Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 334 The Desert God is without calamity, the Desert God is without mercy.

It seemed like a long time had passed.

But Thales just stared blankly at Putila, unable to say a word.

Putila gave him a smile etched with the wrinkles of time.

“So, it’s all for me,” Thales began slowly, a hint of surprise and sorrow lingering in his eyes. “The massive armies mobilized across the entire planet, the internal strife within the Free Alliance that stirred up the nerves of the entire nation of Exter, the sudden surge in communications from the Kingdom’s Secret Service—it’s all…it’s all…”

Thales stared blankly at the dusty interior walls around him.

Connected.

Everything is connected again.

King Chaman's centralization of power, the internal strife in Dragon Sky City, the provocations of Qiyuan City, the sudden rebellion of the Freedom Alliance...

Rumba insisted on taking Thales to the Black Sand Territory not only to gain control of the western war, but also because he wanted to control the stakes.

Because he might have guessed it, perhaps he guessed it the moment he heard that Xingchen was marching into the desert...

Beyond the complex and chaotic relationships between Dragon Sky City, Black Sand Territory, and Qiyuan City, the real factor that drew the Star Kingdom into this shrouded in mystery and drew the Shield of the Western Continent into the game...

It was himself—the Second Prince, Thales Star.

Thales fell silent.

Raphael looked at the prince and snorted softly, "What, are you flattered?"

Putila coughed and gave Raphael a disapproving look.

Thales took a deep breath and came to his senses. It was nothing short of...
"Yes, a little bit."

"Although it sounds strange, but..."

Thales slowly leaned against the wall, as if trying to calm his turbulent emotions. He forced a smile, seemingly talking to non-existent air: "Heh, six years have passed since I became some unlucky prince. I really didn't expect..."

"I hope I can have such a grand day too."

Thales, who had slid down to the ground, gave a half-hearted smirk: "Heh."

Putila frowned slightly as he listened to Thales's complex tone.

“Anyway,” Putile continued casually, “after dark, we will…”

But Thales suddenly looked up and interrupted him.

“So,” the prince sighed slightly, “the Secret Service sacrificed almost all of its intelligence resources in Dragon Sky City, and perhaps even lost many lives.”

Raphael frowned more and more upon hearing this.

"The kingdom even dispatched thousands of elite troops to clear the desert like never before, just to pave the way for my return alone."

Thales' somewhat stiff tone made Putila uncomfortable for a moment.

Thales, who was sitting on the ground, slowly raised his head, his eyes gleaming with an unfathomable light.

“Moreover, at this time, you have sent troops into the desert, advancing towards the border of Qiyuan City,” the prince slowly took a breath, his expression returning to normal, but this only made the other two more uneasy:

"It was tantamount to helping Lumba: he not only escaped a calamity, but also defeated Qiyuan City, subdued the Black Sand Territory, intimidated the Dragon Kingdom, and obtained power in the entire Extri, which the other nine dukes could only dream of."

"And as a result..."

Thales tightened his expression, his gaze becoming solemn: "The true enemy of the stars—Chaman Rumba, that ambitious and terrifying monarch, that king who aspires to rebuild Exter and crush the Star Kingdom, will grow stronger from this day forward, even more powerful than before."

"Intelligence, military, politics, diplomacy, even the future... so many sacrifices, just to get me, a transparent prince who has been silent in a foreign land for six years, out of here?"

At that moment, Thales seemed to be talking to himself:

"Is it worth it?"

The prince turned to his two subjects, his gaze calm.

Raphael's expression tightened, while Putila lowered his eyes and remained silent.

The silence lasted for a long time.

The shadow cast by the ever-burning lamp swayed back and forth on the wall, indicating the atmosphere of the moment.

"Humph."

The skeletal man from the Secret Department shook his head dismissively.

