Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 330 Assassination of Rumba?

It was still an empty road after the patrol team had cleared the area. Even if passersby did pass by, they would consciously keep their distance or be driven away by the patrol team that quickly arrived. It was still the Grand Duke's personal guards protecting him on both sides, with the patrol team clearing the way in front and behind. It was still a "trip" that was completely surrounded on all sides...

But when Thales rode through the streets of Dragon City again, he had a different feeling, not only because the route he took to play chess was different from usual, nor only because the Meteorites were following closely behind.

After all, this might be the last time he walks in Dragon City during his six years as a hostage.

Nikolai probably knew this too.

So when Thales, contrary to his usual behavior, didn't pull the reins and gallop at high speed (which always made the Grand Duke's guards around him complain when they went to play chess), but instead let the veteran Jenard—the only person besides Thales who wasn't so opposed to the fiery-tempered Black Horse Jenny—hold the reins and walk slowly towards the Axe District as if sightseeing along the way, the Meteorite just pouted in dissatisfaction, but didn't say anything more.

“Jenard,” Thales said, gazing intently at the buildings receding on either side, “you’ve been with the mission for over six years, starting from the birch forests of the North.”

Jenard glanced back at the prince: "Yes, Your Highness."

Thales sighed, "Being trapped in Dragonsky City for so long..."

"It's nowhere near as exciting as when you were charging into battle under Duke John, and it's probably not as comfortable as being a city guard in Yongxing City."

"It must be so boring."

Listening to Thales' words, Jenard looked into the distance.

This veteran of the Starshine Legion, who had served under the Starshine War God and the Fortress Flower and experienced the disaster eighteen years ago, became more energetic after six years in the Northern Kingdom, sweeping away the numbness and lifelessness of his time in the city defense team.

He was still filled with guilt for having become Duke Iris's tool in the birch forest of stars, which led to the vampires harming the prince's delegation.

“Compared to the hardships you have endured, this boredom is nothing,” Jenard sighed. “And compared to the bloody war of the Blood Year, this boredom is even less significant.”

Thales did not speak.

His brows furrowed unconsciously.

A bloody year.

Bloody war.

The procession moved slowly forward. Although it might be the last leg of their journey, the patrols composed of northerners and the Grand Duke's guards were still dutifully clearing the way and keeping watch over the surrounding area.

“Thank you, Jenard,” the second prince turned his head and looked at the veteran Jenard, who had followed him all the way from Everstar City, with a deep expression. “Your service over the past six years has far exceeded the debt you owe Duke John.”

“No, Your Highness,” Jenard nodded respectfully, “I should be thanking you.”

"As for the debt I owe to Duke John..." His expression darkened, an unyielding pain rising between his brows, and he subconsciously turned his face away:
"No, that's something I can never repay in my lifetime."

Thales stared intently at the back of the old soldier leading the horse in front of him.

The prince took a deep breath, recalling the small stone urn he had seen in the tomb of John Starlake: "Duke John Starlake, I've heard some things about him from you... humorous, witty, and approachable?"

Upon hearing the familiar name, Jenard couldn't help but rouse himself slightly.

“Yes, Your Highness, but the Duke’s approachability is quite different from yours…”

It seemed that mentioning that person made Jenard's expression and spirits brighten: "I still remember the day of conscription... Although the Duke was middle-aged, he had no excessive dignity or airs..."

"He was terrible at martial arts, but had good eyesight. However, his singing voice was even better, and he could also play the lute... He could always mingle with all kinds of people, whether nobles, peasants, merchants, craftsmen, soldiers, or even prostitutes and prisoners of war: it was easy to find John in the military camp, because the Duke would be there where the laughter was the loudest."

Jenard, lost in his memories, couldn't help but laugh: "I often think he was a bit... silly and goofy."

Silly and foolish?

Thales cast a questioning look at him.

“It’s not disrespectful, it’s just,” Jenard frowned, “I don’t know how to put it… Anyway, we in the guards chatted and laughed with him, subconsciously treating him as one of our own, rather than as an authoritative commander, or as the noble brother of the Star King, the Duke of Starlake.”

