Chapter 141. Compromise and Delay
Odyssey V’s voice softened at once, carrying the despair of forced compromise.
“Three years... three years’ worth is the absolute most I can offer. If you still refuse, then I’ll seek aid from the other kingdoms.”
Kroll II narrowed his eyes and lightly tapped the crystal with his fingertips.
Three years’ worth of resources, plus five Divine Artifacts, was enough to raise the Kroll Kingdom’s strength by another level.
He looked out the window. On the distant horizon, it was as if he could already sense the oppressive presence of the Magic Serpent Fortress. If the Hydra Clan was allowed to keep growing unchecked, that would not necessarily benefit Kroll either.
“Very well.”
He finally spoke, his voice devoid of any emotion.
“I want to see the resources and Divine Artifacts delivered into Kroll territory first. Once they are confird, the Gold Legion will depart imdiately.”
On the other end, Odyssey V seed to let out a breath of relief and replied hoarsely, “All right... I’ll make arrangents at once.”
The crystal communication cut off, and the blue light dimd.
Kroll II leaned back against his throne, his fingers slowly rubbing the carved patterns on the armrest.
A minister stepped forward.
“Your Majesty, are we really going to help Silver Oakleaf?”
“Help?”
He let out a cold laugh.
“I’m taking advantage of their disaster.”
He looked toward Silver Oakleaf’s territory on the map, and a sharp glint flashed through his eyes.
“Let them deliver the resources and Divine Artifacts first. Then we’ll send troops to ‘rescue’ them.”
However, the urgency of the situation exceeded even Kroll II’s expectations. That very night, envoys from the Silver Oakleaf Kingdom delivered five Divine Artifacts and three years’ worth of cultivation resources into the Kroll royal palace.
The Divine Artifacts were placed within a magic barrier, their flowing radiance making the palace shine even more brilliantly.
As for the mountain of resources, from century-old magic cores to body-tempering magic plants, even the Kroll ministers found their breathing growing heavier at the sight.
Kroll II and Ancestor Fenlilan spoke in secret for half the night before making their final decision.
The entire Gold Legion would be mobilized, while Fenlilan would conceal himself within the legion in case of any ergency.
At dawn the next day, the envoy stood outside the palace gates, glancing at the sky again and again until the soles of his boots were nearly worn through. Only then did the Gold Legion finally march out of the Royal Capital with steady steps.
The knights wore gilded armor, and their horses’ hooves struck the stone road in a uniform clatter, yet their pace was so slow it looked more like a parade than a military advance.
“My lord, could you... move a little faster?”
The envoy finally could not hold back any longer. He hurried to the Legion Commander’s horse, his voice trembling on the verge of tears.
“The Royal Territory can’t hold much longer.”
Legion Commander Kru reined in his horse, and the gaze beneath his helt swept coldly over him.
“The pace of the Gold Legion is not sothing that can be hurried.”
With that, he spurred his mount onward, leaving the envoy frozen in place, able only to watch as the golden torrent receded at the sa unchanging speed.
Gritting his teeth, he took out a Communication Crystal and urgently reported the situation to Odyssey V.
Inside the Silver Oakleaf royal palace, Odyssey V was roaring into a Communication Crystal, ordering the nobles within the Royal Territory to withdraw toward the Royal Capital with the commoners.
But before his ssage could spread across the entire Royal Territory, large numbers of the Hydra Clan had already poured into it.
Those enormous bodies slithered across the field ridges, their nine heads opening at once as they swept the fleeing commoners into their mouths.
Before the hydras, human beings running for their lives were no more than ants. Their screams were drowned out by the sound of chewing, and blood dripped down the serpents’ scales, staining whole stretches of wheat fields red.
The hydras that had eaten their fill dragged their bloated bodies back to the Magic Serpent Fortress, their bellies swollen, scraps of cloth and bits of bone still hanging between their scales.
Those that were not full continued their search. Their scarlet eyes prowled through villages and towns, sparing not even chickens or dogs.
Even more horrifying were the young snakes. Though small, they moved in swarms, burrowing underground and gnawing at corpses with sharp teeth. Then, through prepared tunnels, they carried the shredded flesh piece by piece into the depths of the fortress.
The noble estates within the Royal Territory burst into towering flas. It was resistance born of despair, but it was quickly extinguished by the swarm of serpents.
