Chapter 470: The Saintess

The Saintess's "Last Words"

The silver moon hung high, and the night was deep.

The South Gate of Dusk City opened outward with the creaking sound of the winch, leaving a gap only wide enough for two carriages to pass side by side, and a team of horses escorted a luxurious carriage out one after another.

The light of the torches jumped

The curfew in Dusk City had not yet been lifted; those who could leave the city at this time were either the Viceroy's confidants or nobles the Viceroy could not control.

However, no matter who that fellow was, they could not understand why this noble and important personage would choose to leave the city at such a time.

Although it was true that the siege of Dusk City had ended, those defeated rebels and rat-men would not simply vanish into thin air just because their banners had fallen.

This bunch of things that had sold their souls to Chaos would transform from organized bandits into unorganized bandits, and ravage the ordinary people on this land once more.

Now was the most chaotic time, just as the season of melting snow is colder than when it is snowing. At the very least, in the current Twilight Saint Saint Xingsheng, there was no place safer than Dusk City...

The joys and sorrows of humans are not shared.

In the eyes of the citizens of Dusk City, the disaster had ended, and Dusk City was naturally the safest place, but those who were clear-headed knew that everything had only just begun.

Count Theron Gard sat in his luxuriously decorated carriage, occasionally lifting the velvet curtain to peer outside.

In his entire life, he had never been so punctual, nor had he ever waited for others like this; today could be considered breaking a precedent...

At this very moment, one hundred light cavalry stood around his carriage. These cavalrymen were tall and sturdy, well-equipped, and exuded a sharp aura.

This was the Gard family's last reserve, and also Theron's last bit of confidence.

Theron waited patiently for a long time, and just as he was about to lose his patience, a capable figure finally walked out from the shadows outside the city.

"Lord Count, I have kept you waiting." Grega nodded slightly, his attitude still humble, but compared to when he was in the Viceroy's Mansion, there was a hint less awe.

"Hmph, as long as you know." Theron let out a cold snort from his nose, forcibly maintaining his noble airs, "Where are your men? Are they all ready?"

"Of course, please follow me."

Grega made a "please" gesture, turned around, and walked toward the depths of the night.

The motorcade stopped outside the city gate continued on its way, the sound of hooves striking the dirt appearing exceptionally clear in the silent wilderness.

They walked for about three miles when traces of campfires finally appeared on the distant plain, and Count Theron's brow could not help but relax slightly.

However, this sense of relaxation did not last long.

As the procession drew closer and closer to the camp, the expression on Theron's face gradually became subtle, and a trace of suspicion could not help but rise between his brows.

These tents...

Are there not too many of them?

It was not just the tents.

The curling smoke rising did not look like the food consumption for two thousand people at all; it looked more like an army of tens of thousands was stationed here.

The reason Theron felt this way was not because he had high military literacy, but purely out of "experience."

The army that had previously besieged Quemubao was about this size, and it might not even have been as many as this...

The procession stopped at the edge of the camp. Theron swallowed hard, poked his head out of the carriage, and looked at the mercenary leader who was leading the way, saying in a low voice.

"Mr. Grega, are you sure... that you are a mercenary group of two thousand people?"

Grega, riding on his horse, grinned.

"Of course, how could I not know my own brothers?"

Theron coughed.

"No, what I mean is, wouldn't it be a bit too many—"

"Please rest assured, Lord Count, I can guarantee you that by this time the day after tomorrow at the latest, you will be able to lie comfortably in the bedroom of your castle."

Before Theron could finish speaking, Grega interrupted him.

Not only that, but that respectful title had also unknowingly been replaced by a title of equals, even faintly carrying a hint of mockery.

Suddenly, a chilling possibility surfaced in Theron's mind, causing his fat body to tense up involuntarily.

His pupils trembled slightly, he coughed lightly, and said with shifty eyes.

"I suddenly remembered that we haven't signed the contract yet; I need to go back to the mansion in Dusk City to retrieve the seal—"

"No need to worry about that," Grega interrupted him again, the smile on his face bright and cold, "Miss Shala has already retrieved it for you."

The color on Theron's face drained away in an instant.

Shala?

Who is that fellow?