Jenard got more and more excited as he spoke: "Eighteen years ago, at a military conference of the Starshine Legion, the Duke would always be lost in thought, or even fall asleep and snore or drool, which embarrassed the nobles present... For this, Captain Sonia would often apologize pitifully while gritting her teeth and hitting the Duke hard on the head in public until she woke him up from his sleep—or knocked him unconscious. Vice Captain Kenya even once had a record of splashing ice water on him to wake him up from his nap."

The veteran laughed heartily: "Although the Duke always looked aggrieved and pitifully explained that he wasn't sleeping, but thinking of solutions in his dreams."

what?
Sleeping during a military meeting?

This is... the Star God of War who quelled the rebellion?
Thales was stunned for a moment, then scratched his head and said, "That sounds really... um, special?"

“Of course, it just sounds absurd. After all, if he really were an idiot,” Jenard glanced at Thales meaningfully and sighed, “he wouldn’t have the title of ‘Star God of War’.”

Thales frowned slightly.

And you, Willow?

The soldier Willow, who was walking behind his horse and had two guns strapped to his back—one long and one short—was taken aback when his name was suddenly called.
"Hmm, me?"

In the six years since, the recruit who was rescued from the gallows by Thales in Dragonbreaker Fortress has largely shed his naivety after experiencing the trials from Black Sand Territory to Dragonsky City, although the veterans in the unit still like to joke about him.

"How have you felt about these six years in Dragon Sky City?"

“To be honest, when I came out of the fortress six years ago, I never imagined I'd be staying in enemy territory for so long,” Willow quickly composed himself after being reminded by veteran Jenard. “But…”

“Uncle Jenard said,” he frowned, “that it is because you are here that the people of the North enjoy peace.”

"So, it's probably worth it."

Thales was slightly taken aback.

Willow looked up, his expression somewhat bitter:
"that is……"

“You know, sometimes I think,” Willow sighed, “if you had been here eighteen years ago, and had offered yourself as a hostage to Exter…”

"Perhaps the war wouldn't have happened, and my sister wouldn't have died of illness."

Thales lowered his head and fell into deep thought.

"Is that so?" he said casually, as if talking to himself.

The group moved forward again, passing a fork in the road that separated the spear area from the axe area.

“Wyatt,” the prince on horseback raised his hand, reaching past the heavy guards on either side, and pointed to the three-story building with a terrace not far away:
"That house is the card room we go to once a month, right?"

“Yes, Your Highness,” the attendant replied cautiously after observing carefully.

Thales looked at the familiar building silhouette and felt a strange sense of nostalgia.

“We’ve always gone directly to the spear area before, and we’ve never seen it from this angle before.”

He looked meaningfully at the uniquely decorated chess and card room, recalling the few times he and Ashida had "taught" there: "I'll probably miss the time we spent playing chess there."

“It’s not actually that far. If you’d like,” Wyman estimated the distance to the house, “why don’t you go and take a look?”

“No need,” Thales shook his head, pointed to Nicolai beside him, and sighed, “Look at his face…”

"He probably wishes an assassin would pop out of nowhere and kill me before we get to Black Sand Territory."

These words made Wyman frown deeply, and he subconsciously glanced around.

Rolf gave him a mocking look, which unsurprisingly drew an angry glare from the attendant.

Nikolai turned his head, gave a disdainful snort, and spurred his horse forward.

"Where is your deputy?" the Meteorite asked coldly. "Why didn't I see that cunning Lord Putila Niman accompanying you to Black Sand Territory?"

Thales's face darkened, and he shook his head: "We haven't seen each other for almost six years. To be precise, Putila has long been out of my mission."

"Six years have passed, and your reappearance is accompanied by the Star Alliance's invasion?" Nikolai's face was tense, and his words were curt:

“Maybe I should have arrested him a long time ago—that man is no ordinary person; he might be the middleman between Star and Rumba.”

Thales raised an eyebrow.

“According to Putila, he has been under your surveillance in Dragonstreet,” Thales sighed. “Shouldn’t you know his every move better than I do?”

Nicolai gritted his teeth and gave him a warning look.