“Ever since the accident six years ago,” Raphael said coldly, looking at the prince who hadn’t been easy to deal with even six years ago, “we have known very well that it is simply impossible to get you, the only heir who will influence the future of the kingdom, back from Exter without paying any price.”

He changed the subject:
"Yet after so many sacrifices, after we've come this far, all I get in return is this one question from you: Was it worth it?"

Thales's face darkened slightly.

Raphael crossed his arms, his eyes sharp, and looked down at him condescendingly: "Don't you think this is just too..."

But Putila suddenly spoke, cutting Raphael off.

"I do not know."

Both of them were drawn to Putila and looked at him with some doubt.

Putila remained with his head down, but spoke slowly and earnestly, a tone rarely seen in him: "But you need to ask yourself."

"Ask yourself, Thales Star."

Thales paused slightly.

"You wasted six years, alone as a hostage abroad, in exchange for the lives, livelihoods, and long-term stability of the kingdom, allowing it to recuperate and thrive," Putila sighed.
"Is it worth it?"

Thales was stunned. He stared at Putila, trying to read something from his face.

The former deputy envoy slowly raised his head, and in the dim light, Putila's face appeared serious and sharp.

He was nothing like the middle-aged man who used to be so old-fashioned, sarcastic, and cynical.

"Similarly, only you can answer the question you just asked."

“Yes, we paid a huge price to save you, and facing these undeniable costs,” Putila stared intently at him, “if you feel confused, regretful, hesitant, or even guilty.”

"Then you should be the one to tell us."

Thales' breathing became slower and slower.

"It is you in the future who will tell us..."

Putilai's tone was serious: "Tell those who died in Dragonsreaching City, tell those who swore to venture into the desert to the death, tell the entire Star Kingdom and even the entire world..."

"Tell us about that summer when countless people toiled, lost countless lives, exhausted all their resources, and even sacrificed their sight and hearing, risking raising a future threat to the stars, all to rescue Prince Thales the Star from the heavily besieged Dragon Sky City and from the bronze-and-iron-cast Extri..."

Thales instinctively held his breath, sat up straight, leaned his back against the cold, rough earthen wall, and stared intently at Putila.

Putila took a deep breath and said decisively:
"Tell us, even convince us: this is the most worthwhile thing we have ever done in our lives."

The tone was heavy and full of meaning.

Thales' expression froze at that moment.

On the other side, Raphael lowered his eyelids, pursed his lips, and said nothing more.

The familiar silence returned to the passageway.

----

"If you follow the plan and safely leave the territory of Longxiao City, our local liaison will meet you at the border between Qiyuan City and Longxiao City. He will protect you as you head southeast, crossing the barren rocky terrain of Qiyuan City, until he takes you into the Great Desert..."

In a secret room at the end of the passage, Raphael laid a yellowed map on a dusty triangular wooden table and, by the dim light, explained Thales's upcoming journey.

Putilae leaned silently against the doorway, watching the prince listen attentively to their next plan.

Raphael pulled his finger down, bringing the tip closer to the Star Kingdom in the lower right corner.

Thales's gaze followed.

“Once you enter the desert, your greatest enemies will no longer be pursuers, but the weather and the terrain, the wrath of nature,” Raphael’s eyes revealed a subtle glint of surprise, “and the threats ahead.”

"But don't worry."

"Firstly, the northeastern edge of the Great Desert has already been extensively cleared by the Starry Sky expeditionary force that has penetrated deep into the desert. No Bone Tribe, Beastman, or Sand Bandit with a size of more than twenty people dares to stay within our sweeping range. At most, a few unlucky individuals who couldn't escape in time will remain. Secondly, the aid workers who set out from Starry Sky will also head north and meet you on the border between the Great Desert and Qiyuan City. They will know how to avoid natural and man-made dangers and lead you south into the desert..."

Handover?

Thales sighed in exasperation.

So, am I really some kind of commodity?

