize you, I just fulfilled my promise."

Lei Deng curled his lips slightly.

He was a platinum-level knight after all, even without a title, he had his own dignity.

The soldiers behind him might not be able to see the identity of this woman, but he saw it at a glance. This guy is just a village girl who looks a bit beautiful. Any nun found in the castle is more knowledgeable about the Holy Word Book than her, and knows more about how to pray and bless than her.

"... We were not defeated by your army, nor by your kindness, but lost to the god behind you."

Bulunnan narrowed his eyes slightly, and his hand had unconsciously placed on the axe handle.

This knight master probably slept stupidly, forgetting his current situation.

Just a platinum-level knight, although he only broke through to the platinum level not long ago, his axe was not necessarily unfavorable! Noticing Bulunnan's gaze, Lei Deng did not retreat at all, and stared back without blinking.

Sailong would be afraid, but he wouldn't.

Dying on the battlefield was supreme glory for him, he had already fulfilled his oath, and he wished this guy would pull out the axe and let him see who was stronger.

Just as the two were at daggers drawn, Kalian suddenly opened her mouth to interrupt their dispute.

"You are right, you really didn't lose to us on the battlefield."

Lei Deng was stunned for a moment, and cast an unexpected gaze at her, seemingly not expecting that she, who had the advantage, would make a concession.

However, in Kalian's view, this was not a concession, what he said was the truth.

If there was no divine intervention, the moat beside her would never be as clear as it is today, it must have been filled with the blood of farmers and soldiers.

What they finally got was just a pile of rotten stones, and a pile of corpses that could only be left to rot.

Just when Lei Deng was at a loss, Kalian continued in a gentle tone.

"Whether you recognize me or not has nothing to do with it, I don't have any other identity or title, I am just a nun serving God."

"However, I still want to say that God Himself is the embodiment of everyone's will. And this so-called everyone is not just the people behind me, but also the people behind you, and the Earl who has already fled."

"And this, of course, includes yourself."

Bulunnan had been dizzy by these words.

Honestly, his brain couldn't handle such complicated things, he would rather carry an axe and fight with the knight in front of him, repair that elm head well, and let this guy recognize the reality.

However, Lei Deng standing in front of Kalian was awakened from a dream, and a stormy sea was set off in his heart.

God is the embodiment of everyone's will.

That is to say... the fall of Quemubao today is not the will of any god.

But the "common wish" in their hearts brought them all the way here.

"... Never expected that my knot would be untied by a rebel nun. Hehe, I suddenly recognized you a little, perhaps you really heard the oracle."

At least, a village girl can't say these words.

Nuns can't either.

A bitter smile appeared on Lei Deng's face, but behind that smile was more relief.

He still couldn't be sure whether this so-called "Saintess" had really seen God's grace, but she did hear the voices in everyone's hearts.

Whether it was told to her by God, or she heard it herself.

Kalian smiled at him.

That was not because of his repentance or submission, but because she was sincerely happy that he could walk out of the castle in his heart.

"Then what is your choice?"

Lei Deng smiled ironically.

"Choice? Why do you ask me. I am your prisoner, what choice can I make."

Kalian shook her head gently, correcting his statement.

"I didn't capture you, nor did the Salvation Army behind me. If you are still loyal to your lord, you can ride a horse to follow his footsteps now, including the soldiers behind you."

When she said this, she paused for a moment and continued.

"But if you choose to serve the god in your heart, and admit that the will of God is the will of everyone, then I hope you can take protecting your people as glory from now on, instead of enslaving them in the name of God."

"No matter which King you are loyal to."

Lei Deng's body shook slightly, raised his depressed head, and cast an incredible gaze at Kalian again.

At that moment, he, who was lost, suddenly realized his destiny, and finally understood why this Saintess came to him when he was lost.

Undoubtedly—

It was God who sent her!

And the answer in his heart was also obvious.

Rather than being loyal to the worldly King, it is better to serve the god who pities them.

"Your Highness, no King can compare to you... at least on this land under my feet."

He knelt on one knee and offered his own sword.

"The sword passed down from generation to generation by the Kehitier family has been wielded for the lord who betrayed the people, and I have understood this shame. If it can still fight for the innocent, that will be its supreme glory."