“Speaking of this, you know,” the Meteorite said coldly, “I’ve confirmed it. The person who leaked that matter—the Grand Duchess’s secret to the Dark Chamber—was not Risban.”

Thales was slightly taken aback at first.

The prince, who seemed to remember something in a second, curled the corners of his lips and secretly let out a sigh of relief.

Do you need to confirm?
But Nikolai's expression immediately turned terrifying.

"But it was you who brought Korumba here."

"So, if it's not Lisban, then it's you, little prince?"

The Meteorite's expression was cold, as if he was about to punch him at any moment: "You deliberately revealed Dragon Sky City's biggest secret to Black Sand Territory and the Dark Chamber, which is why the King has leverage over us and came here to join forces with you?"

Nani?

It took Thales two seconds to snap out of his daze and understand what Nicolai meant.

The next moment, the prince's eyes widened, and his voice suddenly rose: "What?"

Ignoring his astonishment, Nicolai continued in a cold voice, "Answer me—was it you who gave this leverage to Lumba?"

Thales stared blankly at the Meteorite, recalling the lie he had casually made up not long ago to test the other party.

The Meteorite continued to stare intently at him.

Seeing that the Meteorite was not joking at all, Thales was both amused and exasperated, feeling quite troubled.

This guy is really...

Seriously.

The next second, Thales took a deep breath, held the air in his lungs for a while, and then exhaled weakly.

“It’s the same old story, Nikolai,” he shook his head somewhat helplessly, “on certain things, I agree with you…”

Thales looked into the eyes of the Fallen One and said with particular sincerity:
"They're really not in the same league."

After saying this, Thales ignored Nicolai's extremely ugly expression and gestured for Jenard to spur his horse past him.

Behind Thales, a nimble elven guard swiftly followed, sticking out his tongue at the ashen-faced Meteorite beneath his cloak.

Just now.

Whoosh!
A sharp, piercing sound suddenly came from afar!
The entire team seemed to be held down by an invisible hand, brought to a sudden stop.

Many people's expressions changed drastically.

Thales' face turned pale, as if a scene from his memory had been awakened.

The instant he recognized the sound, he shouted urgently:
"It's a crossbow!"

The outer patrols quickly formed ranks, while the Grand Duke's guards consciously protected the inner side, and the Star People reacted with the prince at the center.

Ada ducked and glided past Jenny's hooves in two steps, leaping to Thales' side. Jenard instinctively stood in front of the black horse, and Willow gritted his teeth and drew his twin pistols.

Wyatt instinctively tried to pull Thales off the horse, but Nicolai reached out and held him down!
"Everyone, calm down!"

The pale-faced Meteorite pushed Wyman aside and reprimanded the attendant impatiently: "These are just signal crossbow bolts from Dragonsky City! And they're not even nearby!"

Nikolai, his expression tense, nodded to those around him: the Northerners, who had formed a protective formation, immediately dispersed with practiced ease, their roles clearly defined, ready for battle. In the patrol leading the way, several soldiers nimbly mounted their horses and set off towards different streets to gather intelligence.

Wyatt then came to his senses and looked at Thales, whose face was also pale.

"What...what happened?" Thales asked, bewildered.

[Listen to the sound ahead.] This is Rolf's sign language.

“That’s a signal flare from the patrol,” Nikolai said, his eyes fixed on the empty street ahead.
"They need reinforcements."

Thales frowned slightly.

Need reinforcements?
"Boss!"

Lord Justin stared intently into the distance, his voice tense: "The direction of the signal arrow... is ahead, our destination, the mission post station in the Axe District!"

The northerners' ranks, especially the less well-trained patrols, immediately erupted in uproar.

The group, which had been habitually keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings, immediately turned their gaze to the street ahead.

Nikolai grunted in response, his expression calm as he stared intently in the direction from which the sound came.

"what?"

Thales was startled: "The mission's guesthouse? That's not Rumba..."

"enough!"

Nikolai roared, interrupting the crowd's unsettling speculation:

"The patrols are under the jurisdiction of the General Order Office of the Reston Garrison Commander, and reinforcements from other districts will arrive soon."