Raphael continued speaking, oblivious to Thales' slight unease: "We will ensure that you have reliable forces and personnel protecting you from the outside of Dragon Sky City to the Great Desert—of course, not too many, but all of them will be among the most elite in the world, ensuring that any accidents that slip through the net in the desert will not pose a threat to you..."

“In the vast desert, our cavalry will patrol day and night, sweeping away threats while maintaining unobstructed supply lines between the major oases,” Raphael tapped the map, drawing a dotted line across several small green dots. “If you encounter them, as long as you reveal your identity, you will be escorted to the nearest military camp or supply point. If you don’t encounter them, don’t worry, your escorts know the routes. As long as you proceed through each oasis according to plan, always staying within our patrol area, you will be safe…” “Until we escort you back to Blade Fang Dunes—the farthest point of the Star Kingdom’s western front, one of our largest military outposts in the desert. That’s already our territory. Further east, you will enter the Western Wilderness Territory.”

Raphael raised his head, a glint of light flashing in his red eyes: "His Majesty has already negotiated with the lords of the Western Wilderness, led by Duke Falkenhaus, and especially with the three most powerful families. From Blade Fang Dunes to the Wasteland, from Wing Fortress to Heroic Soul Fortress, you can obtain all the necessary assistance from the three families and their vassals—the prince's safe return is their top priority."

Upon hearing this, Thales' gaze faltered slightly.

Falkenhausen.

Cyril Falkenhaus, the Duke who protects the Western Wilderness and the Lord of the Wasteland.

His memory returned to the Hall of Stars long ago, to the middle-aged duke who limped in with a cane, his hair thinning, his appearance withered, almost like a ghost, and his sinister smile, cold and sharp voice, and merciless sarcasm.

It's that "unpopular person".

"...Travel east through the ruins, and the Royal Guard and a portion of the standing army will meet you on the east-west Grace Avenue and escort you safely back to Everstar City. Any further questions?" Raphael concluded.

Thales nodded.

"You mean the most mysterious of the six great families, the four-eyed skull family, the Falkenhausen of the Desolate Ruins?" Thales brought his thoughts back to the present, and said solemnly:
Are they trustworthy?

Raphael's moving finger stopped on the map.

Thales smirked. "Maybe they're not as welcoming as I thought?"

“I still remember when I set off six years ago—Lord Jann Kevindir, one of the six dukes, was so kind of him that he came all the way to see me off.”

The prince raised an eyebrow, a hint of sarcasm in his voice: "Putila, do you remember?"

Putila chuckled to herself.

Raphael paused slightly.

“His Majesty will ensure this,” but the skeletal man paused for less than a second, his tone resolute:
"The lords of the Western Wilderness—whether it's Falkenhaus, Bozdorf, or the Cloma family—can be trusted, and their soldiers are also in this batch of troops heading west into the desert. The royal standing army in the Blade Fang camp alone is not enough to sweep through the desert."

"You can trust them all?" Thales shrugged noncommittally. "That's not something you hear often."

Raphael frowned.

Putila smiled gently.

“Thales, I know that your six years of special experience have made you quite cautious,” Putila interjected.

"That makes sense—after all, the return of the heir will not only affect you, but for the entire nation of Xingchen, it will be no less than a political storm, affecting all parties."

Thales gave a soft hum.

The gaunt lord spoke slowly: "But believe me, in order for you to return to the stars safely, the nobles in Everstar City who are hiding behind the scenes and playing games back and forth are no less capable than these rugged and tough men in Dragon Sky City—Gilbert is among them."

Upon hearing the familiar name, Thales stirred slightly.

Putila looked at him earnestly: "They have put in a lot of effort, even at a great cost, to ensure that the Western Wilderness is completely on our side."

"And what you need to do, what you need to worry about most right now..."

Putila did not continue.

Thales stared at him from afar, remaining silent for a few seconds.

The prince nodded and closed his eyes.

"I understand."

Desert and nobility.

This journey...

He sighed inwardly.

