Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 354 Chasing Troops
Bright moon, rocks, campfire, wilderness, man.

When Thales woke up, this was the scene his hellish senses presented him with.

Good, he wasn't tied up.

Thales gently opened his eyes, and amidst the pain in the back of his head and waves of dizziness, he quietly groped for his waist.

"Are you looking for this?"

A voice as loud as a gong rang out.

Thales sighed, gave up groping, and struggled to sit up, brushing the dust off his clothes: "That's mine."

By the campfire at night, Monty leaned against a tree with a relaxed expression, watching him with a smile.

The JC dagger spun deftly in the man's hand, performing a variety of tricks.

"I must say, it's quite sharp."

The Death Crow switched the dagger to a backhand grip, swiftly slashing through the air before retracting its arm with a soft whooshing sound.

“I consider myself quite knowledgeable about weapons, yet I couldn’t identify its material at all—it’s probably some kind of rare metal. Tsk tsk, the royal family is indeed the royal family.” Monty flicked JC’s blade and clicked his tongue with interest.

Thales twisted his neck helplessly to relieve the pain in the back of his head—while also taking a look around.

They were no longer in the same forest, but in a wild and rugged landscape, where the man had started a fire under a large, sheltered rock.

Two horses, well-equipped, were tethered to a tree behind Monty. One of them had a quiver, and the other even had a longsword and shield hanging from it—clearly warhorses.

In Hell's Senses, Monty's outline is no different from a normal person, appearing as a transparent human figure. But Thales can see that, like Fortress Flower, Wrath of the Kingdom, and Meteorite, this master of the extreme realm possesses a strange power within him, lurking between his muscles and blood vessels, occasionally flashing by in a fleeting moment.

The horse is on the other side, and I have no weapons. This is an unfamiliar wilderness, and the enemy is very powerful.

Thales shook his head inwardly: the chances of escape were slim.

Just as he was observing carefully, Monty had already put down his dagger and tossed a piece of jerky and a water bag over from a distance.

Thales caught it hastily, then frowned slightly.

"that's it?"

The prince patted the dust off the dried meat and said with a look of disgust, "Since you started a fire, couldn't you go hunting or roast some meat?"

Monty shook his head, completely unconcerned.

"I'm sorry, Your Highness, who has lived a life of luxury."

“In the wild, the smell of meat will attract unnecessary trouble—starting a fire is already going too far,” Deathraven casually grabbed another piece of jerky, stuffed it into his mouth, and chewed it with relish. “Of course, you can choose not to eat it.”

Thales sighed again, seemingly saddened, took a small bite of the jerky, and looked at Monty with displeasure, pretending it was hard to eat.

The man opposite seemed to be watching the prince's uneaten food with great interest, letting out a low chuckle.

"Where is this place?" The prince seemed to have given up protesting, staring dejectedly at Monty, his gaze sweeping over the JC dagger beside him:

Where are we?

Monty tore off another piece of jerky and chuckled lightly on purpose:
"on the way."

on the way.

Thales frowned slightly: "Wow, that's precise."

“I’m so sorry I didn’t bring you a map,” Monty said sarcastically, “Your Highness.”

"The secret police, those who were supposed to be waiting for me in the jungle..." Thales said calmly, "What did you do to them?"

Monty laughed when he heard this.

He laughed heartily, his shoulders shaking, as if the mere thought of it made him extremely happy.

This weighed heavily on Thales's mind.

“Didn’t I tell you?” Monty blinked, a smug look on his face. “They’re ‘busy.’”

Thales, his expression somber, did not respond, but silently opened his water bag.

He put the spout on his lips, silently activated his hellish senses, and carefully observed his surroundings once again, including the position of the moon.

It's late at night now, and at least several hours have passed since he knocked me unconscious.

only……

strangeness.

"Are you all alone?" the prince asked casually, taking a sip of water.

Monty frowned.

"how?"

The raven narrowed its eyes slightly, a hint of wariness flashing in them:
"Don't you think that if it were just me, you might have a chance?"

Thales glanced at the bag containing the crossbow beside him, then at the JC dagger lying quietly on the ground, and sighed softly.