He racked his brains but could not remember where he had heard this name, and was even more bewildered as to how he had provoked that fellow.

However, soon, this matter was no longer important.

His gaze crossed Grega's shoulder, and right at the entrance of the so-called mercenary camp, he saw a familiar face.

That person was carrying a battle-axe on his shoulder, draped in a bear skin, his face full of banditry, and was grinning hideously at him in welcome.

"Praise Lord Shengxi, Mr. Count."

"We finally meet again..."

Facing the dense forest of raised muskets, the one hundred retainers were quickly disarmed and locked up separately in the deepest part of the camp.

There were far more than two thousand people stationed here; adding a zero wouldn't even cover it!

Looking at Theron, who had been scared into wetting his pants, Bulunnan did not make things difficult for him, but instead enthusiastically invited him off the carriage and took him for a stroll around the camp.

The time was already approaching autumn, and the weather had turned from hot to cool.

Being blown by the night wind on his backside, Theron only felt his legs trembling, and the smile on his face was uglier than crying.

He only hated Baron Aidejia.

If it weren't for that fellow slighting him at the banquet, how would he have listened to the slander of a villain and fallen into the hands of a group of bandits?

However, what he did not know was that Baron Aidejia's situation at the moment was not very optimistic either; it was just that everyone had their own worries.

His fate might not be a bad one.

He was already a pig placed on the table; who cares who raises it?

The King can raise it.

The Demon King can certainly raise it too.

Regardless of whether Theron's pants had dried or not, the "instructor" for all the Salvation Army intelligence personnel had already retrieved the seal of the Quemubao Count's territory for the respected Demon King.

The edge of the Salvation Army camp.

A slender black shadow appeared silently beside Luo Yan, knelt on one knee, and presented a gold-rimmed wooden box with both hands.

"My lord, I have obtained the item you wanted." Shala's voice was as cold as water, like moonlight scattered in the woods.

"Well done, Shala, get up and report."

Offering a casual compliment, Luo Yan lowered the hand he had behind his back, turned around, and took the gold-rimmed wooden box from Shala's hands.

The lid of the box opened, and a seal carved from black agate was seen lying quietly on the velvet cushion.

The beast-shaped knob of the seal had been smoothed by the passage of time, carrying a warm and moist texture. And beneath that ancient knob, one could faintly see the flow of magic light.

This seal carried the legal principles and glory of the Gard family for hundreds of years, although many things had now become a joke.

Luo Yan took the seal in his hand and examined it for a while, just as if he were examining an exquisite stone.

Shala rose from the ground and continued her report in a steady tone.

"As you expected, Theron Gard did not fully trust our people, but kept an eye out. Before leaving, he wrote a 'will' and entrusted it to his butler. If he met with misfortune on the way back to Quemubao, his eldest son would inherit his title, if they still had titles by then."

If Theron died, the Tribunal might not necessarily put him on trial; after all, he had already gone to see Lord Shengxi.

As for whether his children could keep their secular titles and territory, that would be another story.

"Where is his will?"

"I brought it."

"Very good."

Taking the Count's will from Shala's hands, Luo Yan took a simple look at it, and the corners of his mouth could not help but curl into a playful smile.

This will was written like a tragic song of heroic sacrifice, mentioning not a single word throughout about how Quemubao was lost, only how he fought wits and courage with the rebels.

Alas, the timing was unfortunate and the Campbell people did not help; Theron Gard had lost the castle after all. Those who didn't know would think he was a hero.

If the King wanted to make an issue of the Campbell people's affairs, perhaps he really could make use of his corpse; after all, praising the "Light of Praise" would only make him lose face, and rather than that, it would be better to praise a spineless pig.

The game between the Royal Family of Lei En and Grand Duke Aidehua had only just begun.

Perhaps this was the real reason Theron chose to take a gamble; he had already sensed that the Tribunal was on its way here. Being able to clean up his mess was naturally the best, but if that failed, dying heroically might not be an undignified ending.

Unless they really couldn't survive anymore, no noble of the Old Continent would willingly run to the New Continent to be neighbors with demons.

As for now.

Since this letter had reached the hands of the Demon King, all of Theron's precautions naturally became a joke.