So nobles tried to flee on flying carpets, only to be struck by venom spat by hydras the mont they rose into the air, both rider and carpet dissolving into a puddle of green sludge.
The instant the Communication Crystal lit up, Odyssey V snatched it over. When he saw the envoy’s ssage, the veins on his forehead bulged, and he roared at the crystal.
“Go urge them again. Tell the Legion Commander of the Gold Legion that if he keeps dragging his feet, I’ll speak to Kroll II personally.”
After smashing the envoy’s Communication Crystal, he imdiately switched to Kroll II’s channel. The mont the crystal lit up, he nearly bellowed,
“Kroll II, what exactly are you trying to do? The Gold Legion is dragging its feet. Are you trying to stand by and watch Silver Oakleaf fall? Do you want to beco a sinner in the eyes of all humanity?”
There was a brief silence from the other end before Kroll II’s unhurried voice ca through, tinged with deliberate indifference.
“Is that so? I had no idea such a thing was happening.”
He paused, his tone as calm as still water.
“I understand. I’ll have them increase their speed at once.”
“Increase their speed?”
Odyssey V trembled with rage.
“By the ti they arrive, the Royal Capital will already have beco a hydra nest.”
But the only answer he received was the crackling hiss of the connection cutting off.
“Damn it, damn it!”
Odyssey V hurled the crystal to the floor. The expensive crystal shattered instantly, and fragnts scattered across his dragon-patterned boots.
He paced anxiously before the throne, the gilded crown on his head hanging crookedly, all trace of royal dignity gone.
Beside him, the Ancestor watched his loss of composure and gave a heavy cough.
“Calm down. Cursing won’t help now.”
The old man’s voice was weary.
“Kroll II is obviously stalling. He wants to wait until we and the Hydra Clan have both been crippled, then reap the benefits.”
“Then what do we do?”
Odyssey V looked at him with reddened eyes.
“The commoners in the Royal Territory are almost gone. The Royal Capital is next.”
“We can only wait.”
The old man closed his eyes, his voice full of helplessness.
“We have no bargaining chips left. We’ve already given them the Divine Artifacts and the resources. All we can do now is hope the Gold Legion still has a shred of good faith.”
“Unless...”
A sharp light suddenly flashed through Ancestor Fenlilan’s eyes, and he seized Odyssey V by the arm.
“Quick. Contact Kroll II.”
Odyssey V froze, still not fully recovered from his despair.
“And say what?”
“Tell him...”
The old man lowered his voice and spoke at a rapid pace.
“Tell him that within the Hydra Clan, there is an old serpent on the verge of breaking through to the Demigod level, and that he must make the army march faster at once.”
“If that serpent truly reaches the Demigod level, then even if Dragon Island’s Grand Elder rushes over, it will still take ti.”
“When that happens, the neighboring Kroll Kingdom will absolutely be dragged into it. He won’t be able to stay out of it even if he wants to.”
Odyssey V abruptly straightened, and a glimr of hope flashed through his eyes. “There really is—”
SLAP!
The old man struck him across the face, his voice harsh and urgent.
“Of course not. It’s a lie.”
He stared fixedly at Odyssey V, his eyes vicious.
“But this is the only way left to force him to get serious. Get a hold of yourself. Don’t reveal the slightest flaw. Treat it as absolute truth.”
Odyssey V’s head snapped to the side from the blow. His cheek burned with pain, but he sobered up instantly.
Gritting his teeth, he took a spare Communication Crystal out of his Spatial Ring. His fingers trembled slightly from nervousness, but he still quickly connected to Kroll II’s channel.
The mont the crystal lit up, he drew a deep breath, suppressed the panic in his voice, and spoke in the most urgent yet solemn tone he could manage.
“Kroll II, you must order the Gold Legion to accelerate imdiately. There is an old serpent in the Hydra Clan that is about to break through to Demigod.”
“If it succeeds, then forget Silver Oakleaf—even your Kroll Kingdom will beco prey already within its grasp. Think carefully.”
There was silence from the other end for a mont, so long that Odyssey V almost thought the lie had been seen through.
Just as his heart nearly stopped, Kroll II’s voice finally ca through, carrying a trace of gravity that was hard to detect.
“Are you sure?”
User Comments
0 comments from readers