"never mind."

“I never imagined I could take on Exster’s most famous outpost scout one-on-one.”

Monty chuckled softly.

A cold glint flashed in Deathrattle's eyes, making Thales feel uneasy again: "Then don't look at me like that—you have no chance."

Thales put down the water bag and wiped his mouth.

"But you really are all alone."

Monty's brow furrowed, and his tone turned cold: "You like talking nonsense?"

Thales shook his head.

But he still smiled slightly: "That proves something else—what, are you afraid of being discovered? That someone will find out you kidnapped the Star Prince without permission?"

"For example, being discovered by Longxiao City, or by your good buddy Nicolai?"

Monty looked up, his gaze growing colder.

"Ha." He gave a forced, insincere smile.

Thales raised an eyebrow, put down the water bag, and started tearing into the jerky again.

“That’s right, you’re not carrying me on your back, but two thousand cavalry,” he said vaguely.

Monty's gaze flickered slightly.

"Remember, the Star Kingdom's two thousand cavalrymen are still stationed on the border near the desert, waiting to interfere in the Free Alliance's war."

The prince struggled to tear at the tough jerky, taking sips of water every now and then: "It concerns the interests of both Qiyuan City and Longxiao City."

“Taking me with you will be a heavy burden, Lord Monty.”

Thales said softly, "Are you ready?"

Monty didn't speak, but his expression turned completely serious.

"You talk too much."

But Thales shook his head dismissively: "But you're very confident, aren't you?"

"Because you are the best scout in all of Exter, the army of Qiyuan City has also been greatly enhanced."

The Death Crow snorted coldly, its gaze towards him growing increasingly hostile:

"Flattery won't help you, Your Highness."

He said coldly and displeasedly, "So why don't you finish the food in your hand and then shut up?"

However, at that moment, Thales suddenly burst out laughing.

"Ha ha ha ha……"

Monty was slightly surprised at first, then looked at him with suspicion.

"I understand." Thales swallowed the last bite of jerky with water, patted his half-full belly, and his smile grew wider and wider.

"You, you wraith of death..."

Monty's expression grew increasingly grim, and his attitude became increasingly displeased.

"What the hell."

"Understand what?"

Thales forced a smile, pulled his gaze back to the other person, and shook his head vigorously: "It's nothing."

But he chuckled again, as if he couldn't help but laugh: "It's just—haha—I suddenly realized that I'm really too slow-witted."

Monty's eyes sharpened.

The Raven said coldly, "After all you've said, I have a bad feeling: you're plotting something, or you know something."

Thales seemed to be intently eating his jerky, but his eyes never left Monty.

Monty felt very uncomfortable under his gaze and said in a cold voice:

"They say you're very persuasive and swaying."

"So maybe in the next moment, you'll say something that makes me hesitate?"

Thales then stopped smiling, but he shrugged, showing no fear whatsoever.
"You might hesitate... perhaps because you're already feeling guilty?"

After he finished speaking, the air fell silent.

Only the crackling of the campfire remained.

The warmth on the face of the Deathraven vanished completely, and this time, he silently gazed at the prince for a long time.

Thales felt uneasy.

A few seconds later, Monty sneered and stood up: "You know, there's a good way to overcome hesitation."

Thales paused for a moment, then unconsciously shrank back as he watched the Deathrattle Raven approach.

"what?"

But Monty was already standing in front of him.

He reappeared that predatory grin, clenching his fist: "That is—don't give yourself a chance to hesitate."

"Have you finished eating?"

Thales felt a pang of fear. He instinctively stood up and backed away, saying, "Wait, you..."

But before Thales could finish speaking, Monty's expression changed, and as if he didn't need to gather any strength at all, he lunged forward with lightning speed!
"boom!"

With a muffled thud, Thales fainted again before he could even see what the other person was doing.

----

"Awake again?"

This was the first thing Thales heard in his dazed state after waking up from hunger and turmoil.

It still belongs to that man.

The first thing that catches the eye is the ground.

Grass, stones, and soil on the ground...

and many more.

Why are they all moving backward...?

