Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 442 Machinery
At this moment, with a heavy heart, Thales smelled the strong stench of blood, and a strange scene was reflected in his pupils:

In the deep, dark prison, the cold corpses of mercenaries were spread out between two walls, surrounded by warm blood that had almost formed puddles. Under the meager, trembling torchlight, the scene before them exuded an eerie sense of crimson and gray.

Amidst the mess, seven men, led by Barney, stood tall and sturdy, dressed in tattered clothes, like stubborn rocks parting the red and black waves, silently gazing at the other side of the passage.

There, the Knight of Punishment stood silently facing them, his eyes reflecting the firelight, the brand beneath his brow faintly visible.

In the cramped, dark cell, his figure resembled a majestic mountain range at the edge of the sky, imposing and imposing.

But it's just out of reach.

Sacel's gaze slowly swept across the room, not targeting any particular person, but everyone in his line of sight tensed up, feeling as if the other person was scrutinizing them, and subconsciously straightened their bodies.

Like soldiers being inspected.

But their expressions grew increasingly somber.

It was as if, at this moment, the darkness in the dungeon had truly arrived.

Thales grew increasingly nervous. He tried to interrupt several times, but the current atmosphere left him speechless.

Countless ideas flashed through his mind, but none of them were suitable for the current situation.

Thales could only ignore the winks that Quick Rope was giving him and try to force himself to calm down.

"take it easy."

"I am not here to carry out punishment."

Looking at his tense former colleague, Sackel chuckled softly, his usual dry voice tinged with sadness:
"Never again."

To carry out criminal penalties.

These words seemed to evoke memories in the seven prisoners, all of whom also bore brand marks on their faces.

The robust Brie let out a deep groan, Tardin looked at the ground, twitching one corner of his mouth. The others, like them, relaxed their posture, their tense expressions softening slightly.

Only Barney remained steadfast, like a rock standing proudly against the cold wind, coldly watching Sacel.

The silence lasted for a few seconds, accompanied by the flickering shadows of several figures in the firelight.

Thales and Quick Rope exchanged a worried look.

what happened?

He knew they knew Sackel, and he worried that they might be working together against him, but...

Why were they like this when they met?
More importantly, what is he going to do?
The strange atmosphere made Thales increasingly anxious.

It wasn't until Belletti, a former clerk, sighed that the ice was broken.

“It’s been a long time,” he said, looking at Sacelle with a hint of bitterness.

"Sir."

Upon hearing this title, Sacel took a deep breath.

He paused for a second before gazing intently at Belletti, whose face was filled with complex emotions.

“Yes,” Sacel said in a hoarse voice.

"A long time."

Luton Belletti.

Sakel gazed at the figure that was so different from what it had been more than a decade ago.

In the elite royal guard, Belletti was an inconspicuous fellow, always taciturn and unyielding, but the old captain saw this in him—in an era of turmoil, they needed a mature and steady executioner more than ever.

He still remembered how trembling and cold Belletti's hands were when he handed her the badge that represented a penal officer a long time ago.

But Sacelle only lingered in the past for a few seconds before pulling himself out of the nostalgia of meeting old friends.

His gaze swept over the crowd, and he gave a slight nod to the young prince behind the seven:

"Your Highness Thales."

His tone was respectful, yet his voice held an icy edge.

Hearing Sacel's peculiar attitude, the seven prisoners exchanged glances.

Thales knew this moment was bound to come sooner or later, so he ignored Quick Rope's shaking head and took a step forward with a steely resolve.

"where is he?"

The prince stared at Sacelle's thin face, trying to forget the other's earlier deadly aura, and first asked about the person he cared about most:

"What did you do to him?"

Thales looked at the Executioner Knight with concern and found that the other man's wounds hadn't increased much, but thankfully, Sacel was holding a fighting axe instead of the gray short sword he knew so well.

he?
Barney glanced at Cannon, but the guard prisoner in charge of reconnaissance simply shook his head slowly.

Sacel was silent for a few seconds, his eyes flickering.

“He’s fine, I assure you,”

"It just needs some time to recover."

Thales breathed a sigh of relief, though no one knew it.

But he was too happy too soon.

Soon, the figure of the Executioner, resembling a twilight mountain, slowly advanced, his increasingly serious enunciation pressing towards the prince.

"But we..."

