Chapter 248: You lied to me!

After the dark creatures entered the castle, the pace of slaughter quickened.

Within just over ten minutes, the shouts and roars inside the castle gradually fell silent.

According to the report from the Stormhawk Squad, no obvious combat remained on the castle walls or in the courtyards—clearly, the fighting had moved deep into the inner keep.

Gervas no longer delayed; he immediately acted.

Tonight, besides eliminating Pa Ke, the most important task was to seize Pa Ke's viscount castle's wealth.

So, these tasks must also be completed before dawn.

"Begin the operation!"

"Yes, my lord!"

Upon receiving the order, Knight Mi Gen indeed rushed out first, just as he had promised.

Gervas said nothing; he led his three hundred infantrymen right behind him.

Arriving before the castle gate, they found the breach covered in claw marks—the thick iron plating, three to four millimeters deep, was riddled with scars.

Creak!

The gate was opened from within by Knight Mi Gen.

"My lord, everyone in the courtyard is dead!"

"Spread the word—stay alert!"

There were still some sounds coming from within the castle, so danger still existed.

Saying this, Gervas led his troops streaming inside.

The front courtyard before them was drenched in blood—everywhere lay the corpses of dark creatures and torn soldiers.

Roar!

At that moment, a roar came from a skull soldier lying on the ground, baring its teeth at Gervas.

Crack!

Knight Mi Gen stomped down, crushing the skull outright. "Damn thing, you're just a head left and still acting tough!"

Thus, the Storm Army advanced toward the inner keep.

The corridors of the inner keep resembled the front courtyard—everywhere were traces of battle.

Some dark creatures were spotted, but since they were isolated, they were slashed into pulp the moment they drew near.

Confirming no major threat remained, Gervas ordered Knight Mi Gen and Lei Meng and the other knights to split up with the soldiers and search for survivors.

He himself waited in the parlor.

Their primary search targets, of course, were Pa Ke and his two vassals.

Not long after, word came: Pa Ke, with his last group of followers, had retreated to the rear garden and was engaged in final combat against the dark creatures.

Gervas immediately rushed there upon hearing the news.

When he arrived at the rear garden, he indeed found fierce combat still raging ahead.

The two sides consisted of dozens of dark creatures and over a dozen humans—Pa Ke was among them.

Gervas did not rush forward; he ordered his men to encircle the rear garden, then waited as the battle unfolded.

The strongest among the dark creatures was a third-rank Carrion Gray Wolf.

Its body length reached over four meters, height one point eight meters.

And this thing could only be killed by crushing its brain.

Thus, Pa Ke had to face it personally.

Even so, the dozens of torn corpses scattered around proved just how powerful this Carrion Gray Wolf was.

And Gervas understood now why the castle's sturdy gate had been torn open.

It had been shredded by this three-rank Carrion Gray Wolf with its claws.

Of course, the Carrion Gray Wolf had achieved great results—but it bore many wounds too.

Dozens of longswords and spears were embedded in its body; its head and limbs were covered in deep gashes.

Gervas thought for a moment, then gave Knight Mi Gen an order; Mi Gen swiftly departed.

Gervas stood quietly, watching the battle.

When time reached over ten minutes, as expected, Pa Ke's followers were nearly all consumed.

Even he himself, drained of aura and overwhelmed by injuries, was moments away from being torn apart by the Carrion Gray Wolf.

Whizz!

As Pa Ke's eyes filled with despair, watching the gray wolf raise its claw high to smash his skull—

A sharp shriek suddenly pierced the air.

Before Pa Ke could react, the Carrion Gray Wolf sensed danger and leapt to dodge.

Too late.

Plop! A black streak pierced through the wolf's left foreleg, entering its chest and exiting the other side.

The immense momentum hurled the wolf backward, pinning it hard into the flowerbed's muddy soil.

Roar! Roar!

But the Carrion Gray Wolf would not die from this wound alone.

Instead, it was enraged, thrashing and bellowing wildly!

Just as it was about to wrench free from the thick oak shaft, another whizz sounded.

Plop!

A second thick arrow pierced straight through the wolf's cheek, exiting the other side.

"Excellent!" Gervas couldn't help exclaiming.

He had originally planned to let Lei Meng appear, to avoid trouble when the killing started.

Who knew the second ballista would be so effective, striking directly.

It turned out Gervas had just instructed Knight Mi Gen to bring the ballista into the castle.

Meanwhile, Lord Pa Ke, looking at the carrion gray wolf that had died instantly, found it hard to believe.

At this moment, seeing a dark shadow slowly approaching from under the tree shade nearby, he quickly spoke, "Thank you, my lord, for saving me. I, Pa Ke, will surely well... it's you?"

Lord Pa Ke's grateful words were only halfway out when, upon seeing Gervas's face, all the joy of surviving the disaster vanished, and his complexion returned to deathly pale.

"Viscount Pa Ke, go on? Why stop speaking?" Gervas asked with a smile, stepping forward one step at a time.

"You... it really is you. You lured these dark creatures to my castle? But how did you do it? You couldn't possibly have a flying magical beast!"

"Who said I don't have a flying magical beast?"

Gervas smiled, then waved his hand toward the sky!

Whoosh! Whoosh!

"My lord, what are your orders!"

Several Demon Swift Eagles descended to a height of seven or eight meters, asking Gervas aloud.

Lord Pa Ke's face was full of disbelief, as if he were experiencing an illusion.

"This... this, what exactly is your identity?"

"Me? Just an ordinary younger son of a minor noble!"

"Impossible. You have Fire Stallions, Demon Swift Eagles, and barbarians. You must be from a great family, right?"

"Gervas, tell me, which duke or marquis family do you belong to? Speak, so I can die knowing the truth."

At this moment, Lord Pa Ke's psychological defenses completely collapsed.

He not only knew he was going to die.

But also because of his own stupidity, having sought trouble with the other party twice without even figuring out the other's true background.

Now, Lord Pa Ke wanted to grasp the last "straw of salvation."

After all, if he could die in the hands of an heir from a great family, it wouldn't count as Lord Pa Ke's incompetence.

At this time, Gervas had already come close to Lord Pa Ke.

"Sigh! Pa Ke, I am telling the truth!"

Having finished speaking, a cold glint flashed briefly.

Pfft!

A long sword appeared in Lord Pa Ke's chest.

And this sword was thrust by Gervas.

Villains die from talking too much; heroes do too.

Gervas had no intention of cultivating such a bad habit under any circumstances.

Lord Pa Ke's body trembled, but he did not struggle; instead, filled with unwillingness, he gasped, "You... you lied to me... you lied to me... urgh..."

In the next instant, Lord Pa Ke seemed to have all his strength drained, fell backward onto the ground, and stared blankly at the dark night sky with lifeless eyes.

He recalled that time under the night sky in the back garden playing knightly little games with the maid; that was his lost youth...

Viscount Pa Ke! Deceased!