Moving ground?
Thales was startled!
He shook his head vigorously and was surprised to find that he was lying awkwardly on the saddle, with his head and hands on one side and his legs on the other as the horse slowly moved forward.

The prince instinctively tried to get up, but found himself firmly tied to the saddle, unable to even straighten his body!
"hateful……"

Thales felt aches all over his body and painfully looked around: the weather was clear and sunny, but they were walking on a path overgrown with weeds and lined with cedar trees on both sides. It was clearly not the same place as yesterday's campsite.

Damn it.

What kind of operation is this?

Thales stared gravely at the rising and falling hooves on the ground, his heart sinking.

He strained his eyes to look at Monty on another horse, who was leisurely whistling.

"Damn it, is this the treatment you should give to His Highness the Prince?"

Thales let out a breath, feeling the pain in his lower back and abdomen becoming increasingly unbearable. He gritted his teeth and cursed, "Are you sure your superiors won't come after you?"

What if I die on the way?

The raven turned back from its horse and chuckled, "But you're not dead yet, are you?"

"And I'm sure—it won't!"

"Hahahaha-"

Thales let out a heavy sigh, looked at his bound body, and lowered his head, feeling utterly miserable.

"You—veteran actor, you're overdoing it."

The Deathrattle seemed oblivious to Thales's implied meaning; he slowed his horse and rode alongside Thales.

“Listen, you talkative brat,” Monty’s smile was chilling, “for the sake of our peace and smooth journey…”

"You have two choices now."

Monty casually raised two fingers, a look of triumphant satisfaction spreading across his face.

"Option one: you can continue to be a chatterbox..."

But he hadn't finished speaking—

"I choose two."

Thales said coldly, without even a hint of expression or emotion.

This caused Monty's expression to freeze for a moment.

He turned his head to look at his raised finger and scratched his chin somewhat unhappily.

“Damn it,” said Deathrattle grumbled, “I haven’t even started speaking yet.”

"Humph."

Thales replied bluntly, retorting, "Anyway, option one always results in the worst outcome, doesn't it?"

Monty snorted in dissatisfaction and turned away, feeling foolish.

They walked for about an hour, until Thales was so exhausted he could barely breathe.

Being hung on a horse's back felt... oh my god...

"Hey... that big-mouthed one..."

"The Meteorite told me he could snap your neck in five seconds," Thales said, his mind reeling, his back aching, and his abdomen chafed raw from the saddle. This fueled his intense hatred for the man before him.

"To be honest, I'm really looking forward to that moment."

Monty, sitting on his horse, stiffened slightly.

"Five seconds? That's what he said?"

His face turned ugly.

But in an instant, Monty regained his composure.

He gave a disdainful smile and turned to Thales, who was gritting his teeth on horseback: "Now I believe you are indeed a nuisance—at least in terms of being annoying."

"Even after all this, you still can't shut up?"

Thales gasped for breath, forcing a pale smile:

"See, this is the problem."

“When I was still in Longxiao City’s hands, they thought I was a problem,” the prince said, sweat dripping onto the ground. He spoke with difficulty and his voice was hoarse. “But after they lost me, they realized that I was still a bargaining chip.”

"And now, I'm in your hands."

The boy struggled to lift his head, drenched in cold sweat, but still managed to force an awkward smile: "Guess who's the most troublesome?"

Monty snorted and rode his horse closer.

He slowly raised his hand and chopped at Thales' neck.

A chill ran down his spine, and the feeling of being startled returned to his mind.

"Alright, alright, don't do it!" The prince lowered his head in regret and shouted, "I will cooperate!"

Monty then revealed a satisfied smile.

But Thales, grimacing, spoke again: "I'll only ask one last question..."

"Are you sure we're on the right track?"

The raven frowned deeply.

Monty sighed deeply: "Didn't you choose number two?"

Before Thales could react, his hand chopped down heavily in the next moment!
"boom!"

He chopped it down on Thales' neck.

Seeing the prince faint again, Deathrattle nodded in satisfaction. He shifted to a more comfortable position and murmured as the horse swayed:

"It's much quieter now."