"The will is written well, and it happens to be written by the person himself. If one day Theron feels he can do it again, just read this letter to him."

Luo Yan put the seal and the will back into the wooden box together, then handed them to Saintess Saintess Kalian, who was waiting respectfully by his side.

"Now the legal issue has been resolved. As for the next steps, just do as I instructed."

"Yes."

Saintess Saintess Kalian nodded obediently, then stretched out her hands to solemnly receive the wooden box, her lowered brows and eyes filled with piety.

The box was very light, but in her hands, it weighed more than a thousand jin. She knew that what was contained inside was the future of tens of thousands of Salvation Army soldiers, and also her own future.

Luo Yan nodded, then gave Shala a look that said "it's time to go home," and prepared to turn and leave this place.

The envoy of the Kingdom of Gu Taifu was still left hanging in Mingcheng, and Grand Duke Aidehua was also waiting there for his news.

And there was Ta Fu.

Recently, his strength had improved quite a bit, but he had never had the time to calm down and meditate to consolidate it.

Going back this time, it would be just right to eat some dragon eggs to supplement.

Looking at the back that was about to merge into the night, a sudden surge of strong reluctance rose in Saintess Saintess Kalian's heart, and she could not help but speak up.

"My Lord."

"What is it?" Luo Yan stopped his steps and turned back to look at her.

Under the moonlight, Saintess Saintess Kalian's figure appeared somewhat thin.

She held the wooden box, lowering her head, as if she had left everything to fate, deciding to speak only if the leaves of that sage plant were an even number.

Perhaps she had found it.

She raised her eyes, the moon in the sky reflected in her gentle pupils, and asked softly: "Where... do you plan to go next?"

Luo Yan thought for a while and said.

"Mingcheng, is there something the matter?"

Mingcheng...

She remembered that it seemed to be Princess Ailin's hometown.

"No, I just..." Saintess Saintess Kalian lowered her eyelids, not daring to meet the gaze of her god, a shallow smile of feigned ease appearing on her lips, "I just... perhaps I am a little envious."

This time, she did not leave the choice to the sage plant, nor did she wait for Prince Kelin's answer, but continued to speak as if talking to herself.

"I had never seen a God-Chosen before, always thinking they were just a group of people with more power, until I met her. I began to believe... that some people might truly be favored by the gods."

"Her moon will always shed its bright gentleness upon her when she needs it most. But some children have to walk a very, very long road in the boundless snow, walking for a very, very long time... and even so, they might end up with nothing."

"One day, the moonlight finally fell upon her as she ran desperately, yet perhaps it actually didn't come for her, just happened to pass by her side."

Her voice sounded like she was telling a story of a bard, and also like she was pouring out the emotions in her heart, carefully hiding her grievances in a smile of feigned ease.

She did not want the god who was watching her at this moment to interpret her pouring out as jealousy, even if her thoughts were indeed not as simple as they appeared.

She knew very well that her soul was as humble as a firefly, and being able to walk to this day was already a one-in-ten-thousand stroke of luck; she really had no qualifications to covet more.

But Saintess Saintess Kalian still wanted to say it.

On one hand, it was uncomfortable to keep it bottled up in her chest, and on the other hand... she was worried that if she didn't say it now, she wouldn't have the chance to say it later.

She was not Princess Ailin after all, lacking the luck and strength of a God-Chosen; perhaps she had used up all her luck just walking to this point.

Chaos was merely the shadow under the candlestick, while the Church was that vast, blazing sun.

Although she had easily said that phrase "I am willing to fight the Church for you," she also knew clearly in her heart that she might not live for very long.

But this actually didn't matter; she took life and death very lightly.

After all, her life was picked up in the first place.

These words sounded seemingly without beginning or end, and she never mentioned that woman's name throughout, but Luo Yan understood in an instant who she was talking about.

Actually, there was nothing wrong with what she said.

The "Prince Kelin" persona itself was tailor-made for the Campbell Principality, and Princess Ailin was just one of the characters on the stage.

By comparison, Saint Saintess Saintess Kalian's story was indeed something he had made up on the spot, but it wasn't to the point of feeling that a story made up on the spot couldn't compare to a carefully planned script.