Sacel's words rang out as he walked.

Step, step, step.

Each step he took was like a terrifying war drumbeat, the killing intent growing heavier with each step.

"We should go."

"Your Highness."

time to go.

At that moment, Thales' face turned pale, and his recently relaxed mood tightened again.

Barney looked at Sacelle, then glanced at Thales behind him, his brow furrowed.

Step, step, step.

Sacel stepped forward, the firelight reflecting off the bloodstains on the axe blade in his hand.

His gaze sharpened again, staring intently at Thales.

It was as if no one else could be seen.

Thales gritted his teeth and instinctively gripped the hilt of his sword.

But the next second, two solid and strong figures moved in unison, suddenly intervening in this strange standoff!
The fire flickered.

tread!
Sacel paused, his heavy steps halting on the spot.

He squinted, taking in the obstacle before him.

Thales' brow twitched.

It's Belletti and Brie.

One was strong, the other robust, like giant rocks blocking the way, firmly standing on the left and right in the path the Knight of Punishment must take.

His gaze was intense, his expression calm, and he showed no sign of backing down.

Sacel's eyes slowly focused, sweeping past the axe and mace in Belletti and Brie's hands, and looking at the man behind them.

Barney was as lifeless as a statue.

"Is this how you welcome old colleagues and former superiors?"

Sacelle stared at the expressionless Barney and tilted his head slightly:
"No hugs?"

His words were joking, but there was no sense of ease about them.

Thales noticed that at this moment, all seven prisoners put on stern faces, as if they were about to refuse.

what happened?

Do they have a grudge?

Unexpectedly, it was the quick rope next to him who patted him on the shoulder and secretly gave him a smug thumbs up.

This left Thales even more confused.

But Barney Jr. quickly answered his question.

"I don't know how you got out, Watchman."

Barney's voice remained calm and steady. His head was slightly lowered, and his pupils were pressed against his upper eyelids, making him stare at the imposing executioner knight with a chilling gaze.

He glanced behind him.

"But when the prince's attendant... Wyatt Cassel, let us out, he told us some bad news."

Barney said coldly:

"The news is about your mental breakdown and your pursuit of the prince alongside the Shadow Shield."

Upon hearing this, Sakel frowned, while the seven prisoners exchanged wary glances and pursed their lips.

what?
A mentally unstable individual is hunting down a prince?

Surprised, Thales cast a questioning look at the rope.

The latter winked smugly and curled one corner of his mouth.

Thales, disregarding everything else, quickly lowered his head and whispered to the rope:

"What did you say to them about Sacel?"

Quick Rope, with an expression that seemed to want to take credit but was feigning modesty, glanced at Thales with a smug look and chuckled:
"of course……"

But he immediately noticed that the talkative Naki was staring intently in his direction, which made Quick Rope pause and subconsciously put away his playful expression.

Quick-drawn rope straightened his back with an air of righteous indignation, raised his voice, and made sure everyone could hear him:
"Of course I'm telling the truth!"

Thales looked at Quick Rope's seemingly loyal demeanor with a headache, and then at the latter's indignant gaze towards Sacel in the distance. He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth.
"How can the noble bloodline of the Starry Sky be tarnished by the filthy hands of a madman!"

The righteous cries of the fast rope echoed in this small passageway.

What? What?

Thales's lips twitched, which eased his tension considerably.

Naki, who had been staring at them, withdrew his gaze from the fool and looked at Barney with a strange expression, as if seeking his opinion.

But Barney didn't say a word, he just stared intently at Sackel.

Before them, Sackel remained motionless, gazing back at Barney from afar.

The echo of the rope disappeared into the air, the standoff between Sacel and the seven remained, and the dark cell returned to its desolate and suffocating atmosphere.

After a while, just as Thales was feeling suffocated in the oppressive atmosphere and wanted to interject, Barney, the highest-ranking member of the seven, finally spoke up.

"Watchman, you're not crazy, are you?"

His gaze was indifferent, his tone detached, and he referred to Sacel by his former position:
"At least, they haven't gone completely insane."

Hearing the other person's meaningful words, Sacel remained silent for a while before speaking softly:
"That depends on the definition of madness."

He looked at Thales, but seemed to see something else; his gaze was unfocused.

The seven prisoners frowned almost simultaneously.