----

Thales swore that this was the hardest road he had ever traveled, the worst sleep he had ever had, and the most boring person he had ever met in his short life so far.

His daily routine consisted of eating until he felt dizzy, then waking up, then eating again, and then feeling dizzy again.

Monty seemed to enjoy it too. If Thales said anything too much or angered him, he would basically chop him with a knife and occasionally say "Rule number one".

So much so that Thales would sometimes wake up on horseback, and sometimes open his eyes in the wilderness. Each time he was awake, he could only see the changing scenery and the alternation of the sun and moon, and he didn't even know how much time had passed.

Lower back pain, leg and hand cramps, dizziness, blurred vision and tinnitus are all common occurrences.

Oh My God.

Thales, on the verge of madness, wailed in his heart:
Even raising pigs isn't this cruel!
It felt like I was back in an abandoned house—no, worse.

He secretly thought to himself: I'll remember this person—the Death Raven, Ned Monty.

Damn bastard.

I'll teach him a lesson when we get back!
Thales thought through gritted teeth.

However, just when Thales thought this kind of life would continue until they reached their destination, one day he woke up on horseback and discovered something different.

This time, he was forcibly shaken awake.

"Hey, wake up!"

When Thales opened his eyes from his dazed state, the voice of the Deathraven was somewhat anxious and solemn.

It's another daytime.

Ugh.

The prince, his eyes adjusting to the light, was completely bewildered: "What?"

"Are you lost?"

He then noticed that the surrounding scenery had changed again: the hills covered with cedar trees and jagged rocks had become gentle slopes with fewer trees and more weeds.

here it is……

Thales stretched his head and hands in pain, trying to relieve the pain from lying on the horse's back for so long—he was almost used to it, and had even developed a method to alleviate the pain using the sin of the River of Hell.

"You don't want to be captured and taken back to Dragon Sky City, do you, Your Highness?"

Monty said coldly.

Thales regained some composure and suddenly realized that Monty's words were not right.

The prince's expression turned serious: "What's wrong?"

Monty held his own reins in one hand and Thales's in the other, and his horse was moving much faster than usual.

“We’ve just crossed the Twilight Snow River ferry,” Monty glanced back, his expression grave and his eyes menacing.
"Someone is targeting us."

Sensing the heaviness in his words, Thales was jolted awake, recalling his current predicament.

Just crossed the Twilight Snow River...

They've got their eyes on us...

"Who?" he asked warily.

Monty shook his head, his expression tense: "I don't know, but if you ask me—it should be Dragon Sky City, or Lumba's pursuers."

Thales's expression shifted slightly: "How did you know?"

The raven let out a soft sneer.

"I just know it."

With an air of unquestionable certainty, he carefully surveyed his surroundings: "This is a scout's intuition—the smell in the air is familiar."

Thales was stunned.

Pursuers?

how come……

“If you don’t want to be taken back,” Monty said coldly, his words carrying a warning:
"Then let's cooperate well."

Thales stared at him blankly.

"How to cooperate?"

Monty lowered his eyes and gestured to his hands and feet: "We can't take this leisurely outing anymore; we have to loosen the reins and gallop forward."

"You must be tired of sleeping on horseback too—it makes me feel like a human trafficker."

The Raven asked with a look of disgust, "How is it?"

Thales stared at him intently.

Several minutes later, the prince finally smiled.

"of course."

He's definitely authentic.

“There’s still a long way to go from here to our destination,” Thales nodded, squinting. “Faced with the pursuit of the entire Dragon City, we all need partners.”

"Not a troublemaker."

“We are not enemies, Lord Monty.”

Thales' smile faded, and he said solemnly, "Especially when facing Dragon Sky City."

Monty exhaled and a smile gradually appeared on his face, as that ominous feeling of having his prey on him returned.

Under the sun, the Crow of Death raised an eyebrow: "Very good."

He smiled, pulled out his sheathed JC dagger from his pocket, and swiftly cut the ropes binding Thales.

Thales breathed a sigh of relief: Finally.

He straightened up, his hands and feet numb, and sat upright on the horse.

It felt like I hadn't ridden a horse properly in several lifetimes.