Kalian took the sword in his hand, the weight of the two swords had made her body a little unbearable, she was just a mortal without transcendent power after all.

However, she was not crushed in the end, because her belief was not inferior to anyone present.

She handed the sword symbolizing the castle to Bulunnan, then drew the long sword she was holding in her arms, used all her strength, and placed it on his shoulder.

"... I think the people of the Twilight Saint Saint Xingsheng will accept the loyalty of you and your family."

That fair face turned red, she held her breath and said in a low voice.

"Hold it for me, I... can't hold it anymore."

Lei Deng was stunned, and then remembered how heavy his sword was. Before the Saintess fell down, he hurriedly took the sword over.

The long-standing siege ended, the Salvation Army took over Quemubao, and raised the holy flag on the city tower.

As for the ten thousand defending soldiers in the castle, some chose to return to their fields, and some chose to follow the Saintess and join the Salvation Army.

Among these ten thousand defending soldiers, three thousand were the lord's standing soldiers, belonging to professional soldiers, and seven thousand were conscripted farmers, including serfs and free men.

Excluding those combatants, there were more than twenty thousand families of soldiers in the castle, as well as clergy of the church, and various people of various identities.

Although these people were not warriors, in the moment of life and death, everyone could become a soldier.

It is foreseeable that if they really fought, the Salvation Army might eventually win, but it would definitely not win so easily.

After settling the surrendered soldiers and their families in the castle, Bulunnan came to the Lord's Hall.

Standing in front of the huge stained glass window, he overlooked the wilderness that had returned to tranquility outside the castle, his expression complex, and his heart filled with emotion.

At this time, Kalian walked into the Lord's Hall, stood not far behind him, and declared in a gentle voice.

"The three wishes you made have been completed, and the food in the castle and the camp is enough to fill your granary. And the gate of this castle has also been opened to you, the holy light behind me did not break its promise."

Bulunnan turned around and was silent for a while.

"Are you planning to leave?"

Kalian answered softly.

"This depends on the guidance of the holy light."

She had already sworn poverty in front of God, and served her God for the rest of her life, and she believed that this was the premise for that God gentleman sitting in the carriage to take her away from hell...

If she betrays her oath, fate will eventually take away everything she has, and let her return to that hell.

It is precisely because of this that she has no interest in the glory and power that are within reach.

This can be called fanaticism, or it can be called a kind of sobriety. She knew very well that she was not a "Saintess", nor did she have enough power to bear those things that did not belong to her.

However...

Although she thought so, the people around her could no longer leave her.

Bulunnan's expression became more and more complex.

He originally planned to change the flag back once the castle was broken, but now... let alone his subordinates, even he himself didn't want to go back to the days of the past.

It's ironic to say.

Just a few days ago, he was still thinking about whether to tear up this contract, but now he is reluctant to let it end.

"Our contract hasn't ended yet..." he opened his mouth after a long silence, "My wish is to fill our granary with food, but I didn't say... how big this granary is, and how long it will be filled."

After a pause, he continued with a hard scalp.

"There are still many people in the Twilight Saint Saint Xingsheng who are suffering from hunger, including my brothers before, and there are eleven other righteous armies like us... I think they are also part of us, and the we I said also includes them."

When he said this, he blushed himself, feeling that this statement was a bit greedy and sophistry.

However, Kalian didn't laugh at his wish, just smiled gently and said.

"I'm glad you feel this way, although such a contract shouldn't be signed with me or the god behind me, but with the people beside you."

"But we don't know where to go! And you happen to know, why don't you lead us to continue walking?"

Bulunnan couldn't help but step forward, his voice excited.

"We will continue to use the banner of the Salvation Army! Those knight masters can't see your power, but I can! Your Highness, we are willing to follow your footsteps! We can build a world without hunger together, right on this land under our feet!"

Facing that sincere and even fanatical gaze, Kalian was silent for a while and said honestly.

"I can't answer your question, but I think the god I serve has heard your request... Please give me some time, I am also waiting for His guidance."

It's a pity.

On this road that no one had ever imagined, she didn't know where their future was. ===== CHAPTER 435 =====