Raphael and Putila exchanged a glance but said nothing.

“Very good. The remaining issue is how you will get out of the city. That’s the most urgent thing,” Raphael said calmly. “Lord will tell you in detail, after all, it’s his way.”

Raphael glanced at Putila: "Should be reliable?"

Putila gently took out his pipe, shook his head with a helpless sneer.

The skeleton turned its head back.

"Then I think we should say goodbye."

Thales was still deep in thought with his eyes closed when he heard this and was startled. He quickly looked at Raphael:
"Now? You're leaving?"

But Raphael ignored the prince's surprise; he maintained his relaxed, smiling expression, seemingly unconcerned.

“Your Highness, although I always say nothing will happen,” Raphael tightened his collar and pulled his sleeves up further, “given your character and experiences over the past few years, it wouldn’t be surprising if you were to encounter an accident in the desert…”

Thales' face immediately darkened.

Wait a minute.

What does it mean to be "not surprised even when encountering an unexpected event"?

He silently grumbled to himself.

Raphael was forcing a smile, yet Thales was left speechless.

"but……"

"A saying has been passed down in the great desert since the imperial era."

Thales paused for a few seconds.

"Words passed down in the Great Desert?" Thales looked into the other's red eyes, his limited knowledge and doubts flooding his mind: "Are they proverbs and legends of the Bone People? From your homeland..."

Putila coughed for no apparent reason.

Raphael seemed to snap out of his daze, his frozen expression returning to normal: "No, the desert is not anyone's homeland—anyone is merely a passerby in the desert."

Raphael abruptly changed the subject, his tone turning cold, his gaze sharp and piercing:
"The desert god brings no disaster, but the world is full of disaster; the desert god shows no mercy, but the desert is the mercy."

what?
Desert God?

Thales blinked, trying to understand.

“It doesn’t sound like Common Language,” Thales searched his mind for the unusual phrase, then suddenly felt a familiarity he’d only experienced while studying in Mindis Hall: “Hmm, it does sound a lot like an ancient poem from Cahill’s Fallen Leaves. What does it mean?”

Raphael smiled slightly, reached into his pocket, and looked on with a hint of melancholy: "The Desert God is one of the most primitive beliefs in the Great Desert. It represents a cold and cruel existence that is one with the desert in legend. The inhabitants of the Great Desert both love and hate it, and both respect and fear it."

Putila is coughing again.

The Bone Man's dark red eyes slowly focused, but the next moment he gently lowered his head, covering his eyes with his hands protruding from his pockets: "If you encounter danger in the desert, Your Highness, please remember..."

"The weak fear disaster, while the lucky seek pardon."

"Only those who abandon both weakness and wishful thinking can find a foothold in the merciless desert."

As soon as he finished speaking, Raphael slowly raised his head.

Thales was startled:
The moment Raphael lowered his hand, the strange red eyes of the Bone Man had turned into the most ordinary dark brown, indifferent and unchanging.

"Your Highness, see you again in Yongxing City."

To Thales' slight surprise, Raphael, with his new, disguised brown eyes, turned and left without looking back, leaving only a white robe behind as he gradually disappeared into the darkness.

Silent and still, as if it were an illusion.

Just like his appearance.

"Young people always like to act cool and profound..."

Putila shook his head, took out a flint and steel, and muttered to himself, "Don't you dare follow his example, Thales, or you'll deserve to be single on Singles' Day..."

Thales ignored Putila.

He frowned as he looked at the darkness that engulfed Raphael.

"It's so dark around here, and that guy isn't even carrying a lantern. How is he supposed to see where he's going?" the prince muttered to himself.

Thales had assumed no one would hear his complaints.

Until from that deep darkness came Raphael's calm and serene voice: "As long as you eat more liver and fruit... you can find light even in darkness."

Thales' smile froze on his face.

Oh shit.

It is not funny.

Let's go back and revise the previous text!

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(End of this chapter)