Thales gave a satisfied exclamation: the stirrups gave him a sense of security and stability.

"How about it, is it going to work?" Monty glanced at him, his gaze subtle.

Thales flexed his wrists, rubbed his numb lower back, took a deep breath, and felt his energy return.

"A new beginning," he said calmly.

“Very good.” Monty smiled sinisterly and tossed the JC dagger back to Thales.

Thales took the familiar dagger, feeling increasingly at ease.

really……

“Now, sit tight on your horse, hold the reins, take control of the direction, and follow me, run like your life depends on it,” Monty patted his bag containing his crossbow, lifted the quiver from the saddle, and said sternly, “Of course, don’t even think about running away. I don’t want to shoot you down with an arrow—like shooting you through your balls.”

"Trust me, I can do it."

Thales felt a chill run down his spine. He raised an eyebrow, gripped the reins, and nodded in agreement.

Monty licked his lips: "Ready to begin."

"I remember, it was running like crazy!"

The next second, Monty pulled the rope from his hand and lashed it hard at Thales and his own horse!
In the long-awaited feeling of exhilaration, as the horse's hooves pounded and its speed increased, the air brushed against Thales's arm.

He applied slight pressure to the stirrups, leaning forward to help the horse accelerate and keep up with Monty's hooves.

"Clang, clang, clang..."

Thales took a comfortable breath of air, squinting as he felt the force of the strong wind blowing against his face.

This was arguably the most enjoyable day he'd had in days!
But just over ten minutes later, Thales' heart sank.

"Wait!" he yelled at Monty in front of him.
Why did we change direction?

"To evade pursuers?"

The raven turned around and howled back with unwavering authority:
"Cut the nonsense!"

"Just follow me!"

"Don't let your guard down, they're not easy to deal with!"

With the arrow already on the bowstring, Thales could only suppress his doubts and follow this unreliable guide forward.

----

They raced for a full day and night in a tense, high-speed manner.

They barely stopped along the way, even eating on the spot.

The scenery before them gradually changed: the gentle slope turned into an open wilderness, the trees almost disappeared, and even weeds were rarely seen.

In the wilderness, what one sees are mostly bare, large blocks of gray rock.

So when dawn came again, they finally found a stream so shallow that they could barely fill a water bag. When they set up camp to rest, even the horses were exhausted and kept whimpering.

Where are we?

Thales nearly collapsed to the ground, leaning against a rock, panting, and asking as he gulped down water.

“A barren, rocky area,” Monty answered crisply this time, taking a large gulp of water, but his face showed no signs of relaxation or fatigue; his eyes remained alert.
"It is already under the jurisdiction of Qiyuan City."

“Next, we won’t have to avoid crowds anymore—we can even go directly to villages to resupply.”

Thales' expression froze.

Barren, rocky land.

"So, we really are going to Qiyuan City?" he asked casually.

Therefore, the great desert is in the south.

Monty shrugged, not answering, but tearing off a piece of jerky and putting it in his mouth—heaven knows how he could eat as soon as he dismounted, run as soon as he mounted, and sleep as soon as he lay down.

For example, Thales felt so exhausted that he didn't even have the energy to eat.

"Did you take a longer route?" Thales asked, panting. "I have a feeling you weren't going in a straight line?"

Monty gave him a disdainful look.

"Shut up. When you're out and about, you should listen to the professionals."

With a hint of worry, Thales glanced back at what was behind him:
"So, we've shaken off our pursuers?"

“Of course,” Monty seemed to be in a good mood, his brow relaxed, and he actually answered his question:
"Even with these burdens, I am still Exter's best scout."

Looking at the smug-looking Deathraven, Thales raised an eyebrow and muttered to himself: "A burden..."

"So, who exactly is tracking us?"

Monty simply shook his head: "The last person you want to see."

"Alright, I suggest you shut up now and get some sleep—or I can help you fall asleep?"

Thales had no choice but to turn around sheepishly to avoid being knocked unconscious again.

In the dusty, rocky wasteland, he chose a relatively flat large rock, lay down without hesitation, recovered his strength, and pondered his next move.

When Thales was captured by Monty, he initially thought things were going to be bad.