He spoke coldly, his words carrying the authority of a commander: "And that's none of our business! What we need to do now is stand by and wait for what's ahead..."

The next moment.

Whoosh-!
Another sharp sound abruptly interrupted Nikolai's words!
"Boss, second shot!"

Justin spoke in a low voice beside Nicolai, but he couldn't hide the anxiety in his tone: "It seems the situation is urgent!"

The breathing of both the people of the North and the people of the Stars began to quicken.

Thales stared at the street ahead, feeling the tension in the air growing stronger.

Nikolai frowned deeply and gritted his teeth: "Where are the scouts? What's the report from the front?"

“If something really serious happens up ahead,” Thales pursed his lips, “he might be tripped up.”

Ignoring the expression on the face of the fallen star, the prince turned and hurriedly said to a short man under a cloak:
"Ada!"

"I know you can see it!"

Ada pouted, gave a disgruntled snort, and said something Thales couldn't understand.

But her movements were swift: the elven guard rushed to the side of the street, grabbed a window pane, and in a few steps leaped onto the roof of a three-story building.

In everyone's eyes, she was as swift as a gecko, attracting admiring glances.

On the rooftop, Ada gently raised her right hand and stopped in front of her forehead, which was covered by a cloak.

The elf seemed quite content at that moment, as if feeling the gentle breeze.

But everyone in the crowd on the street was watching her intently.

The Meteorite snorted in dissatisfaction and muttered to Justin, "That's why our people keeping an eye on her can never keep up with her..."

A few seconds later, Ada turned her head, her expression turning somber.

“I can’t see the specifics, but I can see the fleeing crowd,” Ada replied thoughtfully, from a perspective unseen by most, as she faced the tense and expectant gazes of the crowd. “Oh, and there are sounds of fighting in the air, at least a dozen pairs…”

Thales narrowed his eyes: a fleeing crowd? Several pairs clashing?
But the elf soon had to stop talking.

Lord Nicholas!

As the sound of hooves rang out, one of the cavalrymen from the previous patrol hurried back, his panting heavily, sounding rather exasperated.
"Ahead... the Black Sand Territory's encampment... Lumba... the King's residence... has been attacked!"

Everyone was taken aback!
The King's Inn?
attack?

The cavalryman continued his frantic tale: "The guards at the post station... seem to be in bad shape... The patrols in the axe district... were caught off guard. Two officers and three squads are engaged in battle. I saw several corpses..."

Many people frowned.

"stop!"

Nikolai cut him off with a firm, decisive statement: "Just two things: the enemy situation? The current status?"

The cavalryman was stunned for a moment before regaining his composure amidst his heavy breathing.

"It's chaotic!"

The cavalry scouts gathering information shook their heads: "The enemy launched surprise attacks from more than one location, the number is unknown, they look like northerners, they have not only swords and knives, but also bows and crossbows..."

"As for our side, the people of Black Sand Territory and the patrol teams are all fighting. The order officers on the outskirts are sealing off and fortifying the area, but there are civilians fleeing everywhere, and some are even hot-headed and ready to pick up weapons and join the fight..."

Hearing this, Justin's expression tightened, and he leaned close to Nicolai's ear: "Today is the day of court hearings. There are too many nobles in the Axe District, and their private armies and guards are a problem..."

Thales frowned even more deeply.

Nikolai's expression was as if a layer of frost had just formed on it. He nodded: "Continue the investigation, and send people to report back to the palace and the Regent of Lisbon."

The Meteorite turned around, first glancing at the Grand Duke's guards. Seeing that most of them behaved with composure, he nodded in satisfaction.

"Hmph, how dare they make a move on a day when the court is in session, and in a noble district like the Axe Quarter..."

Nikolai gazed at the sky ahead, let out a soft snort, and there was even a hint of schadenfreude in his words:
"Whoever the enemy is, they must hate the king to death..."

He turned his head and clicked his tongue at the prince, whose face was full of sorrow, "It seems that the journey to the Axe District to seek refuge with Rumba will have to be postponed, little prince."

Before Thales could reply, Nikolai loudly ordered:
"Everyone!"