Thales felt he could no longer remain silent; if things continued this way, it was only a matter of time before his secret was exposed.

So he cleared his throat:

"Gentlemen, please listen to me..."

However, before he could even finish a sentence, Barney suddenly spoke up!
"It is not out of disrespect for you, Your Highness, but because we are complete strangers!"

His voice was cold and rude as he interrupted Prince Star:
"But please refrain from speaking so as not to deepen the misunderstanding."

Thales was speechless.

He looked at Barney, who was turning his head to look at him, without understanding what was going on, and found the latter's gaze somewhat frightening.

"Misunderstand?"

Thales was stunned.

Barney snorted coldly.

"Yes."

Barney gripped the hilt of his sword, turned his gaze to the other side, and stared at Quick Rope, who was equally puzzled, causing the latter to shiver.

"For example, that imposter next to you, who is full of lies and whose words are only meant to sow discord between us and Sacelle, the so-called 'Cassaud Attendant'."

His words echoed in the dungeon, hollow and piercing.

It took Thales a few seconds to process what he had just said.

Impersonation.

He's a complete liar.

To incite internal strife.

The so-called Caesar...

Wait, does that mean...?
Thales turned his gaze away blankly.

As expected, Quick Rope stared in disbelief at Barney, whose eyes were like knives.

The other person's gaze was extremely cold, as if it could pierce through everything.

In that instant, Kuaishou felt a chill run down his spine.

No way.

“Hey, Thales,” Quick Rope forced an awkward smile, tugged at the prince’s sleeve, and whispered as he slowly backed away:

"I think we should leave for a bit so they can catch up alone..."

However, the moment Quick Rope turned around, two other people appeared behind the rookie mercenary like shadows, blocking his escape route!
not only that.

Before anyone knew it, Tardin and Naki, Cannon and Nai, two in front and two behind, the four of them had firmly surrounded Thales and Quick Rope from four directions!

They had more people than those who intercepted Sakel.

All four of them looked at Kaisen with wary and scrutinizing eyes, whose smile was more like a grimace.

The unexpected turn of events threw Thales into a state of confusion.

how……

"Please remain where you are and do not make any rash moves, 'Attendant Caso'."

Tardin held a knife in one hand and a sword in the other, looking at the grim-faced Quick Rope with a mocking tone.

"By the way, Wyman."

Tardin shook his head dismissively, his eyes filled with hostility:
“Your mother, Viscountess Gilbert Cassel, is my older sister.”

what?
Kuai Sheng's eyelids twitched instantly, and his heart sank.

"She died eighteen years ago—while protecting her young son during the turmoil in Yongxing City."

Tardin's eyes flickered slightly, and he slowly raised the weapon in his hand, startling Kuaisheng into taking a step back.

"That is, you, 'Wyatt Cassel,' my dear nephew."

nephew?

Quick Rope's face grew increasingly pale and unsightly.

Even Thales was stunned.

Tardin, he's Wyman's...uncle?
"Obviously, your 'mother' isn't 'in good health' as ​​you say, much less 'hehehe'."

Tardin stared coldly at his 'nephew':
"And hey liar, next time, remember to change your Commas accent—Star People don't talk like that."

As he finished speaking, all seven prisoners stared at him with extremely unfriendly expressions. At that moment, Quick Rope's smile froze completely.

Under the scrutiny of the guard prisoners, and having been exposed, he cast an innocent and embarrassed pleading look at Thales.

that……

Are we... going to be in trouble?
Even Thales could only sigh silently in his heart, wishing he could slap himself on the head—or on the face.

That self-righteous bastard!
Oops.

Thales felt immense pressure as he sensed the seven people's renewed suspicion and unfamiliar gazes.

The unfriendly atmosphere between the seven men and Sakel just now gave him a slight sense of relief.

But now, after the rope was exposed, he has lost the trust of the seven people and has fallen back into the most dangerous situation.

On the other side, Sacel watched Thales, who was surrounded, from afar, without saying a word.

Barney gave a soft hum, bringing the conversation back to the other person.

"As you can see, Sacel, everything that happened today is highly suspicious."

Barney nodded with his chin:

"For example, this inexplicably mysterious prince, his liar-ridden attendant, and now you who are behaving abnormally."

His words brought everyone's attention back to the present.

“We believe you, Sacelle, you never do anything crazy or pointless.”

