Chapter 273: Under Heaven, All Land Belongs to the Throne!

"Horton, you've won!"

"Hah! Mike, do you really think I need you to tell me that? Wise up, drop your weapons and kneel in surrender—I'll give you a quick death. How about it?"

Mike shook his head. "Not good enough, Horton. I, Mike, will die fighting—but I will never surrender to you!"

"Is that so?" Horton sneered, then turned his gaze northward.

Slowly, a smile curled at his lips.

Mike froze, a dread creeping over him.

He spun around—and in the next instant, several carriages burst from the trees on either side, blocking the two fleeing carts.

On those carts, besides the drivers, all were women and children.

In moments, both drivers were slain, and every woman and child was captured!

"Well, Mike? Still insist on fighting to the end?"

"Coward! Horton, you've already taken Mike's settlement—why torment these women and children?"

"Women and children? No, no, Mike. In my eyes, they are the sparks of vengeance—and I won't spare them."

"Of course, whether they suffer slowly or die quickly now depends on your choice!"

At that moment, the women and children from afar were dragged forward.

Many women and children wept, trembling in terror.

"Well, Mike? Will you surrender?"

Mike remained silent.

It wasn't stubbornness—he simply didn't trust the ruthless Horton.

Once he laid down his weapon, Horton might humiliate him and his people even further.

So, as long as his weapon was still in hand, he could at least choose how to die.

"Fine. Since you still refuse, I'll have no mercy. I've heard your daughter is beautiful—let me see her!"

Horton sauntered up to the group of women and children, and with one glance, spotted Rebenah, deliberately hidden behind several middle-aged women.

He grabbed her and yanked her out.

Rebenah struggled—but it was useless.

Horton was a Silver Knight.

"Tsk tsk! What a fine little beauty. Mike, the rumors were true!"

"Horton! If you're a man, fight me one-on-one to the death!" Mike's whole body trembled.

His muscles tensed—and fresh blood seeped from the bandages around his abdomen.

That wound was from a betrayal by the settlement's second leader.

Had it not been for this injury, he could have made Horton and his men pay dearly—he, Mike, was also a Silver Knight.

"Hah! One-on-one? Mike, you don't get to decide anymore! I'll count to three. If you kill yourself right here before me, I'll grant your daughter a quick death!"

"Otherwise... hehe..."

"No! Father, don't care about me! Run!" Rebenah didn't cry or cower—she urged Mike to flee.

"Three!"

Horton gave Mike no time to think.

One hand gripped Rebenah's left shoulder collar, the other began counting.

"Two!"

Mike's trembling grew worse; his abdominal wound bled more heavily.

"Father… don't worry about me…"

"Hah! Such touching father-daughter love. But Mike, you won't have much time left…"

Horton relished this moment.

Mike slowly raised his longsword toward his own throat.

*Plop!

At that instant, the sound of a blade piercing flesh rang out.

But it wasn't Mike—the sword was still held high before his chest.

"Rebenah!"

The next moment, everyone realized the sound came from Rebenah.

She had seized a nearby soldier's longsword and thrown herself onto it, to spare her father from being forced to choose.

The blade pierced through Rebenah's small body.

Mike's eyes bulged with rage.

Horton frowned.

He'd planned to force Mike into suicide—saving himself effort.

He hadn't expected Mike's daughter to possess such courage.

"Horton! I'll kill you!" Mike snapped back to himself, raising his sword and charging at Horton.

"Pity. But fine—I'll deal with the hassle."

Horton shrugged. "Kill them all. Leave no survivors."

"Kill!"

Instantly, battle erupted across the wasteland.

But Mike's settlement had only forty or fifty people—mostly women and children—and could not possibly hold back Horton's two or three hundred.

Even Mike, the Silver Knight, was no exception.

His wound severely hampered his combat ability; even as he raged at Horton, every strike was blocked.

"Hah! Mike, you're dead!" Horton snarled—he knew Mike was at his last breath.

*Boom! Boom!

Just then, thunderous hoofbeats came from the north.

Ahead, on a rise of earth, seven tall, chestnut-colored warhorses appeared.

Mounted on them were fully armed kingdom knights, each holding lance in hand.

"Boss!"

His men cried out, voices trembling.

"Damn it! We're still far from the kingdom's border—why are these knights here?" Horton's face darkened instantly.

He hadn't finished wiping out Mike's group—if the kingdom knights interfered now, it would be a serious problem.

"Hurry!" Horton gritted his teeth, urging his men.

Yet, at the same time, Mike's people, cornered and desperate, unleashed astonishing willpower.

Soon, the seven knights arrived.

At their head was a very young nobleman; the insignia on his chest revealed him to be a Kingdom Viscount.

The Viscount halted over ten meters from the battlefield. Though he said nothing, his silent aura already pressed upon the fleeing refugees.

After all, they had all lived under noble shadows—even now, on the wasteland, their fear of nobility was etched into their bones.

"Noble, this is not kingdom territory—this is none of your business. Leave now. We'll finish here and return to the wasteland."

His men were afraid—but Horton, as leader, could not retreat.

Besides, their overwhelming numbers gave him courage.

"Refugee, who told you that outside kingdom lands, nobles have no authority?"

"I tell you: under heaven, all land belongs to the king; upon every shore, all people are his subjects!"

"Therefore, everywhere is under noble jurisdiction!"

"Now, if you don't want to die, stop fighting—and get out of my way!"

Horton blinked. Was such a thing even said in this world?

And wasn't this just absurdly unjust?

He'd thought his own crew was shameless.

But now he saw—nobles were truly nobles. In shamelessness, they were unmatched.

If you're so powerful, go argue with the beasts, with the dragons!

Horton's face darkened. He growled: "Noble, do you think we're truly afraid of you? This is the Chaos Wasteland!"

"And you're only seven men—you've just made a serious mistake. Do you understand that?"