After all—

Everyone was a chess piece of the Demon King, and the Demon King had another big game of chess in the distant hell. If this were to be compared all the way, when would it ever end?

Luo Yan thought so in his heart, but obviously, it was impossible to comfort someone like this, so he began to ponder how to answer this question gently.

Shala's face revealed a thoughtful expression, unexpectedly taking two extra looks at Saintess Saintess Kalian.

She had never liked any human beings other than the Demon King, and Saintess Saintess Kalian was certainly no exception, yet today she had looked at her with new eyes.

This fellow...

Might actually be a loyal subject.

"Sorry, for making you listen to so much of my grumbling that has nothing to do with your hegemony. You might think I am too greedy, narrow-minded, but actually... I just wanted to tell you that I know I am not a special existence; my existence is just an accident."

"However, please do not doubt my piety; I will follow in your footsteps as always. Because you are the only god who is willing to listen to my voice and reach out a hand to me, at least... even if it was accidental moonlight, it once illuminated me."

"I have finished speaking."

Saintess Saintess Kalian smiled embarrassedly, the regret of self-injury on her face quickly receding, once again transforming into unwavering gentleness.

Even if what she was about to face next was the Tribunal that could make a Count scared out of his wits, she would not have the slightest bit of fear.

"... You shouldn't talk as if you're leaving a last will and testament. Although I am a De... mage, I also have my own bottom line. I never let my people do things that are certain to die, and then say this is a necessary sacrifice. Including the things I entrusted to you, every one of my plans has undergone risk assessment. You can doubt my character, but you have to believe that I am professional in this regard."

That was close!

Almost let this woman trick him out of his last persona!

However, thinking about it, even if Saintess Saintess Kalian knew, she wouldn't be too surprised, only overjoyed to know another secret of the "Son of God."

Luo Yan suddenly felt that he was somewhat deeply guilty, always feeling that his retribution was coming soon, yet feeling that if it comes, let it come; anyway, he had too many debts to worry about.

Looking at that face that had flushed red because of some word, he left behind the last few warnings before parting in a concise and comprehensive voice.

"In addition, there is one thing I must correct you on."

"You are a very smart person, having guessed many of the implications I didn't say; you should feel proud instead of inferior."

"And, you are not a god, how do you know that you are not a person chosen by the gods, and not favored by some god in the dark?"

Without a doubt, "Saint Saintess Saintess Kalian" was favored by the gods.

Especially after seeing that angel who descended from the sky, every soldier of the Salvation Army believed it without a doubt.

Even including many citizens of Dusk City.

However, when people carried their luggage, full of ambition to join her command, she said a puzzling passage to everyone—

"Poor children, I am willing to respond to your prayers and bring down miracles for you to eliminate tangible sins. But when you point your swords at each other in my name, whose side should I stand on?"

"You are all my children."

She seemed to have said these words in the name of Lord Shengxi.

Thinking that Lord Shengxi had manifested, countless believers knelt down excitedly on the spot, but when they raised their heads again, the Saint who had been standing there had already disappeared.

The corrosion of Chaos had been dispelled, the war between gods had already come to an end, and what would appear next would be the secular kings.

Perhaps Lord Shengxi didn't know who to help either, so he sent down an oracle to take her away...

Winds and clouds were surging in Dusk City, and some people with keen senses had already caught wind of it.

There were rumors that the King's butler had loudly accused the Viceroy of treason at the victory banquet, questioning the impure motives of the Campbell Principality by pointing at the mulberry and cursing the locust.

He was right, but the premise of accusing others of impure motives was to assume one's own purity, but could the King be that kind of little white rabbit?

Fortunately, the current Princess Ailin was no longer the naive little girl she once was.

Her heart was already hard enough, just like her sword, and she would not feel ashamed just because she had been pointed at and cursed by an old fellow.

She naturally retorted without any politeness, scolding the sanctimonious Sikelai until he fainted on the spot.

The Campbell people were naturally not risking their lives for the King for free; most of them came here because of the Viceroy's promise regarding land.

These farmers who had lost their land just wanted a piece of land to farm, and it just so happened that the Twilight Saint Saint Xingsheng had large tracts of abandoned land.