Later, after his first conversation with Monty, he was pleasantly surprised to find that things were going very well.

However, after running alongside the Deathrattle Raven for a day and a night, Thales frowned again: No, things weren't as good as I thought.

Thinking of this, Thales glanced at Monty with concern.

this person……

It's not as simple as I imagined.

It's much more troublesome and complicated.

I'm getting very close to returning home.

Now, I need an opportunity.

An opportunity.

With that thought in mind, Thales quietly closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

But this time, I fell asleep much faster than I expected!
"Whoosh!"

A sharp, sudden sound startled Thales awake from his dream!
He was panting heavily, deeply impressed by the strange, rapid sound!

This is……

This is?

"alert!"

Monty's furious shout brought Thales back to his senses!
At noon, the sun was high in the sky, making the bare rocks scorching hot. Thales got up, drenched in sweat, only to find that Monty already had his weapon in hand, staring at him with a ferocious expression.

The tension in the air affected Thales, who was jolted awake from his dream. He shook his head violently and stood up.

"What's going on?" Thales reached for the dagger in his pocket, looking around in astonishment, but saw nothing.

Just as he was about to activate his Hell Senses, he was met with a cold, angry snort from the Deathrattle Raven: "What happened—we messed up."

Monty looked furious, grinding his teeth and his eyes were menacing: "Damn it, how is this possible..."

"How exactly did they discover it?!"

Thales had never seen him like this before; he seemed to be both embarrassed and angry.

But Monty's body tensed up more and more, like a startled wild beast, staring intently at the back of a rock.

Thales was stunned.

how……

But then he suddenly remembered the most crucial part.

“That sound just now,” Thales said in surprise, desperately trying to recall what he remembered, “it sounded somewhat like the whistling arrows of the Dragon Sky City patrol, but there were some differences. I’m sure I’ve heard it somewhere before…”

And right now.

A hoarse, deep male voice slowly came from behind the rocks:

"Because that wasn't a signal arrow from the patrol."

At that moment, Thales and Monty's expressions changed drastically!

This voice...

The sound of unfamiliar hooves echoed from behind the rocks.

A man in a white cloak, carrying a sword and wearing a mask, rode out from behind a rock. His eyes were bloodshot, yet still sharp as knives.

Thales froze: the cloak, the mask—he recognized the attire.

he is……

he is……

The newcomer glanced coldly at the two of them, then gently pulled down his mask to reveal a pale yet striking facial contour.

Upon seeing who it was, Monty clutched his forehead in pain, gritted his teeth, and stomped his foot on the ground: "You son of a bitch!"

The newcomer said hoarsely, "Those are signal crossbows used by the White Blade Guard of Dragon Sky City for nearly a hundred years."

"Six years ago, it rang out countless times in Dragon Sky City."

Thales sighed.

The next second, the boy took out the jerky from his pocket, stuffed it into his mouth, and chewed it thoroughly.

"I told you that in the hall, didn't I?"

"Tales Shining Star".

Under the sun, the former commander of the White Blade Guard of Dragon Sky City, fully armed, sat on his warhorse, carrying his Rising Sun Saber. With his terrifying eyes wide open, he stared intently at the ashen-faced Thales and spoke condescendingly.

Thales and Monty exchanged a glance, their expressions grim.

“'Be careful, you'd better not fall into my hands.'”

"The Fallen One," Lord Serrey Nicholas's voice echoed across the wilderness, carrying a chilling, murderous intent.

"Otherwise, you won't even have a chance to regret it."

After reading the comments on the previous chapter, I found that many people felt that the protagonist was too pitiful, the abuse of the protagonist was too deliberate, the secret techniques were too stupid, and the plot was too unsuccessful. As a result, they were indignant and said that Wu Jian should take the blame for this, and some even abandoned the book (it can be seen from the number of subscriptions that a large number of people probably abandoned the book).

In response, Wu Jian said: "Readers who have made it this far should know something about Wu Jian, right?"
If not, then abandoning the book might not necessarily be a bad thing; Wu Jian could only sigh that they were destined to be apart.

Then continue writing.



(End of this chapter)