"The patrol team clearing the way, once the next wave of scouts returns, immediately halt your advance, establish a defensive line, block the flow of people from the Axe District, and prohibit anyone from passing through—whether they are our own people or others!"

Upon hearing the order, the patrol team immediately sprang into action—since the accident six years ago, the patrol team at the First Gate, like the palace guards, had been directly under the command and dispatch of the Grand Duke or his personal guards.

Nicolai's voice was decisive: "As for the Grand Duke's guards... archers, spread out on the spot, fill in and clear the high points on both sides of the street, ensure visibility, and eliminate any unidentified targets moving this way at high speed!"

"As for us, change direction and return to Valhalla by the same route... Justin, you lead the fourth team to form an interception formation, cover our retreat, and be alert for any threats coming from that direction!"

The Grand Duke's guards acted more swiftly and efficiently than the patrols: they immediately changed from rear to front and turned to retreat. Lord Justin's troops almost formed a human wall, blocking the road to the chaotic area. Many archers climbed the houses on both sides, drew their long arrows, and cautiously aimed in that direction.

Hearing the orders to blockade and retreat, Thales sighed: he knew the attitude of the Meteorites.

“Hey,” Thales said, turning around and angrily reminding the Meteorite, “I know you want to see him dead, but if Rumba dies here today…”

"Are you sure this is a good thing for Dragon Sky City?"

Nicolai shook his head dismissively: "My responsibility now is to get you safely back to Valhalla. I don't care about anything else."

Thales took a deep breath.

“Alright,” the prince spread his hands, “think about it, King Chaman died mysteriously in Dragonrise City under the rule of the Grand Duchess…”

"If I were Qiyuan City or Jieshou City, I would definitely first righteously and sternly criticize Longxiao City for its inadequate protection or even its strong suspicions, and then engage in the sordid deals of the King Selection Conference..."

The meteorite paused slightly.

He turned to look at Thales, his face icy cold.

Thales shrugged helplessly: "For Dragon Sky City?"

Just then, the sound of a third whistle-blowing arrow came from afar.

The atmosphere became even more tense.

After a few seconds, Nikolai snorted angrily and turned around, cursing:

"You son of a bitch..."

He roared in dissatisfaction, "Gella, take the fifth and sixth squads and head to the inn to reinforce the patrols over there—we've practiced this situation for six years, you know what to do!"

Gella, a veteran member of the Grand Duke's personal guard, nodded, smiled regretfully, and led half of the Grand Duke's guards to provide reinforcements.

Nikolai was clearly in a bad mood: "Everyone else, retreat as planned!"

In the tense atmosphere, the group turned around with mixed feelings and headed back the way they came.

They retreated hastily for a few minutes until they reached the border between the Axe and Spear districts and saw the familiar card room, at which point the tense atmosphere in the group gradually subsided.

"Damn it," Wyman spat, his expression tense. "Why do we always run into this kind of thing?"

“Calm down, Wyman,” Thales said grimly. “Remember my words: Don’t panic.”

But Thales himself was also adjusting his breathing on horseback, pondering what had just happened.

On this day of public hearings, in the axe quarter where nobles gather...

An attack—no, an assassination attempt on Chaman Lumba?

who is it?

and……

If Rumba dies here...

Thinking of this, Thales clenched his fists and gripped the saddle tightly.

He stood in the middle of the retreating column, his face solemn.

"Hey! Little Prince."

“You know,” the Meteorite said coldly as he rode up to Thales, “if we had maintained our usual speed and arrived at the Axe District a little earlier, we might have been caught in the middle of the attack.”

Thales frowned: "What do you mean?"

Nicolai shook his head: "I mean... your head may not be cheaper than Rumba's life."

Thales suddenly remembered something, and his scalp tightened:
"You mean, that group of people might be trying to ambush me?"

Nikolai gave a disdainful snort.

The second prince glanced around instinctively: the streets were calm, Ada was cautiously running across the rooftops, observing the surroundings from above, and the Northlanders' procession was also proceeding normally.

Thales then turned around, his face full of doubt, and said:
"I……"

"Am I really that unlucky?"

The words had barely left his mouth when the unexpected happened.

(End of this chapter)