Barney glanced at Thales and said softly:

"So, what is the reason that this so-called 'Prince' must die?"

"That's why you targeted him and the last bloodline of the royal family the moment you were released from prison?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Sackel's eyes flickered slightly.

“The reason why I have to die…” he murmured, lost in his own thoughts.

In that instant, Thales' face turned ashen, and his heart was filled with bitterness.

No.

The reason why I had to die...

Even Quick Rope realized that they seemed to be in deep trouble.

The seven guard prisoners stood silently in place: two blocked the knight of punishment, four surrounded the prince and the rope, and little Barney stood in the middle, calmly awaiting Sacelle's answer.

Sacel snapped out of his reverie and glanced at Thales again, his expression a complex mix of emotions.

Thales looked at Sackel with a gloomy expression and a sorrowful look on his face as he gripped the fighting axe tightly.

But something unexpected happened.

Sacel shook his head impatiently and uttered a dismissive remark:

I'll explain later.

Thales' heavy heart paused for a moment.

As soon as he finished speaking, Sackel stepped forward without hesitation!
Heading toward Thales.

The seven people waiting for his answer, including Thales, were all taken aback.

I'll explain later?

Barney frowned deeply.

Belletti and Brie exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with surprise and confusion.

But the next second, the two former members of the royal guard moved in unison and raised their weapons at the same time.

call!
The cold, sharp blade cut through the wind and stopped just in mid-air!
The movements were fluid and clean.

They were only an inch away from the Knight of Punishment.

This forced him to stop walking towards the prince.

“I’d rather you explained now, Saxel.”

Barney stared at the other person seriously:

"After serving so many years in prison, we were a bit clumsy."

"But if we want to have a long-awaited sparring match, there's still no problem."

The situation on the field became tense again.

Sacel didn't even glance at the weapon blocking his way. He simply lowered his head, took a deep breath, and smirked.

Quill Barney Jr.

He's still the same stubborn man.

He was obsessive.

Before the Knight of Punishment, Belletti's eyes were dull and calm, while Brie's expression fluctuated, her brows furrowing.

"If I've explained it clearly..."

Sacel looked away and sighed.

"Will you help me?"

These words terrified Thales.

He looked around and bitterly discovered that the guards and prisoners' protection and surveillance had never been relaxed.

Sackel scanned each of his former colleagues and continued in a hoarse voice:
"Even if it means pointing the sword at the bloodline of the Starry Sky royal family?"

His voice was like a sharp blade, extremely piercing.

Upon hearing this, the former guards' breathing became disordered, and they all frowned.

Belletti instinctively glanced back at Barney.

Sure enough, of the seven, only Barney remained calm and composed, answering him with unusual composure:

"That depends on how you interpret it."

Everything has a cause.

In the tense standoff, Sackel fell silent.

“Yes,” he said somberly.
Everything has a cause.

His appearance reminded Thales of the knight of punishment who went mad in prison and spoke to another world.

Seeing signs that the other side was about to compromise, Barney nodded slowly. At his signal, Belletti and Brie put down their weapons and waited for the other side's response.

This made Thales even more nervous.

That's right.

All Sacel needed to do was explain to them his identity as a mage...

He was already a highly respected member of the royal guard, and if he explained himself even slightly, they would have no reason to help him.

And what about these noble Star People's attitude towards the final war and the legendary calamities...?

Thales closed his eyes, feeling increasingly heavy-hearted as he thought about it. He even began to consider ways to break through the encirclement head-on.

But what about the ropes around us?
Or, how about trying magic power again?

"I apologize for making you witness this, Your Highness."

Sacel's sudden voice interrupted Thales's thoughts.

Thales opened his eyes, only to be surprised to see that the Punishment Knight, who had been filled with murderous intent and wanted to kill him not long ago, was now standing at a distance, watching the Star Prince with an incomprehensible gaze.

"This is my incompetence and weakness."

Sacelle's face was filled with pity and pain, yet he still managed to flash a wrinkled, ugly smile that complemented the hideous brand on his forehead:

"But don't worry, it will be over soon."

He nodded gently, his tone soft, as if comforting a disappointed child.
"everything will get better."

"Will do."

As he spoke, Sakel lowered his head slightly.

Thales was completely stunned.

he is……

Have I fallen into his "other world" again?
The seven people facing off exchanged glances.