They were willing to go there to reclaim wasteland, just as they had sailed down the river to the south of the Ten Thousand Swords Mountain Range to open up territory for the kingdom.

Now was the time for them to go against the current and serve the King!

However—

It was impossible for the King to let them have their way.

Anyone could farm this land, except for the Campbell people.

Because they really had a powerful principality behind them; they might just turn the Twilight Saint Saint Xingsheng into the Twilight Principality while farming.

A weak Twilight Saint Saint Xingsheng belonged to the Dewalu family, while a rich Twilight Saint Saint Xingsheng would only benefit the industrialists and businessmen of Mingcheng in the end.

It would be better to let it be weak.

On this matter, Baron Aidejia was actually flirting with the Campbell Principality...

Just when all forces were eyeing the cake that was about to be divided, the Salvation Army became the only outlier among all forces.

They did not participate in dividing the cake, but silently packed their bags and quietly left Dusk City... although they weren't at the table for dividing the cake in the first place.

Perhaps sensing the coming storm, Saint Saintess Saintess Kalian not only declined those believers who wanted to follow her, but also disbanded most of the army, retaining only the elite among them.

The disbanded soldiers were mostly farmers who were just making up the numbers.

These people were not professional soldiers to begin with; when they were risking their lives for the lord before, they fought when there was a war and farmed when there was nothing to do.

Now they had all been allocated their own land in the Quemubao territory, and in a few days, it would be the busy farming season, so it was time to go back and prepare for this year's harvest.

The Quemubao territory was different from other places; as long as they were honest, they could really pass this hurdle safely.

After all, thanks to the efforts of the "Holy Spirits," the churches burned down by Bulunnan had basically been rebuilt, and they were perfectly capable of handling inspections.

And the priests and nuns hiding in the castle were all intact, and had not suffered inhuman treatment because the city was broken.

As a repayment for saving their lives, those clergy promised the Saint that, for the sake of their belief in the same god, they would protect those farmers who had once forgiven them.

At the same time, this was also for themselves.

As for the elite retained by Saintess Saintess Kalian, some were intelligence personnel trained by Shala, others were former members of the greenwood army like Bulunnan, and people like Lei Deng who were deeply tied to the Salvation Army.

The farmers could go back to farm, but they could not go back.

And only when they left could others push all the problems onto them and then survive...

As for those intelligence personnel, they did not leave with Saintess Saintess Kalian, but were scattered in castles and villages under various identities.

Some were farmers, some were hunters, some were soldiers who had served the lord before, and some were servants in the castle.

They did not know each other, only contacted their superiors through a single line, and would only gather in a limited way when they had specific tasks.

As the eyes planted by the Salvation Army in the Quemubao territory, they were not only monitoring the movements of the Tribunal, but also a sharp sword hanging over the head of Count Theron.

On the first day this Count returned to the castle, the Salvation Army's intelligence personnel gave him a warning, placing a dagger under his pillow and replacing the red wine he drank at night with water.

Perhaps the Tribunal would not take long to arrive here to clear away the so-called evil, but they could not stay here forever.

The current Theron was already a lonely man.

And those who could kill him had only left here temporarily, not died.

At least until Saint Saintess Saintess Kalian was caught and burned to death by the Church, he could only choose to swallow his anger and hide his tail...

As for those Salvation Army elites who left with Saint Saintess Saintess Kalian, no one knew where they had actually gone.

Some said they were still in Dusk City and hadn't gone anywhere. Others said they went deep into the Ten Thousand Swords Mountain Range to train there and accumulate strength to fight against evil forces.

Still others said they fled to the northern border of the Kingdom of Luo De to spread the gospel of the "Son of God," and it seemed they had taken the "New Testament" bestowed upon them by the Son of God.

Perhaps they were all right, or perhaps those were just smoke screens.

Speaking of which, until now, no one had truly seen that "New Testament," just as most people had never flipped through the "Book of Holy Words."

However, what was different was that everyone was full of curiosity about that book.

Whether it was the farmers in the fields or His Excellency the Grand Duke far away in Mingcheng...

(End of chapter)