Barney seemed increasingly impatient with Sackel's behavior.

“Sakel, the Watchman.”

He spoke again, and this time, Barney's tone was far less polite than before, sounding harsh and unpleasant:

"answer my question."

"Is there anything we need to know about this prince?"

Barney's words were extremely cold, more like a threat.

Thales gritted his teeth, and even the quick rope beside him gripped his crossbow in fear.

One second, two seconds.

In this small passageway, the firelight flickered and figures moved about.

Finally, Sacel slowly raised his head, revealing a cold smile, and uttered the word that surprised everyone:

"No."

The knight of punishment coldly surveyed each person before him:

“You don’t need to know, Chief Vanguard Barney.”

"All you need to know is: I have to do this."

"This is enough."

At that moment, everyone was stunned.

The most profound impact of this was felt by Thales himself.

why.

Thales blinked.

He clearly wanted to kill me, didn't he?
Because I am a mage.

He could have simply stated this reason...

But why, why did he keep my secret?

Wouldn't it be better to explain the facts and persuade them, using the greater good, to turn their anger towards me?
Thales stared blankly at the other person, unable to comprehend it.

Why is this person so strange?
“Sakel!”

Finally, Barney could no longer contain himself and roared out:

Don't push me!

Barney's roar echoed nearby, but in response, Sackel chuckled softly.

"Forcing you?"

“I know, I’ve been a penitent for so long, and I’ve offended quite a few people,” his gaze swept over the frowning Belletti and Brie, and then over their weapons:

"But have I become so unpopular?"

It sounded like a joke, yet also like mockery.

"Including you, Barney—what, are you jealous that I stole the Watchman's position?"

At that moment, Thales saw Barney clench his fists, his face pale.

Behind him, Naki sighed softly, while Tardin shook his head inwardly.

Oops.

Seeing that things were not going well, Belletti let out a breath and gritted her teeth.

“It’s precisely because you’re so popular, sir,” Belletti insisted on using that respectful form of address.
"That's why we can't believe it."

His face was tense, as if he had something difficult to say, and he spoke through clenched teeth:
“That is the bloodline of the Star, sir, the one we once swore to protect.”

Belletti pointed at Thales and said in a suppressed voice:
"Why do this?"

Upon hearing his former subordinate's question, Sackel's smile gradually turned cold.

The bloodline of the radiant star...

The existence that I once swore to protect...

He paused for a few seconds, his expression a half-smile.

"Because...this is my mission."

Sacel spoke softly, gently and calmly.

Just like saying goodnight before bed.

"Enough, Saxeel!"

Barney's angry shout interrupted Belletti, who was about to speak again.

"I'm not in the mood to beat around the bush with you!"

Hearing Barney's angry rebuke, Sackel didn't react. Instead, he let out a soft hum as if in a daze and nodded.

This made Barney even more indignant.

"I don't know what you're hiding, but if you think you can get away with being vague..."

The atmosphere started to change.

But as he listened to them go back and forth about their secrets, Thales, at the center of the conversation, suddenly had a feeling:
No.

They weren't talking about me.

At least……

It's not just me.

As the conflict intensified, Naki, who was standing at the back, coughed loudly.

"Uh, Barney? Boss Sackel?"

He extended a hand to each of them, forcing a smile, and tried his best to ease the conflict:
"If you ask me, we should all calm down..."

But Naki misjudged the situation.

The next second, Thales felt his hair stand on end as a figure flashed before his eyes!
"call!"

The wind howled, and the flames flickered!

"No!" Little Barney shouted angrily.

"Boom!"

Thales struggled to open his eyes.

But the next thing he saw was Belletti and Brie, two tough warriors, groaning as they fell to either side under the heavy blows until they crashed into the wall.

And their opponent who defeated them—the calm and composed Sacel just moments before—had already transformed back into the fierce-looking, murderous knight of punishment!

He broke through the two people in an instant, his momentum as fierce as mountains collapsing and peaks crumbling, and he came flying through the air!

They rushed straight at Thales, who was terrified and unable to react in time.

It's finally born!
P.S. The novel "Kingdom Bloodline" has recently added a character management feature. You can open the Qidian app and find the character system below the introduction on the book's pages. You can tag and like your favorite characters there.

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(End of this chapter)